Tavis Smiley . Young Voices | PBS

The Future of Sarah Palin

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:36:02 PST

I recently read my colleague Tamika's post on Sarah Palin. The former Republican vice presidential nominee recently announced her resignation as governor of Alaska at the end of this month. The question since is whether or not Palin has killed her career. In my opinion the answer is crystal clear.

Absolutely not.

Why? People love Sarah Palin. If you think back to the political campaign of 2008, scores of people lined up to hear Sarah Palin and John McCain speak.

This firebrand woman had an electrifying presence on the national scene and won the support of tons of women.

Even with the unfortunate gaffs and Tina Fey impressions, she can still raise millions of dollars and has star power in parts of the electorate that will support her no matter what.

She has the moxie, confidence and enthusiasm that's sure to electrify crowds once again.

Only a select few know Sarah Palin's true motives and intentions for the future. One thing that is for certain is that no matter what she chooses, it will be of her own deciding and timing.

It's what mavericks do.

An L.A. Circus

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:36:02 PST

From LAX to Encino to the Staples Center, L.A. is abuzz with the frenzy surrounding today's Jackson Memorial. Early projections expect 1 million people to be downtown, and a billion more to be watching the live broadcast. Jackson's body, it is reported, will be there. It is rumored that Jermaine Jackson will perform.

According to the L.A. Times' Twitter feed, the Jacksons arrived at the Forest Lawn cemetary via motorcade from their Encino home at 8:20 this morning. LAobserved says there are 20 helictopers hovering over the site.

Meanwhile, outside the Staples Center, one bystander reports $40 parking, a line stretching 10 blocks and a mint being made on T-shirt sales.

This panoramic view of the condolence mural makes me dizzy. But maybe I'm not using it right.

For a lighter take on the goings-on, Jezebel will be liveblogging. They predict the services and all surrounding mayhem will cost taxpayers between $2.5 and $4 million dollars.

If you want to watch the events, turn on your TV, it doesn't matter what channel. Or go here. Or here. Or here.

Still without tickets? You can take your chances on Craigslist (via LAist). But seriously, you might want to just watch it on TV instead.

Anti Smoking and Suicide

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:36:02 PST

I don't like the sound of this.

The makers of an FDA approved drug designed to help smokers kick the habit can actually lead to suicidal thoughts.

I saw Brian Williams a couple of nights ago talking about this, and I was confused as ever. After, he stated that the FDA would keep the drug on the market; their reasoning behind it was that it was more important to help people quit smoking than anything else.

But what if you're dead?

Chantix and Zyban users: will you continue to use the product, or will you look for something else?

Did Sarah Palin Just Kill Her Career?

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:36:02 PST

If you watch Gov. Sarah Palin's press conference announcing her resignation as Alaska's governor about 18 months shy of the end of her first term, you will find that a) she rambles, b) her reasons for leaving are typical occurences for the latter half of a governor's term (even a governor who might eventually run for president) and c) she really rambles.

Here's what she said.

Reason 1: Ongoing ethics complaints
"Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations - such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters' questions.

Every one - all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We've won! But it hasn't been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to "opposition research" - that's money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers - or safer roads."

Reason 2: Lame duck status
"I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks... travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade - as so many politicians do. And then I thought - that's what's wrong - many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and "milk it". I'm not putting Alaska through that - I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! That's not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old "politics as usual." I promised that four years ago - and I meant it."

What do you think? Are these good enough reasons for a governor to resign her post? Was this a wise political move? Did Gov. Palin just kill her chances for a possible presidential bid? Share your thoughts with us below.

Red, White, Blue and Green?

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:36:02 PST

Are you firing up the grill? Watching a fireworks show? (Hopefully not producing your own fireworks show.) Loading up the family and going on a roadtrip?

Well, don't forget to also have an eco-friendly holiday weekend. Check out the video below and these tips for adding some "green" to your red, white and blue. And share your "green" 4th of July tips with us.

And for your reading pleasure, be sure to honor the day by reading the full text of The Declaration of Independence. Be safe!

How to Celebrate The 4Th of July In Greener Ways

Dillinger and Co.

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:36:02 PST

Probably the biggest movie opening this weekend is the Johnny Depp-Christian Bale gangster flick, Public Enemies.

Directed by Michael Mann (Heat, Miami Vice) the film takes place during John Dillinger's brief yearlong reign of bankrobbing in the early 1930s, when he attained the spot of Public Enemy Number One.

