How Important is St. Valentine's Day?

EXTREMELY important!

A quick word about Valentine's Day!

You should know the history!

It's on Thursday, February 14th!

Men, understand one thing; this day is not for you, its for your wife or girlfriend!

Don't make the mistake and not acknowledge this day!

Quite simply, buy these and get as many as you can afford!

They come in yellow, pink, white and black (intriguing) but stick with the RED ones! Here's a refresher , use it!

Trust me!

Chocolate may last longer, but giving your lady these will make a lasting impression and something delicious, delightful and devilish could happen to you later that night!

Save your money, plan accordingly, and don't freakin' forget!

VH-1: Where Black Reality Lives

In the spirit of Martin Luther King's birthday and Barak Obama's second inauguration, the question lingers, how far have we really come since the Civil Rights Movement? Certainly, African Americans have made huge leaps in media and entertainment since the 60's, but can progress be measured by what we've seen on the big and the small screen?

While there have been and continues to be a significant number of African American comedies on television, dramatic shows have diminished over recent years. The rise of the reality show has exploded since the invent of "The Real World" in the mid 1990's which aired on MTV. Television lives in the age of voyeurism. We've accepted reality that's debatably staged or concocted. VH-1 is at the forefront the 21st century reality show movement.

VH-1 went from mature videos in the 80's to reality shows in the 21st century. With 10 + reality shows featuring African American casts, VH-1 has fully embraced the young black hip-hop reality (used loosely). But is the content being featured, for lack of better words, good or bad?

Some have criticized these shows and VH-1 for displaying African Americans in a negative, unflattering way. It would be remissive not to mention BET or TV-One, both of which feature African American content. Arguably, the same criticism could be leveled against those networks as well. Coincidently, neither BET (owned by Viacom) or TV-One (co-owned by Radio One & Comcast) are African American owned. 

For sure some of these shows feature polarizing themes and characters (caricatures depending on one's viewpoint), but can't the shows be seen simply for entertainment? Clearly, there's an audience for the content. An audience that represents the ideal demographic, the sweet spot for advertisers and huge cash for Viacom (VH-1's parent company).

If there is blame, on whom should the blame fall?

With Shaunie O'Neal for "Basketball Wives?"

Or 

Mona Scott-Young for "Love and Hip-Hop?"

Or Viacom for airing the shows?

On one side, these are business women putting out entertainment projects trying to get a piece of the dollar pie. Viacom is an entertainment conglomerate interested in content that sells. Viacom has branded itself, with MTV, VH-1 and other networks, as the stewards of pop culture entertainment. Viacom is worth an estimated $730 billion dollars (they paid $3 billion for BET). These ladies are successful content creators in an industry dominated by men.

On the other side, these shows continue to show conflict amongst African Americans- the cat fights, the misogyny, the shallow materialistic lifestyle. Images that can still make African Americans cringe and criticize.

Make no mistake, at the end of the day, there's only one variable that matters, M.O.N.E.Y.

Pro Se makes no argument for or against. Discourse and debate is best left to the reader.

How do you feel about the shows on VH-1 or so called black reality tv? Please leave your comments!

Here are some video clip remixes from some of those shows.

Seriously, who the hell is Funky Dineva?

Get More: Love & Hip Hop, Love and Hip Hop 3 

Get More: Love & Hip Hop Atlanta

Get More: Basketball Wives LA, Basketball Wives LA 2

Lance The Dope

Do you care that Lance Armstrong doped? Does it matter that he confessed? Do you think his confession was sincere and contrite?

What really, really motivated Lance to come clean? Should there be legal ramifications?

Why Oprah?

Can people find a way to forgive Lance?

So many questions despite his confession still seem unanswered.

Sometimes out of the ashes comes life- Livestrong represents that life!

Where do you stand? How do you see it?

The 128,000 Feet Man

You may have heard or seen this video, but this jump was sick!

The vitals:
Felix "Fearless Felix"Baumgartner- professional basejumper and daredevil.
The jump was sponsored by RedBull.
Baumgartner wore a 100 pound pressurized suit that prevented his blood from vaporizing!
The temperature was somewhere near -70 degrees Fahrenheit!
Dude was 128,100 feet in the air- 24 miles up!
In free-fall Baumgartner hit 833.9 mph, the speed of sound! The only man to do so!
The entire jump took 9 minutes and 3 seconds; freefall over 4 minutes!
Baumgartner landed on his feet pumped his fist and feel to his knees!


