Road trips for you?

The New York Times ran several opinion pieces last weekend about gas prices. We liked this one by Michael Paterniti. It's about the Great American Road Trip.

So what are your thoughts on that? Is it truly a rite of passage? Are you going on one this summer, or did you have to give one up?

Imus is at it again...but who cares?

I saw the headline about Don Imus’ latest racial flap yesterday, read a little bit of the story that followed ... well, enough to get the gist of what happened, and I instantly had a reaction: I simply shrugged my shoulders and said “Eh...”

I could care less. In fact, I even chuckled a little bit. Not because racism or offensive language is funny, at least not in this context, but because I really don’t get the point of even getting upset about it anymore.

As my favorite gossip queen Wendy Williams always says – it is what it is. Nothing to see here folks.

Yeah, I know it’s a huge contrast from what I felt the last time he spouted off one of those racially charged comments. And I still stand by what I said in the aftermath of that incident.

I just feel like the point was made, action was taken and even though he’s back on the air, he's forever marked his place in history for the ignorant racially insensitive comments he made. He's forever tainted. Case closed.

In fact, part of me, only a small part, could actually consider his claim that he was only saying what he said out of defense for black people, not to attack them.
Call me dumb, naïve or just plain ol’ bamboozled, but I actually could see his point, if that is the truth, and the irony of it all is what tickled me.

I mean, if Imus truly was making the comment to point out another case of racism, it’s comically ironic that he gets ragged for being racially offensive.

On the other hand, if he was foolish enough to put his racism back on display after all the hell he caught the last time, he's just proven once again that's he's an idiot hell-bent on self destruction.

It’s like he’s reached that point where you just wanna say “Gramps, just sit down and hush.” Either that or he’s once again found a way to inject himself back into the media spotlight, which ultimately means more ratings, big bucks or whatever else.

Whatever ignorant comments he makes at this point are irrelevant – nobody should care.
And I’ve given him enough attention in this post, so I’ll just once again shrug my shoulders and say “eh…”

What do y'all think? Or are you saying "eh..." too?

Ode to George Carlin, former Barksdale airman

By now, everyone has probably heard that George Carlin has passed.

I found this interesting, though:

Carlin was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in the 1950s, serving in the 376th Bomb Wing's 376th Armament and Electronics Maintenance Squadron, and working part-time as a disk jockey at radio station KJOE, whose other staffers included Wolfman Jack.

Exhibiting the rebellious streak that would run through his life, he received three court-martials and numerous disciplinary punishments, according to his official Web site. He received a general discharge in 1957, and 20 years later was able to return to the area to perform at the Municipal Auditorium telling nothing but Barksdale and Shreveport jokes to fill an hour of stage time. Read the story in full here.

I also didn't know that his "Seven Words" routine led to a key Supreme Court ruling on obscenity. I mean, I knew about both of them but I didn't know they were intertwined. My favorite class in college was Communication Law and Ethics. I don't know why, but the legal system related to communication law is fascinating to me.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this.

Race and rights -- what can be more controversial?

I guess abortion and war. Maybe. But people around here love to talk about race -- even if they don't really do it.

For instance, when someone hears me say I had to cover a shooting, they always want to know if the victim was black or white. Today someone was trying to describe the patrons of a night club to me as "urban." Do they mean city dwellers? I think not. The list could go on...

Here's a story from the middle of the Pacific that I thought was interesting. Being a Native Hawaiian myself, I think about this a lot. Being a journalist myself, I'll withhold my opinion.

But does anyone out there care? In northwest Louisiana, folks tend to think of things in black and white, regardless of the influx of Hispanics and Asians. (Some contend Hispanic is an ethnicity that can be grouped into the black or white races. Thoughts on that?)

Do you think the U.S. government or anyone else should be held responsible for actions (now) dead men took more than 100 years ago against people who are no longer living? (Congress apologized for it in 1993.)

Remember when ... "Inflation woes :0("

In preparing to write a new post, to remember how to write HTML to link to a Web site, I came across this post from just a little more than six weeks ago. I thought I would re-publish it, just for kicks -- and to see if anyone's thoughts have changed.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Inflation woes :0(

So, I was pretty irritated today after I went down to the Coke machine to buy a 'pop' (yes, I still call it such even after four years of living in Louisiana). I was SHOCKED and annoyed when "1.15" popped up on the window instead of the machine moving to get me a soda for $1.10. I wonder if this is due to gas prices?