In the film, Depp plays Dillinger, a sort of Robin Hood of his time who robs from the rich, and while not giving the spoils to the poor, is still seen as something of a folk hero. A regular guy getting by in tough times.

Bale plays Melvin Purvis, the lead Federal Bureau investigator tasked with bringing Dillinger in, dead or alive. Marion Cotillard, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose, plays Dillinger's love interest. Along the way we are also treated to supporting performances by Giovanni Ribisi and Billy Crudup (as the cold and calculating J. Edgar Hoover)

While the film has plenty of satisfying action scenes (what's a 30s gangster movie without people shooting the crap out of stuff with tommyguns?) and both Bale and Depp are in top form, the film moves along without much pace or purpose.

We realize from the beginning that Depp's character is doomed, and yet even the inevitability of his capture is not enough to tighten the narrative of this film. Rather than playing like a Bonnie and Clyde-style gangsters-on-the-run story, this film is more of a sequence of loosely related scenes. Characters come and go with little warning or introduction, locations appear and disappear without explanation.

The effect of this is to make us feel somewhat like we're on the run ourselves, amid much confusion and muttered dialogue, enjoying a moment here and there, but never lingering on anything long enough for us to get comfortable.

While infinitely better than most of the other summer schlock cinema that's appearing these days, Public Enemies is no Untouchables, and I was kind of hoping it would be.

Iraq's 'Day of Sovereignty'

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

Talk about a celebration. Iraqis took to the streets to celebrate step one in U.S. troop withdrawal—removing U.S. troops from cities and towns across the country.

June 30th was declared "National Sovereignty Day" as Iraqi security forces took over control of Iraqi cities from U.S. troops six years after the U.S.-led invasion.

Seemingly emphasizing just how significant it is that Iraq would now be securing its own urban areas, a car bomb attack in Northern Iraq cut short the festivities, killed at least 20 people and injured 40.

"Those who think that Iraqis are not able to protect their country and that the withdrawal of foreign forces will create a security vacuum are committing a big mistake," Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said Tuesday in a televised address.

A Moment's Notice

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

After a week of high profile celebrity deaths, ranging from the likes of comedy straight men to international icons and superstars, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the tragedy.

Billy Mays, one of TV's most recognizable pitchmen died, this past Sunday. He was one of the hosts on the television reality show Pitchmen on the Discovery Channel.

Sources indicate that his wife found him in his bed and unresponsive when she tried to awaken him in their Tampa, FL home.

When I heard about these recent deaths, it really hit me hard. A great deal of reflection took place on my part as I began to evaluate how short life can be.

We could all leave this earth, without a moment's notice. So my suggestion is to live the days we do have on this earth boldly and without fear. It's one of the few real choices over which we actually have control.

YouTube: 'Helping You Report the News'

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

There are those YouTube members who upload video. Then there are those YouTube members who upload video that also happens to be news (you know who you are).

For all of those citizen journalists in the crowd, YouTube launched its new YouTube Reporters' Center project Monday to help aspiring reporters learn tips from seasoned journalism professionals.

The list of journalists and reporters who contributed to the project is impressive, with videos from Bob Woodward, Katie Couric, Arianna Huffington and, of course, Tavis Smiley, to name a few.

To see Tavis and his colleagues share their thoughts on how to report the news, visit http://youtube.com/reporterscenter.

Mourning the King of Pop

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

As the world reacts to the passing of Michael Jackson yesterday at the age of 50, there are no shortage of opinions, including loving tributes and derisive dismissals.

Whatever your feelings about the pop legend, his impact on music cannot be denied, nor the fact that there hasn't been a celebrity, since, that could come close to matching his fame or stature as a performer. Yes, that was often overshadowed by weirdness, as plastic surgery transformed his face, and lawsuits tarnished his reputation, but his legend will certainly live on.

Toda on the blog BoingBoing is a repost of an essay by music critic Bob Lefsetz which I think sums it up as well as anyone could hope to. Despite it all, the King of Pop had many die-hard fans that stuck with him until the end. Here are some pictures of them by photographer Naomi Harris, via 125 Magazine.

R.I.P., Michael

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

This is how I will always remember you.

Michael Jackson Dies

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

Legendary pop star Michael Jackson died Thursday at a Los Angeles hospital.

Check out Jackson obits from USA Today and MSNBC.com.

