American Blog

Law and Orders’s Thompson is expected to make announcement about run for the White House in 2008. It’s expected that Thompson’s thin resume may appear to be an obstacle in natiowide polling. Giuliani has dropped in the polls precipitously when Thompson was included in various pollls with Romney and McCain holding steady.

When the President was asked about Thompson’s chances, he replied by asking, “Is that the guy that plays Dick Wolf?”

It’s a sad state of affairs when a battle raging Thursday in west Baghdad after residents rose up against al-Qaida and called for U.S. military help might actually seem like good news. To President Bush, it may be a brighter day.

Mr. Michael Vass, President of M V Consulting, Inc. and author of Black Entertainment USA (www.blackentertainmentblog.com) has announced a book giveaway of the book by Ms. Robin Roberts - From the Heart. Ms. Roberts is an Emmy Award winning sportscaster and co-host of Good Morning America. From the Heart is her first book, released this year.

Recently Ms. Roberts’s book was reviewed by Mr. Vass on the Black Entertainment USA site. In conjunction with the book review, M V Consulting has joined with Authorsontheweb.com and Hyperion books to provide a 5 book giveaway. The contest is open to all United States residents, age 18 and above. Terms of the contest are as follows:

 I am happy for the opportunity to share Ms. Robin Roberts’s book with visitors to the sites of M V Consulting, Inc. This book provides inspiration and motivation for everyone, and to be involved in this book giveaway is quite gratifying.  
1.   Contestants need to answer the following question - Name all the stations that Ms. Roberts has worked for.
2.   Answers to the abovementioned question should be emailed to e-mail protected from spam bots with a valid email address. A first name (at least) should be included with the answer. The title of the email should be “From the Heart book contest”
3.   Only one response per household will be allowed.
4.   5 winners will be randomly drawn from the pool of successful answers.
5.   Winners give consent to M V Consulting, Inc., and its divisions, use of their names in conjunction with this contest and all rights relevant to this contest.
6.   Winners will be notified via email, and posted on the various sites of M V Consulting, Inc. at the discretion of the Company.
7.   Contest will start on May 29, 2007 and will end June 10, 2007.

Mr. Vass stated, “I am happy for the opportunity to share Ms. Robin Roberts’s book with visitors to the sites of M V Consulting, Inc. This book provides inspiration and motivation for everyone, and to be involved in this book giveaway is quite gratifying.”

About M V Consulting, Inc. and Michael Vass

Mr. Michael Vass is a former securities industry account executive of good standing, and currently works in the field of investor relations. He has served in the US Marine Corps Reserves, as well as worked and studied in such diverse fields as entertainment, communications, philosophy and chemistry. He has lived abroad, in Moscow and Tbilisi, as well as in various cities throughout the United States.

Mr. Vass is President of M V Consulting, Inc. a diversified private company that maintains divisions in search engine optimization, an online store, political and entertainment celebrity blogs. It is the combinations of these unique experiences that have led Mr. Vass to the creation of M V Consulting, Inc. The Company owns Black Entertainment USA, VASS (www.mvass.com), a corporate website (www.vassconsult.com), and an online store (cafepress.com/nova68).

About Hyperion:

Hyperion publishes general-interest fiction and nonfiction books for adults. For more information on FROM THE HEART as well as our other titles, please visit us at: hyperionbooks.com

This is a really sad story

This isn’t an ad for abortion.

In a move that we just don’t need at this time with problems in Iraq and a completely unstable environment in North Korea, Russia says that the firing on the test missle this was was in response to the U.S..

Instead of spending all of our time and money and children’s lives on the fight against terrorism, there must be a day that we engage all Americans in the fight to stop the infiltration of spam in this country through third world countries.

If we think it’s hard to find one piece of garbage in the mountains of Afghanistan, try to find some criminal piece of garbage when their infiltrating our computers with garbage (SPAM) on a daily basis and we can’t do a thing about it.

Take the genious who sent me this:

Dear valued member.

This is a letter from XXXXXXXXXX. We just wanted to ask you to be as attentive as possible when buying drugs on the Web.

This letter is NOT a piece of ad – we just want you to know that more 80% of the drugs you purchase on the Internet come from underground factories in southern Asia – so, apparently, no one can say that they are totally safe. The only drugstore that has managed to prove the quality of its meds so far is XXXXXXXX.

