BERNICE KING I STAND WITH YOU… SHIRLEY TEMPLE and more…

I have been trying to find the time to get around to writing this blog ever since I heard the latest on the dispute between the King siblings.

What bothered me the most was that everyone seemingly is coming down on Bernice King, the youngest of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.’s children, over this latest controversy in her family amongst her and her brothers.

Looking at the pictures it appears that Martin L. King, III has jumped ship.  At one point it had been him and Bernice against Dexter King, their baby brother.  Dexter and Martin 3 want to take out of the hands of Bernice their father’s traveling Bible, and what has to be any families most valued treasure if we could all get 1… Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize medal.

Who in their right mind would dare part with these 2 things?

There are just some things you simply cannot put a price tag on.

Perhaps, some down and out someone or other might think differently.  Or just some plain greedy kids… out to liquidate everything they can get their grubby little hands on of their mother’s and father’s estate.

Is it not enough that the court ordered Bernice to surrender to Dexter personal cards and letters written to their mother by their father… items that Mrs. King had personal given to her youngest daughter?

Now, here comes Dexter again… and this time Martin 3 is with him.  They are in the boat together to snatch out of their sister’s hands their father’s Bible (the Bible that President Barack Obama placed his hand upon when he took his oath for his 2nd term in the White House) and Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize.

How low can you go, Dexter and Martin 3?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/martin-luther-king-jr-s-children-battling-estate-article-1.1605655

Unless you have been there you will never understand how hard it is to stand when everyone around is grabbing for what they can get… and all you can think of  ‘my parent’s are gone.’  Dealing with loss can be very difficult.  And especially when the responsibility somehow falls upon you… be it a sense of duty or whatever…  but you are the one who ends up trying to maintain what you see as what your parent’s desire would be.

I clearly understand Bernice King and her decision to try to keep her brothers from selling off every piece of their family legacy to the highest bidder.

And why should she?

We have all heard of down and out athletes and actors selling off their championship rings or Academy awards… when left with no other options.  But this is something else.  It is just pure and simple greed driving Dexter boy and his older and brother, Martin #3.

It is always very unfortunate when the value of your things winds up meaning more to your children than you… or what your desires would be… or the remembrance of you… or in this case have a higher cost than the King legacy and remembrance of their mother and father to some of them.

Bernice King has every right to try to hold onto the precious memories and legacy of both her mother and father, without having gifts which her mother gave to her… entrusted her with …being lost to a couple of greedy brothers who care nothing about the King legacy, or even how bad they are making their family and themselves looked by forcing the hand of their baby sister in this matter.

I heard an interview where Andrew Young, a man who I thought used to be a King family friend, commented on this matter by merely snickering at it and saying, “They sue too much.”

You know what Mr. Young?

When you have to take somebody to court ….or they want to take you to court.  Baby, you better learn how to fight.  Cause if you don’t learn how to swing back… then just crawl into a hole and pull some grass over you and die.

Thank goodness Bernice has not decided to die.  When you honor your mother and father, and their memory… you don’t try to sell off precious things that belonged to them, because you cherish them.  Those things were a part of them… and they should remain in the King family to get pass down.  Many people today can’t even put their hands on old family pictures or 8mm films that may have been taken of them as children.  Because somebody in their family grabbed them all up and years later discarded them… or they somehow got lost.

I long for a picture my mother had taken of me and my sister many years ago.  We were just young children then.  My sister took my parent’s picture and cut it up throwing away my half of that picture while keeping herself.  Today not even that part exist.  There had been other copies of that picture which my mother had sent to various relatives, but I have never been able to track not 1 down….or put my hands on them some 50 or more years later because they too were probably destroyed.

http://rollingout.com/politics/dr-kings-children-profiting-from-the-martin-luther-king-jr-national-memorial/

The problem in this story is one of greed.  Dexter boy has been selling off everything… every piece of the King family estate he can since the passing of their mother… down to making the Federal government pay him for the use of his father’s image and likeness in the creation of his monument in Washington, D.C..  One would have thought that the honor and recognition given to his father in the creation of the Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. monument in D.C. would have filled him with joy.  That he would have been eager for the King family to assist anyway it could.  But no…  not Dexter.  He saw it as a money-making opportunity and milked the creation and erection of a monument to his father for every dime he could get out of it… including forcing them to pay for the use of any of Dr. King’s quotes.

http://theatlantavoice.com/news/2013/jul/16/mlks-youngest-son-weds-longtime-girlfriend/

[LISTEN] Bernice King Sets Record Straight on the King Family Feud

Why anyone would want to throw stones at Bernice King for standing up to her brothers in their pursuit to sell off what has to be two of the most valued possessions of both their mother and father, Dr. King’s Bible and Nobel Peace Prize… is crazy.  Clearly, those people do not know the whole story. But it has always been my experience to know that it is usually the good person… the person who is trying to do the right thing… the one who is innocent of trying to do wrong that gets blamed for starting the whole thing and is singled out as the culprit in the eyes of almost everyone looking in on matters like this.  I have been there… and in many ways I still am.  Trust me me I know.

So, yes… I side with Bernice King.  I cheer you on Bernice King.  Do not give up the fight.  Fight the fight… it is well worth fighting.  And I pray you God speed and victory in this matter.  As there are some things you just do not sell off… like your birth right.  And the right of any 3rd or 4th generation King’s etc. to not have to go to a library or museum to see an award presented to their grand-father or great great grand-father, because his kids sold off everything.  Some things really are too sacred.

And I also pray for a changed mind and heart of both Dexter King and Martin #3.

In regards to Martin #3… I have no respect for him.

I recall going into court trying to fight for my father.  I went in thinking that 2 of my other siblings were on my side.  That is what they pretended… that is until we got before the Judge.  When we got before the Judge they said nothing.  They offered nothing not 1 agreement to anything to what I was saying.  I was left out there all alone trying to fight for our father to be returned home, and they said nothing.  I later came to realized that they never wanted daddy back home in the first place.  The house was divided and everybody had grabbed what they wanted.   My father’s house had been invaded and taken over… and daddy was forced out of his own property. A fact I never knew until some time after that court hearing.

It is amazing how quickly we can forget all the sacrifices and all the good times… and how much our parents poured into us.  If Dr. King had not struggled…  if he had not marched… if he not sacrificed his life… what would they have to fight over?

What would we all have to celebrate?

The car… the family house… everything that every family at the end is forced to fight over… I suspect they might have fought over that.  Because there will always be at least 1 who sees a bigger picture than just self and…  and thank God for that.  They see more than what they can get out of the passing of supposed love ones.  Always 1…  and it appears that Bernice King is the 1.   And yes… I stand with her.

http://blackamericaweb.com/tag/bernice-king/

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/10/rev_bernice_king_elected_presi.html

On another note on the King family.  Dexter has gotten married.  This is really not new news.  But I know it is not mentioned or talked about but if the truth be told… Dexter is really not the marrying kind.  Everything for him is show.   His wife is a supposed ex-lesbian.  But I have known people who were gay who married with each 1 doing their own thing.

When I first encountered this it was a couple of the weirdest 2 people I had ever met.   The guy was flamingly gay… and between them they did have a child.  I really don’t know how she managed it?

But I figured out that they had been great friends and this is what laid the foundation for them agreeing to get together as husband and wife.

I also remember when once a lover of mine had been offered quite a considerable about of money from a man, who at the time was a boss of mine (he owned the radio station).  His son was very very gay and the father wanted a grand child… an heir or something I guess.  So, he proposed an offer to my girlfriend of this substantial amount of money to marry his 1 and only child, this gay son.   And no she did not do it… as it was totally out of the question.  But the point here is… is that there are some people who will do anything in order to have their gay children reform… get married… have children… even if it means they will not give them or leave them a dime unless they do.  Then there are some people who get married for various other reasons… other than love.   It’s called a ‘marriage or convenience.’

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/hong-kong-billionaire-cecil-chao-doubles-marriage-bounty-to-80m-for-man-who-marries-his-lesbian-daughter-9080919.html

Well, God bless… it has been snowing… snowing…  And I have been out shoveling… shoveling…   I hope you have been keeping warm and dry.

I must say though… that all this snow is beautiful.

If you are out there in the snow please remember safety rules.  Drive with care and caution in the snow and ice.  Apply brakes when riding on icy roadways lightly… come to a nice and easy stop by slowing up.  Do not slam on your brakes… it will send your car sliding out of control.

I like this little cartoon  thing that one of my friends made.  I makes me laugh every time I look at it.

Guess I’m moving a little bit too fast.  I had all but forgotten about it being BLACK HISTORY MONTH.  So, in celebration of Black History Month let me just quick tell you about a young lady in England.  The youngest person to ever become a barrister (that is practicing lawyer in their terms).  Her name is Gabrielle Turnquest.  She is from the States, Florida to be exact… and she is just 18 years old.  Amazing.  To be young gifted and black… is definitely where it is at.

Happy BLACK HISTORY  MONTH….

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2385505/Gabrielle-Turnquest-Florida-18-year-old-youngest-barrister-UK.html

And let me not forget that this week Shirley Temple passed  (Shirley Temple Black) at age 85.  I cannot begin to tell you the countless Saturdays I spent watching Shirley Temple dance and sing her way down long stair steps… or try to cheer up a friend.  She was more than just a favorite… Shirley was my friend.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/chi-shirley-temple-black-appreciation,0,3833749.column

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20787230,00.html

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2014

Add a comment February 15, 2014

A PARENT’S WORST NIGHTMARE…Sandy Nook Elementary School

Wrote this on my Facebook page….

“Can’t imagine getting up early in the morning and rushing to work…and seeing my children off to school…only to hear my child’s teacher’s son came to school with a gun shooting to death his own mother…and stealing away the life and breath of my baby as well…and 17 other poor little children unfortunate enough to be that boy’s mother classroom.

And he takes his own life without enough courage to face me…

It has to be a parent’s worst nightmare.  Many parents who sons and daughters have enlisted in the arm services dread getting that call… or knock on their front door telling them that their son or daughter had been killed in battle.

But how do you deal with it when you are just starting your day and seconds into your child’s school session a deranged intruder steps in wheeling guns and begins picking off your child and all his classmates.  Bang… bang… bang… bang… bang…   And the teacher of  the class…  the school principal and other members of the staff and school?

How do you process that your little 5-year-old was just murdered in a place that you thought was safe?

In a place where you prayed that he or she did their work… and did not interrupt the class too much today… and you hoped that they didn’t get sick from anything they may have eaten last night?

How does 1 process that they will not be seeing their child smile up at them ever again?

How do you process that some 21-year-old boy… son of your child’s school teacher deciding that he hated his mother… and father soooo much…  enough to not want to kill them… but KILLED them both?   And then was selfish enough to despise your child and every child in his mother’s classroom enough to kill them too?

The fact that he took his own life is really a non-issue here.  I would not even go as far as to believe that he was deranged or suffered from some type of mental defect.  Because the whole story sounds like one motivated by selfishness.  Because if it wasn’t then what was the purpose of also killing every child in that classroom?

What more than some kind of selfishness could have motivated him… that school teacher’s son to stand there and kill off every little child in his mother’s classroom?

No… I think not.  It cannot bring back all… or even 1 of  those innocent lives which it so ruthlessly took.  Twenty-six people… 16 or 18 little children… between the ages of 5 to 10… whose parents will never forget yesterday… when they woke up their child was alive.  And less than 3 or 4 hours later they were not.

Yes, the gun laws should be changed in this country.  For the strong lobbyist that are so adamant against laws being put in place against guns… it is these very people who are not locking up their guns which become so readily accessible to their wacked out children… who think it fun to go to school and kill a bunch of people.

Between the movie theater… the various schools and now this act of senseless violence we all should be saying enough is enough.

For these parents who children take their guns and go out on a rampage… everything they own should be taken.  They can, of course, never repay for the lives that may have been taken by their child.  But the parents should suffer financially as well… because evidently they were not paying attention …or the guns were too accessible to their wayward child.

It is insane.

Add a comment December 16, 2012

FREUDIAN SLIP or GAFFE TODD AKINS is a DANGEROUS MAN…

Okay, I know I’m jumping on this band wagon rather late but… it is not that it got pass me.  But rather I have been simmering it.  You know thinking it over.

And not whether or not rape in any case or other … or under any circumstance is okay.  But I have been just milling over what kind of person would say such a thing?

Rape under any circumstance is a fierce and violent act.  And that says that it is a criminal act… and one which can never be justified.

By its sheer name and meaning… we all know that rape is an act which is forced upon another party, and very much without their consent… that is a crime.  Hence, it is illegal and an act of aggression.

So, then how could such an act ever be classified as alright or okay… with anyone?

I have written many blogs about sex and women.  About people who have committed some heinous crimes upon innocent unsuspecting victims.  Crimes against infants sexually, as well as, other small children… and it sickened me. Often causing me to leave off from writing anything further on it.

