truesee's Blog

http://www.miamiherald.com/video/index.html?media_id=64385051

House votes to strip Planned Parenthood of all federal funding

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) offers an amendment to a massive spending bill that is approved, 240-185, by the Republican-led House and would prohibit federal funding for the nation's largest provider of abortions.

The Republican-led House on Friday approved an amendment to a massive spending bill that would prohibit federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

The measure offered by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) was approved 240-185, with several Democrats joining Republicans in support. The organization would be prohibited from receiving federal funds for any of its activities. It is already banned from using federal funds to perform most abortions.

The House continues making its way through hundreds of amendments to a spending bill to fund the government through Sept. 30. The bill makes more than $60 billion in cuts for the remaining seven months of the fiscal year, but is unlikely to be supported by the Democratic-controlled Senate. Failure to pass a bill when the current spending plan expires on March 4 could lead to a federal government shutdown.

Pence has made himself the leader of a coordinated effort to defund Planned Parenthood, which is the nation's largest provider of abortions and a longtime target of abortion foes.

The congressman has introduced legislation that would deprive the organization of funding used for contraception, cancer screenings and health services for low income patients. His amendment went a step further by depriving the organization -- and each of its local affiliates -- of all federal funds. Planned Parenthood receives funding from federal, state and local government grants.

Sunday, February 20th 2011, 4:00 AM

Brandon/APDonald Trump waves after addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington this past Thursday.

Donal Trump's name is splashed across casinos, condos and skyscrapers - yet despite years of speculation, it's never appeared on a ballot.

The latest buzz about candidate Trump comes courtesy of the Draft Trump 2012 Committee, which hopes to get The Donald into the race for The White House.

The group - neither funded by nor connected to Trump - is angling to put the billionaire developer's name on the ballot in four early battleground states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.

The driving force behind the campaign is Missourian Nick McLaughlin, a Marine and Iraq war veteran.

"I have never met Mr. Trump," McLaughlin said. "But I am certain he is the man America needs."

New York political veteran Lynn Krogh, one-time deputy press secretary for Gov. George Pataki, is working as the group's national political director.

Trump's "straightforward, no-nonsense response to the problems facing all Americans is a breath of fresh air," she said.

And legendary GOP dirty trickster Roger Stone has been fanning the flames for a Trump bid.

"No one understands the power of television like Trump," Stone crowed on his website. "Trump could dominate 2011 debates and emerge as a real candidate."

Trump has indicated he's thinking about a 2012 run, with a decision to come in the future.

He stole the show with an impromptu speech at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference, telling the audience he's "pro-life" and against gun control, higher taxes and President Obama's health-care law.

Continuing his theme that "the United States has become a whipping post for the rest of the world," he told MSNBC last week: "What I would be doing is, I'd be taking in hundreds of billions of dollars from other countries.

"As an example, we protect South Korea. Why aren't they paying us? We have thousands of troops in European countries. ... If we're protecting countries, why aren't they paying for it?

"I would tax China because they are manipulating the currency. They are taking all of our jobs. China is an absolute abuser of the United States. They have no respect for our leadership. ... We would take in hundreds of billions of dollars."

It's hardly the first time Trump's name - and hyperbole - has been linked to a presidential race. He first broached the subject in a 1988 interview, admitting the idea had crossed his mind. In 1999, Trump considered plunging into the race as a Reform Party candidate.

He eventually decided the public scrutiny, the financial disclosure forms and the weekends in Nashua, N.H., weren't worth it.

Despite his lack of campaign experience, the 64-year-old Trump has never lacked confidence in his ability to run the country as easily as he runs a boardroom on "The Apprentice."

"My record has been that of a winner," he told the Boston Globe back in 1988. "If I run, I'd win."

Skeptics abound.

When Trump toyed with the idea of an earlier national run, longtime critic Ed Koch suggested his campaign was merely an effort "to sell condos."

Trump already is sparring with presidential hopeful Ron Paul, telling CPAC the 11-term congressman had zero chance of winning.

The Texas Republican fired back quickly: "How many times has Donald Trump been elected?"

The answer, of course: zero.