Take a look at photo galleries of MJ from the Los Angeles Times and BBC News, and check out the Michael Jackson YouTube channel.

Michael Jackson was occasionally a topic of discussion on the show. In a conversation a few months before his death, Tavis talked with singer-songwriter James Ingram about working with the "King of Pop." Also Grammy-winning artist Ne-Yo discussed being compared to Jackson in his 2007 appearance.

Share your MJ thoughts, memories and favorite songs below.

Transformers Are Back!

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

Nearly 2 years ago, the film Transformers burst onto the scene, thrilling audiences nationwide.

June 24 marks the return of the heroic and villainous robots in disguise as they battle in the never ending saga between good and evil.

Film director Michael Bay saw the release of the epic film on the big screen July 3, 2007 and watched how it wowed audiences across the country. Now, with the second installment of the series, Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen promises to be even better.

I can't wait to see the film. Here's one fan in Stockholm, Sweden who got a chance to recently check out the film. I hope we all enjoy it as much as he did.

Avoiding College Campus Faux Pas

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

For many high school graduates, after all of the planned summer vacations and senior trips abroad, it'll be time for school again on a much bigger playing field: college universities. So before you put your brain on auto pilot and have the summer of your lives, here are just a few tips to help you stay ahead of the learning curve your first semester of college.

1. Talk with your professors. They can help you understand the course material, and it doesn't hurt to know the person who's in charge of determining your final grade.

2. Search online for textbooks. Everyone likes a good deal, right? In this economy, there's no sense paying $125 for a book that's online for $90, right? So, do some digging on Amazon.com or other book sites to see if you can get the best book for your buck.

3. Take good notes. Good note-taking is a skill that can be used in a variety of settings. If you're not great at it yet, now might be a good time to start learning. Note-taking for classes can be an easy way to make some extra cash while in school.

4. Visit pickaprof.com. This is one of the best inventions since the Internet. It's an online database of schools where students rate their professors and can tell you things like which professor is the easiest to understand, gives pop quizzes, assigns tons of homework and a whole lot more.

5. Don't goof off. It sounds pretty predictable, but at least someone actually told you. Between meeting new people, taking weekend road trips and who knows what else, it's easy to get distracted. Scheduling will play an important role in your life. Get a planner, and set aside time to study. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.

Obama Administration: "United We Serve"

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

The Obama administration, which has created several "dot gov" Web sites to coincide with its policy initiatives, has created Serve.gov. The latest dot gov is a site that helps volunteers find service work in their community, as well as register volunteer organizations and share volunteer stories.

The President and First Lady are also calling on Americans to volunteer this summer in a new nationwide initiative called "United We Serve." Here's the message from the First Lady.

Hung

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

In this recession-torn, down-on-its-luck 2009 America, people are doing what they can to survive, using whatever gifts God gave them. That's the premise behind Hung, an hilarious new series on HBO, which premieres next Sunday.

Hung is the story of Ray Drecker, a red-blooded American man who can't seem to catch a break. A handsome former athlete, Drecker is miserable at his job as a Detroit-area high school gym teacher, behind on his ballooned mortgage payments, and living in a tent on the lawn of the burned-out familial home he can't afford to fix.

In 2009 America, the story sounds all-too familiar, but then it takes some unusual and hilarious turns. With the help of a poet (played for perfect comedy by Jane Adams), Drecker (Thomas Jane) decides to put his greatest God-given talent to work and become a gigolo. Or, as Eddie Griffin so memorably put it, a "Man-ho."

Executive produced by Alexander Payne, whose films Election and About Schmidt capture the pathos of middle-American life in all of its drab glory, Hung is perhaps the first TV series to make use of America's current dire straights for comedic effect.

While it follows the half-hour comedy format, and has lots to make you laugh (if you find the prospect of a divorced former high school baseball star-turned male prostitute amusing, that is) there's also lots to think about in this show. The whole story is overshadowed by a tangible sense of gloom. This is, after all, Detroit, a city that mirrors Drecker's own crumbling life in its derelict buildings and gutted downtown. While on its surface Hung may indeed be a show about the sex trade, what it's really about is the state of America today, and you can take that how you will.

What Father's Day Means

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

With Father's Day being this past weekend, I wanted to take an opportunity to look at two individual's experiences and asked them what Father's Day meant to them. Both have what I believe to be interesting stories that I hope you'll appreciate as well.

This story is a personal account of one young man's experience of growing up with a unique father figure in his life, his grandfather. - S.N.

