More police misconduct?? Officers caught on camera fabricating police report

In the aftermath of the Henry Louis Gates incident, not only has dialogue opened up nationwide regarding race relations, but police conduct has also been thrown into the spotlight.

A few days ago, another situation involving "questionable" police behavior was uncovered. Back in February, police officers in Hollywood, Florida charged 23 year-old Alexandra Torrensvillas with DUI and a traffic violation following a fender-bender where the officers ran into the back of her car.

Upon questioning Torrensvillas admitted that she had been drinking. The officers were caught on the dashboard camera devising a plot to spin the story to make it appear as if the accident was a result of Torrensvillas driving under the influence and not the fault of the officers who were following too closely.

Check out the news story:

Now in the Gates situation, there is some fuzziness surrounding the details and who is most at fault, but here the facts are clear cut and officers are clearly in the wrong.

Sgt. Dewey Pressley, a 21-year veteran on the force is can be heard on the tape saying "well, I don't lie and makes things up ever because it's wrong, but if I need to bend it a little to protect a cop, I'm gonna."

To make matters worse, Pressley then goes on to direct another officer on how to write the report.

"I will write the narrative out for you. I will tell you exactly how to word it so it can get him off the hook. You see the angle of her car? You see the way it's like this? As far as I'm concerned, I am going to word it she is in the left hand lane. We will do a little Walt Disney to protect the cop, because it wouldn't matter because she was drunk anyway.."

Wow..Talk about abusing the law. The officers have since been placed on desk duty and the charges against Torrensvillas have been dropped.

Now I know the Gates incident and this have little in common other than the fact that police behavior in both situations have come under scrutiny. If anything, police behavior and the officers' commitment to enforcing not abusing the law should be the common thread these incidents share. Unfortunately that's not the case.

In another incident, an openly gay attonery from D.C. was arrested and ticketed after police officers overheard him telling his friends that he hates the police. Apparently, officers handcuffed him without giving their reason and then told him to "just shut up fa**@!"

Henry Gates is a prominent scholar, and because of that he was able to draw attention to his plight, even gaining sympathy/support from the President of the United States. Alexandra Torrensvillas had the good fortune of a dashboard camera to capture her arresting officers transgressions. The prominent lawyer in D.C. has his reputation and legal knowledge to aid him in his battle. Not everyone is that lucky, and the fact that these incidents happened in different parts of the country under different circumstances tells me that this is not a racial/class struggle between police and civilians, but rather a culture of superiority over the law within police departments nationwide. These cops are setting a dangerous precedent, and the issue needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

In the mean time, I'll just make sure to be on my P's & Q's when I see Johnny Law approaching and let N.W.A comment on my feelings about coppers...

Chris Brown apology...what a joke

Have you ever seen a more scripted, insincere apology than this pile of crap offered up by Chris Brown??

After jet-skiing at Diddy's estate, laying low for a few months, then getting shut down from the BET Awards by Jay-Z, Chris makes his first public statements since that fateful night when he assaulted Rihanna from the drivers seat of his car.

If this is the best he could do, he shouldn't have said anything. Watching this makes me even question if he's truly remorseful for what he did or remorseful over the fact that his actions have affected his public image...Chris and his lawyer should be ashamed of themselves for this one.

You be the judge:

President Obama comments on the Henry Louis Gates situation

President Obama addressed the nation again in prime time; this time to garner support, and emphasize his desire to reform America's health care system. I won't bore you with the details of the speech if you missed it. Get the rundown here.

The highlight of the night in my opinion came when President Obama fielded his final question from the throng of White House correspondents present for the address.

A woman asked the president what he thought about the Henry Louis Gates incident that occurred a few days ago. If you haven't heard about it, read up on it here.

President Obama replied by saying that "the police acted stupidly" and "what we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."

See for yourself:

Uh oh...so much for being PC. President Obama "kept it real," and gave his honest, unscripted opinion on the matter. I hope there isn't much backlash for those remarks. Obama acknowledged that Gates is a personal friend and that his opinion may be a little biased, but still...

Then again, isn't that what you want from a leader? Someone who will tell the truth and/or make decisions because those are right things to say and do, not because they are popular?

What about the "...here I'd get shot" comment? I laughed at the time when I heard it live as did the press members in the audience. I just hope that news outlets and the GOP don't replay/spin those bytes continuously down the road (re-election time if not sooner) to portray Obama in a negative light.

There is no question that what happened to Professor Gates is an unfortunate situation that probably could have been resolved differently. I hope that President Obama's approval ratings/political initiatives/respect from other politicians and world leaders do not waver in the aftermath of those comments; especially since it was not absolutely imperative that the president address that situation at all. That my friends would truly be an unfortunate situation.