The Real Losers In A Government Shutdown

Howard Fineman
First Posted: 02/18/11 04:44 PM 

Updated: 02/20/11 02:54 AM

WASHINGTON -- The plane hasn't taken off, let alone crashed, but the pilot and co-pilot are already on the intercom blaming each other for catastrophe.

That's what's going on as President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner maneuver toward a March 4 deadline for extending or changing this year's federal budget. They are issuing preemptive "I told you so"s, hoping to insulate themselves from blame if no deal is reached and the government shuts down.

The president moved first. He rarely issues veto threats, never mind carrying them out. But he ordered his Office of Management and Budget to issue one on his behalf last Tuesday. In essence, he said that if Congress sent him a deep-cut bill like the one House Republicans are gleefully crafting, he'd veto it. Having warned them in advance, he was saying, he couldn't be blamed if the GOP went ahead.

On Tuesday, Boehner -- eager to stay ahead of his Tea Party Republican Guard -- answered back. For his part, he said, he would refuse to consider a plain bill to temporarily extend the existing budget in its current form past March 4. Having warned the president in advance, he was saying, he couldn't be blamed for the shutdown.

So, if there is one on March 4 -- and we seem headed almost inexorably in that direction -- who will suffer the most politically?

History is not really a guide. The last big shutdown, in 1995, ended up being a clear winner for then-President Bill Clinton, but primarily because of the hubris and overreach of the then-Republican Speaker (and potential 2012 presidential candidate) Newt Gingrich.

Gingrich managed to make the whole drama look like a matter of personal pique. Go back and look at the famous -- and, for Gingrich, devastating -- front page of the New York Daily News. It showed Newt as a baby with a bottle; politics is a game of comparison, and he made Bill Clinton look mature.

Boehner is no Gingrich, which is a good thing for Republicans. Obama, for that matter, is no Clinton, which may also be a good thing for Republicans. The current president, for all his earnestness, doesn't have Bubba's desperate, savvy sense of quick public maneuver. The president is not as good at spur-of-the-moment survivalist spin.

(If you want to see Clinton's shrewd skills in action, check out my MSNBC colleague Chris Matthews' hour-long documentary Monday night at 10 pm. It's about Clinton's successful effort to become a "global" leader in his post-presidency.)

Still, the likelihood is that the Republicans will lose politically if there is a shutdown. First, it's clear that many of them want one, whatever their leaders say. Some of them will celebrate it on the floor of the House if it happens. They won't be able to help themselves.

The 80 or so first-year Tea Party types in the House are as eager as college protesters taking over the Ad Building a generation ago. They want to shut the place down as an act of protest against what they regard -- not entirely without reason -- as a runaway, run-amok government.

But you know they are way out there when Rep. Michelle Bachmann -- yes, her -- says shutting down the government would be a bad idea.

And they would be shutting things down in the name of some cuts that it will be easy enough for the president and his Democratic allies to cry havoc about: cuts to the FBI, state and local law enforcement, and the Food and Drug Administration, just to name three.

Nor will the Republicans be operating on favorable political terrain.

To be sure, Obama is not popular: his approval rating is 47 percent in Gallup; his "reelect" against a generic Republican is only 45 percent. People take a dim view of his handling of the economy, and remain gloomy about where the country is headed economically, even if they feel a little better about their own situation.

But the Republicans' approval rating is 47 percent, too, and that of Congress as a whole remains a starkly anemic 25 percent. That doesn't suggest the Republicans are dealing from strength.

More important, even though people say they care about balancing the budget, polls show that they care much more about unemployment and maintaining their government benefits. If the GOP is shutting down the government in the name of fiscal responsibility -- and that will be the claim -- they will have to answer for the immediate disruptive consequences of doing so. It'll be a hard sell. And if a million or more federal workers are suddenly sent home, that looks like more temporary unemployment, no matter who the employer is.

Republicans have decided to make enemies of public employees, but it is hard to demonize them when they have suddenly been told to stay home.

And other consequences will be real. Forget the hyperbole and focus on the one thing that matters most: Social Security. The last time there was a shutdown, in 1995, the distribution of checks was disrupted. This time, there are more people involved and fewer of them will have to wait for the mail before voicing their displeasure.

