To throw a shoe or not to throw a shoe? – That is the question. December 17, 2008

During President Bush surprise visit to Iraq this past weekend – in the middle of the news conference with Mr. Maliki, Iraqi television journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi stood up and shouted “this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog,” before hurling a shoe at President George W. Bush which narrowly missed him. Showing the soles of shoes to someone is a sign of contempt in Arab culture. Shoes are considered unclean – signifying the lowliest and dirtiest part of the body. The reality is: I do not care what culture you are from, throwing shoes at someone is not welcomed by anyone, this act of disrespect spans all cultural boundaries, not just Arabs. Just put yourself in their shoes – the person that is having the shoes thrown at them. I know Bush policies have not been popular, however he should have been shown some respect.

Let’s move on to the Secret Service. Where the deuces were they? And why didn’t they have his back? What kind of weak nonsense is this? It’s not cool that the President had to duck from danger. Just like the WTC terrorist attacks the second shoe should not have been thrown and someone should have taken Bush off of the stage when the first shoe was thrown! The attacks that are dressed in sheep’s clothing, Americans are never prepared for…shoes, planes…what is next….hamburgers? The guy was lucky that it was Bush and not Cheney standing at the podium, Old Quick Draw McGraw would have fired around that podium and blew his head off.

With his second shoe, which the president also managed to dodge, Mr Zaidi said: “This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq.” Mr Zaidi, a correspondent for Cairo-based al-Baghdadiya TV, was then wrestled to the ground by security personnel and hauled away.

First Lady Laura Bush probably has been hurling stuff at him forever, that’s why he has able to do a Matrix move and dodge the shoes.

“If you want the facts, it’s a size 10 shoe that he threw,” Mr Bush joked afterwards. I am surprised Bush didn’t say: Na, Na, Na, Na, you missed me, you missed me, your momma drinks whiskey!!! Al-Baghdadiya’s bureau chief told the Associated Press that he had no idea what prompted Mr Zaidi to attack President Bush, although reports say he was once kidnapped by a militia and beaten up.

This was definitely a courageous act on the part of the correspondent; his convictions underscore our unfavorable standing in the world today.

[Updated] Bush Shoe Incident in Iraq {CNN}

First Friends December 16, 2008

I found a very interesting article in the Saturday, 13 December 2008 New York Times of how the Obama’s and their close friends plan to stay in touch while he is in office in Washington D.C. What I found very interesting is the support their friends have demonstrated to Barack Obama’s political aspirations. I know how important friendships are to personal development and growth of individuals, so it really warmed my heart to read the story.

Here is one of many friendship theories to consider. Stimulus-Value-Role Model. We select our friends and close partners through a three-stage model, filtering out those who do not fit at each stage. All elements may well be important throughout the relationship, but their relative importance changes. In the stimulus stage, we evaluate the other person in terms of physical attributes. We are generally attracted to people of a similar age, appearance and ethnicity. In the value stage, we compare their values with ours and decide whether we are sufficiently compatible to continue the relationship. In particular, we look at attitudes towards religion, sex, careers, families and gender differences. In the role stage, we share out the activities to build a working relationship. It helps if preferences for these are complementary (you do this and I’ll do that), although role attitudes need to be similar. – Murstein (1970)

I have been blessed with a group of great friends…I don’t know how? (smile)….when at times I can be aloof and tremendously focused at other times…but I’ve been successful at keeping my friends close to my heart for many over the years…We host a Girl’s Night Out in the Spring, Summer and Holiday seasons of each year and I do not miss our get-togethers for the world!….I look forward to expanding the commitment to family gatherings…That is of course, when I get married and have children. At one time we did host a vacation get-together every 5 years; however that has lost steam of over time.

Here is a look at the Obama’s close friends. Last Sunday night, President-elect Barack Obama’s three closest friends — Valerie Jarrett, Martin Nesbitt and Dr. Eric Whitaker — sat down in the study of Mr. Nesbitt’s house in Chicago for one of their increasingly frequent heart-to-hearts.