Video of LeBron James getting dunked on..

Sports enthusiasts have been hearing about this and anticipating the footage for weeks now... The footage of Jordan Crawford, the sophomore at Xavier University who dunked on LeBron James at his Nike sponsored skills camp.


Well, after some internet scouring BDumasonline has found the video. See the dunk for yourself:

If you're not aware of the situation, my boys over at the Campus Socialite have a good synopsis of what happened.

Essentially, LeBron James was dunked on in a pickup game...A semi-embarrassing moment for the league MVP. Nike confiscated all videos of the dunk, saying it is against policy to film pickup games... Right. Nike/LeBron were just trying to save face.

I wonder what Bron Bron's response to this mishap will be?? Look for King James in the NBA Finals next season. As for the collegiate Jordan Crawford...I hope that dunk will not be the crowning achievement of his basketball career. It remains to be seen.

Happy Birthday America!

A few photos that I snapped from a friend's balcony yesterday..

Blast from the past: M.Jackson vs. M. Jordan

Only a few days removed from the shocking news of Michael Jackson's death, radio station playlists and TV coverage are still devoting a great deal of time and attention to the pop icons music. 

Remember the song Jam from Jackson's 1991 album "Dangerous" ? The song had cameos from Kriss Kross, a verse from Heavy D, and more importantly Michael "His Airness" Jordan was featured alongside Jackson shooting hoops and dancing.

Never before had two powerhouses of sports and entertainment been featured together in a music video..

Here is some footage of Jackson talking about playing ball with Jordan & showing him some of his patented dance moves.

Nowadays, cameos such as the one Michael Jordan made are commonplace. Athletes frequently appear in music videos, and musicians frequently support athletes in the arenas (i.e. Jay-Z & LeBron James).

LeBron actually has a similar cameo to Michael Jordan in Jay-Z's new video for his single 'Death of Autotune.' People always say nothing is new under the sun. Michael Jackson was the first to feature a prominent athlete in his video over 15 years ago...The man truly was a pioneer.

Jay-Z: 'Death of Autotune' video (LeBron cameo @ 3:55)

College done the right way: A few websites to enhance your college experience

"I wanna go to college for the rest of my life

Sip Banker's Club and drink Miller Lite

On Thirsty Thursday and Tuesday Night Ice

And I can get pizza a dollar a slice.

So fill up my cup, let's get f*!#ed up

I'm next on the table, who want what?

I am champion at beer pong

Allen Iverson, Hakeem Olajuwon"

Asher Roth pretty much captured the essence of college with his hit song "I love College." 

If your college experience was anything like mine, then you look back fondly at the four years (or more in some cases) that you spent on campus. Learning about yourself, learning in the classroom, and learning about a variety of other topics...made college one of the most exciting, entertaining and challenging times of my life.

A few friends of mine from Syracuse have started websites and made it their business to make sure youngsters in college get the most out the university in addition to a diploma and a lot of debt.

The first site is Precioustimeny.com. My buddies Drew Greenfeld & Brad Wellen have brought the services of a high-end concierge service to college campuses. 

According to the website, Precious Time "is the ultimate concierge service for college students. We provide an array of accommodating luxuries that college students can utilize to improve their social and educational experience."

Need to order food and have it delivered? Need a tutor?  Precious Time has you covered. Precious Time just started an awesome blog recently called  "The Campus Socialite."One of my favorite blogs to read now, the Campus Socialite discusses all things college. Useful gadgets, easy ways to make money, good parties, funny college humor material etc etc. There is even a section devoted to the ladies called "Campus Diva." If you're in college and want to keep up with what's going on in the collegiate world, or you're a grad like me but love to reminisce, then Campus Socialite is a site you need to check out.

Next up is "The Orange Life.org." The Orange Life is more tailored to students in Central New York (Syracuse, Cornell, Ithaca, Colgate, Buffalo, Rochester etc.) Equipped with dining guides, fashion links, weather, sports, off-campus housing information, and an events calendar, The Orange Life is a one-stop shop for all things collegiate in CNY. 

If you're still in college, or a grad who likes to keep your finger on the pulse of college life then these are two sites that need to be in your rotation.

Asher said it best. "Man I love college!"

Bye Bye Iraq: US troops to withdraw within a matter of hours

Within a matter of hours, all of the 130,000 U.S. combat soldiers stationed in cities around Iraq will have vacated to bases outside of the cities. These actions are a result of an agreement between the U.S. and Iraqi governments as America slowly hands the reigns off to the Iraqi's as the rebuilding effort in that country continues. The agreement calls for all U.S. troops to leave the country by 2011. 

Six years after George W. Bush declared "mission accomplished" aboard the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, the United States is finally getting the hell out of dodge...but has the mission really been accomplished??