I even stopped watching television because it seemed to me that ever movie or episode of any law and order like program was a crime being perpetrated against a woman …girl or child.

I wondered how a channel such as Lifestyles or WE could call themselves channels for women, when they only programmed were movies where women were being victimized?

It was sickening.  And I could not understand it… so I shut it off.

Now, here comes this Missouri State Representative in a speech while out campaigning for a Senate seat of a woman, who makes the most profoundly stupid statement anyone could possibly make in these most modern times.  And all I can think is-

“There must be some skeletons in his closet.”

Because only people who perpetrate such crimes would believe them to be okay.

http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20120824/OPINION/308240002/Mo-congressman-makes-flippant-rape-remark

If ever there was a Freudian slip… this guy made it.  But if Freud is right… the slip was a thinking and/or belief within this Akins guy from the very beginning… before he let it slip out.

Rape by its nature is a forcible act and can, therefore, never be considered anything other than  an act of violence against whomever it was perpetrated upon.

But perhaps silently Akins’ thinking is really the thinking of many men.  Perhaps this would explain why women who have gone to court against attackers in rape crimes… almost always are made to look like the criminal themselves.  They are unrobed… and brought low.  They are slandered… and their names muddied… while they are dragged through the mud.

I will never forget Anita Hill and her trip up to Capitol Hill.  She was treated so badly by the Party that she actually was a member of, the Republicans.  They made her look dirty… wanton… ambitious and willing to do anything kind of woman.  And then they wanted to make a joke of her.

It was Ted Kennedy who final stood up and told them that they should be ashamed of themselves for their mean and ugly behavior in an effort to discredit her testimony against Clarence Thomas, for an appointment as a Chief Justice to the Supreme Court.

Thomas himself was never attacked nor any of the acts that Anita described that he perpetrated against her, a then interning law student fearful that her boss, Thomas, would ruin her hopes of any kind of legal career, in his effort to coerce her into a sexual relationship… which she did not submit to.

Thomas needless to say was admitted a Supreme Court Judge, a position he will hold for the remainder of his life, if he chooses to.  While Anita Hill, I have no doubt, had to battle through a lot of bad press for years regarding her legal ambitions.

Was it because she was a woman… and he was a man?

Have men no responsibility for their actions when it comes to the negative things they do?

When Herman Cain was running for the Presidency earlier this year… it was amazing to see all the women in his closet, who had been paid off by the company, Godfather Pizza, that he had headed.  Women who Cain had violated or attempted to violate in 1 way or other for sex.

I guess we have only to look at the Bible to see how men carry on about women and sex.  In the story of the woman being caught in adultery… it is said that she was caught ‘in the act.’  But it is she and she alone who is dragged before Jesus for judgment.

Why?

Because many men do not accept their acts as being anything other than natural.

Oftentimes they blame the woman for their actions saying-

“She always wore short and revealing clothes.”

“There was something about how she smelled when she came around me.”

“It was her walk… you know?”

No, I don’t know.

I don’t know why anyone would feel it was or is alright to sexually or otherwise violate someone.

I had a boss… he was my manager… the manager of the sales force I worked for.  As often as he could he would to drive me over to Jersey, which was the territory he had given me to work in.

While in the car he would always talk to me about sex.  He would say how coke… meaning cocaine… made him horny… and a bunch of other things.  I tuned him out as much as I could… only answering to whatever I had to answer to.

Too bad Anita Hill had not hit Capitol Hill before I got that job… or some time thereafter.  I would have owned that radio station… truly.  Because I would have taken them to the bank.  I could not stand that man… and it was not until later that I found out that he had been robbing me of sales I had gotten.  Imagine that…

But I endured him …until I finally left that job and began my own company, Queen Bee Multi-Media Advertising & Consulting Agency.  But women in the workforce are forced to endure so much when they are surrounded by a group of men, or fall upon the attention of an unscrupulous boss.   And even today the playing field is still not fair or much better when it comes to women… but yet we endure.

And most of our endurance comes from the fact that we have families… and for a lot of women they are the head of their family.  So, they have no choice but to put up with it… whatever the ‘it’ is.

So, enter this Akins fellow and opens his big mouth… just like that group of men who dragged that woman to Jesus.  They were not without sin… and dare I say… I think Mr. Akins may not be either.  And I think Freud may back me up on that 1.

Want to take this time to thank all of you who have purchased my book, THE BISHOP’S WIFE.  It is amazing…  I cannot not believe how much my book is moving …and I thank you from the depths of my heart.  Please let me hear from you.  I would love to know how you liked it… or didn’t like it… or whatever.

And if you have yet to purchase my book I found this link over the internet via barnes&nobles.com where you can read bits of a couple of my chapters.  My book can be purchased via www.authorhouse.com, www.amazon.com etc…etc… or by placing an order for it at your local bookstore.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/read/9781467055437

Well, God bless… it TGIF… so I hope you enjoy your weekend.

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2012

Add a comment August 24, 2012

Land Court… Me… and the Judge… and God…

Today I had a court date in Land Court.   Blessingly, God blessed me not to have to travel to our state capitol to have to do it.

By the time I got off the bus… jumped the train… then walked up the hill… I could barely walk into the courtroom the last time.  In fact, I could hardly stand when they called my case before the judge.

Seeing that the judge suggested that we do our next  court date by phone in order to make it easier on me.  At first I was resistant to that idea because I felt I could better sway the judge… be more effective or otherwise do more and better  for my case by standing before the judge than I could over the phone.

But I forgot 1 key factor.

It is not me… that I now depend upon when I walk into a courtroom… or anywhere else for that matter… but the Lord.

I have come to know that  if you truly trust Him… then you have to act like you trust Him.  It is not about saying ‘I trust the Lord.’   But it is about putting that into action… showing it forth so that it may manifest to be so.

So, I longer study… or pour over anything pining or worrying about the outcome.  I never try to even think about what it is that I am suppose to dred… because I do not think about.  I do not let it interfere with my days or nights any longer… because God has said ‘cast our cares upon Him.’

And let me tell you… that when you do… you will not believe the outcome.

Truly… truly cast your cares upon Him.

Well, today when I got up… I went about my normal routine.  I read a chapter in my Bible.  But I decided not to eat anything… I just wanted to mediate on God and what was going to be ahead of me in a couple of hours… that court conference call.

For the first time I glanced over the documents that the lawyer representing the City had sent to me.  Pulled out my calculator and started examining the figures for the past 4 years of  property taxes owed.  Trying to find some discrepancies… and when you are dealing with figures there will always be some somewhere.

Finally, the phone rang.   It was the court.

As the judge began to speak to me she informed me that the lawyer for the City wasn’t feeling well.  I’m thinking wow… it’s over there will be a postponement for another date… and it will give me some more time.

I knew I needed time because no matter which way it went I was going to have to come up with some money.  So, I needed time in order to save up an amount that might be agreeable… since there was no issue that  the property taxes due.   And so…the issue would come down to how much can you pay now… if  any… and work out some kind of  payment arrangement.

So, I was happy to believe that the case was going to get pushed back again.

But then the judge said  that the lawyer for the City has laryngitis and is having trouble speaking.  But if  you have any problems hearing or understanding  just interrupt and I will have her repeat it.

When the lawyer talked I couldn’t understand a word she was saying.  I turned up my phone and it was worst.  But I decided to listen as closely as I could.

In order to try and save the voice of the City lawyer… the judge had me do most of  the talking.  In beginning I suddenly remembered our last  court  session and what questions I had posed about the total amount of  taxes owed upon my parent’s property.  There had been places in the statements from the City where the amount owed leaped 2 to 3 thousand dollars from 1 quarter to another.   So, of course… I questioned this along with some other points I had found in the documents sent to me.

By the time our session was over the judge said send copies of  what you have to the City lawyer, and I am sure that the 2 of  you should be able to work out something.  And if  not the court is always here.

And then the judge said-

“And you can get those documents to her when you can.  And send copies to the court.”

So, the judge did not schedule another court date and she left it up to me as to how soon I could send the documents in question.

No payment schedule was set.

No return court date.

Nothing.

And through it all the lawyer for the City never said anything… because she could not talk.  She had laryngitis.

It is amazing.  A few months ago the City lawyer had sent court notices to me and all my siblings that they were in possession of  my parent’s house… and that we had 30 days to respond.   And when I called the number and spoke with the man handling it… he demanded $2,000 now in order to stop the process.

And about 4 months later… that process has yet to see the light of  day.

And the ultimate decision lays in the hands of  the court… and the judge had just finished giving me some more time.

Wow…

God is truly something.

Some may say why do I give all the credit to God?

First,  you would have to know when events are beyond your control  there can only be ONE somebody who can turn them in your favor.  And that somebody is God.

I write this blog for those of  you going through something.  Tons of  people are going through foreclosure still and so many other things.  And though it may seem bleak… or impossible for you to overcome… I implore you to just turn it over to  Jesus and see for yourself … first hand  just what I am talking about.

No lawyer… or  doctor … or even judge…  can beat  God at what He does.   And every lawyer…. doctor … and judge… and everybody in between have to submit to the will of  God… like Pharaoh.

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart… until He decided to soften it.  And when God softened Pharaoh’s heart… Pharaoh did as God desired him… he let God’s people go… the Israelites.  But it was all God’s will… the hardening to not let the people… and the softening to let the people go.

And it was God’s will in land court today… what that man working for the City had said to me some months ago has not gone to naught.  I did not have to pay him $2,000 …and that was back in January when he told me that.  It is now March… and I am still here and nobody has a hammer over my head anymore… demanding anything from me by way of  my parent’s property taxes… or other funds.

That is not to say… the taxes or anything else  is not owed.  But it is to say… that time is on my side… through the sheer grace and mercy of  God.  I  yet have time to set my parent’s house in order.   Thank you, Lord God…

Well, God bless…and hope you enjoy the rest of your evening. 

Sometime during the course of  your day just take the time to look up and observe the beauty that God has planted up there  for you to enjoy.

Oh, yeah… been sharing the house with 1 of my nieces.  My sister put her out.

She is only 16 and has gone totally crazy over some boy.

Beautiful girl…smart and everything… and I do mean everything going for herself.  ‘A’ student… on the honor society at school… captain of the school soccer and volleyball team…   And  BAMB!

All of  it down the toilet after meeting this boy.  Who happens to be 17 and in the 10th grade.  LOSER.   And she has had sex with him… and now she is out in the streets with me… sharing the roof  over my parent’s house.

I can’t wait until my sister gets over being mad.   Noooo… but really I love my niece to death.  She is not bad… totally not.  But recently  she has made some very bad choices.

So, currently she is in ‘in-house’ at school because she has skipped tons of  classes.  Her grades have dropped from the ‘A’s’ to ‘E’s.’

How do you do that?

The spirit of  lust.  People have lost their homes and families… marriages… children…  all of their friends etc… etc… all because lust caused them to do some ugly… and bad things..  say some things… and forced everyone who  truly cares for them to turn away from them.. simply  because the person cannot hear… nor can they see.   They have eyes to see… but cannot see.  And ears to hear …but cannot hear.

So,  I thought she was going home Monday…  But my niece slipped up again.  She went missing for 4 hours while she was at school.

Of  one thing I am sure… my niece wants to hurry and get out of  here.  Because her aunt is no  joke.  Sometimes you just gotta seem to meaner than you really are.  And none of my nieces or  nephews  play with me.  But… they love me the most if  the truth be told.  I know they do… and it is because I love them… I have become to be an enforcer.  But I do it all in love… and I can laugh and have fun with them and still enforce.

Now my niece is counting the days when she can go back home… and I know they can’t come soon enough.  It is all she can talk about-

“Auntie, do you think my mom this… and my mom that.”

Mom come and ge your daughter… she is driving me crazy.

 Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2011

Add a comment March 11, 2011

Gang rape… assualt …murder… and fear

I rarely read the newspaper…and have stopped watching television.   So, the means that I accquire the news these days is usually when I go up over the net and see a news flash.   Most of the time I pay little attention to them…but then there are those which draw me in.  And I find myself having to read the story…and not out of  real interest…but because I find the headline hard to believe.

Today, I came across one of  those attention grabbing headlines.   The headline read something like this…‘Gang Rape and nobody helped.’

How could such a thing happen?

What has happened to mankind?

The incident took place during a high school homecoming dance outside in some alleyway or something on the school grounds…for 2 hours long this raping continued.  And kids stood around watching, while others  jumped in to participate while a 15 year girl was repeatedly  raped  by up to as many…if  not more than 15 to 20 people  who in some way participated in this incident  or  stood  by watching.

What would possess somebody to stand around and want to cheer on or watch such a thing?

Why didn’t someone call for help?

Or run and go tell somebody?