Some 60 million Americans now receive Social Security payments of one kind or another. According to the Social Security Administration, some 80 percent of them receive their money in the form of a direct deposit. And keep in mind that, in 2008, voters 65 and older went heavily Republican, voting by a 52-to-44 margin for Sen. John McCain over then-Sen. Barack Obama. Does the GOP really want to risk its rep with one of its own constituencies?

The first wave of Social Security deposits after a shutdown -- to about 12-15 million people -- is scheduled to go out on March 10.

That's the date when the plane really does crash.

President Obama takes over coach duties for daughter Sasha's basketball team

 

Saturday, February 19th 2011, 2:26 PM

 

 

Somodevilla/GettyPresident

Obama is a huge basketball fan.

President Obama spent part of Saturday giving executive orders as coach of his daughter's basketball team.

The commander in chief grabbed the reins of 9-year-old Sasha's team even though his wife Michelle, Sasha and oldest daughter, Malia, were on a ski holiday in Vail, Colo.

No White House journalists were inside and the results of the game, played at a community center in Maryland, were unknown.

The President attends most of Sasha's games. He coached on Saturday because the usual parent who runs the team was absent, The Associated Press reported.

 

The Obamas at a college hoops game last November. Vucci/AP

Basketball is by far Obama's favorite sport and he's attended several college and NBA games since becoming President and frequently shoots hoops at his White House court.

With News Wire Services

A Murray State University professor has resigned after allegedly making racial remarks to a black student.

Mark Wattier, a political science professor, told freshman Arlene Johnson last August that he wasn't surprised that she didn't show up on time to a film he started 15 minutes before class began.

The Murray Ledger and Times has more:

Arlene Johnson, a freshman from Sikeston, Mo., told the Ledger & Times in a telephone interview that one day in August, she came to class early to find that a film was already in progress. She said that after class, she and another student asked professor Mark Wattier why the film had started before the official start time of the class, and she said he told them that when screening films, he typically started them 10-15 minutes before class.

"We said, 'Well, we didn't know that. It wasn't on the syllabus, so we were unaware,'" Johnson said. "And then he said, 'Well, it's OK, I expect it of you guys anyway.' We asked him, 'What did that mean?' And he said the slaves never showed up on time, so their owners often lashed them for it. He just didn't have the right."

 

Wattier was originally suspended without pay from the university. He appealed his suspension and claimed that he was depressed. According to the Western Kentucky Star, Wattier wrote in an e-mail that he challenged the suspension so he could "express his regret" to Johnson.

Johnson, at the very least, wants an in-person apology. "I deserve that," she said.

 

LINK TO PHOTO OF WATTIER:

http://www.westkentuckystar.com/News/Local---Regional/Western-Kentucky/Wattier-Resigns-From-MSU-Following-Suspension

Son accused of helping man rob his father in fatal Perry Hall home invasion

Victim shot, killed intruder in March; younger Bozman arrested in Fla.

William Bozman Jr. (Handout photo / February 18, 2011)

Peter Hermann

The Baltimore Sun

6:59 p.m. EST

February 18, 2011

 

Police have said that Marvin Cook Jr., 29, broke into the Bozman house shortly before 6 a.m. March 28, 2008, and made his way to the master bedroom. There, police said, he threatened the elder Bozman with a handgun and demanded money. Police in Florida said Cook ordered the victim to open a safe.

Baltimore County police said the elder Bozman retrieved his own gun and pointed it at Cook, who walked toward him. Police said Bozman than shot Cook several times in the chest. Police did not charge the elder Bozman and said the shooting appeared justified.

Police found Cook's driver's license, which led them to his mother's house in Baltimore, but she told them she had not spoken to her son in years. Cook had a lengthy criminal record that included a conviction for attempted murder in 2002 and two drug offenses.

The elder Bozman declined to comment after the incident, and he did not return telephone messages left on his business phone at B&B Towing. There was no answer at his Perry Hall home. Relatives for Cook also could not be reached.

Police in Fort Lauderdale said that members of the FBI Joint Fugitive Task Force arrested the younger Bozman about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday at a house on Southwest Way. Baltimore County police did not provide any information about the arrest.

The younger Bozman has faced several criminal charges in Maryland, most involving charges of failing to obey protective orders issued in domestic cases. But he has had more serious trouble in Florida, where he has been convicted of several felonies dating back to 1985.