I was already thinking about blogging about gas prices because it hit me hard the other day when I stopped to look at the price of gas. "Are we REALLY paying $3.47 for gas?" I said aloud. Now, I doubt I'll ever be asked to give my opinion about gas prices, seeing as how I drive a Corolla and probably wouldn't be targeted for interviews by newscrews. So I'm giving my opinion here.

Even though I fill up less often and pay LESS for a tank of gas than others, I still think $3.47 (or whatever today's price happens to be) is OUTRAGEOUS. But I'll still keep pulling my debit card out when I need to fill up every two weeks or so. Hey, I don't complain much about gas because I know I really only fill up about once per pay period unless I'm traveling. But I DO remember when I traveled to Las Vegas on my way to Louisiana and thought $2.05 was a good bargain for gas in that city in February 2004. Once I made my way into the desert, the price dropped to $1.65 and I was intrigued by the change after just a few 100 miles on the highway. Oh, and at the time, I had a 22 gallon tank in an old 1993 Chevy Caprice Classic, so I THOUGHT I had it rough then!!!

So, what do YOU think about these higher gas prices? Do you see inflation anywhere else around you? And, how about those oil companies? (Do you think, "Don't even get me started"? Please do!)
Posted by Stephanie Bemrose at 4:50 PM
Labels: gas prices, inflation

3 comments:
mahogani (the media goddess) said... wait until you go to a local convenience store and try to score a regular-sized candy bar .... it's a DOLLAR! (remember when they were 59 cents?)

my circle k cappucinos have gone up 30 cents as well (boooo)

oh and don't forget the $4 milk! sheesh ..

pretty soon we're gonna need government assistance for gas and groceries.

1:45 PM
Donecia Pea said... That's SO real mahogani, it's getting kinda scary.

And THANKS Stephanie for giving us small car drivers a place to rant about gas prices without getting chewed out for complaining by the SUV and truck driving folks, lol.

I know it could be worse, but for someone who used to be able to spend anywhere from $7 to $10 to fill up my now 7-year-old Honda Civic, these rising gas prices KILL me. I mean it really is all relative. For me, spending $35 to $40 a week to fill up hurts my pockets as much as spending $100 would for someone who can afford an SUV. It's just all bad.

But I've never made the connection between rising gas prices and that ever-rising pop machine downstairs. (Ummm, I'm a lifelong Louisianan and I've said 'pop' all my life, lol. In fact, so does my entire family.)

3:26 PM
Ashley Northington said... Don't even get me started!

Last week I paid $55.30 to fill up my solara and it didn't reach even reach the full line completely!!!

I looked up and saw my bill had climbed over $50 and nearly had a heart attack. It's getting ridiculous. Oh, and milk prices? I can't even risk it. Milk is now a luxury for me. I only buy it when I absolutely need it.

Everything is going up...except the 27.5-mile gas/driving reimbursement.

I read over this blog and thought, "Wow --- was I REALLY complaining about $3.47 for gas prices? I'd be GLAD to pay that today!"

And I also think that we are -- or at least I am -- very grateful that Gannett IS increasing our driving reimubrsement to match the increase in fuel costs.

So ... do you have any new thoughts on inflation woes due to an increase in fuel costs, food costs and pretty-much-every-service-in-the-United-States-that-depends-on-trasnportation-in-some-manner costs? Please discuss.

PS -- look at this, that JUST popped up on the News of the Day as I was editing this blog: Wholesale prices bolt higher in May. Well, yeah, duh!

The mixed count

Recently I've come across a couple of interesting media offerings that look at what it means to be mixed race. The topic has re-emerged in conversation partly because of the way the Census Bureau started counting people in 2000 and because of Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama. (Interestingly, he continually is referred to as the first black contender from a major party.)

An MSNBC report looks at the rise in number of people who identify as multiracial. There obviously will be some growth just because the feds now are paying attention.

Being of mixed race myself, I always like to hear what people think about the subject. Does how you look make you identify more with one of your parents' families than the other? What do people say when they find out you are mixed? Do they ask?

It is particularly interesting here in northwest Louisiana where a common question is "Are they black or white?" Obviously, that excludes quite a few other races.

Read the report and watch The New York Times video below and tell us your thoughts.