What is going on in the minds of our young people that they could get caught up in such a thing…and then become party to it by standing around and doing nothing…or worst…jump in and become more than a watcher?

Everyone of those kids should be pulled into court…and facing some type of charges. 

Many were busy lighting up their cell phones taking pictures of the crime…and even videotaping it…a type of criminal voyeurism.   But no one called for help…or tried to stop what was going on.

I cannot imagine such a thing.  There is not anything that I can see going on…that I would not try to stop…or somehow  help in some way.  I have seen men fighting their girlfriends…and gotten involved.  I have stopped fights between kids.  I have gotten between mama-bady-daddy drama.   And did it  because  I just can’t turn a blind eye to anything that I feel is wrong…or harmful…or potentially dangerous to someone.

I don’t have a fear of getting involved.  But I know that many people do not think like this.   And I know that many people may feel that I am putting my ownself  in jeopardy.   And if  I stopped to considered that…I might act like everybody else. 

But I am glad that  I do not.  I’ve  got nieces and nephews…and a son  that  I have to think about.   I just don’t want anything to happen to them.    So, let me try to clean up the problems now.   Later might be too late…for them and me.

But how could I not help somebody?

Or try to?

But I have never ran towards anything in order to be an observer…not even as a child.

That is something which I cannot understand.  Why would I run towards gun fire to see what is going on…or just to see who got shot…and laugh excitely about  it?

Now, that is stupid to me.

Or, why would I rush to see people fighting?

That’s dumb. 

If  anything…I go to see if  I can help…and whenever I am near a fight I go to break it up.    Not to laugh and cheer anything on.

But this is the mentality of  people…and it is definitely the mentality of  of  the kids.   Everything is a  joke…or funny.   But somebody being raped…or killed is not a joke.  And certainly not funny…nor is it entertainment.

This kind of thinking is dangerous for all mankind.  If  the new group of adults coming into this world are a bunch of  desensitized robots…uncaring…unfeeling…unthinking…uncompassionate ids….where will this world be?

How safe will any of us be…as the world falls into their hands?

I once had a lover who had been gang raped and sodomized…and who knows whatever else.    But I cannot tell you the impact it left upon her…and her life.   Every time she went to the bathroom she re-lived that situation.   That thing lived with her…it was in her insides and something she could not shake.   Though she was successful…as an actress…and part-time music teacher…that incident marked her private life.    That gang rape greatly colored her life in the in-between time.

She was not big in size…small  stature.  So, I can imagine just how helpless she must have felt…not to mention the terror of  it.    She never really talked about it except to say that it had happened.   And I did not push it.

So, how could someone…20 or more people witness something like that and not do anything?

How could we…any of  us be safe if everyone walking around us only cares about themselves…and have no compassion for anyone else?

There is a great need for serious consideration to be given for where will mankind be and the type of world and societies will dominate this planet in the next 20 to 30…or 50 years from now.   Everyting is a joke.   Blood…rape…murder…crimes of every conceivable kind and inconceiveable kind are happening today…and very high rates…escalated rates.  And nobody is paying attention to it. 

And not only a need for serious consideration…but something has to be done now regarding the attitude of  our youth to crime and criminal acts.  And high officials should be concerned now about what affects desensitizing our teens to blood and criminal acts via  computer games, movies, music videos etc.  will have upon the increase of  future criminal acts and the types of crimes prepetrated…and to what degree these crimes are acted out.

Some feel that the lack of anyone getting involved had to do with fear.  But if  their  fear is that great…then they should fear how much worst it is going to be  if  people continue to allow criminal acts to take place without something being done  now. 

FEAR?

They don’t have any fear yet…let the criminals continue acting out as they are acting out.

Fear only empowers those perpetrating the crimes.  Fear is the biggest thing that they have going for them.  That is why the Bible says….‘Fear not.’

The last thing you want to do…even with an animal…is appear to be afraid.  Or in other words…fearful. 

What happens when fear is taken out of the equation?

Then you have power…because the power ceases to be in the hands of  him or them that are trying  to terrorize you.   It is one of the first lessons you learned really early in life.   Usually while you were in grade school when it came to bullys…who  were  only as big and as bad as you let  them be.   But did you ever finally stand up to one…and saw how quickly the tables  turned around between you and them? 

While living in Chicago…I was at wits end.  I was being stalked…something I would suggest that no one try to do today.  Because I am no longer that person…believe me. 

But I became a nervous wreck under that situation.  My fear  absorbed me…totally.  I was well on my way to having a nervous breakdown behind it…had it not been for the Lord.  I could not walk down the street without stopping everytime I heard someone walking behind me.   Being  in  a large city like Chicago…this happened quite often as someone was always behind me…just not  normally  the person who was terrorizing me.     In the evening when I went home…I would throw open the door  to my apartment before entering and step in like police detectives…leaving the door wide open behind me.   I would go  from room to room peering  in trying to make sure no one was in my apartment…which definitely left me open for the person to enter into my apartment behind me.  But when fear has you…it has you…and you do not think clearly.   And when you are not thinking clearly…you leave yourself open  to a whole lot of  the things… anything can  happen to you.

I was tormented by fear.   So much so…that by the time I finally got through it I vowed never again.  I lived  in darkness…afraid to turn on my lights in apartment at night…afraid to answer the phone (this  was at a time before Caller-ID).  I will never go back to being in that state again.   Under any circumstances…or by anyone.

But at the end…the tables turned.   It took a dramatic turn…and had not God intervened I might probably be in prison now…and there for the rest of my life.  Because I would have killed the person.  I snapped…and in my snapping the tables turned…and my perpetrated went fleeing from me.  When I think of it now…it is so  Biblical….‘and I will make you enemies flee 7 ways before thee.’   And that is when it ended…when I finally stood up to the person…the phone calls…the following …the threats….everything…and I vowed ‘never…ever again’

And I have never feared anything…or anyone ever again.

And this is how I know how big a weapon fear is. 

And those who use it…count upon it being so.   They dominate neighborhoods…housing complexes…streets…cities…etc…using fear.

So, the more that people cease to do anything…if  indeed they are fearful…because I believe that most of  them just don’t care…as long as it doesn’t involve them or their family.    But those who are fearful of  doing  something to stop or aid somehow a victim of a criminal act…the more you empower those who perpetrate the crimes.  Thereby, in the end causing yourself  a greater harm…because you did nothing.  And those that you fear become stronger and more  more  aggressive if they are allowed to continue.   It is an unending situation…better to deal with it sooner rather than later. 

If  nobody cares about your neighborhood…then you should.   Because you do live there too.   And you should never allow anybody to chase you up or down a street…or make you run…or have you afraid to leave your home.

What happens when you become the victim?

And you will…one way or another…if you allow crime to fester unrestrained…or  actively sought to be kept down.

I was pretty sick reading about that man who had imprisoned his own daughter in a very small basement space for over 20 years of her life…breeding kids with her.   And all of this while living just above his daughter in the house with his wife…her mother.  That story made me sick for such a long time…so much so I could not talk about it…much less write about it.  But it is an example of the type of stories that we are reading and hearing about today.  But if this is what is going on today…hideous crimes…stomach turning crimes.  How much worst will these stories become in the future…if this trend continues?

Criminal activity is on an increase everywhere…and  much of it  we  never even hear about until somebody leaks something.  And many others  because the value of the poor people who have  fallen into the hands of some very sick people…well, their lives were just not worth looking into.

So, no investigation were ever initiated.

Take for instance this story….

It is very unfortunate when police officials pick and chose who is or is not worth looking for.  So many people go missing without the police going out to look for them while they might have been found yet alive.  But if  they…any of  these poor women in this story been some rich socialites, or high city officials   or lawyers…or  anybody with any degree of  money or some type of clout…no amount of expense or time would have been spared on their behalf.

There is an imbalance in the world…and it stretches all the way around the world.

http://news.aol.com/main/nc/article/bodies-found-in-anthony-sowells/746332

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/27/california.gang.rape.investigation/index.html

http://www.sphere.com/2009/10/30/cries-for-help-not-always-answered/?icid=main|hp-laptop|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sphere.com%2F2009%2F10%2F30%2Fcries-for-help-not-always-answered%2F

I know I have told this story in an earlier blog here… www.bsmith101.wordpress.com.   It is when one night…late  night…actually early morning…when my cousin, Vincent, was on his home from having been out clubing.  As he neared his apartment…in the dark of night he heard a woman scream out for help.   He went running in the direction on the cries and came upon the woman and her perpetrator.  He grab the man and flung him to the ground…and then held him down until the police came.

My cousin was a very tall and handsome gay male.  I have no doubt that most of  his life he had to deal with people snickering about him as he was very effeminate.  But he never hesitated to step aside for a woman…or get get up to offer his seat to a woman or elderly person… or help you remove your coat…or pull out your chair and hold it for you as you sat down.  He was more a man than most ‘so-called’ real men.  And not only  was  he a very nice…but also a very decent person…and caring in every way.  He really was someone who would give you the shirt off his back.  And if  it cost him…he gave to you regardless if he had suffer.

You could not have met a better person than him.

He would have never ran towards a fight to stand and watch it…but to pull the people apart.   Nor would he have stood around and watched a young girl or anyone being raped.  I wish I had a picture of  him…to put in this blog.  He was a hero.   And we need more like him.

Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees was the same way.  His name had found its way  into  news headlines for more than baseball…more than once because of some acts of  heroism on his part…when he went to the aid of someone.

More people need to do it…and things would change.  Just think of 9/11…what not would have happened if the people on those first 2 airplanes had been more like the people on that  3rd airplane?

In looking up information of the gang rape…I happened to come by this story.   Though I had seen this picture of this woman many times…I never knew her story.  But it is sick.  In fact, it is more like beastiality.

She is a socialite…who married a man…wealthy man.   He had built a jungle on his property and had a great love for his cats…the type known as ‘lions.’   So, as she started to age and as a means of re-capturing his attention she decided to disfigure herself  like this purposely.  She is called the ‘lion woman.’   Because she went under the knife to have her face disfigured into that of a lion.

It is beastiality…in its highest form.

I think she likes it even more now…with all the attention that having it  done has  given her.   Talk about… what women won’t do.   Nobody is worth destroying yourself  for. 

What a sick mind…and it truly shows what having too much money and nothing concrete to do with it…can bring about.

Finally, in closing… I got an comment today on my Chastity Bono blog…which has been getting a tremedous amount of  hits lately.   This particular person was very disenchanted with my statements regarding Chastity and her sex change.  But he used a very interesting word while stating his point.  

That word was…    ‘transitioning.’  

Interesting…indeed.   

Transitioning…

Evidently, this person  felt that Chastity’s…or Chaz as she is calling herself these days…decision to undergo that surgery to remove somethings and to add some other things…   Well, that it is just a simple  little transition in life.   To a degree we  all  have to go through some transitioning  in our lives, I guess… overcoming some disappointments…some losses…some set-backs…aging….etc.   But the  altering of  ones sex is a bit more deeper  than a simple little transitioning phase.  And  I think most would agree with me about that.

I was reading something on a  quakco doctor…one that performs a lot of these type of  operations…sex changes…who is now a supposed woman himself.  After having undergone the operation himself  many years ago…it seems that all of his partners have been women who ‘underwent the operation.’   He became a woman…and they became supposed men.  Which means…they kind of  ended up in the same kind of situation that they would have been in…in the first place had they merely remained what they already had. 

Sick…

I wouldn’t let anybody who is not clear headed put a knife to me.  Most of these surgeons are quakes and definitely…these so-called plastic surgeons. 

We are living in a sick world…truly.   And we should all be concerned about where this world is going…meaning….in which direction it is headed in.   Things are being turned upside down.

And I am not really trying to pass judgement on anyone.  Because we all do crazy things…and years later wake up having  lots of regrets.  I still regret some things…many things in fact.  And in the process I have grown.  But thank goodness I did nothing that committed me for my whole entire life to a big mistake.  I was fortunate…no bless…because many can’t say that.

We can’t change people’s decisions about things concerning themselves…and what it is or isn’t that they want to do.   Nor can we  force things down people’s throats…or should we try.  That is one of the greatest beauties of  God…choice.   He desires that we should have it…and with the hope that we make the right ones.

Well, the day is almost over.  Its been quiet and I am trying to finish up on some things.  I want to complete some things before the new year comes in.  I want my book, THE BISHOP’S WIFE, to be out and available for sale…my website launched.  And a couple of  other things settled too.

So, I am looking forward to transitioning into 2010…working on some other  and new  things.  And to be well on my way to doing more for the Lord. 

And I look forward to it.

Well, God bless…

 THE BISHOP’S WIFE  is now on sale…CLICK this LINK to purchase my book.  You do not need a paypal account to purchase, and you can purchase using a debit card.  Thank you. 

