Skillz

Barack Obama in a speech with the troops in Kuwait shows a little basketball skill

Review of ‘Black in America’

Amy Alexander has posted a review of Soledad O’Brien’s documentary ‘Black in America’ (watch the previews)

Smart Drugs

If these so-called ‘smart drugs‘ are proven to be safe and effective, then they will probably become a must have for college students. Some college students are already taking them.

The sci-fi solution we have all been waiting for is already here, and it’s circulating in student unions and school. These days, the kids are all on “smart drugs”.

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Students are rejoicing and cramming for exams with smart-drug- fuelled all-nighters. One told me that he buys his from a mate who sells on his larger-than-necessary prescription; another offered to put me in touch with her “very kind doctor”.

Dispersing Social Problems

What happens when you take a group of people with social problems in a highly concentrated area (like a housing project) and spread them throughout the city without ever addressing their underlying problems?

Memphis, TN recently saw a spike in its crime rate (while its highly corrupt political leadership looked the other way) in areas that were previously low crime areas.An area of town known as Hickory Hills was an upscale neighborhood in the early 1990’s, but now it is known as “Hickory Hood”.

This article in the Atlantic gives the answer that everyone in  Memphis always knew:

Where Are The Men?

Philadelphia Community Activists’ program to recruit 10,000 men to patrol the streets fell far short of their goal…Only about 800 signed up. I suppose that is a start. Excerpts from the story are below

Reverse White Flight

An interesting article on the effects of gentrification appears in the Wall Street Journal.

During the late 1990’s and early 21st century, many housing projects were razed and the residents were scattered into the inner suburbs (in the DC area’s case Prince George’s County). Meanwhile the developers built new condos and urban shopping centers that attracted young, single and liberal whites.

A Story From the Deep North

A friend of mine highly recommended this film. I plan to watch it…

Synopsis below the fold

Will Racism End in November?

Will whites view an Obama presidency as an end to racism? Lawrence Bobo writes on the topic

Did Jesse Jackson Use the ‘N-Word’?

According to this story he did. That guy is done. But then again I thought he was done when “the Reverend” sired a child as a result of an adulterous affair.

Here is another story

What is an “African-American”?

Over the past few weeks I have been speaking with friends about the term “African-American”, what it means and who it refers to in light of the Barack Obama phenomenon