My two-cents worth and then some. An online journal by LP Brown.

Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me Its’ Raining — A Book Review

by on ·Lifestyle and Culture

Every once in a while I read a book good enough to share. I recently read Judge Judy Sheindlin’s book Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me Its’ Raining. I almost didn’t buy that book because I have never been a fan of Judge Judy, but it was on sale for half price. What’s a book lover to do? I’ve watched only a few of her TV courtroom programs and found her to be very insensitive, cold and abrupt with people who appeared before her bench. The book gave me a light bulb moment — meaning that I now realize why the judge is the way she is, and in so doing I changed my opinion of her 360 degrees.  Ok 359 1/2. But I no longer view her as the wicked witch of the bench.

Judge Judy served as a Manhattan Family Court judge for over 24 years. Using real life case histories in her book, she give a no holds barred critique of “a criminal-friendly, criminal justice system” that shows more consideration for the criminals than it does for their victims. She pimp slaps readers with the disturbing revelation that many of this country’s laws need serious revision.

Continue Reading →
0 Comments

The Trip of a Lifetime

by on ·General

The dedication and grand opening of the new Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington DC will be held on August 28, 2011. Baby Boomers may recall that the date coincides with the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington – a  political rally supporting civil and economic rights for Black Americans. It was at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963, where Dr. King delivered his famous, “I Have a Dream” speech. My own Aunt Sarah, then a civil rights minded school teacher traveled from New York City and was among the number of proud participants at that historic event where the crowd was estimated at between 200,000 to 300,000.  It is anticipated that attendees at the upcoming dedication will surpass those figures.

Numerous events are scheduled prior to the official dedication on August 28, including concerts, luncheons, and a Dream Gala.

President Barack Obama will deliver remarks during the Dedication Ceremony on August 28. Other high profile personalities expected to play a role in the dedication ceremony and activities in the preceding week include Congressman John Lewis, Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Reverend Joseph Lowery,  General Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, Maya Angelou, radio personality “The “Fly Jock” Tom Joyner, actor Jamie Fox, filmmaker George Lucas, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and that isn’t the half of them.

Hotels in the District including the Embassy Suites are offering packaged deals including special rates, all-day Metro Passes and other commemorative benefits for those coming to the dedication. Numerous organizations from around the country are busing participants to the event that The Raleigh, NC/Wake Martin Luther King Celebration Committee calls the “Trip of a Lifetime.”

0 Comments

Ernie and Bert Platonic Friends

by on ·Lifestyle and Culture

For years it has been widely rumored that the Sesame Street puppets, Ernie and Bert, are gay. Apparently, that controversy has been put to rest by the producers of Sesame Street. Kudos to them for standing their ground and announcing their intent to continue the friendship of Ernie and Bert as it is—just friends. 

The producers of the popular children’s program were compelled to issue a statement in response to an on-line petition by gay rights activists who want Ernie and Bert to marry in order to teach acceptance of people whose sexual orientation or preference may be different. Certainly, there are other ways to get children to realize that people have alternative lifestyles without altering a traditional children’s program.

Sesame Street producers maintain that although the puppets portray friends, and they happen to have male characteristics they are obviously puppets; PUPPETS with no sexual orientation. Furthermore, even if the program’s producers acknowledged that the puppets were actually males, for all intent and purposes they still would not necessarily be gay. Numerous men and women — we are talking real people now — have a best friend of the same gender and that does not mean that both or either of them is gay.

It is a sad state of affairs when even inanimate objects – in this case puppets on a children’s TV program—cannot simulate close friendship without some people trying to make the objects symbolic to promote a cause or lifestyle.

0 Comments

Breast Feeding Doll Babies and Tiaras

by on ·Lifestyle and Culture

Berjuan Toys, based in Spain is bringing a breast feeding doll to the U.S. Proponents say that the doll is designed to teach nurturing skills. Those in opposition believe that it is just one more unsuitable toy that could force young girls to grow up too fast.

Here’s how the breast feeding doll works. A little girl puts on a halter that comes with the doll. Flower petals on the halter fit over the girl’s breasts. When the child brings the doll’s mouth to the flowers the doll makes a sucking sound. And there you have it, a pretend mother breast feeding her baby.

Things have certainly progressed from the days when toy makers created soft and cuddly dolls that cried, drank from a tiny bottle, and peed. In the same decade talking baby dolls arrived on the market. In 1959, Barbie moved like a new kid on the block into the doll neighborhood, and her curvaceous body had some parents saying “Enough already!” But it wasn’t. Barbie soon got a boyfriend doll named Ken, and OMG did the controversy heat up. Now fast forward to the present where the debate revolving around the breast feeding doll is hotter than a ticket to a Lady Gaga concert.

The main concern of many adults is whether the formally named Breast Milk Baby is an appropriate toy or one designed to encourage little girls to emulate adult behavior when they should be enjoying the innocence of childhood. And, in light of the fact that the NCMEC reports that 800, 000 children under the age of 18 turn up missing each year, I can only wonder if a young girl sitting alone on a park bench “breastfeeding” her doll would be just one more attractive target for a pedophile lurking nearby.

Speaking of adult behavior, when I see young children made up, dressed up and then put on stage to perform like gyrating vamps in a child beauty pageant, I can’t help but think of Jon Benet Ramsey and the potential for more child abuse. Three weeks ago, one of the children from the cable TV show Toddlers and Tiaras shook her booty while performing “Cutie Patootie” on The View.  And not to miss a beat, the French magazine Cadeaux  recently drew much criticism for publishing steamy and sexualized images of a ten year old model wearing stiletto heels. According to one TV talk program some of the photos in the spread were too risqué to show the audience.

Continue Reading →
0 Comments