Slavery By Another Name: A History Lesson

http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/index.php?section=1

While listening to NPR's Talk of the Nation (yes it is my daily drug) I got to hear an interesting an insightful interview by a man named Douglas A Blackmon. He is the author of a book entitled "Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to WWII." First and foremost I am definitely buying this book and reading it. Listening to some of the stories from it was enlightening. It also frustrated me. It is amazing to me how far America thinks it has come. Granted we have made great strides, however, during this political race it has become apparent to me how far we still have to go. Racism is still very much weaved into the basic foundations and functions of this country. As someone who did not live through the Civil Rights Movement but who has family members who vividly remember it I do not understand why White America as well as others can't wrap their mind around why so much of Black America is still MAD! If you put it into perspective the Civil Rights movement wasn't that long ago! So to hear the comments of Geraldine Ferraro and Bill O'Reilly and many others in my opinion you can't get but so mad at Pastor Jeremiah Wright for his rants. After all it is a free country right?!

Anyway take a look at the sight and if you'd like listen to the NPR cast on the Talk of The Nation Blog.

DC Nites...

Where are some of the best places to find fellow buppies in the D.C. area? Friday happy hour (not late night) at Ozio's is a common answer, but you have to be in the mood to come home with your hair smelling like smoke. I've heard about Posh on Saturday's, gone to events being held by the local NBMBAA, but I feel that there is a lot I'm missing. Various lounges can be so hit or miss, I need something reliable. Where to go Friday and/or Saturday night?
-theTruth

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Yes DC. A city of 4 corners! I do enjoy Chocolate City so many buppies! Venturing the city for Buppie crowds is not hard, however it does lack consistency. So what I do instead of following the venue, I follow the promoter.
When you go to Ozio's who is the promoter? Many promoters do not have consistent nights each week. They have events throughout the city. My personal rule of thumb is not to visit the same place often or back to back. Following a promoter lets you know what crowd they attract, and exposes you to different places in DC.
Also summer is ahead which means happy hours in the city! If you find yourself here in the middle of the week, make sure you ask someone, what they hear about the weekend to widen you weekend knowledge. Plus these happy hours are almost always hyping some place for the weekend.

I wish I could tell you more consistent places, but really that is not the city. You have to diversify! Or you be stuck seeing the same tired folks at LOVE and H2O.

I will leave you with a list of some good starts:

• Thursdays Happy Hr @ 1223,
  
• Wednesday (during the summer ) R&R Lounge
  
• Fridays Try U street= LIV, Bohemian Caverns for Jazz, MoMos
  
• Fridays Happy Hr @ NE where Adams Morgan to follow try Felix Lounge
• Saturdays Cafe Asia or Pasha Lounge

And do not forget about the good 'ole Washington Post City Guide!

Let us know how it turns out! Hopefully my creditability is not shot!

A Brief for Whitey

Bups,
What is the world coming to?

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A Brief for Whitey
By Patrick J. Buchanan

How would he pull it off? I wondered.

How would Barack explain to his press groupies why he sat silent in a pew for 20 years as the Rev. Jeremiah Wright delivered racist rants against white America for our maligning of Fidel and Gadhafi, and inventing AIDS to infect and kill black people?

How would he justify not walking out as Wright spewed his venom about "the U.S. of K.K.K. America," and howled, "God damn America!

My hunch was right. Barack would turn the tables.

Yes, Barack agreed, Wright's statements were "controversial," and "divisive," and "racially charged," reflecting a "distorted view of America."

But we must understand the man in full and the black experience out of which the Rev. Wright came: 350 years of slavery and segregation.

Barack then listed black grievances and informed us what white America must do to close the racial divide and heal the country.

The "white community," said Barack, must start "acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination -- and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past -- are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds ... ."

And what deeds must we perform to heal ourselves and our country?

The "white community" must invest more money in black schools and communities, enforce civil rights laws, ensure fairness in the criminal justice system and provide this generation of blacks with "ladders of opportunity" that were "unavailable" to Barack's and the Rev. Wright's generations.

