People who aren't smart enough to vote!

Happy Halloween! I am back to blogging after a monthlong hiatus. And some of you might think after reading this that I should stay on hiatus. But I am here anyway!

So November 2nd is Halloween. Some of you might think that Halloween was October 31st, but no. That's just some day where people dress up in costumes, scare people and eat a lot of candy. The REAL halloween is on the following Tuesday in America when people go to the polls to vote for witches, gobblins and devils for political office.

I am of the opinion that most of us (including myself) really aren't smart enough to vote. If we were then we wouldn't have all of the troubles in this world. Think about it carefully. You or someone you know just might be too stupid to vote. And stupid people should STAY HOME ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 2ND to avoid doing further damage to our country. Last weekend there was a "Restoring Sanity" rally in Washington DC hosted by a TV personality from a comedy channel! This was to counter previous rallies hosted by a popular TV and Radio host in "conservative" circles. And to be "fair and balanced" in my warped sort of way, I refrain from mentioning either host's names for this blog. I'm not attacking or hating on either person or their followers specfically. I am going to be an equal opportunity hater today.

So I think that in my own interest in "restoring sanity", today I am going to list MY OPINION of which STUPID PEOPLE should avoid going to the polls and voting for any of the halloween characters running for political office. I will be adding to the list throughout the day on November 1st and 2nd, so come back to the blog later and see if I added anything (depends on my work schedule and the ability to go online) And feel free to add your comments below and prove how stupid (or smart) you are.

Partial list of people who should stay home and avoid voting because I don't believe you are smart enough to vote:

1- Anyone who uses the phrase "Tea Bagger". Every time you call people you disagee with that name (opposite party) you only lower yourself to their level of crazy. You think you are smarter than they are but you really look and sound like an immature brat. You'll probably vote with your emotions rather than with common sense and look where that got us. Same goes to those who somehow find a thrill in butchering the name of the political party or TV news outlet you disagree with. And this equally qualifies as STUPID..."Faux News", "See-BS", "DummoCRAT" (although I think many Democrats are dumb, they are not alone) "Repugs", "Republicunts" (that's just mean and nasty and wrong)
If YOU are guilty of using any of the above phrases then YOU aren't capable of an intelligent conversation on politics.

2-Anyone who is STILL questioning the birth of the current president of the United States! Oh MY God you people are stupid and twisted. You have no capacity to think clearly. You should all go roast a hog on Tuesday. You might be very very dumb but some of you can make a mean BBQ.

3- If your only concern is who can marry who then you are missing a few screws...the ones that held the pieces of your brain into place that forgets all of the infedelity in your own family or household and you are incapable of answering the simple question "How would David and Michael down the street getting married REALLY have an effect on my own marriage". You too should stay home and avoid voting. If your mindset is so narrow god only knows what else you can screw up.

4. And before any liberals and gay activists celebrate any agreement with #3 take a look in the mirror and ask yourself why you continue to vote for the same people over and over again who promise you the world and betray your trust? If your excuse for re-electing the same people (Democrats) because you just cant stand the risk of the other party getting back into control then you too aren't thinking clearly.You are voting on emotion and talking points and are acting like a cult follower. You did it in 2008 and you have been pissed off every since (for good reason). But you are not helping toward "change" if you continue to take a beating and you return back for more. Don't be a dummy and think that politicians are your friends! So if you also avoid voting you just might be doing the rest of us a favor too. Go home, think carefully for a few hours then perhaps reconsider.

5. And perhaps I should have put this FIRST, but along with the idiots who use the "teabagger" phrase, the equally stupid people who should avoid voting are those who's ONLY arugement to voting against a democratic congressman is over Nancy Pelosi. The big red "Fire Pelosi" bus that drove across the country might have been a nice way to see some superstar political type like Uncle Michael Steele (his name ain't tom) and if that's what you like then fine. But you "anti Pelosi" republicans are about to elect people who haven't cited real good reasons to elect a new congress person. All you want is to regain power. You want a repeat of 1994 and you aren't smart enough to realize that it didn't work out the last time. Same emotion, same stupidity and if you dumbasses vote tomorrow we are likely going to have the same result. Going in circles all over again.