Please, be more discerning when choosing your Web pharmacy.

–
If you have any more questions please contact to me.
Please include all previous messages in your email’s.
——————————————-
Thank you and best regards
XXXXXXXXXXX

I finally had it with the saying, “It’s almost as good as sliced bread.” Sliced bread isn’t that good. This guy agrees.

My memories go back to when I was 4 years old. I don’t remember before that but even at 4, sliced bread disappointed me. I remember those summer barbecues when I could first remember the smell of fresh grilled hotdogs. Not exactly nature’s food but we all love a grilled hotdog. Those hot dog buns were pretty good too. Then you run out of the hot dog buns and substitute it for sliced bread and what do you get, one fu%^&cken disappointment. In fact, I threw the bread on Grandpa’s lawn.

Even when I get some good roast beef and need to make a sandwich, the stupid sliced bread ruins even the world’s best roast beef with out some sort of condiments. Take the bread away and I can eat the roast beef. No mustard, no mayo NADA.

I never hated sliced bread until Dr. Atkins came along. Atkins told me that white bread is bad carbs and that 1 slice of white bread has 15 carbs. In the end, I think there’s many things better than sliced bread,

Sex, Cold Beer, Cigars, Stock Market, My wife, Kids and much more.

 From this day on, I’m changing. Let’s all cheer for the next great saying.

 ”This almost sucks as much as sliced bread“

I don’t. It brings me back to a time 15 years ago on Easter Sunday when 60 minutes was running a piece on the Branch Davideans. One of my uncles, a religious man of the Catholic faith was watching the show and suddenly said, “It’s crazy what some people believe.”

I being a 25 year old idiot who is now much wiser replied by saying, “Maybe they feel the same way about us.” Bad mistake.

At that moment, I learned a lesson that I’ll never forget and that is to never question another person’s belief because we just don’t know. I haven’t met the man who unequivocally can say they met the higher power. Therefore, who am I to question the Mormon faith? Who am I to question Mitt Romney about his faith? Are Mormons right? What about the Catholics and the Jews? Are they right?

I’ll vote for the man on the issues. You get my point.

I’m a fan of the show and I admit it but Blake just can’t sing. I watched the 3rd song that he sang last night and I found myself thinking, “Where’s Sanjaya?”

Simon Cowell stated that Jordin Sparks wiped the floor with Blake and he was being nice. Translation:

Blake can’t sing.

Take away the beatbox and the dance moves and we’re left with a guy who really should have been 4th or 5th in the contest.

The results tell me that there’s a lot of 14 year olds watching AI. In the end, we’ll see. Watch the results. Blake wins. That’s a pick. Hope we’re wrong

And the award goes to the person who decides that he’s going to play 80% of a season, keep his teammates waiting, go home whenever he feels like it because he’s a future Hall of Famer. Yes, Roger Clemens, you’re it. All American Blog has anointed you The Most Selfish Person In American Sports.

Does anybody really believe that old Rog didn’t know that he was going to play another season in March. In fact, we’d be willing to bet you that if old Roger has a decent year again this year, he’ll do the same thing again. After all, only a fool walks away from $18 million and the old Texan ain’t(sic) no fool.

Let’s award his agents too. After all, who else could fleece the Yankees so badly that Clemens receives the best pitcher in baseball type money and he’s not the best pitcher in baseball. In fact and realistically, he’s not in the top 10 of all baseball.

 Old Rog, here’s to you. See you next June. By the way, you’re due a raise………

Mr. Vass also writes for www.blackentertainmentblog.com and www.mvass.com :

As I promised something far more serious is an item I mentioned I’d speak about. Oral sex can possibly give you throat cancer. Seriously. This isn’t some story that parents tell their kids, like you can go blind or grow hair on your palms.

A recent study in the New”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070509/hl_afp/usheatlhcancer;_ylt=AoBBvO5TtA6bySgKz3Rse7vVJRIF”>New England Journal of Medicine has shown that human papillomavirus or HPV can be transmitted and cause a rare form of cancer. HPV is believed to be responsible for some types of cervical cancer, and vaccines are being worked on currently. Another study, from Johns Hopkins University, found around 72% of those with this rare form of throat cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, also had a type of HPV. They also found that prior HPV infection or more than 6 oral sex partners increased the chance of contracting the cancer.