I would never jump from the edge of the Earth!

F*cking amazing!

Taking A Cheeky Piss

Why doesn't our government take a cheeky turn and discuss the issues like the British House of Commons?

A brief history about the House Of Commons. The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which, like the House of Lords (the upper house), meets in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body consisting of 650 members known as Members of Parliament (MPs).

Bills may be introduced in either house, though controversial bills normally originate in the House of Commons. The supremacy of the Commons in legislative matters is assured by the Parliament Acts, under which certain types of bills may be presented for the Royal Assent without the consent of the House of Lords.

They do it a bit differently than we do in the states, but basically the same concept. 

So the House of Commons is like the House of Representatives and the House of Lords is like the Senate. Can you imagine POTUS having a go at Boehner and the rest of the Republicans and it all gets televised?! What if it were Bush a few years back? That would have been must see TV!

Imagine the ratings?

Check out a clip from Question Time in British House of Commons in which a Q&A takes place with the Prime Minister every Wednesday for 30 minutes. Tune into to CSPAN to see it live.

Cheeky fun! Take a look...

Of course CSPAN televises most of the shit that spews out of Washington, but its not nearly as entertaining or fun!

Pro Se will be drafting a petition for Question Time in the House of Representatives!

Living in The Trees

I came across this site a few weeks ago and it got me to thinking, damn, it would be cool to live in a tree house! The treehouse offers a temporary reprieve from the wife and the children. A fight with the wife, move into the treehouse for a while. The six year old not listening, run to the treehouse. In fact, you could find multiple reasons to run to the treehouse.

Your kids and your boys would be completely envious. Ladies, no disrespect but this is strictly a dude thing.

I want a TREEHOUSE!

baumraum, a German company plans and build these structures. If you have $10,000 to $120,000 euros, they'll hook you up!

Come on, cool right?!

Put 'Em In the Hall!

After reading this article in the NY Times, Bill Pennington makes a damn good case that despite alleged PED use or admitted PED use or gambling or drug dealing or pedophilia or any other human vice, and if Cobb, Ruth, and other immoral baseball "legends" are in the Hall then, these dudes should get in!

Barry Lamar Bonds

This guy gets in!

Roger Clemens

And this guy gets in!

Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa

This guy gets in!

Peter Edward "Charlie Hustle" Rose

And... damnit, put this man in!


These cats hold the records! They put the stats up! The debate about steroids and cheating between the fans, the baseball purists, the sportswriters, and the players will rage on!

Discourse continues, but put 'em in the damn Hall!

My Kid Doesn't Like Elmo

In 2011 my kid was enamored with Elmo! Whenever Sesame Street came on he would go bat shit for Elmo!

Santa even dropped off an Elmo doll (no it wasn't Tickle Me Elmo) for him on Christmas Eve! Got photos to prove it. We couldn't pry Elmo from his hands! But a shift started happening early in 2012. My son stopped playing with Elmo and began requesting Yo Gabba Gabba. Shortly thereafter the Gabba Gabba Beanie Babies were purchased. Then Team Umizoomi started to creep in, spending more and more time on the squared box. By the Spring of 2012, Elmo disappeared, ending up in the annals of the toy bucket (it's a really big bucket).

Coincidentally, my son's transformation from Elmo to Yo Gabba Gabba and Team Umizoomi was complete as sexual abuse allegations started bubbling up against Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo.

Did my son sense Elmo's possible downfall? Is it simply just toddler progression? Have other kids snubbed Elmo?

Last week, Elmo's fate was sealed when my kid pulled out all his pampers looking for Cookie Monster. I gave him the Elmo pamper, but he literally pushed it away!

The Elmo pamper got dissed!

 And the Cookie Monster pamper embraced!

Of course, he hasn't explained why he has shunned Elmo. Maybe the Cookie Monster pampers feel better on his ass. The search is on for Team Umizoomi pampers (do they even exist)?

By the way, the stats look like this: Elmo- 17 pampers, Cookie Monster- 14 pampers, Ernie- 5 pampers, Big Bird- 4 pampers, Grover- 4 pampers. Just in case your kid is having a similar existential conversion.