What is wrong with Barack's prognosis and Barack's cure?

Only this. It is the same old con, the same old shakedown that black hustlers have been running since the Kerner Commission blamed the riots in Harlem, Watts, Newark, Detroit and a hundred other cities on, as Nixon put it, "everybody but the rioters themselves."

Was "white racism" really responsible for those black men looting auto dealerships and liquor stories, and burning down their own communities, as Otto Kerner said -- that liberal icon until the feds put him away for bribery.

Barack says we need to have a conversation about race in America.

Fair enough. But this time, it has to be a two-way conversation. White America needs to be heard from, not just lectured to.

This time, the Silent Majority needs to have its convictions, grievances and demands heard. And among them are these:

First, America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known.

Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American.

Second, no people anywhere has done more to lift up blacks than white Americans. Untold trillions have been spent since the '60s on welfare, food stamps, rent supplements, Section 8 housing, Pell grants, student loans, legal services, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits and poverty programs designed to bring the African-American community into the mainstream.

Governments, businesses and colleges have engaged in discrimination against white folks -- with affirmative action, contract set-asides and quotas -- to advance black applicants over white applicants.

Churches, foundations, civic groups, schools and individuals all over America have donated time and money to support soup kitchens, adult education, day care, retirement and nursing homes for blacks.

We hear the grievances. Where is the gratitude?

Barack talks about new "ladders of opportunity" for blacks.

Let him go to Altoona and Johnstown, and ask the white kids in Catholic schools how many were visited lately by Ivy League recruiters handing out scholarships for "deserving" white kids.

Is white America really responsible for the fact that the crime and incarceration rates for African-Americans are seven times those of white America? Is it really white America's fault that illegitimacy in the African-American community has hit 70 percent and the black dropout rate from high schools in some cities has reached 50 percent?

Is that the fault of white America or, first and foremost, a failure of the black community itself?

As for racism, its ugliest manifestation is in interracial crime, and especially interracial crimes of violence. Is Barack Obama aware that while white criminals choose black victims 3 percent of the time, black criminals choose white victims 45 percent of the time?

Is Barack aware that black-on-white rapes are 100 times more common than the reverse, that black-on-white robberies were 139 times as common in the first three years of this decade as the reverse?

We have all heard ad nauseam from the Rev. Al about Tawana Brawley, the Duke rape case and Jena. And all turned out to be hoaxes. But about the epidemic of black assaults on whites that are real, we hear nothing.

Sorry, Barack, some of us have heard it all before, about 40 years and 40 trillion tax dollars ago.

---

Take dat Patty!!!

Black Woman's Kryptonite

This week I bought this new hair product! That is the jump off! Then 2 days later I lost it! Blower I know. Finally found the one thing to lay those edges dowwwwwwwwwn!
I had to return to .... Dah Dun Dah:

THE Beauty Supply Store!!!

No not that Sally's Chain joint. The in the hood, ran by Asians joint. I once visited one, the size of a grocery store! I lie to you not readers. Picture Giant. YES Clear the aisles and make it alll weave!! It exists! (I have pictures!) *SIGH*, the Beauty Supply is truly the Black woman's kryptonite!! I walked in focused on getting a replacement. Then I walked down ever aisle. Look at the new products. Kind of a kid in a candy store!
OOO I want that! OOO I want this. Do not need a damn thing, Got a two day old weave in my head. Fresh to death! Nonetheless, these stores have every hair weave type from wet n wavy, to silky, to human hair, to quick weave, shampoos, conditioners, body cremes, sections for men, pins, HATS, colored contacts, nail polish.. OMG the list does not end!

Women won't admit this but Beauty Salons aisles, walking them,... they give us minor mind orgasms. A happiness washes over. I am at peace. Similar to when men watch sports.

Elitism and Class still exist. These stores tell you so much about the women in the store.

If she gets that Kanekelon Weave that rubs together to start fires, she is not a buppie.
If she gets that black gel that flakes, she is not a buppie.
If she gets those color contacts, the look alike plastic Louie V Coin holder, she buys that CC earrings, she is not a buppie.