I’d love to crack jokes about this. I have no doubt that some guy reading this will be pissed. Guaranteed this post will spoil the fun of a few people, but this is serious. I’m not advocating pre-marital sex, nor am I saying abstinence is the only other choice. I’m just highlighting a health concern that everyone should be aware of. Maybe researchers will find that this is incorrect, then again maybe not.

I recall reading a report about 2 years ago stating that oral sex among teens was up dramatically. That same report stated that young girls did not consider this sex. It is of course, and while pregnancy may not be a consequence there are other factors to be aware of. This is just one concern, and it is a recent finding that is getting more attention. Various STD’s [Sexually Transmitted Diseases] can be caught, carried, and passed on via oral sex. If you aren’t careful and chose to have sex, be aware there could be a negative outcome.

Call this post a PSA (Public Service Announcement). Just something I saw and wanted to pass on. Take it as you will. But if you are upset because I just ruined an evening of fun, save me the email. I already have an idea how that feels.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Mr. Vass is author of www.blackentertainmentblog.com and www.mvass.com :

It’s amazing what a couple of years will bring. The public and investors alike are quick to forget so many items in this world of instant news, viral videos, Youtube and 24/7 cable network news. So many items are glanced over, missed, or forgotten in the attempt to get to the next thing that the impact of what’s happening rarely touches us. But some of those items come back and the impact continues to reverberate.

One such case is on subjects that I have discussed often in various posts in my Vass and Black Entertainment USA blogs. Reparations and apologies for slavery in America. The various posts [What”>http://www.mvass.com/2007/03/what-georgia-house-speaker-richardson.html”>What Georgia House Speaker Richardson should apologize for - 3.9.2007.1, The”>http://www.blackentertainmentblog.com/2007/03/surprise-about-broadcast-television.html”>The surprise about broadcast television - 3.14.2007.2, ect.] reflect my views, and I think the views of many – whether Black Americans, Latino/Hispanic, White or purple for that matter. Many believe that the wounds inflicted to create this nation cannot ever heal if we ignore and hide from the past. Those wounds affect this nation to this day, whether it pops to the surface as the Rodney King riots, the Civil Rights Movement, the murders of Sean”>http://www.blackentertainmentblog.com/2006/11/sean-bell-112920061.html”>Sean Bell and others, or the comments”>http://www.blackentertainmentblog.com/2007/04/imus-rutgers-basketball-and-rev-al.html”>comments by Mr. Don Imus and other radio DJ’s.

Today the conversation of Reparations and apology took another step forward at JP Morgan Chase. Actually what happened today started in 2005, as a result of actions from 1831 – 1865, so I will recap that information. On January 20, 2005 JP Morgan issued an apology, in compliance with Chicago ordinances requiring the disclosure of slave ownership, for their predecessor banks from the abovementioned time period where slaves were taken as collateral on loans. The predecessor banks, Citizens Bank and Canal Bank in Louisiana, did take ownership of 1250 slaves.

A memo on this was released by ten-Chairman William Harrison and then-President James Dimon,

“We”>http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/JP_Morgan_apologizes_for_slavery”>“We apologize to the American public, and particularly to African-Americans, for the role that Citizens Bank and Canal Bank played during that period,” said the company on its website. “Although we cannot change the past, we are committed to learning from and emerging stronger because of it.”

In addition to the apology, JP Morgan created a $5 million scholarship for African Americans in Louisiana.

This commendable act by JP Morgan Chase should be the end of that story. It also should have been the motivation for other companies and states. Sadly this was not the case as lawmakers like Frank”>http://www.blackentertainmentblog.com/2007/02/tancredo-and-hargrove-2220071.html”>Frank Hargrove, and Georgia House Speaker Richardson believe that  no such action is either needed or justified. In addition it would seem that a portion of the shareholders at JP Morgan felt the same.

Deneen Borelli led a charge to have the apology, and the scholarship, rescinded in the 2007 Annual Sharholder meeting today. According to Deneen Borelli,

“It’s”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20070514/pl_usnw/jpmorgan_chase_slavery_apology_to_be_challenged_at_company_s_annual_meeting__nlpc_shareholder_proposal_says_bank_opens_itself_t”>“It’s absurd for someone to apologize for the transgressions of others committed hundreds of years ago. Slavery was an abomination and blemish on our Nation’s history. JPMorgan Chase’s apology for slavery, along with a $5 million donation for a scholarship fund, are the fruits of a shakedown. It is the looting of shareholder assets and sets a terrible precedent.”