He had been sentenced in 1988 to two years in jail in Broward County for cocaine possession, to eight years in prison in Fort Lauderdale for auto theft and gun possession in 1992, and to five years in prison in 1993, also in Fort Lauderdale, for robbery.

http://www.wftv.com/news/26901183/detail.html?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/galleries/the_x_factor_amazing_xrays/the_x_factor_amazing_xrays.html

America's healthiest fast-food breakfasts

 

Nicole DeCoursy

Health.com

February 18, 2011 8:26 a.m. EST

Starbucks sampler scores high for having all the components of an ultra-satisfying breakfast.

• Some items from Panera Bread serve up as much protein as a 3.5-ounce fish fillet
• Egg substitute contains mostly egg whites
• A veggie omelette is a great way to sneak more nutrient- and fiber-rich produce

 

Used to be, when you grabbed breakfast on the go, it was a diet disaster: nothing but fat-and-calorie bombs like butter-soaked croissants and jumbo muffins. Now, it's much easier to do right by your body: Fast-food legends like McDonald's and IHOP, as well as newbies like Cosi and Panera Bread, offer surprisingly healthy options that are filling, light, and much easier on your arteries.

The key to finding a healthy breakfast, says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, is finding a good-for-you mix of complex carbs (like whole grains), protein, and healthy fats to keep you satisfied.

So with that in mind, we asked our team of experts to choose and rank the best a.m. grub. Here, the standouts -- and why each one made the cut.

1. Spinach Florentine Breakfast Wrap (Cosi)

Meet the breakfast wrap that packs nearly as much protein as a burger. That's an award-worthy benefit: "When you wake up, your body hasn't had fuel for about 10 to 12 hours," says Dr. Gerbstadt, one of our judges. So this standout refuels you and keeps you satisfied so you don't overnosh the rest of the day.

"With most other breakfasts, you would need to add another food to get this much protein," Gerbstadt explains. "Plus, the fiber content is much higher than you'd usually find in such a high-protein meal."

Calories 334; Fat 21g (sat 8g); Protein 24g; Carbohydrate 21g; Fiber 11g; Sodium 516mg

Room for improvement: The fat content is on the high side (since the wrap is made with eggs), so eat low-fat fare throughout the day -- or split this hearty pick with a friend.

2. Protein Artisan Snack Plate (Starbucks)

This Starbucks sampler scores high for having all the components of an ultra-satisfying breakfast -- protein, fiber, whole grains, and fresh produce, says panelist Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, senior food and nutrition editor at Health magazine.

You get to nibble on yummy fare -- hard-boiled egg, cheddar and apple slices, multigrain muesli bread, grapes, and honey peanut butter spread -- in the right portions, Largeman-Roth explains: "It's like a healthy tapas plate for breakfast."

Calories 370; Fat 19g (sat 6g); Protein 13g; Carbohydrate 36g; Fiber 4g; Sodium 470mg

Room for improvement: Along with all that protein and fiber, you get 19 grams of fat. Tip: Eat half of either the honey peanut butter spread or the cheese.

3. Berry Topper Ideal Meal (Jamba Juice)

The name is spot on. "It really is an ideal meal because it meets all of your nutrient needs," says judge and nutrition expert Robin Miller, the host of Quick Fix Meals on the Food Network.

It's made with yogurt and soy milk, great sources of calcium and vitamin D two nutrients women often lack. Also blended in are vitamin C--packed strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. And the organic pumpkin flaxseed granola gives you a dose of healthy fats for heart health.

Calories 300; Fat 4.5g (sat 0.5g); Protein 9g; Carbohydrate 59g; Fiber 7g; Sodium 85mg (for 12 ounces)

Room for improvement: Stick to the small (12-ounce) size -- larger serving sizes load on the calories.

4. Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal (Au Bon Pain)

It's no surprise that two oatmeals made our list. Oatmeal is a favorite among dietitians because it contains two kinds of fiber: the insoluble kind, which helps prevent constipation, and the soluble type, which digests slowly to help regulate blood sugar.

"Oatmeal is more filling than many other cereals," Gerbstadt explains. Au Bon Pain's oatmeal edged past the McDonald's version (#6) because it has less saturated fat and sodium, plus more protein and fiber. Still, you can't go wrong with either.