However, if she gets the behind the counter stuff, them Asians don't put out, she is a buppie.

Observations folks. Class and Elitism exists in all realms of buppie-dom....even at the beauty supply.

The Constant Rebounds

Why are many buppie women so afraid to be alone? Well maybe not afraid, I think that may be the wrong way to put it. Why are so many easily swindled into dealing with a man when honestly they need to be alone to learn more about themselves. It has been an observation of mine lately that many of my peers are dating just for the sake of having someone. Nothing necessarily good is coming out of it. It is just for comfort. Hey I am guilty of this myself. I was previously in a serious relationship and since its ended old and new flames have come into my life only to well.....occupy my time and have gone no where. And this is not because of anything that they have done necessarily (in some cases not all) but ultimately it is about me just not needing to not settle and needing to do some self exploration about my last relationship and what I want in my next one.



So I pose this question, what is wrong with "me" time? Especially after a relationship? Currently I have been taking the time to do more things to advance my career, grow spiritually and meditate more, as well as become more physically fit. These are all things that I can do with a man but why allow the distraction when there is no urgency to having one right now. I do not think women should avoid relationships but I do think that we should be more poised and selective in our reasoning for embarking upon them rather they be casual or serious.




I was speaking with a bup that recently got out of a difficult 3 year relationship and is now seriously talking with another fellow. She says she often gets sad thinking about her ex when she is with her newbie yet and still she is full speed ahead in dating her new fellow. Isn't that bad? Shouldn't you take the time to really recoup, regroup, and recollect on that last relationship before you just jump into a new one?



Another buppie expressed to me that she is with a guy whom she argues with everyday and is not happy at all but she honestly feels that if she were not with him she would be less happy. I was like "What?" Maybe I am stark raving mad but it seems to me that this trend among black woman is so prevalant and I do not understand why. So many woman would rather be with a man that makes them sick rather than alone. Why are women so afraid of being alone? I have seen this in my family and among many of my friends. Here are some of the top reasons I have observed



5) Financial Need


4) There's just always someone pursuing even when I'm tryin to be alone so....what the hell why not?


3) Kids


2) General Companionship


1) SEX!





In my opinion this is more reason why women honestly need to take a period in their lives and seriously fly solo. Maybe some woman only need a few months and others a few years. But I think this time for woman, particularly bups can be used to get closer to GOD, get financial stability on their own, make career moves without thinking about how it may affect another, seriously learning about yourself and what you need etc. It creates the courage and know-how to be independent. These are things that will make you a better woman for the man that is destined for you and will give you more clarity on who that man should be. (These things often apply to men too but I think may be a little more crucial to women because we are more emotional) Many women, including myself, claim to have done this but in all actuality have not. It is crucial to your development. Helps you to raise your standards and never settle. If you think about it most woman have been being pursued by men since they were around 14 years of age. And personally after many of my relationships I have found the most clarity and understanding of what I should take away from them comes in the solitude after them, rather it was a serious relationship or a summer fling. If you never really take any time alone how do you evaluate? You are too busy trying to impress the next suitor.




So before you just rebound and go for the next shot, maybe dribble a little bit and strategize the next play....... ALONE!

Women are Smuts too!

Dear Buppie,

So,Where is the chastity these days? It seems like it's no longer taboo to sleep with, talk to, or pursue your friends' associate, be it man or woman. For example, there is a young woman that has expressed interest in me. She is slightly younger, so I decided to take it easy with her, because a deep voice tends to scare them away. Nonetheless, I find out the she was already...acquainted with several of my friends one of which who called and told me to be wary of her. Ok, easily done.

But, that example in particular, and this phenomena in general, is by no means limited to younger women (1-2 years younger than me). I am not sure if it is due to the lack of Black men around these days. I mean, I am still here. But, the point is that people seem to assume that Black men are inherent smuts, and will take anything that is offered to them.

And some guys will, but there are many more that won't. I am not a young woman, so my perception is slightly skewed, but is chatisty no longer a part of the upbringing? Have women(pardon the generalization) really decided to play the game as men would play, knowing all of the trouble that we have caused?