What does that mean for Elmo's future? Will Elmo go through a physical transformation or a voice change? The fact is, Elmo still clocks bank. Elmo still rocks the kiddie globe. Elmo will continue to sell merchandise and cause kiddie pandemonium. It's all good on the Street!

But, regardless of all those facts, my kid has kicked Elmo to the curb!

"I Gotta Gun, He Gotta Gun, Everybody Got Guns!"

The Bushmaster Adaptive Combat Rifle $2,500 retail

What's more dangerous, this rifle?

High Caliber Ammo for the Bushmaster ACR

These bullets?

Ready, Aim, Fire!

Or this guy holding the rifle?

Or maybe it's people that think like Alex Jones (*please see part 2)?


A group of Conservative Gun Coalitions have called for a "Gun Appreciation Day" to take place on January 19, 2013! A group of advocates (see the Advocacy post), some with extreme views, have decided it will send a message to the President, the parents of the children killed in Newtown and gun control advocates to keep "your hands off my guns!"

There were 8,583 gun murders in the U.S. in 2011! Is that not enough? Should another Newtown take place before we take serious action?

Your turn!
Are you for, against, or don't give a f*ck?

The F*cking Shield

The NFL Playoffs are in full effect and the post season excitement is just beginning. The season will culminate this February in New Orleans with Super Bowl XLVII.

In America, football fans are just as passionate and rabid as the fans are for world Futbul (Soccer). Check the comparison; power, speed and touchdowns vs. yellow cards, flopping and nil-nil scoring.

No disrespect to soccer (Pro Se is a big fan of Barca and Chelsea), but there's really no comparison in terms of the intensity and the excitement on the field of play!

This is a $9.5 billion dollar sport! More than any other professional sport in this country! Football is as American as apple pie and Chevy (remember that commercial?). Basketball is a global phenom. Latin America has become a player incubator for Baseball. Hockey has always been huge in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Russia and Canada. Football tried to attract global appeal with  NFL Europe but folded the league in 2007. Well, props to the Canadian Football League, but it's barely watched here the in U.S.

The NFL has it's fair share of problems. In recent years, the medical field has taken an interest in the seriousness of concussions and its effects on the players long after they retire from the game. Recent years have seen the rise in player suicides, most recently Hall of Fame Linebacker Junior Seau.

Bottom line, the NFL has to find a viable way to keep the game highly competitive while adjusting the rules, changing the schedule and creating safer equipment to help better protect the players.

Football is a violent sport! Maximum respect goes out to any player who valiantly puts on a helmet and steps on that field! It's a man's game with a warrior's heart and skill akin to the chess like moves and strategies of Garry Kasperov! Ok, wait...we like the Lingerie Football League. Show some love for those women! Sorry, digression subsided.

The Playoffs elevates all those variables to another level! And there's nothing sexier than a woman who digs football! It's even better when you both like the same team and indulge happily in football related banter! 

Despite the seriousness of C.T.E., the pain of torn ACL's and ripped pectoral muscles, millions of people continue to tune in on every media platform available to watch the greatest American sport!

Are you ready for some Football?!!!
 
Hail to the F*cking Shield!

Born In Madchester: A Red and Blue City Divided

The rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City is storied and fierce! A red and blue division in the same city not of politics, but of sport.

Then ESPN dropped this commercial!

You may be familiar with this commercial if you watch ESPN as much as we do at Pro Se...If you're not...um...well...here it is!

Totally diggin this commercial! A city divided; Red and Blue! If you don't like this commercial you're a "PROPER GIT!"

Just in case you can't catch the Madchester lingo! "Chips are up, as you sit on your TOD!"

A Post to Advocate For

 

¹ad·vo·cate

noun \ˈad-və-kət, -ˌkāt\

Definition of ADVOCATE 

1: one that pleads the cause of another; specifically : one that pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court

  

2: one that defends or maintains a cause or proposal 

3: one that supports or promotes the interests of another

See advocate defined for English-language learners »

See advocate defined for kids »

Examples of ADVOCATE

1. a passionate advocate of civil rights
2. She works as a consumer advocate.
3. He has paid respectful attention to the home schooling movement by meeting with its advocates and endorsing their cause. —Elizabeth Drew, New York Review of Books, 10 June 2004
4. [+]more

Origin of ADVOCATE

Middle English advocat, from Anglo-French, from Latin advocatus, from past participle of advocare to summon, from ad- + vocare to call, from voc-, vox voice — more at voice

First Known Use: 14th century

Politics can be tricky. Political discourse can divide nations, families and friends. Red States, Blue States, Democrats, Republicans. Differences of opinions, so what? The ideal formula looks something like this; opinion + discussion = agree to disagree.

