I know a lot of words. Really, I do. I write; I read; words are sort of my thing. My favorite game is Quiddler. There is nothing I love more than Jeopardy‘s “Crossword Clues Q” (or J or X or…) category. Sometimes I pick up Macbeth and start re-reading it, just for fun.

And yet, the number of words I don’t know still seems as large and limitless as it did when I was three years old, and the only word I recognized when my mother would read The Monster at the End of This Book: Starring Lovable, Furry Old Grover to me, was “strength.”

For instance, I have just finished reading Atmospheric Disturbances by Rivka Galchen. This was an absolutely (as they say) whip-smart book, featuring a man who believes his wife has been replaced with a simulacrum, a cosmic conflict between the Royal Academy of Meteorology and the 49 Quantum Fathers, a quixotic quest, and a flawlessly executed unreliable first-person narration. Now up there with I, Lucifer, this novel has made it onto the short list of my favorite books. (Incidentally, I came across it, as I do so many of the best books, by randomly browsing the shelves of my local library.)

The point I am slowly meandering toward is that this novel—aside from provoking me into envying Rivka Galcehn‘s intelligence, command of language, and ability to produce an engaging plot—taught me a lot of new words (see below). And when I think back upon the countless number of books I have read over the course of my life, it frightens me to imagine how much less knowledgeable I would now be without having done so. What I’m saying is this: Please read.

Note: definitions gathered from Merriam-Webster, The Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary.com, and Wikipedia

I used to always think about how tragic it was that my generation never really had some revolutionary superstar martial artist that was featured on primetime television doing an interview on the philosophical aspects to martial arts.  Moreover, I would like to see something like that done on the topic of peace, tranquility, and Enlightenment as well.  I guess that’s why we document stuff and put it out on the web.  So people never really forget it.  Hell, to be perfectly honest I sometimes get jealous that we (the generation X’ers) didn’t get the opportunity to know what it felt like to even watch CBS news in entirely black and white.  Anyways, moving on.

I wrote a paper one time on an aspect or type of philosophy titled, “Existentialism”.  In it I tried to describe how an individual can overcome adversity simply by using the power of one’s mind.  The idea was simple, “to exist, persevere, and to never stop questioning.”  I feel like I’m supposed to cite that sentence to the left but I’m too lazy today.  Unfortunately, I feel like the father of existentialism Soren Kierkegaard never really answered the real questions of why obstacles are put in front of us.  He merely described them.  Martial arts on the other hand I feel answers those questions.  It does however not by training you how to fight, but rather training you how NOT to fight.  There is a mental application to the arts that I feel never really gets any credit.   What does this mean?!  Here is an example.  You’ll need a pen and pad for this experiment.

With your pen in your hand and your pad in front of you, take a long hard look at your surroundings.  Try and become the room around you.  Every infinitesimal grain of sand or dust, every bookshelf, the tree in the corner, try and memorize it all.  Now slowly close your eyes.  Breathe.  In….out….in…and out.  Try and ingrain into your mind all of the things you had seen.  Now with your pen and pad handy and your eyes still closed write a list of the things you had seen.  Write it all down.  Do this for about one solid minute because anything longer would be strange.

Now open your eyes.  Take a look at your settings.  Your list I’m sure is more comprehensive than mine but why are we not fascinated that despite its length, it’s just…not…enough.  What did you miss?  A whole lot I’m sure.  I know, you’re wondering Virtuoso, where are you going with this?  What does this have to do with martial arts?

The notepad and pen experiment shows us our fragility.  Putting it another way, our inability to fathom control.  You see the fact of the matter is no matter how hard we train or practice at something we never really get it right. That is of course until the very end, when we understand the value of nothingness vis a vie, death. That is the beauty behind living, there never really is a shortage of things to do but at times it can get extremely overbearing.  Your mind shows you that in any fight, the outcome will be how you think it should be.  This is important.

I mean….isn’t it amazing that we have options and potentials that are all around us.  In an ENDLESS sea of potentials we are truly and honestly limitless in our abilities.

I have to quote someone here to make my point.

“The brain processes 400 billion bits of information a second, but we’re only aware of 2000 of those.”  -Dr. Joseph Dispenza

I took that quote from two wonderful movies titled, What the Bleep Do We Know and Down the Rabbit Hole.  Both movies deal with the wonders of quantum mechanics.  Now imagine that, 400 billion bits.  400 billion pieces of information!  All that information floating around you, everyday, consistently without you even realizing it.   400 BILLION pieces of information.  The sheer fact that we are able to process 2000 isn’t just radical, it shows us that we border upon the abilities of gods.  With practice of course.  You see, like  a good intense workout the human destroys his or her’s muscle tissue in order to build larger and more powerful tissue.  The brain works the same way.