-Solider

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I am going to speak in general.

NewsFlash. Women like to bone, smash, get off, bang, get laid, copulate, hump, etc. etc.

Chasity does still exist, its just hard as hell. We live in a over sex society. a Sexist society. Just the mere fact you are writing regarding chastity of a female, shows that women have these standards of sex put of them.

Nonetheless, keeping to what your situation is. She is what we in DC call a ROLLA!! She rolls from the next dude to the next dude to the next do. Like a tire down a hill. She just keep going and going and going... Got the point?

And how she is acting and why she is doing what she is doing could be based on several factors. Just a few that come to my mind:
1. Confidence: Unfortunately some young women confuse the attention they receive as assurance of themselves. With low confidence, you become susceptible. You think how others feel about you determine your self worth.
2. Immaturity: I am not going to fake, personally I have been through my stage where I was ...curious. Like years ago. It was short, still would not make me a ROLLA but nonetheless I was immature to the seriousness of a physical relationship.

Now homegirl who is a ROLLA, ain't the one for you. I am confident you know that already. Keep hope alive Chasity exists. In my circle of peeps 90% of my buppie home girls are practicing Celibacy.Make sure you are surrounding your self with a respectful buppie crowd and you set the expectations of what you want.

Just React

Bill O'Reilys Blog is getting folks upset...but this below is nonsense. I...I cant even...just read it

"

I am sooo tired of hearing how the black man has been mistreated since he was shipped over here to help build America! All I hear is them groveling over being victims.

They are the ones making themselves the victims with their attitude that whites owe them something for bringing their ancestors to the best country that has ever existed. All my life I have only witnessed the blacks with their hands out to the government expecting it to give them everything they want and shouting racist if they don't get it! No wonder most whites have the opinion that blacks are worthless, lazy sloths who know only how to make more babies and steal everything not nailed down. Barak Lenin Obama, the big eared Muslim, is only fostering this "wo is me" attitude with his obvious prejudices. I, for one, like my white race over that of any other, so does that make me a racist? I don't thing so. The black man will not break free from his self-imposed shackles until he picks himself up, dusts himself off and begins to provide for himself just like every other race has done who came to this country. Before the blacks can do this, however, they have to rid themselves of the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Farakan, and the good reverend Wright."

More Racist Comments

A Racial Stalemate

The speech delivered by Barack Obama in Philadelphia, PA on March 18, 2008 I think was one of the most groundbreaking discussions on race that this country has heard in years. I honestly believe that this speech should and probably will be read and discussed in classrooms for years to come on all levels regardless if it secures him the nomination or the presidency.



It was truly eloquently done the way Senator Obama first set the stage by explaining the man that he is and the pride that he has in himself from his family to the country he lives in. However, he is very fluent in his words about where the country has come from, where it needs to go, and how it has become stagnant when it comes to race relations. He also did an excellent job of explaining and possibly rectifying the relationship between him and his pastor, Jeremiah Wright to the masses. I do not want to say too much about it because the speech says it for itself but I do believe that Obama knew this issue of race needed to be addressed on a deeper level and I honestly believe that he has achieved his goal. The sad part to me is that some people will still never understand many of the points made in this speech and that is just the world we live in!

Feds, Gas prices, Home Market and how it affects you

The below is a blog written by a fellow Male Buppie. Had to share with my readers!

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Written by Wole Oluyemi

So I'm stuck at home on pain killers. Still working of course, but I wanted to share my thoughts and hear from others on the current economy of the US and how it affects us all.
I'm an engineer, so I'll start off with an equation:
feds cut rates = devalued dollar = $4 gas prices this summer = US economy still sluggish = feds cut rates, .. as you can see this is an ugly cycle.

Gas has and will always go up but the past year its almost doubled itself. Why? Many reasons really, but here are a couple:
1. India and China
2. The War
3. House Market
4. De-valuation of the dollar

1. India and China are growing at exponential rates. My man GS can directly attest to that. That won't change anytime soon, and with more people in the world driving and using more oil, it will cause the gas prices to go and remain high. The old supply and demand game. I don't see this changing until we finally figure out alternative ways of decreasing our carbon footprint, basically getting off our oil dependency.