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2009

Add a comment November 2, 2009

Weighing in…Chris Brown…Lil’ Kim… Man/Woman Tennis star… Will and Jeda…

I had a conversation with my son who was telling me that Chris Brown’s girlfriend, Rihanna, should not have started it.  Then he commenced to tell me that she had hit him first…as if my son had been in the car with them and seen the whole thing.

I was irritated that my son under any circumstance would find it okay for Chris or anyone of the male species to do what that boy did to that girl.  He beat her…and one could say it was almost unmercifully done so.

I have really been trying to stay away from the subject because I do not know either him or her…nor much about them or their careers outside of this incident.  But what did bother me was my son’s attitude and position on the subject.

I did see the pictures which had been released by the police showing how badly Rihanna, a young singer, had been beat at the hands of her boyfriend, Chris Brown.  As young role models for thousands of teens who follow them closely…the incident sets a bad example and sends all the wrong messages to young teens regarding dating, abuse, power and acceptable male/female interactions…as well as, how to resolve issues and problems in a relationship.

Rightfully so, everyone with endorsements behind Chris Brown should drop him…as I have heard that for the most part they have.

I have no doubt that it has made  Chris Brown think twice about his actions concerning taking his fist to fight his girlfriend…when males possess more than enough power to restrain and resist any attack against them from most women.  So, yes…I believe that loosing all those endorsements have given Chris much to pause and consider.

So, much so that I have no doubt either that it has  mostly been him trying to re-unite with Rihanna and get back their little relationship…because when you loose the kind of money I hear that Chris has lost since the story surfaced…not to mention his music being pulled from radio stations…and police charges.

If they don’t play you over the radio…your videos…it is all that is wrote for you…it is goodbye from there…the career is over.

You have got to have air time in order to sell music or anything else.  Not to mention the legal charges.  Yeah, I am sure…Chris went running to patch up that little miss understanding between him and Rihanna.  I am sure…and real quick.

I wonder if he bought her a rock the size of the one Kobe bought for his wife?

Clearly, the type of anger exhibited by Chris Brown, a very young man of about 19 years of age…shows that he is indeed in need of intervention before it is too late…because someone at such an early age like him who exhibits that kind of rage or anger…may kill the next woman.

And my son has it all wrong…and I don’t care what he says.

And I better not catch him out there trying to beat up some woman.  Or he will have to fight his mother next.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2009/03/20/rihanna-abuseawareness.htjhtml

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/deadlineusa/2009/mar/16/rihanna-usaml

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1607405/20090320/rihanna.

http://www.buzz7.com/entertainment/chris-brown-rihanna-stuck-in-los-angeles-due-to-police-investigation.html

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/entertainment/2009/feb/Why-Has-Chris-Brown-Lost-Deals-and-Radio-Play-So-Soon-After-Arrest-.html

And will people please leave Will and Jada alone.

I think they are a beautiful couple.

Stop trying to  bad mouth them with a bunch of nasty little rumors.

The Bible says…we can speak life or death into any situation…by the sheer power of the tongue.

What do they have to prove to us?

There are some people just jealous…and they seek to destroy any and everything thing  or anyone they envy.

Out of all those Hollywood families…and Hollywood types…you do not see Will or Jada hanging out…or getting into trouble.  Nor is there any bad press about them anywhere…or has there ever been.  And then…along comes these ugly rumors.

Well, if you can’t find anything bad…I guess you just want to create it.

I admire and respect the Smith’s…Will and Jada…and their beautiful family.  They are wonderful parents and excellent role models.  I guess that might be why…the real reason why the rumors are flying.

Can’t believe that there are decent people in the world.  But there are…look at the Obama’s another example of a great black family.

We do exist.

Now, on to Lil’ Kim.

I really have paid little attention to her lately.  Though I did read that she and Biggie’s mother are currently going at it.

Biggie’s mother said, “Lil’ Kim is a white woman in a black woman’s body.”

I guess that really must be the way Lil’ Kim thinks…as my son was telling me that she wants to look like Barbie (you know the doll).

How sick is that?

Since, Lil’ Kim showed up on Dancing with the Stars…with her new nose…people have been buzzing.  In my opinion she has already wrecked the good looks she used to have…when she did the other things that she had done…including the over-sized boob job.  If she keeps it up…she’ll be another one who won’t be able to leave the house without people running from her in fear…like Michael and some others.

Personally, I think Lil’ Kim’s best years were when she was with Junior M.A.F.I.A…after that it has all been down hill.  And she has been fighting to stay afloat ever since.

Who in their right mind would really want to do this to themselves?

Talking about Biggie’s mother…what mother makes a movie about her deceased son showing him having sex all over the place?

I didn’t see the movie…but my son is pretty good critic when it comes to some things.  And I just happened to overhear a conversation about the movie…and everybody was agreeing on the same things.  So, it has to be true.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1603801/20090129/lil_kim.jhtml

And yes, the women on the tennis circuit have a good reason to be concerned over the 22 year old German, Sarah Gronert, who was born having both the male and female sex organs.  Though a couple of years ago she had the male organs removed…she still remains stronger than any average woman because of her biological makeup.

Because of her biological makeup…having been born…both male/female…she does possess greater strength and endurance than
other woman could possibly have.  And this would, therefore, give her a greater advantage over all of her contenders.  Though they state that she has only won 2 tournaments since becoming a pro-player…it doesn’t mean that she wasn’t holding back her added strength until she really stepped into the big time…as she is only listed as being seeded as #619, compared to Serena being #1…and Venus #4 in the women’s world of  tennis.

This reminds me of that story I shared with you a while back in another blog about the woman…who was really a man…who came to Salsa Soul, a lesbian organization, and joined…well, sort of.   She had gotten really involved in the organization for a few months before the story of who she really was got around to all the members.  Or I guess I should say…what she really was got around to all the members.

Though like Sarah has done…she was planning on having the operation.  But unlike Sarah, however…she had not been born having dual sex organs…what they call in the new articles…male and female genitalia.

http://www.momlogic.com/2009/03/tennis_gender_controversy.php

http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?t=351579

As I mentioned in my original blog on that story…the reason I refer to him as ‘her’…is really because that is what I met him as.  Up until that point I had not met anyone like her.  He was highly confused as I have come to now know and understand…as well as, I was.  He wanted to live his life as a lesbian.

Yes, that is what I said…you have to read my original blog to come to understand the story.

But it was when she was appointed to become a board member of Salsa…that is when all the sisters and what was left of the founding mothers of the organization flew into Salsa one night and demanded a special meeting.  They were not having it…and finally had it voted upon…that no one other than a ‘biological female’ from birth could become a board member of Salsa Soul Sisters, Inc.

Though she looked on the surface like a woman…I have no doubt that she possessed superior strength…but mentally could never really think like a woman…because it was not who she really was.  All of her experiences had been different etc…etc…   And besides…legally he was still a man…at that time.

My opinion on the subject.  God does it best.

Even in regard to all that plastic surgery…God does it best.

The body is in constant evolution…from the time we are born until the day we die…our features change…age…mature.  Sometimes for the best…many times for the best…but to some who would like to keep what they have…sometimes for the worst.  But yet…God does it best.

Finally, I found this article to be highly bias and racist.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/02/13/equal.pay.tennis/index.html

Here it is a woman journalist writing that women’s tennis has become boring and that women should not be paid the same amount of money as the men players.  Had the top female players not been black…er- African Americans…I wonder if anybody would be complaining about the amount of money they were paid for winning tournaments?

I highly doubt it.  These issues only come up when it is about us.  It is a shame that we cannot celebrate each other…and our gifts…without bias-ness and racism showing its ugly head.

Following her win in the Australian Open…the female champion, Serena Williams…took home $1.3 million.  Now, is anybody but me and Serena happy about that?

And oh, yes…Dexter King signed EMI to rep him.  Yes, I did say ‘him.’ He signed a deal for EMI to police the licensing of his father’s likeness, his intellectual property etc…etc…

And he signed the agreement without the knowledge of his 2 other siblings…Martin the 3rd and Bernice King.

So, yes…little greedy Dexter is still at it.

How unfortunate for the other 2…but it is a wonder how the mother, Coretta Scott King, had removed Dexter from the foundation following several disputes with him over the direction he was trying to take the Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Center for Non-Violence… at that time of which she was highly not in agreeance with.

Why would she have restored him as the head of the center if she knew then the type of disagreeable and selfish spirit that Dexter possessed?

Bernice and Martin the 3rd have a very long battle…that frankly without God…they are very likely not going to win.  But it is when things seem the bleakest that God loves to step in.

So, Martin and Bernice…never become discourage…fight to the end.  And even then continue to fight…because the tide always turns.

There was a point in our family matters…that I was told by my son-

“Ma, you’re not going to win.  You should just go back to New York.”

At that time everyone on the planet would have agreed with my son.  But God turned the table around.  All the road blocks and stumbling blocks were swept away…and I am the one left standing.  But for more than a few years it seemed that everything and everyone was against me.  But it is true…you don’t need anybody else as long as you have the Lord on your side.

But I had considered what my son said…but conscience wouldn’t let me do it.  It would have been far easier to have turned and ran from what was going on with my parent’s estate…and I figured-  No, I knew…I was part to blame as I had never tried to intervene from the on-set though I was aware of the problems.  But it was easier for me to look the other way at that time…until I was forced to come home and confront all the issues and problems that I had tried to avoid and had looked upon blindly for years.

I have had to pay for my errors…and have to work to build the bridges to bring our family back together.  But I am the oldest and it is my responsibility…to not allow us to all fall apart from one another.  Families are important…not really should they be allowed to be torn apart.  But there comes a time where every ill thing must be addressed and corrected…and fallout does happen.   In the end the family will be a lot stronger for it if it survives.  But it has to happen…if indeed the family is to survive at all.

I have been so busy working on building my web site.  As Fridays have rolled by…I have pushed hoping that by that weekend I would have at least posted a page or 2.  It is not that I have not completed more than a few pages…but I am just such a stickler about everything.  Everything has to be right…perfect…correct…the music…the photos…the navigation system…the color schemes etc.   You name it and I become obsessed with it…but at the end of the day…you will not only like the site…but enjoy it.   And that is all I will say on it for now…and hopefully by this Friday…I will have some pages posted.  I’ll be working on it…believe that.  Enjoy…

THE BISHOP’S WIFE is now on sale…CLICK this LINK to purchase my book.  You do not need a paypal account to purchase, and you can purchase using a debit card.  Thank you. 

God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on “

www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

1 comment March 22, 2009

Considering my gurl…da Brat…

Well, it seems that everybody has been hitting me up today trying to see what is going on with the Da Brat.  Born April 1974, she is 34, and I am checking on it.   But I haven’t tracked down any new info on her since last year when she was given a 3 year sentence for busting a beer bottle and cutting a waitress across the face with it.

But in looking up information on the da Brat while trying to find out what you may have heard…and I hadn’t.  I came across these pictures of her.

From the very beginning I always thought that she was a cute girl…even as a little girl she was cute.

You do remember when we were all introduced?

In was back when this little boys group came out, KrisKross.  They wore their pants backward and they too at the time were being managed by the then an emerging but little known guy out of Atlanta by the name of Jermaine Dupree.

Dupree was actually the manager who started popping up in the videos of his groups…long before the idea hit Puffy…I mean, P. Diddy.  And for a while those little boys were cute…Chris and Chris…but that little girl…this little kid who they called Da Brat even then you could tell she had something.

The unfortunate part…is having something… and being able to do something with it.  Having…and doing are 2 different things.

But, like I said…I always thought she was cute…and she was…and still is. But then she started getting rough around the edges.  She was still cute…but she started emulating the boys.  She had become boyish in her style and manner.

Perhaps, many of the hip-hoppers liked it…but to me it took away so much from her.  Mostly it detracted from her natural beauty.  Which she is…a natural beauty…kind of like that girl who used to be on that HBO show…The Wire…Snoop. That girl is absolutely beautiful… but you can’t really tell it.  Because she has managed to harden herself so much.

But it was what da Brat wanted to do…and I guess maybe that Snoop girl too.

It was who da Brat was becoming…and to a degree she seemed to wallow in it…she was liking it.

From bar hopping to brawling…she was in and out of trouble.  She was diggin’ on this one…and diggin’ on that one.  She was back and forth in and out of court…and I watched and would hear little tidbits of news on her from time to time…always thinking whenever I saw her…that she was cute.  And if she wanted to…she could be a really beautiful woman…if only she would grow up.

I wonder that now that she is sitting in jail if any of that has started to happen for her…the growing up process.  And maybe while sitting in jail and contemplating her life and future…perhaps if she just happened to reach out to a little black book with those 2 little words inscripted upon it.  That book could make all the difference in her life.  It can make all the difference in the world to anyone’s life who chooses to follow it.

Never knew though that da Brat was Lisa Raye’s half sister.  The world is small…and they both are very beautiful young ladies…upon whom God has a calling if they would allow Him to use them.