Everytime you close your eyes, everytime you need to get in your car and just drive to think, or not think, you are going through one of the most beneficial workouts of your entire life.  I believe the martial arts version of this comes in the form of meditation.  People tend to be really skeptical when you tell them stuff like this but after the world’s most intelligent human being Stephen Hawking alerted ABC News that he believed in aliens, I don’t think these ideas are too far-fetched.

What does the understanding of our limitations have to do with anything?  Besides the fact that it levels the playing field for us as a race it teaches us of our LIMITLESS potential.  The fact that we know means we can practice and get close to perfection.  It all comes down to choice.  It is important that I mention that the purpose to this article is not to have everyone jump out of their chairs and slap people around just because they KNOW they can or FEEL they can.  No, on the contrary the KNOWING should actually give you more of a reason not to.

What it SHOULD do however is make you feel more inclined to practice and work on not just your physical attributes and abilities but also your MENTAL ones as well.  Because one day you WILL want to close your eyes for a solid minute, open them and actually be able to write every single thing around you…in perfection.  Why?  Because it is only then when you have tasted sheer bliss.  It is only then when you can master control.  The Dalai Lama in his book Illuminating The Path To Englightenment illustrates on how exactly to do this.  Currently, I’m still trying to finish the book (100 pages in) but I should mention that it is an amazing read.  As a writer he touched on some fascinating research, particularly with regards to words.  Apparently, there was research done that said that those individuals who were prone to use the word “I” in any form of it had a greater risk of dying from heart disease.  It was as if only words of possession were our lifeline as Hominids on this planet.  Truly fascinating stuff.

Anyways, that’s all for now.

Today I wanted to take the opportunity to write about an observation that I’ve made throughout the past three weeks. A very close friend of mine of Jamaican decent had stopped by my parent’s house one lovely weekend. My father happened to be in town so we sat down and engaged in an intellectual conversation of Black America as we saw it presently.

My father, who had been through a lot in his time and seen much more than me and my friend started off by stipulating that the country wasn’t the same as it had been years ago.

“If you don’t think this is the year of the Black Man, you’re a bloody fool. It’s our time now! Think about what’s going on; Obama possibly winning the election. This is a huge deal! Back when I was coming into this country, this is way before you were born son, I had to fill out some paperwork and they specifically asked me how to identify myself. They gave me the following options: White/Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, Negro, and finally “Other”. That was it!”

It was at this moment that my friend and I reeled over laughing and yelling the words ‘oh hell no…‘ My friend who shook his head in amusement asked, ‘what did you fill out?’

My dad looked at us both and winked, ‘I selected, other.’ We both nodded. We understood exactly what he was saying. There is without a shred of a doubt that the comeback of the century is being made with regards to positive Afro-centric movement in the United States. We couldn’t have possibly imagined what it was like growing up in the era of our parents or our grandparents. And because of this, we needed to be grateful.

I remember celebrating Christmas at my grandmother’s house and an old Humphrey Bogart flick (Sabrina) came on and all of the youngsters including myself crowded around the tube. Now I don’t know if it was because it was Christmas and there was nothing to do at the house or just the sight of watching a black and white flick, but almost every black child there was fascinated by the dress code and the decency that revolved around the movie. One cousin of mine actually yelled that he wished he could have lived back then. Shortly after I said the same thing.

You know how sometimes you have those moments where you say something…and then you realize how incredibly stupid it sounds afterwards? Like you take a hard look at the facts and realize, ‘wait’, what the hell am I talking about?!

Yeah well that’s what happened. An elder in our family who had been observing all of us from a distance then replied calmly and slowly,

‘Correction…no you wouldn’t. In fact, you should be grateful that you don’t live in this times. We all should.’

He was right. From a strictly historical standpoint growing up in those times was extremely difficult. The knowledge of history it seemed, my very minor in college, had eluded me. Maybe it was the acting which had a very cheery undertone to it that did it. Or perhaps the fact that it was a black and white flick. Who knows? Either way the elder who commented was completely right. And that’s all I wanted to write about.

Either way, the emergence of Obama as our possible president is great. But it’s not enough. Not nearly my friends. But it is a step in the right direction.