2. Regardless of how you feel about the War, we're in serious debt from a economy perspective.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_current_account_balance
This is simple accounting.. Since 01 we've borrowed tons of money and we no longer export the amount of goods we import.. This causes serious issues from a GDP perspective and at some point will cause a recession. That how we got here..

3. And of course the housing market. This is where it gets interesting, because the hosing market always directly affects people. Its sad to see people lose their homes, but the other hidden in plain view piece here is how all our financial institutes are tied to the housing market. Basically, lenders gave people with no business owning a home a bad loan and the financial institutes backed it. Now they're in bad shape and going outta business. BoA and Bear Stearns not in your investment portfolio? Still affects you due to our banks controlling the financing of every major market in our economy. So (in my humble opinion) thats one of the major factors that cause the entire economy to be on the brink of a recession and also leads me to my next point.
**BTW Bear Stearns just went under**

4. In the 70s we got off the gold standard and convinced the rest of the world to only trade crude oil barrels in the dollar currency. Made sense at the time due to the stability of our currency, but now its one of the reasons gas prices will increase. Since the economy is slowing down, the Feds will cut rates, which will lead to inflation. ie weaker dollar. The weaker dollar leads to the price of crude oil going up to keep up with its true value compared to other currencies of the world. So, Americans pay not only more at the pump, but in heating homes, flight prices, food, etc. Which will lead to consumer losing confidence and the economy moving even slower.

Typically I'm not a doom and gloom person, but I don't see a way outta this until we serious get off dependency on crude oil. Your thoughts?

My point in this long and drawn out note.. We never really consider how things happening across the world affects us directly. This is my attempt to prove how we should all be a little more aware of not only ourselves, but world affairs. Its officially a small world.

Destined to be poor ?

Bups,

Have you seen the doc "Born Rich"?

I came across this video as I recently saw the HBO Doc the One Percent. This is the filmakers 1st film.

The film had me in awe and a bit pissed off as well. We have got to invest in our communities. Its the only way to build our wealth as a community.

Like A Virgin Responds

See Previous Post

Bups--

I'm back. Your comments were harsh but its all good. A real man would wait but how many "real" men are left? The hoes made it easy for men to get plain old sex. Men and women view the act very differently, women are far more emotionally attached. Men NEED sex but they WANT more. (i.e. love, attentiveness, care, beauty, intelligence, etc.) These things the hoes can't offer. Men cheat. My first boyfiend cheated on me. A married coworker came on to me. My parents divorced after decades of marriage. We have to face it that the chances of our men cheating on us is very likely...the real question is the magnitude of his cheating ways. Wouldn't you rather know or walk around with your head in the clouds? Half of black men are locked-up, dead, or gay- its hard to face but we may have to overlook something about our man or be alone for the rest of our lives. A good male friend took pity because he too knows the real deal. It's tough because I don't WANT to settle (nobody d! oes) but if it has to come to that and my man is taking GOOD care of me in all other aspects...so be it! I just pray it doesn't come to have to that...

Like a Virgin

Can't All Democrats Just Get Along

With the race gaining a little momentum as a result of Hillary's wins in Texas and Ohio it is anticipated that the democratic race for the nomination is about to become a straight dog fight! Technically there is no way for Clinton or Obama to win the nomination off of pledged delegate votes according to the numbers. Therefore it is official now that Super Delegates are going to play the determining role of who will get the Democratic nomination. So let the tongue lashing begin as John McCain sits back and chills! It already has began actually. Let's take a look at some of the things that have been said since Tuesday March 4th....