Continued in Part 2…

Mr. Vass also writes for www.mvass.com and www.blackentertainmentblog.com :

Many may have heard about the outrageous actions of Opie”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070511/ap_on_en_ot/shock_jocks_sex_comment;_ylt=AjXG9aixlghghbLTqqLAKGTMWM0F”>Opie & Anthony, radio DJ’s on XM satellite radio. If you have not it can be summed up as the following: The DJ’s had a man (who I believe was homeless) on air and cajoled him as he commented on raping Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, First Lady Laura Bush, and the Queen of England. This was an explicative laden, graphic, tirade that the 2 DJ’s commented and laughed along with. Obviously they seem to find the rape of women funny.

Considering the recent uproar”>http://www.blackentertainmentblog.com/2007/04/imus-rutgers-basketball-and-rev-al.html”>uproar against Mr. Don Imus, Rev. Al Sharpton (for comments about the religion of Presidential hopeful Mr. Mitt Romney), and the rap”>http://www.blackentertainmentblog.com/2007/04/don-imus-vs-rap-music-41120071.html”>rap hip-hop music genre for their insulting use of language, and disrespect of women, many are upset by this ‘comedy’ skit. While I find it vile and reprehensible, I cannot ask for their being fired. It’s not the same situation. Though it is sad that anyone would find humor on this subject, or would want to derive their income from promoting such commentary, I have to say that it is just my opinion.

I do not see any positive reason to encourage anyone to rape ANY woman, ever. I equally can’t imagine that the mothers of these 2 men are please with them. What a way to start the Mother’s Day weekend. I have to believe that both of these men are single, and likely to stay that way. But they should not be fired.

The fact is that they are not on public airwaves, they are dealing with public figures, and there is freedom of speech. The First”>http://www.usconstitution.net/”>First Amendment allows for almost any comment, no matter how offensive. That is with the exception of directly causing or inciting harm against another individual. This is the reason that neo-nazi’s and klu klux klan members can have meeting. It’s also why you can’t scream fire in a crowded theater. As upsetting as it makes me, they have the right to say what they did; though it’s a close call.

The bigger reasons working for them are in part that all of the women are public figures. This is not an excuse for what was done. What it does mean is that they have venues and opportunities to respond in kind to these comments, if they chose to dignify them with a comment at all. There is no doubt that if any of these powerful and respected women chose to say something about this, it would be covered internationally in a second. There is no shortage of individuals and groups that will respond on their behalf and will have that covered as well. In a manner this is like Ms”>http://www.blackentertainmentblog.com/2007/01/verizon-commercial-and-trump-vs-rosie.html”>Ms. Rosie O’Donnell picking a fight with Mr. Donald Trump, both took opportunities to respond publicly. Of course their spat never rose to the same level as this, but at points it was close.

But the most solid reason why they won’t be fired is because it was no a comment made to the public. Unlike Mr. Don Imus, this event happened on essentially closed airspace. Individuals subscribe to XM radio to receive this particular channel. There is full disclosure of how derogatory and perhaps insipid these 2 men can be. Only those who have paid for the satellite service, and chosen to listen to this channel out of the 100 available to them, are affected. That effectively makes it a conversation among willing participants. If a participant finds themselves in a conversation with a racist, or misogynist, or other individual I would call mentally deficient, you can just walk away. In this case perhaps that means changing the channel, turning the satellite radio off, or canceling your service (possibly with a letter addressed to the CEO of this publicly traded company). Some might even go so far as to sell their shares in the stock (the symbol being XMSR).