6. IF YOU ARE NOT INFORMED ON THE ISSUES AND THE CANDIDATES, then you are not prepared to vote. This means you could be at risk of helping to elect another political clown to serve/screw you and your community. Perhaps you should NOT go to the polls and help mess things up or if you do you only vote for the things you actually know about. Likely that won't be much.

7. IF YOU VOTE STRAIGHT PARTY TICKETS you are a DANGEROUS voter. You are a CULTIST! Following with only a strict dedication to any specific political party is like a religion. You are not using an open mind. You refuse to listen to the "other" side. And sadly, this is MOST voters. You are people who claim to embrace "change" and claim to like "freedom" but your dedication to partisian politics is hyprocrital to that. And while so many people in previous generations fought and died for us to have the "right" to vote you partisian voters spit on the graves of our ancestors with your traditional repetitive partisian votes. Perhaps if some of you would consider respecting the legacy of those ancestors by avoiding the polls tomorrow then this country will have a chance to finally progress in something worthy of the dream that our ancestors had.


I no longer will get upset at low voter turnout. If there is a lower voter turnout then I sincerely hope that means that the emotional, uninformed and STUPID people stayed away and allowed people with a clear and informed mind to determine the course of our nation.

So if you really love the USA, you will seriously consider who you allow to vote. Keep the DUMB MASSES away from the polls!

Maybe Someday We Will All Be Free

As we continue the long fight for equality I often refer to a gem within my personal music collection. A song I grew up listening to and its embedded within my soul. An idea, a dream that so many of us continue working to make a reality. Maybe "Someday we'll ALL be free".

Just listen!



Remembering Donny Hathaway on his birthday, October 1, 1945. He was one of the best talents in the history of R&B music but depression and other health issues led to his taking his own life on January 13, 1979.

At the time of his death, he and his frequent duet partner Roberta Flack were recording music for a new album and this is my all time favorite of the Donny Hathaway-Roberta Flack duets, "Back Together Again".



Donny Hathaway was a fantastic live performer as heard in this recording of "Sack Full Of Dreams".



I could go on and on with Donny Hathaway selections but time only permits a few. So lets just say by using the title of another favorite by saying that I "LOVE LOVE LOVE" some Donny Hathaway music.

Going Down? (Bishop Eddie Long)

I am so sorry! I apologize for my last post has been quite a while ago. I missed the opportunity to post birthdays of legends in music and I missed many opportunities to blog about important issues especially in the LGBT community over recent weeks. But those stories are far from over. I will have things to say later.

On to THIS blog post. The title "Going Down" can have many meanings. In this case it is in reference to the current story of an Atlanta based preacher who's recent practice of "going down" may lead to his empire "coming down". I speak of a man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia Georgia. A member of the clergy known for his staunch anti-gay beliefs and sermons that even called for the DEATH of gay and lesbian people.

But the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long was recently sued by several young men who claim that the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with the young men of the same gender. Some of the accusations actually include "going down". (You know the reference)

I am focused on the phrase "Going Down" because of my best "tweet" ever. On the day after news of Eddie Long's lawsuits came out, the popular website Facebook had several outages. Yes, the website Facebook kept going offline, or "going down" and thus my "tweet" simply said "Today Facebook went down almost as much as Bishop Eddie Long" and the tweet was followed and retweeted by many including popular bloggers like Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend. A blog that is VERY much covering the "Bishop" Eddie Long story.

Anyway I will be making my own comments about this as more of the story "comes out", another GAY phrase we can use regarding the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long.

So on to todays "Going Down" songs, dedicated to the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long.