Well I hate to be the one to say it but what the hell we know that Senator Clinton has thrown most of the blows in this political battle. One of the first things that rubbed me the wrong way was her sarcastic statement that "The skies will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing and everyone will know we should do the right thing and the world will be perfect." So let me get this straight if we vote for you the world will be perfect? Well Hill if that was the case babes I'd definitely be casting the ballot with your name as my selection but I am afraid it's not and that statement shows it even further. In addition her Saturday Night Live attack on Senator Obama was also one that I could have done without. In this skit she says how the press is giving Obama a free ride. REALLY?! I aint know because every chance they get they using his middle name to try to make reference to him being a muslim which he is not among other things. Believe me Hill, he is getting attacked too. It's just that Senator Clinton brings so much more damn attention to herself, with the help of her husband, often she is an easy target in the press. Especially when your car is running down people in your security entourage. I mean c'mon!

Now the lady senator has a little confidence because FINALLY she got some primary wins. Forget the fact she only won by 10 delegates....right! I mean if you win Ohio clearly you are going to win the nomination, correct? I don't think so. I think it could be a coincidence that most candidates that win Ohio win the nomination so don't bank on that one too much Hillary. LOL This whole thing is truly entertaining to me. And according to one of Obama's spokespeople Senator Clinton now thinks it is necessary to call Senator Obama on the late night tip and challenge his views on national security. Chick, are you for real?! Like c'mon!

Then there is Obama's constant gnagging of the Clinton's to turn over their tax information. What is so hard about this? Just turn it over unless you have something to hide. And let's not forget the biggest and most recent attack on Clinton from the Obama camp by Ms. Samantha Powers. Samantha Power, the executive director and founder of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard, is touring Europe to promote a book, and she gave an interview with The Scotsman, which quotes her saying of Clinton, "We f***** up in Ohio. In Ohio, they are obsessed and Hillary is going to town on it, because she knows Ohio's the only place they can win. She is a monster, too -- that is off the record -- she is stooping to anything. Granted Ms. Powers many may agree with your statements I do not think it is too appropriate to say darling, on or off the record. As a result of course Senator Obama decided to let ol Samantha go. He is determined to keep his campaign positive he says even if Senator Clinton continues to attack him.

This brings me to my crucial point. McCain has got 2 democratic rivals that are going into 6-7 weeks of negative campaigning. Does one have to tear another down in order to win the nomination? This is a time when the party is supposed to become united so it is more of a thriving force to beat the Republicans in November but with the constant bickering due to the closeness and severity of the race it seems to be putting a huge dent in the progress of the democrats taking back the White House. McCain's campaign is really not that strong especially due to Bush's recent endorsement as well as the fact that this year's primary voting is one of the lowest turnouts for Republican voters due to the fact that they really didn't like any of the candidates according to correspondents on NPR. However, because of all the negative press following the democratic campaigns McCain is looking more promising to some voters. Plus now with the recent issues of Michigan and Florida controversy it looks like the party may still have a little more trouble than they thought taking back the White House. There has not been this much rivalry in the democratic camp since Kennedy and Carter states Harold Ickies the senior campaign advisor to Senator Clinton.

This democrat is trying to stay hopeful!

Crispus Attucks

"TODAY'S LABOR HISTORY: British soldiers, quartered in the homes of colonists, took the jobs of working people when jobs were scarce. On this date, grievances of ropemakers against the soldiers led to a fight. Soldiers shot down Crispus Attucks, a black colonist, then others, in what became known as the Boston Massacre. Attucks is considered the first casualty in the American Revolution (1770)."


Comments:

Do yall know this dude was killed on accident. The bammas speared this dude, because they thought he threw a rock or something....

yet another reason why blacks should get reparations ...

Accidental Slip UP

Being a person of color in Corporate America is super amusing.
You learn so much about different people. I appreciate all types of people more in the workforce more than I did any other period in my life. You build relationships with these folks you see everyday, and you share some of you business with them.

One thing we all got in common in Corporate America is ignorance and people just making career limiting mistakes. Buppie's got moves to make, and shyt to buy so messing with our paper is likely to get you cut. I thought that we all have experience d these type of follks buppie or not..

So today's Corporate Foul is called "Accidental Slip Up"

Have you ever accidentally said N!GGA at the workplace? I don't know about you but how I talk at work vs. how I am at on weekends is totally different. I find my self slippin up on Mondays!