Though it’s given that Opie & Anthony can do what they did, and that they won’t be fired for it, there is something to consider. The women they have picked on are some of the most powerful in the world. I wouldn’t suggest either of these radio DJ’s go to England anytime in the near future. Britons are noted for their love of the Royal family. Picking on the wife of the President of the United States is hardly a smart career move. With a mere negative public comment the stock of XM radio could be cut in half in a second, and I guarantee they would be out the door immediately afterwards. [It can happen. I saw the President do this to several stocks when I was a stockbroker. It must be said that they were manipulated stocks, but the power to move the market instantly is unquestionable.] Secretary of State Rice is no less powerful and there isn’t a corporation in the world that would want to bring down her wrath or that of her office, just as many nations fear and respect her for the same reasons. I can’t say I’d be upset to see a backlash against these ‘men’.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Mr Vass is author of www.mvass.com and www.blackentertainmentblog.com :

Continued from Recent”>http://www.mvass.com/2007/05/recent-democratic-and-republican.html”>Recent Democratic and Republican debates - 5.8.2007.1 Part 1…

The debates couldn’t change the mind of a hummingbird, and that’s the fault of the producers and moderator. And when I was watching the Republican debate I was in a public venue. I had one person; in a crowd of 20+ people ask once what I was watching. There was no interest, and of the 3 people that I saw glance at the debate and listen for a second, they turned away just as quickly. That is the fault of the number of soundbites being bandied about and the total lack of importance that emanated from the event.

This is why I have made my letters [found at the m/”>http://www.vassconsult.com”>M V Consulting, Inc. website], questioning several of the candidates. I have real issues in mind, things that affect me and the nation as a whole. I have asked for answers on issues that affect minority communities, business, healthcare and more. And so far not one candidate has responded since December 2006. As long as we do not demand real answers to these important questions, I don’t think any of the candidates have the balls to respond.

What that means for the nation is anyone’s guess right now. One thing I can say is that those that won’t ask the questions now can’t complain about who and what we get later. Our children, our grandchildren, and we will be impacted for decades by the actions of our next President. Do you want your life, and the lives of your children, to be in the hands of someone who can’t answer a question in more depth than 90 seconds, and who won’t respond to a question from the citizens themselves? Think about that.

If you agree with me, send your candidate of choice a copy of one of my letters and ask them to respond. I’ll post any response, unaltered, as soon as I receive it. Let’s remind these candidates that they are elected by the people, and are responsible to the people, not special interest groups, unions and rich donors.

My”>http://www.vassconsult.com/politics/election2008.html”>My vote will not be sold on the cheap. I won’t just shrug my shoulders and flip a coin. I won’t send out my hard earned cash to the first candidate that asks for it. Neither should you. Help the nation and send out the letters, let’s remind them where the power in this democracy really lies.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Mr Vass is author of www.mvass.com and www.blackentertainmentblog.com :

Continued from Recent”>http://www.mvass.com/2007/05/recent-democratic-and-republican.html”>Recent Democratic and Republican debates - 5.8.2007.1 Part 1…

The debates couldn’t change the mind of a hummingbird, and that’s the fault of the producers and moderator. And when I was watching the Republican debate I was in a public venue. I had one person; in a crowd of 20+ people ask once what I was watching. There was no interest, and of the 3 people that I saw glance at the debate and listen for a second, they turned away just as quickly. That is the fault of the number of soundbites being bandied about and the total lack of importance that emanated from the event.

This is why I have made my letters [found at the m/”>http://www.vassconsult.com”>M V Consulting, Inc. website], questioning several of the candidates. I have real issues in mind, things that affect me and the nation as a whole. I have asked for answers on issues that affect minority communities, business, healthcare and more. And so far not one candidate has responded since December 2006. As long as we do not demand real answers to these important questions, I don’t think any of the candidates have the balls to respond.

What that means for the nation is anyone’s guess right now. One thing I can say is that those that won’t ask the questions now can’t complain about who and what we get later. Our children, our grandchildren, and we will be impacted for decades by the actions of our next President. Do you want your life, and the lives of your children, to be in the hands of someone who can’t answer a question in more depth than 90 seconds, and who won’t respond to a question from the citizens themselves? Think about that.

If you agree with me, send your candidate of choice a copy of one of my letters and ask them to respond. I’ll post any response, unaltered, as soon as I receive it. Let’s remind these candidates that they are elected by the people, and are responsible to the people, not special interest groups, unions and rich donors.

My”>http://www.vassconsult.com/politics/election2008.html”>My vote will not be sold on the cheap. I won’t just shrug my shoulders and flip a coin. I won’t send out my hard earned cash to the first candidate that asks for it. Neither should you. Help the nation and send out the letters, let’s remind them where the power in this democracy really lies.

This is what I think, what do you think?