We are as bloodthirsty as ever

I watched an ear explode Saturday night.
It took place during a mixed-martial arts fight between Kimbo Slice and James Thompson. The two fought in the main event of an Elite XC card on CBS.
Slice, who is an Internet legend for his backyard brawls, has become a spectacle in the MMA world. He won his first few fights, albeit against less-than-stellar competition, in spectacular fashion, all knockouts in the first round.
His fight Saturday was a different story. He was actually losing the fight going into the third and final round, when the unfortunate incident happened.
Slice's opponent, Thompson, had one of the worst cauliflower ears I've ever seen.
For those who don't know, a cauliflower ear is caused when the cartilage is damaged and fluid collects. The ear then thickens, and sometimes becomes unrecognizable.
While Slice was the reason people tuned in Saturday night, it was Thompson's ear that stole the show.
Every time Thompson ate a punch from Slice, his ear wiggled from the shock. A wiggling ear in slow motion is a sight to behold. My buddies and I were transfixed. We started calling Slice's punches "earwigglers."
Finally, Slice threw a right hook that caught Thompson square in his deformed ear, and it exploded. Blood spewed, and we all cringed in unison. It was spectacular.
I've been watching MMA since I was in high school, back when Royce Gracie, Dan Severn and Ken Shamrock were running the UFC, and I've never seen anything like that before.
We were all expecting Slice to punch it. Thompson's ear had a big bullseye on it, and it was just a matter of time before Slice exploited it.
After it was all over (Slice won by TKO in the third round), I started thinking about the spectacle that I just witnessed. Not the fight itself, but the experience of watching the fight in a crowded place with eight or nine friends.
It was akin to the scene in "Gladiator" where the crowd was rooting for death. Although the situation was not nearly that dire, we were just as bloodthirsty.
I'm not just the casual MMA fan. I enjoy the science the of the sport. My favorite fighters are B.J. Penn and Anderson Silva, who are brilliant technicians.
But like the casual fan, I love a good knockout, and I'm drawn to these circus acts, like Slice.
Let's face it, Slice isn't a top-level fighter. He's a brawler, who's milking his 15 minutes for all its worth.
The fact that I'm drawn to him, and so are millions of others, says a lot about our society as a whole.
It has been hundreds of years since gladiators fought to the death in the Coliseum. In that time, we've made astronomical advancements in every facet of our lives.
When it comes to our most basic, primal instincts, however, we haven't changed much. Although, we don't want to see anyone die, we certainly celebrate seeing someone knocked unconscious.

Sex and the City's back...Yay?

I remember when I fell in love with Sex and the City.

It was about five years ago. I was trying to get over a breakup and one of my best friends recommended the show like a prescription drug: Rent every season available on DVD, watch each and every one of them and you will feel better.

And amazingly I did feel better and became immediately hooked. I was constantly, feverishly searching for my next high with every DVD I rented. Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte were my new, cool NYC friends and I lost myself in their world of high fashion, cool jobs and men, men, MEN.

I didn’t have HBO at the time and I remember the torture I went through waiting on the last season to end so I could rent it on DVD. I made sure I avoided any hint of someone revealing the final episode.

And when that day came and I completed the final episode of the last Sex and the City show ever – I was done. It was finished. Yeah, there were questions, but that was all she wrote and I knew I had to accept it. I remember the rumors and buzz that a movie would come out soon after that, but then it faded away. And eventually, I let that fantasy go.

So imagine the excitement I felt when I heard the movie was actually coming out this year …Well, that’s just it – there was no excitement from me.

I’ve mustered up as much as I could to be ecstatic as everyone from my friends to Oprah are about this Sex and the City movie, but I keep coming up with nothing. It just seems about three years too late, irrelevant and basically nonsensical to me.

I’ve watched the preview commercials with the vivid colors and humorous quips, but it just feels predictable and tired to me. They almost look tired to me. Like they’re trying too hard. And that kind of makes me sad.

I know my opinion is in the minority, it may even seem almost blasphemous to hardcore SATC fans… And truthfully, if coerced enough, I’ll likely be in a movie theater line somewhere, at some point to see it. Furthermore, if it turns out I'm wrong I will gladly concede the point.

But from the commercials and stuff, it just looks like an extended, big-screen version of the latest episode from the show that once dwelled in the archives somewhere and has been brought back to life. And maybe that’s the whole point, but for me it just seems like the thrill is gone.

I don't need any more proof

If you think all the talk about rising food prices is a bunch a smoke, you're wrong.

At first, I didn't notice minor changes like the cost of my favorite pasta meals increasing by about 50 cents or how the price of milk kept rising and eventually costing more than a gallon of gas at one-point (FYI: milk is now a luxury for me).