So… I watched Black In America: Reclaiming The Dream . Ye-e-a-h… so much I could say, but I will hold back. I will say they asked the pseudo-tough questions… but that’s about it. As well, I think my self-esteem was tested by all the statistics they kept lobbing before each commercial break letting you know just how far back Black America is versus … well… the usual suspects. Also, my first reaction to the airing was “wasn’t this originally slated for February?”
Oh, I noticed how every month Black In America got pushed back. Was this supposed to be CPT for Black programming? Might there actually be something in the show that the ‘powers that be’ had to cut out because it might trigger some uplifting movement amongst Blacks that America just wasn’t ready for… whoa… was I actually starting to get intrigued? Actually, yeah, come Cinco De Mayo, I was anticipating this event. [Sidenote: Nothing says "back of the bus" like programming that was delayed until the summer repeats. Let that marinate.] Well, Black In America is finally here. And I sat down for the first installment (Reclaiming the Dream aka Keeping Up With The Kardashians ) and took notes point by point, so that you could come to AfroThought.com and find out that YOU DIDN’T MISS A THING! Here, let’s just start with a run through of how things went. [Sidenote: The program was like a Harvard reunion too. Not hating on my Ivy League homeys, just letting 'em get ready for their two degrees of separation.]

The initial panel (which later rotated) started with:

Bishop T.D. Jakes – Famous pastor. 30,000 multi-racial congregation in Dallas. Not to mention the plethora of folks that consume his message through media.

Ed Gordon – 60 Minutes , Black Enterprise Magazine and a former BET correspondent (when they had news). Many remember his “Unless you got a real twin …” to R. Kelly about the “Pied-Piper’s” remarkable resemblance to the buck in the “R. Kelly Sex Tape(s)”.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux – President of Bennett College, Author, Economist. “One of the most influential Black women in America,” as declared moderator Soledad O’Brien (…ah…Soledad O’Brien ).

Professor Cornell West – Author and professor at Princeton University. Essentially every time we need to know the official Black opinion on anything we go wake up Mr. West, Mr. West, Mr. West, Mr. West . If you don’t know… ask somebody.

Family: “Marry yo baby daddy…”

“Seven out of ten (7/10) children are born to unwed mothers” reported the program. My first thought was “d*mn, i thought we were at least half and half,” which, when you think about it, isn’t acceptable either but is sadly something to which we could aspire. “Enter Maryann Reed… she started the ‘Marry Yo Baby Daddy Program’” [::sigh::] which aims through counseling and a culminating marriage to re-establish these couples and kids as role models for other disjointed Black families. [Right then the head-shaking began, think about it, they just said we're in remedial "home-ec" - but let me hold back.]

Moderator Soledad O’Brien posed the question “To what degree do you think, Professor West, that [the situations of] unwed moms or single-parent families are at the root of a lot of problems in Black America?”

Professor West kicks off saying marriage was really a side point whereas the lack of “mature love” between two individuals has severely diminished. He quickly explained that love requires a “sense of responsibility and the temper to master the art of intimacy” beyond today’s focus on pleasure/power/property. Explaining further, West professed that “intimacy” entails allowing yourself to be vulnerable to the other person, thus in today’s focus on pleasure/power/property how many would actually risk loving another person maturely? Thus it’s not a matter of having more marriages but figuring out how to nurture more “mature love in a community that has been taught to hate itself”.

Bishop Jakes was asked how the church can help, replying that the church has to move beyond solely preaching ideals and move toward addressing realities. He added that the church can help people get back on track to creating family through supportive infrastructures as opposed to just saying “you were wrong”. [Then -not even 9 minutes into the discussion- Bishop kicked off the same ole same ole. ] “The problem is not unwed mothers but that men are not stepping up to the plate.” Jakes essentially said there was no father-role-model for these men so fatherhood is “asking them to play a role for which they have no script”.

Ed Gordon said the men should be responsible because each of their kids is “yo baby too”. Adding “C’mon now people” at the over-acceptance (and even pride) toward the “baby mama” situation. Then he promoted his website.

Soledad O’Brien asked how finances come into play using the example of one of the couples in which the man said he hadn’t married the mother of his children because he wasn’t where he wanted to be financially.

Dr. Malveaux questioned marriage (as well, the societal conditioning of women toward marriage) as the ideal for a single mother, particularly if the woman could economically provide for her children.

Ed Gordon jumped in saying ideally you need both, adding that for too long ‘black men have sat back and simply let women carry that burden.’ Then he promoted his website.