Calories 280; Fat 4g (sat 1g); Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 56g; Fiber 7g; Sodium 10mg

Room for improvement: The protein content is a bit low: Make it more filling by eating a few nuts or a yogurt on the side.

5. Scrambled Egg Whites, Chicken Sausage, and Fruit (Denny's)

Yes, you can have eggs and sausage! But pass over the Grand Slam menu and look for these better-for-you breakfast "sides" to design your own morning meal. "This is a really well-rounded breakfast," Largeman-Roth says. It's not too high in sodium, either; a surprise for a sausage breakfast, she says.

Calories 230; Fat 9g (sat 0g); Protein 19g; Carbohydrate 19g; Fiber 3g; Sodium 447mg

Room for improvement: Order a piece of whole-grain toast (without butter or margarine) to increase the fiber factor, adding about 100 more calories.

6. Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (McDonald's)

The judges praised McDonald's for adding this good-for-you pick with fresh fruit to its menu (breakfast antioxidants at the drive-through -- nice). This tasty treat includes diced green and red apples, dried cranberries, raisins, a touch of cream, and brown sugar. Plus oatmeal's soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol and control blood sugar, helping to fight off diabetes, Largeman-Roth says.

Calories 260; Fat 4.5g (sat 1.5g); Protein 7g; Carbohydrate 48g; Fiber 5g; Sodium 115mg (for oatmeal without brown sugar)

Room for improvement: Watching calories? Order it without the brown sugar to save 30 calories. "You won't miss it with all the fruity flavors," Largeman-Roth explains.

7. Simple & Fit Veggie Omelette (IHOP)

A veggie omelette is a great way to sneak more nutrient- and fiber-rich produce into your power breakfast, Miller says. In this case you get a flavor-fest of green peppers, mushrooms, onions, and oven-roasted tomatoes. "And the side of fruit adds a nice (sweet) touch," she says.

Calories 320; Fat 10g (sat 1g); Protein 21g; Carbohydrate 40g; Fiber 8g; Sodium 420mg

Room for improvement: This omelette is made with "egg substitute" (which contains mostly egg whites); if you prefer the real thing, ask your server to substitute egg whites instead.

8. Western Egg White & Cheese Muffin Melt (Subway)

For just 160 calories, this melt with egg whites, Black Forest ham, green peppers, American and Monterey Jack cheeses, and red onion stacked on an English muffin lets you eat light without feeling even a little bit deprived.

Don't like peppers or onions? Order your melt with fresh tomatoes and spinach instead. If you want something more substantial, round out your meal with Subway's packaged apple slices or yogurt.

Calories 160; Fat 4g (sat 1.5g); Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 19g; Fiber 5g; Sodium 680mg

Room for improvement: This pick didn't show up higher on our list because the sodium count is high.

9. Egg White Turkey Sausage Wake-Up Wrap (Dunkin' Donuts)

No need to deprive yourself if you're watching calories and fat: The reduced-fat cheddar cheese, egg whites, spinach, and turkey sausage in this winner from Dunkin' Donuts make this a healthy indulgence.

Calories 150; Fat 5g (sat 2.5g); Protein 11g; Carbohydrate 14g; Fiber 1g; Sodium 400mg

Room for improvement: This pick tastes rich, but it's small, so it may not keep you full for as long as the egg options higher on our list, Largeman-Roth explains. It's also low in filling fiber, so pair it with a piece of fruit for more fuel.

10. Breakfast Power Sandwich (Panera Bread)

This egg, Vermont white cheddar, and smoked lean ham sandwich serves up as much protein as a 3.5-ounce fish fillet, Gerbstadt says.

Also praiseworthy, she adds, is Panera's whole-grain bread. Made of rye, spelt, amaranth, and flax, it's brimming with good-for-you nutrients like vitamin B2, niacin, manganese, iron, magnesium, and selenium.

Calories 330; Fat 14g (sat 6g); Protein 22g; Carbohydrate 31g; Fiber 4g; Sodium 830mg.

Room for improvement: "This sandwich has a lot of sodium," Largeman-Roth notes. But you can slash 300 milligrams simply by ordering it without the smoked ham

Stephen Colbert vs. Arianna Huffington: what their spat is really about

The dispute bubbled up earlier this week when Stephen Colbert complained about The Huffington Post embedding his videos without sending proper payment.