BUT FIRST, the truth about the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long and so many other members of the clergy and politicians. Telling it like it IS! The Great Millie Jackson's song "Hypocrisy"



Now that I got that out of the way. Here are some "Going Down" songs. Some of them might be in Eddie Long's collection.

Perhaps the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long likes the classic soul music of the 1970's. Like Rose Royce's "I'm Going Down" from the movie "Car Wash"




Perhaps Eddie Long played the Rose Royce song while he was missing one of the young bucks in his congregation. Hmmmm?


And following "I'm Going Down" perhaps Eddie Long was inspired to meet his next young buck by singing "I Wanna Get Next To You".


Oh yes, the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long was accused of giving teenage boys rides in cars like his (ROLLS ROYCE) BENTLEY with the thought in the back of his mind songs like "ooh boy I love you so, never never ever gonna let you go, once I get my hands on you"



So after singing those songs, the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long went from Rose Royce to R. Kelly, creeping on the "Down Low" and hoping that nobody would know.



But now that the boys have grown to men, it might be time for the man who calls himself "Bishop" Eddie Long to pay for "Feeling On Their Booty"



Yeah, the mighty preacher man is going down. To be continued for sure!

Dancing with the Queens on Labor Day

You could place the word "Queen" in relation to the two birthdays in music happening this Labor Day weekend.

September 5, 1946, Freddie Mercury of Queen was born.





And September 6, 1947 was the day a legendary Disco Queen was born. Sylvester only lived 41 years but his music lives on. One gay drag queen that STILL rules some dance worlds today. So here are some of the best of Sylvester James (1946-1988) and his girls "Two Tons O Fun"/"The Weather Girls" Martha Wash and the late Izora Rhodes-Armstead (1942-2004)

And a side note of coincedince, both Sylvester and Izora died on December 16th. He in 1988 and she in 2004.

"You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" (1978)


"Dance (Disco Heat)"


"Do You Wanna Funk"




"You are My Friend"


RIP Izora Rhodes-Armstead


And another birthday to be noted today is another queen of the dance floor,

CeCe Peniston, born September 6, 1969

"Finally"


"We Got a Love Thang"

It was all KOOL and the gang when they first started out.

September 6, 1946 was the birthday of the late Claydes Charles Smith, guitarist and original member of the famed group KOOL AND THE GANG. "Kool" is how they started out as a jazz band back in the 1960's, turning more soul, R&B, Disco and Funk into the 1970's and gaining greater fame in the 1980's with a lot of pop hit songs like "Celebration" and "Joanna". But my favorites of Kool And The Gang are their pre 1980's mellow grooves and in honor of the birthday of Charles Smith, here are a couple of their best including some you may not know.

"Whisper Softly" from 1976 from their album "Open Sesame"


"Summer Madness" a true classic and their best known instrumental which had been sampled by other artists. Most notably for the DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince (Will Smith) hit "Summertime" in 1991 and Miles Davis "The Doo Bop Song"


"Winter Sadness" in 1975


"Light of Worlds" (1974)


"Dujii" (1971)


Remembering the MUSICIANSHIP that was the group Kool and The Gang on the birthday of one of its founding members, Claydes Charles Smith (September 6, 1946-June 20, 2006)

Sunday morning smooth

Sunday morning smooth for Labor Day weekend 2010. "Sunday Morning Smooth" is what I call GREAT peaceful "smooth" and easy music to help add some flavor to a quiet and pleasant Sunday morning. For me it includes listening to Jazz and mellow R&B music mainly from the 1970's into the 1980's sometimes venturing into the "smooth jazz" genre of the 1990's.

I may not post this feature every week but only when I feel up to it.

This Sunday morning Smooth comes from home. I hadn't slept all night and I am about to do my laundry and perhaps order take out pancake breakfast from either IHOP or Cracker Barrel, whichever one I can get into and out of quickly before the "church folk" start coming in for their Sunday breakfast. Where I live, this means you'll wait a hour for a table or just as long to order something to go.

But on to the music for this Sunday morning.