Cornell West corrected Gordon’s point saying it takes more than the parents in the ideal situation. The community serves as a “backdrop” for the two parents, stopping short of a cliché “it takes a village”.

Bishop Jakes adjusted all the previous points adding that money isn’t the only thing the man brings into the relationship, arguing that his presence is influential on the self-esteem of the children. Preaching that we don’t have the same communities we did 30-40 years ago, noting “Frankly, I don’t want my neighbors saying anything to my children!” Suggesting that we nurture our kids amongst our own families and friends. Lastly suggesting to unwed mothers that because their sons will be someone’s father/husband one day, “raise him to be the man you wish you had”.

[Okay that play-by-play was way too long so we're going to summarize editorially henceforth.]

Family: “We have got to…”

So the panel then rotated tagging in Hill Harper (actor/author) for Cornell West.

Moderator Soledad O’Brien asked ‘how do we break the cycle of single-parent children growing up to have broken families?’ After most everyone moved linearly from ‘holding friends with kids “to [the] task” of actually parenting’ to ‘fostering community around the child’ to ‘not praising unwed mothers but accepting them’ to how ‘expectations have deteriorated’, Hill Harper finally hit upon the fact that most everything discussed tonight will be at naught if they ignore the underlying issue of Black self-worth. To which I was like “BOUT TIME?!” Harper worded it best pointing out that the solutions are “future-based ideas” and that most of the expectations presented thus far (better education, getting a good job, marriage, raising a family) are dependent upon these kids believing they have a future to work toward or else lose. As well, Harper noted that most of the younger generation’s deviations from the aforementioned “expectations” are attempts to attain/feel they have value. Daughters wanting to be mothers for the love of the child or a man. Sons wanting to be athletes, entertainers, hustlers for the esteem from peers. So the goal is to instill self-worth in the kids so they don’t feel a need to be noticed in a more precarious manner. Everyone agreed with Harper and for a minute there you thought the discussion might vary from the conventional outcome of these panels until the very next person changed the subject. Why? Maybe they weren’t ready for that discussion. Maybe they wanted to offer generalized summations of the problems coupled with vague solutions like “we have got to do better” whilst plugging whatever they were torn from to be there. But essentially the rest of the program was no different than these types of forums ever are: Raising a plethora of problems in Black America (with statistics to make you go “we f*cking up”). Telling you things you already know, unless you are the least self-aware of us. Then running out of time before any implementable solutions are actually offered. In fact, I thought about splitting this recap into parts (even put it aside for a day or two to set it up right) but really… why bother?… let’s just knock out the rest of the program while we’re here.

Education: “Brandon, we come here to get you back in school…”

…door in the face. See after a video segment about our dropout rate, in which they actually showed Brandon Gully (a senior) refusing to go back to high school – actually, “refusing” is too strong. Brandon just turned and zombie-walked back in his grandma’s house as if Vice Principal Keys and his peers on his porch wouldn’t notice. ["and if you fee-eel me put your hands up... hoo-oooood" ] Which is sad, considering I went to the same inner-city high school. Yep, according to a 2007 Johns Hopkins University study, Brandon’s and my high school is a “dropout factory”. ["Lowered expectations..." ]

Musical chairs time:

Roland Fryer (Professor of Economics at Harvard) swapped in for Bishop T.D. Jakes

Jabali Sawicki (Principal of Excellence Charter School) swapped in for Ed Gordon

Tom Joyner (National Talk Show Host) swapped in for Hill Harper but soon swapped back for Cornell West

Cutting back to the discussion, the panel essentially talked circles around how to get kids interested in education. Everything from emphasizing their futures to actually paying kids for good test scores was mentioned. [::sigh::] Notably, Sawicki’s response to Joyner’s question about youth’s incentive was that his school only speaks of college as a “when” as opposed to an “if” thus battling any nascent low expectations. However in the 45th minute, Dr. Malveaux finally brought up the 2nd cliché I’d been waiting for all night: the images in Hip-Hop. Cornell West, though, quickly backhanded her point and kept things moving. Then he went and called Lil’ Wayne a genius. Why? I dunno, maybe he meant on the business tip (see Lil’ Wayne Sells One Million ), maybe he needs a verse on his next mixtape, who cares?! Anyway, as far as discussing incentives to redeem our zest for eduction and present examples of successful scholars as role-models for youths, they essentially settled on “we have got to do better”.

HIV: “Know your status…”

Tagging in Sheryl Lee Ralph for Cornell West. The panel addressed the issue of HIV/AIDS.