They were puzzling over a new question: how the Obamas, who hope to remain close to their Chicago friends, will spend time with them while living in the isolation chamber of the White House. Over Diet Cokes, the three drafted the beginnings of an elaborate visiting schedule that will bring Hyde Park to Washington, so the nation’s new first family can have a little taste of home.

In the presidential campaign, the Obamas had a “no new friends” rule, surrounding themselves with a coterie of familiar faces. Even if the Obamas lift that rule in Washington, newcomers are unlikely to replicate the intensity of this group’s ties, formed over more than a decade by births and deaths, Scrabble games, barbecues and vacations, but also by shared beliefs about race, success and responsibility.

Back when the Obamas were hardly the most prominent members of the group, the doctors, lawyers and businessmen from Chicago became not just one another’s friends but also one another’s supporters, forming a network that eventually helped the politician among them on his way to a Senate seat and then the presidency. Their bonds grew only tighter in the long slog of the campaign.

“We knew Barack running for president would be hard on him and Michelle, but we didn’t realize the impact it would have on us,” said Dr. Whitaker, speaking of the frenetic travel schedule he and other friends maintained to keep Mr. Obama company, the scrutiny they endured and the sometimes disconcerting way that proximity to the Obamas affected their own relationships and careers.

Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.– Albert Camus

The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.– Abraham Lincoln

Michelle Obama has a body pride I love December 11, 2008

I love the fact First Lady Elect Michelle Obama is fashion forward with her choice of clothes. I adore the fact she doesn’t mind showing off “what her mama gave her” and wearing clothes that accentuate her daring shape and not opting for the traditional conservative look of the most recent first ladies that have come before her. It is interesting to read that designers are excited about the marketing prowess of designing signature pieces inspired by the soon to be first lady. Will these pieces and lines be targeted for the African American woman? Or will the designers tactfully market the pieces and lines inspired by Michelle Obama for the American woman? It will be interesting see what fashion models will be wearing these newly created Michelle designs. Will these models look like me? While reading the WSJ- Saturday, 6 December 2008 – the article entitled Over-40 Finds a Muse. Talks about how difficult it is to dress women over 40, I am not 40 yet, however I do work in an industry where business appropriate clothing is the standard. Not in the office I tend to be trendier opting for designer jeans, fitted t-shirts and fashion forwards blazers and accessories. So why it so difficult to dress the woman over 40? After years of unsuccessful attempts to satisfy middle-aged women — a high-spending but difficult-to-please demographic — the U.S. apparel industry is rejoicing that it has finally found its muse – Mrs. Obama.

Women over 35 spent an estimated $53.2 billion of the $109 billion in women’s apparel purchases for the 12 months ended in September, according to market researcher NPD Group. By comparison, women from the ages of 18 to 34 spent only $37.3 billion (girls from 13 to 17 spent the rest).

Apparel makers appreciate that Mrs. Obama — unlike many Hollywood celebrities on the fashion industry radar screen — has realistic proportions. I love this! She is a shapely woman, yes and she looks good in a dress! And she dresses in accessible mall brands, like J. Crew and White House Black Market, as well as in higher-priced designer labels like Maria Pinto and Thakoon. This pretty much signifies my style, I’m a JCrewaholic and at times I may splurge and spend a little bit more on some of my clothing pieces. “One thing I love about her is that she isn’t a stick figure and not a plus size,” says Mr. Mizrahi. “She has a body pride I love.” You have to love Issac Mizrahi from Broooooklyn!!! His comment is spot on!

