Mayor Sheila Dixon Indicted, Another Setback?

Anyone in Baltimore has probably heard the news of Mayor Sheila Dixon being indicted on 12 counts of felony theft, perjury, fraud and misconduct. No, she has been found guilty of these charges just yet but here's what really disappoints and pisses me off about these cases.

I will never understand why it is that when people rise up to this level of success, particularly black people, with all the struggle it took for us to even get these seats, then get there and can't keep their noses clean! I mean, anyone who watches the news and the way public figures' lives are scrutinized and examined should know there will always be someone in your business, someone trying to find the dirt on you, trying to bring you down. There are always people digging in your past and just waiting, with baiting breath for you to fail. Why give them what they are looking for!? Why not, keep your shit on the straight and narrow so that when your time has come to an end, they will have nothing to say except what an excellent mayor, athlete, actor or what have you, you were? Don't people get that these things are not easily overcome and that people will forever remember them for the bad, not good. Why not look at yourself as a model of how far we can go and keep your record clean!

It pisses me off because I feel when a black person messes up, it sets us as a whole back. When we go out here in the world and get the privilege of doing things and making changes, let's do it better. Make the naysayers look foolish, not yourself! Make it easier for the next black person striving to get where you are. Make it so there is nothing but good coming out of this.

Because we are still being judged by the color of our skin, though it may not be put out like that. Your failure is our failure. And I'm talking to the Kobe Bryant's, the OJ Simpsons, the Micheal Vicks, the Marion Berrys. There are still people out there (maybe right next door to you) that think we as a racial group are low-class, are golddiggers, are ignorant, are of lower intelligence. Make them say "wow!" not "well they did some good things BUT!" Cause like it or not, you represent us all when you go out in the world.

K, getting off my soapbox on this Monday morning. Have a good one ya'll.

RANT: Plugging TV Shows on the News

So maybe it was a slow day or week. Maybe they had nothing else newsworthy going on in the world and in Baltimore. Maybe they ran out of better ideas this morning, when I tuned into Fox 45, for the morning news and heard them plugging the new (and ridiculously stupid) reality show Moment of Truth a total of 5 times in the hour between waking up and heading out the door. At one point, it had its on feature in the middle of the news.

First, I understand that its a Fox affiliate so they want to promote their dumb little show, but why on the news? Once upon a time, I swear the news didn't do this. Second, they spend way too much time on this segment, even showing an interview with the show's producer to further promote it. And its so silly. Basically, they hook contestants up to a lie detector and give money to the person being the most honest. And of course they're going to ask the most sensitive, private questions, cause what would a show be these days without scandal, humiliation and exposing personal info for the public's entertainment.

To Fox, the show sounds absolutely retarded. Why not get off the stupid reality bandwagon and invest in better programming ideas.

To Fox 45 in Baltimore, seriously, what a waste of news coverage, spending too much time promoting an equally stupid TV show. Focus on news. Focus on something that may be helpful and informative to the community. Focus on something that may mean something to people (while you have the ability to capture a wide audience). Focus on something that can give people hope. Or something that can educate.

But stop saturating the airwaves with more and more bullshit. We have enough!

Halloween 2007 in Fells Point

Halloween 2007 was a ton of fun and me and some friends hit Fells Point for some bar-hopping, drinks and carrying on. It was mad crowded but the costumes looked great and I had fun taking pics. And the Cheekz were out!

Smurfette

Breakfast of Champions

Spartans- These guys were sooo hot. I think a pushed a girlfriend out of the way to get in this pic!

Uhhh, I think this was his costume.

Duff beer for me.

Again, just thought these guys were hot!

The entire Mario Bros. crew.

Can you believe there were two Uma's?

And his stereo was blasting Run DMC.

With Otis, who I mistakenly called Jerome.

Jesus was in the house (and that was a large cross he was carrying).

Blue Man Group

We believe that was Noah's Ark and they stayed together and walked around Fell's like that.

That Saw clown dude with victim (and he pedaled around on a tricycle).

Stacy in a Hat! So cute!

Me and Michael Vick (there were several)

Cat as a can-can girl. So pretty!

Me and some sexy vampire.

I was a girl scout! Anyone want some cookies?

My favorite costume of the night.

Dick in a Box!

Jill's interpretation of Uma ala Pulp Fiction.

Wha ya gonna call?


Can't wait til next year but I'm going to try and be more original with my costume.

Baltimore, One of the Ugliest Cities?