Apparently in non-televised/sponsored discussions around the nation, the panelists found that Black folks don’t realize how deadly AIDS is still. Why? Magic Johnson. No really. Not gone lie… cats think he has the cure. When in actuality, Magic has great health care (or “platinum health care” as Ralph put it, but i doubt you will here that phrase amongst your favorite rappers next 16 bars). Sadly humorous, even in the best case delusions folks act like they have the same bankroll Magic has to afford the myriad of pills he takes daily were they to contract HIV. To waylay this pipe-dream we say, he might be “ok” but you will die. Fortunately, Sheryl Lee Ralph pointed that out … in very dramatic fashion. ["Dumb it down" ] The topic was closed on her simple “know your status, people”.

Sidenote: Sheryl Lee Ralph, I appreciate your passion, but your approaching the line of “scary” and just past the line of “I hope no White people can see this”.

Leadership: “Be the dream…”

Surprisingly Tom Joyner finally suggested that we as a people stop waiting for that next Dr. King to make the changes we want to see. BOUT TIME! Besides, that hypothetical leader would still need you to become motivated and start/join/do something to fix what you need to correct in your life and community. 01.20.09 ain’t gone solve everything either. So let’s just skip the wait and get on it.

Summation:

Most of the problems really do come down to self-worth. As much as I like to blame the current policies and centuries of conditioning us to strip ourselves of dignity, pride, self-esteem, value, education, rights, wealth, family, etc, we have been “free” for about the last 45 years. You think we might at least have stopped being our own enemy; which is part of why I’ve been so lenient in my critique of Black In America: Reclaiming the Dream . Some of us are still f*ckin’ up and we do need to look at ourselves. But no one can make you want ‘better‘ for yourself and no one is going to give it to you. If you continually focus on what another man has, you will miss out on what you have and could have had. Yes, we were denied education (as in you read, you died) but then some of us seized it like wealth regardless. Others not so much. Yes, we were turned away from their businesses, so we started our own (which would be the only positive of segregation) . Others not so much. Some choose to be men for their families and help raise their children. And others… by now you get the point. As well, I do mean only some of us are f*cking up (well, according to the statistics a majority of us) but yes, some of us are wreckin’ shop . However, we all have the potential for excellence – though we may need to tweak our definitions, stop all that “ghetto fabulous” BS. Most of us came from nothing. And it seems their is still little difference between those of us that become CEOs and those of us in (or seemingly hoping to go to) prison. The biggest difference in those of us from the bottom is what we think we can achieve and what we try to achieve. But then again what do I know, I’m a young Black man raised by a single-mother and went to the same dropout factory as Brandon.

I was in the commons (the park) downtown the other night with my homegirl just talking. Clearly, this was her idea. I don’t find chillin’ in a park downtown at night to be the wisest nor safest place to chat but i figured she’d get uncomfortable soon and we’d be on our way. So as the random winos and crazies who take residence in the vicinity made cameos in our causerie, she and I observed the subtleties of the subdued nightlife. I was sharing a theory on relationships when the sight of two dudes on Segways made me trail off mid-sentence. Why? ‘Cause i’d simply never seen Segways in real life, simple as that. They looked convenient and fun, in that way that life sometimes imitates art (or at least the art of commercials). I thought “Hmph, cool, but is that really necessary?”

The next morning I noticed this article on BBC News about an 80-story building with rotating apartments set to be built in Dubai:

The Dynamic Tower design is made up of 80 pre-fabricated apartments which will spin independently of one another.

“It’s the first building that rotates, moves, and changes shape,” said architect David Fisher, who is Italian, at a news conference in New York.

“This building never looks the same, not once in a lifetime,” he added.

The 420-metre (1,378-foot) building’s apartments would spin a full 360 degrees, at voice command, around a central column by means of 79 giant power-generating wind turbines located between each floor. (BBC News)

Though my first thought was “wow”. The consequent thought was “why?” As in, ‘that seems a bit superfluous?’. Surely not everyone in Dubai is that ballin’ that some of the approximately $700 million dollars it will cost to construct this behemoth over the next two years couldn’t be used somewhere else. I mean i know every time I hear… well… anything about Dubai there is some sort of opulence involved, but we know good-and-well no nation is that balling. I mean somebody has to build this thing. And you know they aren’t driving off in a Maybach or something (ask Human Rights Watch).