My father wasn't in my life to help me to learn how to be a man on a daily basis. My mom did her best to surround me with positive male figures all throughout my adolescent years. She always kept me in the YMCA programs, Boy Scouts, sports programs, and more to keep me around the environment of men. My most recognized father figure would be my grandfather, who recently passed away. As time goes by and the older I become, I realize how much of an inspiration and father figure he was to me. I also had great uncles that took me under their wings, as well. Father's Day means a lot to me. Even though I didn't have my biological father to guide and raise me, I relish the opportunity to let all the positive father figures I have know how much I love and appreciate them for molding the young man that I'm comfortable with growing up to become.

My grandfather was a distinguished and respected man of God. He pastored a church for half a century, taught and lead by example what God wanted from his children. During his years as pastor of his church, he played an enormous role in the civil rights movement in Houston, Texas. He was one of the few pastors in the city to take a stand with Martin Luther King Jr. when he visited for the continuation of the civil rights movement. He stood up for a lot and gave me motivation to keep that tradition going of love and respect that our last name stood for. He did so much to change the lives of others that he neglected his own son by mistake. He left the child parenting to my grandmother, while he provided financial stability and tended to God's work. My father didn't grasp the concept that being a father meant being there for his child, so my grandfather vowed to be the man in my life that my dad wasn't able to be for me. The older I've gotten, I have begun to realize, appreciate, love and understand everything he did to shape me into a true man of God.

I also had 3 loving uncles that were street smart, family orientated, and well-respected around their neighborhood. They showed me about hard work. as my grandfather did, but in a different view. They taught me about how to handle women, turn nothing into something, and also how to be myself and be cool.

Father's Day means a lot to me because I have the chance to let all of these father figures in my life know how much I love and appreciate them. I've learned from all of them that God is the number one priority to becoming a great man, and one day I hope to become a great father as well. - C. Lott, Houston, TX

An Awesome Father

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

In my quest to find out what people think about the meaning of Fathers Day, I asked one individual to share his thoughts on the subject. I hope you'll enjoy. -S.N.

I grew up in Dar es salaam, Tanzania, where both of my parents were working class citizens with great ambitions and limitless desires for their children. In a family of three, I have an older brother and a younger sister. While our mother has always been the favorite of our family, it's my father who has always been answering calls, clearing paths and supporting every one of us, including our mother, even when he's had some major reservations of his own about what some of us try to do with our own lives.

While many of us may cherish and sometimes take for granted the parental care where both mom and dad are present, there are still a significant number of children for whom the only parent they have known in their lives is the father.

Unlike many nations in the African continent, East Africa's Tanzania has been built with solid foundations that can be traced back to pre-colonial Africa where families and tribes lived together and supported each other against any odds. Some of these families have had the presence of two parents who are equally interested in the upbringing of their child or children and some families have only had the presence of one—an awesome father.

I'm talking about a father that prays for his child or children before he can pray for himself. Not the one who says to God, "Forgive them Father (when talking about his children) for they know not what they do," but the one who says, "Thank you Lord for all that they do."

My father always found comfort in his fatherhood and spoke to his children openly and lovingly.

He understood that a child is a gift from God—and that not all men are gifted to have a child. He took pride in not just making a baby, but rather raising one. I am talking about the man who not only clothed and sheltered, but also fed my stomach and my brain. He's a father who understood that, in today's world, keeping ignorant of one's own children is just the same as leaving them to suffer in the world alone. I'm talking about an awesome man who did these things for me. I'm talking about my father, my dad. - M. Khalfan, Austin, TX

Food, Inc.

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

A documentary opened recently that could change the way we eat. But it probably won't.

Food, Inc. is a film about how and what we eat, something which director Robert Kenner pointedly states, "has changed more in the last 50 years than in the previous 10,000." It's a startling assertion, and one which, with a little thought, we can accept as true.

For a long time, more Americans lived outside of cities than in them. If they weren't farmers themselves, they knew farmers, or at least shared communities with them. Not anymore. Most people these days will have to think long and hard about when it was they last set foot on a farm, if they ever have.

Kenner's thesis, which unfolds with the help of Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser (the noted authors of The Omnivore's Dilemma and Fast Food Nation, respectively), is that our present food system bears little resemblance to the bucolic imagery of farming that we associate with it. Our food is produced rather than grown, in factories like any commodity, less nutritious, more laden with harmful chemicals, and damaging to the people who work with it, the people who consume it and the earth itself.