But after my favorite hometown chicken place kept increasing its prices, rising food costs hit home.

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Southern Classic Chicken. I mean I absolutely love it. I've even dreamt about its greasy goodness before. And one of the things I loved most about the chicken shack was its low-low price.

I could get a two-piece combo meal--complete with white-meat chicken pieces, fries, a roll and a drink--preferably lemonade--for $3.75 when I first arrived in Shreveport in October 2006.

Later on, sometime in 2007, the cost for that meal got bumped up to $4.07. Then it changed to $4.40. This year, that price climbed to over $5.00.

I thought the lady at the drive-thru window was mistaken when she told me the price. I automatically handed her a $5-bill. I was expecting change. She told me I needed to add more change.

I looked at her funny. She noticed my confused stare and said, "the price went up."

Ugh.

I gave her the needed change and I was completely irritated.

What good is bragging to my mother about Southern Classic ("You can't beat them with a stick if you tried," I used to tell her. "The food is sooooooo good and its doesn't cost but $3.") if it costs just as much as any other fast-food joint?

This cost increase has deterred how much I go to Southern Classic (or S.C. as I sometimes abbreviate when inviting coworkers to join me there). I don't want to pay that much for chicken. And I don't wanna pay that much for milk or pasta meals either. Don't even get me started on gas prices (I've spent nearly $60 to fill up my Toyota Solara).

What's a girl to do?

I guess cough up the money when necessary and spend more wisely like everybody else.

Are you ready for curbside recycling?

Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover announced today that citywide curbside recycling will start in August. Residents should start receiving their blue bins in June.

Many of our readers may live in apartments, and officials with Pratt Industries, the company that is building a paper mill at the Port of Shreveport-Bossier and is handling recycling collection for the city, say complex managers can call them to get community bins.

What are your thoughts? Will you participate, and do you think others will? Is the timing good or a little late?

Dresses, weight and grandmothers

I think I'm going to develop a weight complex.

I'm in my cousin's wedding next week. I was a last-minute addition to the ordeal, so I only recently got my dress. And it had to be altered because I couldn't fit a certain region of my body into the top portion of the strapless gown.

And do you know what the alteration ladies told me?

One said, "You've got til Saturday. Just skip a couple of meals and it will fit. Even if it's just water weight it'll be enough."

The other said, "There's no telling how many meals you've eaten since you ordered this dress. Luckily, you only need a little bit of room."

Christ.

The entire time I was being fitted, my mind kept flashing back to my visit to Nashville last week.

I was putting on lotion and my grandmother walked in and noticed my beautiful legs. She stared at me and exclaimed, "My God, Ashley! You and those hips. Those legs are getting big. I don't know what we're going to do about them! It's lucky that you don't have a big, ole' fat stomach or I don't know what we would do."

My goodness.

I have gotten bigger over the past couple of years. But I'm not in college anymore. I guess this is what happens when you start a career and move away from home.

But I don't quite understand why folks keep talking about my weight and insist I'm "lucky."

I guess I should be glad I don't have a "big, ole' fat stomach."

Sigh.

Let's talk about online dating

Now that the poll is closed, we wanted to continue the conversation about online dating. Ten of you have dated someone you met online, and nine haven't.

So let's hear more about it. How did it work out? Are you still dating this person, or was it a disaster? Did you ever feel unsafe once you met this stranger in person? Or did you just keep your dating life virtual?

Chime in about this online lovin'.

A disaster's a disaster, but this puts things into perspective

A couple of weeks ago I interviewed Louisiana homeland security Director Mark Cooper. We talked about a lot of things: his time at Parkway High School, communication systems and disaster response. One of the interesting things he said was that a tornado in a rural parish can be just as devastating for a small town as Hurricane Katrina was to New Orleans.

I appreciate that perspective on many levels. I grew up in the country and am aware of how folks in places like Webster Parish can be overlooked when something (natural disaster or otherwise) happens.

But I can't help but think how much worse things could be, and how fortunate we are. With the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China, the number of those feared dead is in the tens of thousands. And to make things worse, the government in Myanmar is blocking much of the aid the United States and other countries are trying to send.

Any thoughts? Should we count our blessings or just keep things in perspective?

What would your mother say?

Today is the 100th anniversary of Mother's Day. Contrary to what you might think, card companies and restaurants didn't create it. A West Virginia woman named Anna Jarvis did.