New York designer Elie Tahari invited retail buyers to his showroom this past week to unveil his latest sartorial confection: a $598 purple-floral sheath that he has named “the Michelle dress,” after Michelle Obama. Elie tahari is another favorite designer of mine….I go way back with Tahari – to the early 90’s when my girlfriend was a pattern maker for Tahari, I would shop at the WFC for suits to wear to work. Nowadays, I shop occasionally at Eie Tahari as I find their pants do not fit my shape. I’m a pants suit fanatic. There pants are not cut for the African American woman. I do however, have two suits from Elie Tahari that I did not wear for an entire season because I’ve gained too much weight and the pants do not to fit my hips and “ass”ets in a business appropriate way. I did win a raffle drawing at Elie Tahari and I have balance left to splurge on a clothing item. My most recent purchase was a pair of shoes and a sweater for Elie Tahari.

In closing, the 44-year-old future first lady’s immediate influence on fashion “has nothing to do with fashion trends,” says Mr. Tahari, who plans to put the dress in ads this spring and in stores in June. “Her style is all about the woman being noticed, not just the dress.”

Rev. Jeremiah Wright “Obama is still my child” December 10, 2008

President-elect Barack Obama made a “bad decision” by distancing himself from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his church, Wright said Sunday, 7 December 2008 – “but that’s OK.” -said Rev. Wright.

I have plenty of sympathy in my heart for Rev. Wright the way the media characterized him as an anti-American revolutionary jester. In my observations, Rev. Wright is articulate, educated and opinionated…right now…Rev. Wright needs to sit down somewhere and take a dose of humility. Rev. Wright, speaking at Trinity on its 47th anniversary, said he was proud of “the only church that produced the first and only African-American president in the 211-year history of the United States. No other church can say that.” What a great association one can make but why be boastful about it? The media is gonna trail your “ass”ets until 2013 so be careful in what you say, man! Like his comments regarding Elisabeth Hasselbeck of ABC’s “The View,” whom — while not saying her name — Wright twice referred to as a “broad,” including once as “that dumb broad.” Rev. Jeremiah Wright needs to watch how he addresses women. Seriously, “broad” and/or “dizzy broad” aren’t words I’d expect to hear from the mouth of a man of the cloth when talking about a woman.

 

Rev. Wright continues…”The hatred of the media and the haters in politics may have caused him to distance himself from us, but the love of Christ will never allow me to distance myself from him,” Wright said of Obama. “I can no more disown him than I can disown any other child of mine who makes [a] bad decision. He made a bad decision, but he’s still my child.” Rev. Wright what does the Bible say? Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6 Rev. Wright you have done well by President Elect Obama, like a father pray for him with feverish reverence from now until eternity. Sacrifice your ego for humility this time for the sake of your son Barack Obama. In God’s name we pray. AMEN.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright (right) told parishioners that president-elect Barack Obama made a “bad decision” by distancing himself from Wright and the church.
(Trinity United Church of Christ/AP file)

Pay for Performance December 9, 2008

Merrill Chairman and Chief Executive John Thain had recently suggested to directors that he get a 2008 bonus of as much as $10 million, and at one time had been lobbying for a larger number. This is outrageous! Your company has lost over $11 billion in 2008! What makes you think you are entitled to a $10 million bonus? Because you foresaw the collapse of Merrill Lynch and made moves to prevent it? But wasn’t it Stan O’Neil who made the first series of calls to BOA and began the merger talks and as a consequence was released from his duties as CEO because he failed to inform the board of his intentions.

Where I’m employed – I am measured by my performance. If I do not perform, I will not be compensated by a bonus. What is ironic?…Mr. Thain is willing to negotiate for a bonus he believes he is entitled to….when as much as 35,000 of [his] workforce will be laid off due to the BOA/Merrill Lynch merger. The Wall Street mentality has got to change…from every man for himself to…I am responsible for thousands of employees and their families. A novel idea? Huh?

Take a gander at where the net revenues go in these banks….to pay big bonuses!!!

…buh, Bye Bonus
These CEOs of banks and securities firms won’t receive a 2008 bonus:

Josef Ackermann, Deutsche

BankLloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs

John Mack, Morgan Stanley

Marcel Rohner, UBS

John Thain, Merrill Lynch

John Varley, Barclays

Brady Dougan, Credit Suisse Group