To those who are familiar with the work of Pollan and Schlosser, this will not come as a surprise. Back in 2002, Pollan wrote about the horrific conditions at factory farms in his New York Times Magazine story, "Power Steer." Since then, there have been numerous books and articles written on the topic, as well as the subject of factory farming in general, and the ruinous affect it's having on our society and landscape.

Now more than before, there seems to be a growing awareness of the importance of eating locally, sustainably produced food. But it seems most of the people jumping on this bandwagon are the ones who are not only inclined to read books about the eco-politics of food, but can also afford to pay a premium for free-range eggs and organic orange juice.

What about everybody else? Films like Food, Inc. are important, because the more people who see them, the more awareness there will be about this important issue. But most people will not see this film on the weekend. They'll go see The Year One instead, a comedy about cave men. And can you blame them? Food, Inc. is a really depressing movie.

My New Femtocell: Can You Hear Me Now?

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

Because I absolutely hate the fact that my house is a cell phone dead zone, I bought a new gadget that you've probably never heard of. It's called a femtocell and it hit the U.S. market in 2008.

The technology is designed to boost reception in homes and businesses and uses a box that looks like a Wi-Fi router to do that. It's like having a mini-cell tower in your home, because the box uses your broadband network and a GPS connection instead of the nearest cell phone tower.

The base station plugs into your broadband or DSL connection with an Ethernet cable and into your power outlet. And presto! That's it.

I decided to jump on this technology while it was still fairly new, before my mobile carrier (Verizon) gets slick and decides to charge a monthly fee for the service (like Sprint and T-Mobile).

I thought it was going to be some fancy set-up that would involve me watching an online tutorial, studying the manual for several hours and then asking my tech-savvy compadres how to work the darn thing. But that wasn't the case at all. I didn't even read the manual.

I placed the femtocell near my window (for the GPS signal) and on a table (I read the quick-start guide, at least.). After about an hour, my “network extender” was working. I went from no bars to four bars and have been chatting away ever since.

Don't hate.

I have been using the femtocell for all of two days, so I will let you know if it slows down my Internet connection or drops my calls unexpectedly. But so far, so good.

The technology is growing rapidly, and the Femto Forum (I promise I'm not making this up.) is developing femtocell standards as I type.

And if you're wondering why you've never heard of it, it's because mobile carriers have not promoted their femtocell rollouts. One theory is that the carriers are waiting until we're no longer in a recession and until they get their femto-testing out of the way. (Okay. I made up "femto-testing.") Another theory is that the carriers—who are all about their nationwide coverage and vast networks—don't want to call attention to the fact that they are selling a device to counteract their dreaded dead zones that we all know exist.

Can you hear me now?

America's Got Talent

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

Attention Susan Boyle, your 15 minutes are up. Not that I don't applaud Ms. Boyle's success on Britain's Got Talent (although I find the “shocking” revelation that yes, even ugly people can be good singers, to be more than a little distasteful), but to be very honest, her music doesn't do much for me.

I mean, really, haven't we all had enough of Les Miserables and Cats by now? It's hard to argue with 26 million YouTube views, but seriously, people dressed up like cats singing love songs is just a little bit creepy, right? Maybe that type of thing was cool in the eighties, but that was a pretty messed-up decade. That's crazy cat lady stuff. Oh... right. No offense, Susan Boyle.

In any case, as Boyle slips into Internet meme history alongside Tay Zonday and Stuff White People Like, another singing sensation is poised to take her place. As yet known only by his YouTube handle, Scribe114 is a 40-year-old former Marine and school teacher living in Detroit. When he's not teaching, however, Scribe114 records videos of himself singing cover versions of classic rock and Motown songs.

Check out his cover of The Drifters' “Up on the Roof,” and tell me this guy doesn't have what it takes to be the Susan Boyle of Summer 2009.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

Sharon Jones' story is a pretty remarkable one in music. After being told she was too dark, too short, too fat and too old to be a pop singer, she persevered, spending 30 years becoming the international star she is today.

Jones, who was a guest on the show earlier this week, is now in her fifties (although you'd never guess that from her youthful energy) and is enjoying enormous success since collaborating with the Brooklyn NY-based Dap-Kings. Their latest album, 100 Days 100 Nights, is a delightfully faithful return to the days when funk and soul dominated the airwaves.