I have met a lot people in my life whose best years of their lives…were their yesterdays…or so they thought.  And so they chose to stay there…always thinking and talking about yester-years.

When you talked to them…they reminded you of what they did…yester-years ago.

Life moves on.

We do not come into the world moving backwards.

Our tomorrows should always exceed by far our yesterdays.

It is a mystery to me why these young ladies…and young girls of today who decide that they want to go into ‘the life’…why they are so drawn to being hardcore?

Perhaps as a kid…it may appear appealing to them.  But as  adults though …I think of it as being sad.  But it seems to be the big thing today.  Everybody seems to want to try it.  And not just these young kids.

I have to smile every time I think of one of my aunts telling me that she had decided ‘to try it out.’ Just that statement alone lets you know how it went.

She was a woman very much into men.  So, it was interesting to me that she would have allowed someone to talk her into such a thing.  And do note…that all of this is coming from me…an ex-lesbian.  But it was curious to me…and I guess a bit amusing to me now that I think back on her disclosing that information to me…because I never would have imagined my aunt doing such a thing.  And she even told me with who.  That alone should have been her big turn off…but they were friends.

You have to be careful about the sort of people you run with and call friends.  That very woman years later I came to find out had been the grandmother of a few of my nieces…and the niece I wrote about in another blog who told me how her grandmother used to allow her husband..or boyfriend to have sex with her own grand daughter on a regular basis…when my niece was a very young child.  At that time my niece was not part of our family as she came to us via foster care.  But that woman was her maternal grandmother.  Knowing such a thing would have turned my aunt’s stomach.

I had friends who used to ask me to take them with me to clubs…the gay clubs that I hung out at…I really guess I should say partied at…as I never really hung out.  That was not the kind of life I lead.  I had to be a bit more discreet…because of my profession and popularity.  So, I partied outside of where I lived and worked.  But when my friends asked me to take them out with me…I told them ‘no.’ If they wanted to get involved ‘in the life’…then they were going to have to find their own way there.  I was not going to pull my friends into that life with me…and I didn’t.

But I see and hear women talking about it-

“So, who’s the aggressive one?  You or your friend?”

I do not know why people have to be talking about such things…when I am passing by?

Some times I think that it is a fleeting thing…something hip today…something that people want to test out…dip and dab into.  But then I am reminded of scripture…of the Benjaminites.  Whole cities consumed by it.  But there is a cure…and with it comes a re-newing of the mind.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed your day.

I went out walking.  The snow did not last long…but it was wet and heavy.  So, though it was not a lot…I had to put a bit more effort into shoveling it yesterday.  But the sidewalks were all clear today…thanks to the sun.  And my cold is getting better.

THE BISHOP’S WIFE is now on sale…CLICK this LINK to purchase my book.  You do not need a paypal account to purchase, and you can purchase using a debit card.  Thank you. 

God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on “ www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

Just CLICK a few times in following 2 screens below in order to play them…and ignore the text.

4 comments March 11, 2009

Snow…Venus …Morgan Freeman …and accidents

Buried under it today…and it is piled high.

I awoke to more than a foot of snow outside this morning. And it is still coming down steady. But I wanted to get a head start on the shoveling…so, I got up and out in it while it was still light and fluffy. It is much easier to shovel that way.

It has tailored off a bit now…but still coming down…and has been doing so all day.  But I am still loving it.  I feel blessed just to be able to get out in it and shovel it.

I just got off the phone with a cousin…in the Virginia Beach area. And she said that most of the neighboring towns around her closed down everything due to the snow down there.

While I was visiting with one of my sisters this morning after shoveling…whom I stopped by to visit upon my deciding to treat myself to a large cup of hot tea and cranberry muffin at Dunkin Donuts.  Well, after all that shoveling…don’t you think that I owed myself something?

http://franchisesale.bloghi.com/2007/05/29/dunkin-donuts.html

But I never made it to getting my cup of tea or my muffin.   I did, however, end up having breakfast at one of my sister’s house…while there I saw a news segment on TV showing how the snow had hit as far south as Alabama straight up the East Coast.

Venus Williams has won yet another tournament.  She went from game to game with very little challenge to her masterful skills.

Boy, those Williams girls are busy raking in the money.

This weekend Venus picked up another hefty check…this one in Acapulco for $37,000. Not bad for chasing down a bunch of little yellow balls.  And they get to travel to some great places…like Acapulco, Melbourne, London etc…etc…all expenses paid.  That is what I call living.

Kind of makes you wish that your dad had gotten you up early and taken you out to some local court as a little 9 or 10 year old child…and just started throwing balls at you.

Doesn’t it?

http://www.football.virginmedia.com/pe/Tennis/Headlines/0,,12555~1575104,00.html

http://www.football.virginmedia.com/page/Tennis/Headlines/0,,12555~1574177,00.html

Okay…okay…I get the message.  You want more on this story.  So, here is the latest.

Since that story on actor Morgan Freeman first broke shortly after he ran into a ditch or hit that tree down there in Mississippi…Freeman is beginning to truly understand that old time saying-

“When it rains it pours.”

Well, as you may remember in my first blog on the story…Freeman’s wife, Myrna, didn’t waste any time hitting him with the divorce papers…like the very next morning.  And in doing so she put herself in line to reap a hefty portion of his loot…somewhere near $100 million if not more.  But as of Wednesday of last week…old Freeman was hit again.

Truthfully speaking…he would do better just running around in a dark alley carrying a couple of money bags with large dollar signs on them.  I doubt that robbers in a dark alley would be as bad or hard on him.

But here is the kicker…the woman in the car.  Yes, she was as I stated in the other blog …his white mistress…and ex-friend of his wife.  Well, she rallied up her own lawyers and now she is after old Freeman too.  She claims to have been a victim…injured party in the automobile wreck which left poor Freeman in the hospital with a busted up knee and other injuries as they had to be rescued from the damaged vehicle via the Jaws of Life…you know that heavy equipment used to prey open a car in order to get the occupants out of it.

The woman claims that Freeman was drinking excessively…one drink after another.  And that he was highly intoxicated went he had gotten behind the wheel.

Seeing him take one drink after another…and knowing his condition when Freeman got into the car to drive them to whether they were headed…motel or alleyway, I don’t know….but I guess she had her pick.   You really have to wonder why she got into the car with him knowing the state he was in…or at the very least…

Why she hadn’t offered to drive the car herself?

Perhaps, she too was drunk.

However, with all the drama currently in his life…there is  little wonder why Morgan Freeman hasn’t been looking much like himself  lately.  The good part…his vehicle was insured.  But if  Demarius Meyer…who suffered head injury during the accident…which could mean memory loss, soft tissue damage, whip flash, neck and back injury etc…etc..well, if she gets her way…poor ol’ Morgan will have to pony up plenty more money.  And this being taken into consideration…she could reach way pass whatever his insurance policy allows and put her hands directly into his pockets with regards to her claims of injury.

The thing about accidents…the injuries are not worth the money.  And I don’t care what the amount is that someone may get in compensation.   It is not worth it.   Better to have not been involved in the accident in  the first place…far better.  But if you get injured…there is no option but to file a claim for injury…somebody has to pay for the medical bills that follow.

Once while going home from New York…I was traveling via an interstate bus…and the bus driver fell asleep at the wheel.  There were about 6 of us on the bus…as prior to the driver falling asleep our original bus had had a mechanical problem so we had to wait on another bus to leave Port Authority.  But the other bus did not have enough room for all of us.  So, myself along with the driver and a few other passengers had to wait for the company to dispatch another bus for us.

It is funny…just laying here with my son’s laptop and typing this story now…I remember something I had forgotten.  While waiting on that 2nd bus to come and pick us all up.  My mind kept saying to me …I should go home.  As you read this blog you will come to understand…that I really should have walked across and caught a city bus to the subway and done just that…gone home.  And yes…I really should have gone back to my apartment that day.   Just like my mind kept telling me…and it kept saying it over and over to me.  Now, let me continue on with this story…

I always try to sit on the first seat across from the driver.  So,  that is where I was sitting…and because I had gotten up early to catch the first bus out of the terminal going my way that morning…I had awaken  before 4 AM that morning.   So, by the time I got on the bus…I was very tired.

So, when the bus driver fell asleep at the wheel…I was fast asleep.  When I awaken I was on the opposite side of the bus.  As my eyes came open I thought I was coming up out of my sleep…but I had really been knocked out…and was then knocked back conscious.  I had been bounced from one side of the bus to the other…and it was my injuries that eventually over time told me and my doctors the story.

Therefore, by the time I was awaken…when I hit the other side of the bus…I had really been knocked back into a conscious.  When I opened my eyes the bus was shooting off sparks as it scraped  against the middle divider separating the on-coming traffic of  I-95.  I had no idea as to what had happened…even the fact that I was on the opposite side of bus had not registered in my mind at that time.

The bus driver eventually pulled off the concrete girder and continued to drive as if nothing had happened.  A number of cars pulled along side of the bus blowing their horns and pointing to the side of the bus.  The driver finally pulled to the side the highway and stopped the bus.  I think that he was in shock himself…and maybe very much in denial.

I never knew what happened…but the driver started talking about how he had been up late…how he lived with an 85 year old woman etc…all kinds of crazy stuff.  I felt sorry for him because I knew it would mean his job.

When the driver stopped we all got off the bus.  At the time, I felt just a slight pain to my right arm…but I knew that we were all blessed to be able to walk off of that bus.  I decided right then and there that I was not going to pursue a law suit against the bus company…because I was just happy that we had not been killed.

We waited along the side of the highway for yet another bus to come and claim us…which did sometime later.  But no state trooper ever came to the scene…and none of us were ever checked out for injuries.  We were put onto the other bus and continued on our journey as if nothing had ever happened.  By the time I finally reached my destination…I never knew anything was wrong with me.

Later that night I was back in New York…and when I tried to called friends…I could not remember any of the phone numbers.  I didn’t think anything of  it…I just thought that it was nothing.  You know one of those times when you try to think of something and can’t.  But when I showered and went to lay down…and I was overcome by dizziness.

I had been involved in enough accidents to know that this was a sign that something was wrong with me.  I thought that I could be bleeding internally…or something.  I knew I had to get out and get immediately to the hospital.  Luckily, the hospital was right around the corner from me.   But by the time I started walking to the hospital…I was now fighting with an equilibrium problem.  I was starting to loose my balance…and things were becoming blurry.

I willed myself  into that hospital.  By the time I got there as they began to ask me questions like what was my social security number…my birth date…etc…etc.  I could not remember any of the answers…though as a rule this was information I could rattle off without much consideration.   But I could not that night.   This is when they rushed to admit me into the hospital emergency room…they also informed me that I had suffered memory lost from a level 3 concussion.  At that time none of that meant anything to me…but that was the beginning of many more medical bills to come including surgery…and as I have already stated in a prior blog…I never say yes to surgery unless I feel I cannot do without it.

They kept me in the hospital the whole night not releasing me until after 9 AM the following morning.   They had run every possible test upon me.  Because when I had arrived at the hospital…they took my blood pressure and told me that I had been a walking candidate for a heart attack.  All of this had been due to an accident…which I had already told myself-

“I am not going to pursue this.”

Because I thought that the only injury I had suffered was just a slight pain to my right arm…which was the very thing I had to later get operated on.  Later I found out from a friend of mine who drove for Greyhound that the driver of our bus, from another bus company, was suppose to have waited until a state trooper had showed up at the scene of the accident…and that none of us should have been allowed to leave the scene of that accident until a medical team had come and checked us all out.

That accident could have killed me…because I had no clue what had happened to me during it or the amount of trauma it had truly caused to my body.  I had been a walking candidate for a heart attack because of it…due to my blood pressure becoming so elevated.  And I do not suffer from anything like that or anything else.

I now tell everyone that I don’t care whether they feel anything or not-

“If you become involved in an accident…go to the hospital immediately and get yourself checked out.”

If I had not had enough sense to get out of my apartment immediately and go to the hospital following being overcome by dizziness later that night…I might have fallen asleep…become incapacitated…and died that night…but by the grace of God.

Once I had walked into that hospital, however, the medical bills started.  There was no option at that point but for me to have to pursue a legal claim against that bus company.

So, I have no doubt that that woman with Morgan Freeman during his automobile accident probably did get injured…considering the fact in particular that they had to be extracted from their vehicle by the Jaws of Life.

Once she had to start pursuing medical attention…she had a right to file a claim against him.  Somebody has to pay for the medical bills…and it should be the party at blame.

I really do not have much sympathy for men who cheat on their wives…or women who cheat on their husbands.  Oftentimes, the problems that emerge from the out of order relationship…are ones with great consequences as Freeman is now finding out.  It just was not worth destroying his 30 year relationship with his wife.   Not to mention all the money involved in their divorce and now the injury claims against him.  And he also has charges of DUI which he also has to answer for.