I.E Today, my business partner is telling me about our customer interacting with one of our peers. The peer now wants to entertain my customer. When prior he did not give two shyts about my customer. While she is telling me this story,
I want say "OH no this N!GGA didn't.". Before, I mouth the words, guess what happens. A Yellow flag slaps me in my face!


"FLAG on the Play!!!"

I start have a adrenaline rush. I begin to think about not being able to pay my mortgage..no more expensive hair weaves...my Car getting repossessed. Bye to Harris Teeter ,,Hello WIC Van. My final thought is resulting to shaking my ass for Flavor Flav in order to make a living! I break out in a sweat, swallow hard and Come back to my freeeeeeeakin senses.

I need my job. I don't mine working for "the man". My check arrives 3aM every other Friday in my account, and beyond that I truly enjoy my job. Nonetheless I do find myself having to catch myself. I mean to be sitting in a team meeting full of 8-10 white folks, 7 which are White MALEs and slip up and say "Yea N!GGA, my client said that as well." or "N!GGA lets go get a sandwich" is just some shyt we cant get away with. But how many times do we slip up?? or think to say some inappropriate shyt?

NOW check this:

So, today my boss a white female, my business partner a white female, and a WHITE MALE begin a casual convo about American Idol. This dude just starts dropping F-bombs and calling some of the contestants gay. I mean he says casually, He's a fag, He's a gay, did you see his hair. He is gay
????

That's right TIME the EFF OUT!!! TECHNICAL FREAKIN FOUL!!!

I mean you could see the uncomfortable looks in peoples faces, but he is going to walk away job intact and unchecked. This bamma been with the company like 10 yrs, I have 1.5 yrs? So don't even ask why I ain't check him. I hope my boss pulled his ass to the side. Beyond that, now I don't even feel comfortable working with him anymore! In the back of my mind, every time I see an email from him, I think HOMOphob!


Don't let the yellow flag hit you! Freakin watch what you say...

Tipping Etiquette: To Tip or NOT to Tip?

Is it just me or does everyone HATE having to pay that fixed gratuity after you have received bad service at a restaurant? WTF right?!

As an outgoing female Buppie living in a big city, I tend go out to eat A LOT. Lately I've found myself comparing different restaurants/lounges customer service. As a part of my "No Tip Unless You Earn It" campaign, the level of service I receive determines the tip amount the waiter/waitress gets. So basically, they start and '$0 - $5' and then he/she either works his/her way UP or DOWN.

Some of you might ask, "why are u being cheap?" Well my answer for you is STHU! LOL To me, it's called Spending Smart. I'll pay good money for quality service, but i'll be DAMMNED if I spend my hard earned money on bad service. I EARNED MY money (keyword MY) by working for it, so if you want MY money (keyword MY), you're going to have to EARN IT just like I did. Is that really too much to ask? Seriously?

I mean I'm not one to knock another man/woman's hustle BUT if you're not really a people person, then I'm just saying yah might not want to work at a PUBLIC place that you deal with people on a daily basis.

This frustration stems from my most recent visit to a restaurant in Brooklyn called Sugarcane. Don't get me wrong, the food there is DA BOMB, like seriously its REALLY good BUT the service is HORRIBLE, I mean its like WTF HORRIBLE. I've been there several times, and it seems like each time the service is just worse than before. For a while, I thought it was just me, but after asking around and looking at a few restaurant reviews online, I realize its NOT just me.

After my most recent visit, I am sorry to say, but it will be a long time before I go there again. By a long time I mean, until I forget. Like you ever been back to a place and u forgot why u REALLY stopped going there, then u go there and ur like OH YEAH!!!!! Never AGAIN! Or its also kinda like when you drink a little too much and swear up and down your never even looking at alcohol again in your life. Aight, maybe not all that but you get my drift right?!

So anyway, my main point is, the service sucked. Why? For starters we waited for an HOUR to get seated. (Yeah I waited for an hr, I was pressed! Don't judge me! lol). So then when we FINALLY get seated, it took a GOOD 20mins for our waitress to come and take our order. So that was -$2 of $5 for her.