 

Gloria Goodale

Staff writer

February 18, 2011

 

Stephen Colbert and Arianna Huffington are grown-ups, right? Yeah, well, in a channeling-their-inner-digital-child sort of way. 

The two are in the midst of an electronic sandbox spat over who is poaching whose online content without properly paying up. Each is one-upping the other with cute moves and fancy talk.

But Mr. Colbert, the Comedy Central host, is never clowning about an issue without something else on his mind, longtime satire experts point out. So, what the heck is going on as these two masters of Internet self-promotion continue to lob cyber sand at one another?

The feud bubbled up earlier this week when Colbert complained about The Huffington Post, Ms. Huffingtons website, embedding his videos on the site without sending along proper payment. I have yet to receive my percentage of the Huff bucks, he complained to his studio audience.

Colbert then posted The Huffington Post on a new website he dubbed The Colbuffington Re-post. Ms. Huffington returned the favor with a newly christened site, Huffbert Nation.

Now, Colbert is cautioning his audience against clicking on the reposted repost, saying, Its like a Russian nesting doll of intellectual theft.

It may be tempting to call for a tired-baby timeout. But all Comedy Central has to do to resolve the issue is deny permission, points out intellectual-property lawyer Mitchell Stein, a partner at Sullivan & Worcester in New York. The Huffington Post cant embed video from any site if that site doesnt give permission, he says.

Assuming that permission is actually being granted in this case, whats the real beef?

This is really about Colbert raising the issue of what original content really means in todays Internet-savvy world, says Amber Day, author of the just-published book, Satire and Dissent: Interventions in Contemporary Political Debate.

Colbert is also drawing attention to the opposite of original content  the websites (including The Huffington Post) that aggregate content produced by other websites. By raising this issue, says Ms. Day, Colbert is pushing his agenda of getting people to think about where their opinions and ideas really originate.

This is his way, she says, of asking the question: If everyone is just quoting everyone else, who is actually doing original thought?

This question lies at the heart of the Internets next big evolutionary stage, says social-media expert and tech entrepreneur Michael Hussey, CEO of PeekYou.com. The goal of using other websites content, he says, is to maximize the position of ones own website in the search-engine listings. This is a commonly used technique known as search engine optimization and can boost ad revenues online.

Other peoples content is a huge attention-grabber for a content-aggregating website such as The Huffington Post. They are masters of the tool, Mr. Hussey points out. This is a main reason, he adds, that AOL recently scooped up the six-year-old site for $315 million and made Ms. Huffington the head of all AOL content.

But Google, the largest Internet search engine, has been under pressure to cut back on search results that dont point to the original sources, Hussey says. If Google begins to de-emphasize sites that are based on aggregating other peoples content, he adds, this could be a game-changer for sites such as The Huffington Post.

All those people who just bought stock in AOL better pay attention, he says.

But if an everyone is doing it ethos governs much of what is aggregated on the Internet, there are still lines between what is legal and illegal, points out media expert Paul Levinson, author of New New Media. We may be in a fluid stage in our concept of intellectual-property rights, but that doesnt mean you can simply profit from the work of others with no limits, he says.

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/Police-Day-care-gives-grandpa-the-wrong-child

'Black Thanksgiving' commences in L.A. this weekend

 

David Aldridge,

Special to CNN

February 18, 2011 2:21 p.m. EST

Basketball fans flock to All-Star weekend events to see players like Kobe Bryant up close.

• Writer refers to NBA All-Star Weekend as 'Black Thanksgiving'
• Basketball is a culture, and this weekend has become a celebration
• NBA All-Star Weekend is considered one of the hottest tickets in the sports world

David Aldridge is a longtime NBA reporter and columnist for NBA.com. He also is an analyst for TNT.

(CNN) -- So, you want to know about Black Thanksgiving?

That's what sports writer Mike Wilbon calls NBA All-Star Weekend.

First of all, what you need to know about Wilbon, whom I love, is that he has been known to exaggerate just a touch on occasion. But on this one, he's on point.

For those of us who cover the NBA for a living, like me and Wilbon -- now an ESPN yakker and writer, formerly a Washington Post yakker and writer, and my friend --All-Star Weekend is a long four days of work.