Fox 45 talked about the recent poll from Travel and Leisure which ranked the top 25 most attractive cities in the US and wondered why Bmore didn't make the cut. I say, are you surprised? This is an UGLY city! Look around, come on, ya'll know. I honestly think only about 15-20% of the general population here really gives a damn how they look and present themselves when they step out the door.

So then, they asked where would we rank and invited callers to call in. I would have but I was running late and had to jet. But if I had to guess, I'd say....out of 100? Hmmmm, maybe 40? 50? But is up there. I'm gonna be real.

http://www.travelandleisure.com/afc/2007/category/1/subcategory/2

Baltimore City Git Yo Shit Straight!!!

It's no goddamn wonder this city is so fucked up, they can't even process a goddamn parking ticket!

Back story, I got a parking ticket for being dumb enough to park in Federal Hill during a Raven's game (how about the stadium is not even close to Federal Hill but whatever). I promptly send in my check for $77 and some idiot collections data entry clerk endorsed the check but entered the wrong account number, so I continued to get repeated warnings and additional fines for close to ONE YEAR later! It took several calls before we finally got it straight and my check dated Aug 2006 was finally correctly applied in June 2007.

Fast forward now and I make the 2nd stupid mistake of parking in Federal Hill (damn you Fed Hill, I fucking hate you and I'm never parking there again!) Again for $77. I again, promptly send off my check through my bank's bill pay soon as I get it. One month later, I get a warning from the MVA stating that until that ticket is paid I can't renew my tags. Where the fuck is the first check! Oh, you guessed it, Baltimore City LOST IT! Yes they did! Cause Suntrust surely sent it out and I've never had any problems with them sending out checks before. So now Bmore City has lost another payment and my fines are continuing to go up! And now my tags and registration are expired!

So after I then get in the mail notice of my flag fees from the MVA for this ticket and THE ONE FROM LAST YEAR, I give in and pay everything online, thinking that would actually clear everything. I then go to renew my tags. Guess what! The MVA still has me as having an unpaid violation cause the stupid fucking Baltimore City website also still has my ticket as open and outstanding. WHY? Cause, as the website states, it could take up to 3 WEEKS TO PROCESS PAYMENTS ONLINE.

%&($(&%$(&$%#^$#^$%)*^$!!!!!

Why the FUCK does it take 3 weeks to process a payment online? Wouldn't that be faster than mailing ina love check? Cause I've been paying my Verizon, Comcast, Citibank, American Express, student loans, BGE and everything else online and it gets processed immediately! Tell me why, Baltimore City, a government which handles important shit that can effect your car's registration has implemented an online payment systen that works so fucking shittily that payments aren't processed automatically! Can someone explain this disgraceful system of screwing people over!

And I don't give a shit if I get pulled over, that cop will hear my mouth cause I have done everything I'm suppose to do including making not one but TWO payments and here I stand with NO FUCKING TAGS!

And I'm suppose to "BELIEVE" in this city. Get your shit straight Baltimore! How hard is it to have a working payment system the hell down there??? And I will print this blog and mail it to the Director of Finance down there and I should copy it to Mayor Dixon too. They are so damn happy to take the money but don't even know how to process it.

Get it together!

Baltimore: 6 Deaths in 16 Hours

I check the headlines this morning, like I always do and there it was; more homicides form the city that bleeds. This time 6 people had been found dead between the city and county lines driving our death toll for 2007 up to 218, up from 193 at this time last year.

All the deaths apparently occurred within a period of about 16 hours. Some
victims were killed on the streets, others in their homes and one at a bar. They
came from different walks of life and police say none of the deaths appear to be
related.

What the hell is going on around here? More and more people are telling me to be careful as I am often out and alone late at night and I’d never really felt unsafe or threatened to be honest but I may need to watch my back.

Or start packing. Seriously, I gotta get up outta here.

http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/09/6-people-dead-in-a-span-of-16-hours

Edited 9-17-07: Oh I just found out 3 more people were shot and killed over the weekend bringing our bodycount to 221 (260 days into the year). Damn.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.slayings17sep17,0,6480151.story

Is Baltimore Stepping Up?

I keep hearing from people that Baltimore is "rebuilding ", trying to "step it up", is growing and "getting better". And I roll my eyes and suck my teeth cause I'll believe it when I see it, right?