Then I thought, ‘Fine… if you have the time and materials like that, do your thing’. I can understand someone wanting to accomplish such an ambitious architectural feat just for the sake of progress. Then you read about the building envisioned to include enough wind turbines on it not only to power the building but actually feed excess back into the grid. Word? I guess if you are going to ball out on a building of nearly complete decadence, you might as well make it as unobtrusive as possible, you know, pretty enough to draw tourists (and help the local economy), green enough to help folks excuse whatever environmental destruction you caused in construction.

Also, it’s 2008. We should have rotating skyscrapers by now. Yes, in my lifetime alone we’ve seen the near-pandemic spread of the personal computer, the internet, digital cameras, cellphones and all the “universe-in-one” devices that spawned from it, not to mention half the stuff we don’t know “they” can do yet. Cool, good for you. But there’s still a lot of technology we don’t have yet. I mean folks are barely getting up on solar power – sun’s been around. We’ve been doing the best we can with the smaller/faster/better improvements, but the expectations of the imagination set the bar high as f*ck for this first century of the new millennium. How many movies, books, tv shows set all these advancements by like 2021? Shoot, look at the Jetsons. We don’t have biped robots doing our housework for us. Moving sidewalks are really isolated to the airport. And i’ve heard no plans to whip out flying cars (especially not in this economy). I mean not everything is feasible but still…

Alright, so maybe we don’t need the moving sidewalks, I mean Americans could shed a few pounds. And yes, maybe since I-Robot I’m less comfortable with a bot doing my housework (though to be fair to robots, people still go crazy too). Also I believe a very impractical flying car does exist, but it saps so much power that they just tether it by cable to the power source for now. Besides the first dude to have a flying car is going to have to go through all kinds of bullsh*t. Probably have to have a pilot’s license. Then meander the bureaucracies of actually getting that joint declared street legal, then air legal. Also, a body has to decide what fly zones ole buddy could fly in or roads he could “drive” … over. And what about the first flying-car-jacking? Surely it could be done. However, in terms of convenience/ability and just like this ‘dynamic tower’ or the rich people that buy trips into space, I’m sure the rest of us would say “Is it really that crucial?” Then they streamline it, make it accessible to everyone, and we all act like we were supposed to have it ’cause “it’s the future!” (Simple example: Blu-ray.) I guess that their shift in “necessity” is just the transition of progress.

Have you invested in your community today?

Investing time and money in our community is one of the greatest gifts we can pass to future generations. Economic recycling in our individual communities promotes small business, growth and stability. Every time a chain restaurant or store comes into your neighborhood it has the potential to close a family-owned mom and pop shop on your corner. Yes, the guy who knows your name and sells those amazing burritos around the block from you is scared to death at the prospect of Taco Bell moving in.

Don’t think where you spend your funds has an important impact? Consider the reasoning behind our 2008 economic stimulus checks. In order to give the economy a boost, the Bush Administration gave out up to $600 per working individual and $1,200 per married couple, plus $300 per child to qualifying individuals who filed a 2007 tax return. The top level of government understands that where consumers spend their dollars is crucial to our society and its livelihood.

Where you choose to spend your money needs to be a conscious decision. A small, local store helps you out, too. The store’s prices are usually lower than big box chains and a good portion of that business owner’s profits are used to pay taxes on the property he owns or rents. Those monies, in turn, go to the city or town you live in and are added to the budget. The same budget that shells out cash for services we all use and benefit from – city landscape grooming, neighborhood programs, the salaries of the teachers that educate our children, snow removal, the upkeep of underground pipes, the list is endless. Still don’t care? Well, what if that small business closes and the property is bought by another business that prefers to outsource their jobs to other countries in order to save money? Now, you’re not only out of a personable, self-sufficient business owner, but you’re also out of a few less jobs in your neighborhood.

Small business also encourages our youth to be entrepreneurs and headliners of their own destiny. Being self-employed is not impossible and keeping hard-earned dollars in the hands of our neighbors and back into our community is one of the best ways to help build a vital atmosphere. To learn more about small business and what it can do for you, visit www.sba.gov.

Until next time, be a blessing to a stranger.

- The Lioness

Gee whiz, Beave. How can I best backhand the rest of your people and slightly exclude you?! Maybe if I say “no offense”.