Remember this speech??

Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani to the Associated Press that when the sun rises on Tuesday  "Iraqi citizens will see no U.S. soldiers in their cities. They will see only Iraqi troops protecting them."

Many Iraqi's are ecstatic about this news, and a massive party has been planned on the banks of the Tigris river with performances by popular musicians and a fireworks show. The Iraqi government has declared June 30 a public holiday, "National Sovereignty Day."

The Iraqi government is confident that its forces can combat violence and militant uprisings. There are concerns that with the absence of U.S. troops violence will spike in Iraqi cities. More than 250 people have been killed in little over a week  by bombings.

Attention now shifts to the ongoing struggle to combat the Taliban in the mountainous, rugged terrain of Afghanistan. When you look back on the time our soldiers spent in Iraq, how do you feel? Do you think Iraq is better off now than it was in 2003? 2005? 2007? 

No weapons of mass destruction were ever found. Insurgent violence, IED's, and roadside bombs continue to take the lives of soldiers and civilians alike. There is still much unrest in Iraq and the rest of the region... 

I hope the outcome in Afghanistan will be different, and that we don't declare "mission accomplished" until the mission truly has been accomplished. Considering that troops have been there since 2001 and the Taliban's strength has not been lessened (in fact they seem to be making advances in some territories), suggests that it may take some time to reach a favorable outcome. 

Musicians tribute M. Jackson at this year's BET Awards

The BET Awards aired last night live from Los Angeles...Where do I start? I'm not going to share my personal views of the show, but know that overall they are not positive. The attire, the behavior, the performances, the acoustics, the speeches, the production value more closely resembled a high school talent show than a premier awards show on a reputable cable network.

So I guess I just shared my personal views, huh? Oh well.

Despite all of its failures, BET made a conscious effort to praise, tribute and pay homage to Michael Jackson's achievements and contributions to the music industry and I appreciate their effort in that regard. Putting forth the effort doesn't always yield positive results and that was the case last night. Many of the so-called "tributes" to MJ were nothing more than artists performing their hits in MJ inspired outfits. There were a handful of artists who performed some of Jackson's hits (none worth writing about) with the exception of Ne-Yo.

Ne-Yo performed "Lady in my life" and in my opinion was one of the few artists who actually did justice to a Michael Jackson song. If you missed the BET Awards, please do not feel bad as this video is one of the few highlights from three painful hours of live television.

Ne-Yo performing "Lady in my life":

"May God spare you no mercy": Bernie Madoff sentenced to 150 yrs in prison

The Bernie Madoff saga has come to an end as judge Denny Chin has sentenced Madoff to the maximum 150 years in prison for spearheading a Ponzi scheme that swindled $65 billion from investors. Madoff's lawyer asked for leniency and a 12 year sentence but was denied.

The sentencing is mostly symbolic as federal court rules require 80% of a sentence to be served before being eligible for parole. At 71, Madoff would be 191 before he would be eligible..

Madoff's sentencing brings closure to the debacle that has ruined to financial lives of over 1,000 people. Two investors have committed suicide after losing millions with Madoff. Countless others are still reeling after the nest eggs they thought were being protected by Madoff were only figments of their imagination. 

CNN has a nice timeline of events surrounding the case.

To date, Madoff has returned $1.2 billion and says he can recover up to $13.2 billion for investors. That still leaves almost $50 billion that cannot be recovered or accounted for. 

My heart goes out to the retirees and families who thought their money was safe in Bernie Madoff's hands. In the courtroom today, victims of Madoff's scheme spoke about crushed dreams and the devastation that has ensued in the aftermath of Madoff's scheme being exposed.

Madoff told the judge "I thought I could get out of it. The harder I tried to get out of it, the deeper the hole. I could not accept for once in my life I had failed. I was responsible for a great deal of suffering and pain. I am in torment....This is a horrible guilt to live with."

A horrible guilt to live with indeed. A guilt that he will now have to deal with as he spends the rest of his days on earth in federal prison.

Swag Award of the Week June 22-29

King has left the building. I'm sure most of you were as shocked as I when you found out about Michael Jackson's untimely death. There is no doubt that the megastar, pop icon, musical pioneer turned freak show in recent years had an effect on your life. His music is timeless and his dance moves were impeccable. 

A few weeks back I wrote about Jackson's announcement that he was planning a world tour that was set to begin sometime this year. Fans now will not get that opportunity to see Jackson on stage again. Jackson's death reminds us how precious life is, and not even the most accomplished entertainers and celebrities are exempt. 

MJ will truly be missed. He touched many lives during his career. Fans from Beijing to Baltimore are still coming to grips with the harsh reality that Jackson is no longer with us. R.I.P Mike.