And according to this Associated Press article, she wouldn't like the way many of us celebrate it today. Here is an interesting quotation writer April Vitello got from Laura Prieto, an associate professor of women's studies at Boston's Simmons College:

"Mother's Day was meant to be — and still is — a celebration of a nineteenth-century ideal of motherhood, when mothers were supposed to dedicate themselves completely to nurturing their children and making a cozy, safe home," Prieto said.

Apparently Jarvis, who never had children, even got arrested for protesting a New York Mother's Day celebration in 1948.

So what did you (or your loved ones) do for Mother's Day? And would Jarvis be mad?

Just for fun — as you ponder your answer — think about these factoids from the article:

Census Bureau's count of U.S. mothers: 83 million.

National Retail Federation's estimate for U.S. Mother's Day spending: $15 billion.

Year President Woodrow Wilson made the holiday a nationwide observance: 1914.

Does Miley know best?

I thought the hoopla over Vanity Fair pictures of Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) would die quickly, but it hasn't.

For those that maybe haven’t heard, there's an article about the 15-year-old with pictures where she appears to pose naked with just a sheet draped around her (but in fact she’s not entirely naked which you can see in this behind the scenes slideshow) in the magazine's June issue.

I’m not saying it’s not a big deal…it is. I guess my problem is who some think is at fault. Disney reportedly issued a statement accusing Vanity Fair and photographer Annie Leibovitz (known for her kind of racy photos) of taking advantage of a 15-year-old.

Really? Did they? Or did they pitch an idea to this girl and her parents and handlers, all of which were on the set and are OK with the photos?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…it starts at home. Yes, young Miley has a very different childhood than others, but does that make her parents any less responsible for her actions?

Also, when are these Disney and Nickelodeon kids going to learn that the clean-cut image they portray for their day jobs has to continue into every waking moment of their lives? I mean it’s what they get paid the big bucks for, right? (And I mean big. Portfolio estimates Cyrus will be worth $1 billion in the next three years.)

But I guess both sides could be argued.

While I take issue with Cyrus’ parents, I'm not sure other parents should let their kids become so dependent on a fictional character or celebrity that one slip-up from that celeb could affect a child and their behavior. I don’t know if Cyrus should have had to apologize to other kids, and their parents, for doing something that she wanted to do.

I'm not sure yet which side I agree with the most, but what do ya’ll think? Were all the discussions and finger-pointing necessary? And do you think the pictures are that bad?

And just because I'm curious...which picture would you think catch people's attention? The one of Cyrus and her father Billy Ray Cyrus that looks more like man and woman than father and child...

...or the one that's causing the stir?

photos from VanityFair.com

Cell phones and driving don't mix

Recently, I was trying to find a parking space at Wal-Mart when a woman cut through the parking lot nearly causing an accident. I laid on my horn, but she didn't even look up.
She was on her cell phone.
I have a million of these stories. It happens at least once a week.
I'm not suggesting that cell phones be totally banned from vehicles, but something needs to be done.
It would be great if people would use common sense and not engage in long conversations while driving, but that may be asking too much.
I admit that I use my cell phone while driving, but only quickly, usually less than 30 seconds. Nine times out of 10, it's to call my wife to tell her I'm on my way home. That other time is when people call me.
Our state legislature has gotten involved, and there are several bills in the works that would affect the way people use cell phones while driving.
I hate to say it, but I agree that a law is the only way to go. Enforcement will definitely be an issue, but that's an issue for every crime, whether it be speeding, stealing or murder.
Once again, we have proved that we can not govern ourselves. We need someone to do it for us.

Inflation woes :0(

So, I was pretty irritated today after I went down to the Coke machine to buy a 'pop' (yes, I still call it such even after four years of living in Louisiana). I was SHOCKED and annoyed when "1.15" popped up on the window instead of the machine moving to get me a soda for $1.10. I wonder if this is due to gas prices?

I was already thinking about blogging about gas prices because it hit me hard the other day when I stopped to look at the price of gas. "Are we REALLY paying $3.47 for gas?" I said aloud. Now, I doubt I'll ever be asked to give my opinion about gas prices, seeing as how I drive a Corolla and probably wouldn't be targeted for interviews by newscrews. So I'm giving my opinion here.