Pen in hand and ready to take down our order, I start telling her what I wanted and she's telling me what they DON'T have, which is basically EVERYTHING I wanted. So I had to re-think my whole order. At which point I sensed a little attitude, you know that sigh thats just a TAD too heavy, so that was like -$.50. Cuz WTF its not my fault y'all are out of what I want! Shoot I waited an hour for a REASON! How are you gonna tell me you're out of fried chicken and mac and cheese? like WTF are u serious?! This is a Black owned business, you should AT LEAST always have fried chicken on reserve! LOL (Ok black folks, don't get all offended, it was a joke ..kinda! lol)

Finally the moment has arrived, the busboy brings the food out! ::sadface:: What a surprise ..the waitress got one of my side orders wrong (potato salad instead of mashed potato) WTF right?! Anyway, the busboy was apologetic and kind enough to offer me an additional side at no cost, which was kool.

By the time the waitress came back to ask us 'how we were doing' or 'if we would like anything else to drink' ..we were basically done (-$1). I mean by then we were so over her non-attentive as$ that we just asked her for the check! Needless to say, her tip was a little over $2. She's lucky I forgot to bing my change purse or she would've gotten EXACT change!

I am sure, others might have more severe stories about their bad service experiences, please fee free to share, I want to know what restaurants NOT to go to or where I might want to bring my change purse!

Argh Nike Boots!!!

Friday night was a pretty interesting night. Myself and 3 other buppie women were trying to go out. Usually me and my homegirls are strait DC girls. We enjoy the city and the buppie crowds that it attracts. We do not do big Clubs i.e Love or a H2O often.We'll I tend to not want to because the crowd is just not my scene and Lines suck! Plus I am not in the mood to be putting on my prom dress to make the dress code at some of these clubs. So we stay at special buppie events here and there in the city.. and we like to be versatile. I enjoy seeing many new spots throughout the city. So this night was no different. Wanted to go somewhere new.

One of the places we heard it was popping was the good old Ward 9 bka PG County. Now all of us grew up in the county, but for someone reason we are hate partying there! For one it seems like always a freaking high school reunion! The men wear these local designers hoodies and sneakers, and worst of all Nike Boots. Now this style may have been cool if I was in high school, but I am not. I wasn't thinking it was going to be that bad, but were were also venturing to a part of town were 3 people were shot 3 weeks ago. (WARD 9) However, this night I was curious to see what this new bar had to offer.

So, as heterosexual buppie women we enjoy they shop at Express for Men or can put on a sweater nice shoes, slacks, ties, blazers (in season please). At the same time, we don't want any homo thugs!


Of course we saw the nike boots but not in plentiful amounts as I expected. Nonetheless, the crowd was not to our taste.

What amazes me is this attitude we have. Bourgeoisie. Sometimes I find myself judging books by its cover, and I try to stop myself because we should not do that! but its hard. I tend to like pretty covers, well put together things. I watch how I come over and what I say and do, because I do not want to be seen as less than the buppie I am...

Fast Forward

Day two of the weekend my homegirl and I hit another DC spot. She never went there before, and although each time i go I have fun I knew the crowd was going to me more....PG County... and it was.
Previous to entering we were discussing our lifestyles in the people who have come and gone.. a key quote she said was "A girl with no college education who works at burger king, would not be hanging with us"

We percede to enter the Ward 9 club, men with nike boots, lil wayne look alikes, etc. etc.

Back to Burger King

Dayumn. Kinda of Harsh right? No Nike boots... no burger king workers?? But its real. This is how we think!

If you are not well together packaged, then eff you!.. This attitude that some bups have is craaazy!

I still think about this and some will say 20 somethings are ruthless but we really are! I find myself being cut throat to the people that are around me, the places I am seen at, and the type of men I am attracted to... with all these restrictions or standards... am I living life?

Sometimes I feel I am missing alot because my true circle of friends and network seems to have dwindled.

What am I missing because I can't do Nike Boots and Burgerkings?