In order to replenish the large sums of funds flying out of his pockets…Morgan Freeman would have to work for the rest of his life.  And still may not earn it all back.

Yeah…when it rains it pours.

“Wouldn’t you say so, Morgan?”

And I guess that old Johnny Taylor hit, Cheaper To Keep Her…really is true.  Yet ,another lesson for Morgan Freeman to ponder upon.  Because his wife is definitely no joke…something which after 30 years of being married to her… he should have already known.   She is taking him to the bank…and beyond.  The other woman will just have to stand in line.

http://news.celebritywonder.com/2009/02/26/Morgan_Freeman Accused_of_DUI.html

Speaking of accidents…once many years ago while riding on the local street bus…I saw a woman run across the street.  She ran directly into the path of the bus and was hit by the bus.  She fell down then got right up and leap onto the bus as if nothing had happened.  The driver asked her if she was alright and he was prepared to take her information…and tried to make sure she was okay.  But the woman said she was okay and continued to the back of the bus and took a seat.  I think she might have been embarrassed…or in shock from being hit.

But I knew that the woman had made a foolish mistake…and I think the other people on the bus felt so too as there was a buzz about it.

She had just been hit by a very large bus.  Getting hit by any moving vehicle may cause you injury…and highly serious injuries no matter what the speed of the vehicle was.   Even if you do not feel anything at the moment does not mean that later on you won’t.  You might not feel anything for a year or years…and then it comes upon you.  But if you failed to put it on record…or failed to get yourself checked out medically…  Well, if you do this…you will not have any type of  legal recourse  regarding your injuries and/or your medical bills in the future…near future or far future.

When I was injured on my job…I was never going to write it up.  I was the person on that job who had the responsibility to file all the claims if a customer or employee suffered an injury in our building.  But if it had not been for some customers who having seen me slip and fall…had not they continued to say you better write it up.  I would not have done it.  I was embarrassed…and didn’t feel much pain.  I just felt a bit shaken up…and thought the little bit of pain I felt would pass in a couple of days.  And it did…or so I thought.  I never realized that I had began to become less and less able to do certain things.

I had slipped and fell in March…and it was not until August that I decided to go get it checked out.  It didn’t hurt me…I just felt a slight bit of pressure to my right side.  When I stepped into that doctor’s office…I have never worked again.  I had been seriously hurt.  And had not known it.

I went in to work day after day…and never realized anything regarding my developing limited physical capacities.   So, when I stepped upon that bus where the driver fell asleep…I was already injured.  That accident compounded my injuries…and I became worst.

Every accident can have serious consequences for you.  Get yourself checked out…if it turns out that you end up having no type of problems from the accident…then great.  But if so…you need to cover yourself.

Had I not finally decided to put in the paperwork concerning my own slip and fall…by the time I finally went to see a doctor several months later…I would have never have had any type of help concerning my injuries…or any type of legal recourse.   I would have had to suffer from my own foolish behavior of  being lazy…too lazy to put in the paperwork…too lazy to want to sit around in an emergency room all day or night..or .however long it took.

Following the accident where the bus driver fell asleep…and my decision to just let it go…had it not been for the dizziness that came upon later that night…which I would have just forgot about that accident.  But what would have happened to me if I had been one of those people believing I could take an aspirin…and aspirin away my problem?

The problem was I had injuries…many injuries and serious injuries of which I had no knowledge of until later…and even to this day I am still realizing things caused to my physical being due to that accident.

Be wise…take the time to get yourself checked out.  Do not be too lazy to go to the emergency ward following an accident.  Many accident injuries do not show up until years later…but you cannot wait until they start to show up to put in the report.  If you do…forget about your claim for compensation for injuries and medical bills.  It vanished when you fail to put in the report at the time of the accident.

Well, God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

Add a comment March 3, 2009

Prostitutes…the young and the heartless…. 15 minutes…

By now you may or may not know that I am highly repulsed by some of the things that teens today are doing.  But this really turned my stomach…it is a story which came up over CNN.com regarding 2 Arizona teenaged girls who turned themselves into prostitutes then  set about pimping other girls.  

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/25/teen.pimp/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/25/teen.pimp/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

The grandmother is outraged…but there is only one problem.  She doesn’t believe that her little darling is guilty of such a crime…and so therefore she is anxiously awaiting her day in court.  Perhaps it is not the little darling but the grandmother who should be up before the judge.  And dare I ask…what of the mother and father of this child…these 2 girls?

How is it that they would put themselves into such a situation?

How could 2 high schoolers get themselves into such as situation…where they were indulged in such a business as prostitution?  

And had other school mates working the streets too?

Two 16 year old girls…involved in sex for hire?

Madams?

Though the article called them ‘pimps.’  

What could be going on?

 I am sick to my stomach today…I hate reading these kinds of stories.  

Can you imagine…that that man operated a day care center? 

How old were his victims?  

Three?  

Four…or maybe 2?  

….my God.     

I am truly sick to my stomach.

In a 29 city weekend sweep law enforcement officials arrested more than 500 people involved in a child and adult prostitution ring.  They had some 48  juveniles, 464 adult prostitutes…and how many of them do you think had been children before becoming of age?

They arrested 55 co-called pimps…with many more out there somewhere.   And some just like those young girls in Arizona anxious to take their place.  I can think of nothing I feel is worst…than turning children into prostitutes…and ruining the lives of children.  There are some things which I think we should not even waste tax-payers money on…such as taking certain people through the judical system.  Just lock them up in jail and throw away the keys.

 But the problem is…all the wrong people mostly end up in jail.  The crooks and criminals somehow always seem to get less time or little to no prison time at all.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498287,00.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/23/national/main4821772.shtml?source=RSSattr=U.S._4821772

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/27/child.prostitution/index.html

There is something about these kinds of stories that just turns my stomach.  Perhaps it is because I am a supposed survivor.  I don’t know.   I just hate these type of stories.  I hate to hear about children being abused…or used in such ways as these.  Or children because they had been abused continue the cycle of abuse in their lives.

When I was trying to determine what I wanted to do with my life…you know…the kind of things you think about as a child.

“What do I want to be?”

I had read this book called “The Throw away Children.”

The stories in that book were terrible.  I don’t believe any child is a throw away…or should be considered as such.  But there are some children deemed by society as not having the same value as some others.  And this is absolutely wrong.

So, as I thought about what it was I wanted to do I started discounting things.  Like…becoming a doctor.  I knew I would never be able to stand the sight of blood.  So, that was out.

Then I thought of some other things…and I discounted them too.  Can’t remember what they were…but I knew whatever they were I did not want to be them.  But I soon fell upon becoming a lawyer.  I wanted to do or be someone who would advantageous to my people…black people.  Something that we needed the most…that is why I thought doctor at first…then somehow came to lawyer.

And so I set about to make that happen.  When it was near time for me to enter into the 12th grade…I had already begun thinking about and applying to colleges…mostly black colleges…though I would have loved to have been accepted at University of California Berkley.  The Black Panthers were there…Angela Davis was there…the Soledad Brothers…  Yeah, that whole black thang was going on…and I wanted to be in the midst of it. 

But that book, ‘The Throw Away Children ‘ by  Lisa Aversa Richette…motivated me to want to become a criminal lawyer working in juvenile court.  It was at the time my desire.  I think because I have a passion for children…with particular children who feel lost and have no voice.

While I was a teacher in the high school system…I was often in tune and engaged in trying to encourage my students…as well as other students…some of which I would catch trying to sneak into my classes from time to time.  It was during my time as a teacher that I came to realize just how tough some kids really have it…and there is little wonder why they end up doing much of what they do. 

During the time I taught…I had never been aware of  just how many students were involved in the foster care system before.  For some children this was a great alternative to their own families…but for some (many)…it was not.  It seems that many people turn to become foster parents solely for the money.  And that is very sad.  They never see the greater reward…and that is pouring something of value into the lives of those children…by showing them love and kindness…paying attention to them.

Then there are those children which are left to grow up on their own.  They are like wild little animals…and many people observing them wonder why?  But if they knew where these kids lived…or how they were living…or under what circumstances…and what sexual and other abuses they were subject to…then they would know why the child was acting as he or she was acting.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/25/teacher_student_found_in_w_va/

I have no idea as to what is going on with these female teachers becoming involved with young grade school children.   It makes me sick…yes, to my stomach.  Because I can’t see what any grown woman…or for that matter…grown man would see or find interesting in a child.

I know that children become infatuated with their teachers.  I had my share of admirers.  I never realized it at the time…but later on I did in particular one.  He even proposed to me  time after time.  I never took any of it seriously…nor did I indulge him.  But after I had left the teaching profession…this boy began calling me in New York. 

I found out that he had gotten my number from my son.  I wasn’t overly concerned at first…but then he started calling every evening.  It did not frighten me…but I really wasn’t interested.  By this time I didn’t even think it was cute.  I could see that this boy really had an interest in me.  So, I just stopped answering his calls.  And I think he got the message.

What kind of conversation can I hold with a young boy?

Even one graduated from high school…come on, now.

In ’95, I went to L.A. to shop my screenplays.  I had forgotten all about Ojay and his trial…it was months after the shooting had happened.  So,  though when I used to ride the bus from Woodlawn Hills into downtown L.A and see all the remote TV trucks with their huge satellite dishes…tons of them sitting outside of that court.  But I didn’t at the time realize what I was looking at when the bus would drive pass.  It is so funny…because I used to think-

“Wow, there must be a big case going on in that court.”

And what made it even funnier…was that during the whole time of the Ojay case…I was glued to the TV.  I didn’t miss a beat…from day to day…I wast locked in and tuned to every episode of the Ojay Simpson trail saga until they signed off from day to day.

 But when I could not get an agent to represent me or my work…because everybody in L.A. is about who  you know…who referred you…who are you connected to.  And being connected was all they cared about.

It was like you talked to tons of people all in the right place…but if you couldn’t give a name and didn’t have any ties…the conversation stopped right there.  Years later, when I initially went into pre-production with my film, LIFE 101: da real skool…(which is where the 101 in my name comes from)…when I went into pre-production…I started getting all kinds of calls then talking about-

“Let’s do lunch.”

I hated L.A.  

I became so frustrated with L.A. that I decided to give up and not leave the hotel room anymore.   But my friend…whom I had gone to L.A. to spend some time with while her job had sent her there to audit some banks…she kept on encouraging me saying-

“So, what you couldn’t find an agent.  And nobody wanted to see you or read your scripts.  Go see a show or go to one of the movie lots.  You know that is what you are interested in.  So, go check it out.”

And finally, I did.  Only because she kept trying to cheer me up.

It is so funny…because you may not believe this.  The one day that I decided to go the night before I saw an expose on Prime Time or some show like that…about some male teacher who they tracked from New York to a motel down in Las Vegas.  He had taken some very young Jr. High School girl and ran off with her across country.  The television segment on the story was very detailed.

So, the next day, I visited Universal Studio’s movie lot…where a lot of television programs are shot.  At the time I arrived the only thing going in was the audience for the “Leeza Show.”   It wasn’t anything that I wanted but (well, because really I have never watched much television).  But…I was there…it didn’t cost anything…and they were letting people in.

When they tape these shows you never know what topics are going to be featured or discussed until the show begins taping.  To my surprise that guy…that teacher who had gone to Las Vegas with his little school student was the topic…and he was there.

I never went into that taping with any intentions of saying anything or being  a part of any program.  But it is very funny how things just seem to happen.

I sat quietly listening and watching taking in everything about the production…how they had someone warm up the audience before the show…the size of the studio…where the cameras were…all the people who worked in conjunction with the show…just the whole behind the scenes thing.  This is what interested me…but of course, I was also listening to all the  discussion and the questions coming up out of the audience.  But there was something that disturbed me.

As that teacher talked about the young girl…her family…and how he just felt sorry for her…how he was trying to help her out…etc…etc…   The audience all seemed sympathetic to him.   They were eating that garbage up like candy.  Here it was…and that girl was very pretty (and it doesn’t matter what she looked like…she was a kid)…he had engaged in sexual activity with this girl…had kidnapped her and taken her across state lines.  And they were all just sucking it in like he was some kind of hero…a divine saviour.

“Why wasn’t anybody looking at the whole picture?”

“Did he have any responsibility in this matter?”

“Hadn’t he taken advantage of that young girl?”

He was her teacher.  And as described on that expose show by other teachers who had also worked at  that school with him…he was a male teacher who was a little too friendly with many of the female students.

Between segments of the taping they would stop to allow for the commercial break time frame to countdown then resume with their taping.  At this time the program host would walk through the audience searching out the best questions to feature during the resumption of the program taping. 

Finally, the cameras went dead…and Leeza started walking through the audience looking for her next audience questiones.  She came up my aisle seeking for questions.  I wasn’t going to do it…but they had made me mad.  I put up my hand and Leeza walked over to me and said-

“Yes, do you have a question?”