So Labor Day weekend rolls around and I was trying to find some hot spots to do dancing. I get an email from my usual favorite dance spot about a party going on Sunday night. I email the promoter back (who will remain nameless) to ask about the cover, since it wasn't posted. Mind you, this club I used to get into for free before 10pm not but a year prior. After that, it was $10. I wanted to spit out my coffee when he replied and told me the cover, all night was now $20. $20! To get into a club? In Baltimore? The same one I've frequently for years! Oh, I was hot. The last time I spent that on cover charge, my butt was in Miami! Umm, who do they think they are charging $20 for a club whose dancefloor hasn't gotten any bigger and I'm sure whose clientele (by that, I mean the men) aren't any better either? This is not DC! Then he had the nerve to add that $20 is the going rate for any "quality entertainment" that night in town.

Pffff!

Well, my friend and I decided to hit 2 other parties that offered free covers for ladies before 11:30pm and you could circulate between the two. As I was sitting at the bar ordering the biggest alcoholic drink I'd heard of, we then noticed the other ladies trickling in and couldn't help but notice all the hoochie-fied, short, short skirts, long, waist-long weaves and 5-inch stripper heels sauntering in. I mean, you'd have thought this was casting calls for video vixens. not saying they looked cute but they certainly were trying real hard. My friend judged by the way they were dressed and said it reminded her of South Beach. I thought for a 2nd. Then paid for my $10 drink and remembered, I also spent $10 the previous week on a Long Island ice tea. I never used to spend that kind of dough on mixed drinks before. I turned to my friend and asked 'Is is possible Baltimore really is trying to step it up? And be more like DC and Miami?' I even read online about a proposal to build a red line and a green line. And now that I think about it, I'm hearing more and more people talking about how Bmore is getting more and more expensive. Real estate, property taxes, everything has been going up even more.

Could it be? Is Baltimore really stepping up? I guess time will tell? Mine here, though, could be running out.

My Love/Hate Relationship with Baltimore

Ask anyone whose spent any amount of time with me (particularly traveling or leaving my hometown) and they've probably picked up on my almost utter contempt of the city of Baltimore; where I was born and raised. And alas, parts of that is true. There are certain aspect of the city that I have truly grown to hate and that which, I'd love to pack it up all and move the hell away from. People often ask me (ok, my family who'd never want me to leave) what is so wrong with Baltimore? Why would you want to leave? What's the big deal?

Good questions. Ok, let's see where to start.

The Schools
Having grown up and within the Baltimore City public schools, I can safely and easily say we have some of The Worst schools I have ever heard of. Misappropriated funds. Rampant under achieverism. Buildings literally falling apart. Tired, worn out underpaid teachers, outdated books, lack of supplies, lack of college-bound prep, violence, teen pregnancy, gangs, drugs, lack of after-school programs and access to tutoring. Where do I stop. I clearly remember having to use razor blades to cut up a project while in class because we weren't supplied with scissors, having textbooks from the 1960's that we couldn't take home because there weren't enough of them, not really ever having homework in high school (which did not help my transition into college any easier), sitting in a class half full of knocked-up, teen parents (a few on their 2nd childs), NO SAT prep offered (at my school anyway) and from what I heard over half never complete college. No surprise there since most of us were passed through below standards. Sure, I finished college and went on to graduate school, but I'm the minority there. And while I'm proud of that achievement, I still would never allow a child of mine to go through city schools.

Transportation

I seriously never had a problem with transportation since I was a driver and never really had to consider it until the recent gas hikes and I began taking public transpo. I'm lucky. I live near a subway station and not far from the Light Rail, but if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to really get anywhere without taking 45 mins. I don't even know how someone on the eastside, without a car would get downtown since the metro does not even run on their end. Not until I'd spent some time in DC, New York and Boston and used their subway systems did I realize just how young and lacking ours is. A car is a must in this city.

Nightlife

What nightlife? Unless you frequent (and like) ghetto establishments such as Club One, Xanadu (formerly Club X), or can deal with Powerplants Mosiac and its sloppy, drunken club goers, Baltimore has little to offer in nightclubs or dancing. I can't even think of one really nice spot to go dancing besides Red Maple on Sundays only. We have few really nice places which have good music, decent people, chill atmospheres and where you'd actually go back the next week. I don't know of any other city that is basically dead on Friday and Saturday nights. The assumption is that everyone is now going to DC. That's wack. We should have out own. And much kudos to the club promoters I know that try every week to bring people up, but it seems like the entire atmosphere needs an overhaul. People come up from out of town and are embarrassed for us.