Celebrating a birthday this week was jazz artist Boney James and Scottish singer Al Stewart. Their songs that fit best with the "Sunday Morning Smooth" theme are..

Boney James "Sweet Thing" from 1997


And Al Stewart's "Year of The Cat" from 1977


Those are a good fit but getting to the "meat" of this "Sunday Smooth Set" I would have to carve the best of those who are only household names to the truly loyal and this morning I wish to make it a family meal featuring musical entrees from the LAWS Family.

Hubert Laws, his brother Ronnie Laws and his sisters Eloise Laws and Debra Laws.

First Eloise. This is her most famous songs from the late 1970's

Eloise Laws "You're Incredible"


Next, Eloise's baby sister Debra Laws who gained greater fame through this very popular song from 1981. "Very Special" remains popular today within the "Quiet Storm" genre of R&B music.



Now on to the male siblings. You hardly hear much about the second oldest of the eight Laws children who are in music. Hubert Laws (JR), born 70 years ago, the flutist provided some of the best and innovative jazzy soul recordings of the 1960's and 1970's, performed with many legends like Chick Corea and George Benson and in many forms of classical music to this date. But from what I can tell Hubert Laws is not the recognized name that he should be.

Well music is a passion of mine and here is HUBERT LAWS 1978 recording "Land Of Passion"


And finally from the Laws family tree is perhaps the most famous of the Laws children in music. Ronnie Laws definitely had more popular "hit" songs including "Friends and Strangers", "Always There", his duet with his sister Debra posted above "Very Special" and his solo vocal hit "Every Generation".

The rest of this week's "Sunday Morning Smooth" set has connections with Ronnie Laws. On some you will hear Ronnie Laws on vocals as well.

1975's "Always There"


"Every Generation" from 1980


And another great vocal song from Ronnie Laws from the early 80's "Stay Awake"


And the classic Ronnie Laws "Friends And Strangers", the original 1977 version.


And just as great for me to listen to on a Sunday morning is the DAVE GRUSIN cover version of "Friends and Strangers" from 1980



And that is just a sample of how my "Sunday Morning Smooth" goes musically. Some people go to church on Sunday. I worship peacefully with music.

The Duke of Hurricanes? Hopefully not Earl.

Be safe East Coast! Hurrcane Earl plans a little labor over your holiday weekend.

Hurricane Earl and the Harlem Shuffle

Where will HURRICANE EARL go? Will he "move to the left and go for himself" or will he "move to the right and take all night"? Will he mess with North Carolina, Virginia, play the casino's in Atlantic City or do the "Harlem Shuffle" on his way to Cape Cod. All of his a bad pun but a great excuse to enjoy another 60's classic by BOB & EARL.

"Harlem Shuffle"



ON a serious note, I wish the residents of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States all the best and for minimal damage from Hurricane Earl. Hopefully it will turn and avoid landfall.

Happy Birthday to ARCHIE BELL of Archie Bell and the Drells, born September 1, 1944



Happy Birthday to JOE SIMON, born September 2, 1943



Remembering BILLY PRESTON, born September 2, 1946, died June 6, 2006



Happy Birthday to Rosalind Ashford-Holmes formerly of MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS, born September 2, 1943



Happy Birthday to Boney James, born September 1, 1961

Derek and Romaine: Don't Ask Them How they are doing!

I am a loyal listener to the Derek and Romaine Show on Sirius/XM "OutQ" radio. I have been a fan of the show since Sirius Satalite Radio and XM satalite radio merged and XM subscribers began recieving the "OutQ" channel. I had enjoyed the program a few times prior to the merger when I have driven a rental car that had Sirius radio. But I have been a longtime subscriber to XM radio which did not offer a unique radio program like Derek and Romaine.

As a loyal listener you are familiar with some rules of the show. If you listen to many talk radio shows you hear caller after caller repeat lines that can easily irritate the hosts and other listeners. Phrases like "Longtime listener, first time caller" irritate me to no end. But one of the main rules of the Derek & Romaine show is to not ask the host how they are doing.