And I said yes.

And she said, “Okay, what question would you like to ask?”

And I told her.   Evidently, Leeza liked my question because she did not move from me.  When the cameras came back up…she said what she had to say and asked me stand and ask my question.

Before I knew it…that guy and me where firing off against one another…and I was winning.  And I did win.

I had made him mad.  But I just could not stand it.  And he was nasciating to me.

He was a teacher.  He did not have any business…no matter what may have or may not have been going on in that girl’s life to become involved sexually with her.  She was an under age child…and he was a 30 or 40 year old man.  I didn’t care how he tried to justify it…there was no justification for it.  And how dare…anyone try to make a movie out of that story. 

Yes, he…that man…ex-teacher was out of jail walking around and making the television rounds because some production company had paid big money for the rights to his story.  This is why the world is in the state that it is in.  This is why many people are doing some of the craziest things…men killing their pregnan wives…teachers running off  with grade school children.  It is sick.

Everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame…and they are willing to do anything to get it.  It is truly sad.  When they see the TV coverage and movie…and book deals coming up out of these sick acts…people with copy cat mentalities figure…why not?

And what is sadder…is that there is a market for this.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9271398/Report:-Haynesworth,-Redskins-reach-deal?MSNHPHMA

A guaranteed $41 million…included in his $100 million deal.  These guys make tons of money.  You would think that the people who really work for a living could earn at least a tiny portion of it.  It would look nice.

And Michael Vick is soon to be released from prison. 

Sometimes it takes losing something…even if it is for a little period of time to have an appreciation for it and other things…and to look back and reflect on your blessings. 

Not everybody gifted…or fast…or good at something gets a contract.  Millions dream such dreams whether it be a music deal…or a sports deal…a movie deal…whatever…they dream of.  They work hard to make it happen…and yet it doesn’t.  So, for those that it does materializes for…   Well, they really ought to feel blessed.   They should make the most out that blessing…not only for just themselves but for others around them, as well.

Well, it has been beautiful here for the past 2 days.  I’m feeling spring in the air.

And…oh, yes. 

I was not only on that Leeza Show giving it to that teacher.  But Leeza and her production must have really liked me.  They started featuring me in their commercial for the show, as well. 

You will not believe how many people stopped me in grocery stores to talk about that show with me.   I never would have thought anything like that would have happened to me.  And I certainly never set out to be on anybody’s show…much less in their commercial.

Talking about 15 minutes.  Well, I guess I have had mine now too.

Well, God bless…and enjoy your weekend.  And I have not forgotten that it is still Black History Month.  I celebrate our achievements all the time.  Can’t help but do so.  Don’t know what it is.  But I love me some black folks…(smile).  I really really do.

And oh yes,   I have just added my real photo to my “ABOUT” page of this blog.   Sorry, if it isn’t what you were imagining…but it is what God gave me.    And on that page you can find out more about what I am doing…besides giving you my opinions on things in these blogs.  I am truly a highly opinionated person…just can’t help it.

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

1 comment February 28, 2009

Court issues…Family dilemma… praising the Lord

Sometimes I just become so overjoyed that I can’t keep it to myself.  And this is one of those times.  I am suppose to be working on launching my website…which should be up this week.  But I just couldn’t not before writing this blog…to tell you just how good God is to me.

I know that many many many people are currently facing foreclosure and until I started taking care of my parent’s property it really never mattered much to me.  But following the passing of my father the 2 mortgage companies which had mortgages against our property put us into foreclosure.  But not being on the mortgages the companies refused to tell me anything…and I was the only out of my 7 other siblings who felt our parent’s property was worth fighting for and eventually paying off. 

But because my name is not on the loans for the mortgage (which of course it would not be…since the house belonged to my parents and it was their loan).  So, the mortgage companies legally did not have to give me any information regarding my parent’s account…and for the most part that is what they did.  They refused to share any information on their account with me…even though they knew that my parents were now both deceased.  And the kind of information I wanted was a copy of the payment history of the entire loan and all other information concerning it…the whole history of mortgages.

Finally, CitiMortgage, one of the mortgage companies…the one with the highest balance and most difficult company to deal with…they sent me a copy of my parent’s mortgage.   After going over the documents it showed that supposedly that mortgage had been refinanced in 1999.  But my father by that time had been diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s.  Besides his left hand shook badly…which meant that his signature would have been severely affected when he wrote.  But that copy of the supposed mortgage refinanced by him showed no signs of a wobbly hand.  And even if it had my father’s mental capacity being what it supposedly was at the time…he was not legally competent to enter into any such contractual agreement.

So, I filed papers disputing the foreclosure by CitiMortgage against my parent’s property based upon it being a false document…and as being such CitiMortgage’s foreclosure was being based upon a fraudulent document which would nullify that contract and halt their foreclosure based on the amount outstanding due to that document.

Well, after I don’t know how many months…and after receiving information from CitiFinancial that they were in possession of my parent’s property.  I went back to court.  Because CitiMortgage/CitiFinancial had failed to answer my complaint against them.  So, I entered a default against them.  Today, I received my notification that my default had been granted.

I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am.  Through the grace and mercy of God…I had won.  This decision totally knocks out a mortgage which added over  a hundred thousand additional dollars onto my parent’s prior loan. 

I knew in my heart that my father would have never placed an additional $100,000 of debt upon our property.  That money was supposedly against a loan of nearly $30,000 at an interest rate of over $60,000 making CitiMortgage a mighty big winner in that contract.   My father would have never done…and particularly since he had already had more money than the alleged near $30,000 the loan approved for…as he had more than that already in at least one of his several bank accounts.  So, I went into court Pro-se as a heir to the estate of my father…and went to fight.  But God fought that battle for me.  And I cannot thank Him enough.

I wrote this blog because I know that many people are going through much of the same.  It is very difficult trying to go to bed night after night…and not know whether or not tomorrow you will be deposed and kicked out into the streets…because some bank or mortgage company took over your home.

One of the biggest frauds going…happens when people in mortgage companies find out that there is a dispute among family members following the death of someone of whom they hold a loan against their property.  This opens the door for all kinds of things to happen if the people or a person within the mortgage company is a distrustful crook…that might shock some.   But it is very true…and not just with mortgage companies but lawyers also…anyone sitting in a position they see where they can take advantage of. 

Anybody sitting in a position who can take advantage of  such a situation many times does.  Because they seize upon the family members lack of communication with one another and their inner turmoils and conflicts to keep the family members too busy at each other’s throat…and it allows the cheats the freedom to do whatever they will.   It is for this reason that I asked to see the complete history of my parent’s mortgage from the initial mortgage on.  For which I never got because they refused to release to me.  Nor did any notices of court dates come to house regarding the foreclosure hearings. 

By not getting those notices…the notices regarding the foreclosure hearings…I could not appear in court to defend my parent’s property.  And since none of my other siblings cared…they didn’t go either.  This meant that that by default the mortgage company won their foreclosure because nobody showed up on our side of the table…or who represented us in court.

I tell people all the time…the worst thing you can do in a court case…is not show up.  By failing to show up the other side automatically wins.  Give yourself a fighting chance.  Show up and tell the judge your side of the story…you may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.  It could make a difference.

If you have been reading these blogs then you also know that I had entered a case in the Appellate Court. 

Perhaps you are familiar with this…and are guilty of the same.  Though I must say as a rule I am not a procrastinator…but for a couple of weeks I had been walking around with the letter from the Appellate Court unopened.  I get tons of mail…and there are some pieces that I put off opening simply because I don’t want to think about it…and I am afraid of what it might be informing me of.  This was the case regarding my default notification from the court and this letter from the Appellate Court…both of which I finally decided I couldn’t put it off any longer.   So, I opened them up this morning.

It turned out I had been dreading good news from both courts.  The notice I got from the Appellate Court was to inform me that I would not have argue orally our case before the judges.  Though I had requested to do so…I really didn’t want to do it.  But from where I stand nobody can better present my case than me…and particularly since when my son had gotten a lawyer…the lawyer told him to settle for $1,800.   Our car had been totaled, my son suffered back injury (which still plagues him today)…and on top of that the repairs that the insurer of the other vehicle (the one that caused the accident) authorized were not sufficient considering the amount damage sustained to our vehicle. 

So, I filed the papers myself…when you do this it is called “Pro-Se.”  But it was not because of any of the reasons I have already listed that drove me to file suit.  No, I filed because they had returned to my son a faulty automobile which could have killed him…and they didn’t care.  The car shook…the bumper would fall off while he was driving…and at the time of the accident my son was away at college in a town which had no public transportation…not even cab service…which is why I had to buy him a car in the first place.

So, I filed suit in conjunction with my son against Allstate Insurance.  And today I heard from the Appellate Court…because if you recall, also in a prior blog, I explained how my son had really won the case…but how the whole thing had been a set-up and ended up in front of a judge who was friendly with the other side.  Don’t act shock to hear this…it happens everyday…watch LAW & ORDER.  It is regular practice for lawyers to call the clerk’s office to find out which judge is in what court and when. And try to schedule their hearing before judges who are very lenient or favorable to them.

Had we lost our case in court fairly…I would have accepted that decision.  But I could not knowing that we had not been unjustly treated and all our evidence and testimonies had been overlooked.  So, I filed a Notice of Appeal…and to the Appeals Court we were a going. 

One of the most involved documents I have ever had to put together was the legal brief that was required of the Appeals Courts.  It was over 100 pages in length and required many hours of research in a local law library and several days of typing…but I did it.  By the time our case finally got heard…following all the hearings for the various pre-hearing court dates for…Motions to be entered…and Mediation…etc..and all our travelling back and forth…many times when we barely had the money to go and come back.  But we did it any ways by faith…over 900 miles each time.

Now, the notice from the Appeals Court today informed me that we would not have to present our case orally before the Appellate Court.  I had covered everything so completely in that brief…and in great detail…including the court transcript to back up my statements.  I am so happy that we do not have to go down and stand before them.  Standing before several judges dressed in black robes…would have been a bit un-nerving for me.  But if I had to…I would have done it.  I had prepared myself to do it.  Because from the on-set…I had not filed the papers to lose our court case.  And I always knew it was just a matter of how much…because we had all the documentations, receipts, invoices, pictures etc. to prove our case.  Many times in court just having truth on yourself is not enough…you must have hard evidence…and we had both truth and hard evidence.  Then they next thing is to be capable of delivering that evidence before in a logical and as near legal manner as you can master.

I tell you this…because I do believe that if more people sued for wrongs and injustices…maybe some of us others would not have to.  We live in an area where they want to make you feel guilty for having to sue.  But believe me…many times a law suit is necessary to resolve many matters.  The problem is most lawyers won’t take any cases that they believe they won’t make any money on…or that may tie them up for too long.  This leaves those who can’t go into court for themselves with no choice but to drop the matter.  And even I have had to decide whether or not something was a battle to fight or not. 

I have not sued everybody…though my son and most of friends believe I have.  But I have not.  Some of them I have left for God to deal with.  He can do things to them that I cannot.

This reminds me of a time when I was in grade school.  While in the cafeteria one day just as I was about to sit down…this girl took her foot and snatched the stool from up under me.  I fell flat…and everybody laughed at me. 

I was so mad that I began praying to God to do something to the girl.  And a couple of years later I realized he had.  The girl is very unattractive…and I have always thought God did that to her because of me.  Truly, I have.  From that point on I have never prayed to God to take care of anybody else for me.  I thought His punishment to her was a bit too harsh. 

So, for the cases I decided not to pursue…I have just left it up to His discretion if He wants to do something about it or not.  The Bible says…He rights every wrong.

But I will keep you posted on the Appellate Court decision. 

The reason behind this blog is to encourage those of you who are facing foreclosure…or any other problem…legal or otherwise.  Do not give up.  Go back through your paperwork…there may be something in it which can turn your situation around.  You may find a loop hole…lawyers use them all the time.  But if they can so can you.

Always remember that God has the final word in all situations.  And that He is faithful.

My parent’s property is still in foreclosure but now all the  money paid on the property from the date of that refinance date that I disputed to present will have to be reverted to the old mortgage…and with interest. 

The Bible is true…God is always working it out for our good.  I am just so happy.

God is good.  And I am so happy that he is a friend of mind.

It is still Black History Month…Ida B. Wells…W.B. DeBois…Billie Holiday……Marion Anderson...Sweet Honey in the Rock…

http://mirroronamerica.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

As I have said in my other Black History Month posts…the reason I have not given you any information on the people that I list is so that you will be motivated to research who they are.  This will prove to far more helpful to you…and to your ability to remember their accomplishments.

Well, God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

1 comment February 24, 2009

The King Family Matters…continues 4

I have gone into court on many occasions and felt that I should have won where a Judge decided against me.  In life there are many battles.  Though we have to pick and choose our battles…as it is not possible to fight everything all of the time.  And when fighting them…we always have to be prepared to loose.