The Dap-Kings formed in 2001, and first came to my attention (and the attention of many) through their backing instrumentals on Amy Winehouse's breakthrough album, Back to Black. The producer of that album, Mark Ronson (who also produced Lily Allen), brought the Dap-Kings into the studio again for his album Version, which is a collection of covers.

Their work on Back to Black and Version is of equally high quality, but it's clear that the Dap-Kings are doing their best work when backing Sharon Jones. Musically, it's a match made in heaven.

Celebrating One Million English Words! (Or Not)

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

“Web 2.0” became the one-millionth English word Wednesday (Does “one-millionth” count as a word?), according to The Global Language Monitor, a Texas-based Web site that tracks the creation of new English words.

One million English words? (And does “one million” count as one word or as two words that contribute to a one-word idea?)

“Nonsense!” say some linguists. It's impossible to count words. A “stunt,” say others. There are no certified rules for legitimizing words. (And would “legitimize” count as one word and “legitimizing” as another word? Seems a bit redundant.)

Ultimately experts call the entire idea of counting words rubbish but admit that English has more recognized words than any other world language. (Do we count “words” and “word” separately? Make that two for “word/words.”)

The Global Language Monitor says it's a celebration of the world's wordiest language at the very least. (We're counting “it's” as a word along with “it” and “is” just for fun).

Let's celebrate English! Yippee!

Is “yippee” even a word?

Nurse Edie

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

You know, it sounds a little stupid, but every time I see Edie Falco in a role other than Carmella Soprano, I get a bit of a shock. Like most people, Falco (a recent guest, star of HBO's The Sopranos and the new Showtime series Nurse Jackie) came to my attention in her award-winning role as the wife of mobster Tony Soprano. There was the whiny voice, the piercing Jersey accent, plus the big hair, the fake nails, the strained smile. It was all so "Carmella," and I guess I assumed that Falco (like many other actors on the show) was playing something fairly close to home.

Not so at all. Falco, it turns out, is from Brooklyn, but that's where the proximity to her Sopranos role ends. She is, it turns out, just a really talented actress.

The first time I saw Falco in a non-Sopranos role was in John Sayles' 2002 film Sunshine State, an impressive ensemble piece about Florida. Most recently, however, her show Nurse Jackie has proven that she is still a force to be reckoned with on the small screen.

On the show, Falco plays a nurse at a fictional New York City hospital. Addicted to painkillers and in serious trouble with her love life, Jackie is the sort of complex character that actors dream of playing. As with all hospital dramas, the stories are divided between the action of the ER and the turbulent relationships of the hospital's staff. It's often funny, frequently poignant, and unlike any other hospital show I've ever seen, which is a real accomplishment.

For her part, Falco upholds her status as one of the most interesting actresses on TV, with a performance that's nuanced and utterly believable. Like Carmella Soprano, Jackie isn't always likeable, but there's something so fascinating about her that you just can't look away.

America <3 the Muslim World

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

President Obama's highly anticipated speech Thursday morning in Cairo has received a variety of responses from communities in the Middle East.

Obama began his speech with the Arabic greeting “As-Salamu Alaykum” and attempted to balance competing interests throughout the region in his address. How successful he was at doing that remains to be seen.

But all of this preparation for the big Mideast speech seems to have put the White House in “America <3 Muslims” mode. In the run-up to the speech, the White House thought it would “share with you a few stories of Muslim Americans who are proudly serving the nation in the federal government.”

Check out the video and also tell us what you thought of Obama's speech about America's relationship with the Muslim world.

If GM Can Fail, So Can America

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

In Monday's LA Times, car columnist Dan Neil (a recent guest on the show and the only automotive journalist to be awarded a Pulitzer), writes about the epic fall of General Motors. The article is immensely insightful, comparing the decline of GM to the decline of the American economy in general, while outlining the myriad blunders and misfortunes that led to the bankruptcy of a company that once accounted for 10% of the American economy.

If anything, however, the article is worth reading for the following sentence alone:

"Any organization that fails to sufficiently safeguard its means of self-correction and reform, that forsakes long-term investment for short-term gain, that piles up debt year after year, will eventually fail, no matter how grand its history or noble its purpose."

It's a potent message, and one I think we'd all be good to take to heart. If it isn't already too late.

Disney Princess Controversy - "Dis Gon' Be Good!"

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:36:02 PST

Tiana, Disney's first African American princess, who will be in theaters this December in The Princess and the Frog, is already stirring up a bit of controversy.