Other rules of this fun radio show that listeners are aware of include...

"Don't Stalk Us!" as in don't stalk the hosts of the show. So if you happen to see Derek Hartley riding the commuter train to his suburban home somewhere in Stepfordville north of the city where he would then drive his old BMW or his Nissan Mini Mom mobile up the hill to his house, or if you happen to be driving along the highways of New Jersey where Mom Romaine Patterson may be driving her brand new mom mobile out to her farmhouse where bears and squirrels eat the peaches off of her trees, DON'T BOTHER THEM! Leave them alone and RESPECT their privacy. It might creep them out if you said hello.

Other rules include letting Derek and Romaine do the drinking while YOU do the driving.

These are fairly easy rules to follow. But one rule I wasn't aware of I discovered today as an occasional caller to the show. You are only allowed to call the show ONE time per day. I had called during the first hour when the hosts were discussing a current news topic, then I called three hours later during one of their popular segments "Despairately Fucking Angry" where callers can call in and rant about anything. And I had a rant ready for the show. But when I called in, Derek & Romaine's VERY POLITE AND WONDERFUL producer "Mistress Sam" informed me of the one call per day rule and said she was sorry that she couldn't allow me to go onto the air.

I was ok with that. Rules are rules and "Mistress Sam" was very nice and polite about it. So we both said thankyou and hung up. But then I thought about it for a minute. I am not in any way one of their best callers or even that frequently a caller. But Derek & Romaine have a few frequent and fabulous callers who occasionally do call in twice during the show. The "one call per day" rule had been broken a few times. But probably when others are screening calls. I don't know and that isn't my issue.

BTW: I don't really have an issue I just want to bitch about it like Derek Hartley would bitch about something...just for the hell of it.

But one rule of the show that is CONSTANTLY IGORNED and given way too much slack on is when callers, new and old as "how are you doing" at the beginning of the call. Some callers may be nervous and asking "how are you doing" is their automatic icebreaker. But if rules are rules, like the rule about calling only once per show are to be enforced, then why not enforce ALL of the rules?

Hey Derek & Romaine, even some callers have reminded you time and time again about the people get away with breaking the "don't ask us how we are doing" rule. You continue to let them slide. It is a simple rule that THIS listener found easy to follow and there is NO reason that others cannot follow this rule. Hang up on their ass a few times one millesecond after they ask "how are you are doing" might offend them but the point will get across and people will learn. So stop being WIMPS about it and ENFORCE THE RULES....ENFORCE ALL OF THE RULES!

Just in tonights broadcast where I had to obey the rule that I could only call one time per show, I recall that more than three times someone broke the "don't ask us how we are doing" rule and while a listener did detect a reaction of frustration from the hosts, the callers were allowed to continue. HANG UP ON THEIR ASSES!

Now speaking of rules, Derek Hartley has frequently ranted on the show about the rules of public ettiquette especially when it comes to parking lots. Longtime listeners of the Derek & Romaine show know that Derek absolutely hates when shoppers at a supermarket leave shopping carts in the parking lot instead of placing them in the designated area or returning them to the store itself.

The two images below are dedicated to Derek Hartley! Just because I followed the rules of the show by calling and not being placed on the air a second time but several people were not disconnected from the show for asking the hosts "how are you doing".

I went shopping late last night after listening to the show and left the cart right in the middle of the parking lot.


Even worse, I left it on the lines of the adjacent handicapped parking space. How rude was I in breaking these rules of Derek Hartley?




HAHA! Well it felt good for a minute.

Enjoy Derek and Romaine, and even with the minor faults they have a great radio show and I encourage anyone reading this to tune in to Sirius channel 109 and XM channel 98. Also call the show at 1-866-305-6887, ONE TIME PER SHOW and DON'T ASK THEM HOW THEY ARE DOING!