Growing up I remember using the huge box of crayons with the names you knew someone was overpaid to create (we’re looking at you “orange-yellow”). In that box, the one that always pissed me off was “Flesh”. Especially since my flesh wasn’t “flesh” colored. What were they trying to say? How self-centered do you have to be not to realize the ramifications of labeling one hue “flesh”; dangerous not just to yourself, but your company? Do you not consider how you may be offending inadvertently… oh… say… everyone else? Go find this crayon… if you are around that color, this sermon is for you. Why the “flesh” colored people? Because they are the main perpetrators of the non-compliment. I’m going to use the most recent example in my life but please recognize that “…this type of sh*t happens ev-ery-day!”

So i’m in line at my favorite mega-bookstore (sorry indie stores) and an elderly woman (elderly as in the big 7-0 is easily arms-length away for her) queues up with me and starts idle chatter about the usual (waiting in line, the weather, purchases). Personally, I don’t need to chat. In fact, I tend to wear my ‘slightly pissed off brotha’ face -that she clearly did not see- as added protection from chatty folk. Motion denied, so I break out my “representative”, as SOP (standard operating procedure) for such occasions. My “representative” is the same ‘version’ of myself who gets me through job interviews, social gatherings, and first dates. He’s really nothing like me; outgoing, personable, witty, slightly under the threshold of cheery that you can tolerate (as calculated by your demeanor), easily carries a conversation, and harbors more charisma than a good politician. No one but your die-hard curmudgeon dislikes my representative. That’s his purpose; stand in for me and deal with people. I don’t like people. I’ll sit back and supervise and correct any miscalculated statements.

So of course after two minutes of civility, Miss Daisy feels she can open up and tell me how she really feels. You know, those moments where the person leans in and says some bullsh*t in a slightly lowered voice. She precedes with the ill-fated compliment delivered loudly enough as if others were to turn and applaud. “My… you speak so well” she exclaims. “Heifer, you can suck my diction” I retort… in my mind (’cause they’d lynch me for that one). Again, Black SOP, I smile and accept the non-compliment politely. Too politely I guess, for she goes on to confide “so often I hear this… ‘slang’ going about. It’s so loud and everywhere”. She does that thing where people repeat the same idea a myriad of ways. I really was waiting on a “well, I never…” but it never came. I settled for her “even the boys and girls in my neighborhood use it these days.” Apparently, I was supposed to be appalled at the verbal corruption of the younger Bradys. I respond “Yeah, tell Wally and the Beave they can keep slang”… in my mind. But because i’m evil, I start to f*ck with her. Big store, long line, let’s have fun.

Assuming the role of crotchety old lady #2, I respond “Well, I simply can’t understand these kids nowadays. I always wonder how the parents let these things happen. Never speak like that in my house, I tell you what.” Essentially “Well, I never” arpeggiated over three sentences. Smitten with her new BFF she asks me if I went to school. I respond affirmatively. She asks if I graduated. “B!tch I have a degree!!”… in my mind. Though, I feel my brow shoot a “WTF?” which I quickly turn into a nod and “yes, ma’am”. Then she asks if I went to college. And next thing I know she’s on the floor and i’m standing over her wiping the pimpin’ off my left hand then slowly curling it into that Bruce Lee shaking fist. A distant voice exclaims “He’s the Juggernaut!!” And gasps erupt from the adjacent escalators…

…in my mind!!! I offer a non-threatening giggle and respond “Yes, ma’am.” She thinks my laugh is bashfulness, when in actuality it is more of a “Silly, racist. We’ve only had the last 40 years.” Remember, I am representing the exception to her views of my people, so I must surreptitiously make her feel guilty for being so ignorant and disprove her misconceptions while killing her with kindness. Why? Well, let’s break down the meaning in her questions.

AfroThought presents… “Tell ‘em why you mad, son!”

K, hold up. HOLD UP!!! She seriously asked me if I went to high school?! High school!! As in, mandatory in most states ’til at least age 16. Wow!! Really?! [In the subsequent paragraphs I could expound upon this egregious insult to the socio-economic status of my people in the analytical jargon fitting a scholar of my caliber and proper education but being aware of how the phrases/feeling falls far short of the requisite tone in comparison to the vernacular she so despised, I am compelled to evoke the proper emotion beginning with...] MUTHAFUCKA!!!

She legitimately wanted to know if I pursued education beyond the 8th grade. In fact, the questions themselves were slightly rhetorical, more so confirming her assumption. She was letting me know that I am different in her eyes. Correction, different in her eyes NOW. As in, she had a hunch that I -unlike the other brothers- thought it was in my best interest to go to high school, why? Because I speak so well. Her questions merely affirmed her assumption. The fact that I have a degree from one of the top universities in the nation, well that’s somewhat superfluous. That high school diploma though… that’s about all of the achievement she deems fitting to be a stand out among my people.