The Dating Scene

Now this is gonna sound harsh, but I've said it verbally and I'm gonna write it right here. Cause somebody has to. The dating scene here abso-freaking-lutely sucks! The main problem (for females anyway, can't speak for the men) is the complete lack of eligible men to date. I'd say that 93.7% of the men here are plug & butt-ugly, then out of the rest, you'd be lucky to find a guy that is actually looking for something other than a friend-with-benefits type relationship, a fuck buddy or some other variation of a non-committed-type, ass option for their pleasure and convenience, under the age of 45. It seems the men here are in no hurry to make any sort of commitment to any women, even in their upper 30's and because they have the extra advantage of being a man (cause let's face it, they seems to be no shortage of eligible woman everywhere), they can pick and choose and repeatedly throw away whatever they become bored with and move on to the next. There, I said it. And what!

Crime

Well, we all have heard that Bmore is one of the top 5 most dangerous cities in the nation and blah, blah, blah. Well, it is! We've already surpassed last year's homicide rate, at a climbing 190-something, up 30 more bodies from last year and I think every time I turn on the news, someone else was shot up the night before and more bullet-ridden bodies were found on some block, on somebodies side of town. I think we are so used to hearing of so murders that we don't even blink when we her them anymore. My first thought is 'what street this time'. For one thing, I know we have a shortage of police officers but second, we seem to have a host of corruption within the force. The numbers (and bodies speak for themselves)

Murder rate: http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=13972

Map of bodies found: http://www.citypaper.com/news/murdermap.asp?year=2007

Ghetto Mentality

My biggest pet peeve of all with this city, would have to be that fact that ghetto mentality (a phrase my beloved father coined), runs rampant here! Too many people here would rather try there best trying to keep up with the stars they see on BET and in broke down rap videos, than to really educate themselves, rise up and get out of poverty and into an improved economic situation. Its always sad to see a 40 year old trying

Ok, yeah, I sound like a real hater.

BUT I have to add that as much as Baltimore sucks in my mind, it is still my place of birth, where all my family resides and where I call home. So there are things that I definitely miss and appreciate when I'm away.

Baltimore Club Music

There is nothing like Bmore club to me! Call me what you want but I LOVE me some Bmore club. No other club music compares in my mind to the "8/4 beat structure" of true Baltimore club music. No to be confused with house or techno, there is no other music quite like it. And if you don't know what I'm talking about. I'm sorry, I can't even begin to define it, But if you see me stop what I'm doing and pop off one of my shoulder/hip/elbow maneuvers, Bmore club must be playing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_club

Affordability

Bmore is a very affordable town. I live very comfortably, with a very low rent. You can still get drinks for under $5 (sometimes $2). Real estate, though climbing is not as ridiculous as other cities and the overall cost of living here is reasonable.

Culture

Though this is a predominately black city (64%), there is still lots of cultural backgrounds here 9even though they may be in different neighborhoods). Latinos, Carribbeans, Jewish, Russians, Trinis. We have a good mix. Not to mention the oddball homeless we have. On any given day you can find some smelly schizophrenic downtown singing Marvin Gaye unsolicited but beautifully on key. OR you might catch some crazy exposing himself to innocent bystanders leaving an O's game. That's real!

Its Home!
Most importantly, no matter where I go (and I hope I go somewhere else soon) Baltimore will always be my home and its where allmy family and friends are. Most of the time when I leave for whatever reason, I am so relieved to walk through BWI and see those "fear the Turtle" billboards for U. of Maryland and get in my car, hit 695 and head toward Reisterstown Rd. I am tickled to be back to where things are famaliar and cozy to me.

What is Park Heights?

Outside of B-More, you probably have never heard of the Park Heights community in northwest Baltimore. Well, its where I was born and raised and pretty much still love near.

Park Heights is a long main street that basically runs from the more hoodish areas below Northern Parkway (where I grew up), and houses more lower-income blacks, Caribeans and other immigrants, then runs into a middle-class section of blacks, Russians, and Latinos (where I currently reside), then goes even further into it gets into the more affluent section of custom-built and million dollar homes on large acres of land (that I'm assuming are mostly whites).

I grew up below Belvedere Ave, near Pimlico Race Course (I could hear the announcer from my bedroom window) but moved further up with my family in the middle of my teens. But despite Park Heights' negative reputation for high crime and drup violence, I'm happy to say I had a very happy childhood but parents who sheltered me from what was going on around me. I was never what you call disadvantaged.

I'm not at all ashamed to admit I grew up in what some would percieve as such a poor area because I like to believe I beat the odds and am proof that your external environment doesn't necessarily have to dictate your ultimate fate, especially when there are two good parents there showing you that you can and will do better.

So that's where I'm from. And not to get all Jenny From the Block on you, but no matter how far I go (and I plan on going far), inside I'm still that little, pony-tailed, brown-skinned girl from Park Heights.

Park Heights