Critics are not happy that Disney, which has a record of racial faux-pas, chose a prince who is not also African American, selected New Orleans as the animated film's setting and includes some characters who might be racially insensitive, including a witch doctor, characters who play the banjo and shuffle when they dance, a jazz-playing alligator and a firefly with missing teeth.

If we allow for the fact that A) every princess can't be expected to pair with a mate of the same ethnicity, B) the creators might have chosen New Orleans to celebrate the historical beauty of the hurricane-damaged city, C) a witch doctor might be more of a culturally insensitive character than a racially insensitive character, D) characters who play musical instruments and dance are quite the norm in musicals, E) an alligator who plays jazz makes sense in New Orleans and F) fireflies just might be missing teeth, then we are left with just another Disney princess movie.

Then, if we put aside the fact that Tiana is Disney's 9th princess, and they might want to hold off on making any more female characters who are ... well ... princesses (even if Queen Oprah provides the voice for the lead character's mother), that leaves us with one thing that made my hair stand on end when I heard it in the trailer. A character, whose species, race and/or gender I could not determine, exclaims “'Dis Gon' Be Good!”

Not sure who, but someone, somewhere is going to complain about that line.

Friendly Fire

Sun, 31 May 2009 11:36:02 PST

I was visiting New York last week, to say hello to some old friends. While I was there, I sat back and reminisced with folks, caught up on all the latest happenings and was even able to make some new friends in the process.

I also heard a story that was sad and arguably all too common when it comes to stories involving the police and communities of color in New York.

Off-duty police officer Omar Edwards approached his vehicle Thursday night to find someone breaking into it. In plain clothes, he ran after the burglar with his gun drawn. Officer Edwards was black.

As he ran down the street, an unmarked police crime unit spotted Edwards. One of the officers from the mobile unit, who is white, got out of the car and fired his gun at Edwards.

Shots were fired from this officer's gun six times, leaving Edwards hit three times. Officer Edwards died an hour later at Harlem Hospital from the gunshots. His gun was never fired in the incident.

Some are concerned that race may have been an issue in the shooting, while others are calling this a case of friendly fire.

No one knows if either Officer Edwards or Andrew Dutton, the officer from the mobile unit, announced themselves as police officers. An investigation is currently underway to determine whether or not proper protocol was used in the incident. Al Sharpton, a man all too familiar with incidents such as these, has called for an independent federal investigation on the matter.

Being in New York again brought back a lot of memories for me, but this is one memory that I'd rather soon forget.

A Prison Gift for You, Phil Spector

Sun, 31 May 2009 11:36:02 PST

Well, it looks like the jury has carefully weighed the evidence and decided that Phil Spector is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This after 6 years and two trials.

Spector, who was famous for creating the "wall of sound," producing the Beatles, and creating one of the best Christmas albums ever, was on trial for the 2003 murder of Lana Clarkson at Spector's home in Alhambra, CA. Clarkson was a former B-movie actress who had been working as a hostess at the House of Blues on Sunset, where she met Spector earlier that evening.

Much like a particular previous high-profile celebrity murder case, this one seemed fairly straightforward in terms of whether or not Spector actually did it. The question was whether he'd get off.

The whole case hinged on the testimony of Spector's chauffeur, who testified that the music icon emerged from the house following a gunshot and said, “I think I killed somebody.” There was that, plus testimony from several women from Spector's past who claimed the famed music producer had threatened them with guns, too.

According to the L.A. Times, Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson hoped to send a message to other would-be celebrity murderers with this verdict. "No matter your fame or your wealth or your supposed celebrity,” he said, “you will stand trial and you will be held accountable."

Fair enough. But I figure if Johnnie Cochran was still around this might have ended differently.

Guarding Against a 'Weapon of Mass Disruption'

Fri, 29 May 2009 11:36:02 PST

Based on recommendations from a 60-day cyberspace policy review, President Obama announced Friday that he will appoint a cyber-security czar to oversee the security of government and business computer networks and to guard against an attack on our digital infrastructure or, as he called it, a “weapon of mass disruption.”

Now, if you're concerned that a "cyber-security czar" sounds a lot like “Big Brother,” Obama offered this reassurance in his speech: “Our pursuit of cyber security will not include -- I repeat will not include monitoring private-sector networks or Internet traffic. We will preserve and protect the personal privacy and civil liberties that we cherish as Americans.”