Even though I fill up less often and pay LESS for a tank of gas than others, I still think $3.47 (or whatever today's price happens to be) is OUTRAGEOUS. But I'll still keep pulling my debit card out when I need to fill up every two weeks or so. Hey, I don't complain much about gas because I know I really only fill up about once per pay period unless I'm traveling. But I DO remember when I traveled to Las Vegas on my way to Louisiana and thought $2.05 was a good bargain for gas in that city in February 2004. Once I made my way into the desert, the price dropped to $1.65 and I was intrigued by the change after just a few 100 miles on the highway. Oh, and at the time, I had a 22 gallon tank in an old 1993 Chevy Caprice Classic, so I THOUGHT I had it rough then!!!

So, what do YOU think about these higher gas prices? Do you see inflation anywhere else around you? And, how about those oil companies? (Do you think, "Don't even get me started"? Please do!)

Summer repeat

Like most of Generation Y, I have a considerable amount of debt.

Debt that sometimes makes me shudder or gives me goosebumps when I think about it. So instead of complaining about it (as I hear many of my fellow Gen Y-ers), I've been trying to find a second job--a place where I could work on the weekends to bring in some extra cash to help pay off my debt.

But no one will hire me.

Since I cover education news, summertime is best for me to take on extra work. There are less school board meetings and, of course, less school events to cover. I thought it'd be ideal for me to get a job this summer, but as I stared a thank-you-for-applying postcard from my absolute favorite big box store I realized it's never going to happen.

Never.


And this isn't the first time it's happened. Last summer I applied to about half-dozen places but I came away with no job. I remember standing in a home decor store explaining to a manager that I have already graduated from college. For some reason, she kept asking if I was still in school. I told her I wasn't several times, but she didn't get it.

Another place asked where I worked full-time. When I told this manager, her face lit up and she asked me lots of questions about what it was like being a reporter. Apparently, she'd been interested in journalism, but she never finished school, she said. After I answered all her questions, she told me she didn't think she could hire "someone like you."

What?

Someone like me? Is it because I'm a reporter? Or, is it because I already work 40-plus hours a week and I won't be available during those hours? Or, is it because I'm not a current college student or among the 87 percent of the state's population who doesn't have a college degree?

I changed the way I respond to certain questions so potential employers won't think I'm snobbish or I won't take my second job seriously. I've even tried to omit my full-time job from applications so they won't get scared I'm going to write something bad about them.

I've got one more application out. I hope it materializes into a position at the new high-end purse store opening in one of the malls.

Meantime, I've got my rejection postcard on my fridge.

The point of this social networking thing

Social networking sites obviously have been a bit of a thread in the last couple of entries. I came across an interesting post today at Internet Evolution. It's from Andrew Keen, who has been analyzing the Net for a long time (relatively, anyway).

Keen is questioning the worth of facebook. Microsoft paid Mark Zuckerberg -- who's about the age of most of these bloggers -- $15 billion to own just a little bit of the site. Part of Keen's rant seems to be a bit jealous, and, heck, who's not? Don't you wish you would've come up with an idea like facebook or myspace?

But another major point of his blog is the importance of the Internet today. After the dot-com bust, it started reshaping as a way for people to connect. Gannett, and by extension, The Times, have bought into this. And there obviously is something to say about the popularity of Web relationships. Before the paper's Web site redesign, people would write anonymous comments on articles for hours on end. Literally. That is still happeneing to an extent, but users still are getting used to it.

So Keen says social networking sites basically have to figure out how to really make money off of advertising without alienating the folks who need to connect. The money-making part is something newspapers including this one deal with constantly. How do yout think all these sites will progress?

Makes me wanna holler

Right now, I’m supposed to be enjoying my vacation and I am. However, there’s a cloud of sadness and disgust hanging over me.

It all started when I got the text message from a friend Friday morning informing me that the three police officers charged in the murder of Sean Bell were acquitted.

Acquitted?

For murdering an unarmed man leaving a bachelor party with friends the night before his wedding day?

How can that be?

The news instantly sparked within me feelings of disappointment, outrage, hopelessness, fear, nausea. And it brought back memories of other such police murders of unarmed men, like Amadou Diallo, Marquise Hudspeth.

One emotion I didn’t feel was surprise.

I know some of you don’t see it this way. Some of you may say Bell and all these other men got what they deserved. Others may say there are no winners.

But that’s just not enough for me. I cannot mentally reconcile the justice of this verdict. I can’t understand how the law says shooting and killing an innocent, unarmed man 50 times is justifiable. I can’t understand how the law seems to always protect murderers who wear badges.

I keep trying, but I just can’t see how this is fair.