Wait, how do I even know she meant Black people? Oh right… she pointed me out as exceptional because I spoke so well as opposed to “… slang”. [Yes, she habitually paused before saying "slang" as if she was inventing a term each time.] Meaning upon sight she expected me to speak slang, but was taken aback at my command of the English language. Upon sight!! Despite the fact that I had on a collared shirt and khakis (’cause I have a job). No, I was worthy of her respect now because I spoke to her like a normal American. Correction, given the ever-increasing financial restrictions on public education, I spoke similarly to the slightly upper middle-class White America. The last time someone non-complimented me in such a manner I slapped them with my degree in language so polite that they actually complimented me again. Happens (with a degree).

Fleshy people, in telling me “how well” I speak, you admit your low perception/expectation of me (and thus those like me). It’s like saying you have a Black friend. Really? Only one eh? I’ll look for you come Kwanzaa. (Psst, I don’t know any Black folks that seriously celebrate Kwanzaa. It’s nice, but we have too much Kujichagulia for that.) If you really want to compliment me, then make the subject my character, up-bringing, or education. But don’t expect me to gush when you tell me I ‘speak well’. We all should. Besides, if I “speak so well” I probably “think so well” and therefore understand what you really mean.

First off, when or if you’re going to open a retirement account, go with the Roth IRA. It has many benefits which I’ll explain later. This should be the FIRST thing you do. Don’t wait for your crappy job to have you wait a year to determine whether you qualify for a 401k. I mean its really stupid that they do that to begin with but I don’t wanna get into it. Go to your bank and just request an IRA. It’s pretty much the same thing.

So…why is the Roth IRA better then a normal IRA?

A $4000 contribution to a Roth-IRA growing at a constant (and riskless) rate of 10% will, in 25 years, grow to 4000 * 1.1²⁵ = $43,338.82. Because this $4000 contribution is not tax-deductible, the contribution plus the tax will cost 4000 / (1-.25) = $5333.33 in the year of contribution (i.e. the taxes on $5333.33 earned will be $1333.33, leaving $4000 to invest).

If $5333.33 is put into a conventional IRA, $4000 of this contribution will grow tax-deferred. This will grow to $43,338.82 in 25 years using the same assumptions and calculations above. The tax on this amount will be 25% * 43,338.82 = $10,834.71, leaving 43,338.82 – 10,834.71 = $32,504.12 from the IRA account. However, the investor will have 5333.33 – 4000 = $1333.33 left to invest in a “naked” (i.e. taxable) account. Taxed every year, this amount will grow to 1333.33 * (1 + .1 * [1-.25])²⁵ = $8131.12. This implies a total, after-tax amount of 32,504.12 + 8131.12 = $40,635.24.

Explanation. The Roth IRA is better because withdrawals of earnings are tax-free. (After 25 years earnings are $43.338.82. However taxes are paid only on $5333.33)

Another reason is that the $1333.33 tax savings in the year of the contribution cannot grow in a tax-deferred account. If this amount were able to grow in a tax-deferred account, then the $1333.33 would grow to 1333.33 * 1.1²⁵ = $14,446.27, and if taxed at 25% upon withdrawal would imply 14,446.27 * .25 = $3611.57 in taxes, leaving 14,446.27 – 3611.57 = $10,834.71. Adding this to the $32,504.12 amount from the Traditional IRA savings equals 32,504.12 + 10,834.71 = $43,338.82, just like in the Roth IRA. Since the maximum IRA contribution is imposed after taxes are paid for Roth-IRA contributions, there is effectively a tax-deferral advantage for Roth contributions when, and only when, an individual is making the maximum contribution allowed.

Now, just think if you combine that with your 401k plan. I mean chances are you’re going to be getting raises at your job and considering the fact that your plans tend to rollover so it doesn’t really matter where you work…Roth IRA is the way to go.

It’s been raining alot lately where I live. I kind of like the rain but I like it even more when my windshield wipers in my car work. Anyways, I was gonna write a little spiel on my experience with doing grass roots campaign work for the Obama campaign a few months back, but I don’t want to beat a dead horse. I’ll talk about that on Wednesday. And yes, I will be addressing many of you fake folks out there who love Obama but do absolutely nothing to help out on his campaign. (Don’t worry not talkin about you Rev…just citing some recent friends I’ve encountered/met from around the way.) I’ll talk about that on Wednesday.

Later fiends!