A different opinion or viewpoint should never lead to war or violence! No need to disregard someone's view or opinion unless you're Sarah Palin or the Tea Party (insert political joke here). A fundamental aspect of a true democracy is that civil discourse of one's opinion or view can take place without ridicule or harm.

Advocacy is most commonly associated with a political organization or political group. Without question there are many political advocacy groups, but there are other forms advocacy. One can advocate for work changes or against fare hikes (talking to you MTA) or to fix the potholes in the street (NYC DOT this means you). 

Advocacy on any level should be allowed and tolerated. Of course, extreme advocacy viewpoints and extreme advocacy groups should be closely monitored. Remember, the idea is to have civil views and discourse not to advocate harm or violence to another person or group. 

What does advocacy mean to you?

There are a plethora of advocacy organizations on the community level and online that may speak to your cause. If you believe in something, advocate...

Pulpit over!

We here at Pro Se have and continue to advocate for a number of causes. Here are a few groups we've joined over the years:

Move.org
Color of Change.org
SignOn.org

The saying goes; if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything...

Cut That Cable?

With cable prices soaring and competitive offerings dwindling, Pro Se is itching to return those overpriced cable boxes! Are you aware of how much it costs to rent an HD box with DVR service from Time Warner Cable?

Unfortunately, the time isn't quite right, but soon that cord will be severed!

For now, the battle for best show on television just got a bit more interesting. This month brand new seasons of my faves are premiering. Justified & Archer on FX. House of Lies and Californication on Showtime. Suits on USA.

Some mid-season love will be shown to these new shows- The Americans -FX , "Zero Hour"- ABC, and Deception- NBC

Right now, Amish Mafia on Discovery Channel is baffling but equally fascinating. Who the fuck knew?? Levi and Merlin are Amish Pimps man!

Watch out for Banshee! It's about to drop on Cinemax and it looks really really twisted! Good fun for everyone.

The trailer above has been provided for your perusal.

Oh, and next month Walking Dead returns on AMC.

With tons of shows across hundreds of channels, with so much variety on so many platforms, viewing content has never been easier. Being cable dependent and paying cable bills in the low three digits, realistically cutting the cord is just a matter of time.

Pro Se advises cable companies to seriously consider lowering costs and offering reasonable a la cart content or die like the CD.

Beware, the scissors are coming out!

The Baby Named "Pop Culture!"

The news spread like wildfire across the net and the media about a certain expecting celeb couple .

Dig a little a deeper and you'll find that Mrs. Celeb is still legally married and according to California law the celeb rapper ain't the baby daddy. Hmm.

And, to top it off, the celeb rapper felt so on top of the world that he wanted the packed venue at the Revel in A.C. to congratulate his baby mom!

Should we care? Do we care? Does it matter if Mrs. Humphries is still married?

What's in for us? How can this knowledge put money in my pocket? Cash my WIC check? Will this enlightenment somehow help me win a date with that chick with the double "Ds" I met at the L Magazine party in Bushwick?

Point is, when does morality come into play even if you're a so called "celebrity"? Role models or not, the younger population is observing and emulating who and what they see in pop culture.

No stones cast. I'm just saying...

Pro Se wishes all the best to the expecting couple! Remember, your kid will be watching you.

Last thing, revelations such as this one are best kept private... So all you "celebrity couples", full disclosure of the family business is unnecessary! Mums the word (pun so intended)!

No disrespect, but Kris Humphries, man where you at?!

New York Basketball

Pick Your All-Time New York City N.B.A. Team

Lew Alcindor

So other day I came across this interactive article in the New York Times about New York City basketball players. 

New York City high schools have produced at least 211 N.B.A. players, including 12 Hall of Famers.  

Pick your all New York N.B.A Team and see my picks here.


The discourse begins...

Welcome

Blogs are a dime a dozen; some good, some bad. Considering the proliferation of social media platforms, I decided to take another crack at this blogging thing.

This blog is the extension of my view in this life through words and images.

I encourage feedback: to create discourse whether you agree, disagree or just want your voice heard.

Please LEAVE comments.

Thanks,
Welcome...