Millionaire auctions off his wealthy lifestyle...seriously

Andrew Paul an English commodities trader is giving aspiring millionaires a shot to win his lavish lifestyle. For £20 pounds or $30 US dollars, fans can enter a drawing to win his $1.8 million home in the English countryside, Aston Martin sports car and boat. 

Paul, a recent divorcee is auctioning off his lifestyle because he wants to spend more time with his young son.

The auction has one stipulation..200,000 tickets must be sold, which could raise £4 milllion for Andrew. If 150,000 tickets are sold, the winner gets a cash prize and Andrew keeps all of his possessions. 

So Andrew wins regardless. You can win his old stuff, but with the money he makes from ticket sales, he probably has another estate, yacht and sports car lined up somewhere else. If enough tickets aren't sold, Andrew will give the winner a little cash and keep most of it along with his stuff.

Auctioning off your stuff, most of which depreciates in value and essentially paying for newer stuff through the money you made when you got rid of your old stuff...BRILLIANT!! Good luck Andrew.

You can check out more details at winanewlife.com.

Swag Award of the Week June 16-21

I know I'm a tad later than usual with the Swag Award this week, but for days nothing really struck me enough as "swag-worthy" for a bit. Maybe my news/blog/entertainment/etc. etc. consumption levels were down. Maybe it was because my personal swag levels weren't at all-time highs. Who knows? We all have those weeks. Long story short, after watching this situation develop over the last few days I think the Iranian citizens are more than deserving of this weeks award. 

A few days back, I blogged about the Iranians using social media to send out images of the protests despite attempts by the government to deny such actions. The situation has grown from bad to worse. It has been announced that recorded votes from 50 cities were tarnished, accounting  for more than 3 million fraudulent votes. 

Fraudulent votes..sounds a lot the 2000 election here in the states do you think? Despite the fraudulent votes, the Guardian Council(read about this group if you're sure what they're about) maintains that the results are legitimate and that the 3 million votes were not enough to change the outcome. 

The citizens are outraged, and rightfully so. There are a few other concerns the people of Iran have regarding the elections however.

An excerpt from NY Times:

How did the government manage to count enough of the 40 million paper ballots to be able to announce results within two hours of the polls closing? How is it that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s margin of victory remained constant throughout the ballot count? Why did the government order polls closed at 10 p.m. when they often stay open until midnight for presidential races? Why were some ballot boxes sealed before candidates’ inspectors could validate they were empty? Why were votes counted centrally, by the Interior Ministry, instead of locally, as in the past? Why did some polling places lock their doors at 6 p.m. after running out of ballots?

A lot of concerns, valid ones at that don't you think? The death toll stands at 17, the Iranian government continues to go forward with the results as they are and the outrage continues around the country. Iran's reputation in the world has been bruised as a result of this ordeal and Britain has expelled two Iranian diplomats in response to the Iranian government expelling two British diplomats days earlier. 

The odds certainly seemed stacked against the people, but they continue to draw attention to the situation despite the governments attempts to quash it. Keep fighting the good fight, the end result may be a favorable one..a fair one at least.

Boy survives alone in woods thanks to TV show

It began as an average family hike through the Utah wilderness. Fifteen members of the Wynne family were hiking along in Utah when the group stopped to tighten a saddle on one of its horses. The family looked up and noticed that 9 year-old Grayson had disappeared.

Grayson, unaware that the family had stopped continued along the trail and eventually made his way onto a smaller, less noticeable trail. Once Grayson realized that he had been separated from his family he turned to his "training," skills he picked up through watching Bear Grylls on Discovery's 'Man vs. Wild.' Grayson ripped up pieces of his yellow raincoat and tied them to trees to help rescuers find him. It helped, because he was safely rescued 18 hours later.

On the show, Grylls, an ex-British Special Forces member and the youngest Brit to climb Mt. Everest shares survival tips with viewers should they ever find themselves stranded or lost in the wild (i.e. when you get separated from your family on a hiking trip). Grylls is notorious for going through extreme measures to preserve his life, and eating just about anything he can find for nourishment...like tarantulas.

Thankfully this story has a happy ending. Who says you can't learn anything by watching TV?

Quality Beats: The Ecstatic

Mos Def is back at it. His newest release 'The Ecstatic' hit stores last week, and it's definitely worth a listen. Most fans of Mos didn't enjoy his 2006 release, 'True Magic,' but this album is a refreshing reminder of Mos Def's talent and skills that captivated music fans back in the days when he and Talib Kweli formed the duo of Black Star. Solid production, thought-provoking lyrics, and guest appearances by Talib Kweli & Slick Rick make The Ecstatic a solid release. Take a listen if you haven't heard it already.