But for most of the people who descend into town -- this year it's Los Angeles, with its still sparkling Staples Center and the surrounding "L.A. Live" area -- it's an opportunity to go wild (sometimes a little too wild, as happened in Las Vegas a few years ago) and get together.

Other folks have Tweetups. Black people have All-Star Weekend, or ASW. It's a national holiday, sort of.

ASW is the only time of the year that people call me. I don't say that to be maudlin, 'cause most of the time, I don't want people to call me. (Dirty little secret: I don't really like talking on the phone.) But they come out of the woodwork this time of year, because NBA players are royalty in Black America, and everyone wants to be near them. The old saying is that ballers want to be rappers, and rappers want to be ballers. That's really, really true.

Basketball is a culture. It isn't for everyone, though the game is loved by people of all colors. There is a rhythm to it, just as if McCoy Tyner was dribbling a ball instead of playing piano.

"Considering that the culture of basketball in a predominantly black league like the NBA is so strongly connected to African American culture, the NBA All-Star weekend has turned into a celebration of African American culture by extension," says Todd Boyd, professor of critical studies at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.

The season begins just as baseball's ends, when the days grow short and the weather turns windy and cold. The tempo is slow at first, like the beginning strains of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme," but then, just as with Coltrane, it picks up steam. Rookies like the Clippers' Blake Griffin find their voice, and their game blossoms, as the calendar turns to a new year. While older, wiser veteran players and teams tinker here and there, not much interested in the daily standings, knowing that the important games come in the spring. They can wait.

The NBA Twitterverse keeps track of it all, a nightly update on who's up, who's down. It's a community that needs no self-adulation, no monstrous celebration of itself, like the NFL and its Super Bowl, which is fine if you like naked commerce wrapped in patriotism.

ASW is an integral part of the calendar, a time for assessment. Coming less than a week before the NBA's trade deadline, it is a time when teams take a look at their roster and decide whether its good enough to be a contender, or if it's time to start rebuilding for next season.

Sure, new shoes from stars like Kobe Bryant are launched during ASW, and the street vendors try to make a buck selling knockoff Ts. But more than anything, ASW is about access. Because basketball players in general -- and NBA players in particular -- are so visible to their fans, there is a sense of closeness to them that people don't have toward football stars. In football, you root for the uniform. In basketball, you root for Kobe or LeBron James. And so, having the opportunity to be close to them in a social setting trumps all good common sense and proportion.

People will drive for eight hours, fly across the country, take a stagecoach, whatever it takes. Most people who come to ASW, you see, have no tickets for anything. They certainly have no tickets for the game or the dunk contest or three-point shooting contest. (The NBA doles out most of the seats to their corporate partners and those partners' families and friends).

The hope is to get into the numerous, almost unending parties that promulgate the weekend. They're like our solar system. The parties furthest from the orbit of actual NBA players are usually the cheapest and easiest to get into, no more difficult than a garden variety Friday night at your local hip-hop spot.

Then there are parties "sponsored" or "hosted" by an All-Star (Allen Iverson was famous for these), where there's a chance the actual player will show up at some point. If they do, it's usually late in the evening, after they've gone to the more swank parties. They're almost always surrounded by security and quickly wind up in the VIP section, walled off from their adoring fans. (Although, truth be told, occasionally a young, attractive woman may, somehow, be let inside the velvet ropes.)

Then there are parties that the All-Stars actually sponsor, usually for a charity or some such cause, such as Magic Johnson and Alonzo Mourning's celebrity pool tournament. The "Players' Party," sponsored by its union, is the most sought-after ticket of ASW. The few tickets and passes to these events go out quickly and quietly to assorted friends, sponsors, media (yes, I get invited to a few) and fellow ballers. Unless you have an "in," these are very difficult to get into. Which is why people call. I try not to have tickets on purpose for this very reason; somehow, word always leaks out when you have an extra pair, and you suddenly become the most interesting man in the world.

But it really doesn't matter to a lot of folks if they get into any of these events. The important thing is being there -- with your best girlfriend, or the fellas, or your frat. There may be some people who try to take advantage of all the money and the bling that come to town. But that's not the vibe that runs through ASW. It's a party, to be sure. But it also is a family portrait.