Loosing is as much a part of the process as anything else.  There are times in life when we loose and there will times in life when we win.  It is a fact.  And if you are in sales…they will tell you that ‘it is the law of averages’…meaning sooner or later either is bound to happen.

Bernice and Martin L. King III were recently in court with their brother Dexter who sued them to have their mother’s letters released to him.  As he claimed his mother’s letters are part of his father’s estate.  Since he negoiated a book deal for $1.4 million for his mother’s memoirs it stands to reason as to why he would want those letters to be in his possession.

At this particular hearing the Judge sided with little Dexter.

http://www.ajc.com/cherokee/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/10/31/coretta_scott_king_letters.html

One of the best things the court has incorporated in it…is the appeal process.  It is not often used as it can be a much harder battle…just preparing the proper paperwork and submitting it as the court requests it to be formatted can be overwhelming in of itself.  But the state Court of Appeals are a near final step…you can always go back into court and ask the Judge to reconsider his discision by setting it aside.  Which many times though you may get a court date, some Judges just won’t change their minds…not unless you really come up with some evidence which can really sway them to the other side…and that is provided that the Judge is willing to listen to it in the first place.  Some Judges can be very difficult and quite hardnose. 

Then, if you are still not satified because the Judge failed to change his mind, you may inform the court that you are going to appeal…and BAM!  You submit the court with your Notice of Appeal.  And you are on your way to the state court to appeal that decision, verdict or whatever the argument or contested matter is of that case.

Now, little Dexter has been busily selling off as much of the King estate as he can while lavashing himself with million dollar property in California…LA to be exact, as he desires to enter into the movie business ad plans on relocating.  Well, he has pretty much actually done that…moved from Atlanta for the sandy beaches of LA.  And also for the stage lights of the Hollywood sets…well, this not quite.  What he doesn’t understand about the movie business…is that he looks too much like his father to make it in Hollywood.  The only person he could possibly play would be his father…and I do understand the magic of make-up and all of that…and there are not enough movies being made about Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. to bring his son’s dream into reality. 

The point I am making regarding casting of movies….Martin L. King’s face is known around the world.  No one would belive or accept a character who looked like Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. as any one else outside of being Dr. Martin L. King, Jr..  In order for it to work his son would have to be able to beat Densel acting, where he could assume a role and make  that role, or character come  so alive in a way that in the viewing of the movie the audience didn’t see Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.  but whatever character Denzel…I mean Dexter was   playing.  And that is not an easy task. 

So, Dexter will never make it in LA as an actor…and you can tell him…I said it.  If it were possible Yolanda King who studied drama and was an actor would have been able to find success in the business.  But even as woman…she looked very much like her father.  In a business where people suspend reality…it is hard to do that when you are looking into the face of Civil Rights icon and trying to imagine or see him as anything else but that Civil Rights icon…and that is exactly what Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. was, and still is…a Civil Rights icon.

The current letters which the court gave Dexter access to are letters written to their mother from their father during the Civil Rights Movement.

Because Rev. Bernice King is supposedly legally over their mother’s estate, it is interesting to me that the Judge would have awarded Dexter with that decision.  And Dexter is in control of the Martin L. King, Jr. Center for Non-Violence and his father’s estate.

You have got to have the right lawyer or lawyers.  And I am going to tell you something that lawyers hate.  Sometimes you have to kick the lawyers to the curb and better go in fighting for yourself…if you have the skill and ability to do it. 

Who better to represent you…than you? 

But without the proper verbal skills or confidence…and the ability to restrain your emotions…you better not try it.  At times in court I have been good…but during family matters I many times  just break.  Family stuff hurts.

I don’t think that I am all that confident…and believe me when you start standing in front of the Judge having to defend yourself it is even worst.  They have terms…legal terms that will fly right over your head.  And I should know…because a few of them have flown over mine.

There were times when I wish I had done or said that…at the time it came to me but I didn’t do it.  Later afterwards…I could have kicked myself time and time again for not having done so…because it cost me the case.  Or I wished I had been smarter.

The first case I ever won was a case I took into Small Claims Court.  I had bought a car.  The ad read ‘great running condition’ etc…etc…  And when I tested the car it ran beautifully.  But the next day when I went back to pick it up and give them my money…the car never ran properly.  I have no idea what it was…or what they did to it…but I ended up buying a beautiful looking vehicle…but mechanically it was not the vehicle I had tested. 

I quickly found the newspaper ad and file my complaint in Small Claims.  Small Claims Court is very much like Judge Judy’s show presents it to be.  You stand up there and tell your side, show what you have to back it up…then the other side talks…and after a while the Judge ususally says you’ll receive your decision in the mail…whereas on TV…Judge Judy renders a decision during the show.

So, I presented my complaint before the Judge and I got my decision in the mail.  And guess what?

The Judge was very nice to me.  I had won.  But I not only won my money back…but the Judge let me keep the car too.  And those people who had sold me the car they paid me all of my money back sending me weekly amounts until I had totally received it all back.  And I got the car fixed.  It was a beautiful Bonneville convertible, 1968.  I could not get out of the car without finding notes on from people interested in buying it from.  But this ended being a very expense lesson for the people who sold me that car.

Judges as a rule are not that overwhelmingly kind or generous.  So, for a very long time I walked around thinking how I was so smart because I had won…and won like that.  But now I have come to realize…that I am not that smart at all…but just exceedingly blessed.  I have a very dear and good friend who sits high and looks low…and sees and knows everything.

I never won that case.  God did…He won it for me.  And many times you go into court…you should really consider Him.  I have had many different outcomes in court…but each one whether I have won them or lost them…I knew that God did it.  If I didn’t win, I knew that there was something in that case that God desired to show me…or have me consider.

I almost always take everything as a learning experience.  I may not always like the outcome of the set of events…but the lessons behind them have lead me not to do somethings again…or seek to do somethings a lot better.  And each time I have always found that they were setting me up for the case…which oftentimes were bigger and more important…like our Appellate case in Carolina now.

The lawyers have a this saying, “Only a fool is his own lawyer.” 

And unless you are a very quick learner and can adapt quickly…and also…this is a very important point…have the ability to speak up for yourself…and can be quiet while the Judge is talking or listening…unless you can do these things think twice of going into court ‘pro-se’…which means representing yourself.  You have to be concise, to the point and extremely well thought out…and certainly able to prove your case for real evidence…whether a paper trail or bills or some type of contract etc…  You must be able to prove your case.  And need to definitely pick your fights.

And if it is a case that you get to make a decision as to whether the jury decides or the Judge…go jury.  Twelve or 6 people give you a better chance at winning.

Recently, I had a case thrown out of court.  I brought it against a local doctor and hospital here.  I knew the probability of my winning the case was low…but I just could not let it go.  For what that doctor did to me…he definitely deserved to be sued.  And though I knew I was entering into a very steep up-hill battle…I decided to file my complaint any how.  Which is what I did…because the way I figured it out even if I lost…and here is another point. 

You have to really be careful at bringing a case that you might loose because the other side will turn around and levy all their court fees, lawyer fees and everything else they can against you.  And you could end up having to pay a lot more than what you thought. 

But I decided to go forward with my case against that doctor.  The case never got very far because to get specialist and all of that costs money…but I knew one thing.  I knew that all legal cases become public record…and that is what I sought to do.  I knew I couldn’t probably win one way…but I got him the other way.  My complaint against him was and is public record.  Now, any lawyers seeking to bring a case against him and are looking for amunition against for another complaint…well, they will come upon my case and be able to read in full detail why I bought that law suit.  That is why I did it.

We are hoping that everything works out well for the King Family with regard to their current battles.  It is very difficult dealing with family matters.  And not all times does the right or the truthful party win.  But one thing is for sure God will work it out for your good.

God bless…and be encouraged all.

Talking about God.  If you read my blog on my parent’s furnace almost exploding.  Yes, I am suppose to be in cold…as the furnace is gone.  But God gave my parents the wisdom not to have the heat and hot water tied into one.   The hot water tank is separate…which mean I still have hot water.  So, if I have to go through the winter without the furnace…I can.  Because I still have electricity and I still have the stove. 

So, God is soo soo good.  And I cannot thank Him enough.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/books/04arts-RULINGISISSU_BRF.html?ref=arts

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/race_relations/jan-june97/king_1-15.html

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/apr/05/cant-stop-a-movement/

http://blogs.bet.com/news/newsyoushouldknow/mlk%E2%80%99s-youngest-son-calls-his-siblings%E2%80%99-lawsuit-ludicrous/

…pass it on…’ www.bsmith101.wordpress.com

Add a comment November 6, 2008

O.J… can’t seem to get it right

Poor ol’ O.J…you really got to feel sorry for the guy.

Trouble just seems to follow him.  For a man who once had everything that, I guess, most people would have liked…somehow it all just got away from him…it slipped through his fingers.  It happened one night following a long trail of events which really if you examined them were on the road to doom.  And doom it was…it ended in murder.

Had it been written by some great British suspense writer the scenes and scenarios could not have been better written.  It had all the clues and every bit of the suspense of a top rated thriller.

But this latest farce really amounted to nothing more than a shakedown Mob style.  And for having done it…O.J. Simpson is facing the possibility of life in prison. 

It really doesn’t seem fair. 

Considering the world of memorabilia and the problems of thief, fraud and the like…O.J. going after those guys in a way that they could understand…well, the means clearly does not justify the way…but the memorabilia business is big multi-billion dollar business laced with underhanded and crooked dealings.  O.J. was merely seeking to protect and retrieve his own items…in what to him seemed to be the most effective and expedient way of doing so.  Perhaps it was also meant to be a message to others, as well…but at the end of the day the trial amounted to nothing more than getting O.J. up on charges with the hopes of finding him guilty to correct mistakes made in 1995.  And to me seems wrong.

I will agree that O.J. has lead a life that most of us would not have agreed with.  He has been charged with things in which most of us find apprehensible…but dragging throug a trial for the sole purpose of finally being able to say-

“Got cha’ now.”

Is just is not right.

People flash guns and rob people everyday…and frankly many of them really should see some real jail time…but I see judge after judge releasing them…or just giving a few months of probation and these are real criminals.  Though some may argue that O.J. Simpson is a real criminal…and perhaps he is…the court saw otherwise.  And some may say the same about those whom I mentioned I see time and time again being released by judges everyday in courtrooms for doing the same thing as O.J. just did…flashed a gun and sought to rob someone.    

O.J.’s real crime these days seem to be…that since 1995 he has been a real danger to no one more than himself. 

http://voices.kansascity.com/node/2319

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur47569.cfm

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20231198,00.html

http://www.macon.com/nation/story/481651.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3133636/OJ-Simpson-found-guilty-of-armed-robbery.html

Well, hope you have a beautiful day.

SELF PUBLISHING WOES…that Xulon Press…

Started having problems with my publisher again.  This time I just plain told them to forget it and give me my money back.  Part of the problem with them is that Xulon believes I am just dying to get publish.  Perhaps, I was…until I realized I had made a mistake choosing in them to handle the job for me.  Now, since 6 or 8 months later and it has been one headache after another with them.  I am just too fed up for it to really matter…if they print my book or not.   

You can always pay another company to print it for you.  But I have never seen a company like Xulon more bent on robbing somebody. 

Currently, my project went back into the ‘hold’ mode because I refused to sign off on some things.  These things would prohibit me from later going back and filing for damages against them for not providing the services that they promised.  If you go back to my first or second blog…it lays out the problems…one of which they submitted to me a cover for my book which had been the cover of one of their privious authors.  Secondly, I told them in my contract…where it asked for suggestions regarding the cover…I told no people…and what do you thing I got?

People!

But if the truth be told it is the way that most companies have gone.  It is about money…not about what you paid for…not about service…but money  Once they get your money they feel they have you…then it is down hill from there.  That is when they start to want to make the demands and give the orders.  Not on my money…they don’t. 

So, I am no longer responding to anything that my publishing company is forwarding to me…as I have demanded my money back.  This I already realize…will mean that I will have to sue them.  But I rather sue them than let them get away with murdering me.

But you have got to look out for my book, “THE BISHOP’S WIFE”…once I get it published…and it will be published.  I know you will enjoy it.  It is my second piece of fictional work…about woman in the mid-fifties who can’t put out of her mind a pass love though she marries a Bishop who is not what or who she expected him to be.

The second Presidential Debat is tonight…should be interesting.  I’ll meet you in front of the television or over the internet…but we will meet to see how this round of the debates go.  I think McCain is going to make it a point to look at Obama once or twice this time.  What do you think?

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/watch-to-watch-for-during-round-2/?hp

God bless…  ‘pass it on…’    www.bsmith101.wordpress.com

God bless…and thanks for reading  ©2008

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