"Baseball's Negro League All-Star Game was once the biggest national black social event of the year." Boyd of USC said. "It seems that the NBA All-Star Game serves a similar purpose now, but on a much bigger platform."

Warts and all, it celebrates the extended community --the incredible athletic, improvisational ability of the NBA's best players; the incredible economic power of those stars, the sway they hold over the media and corporate America, a reality that would not have been thinkable 40 years ago.

 

UPDATE

 

 

CNN 'Black Thanksgiving' NBA Article Stirs Controversy

First Posted: 02-18-11 04:35 PM   |   Updated: 02-18-11 04:41 PM  Huffington Post

CNN is stirring controversy with an article that calls the upcoming NBA All-Star Game "Black Thanksgiving."

The article, by longtime NBA analyst David Aldridge, calls All Star Weekend a "national holiday" for African Americans, and quotes USC professor Todd Boyd as saying that "the NBA All-Star weekend has turned into a celebration of African American culture by extension."

The article also ran in the middle of the front page of CNN's home page.  But some of the hundreds of commenters who flooded the story were not happy. "Shame on you CNN for perpetuating the racism in America...and for what, to get readers? Are you that desperate?" commenter yippidy wrote.

"You managed to include every Black stereotype known to the Western world in this article," rockhanna said.

The article drew a big response on Twitter as well.

Were His Dogs' New Owners or PETA Behind Michael Vick's Oprah Audible?

Hollie McKay

February 18, 2011| FoxNews.com

 

Michael Vick will appear on Oprah's show

What caused Michael Vick to get cold feet and pull out of his Oprah interview?

Oprah Winfrey said Thursday that Vick canceled an interview with her scheduled for next week.

"He said personal reasons," Winfrey told The Hollywood Reporter. "We did a field trip with him. We had been shooting with Michael Vick. And the fact that he pulled out and all his peopleWe move on."

Could those "personal reasons" have something to do with the people who now own and care for the dogs he abused?

Some owners of dogs rescued from his dogfighting ring said he pulled out of the interview because he did not want to be confronted by them on TV, the New York Post reports. 

Vick, who served 21 months in prison before resurrecting his NFL career with the Eagles, pulled out of a rare TV interview after the dog owners contacted Winfrey's producers asking for the chance to confront him on "Oprah," one claims.

"One of the adopters was contacted by one of Oprah's producers Tuesday night, who said there was preliminary interest in doing something with the dogs," said Richard Hunter, a Dallas radio personality who adopted one of the dogs. "Then, that same night, Vick's rep told Oprah's producers he was backing out [of the interview]. It would certainly be a coincidence if one didn't have something to do with the other."

FOX411s Pop Tarts also learned that after being informed of the planned interview, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent a letter to Oprah to express their concerns that Vick may win her over with his tricks.

Oprah was our Person of the Year in 2009 for championing the causes against factory farming and fur. However, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, who met privately with Michael Vick, wrote to Oprah with a concern over her upcoming interview, a representation from the animal rights organization said. We wanted to make sure that Oprah does not fall for the trick that Vick tried on PETA, saying that, to him, pet dogs were different from the avatars used in his fighting pit.

Although the NFL star told Newkirk when they met that he viewed his pet differently, a U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) report on his dog fighting activities revealed that he even threw his own family dogs into the fighting pit to be torn to shreds while he laughed.

"Just as convicted pedophiles aren't allowed free access to children, anyone who is responsible for hanging, electrocuting, or shooting dogs and who got a rush out of killing them, as he admitted and his friends confirmed, and who caused them to suffer in other horrific ways, should never again be allowed access to dogs, Newkirk wrote in the letter to Winfrey. 

Since going to jail for the dogfighting ring, Vick has been working with the Humane Societys anti-dog fighting program, and the organization argues he should be able to own a canine once again.

It is too soon for Michael Vick to have a dog. Pet-keeping is a privilege and he lost that privilege when he committed atrocious acts of cruelty in the months and years before his arrest in 2007, The Humane Society of the United States' President and CEO Wayne Pacelle wrote in a recent http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2010/12/michael-vick-pet.html blog. I do think that if his rehabilitation progresses and he handles the probation period flawlessly, it could be a good thing for Michael Vicks family to have a pet at the end of that process."

- Deidre Behar contributed to this report

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/01/AR2011020104097.html