Daily Brief: You Don't Scare Me

Welcome to the Daily Brief. Today's briefs mostly centers around people defying threats, fear, and drama.

One of my favorite directors and mouthy liberal, Michael Moore, hits big at the Cannes Film Festival with his film Sicko, which takes on the American healthcare system. It highlights how other countries have better healthcare, shorter emergency room waits, and even Al Quaeda members in Guatanomo Bay have better healthcare than Americans.

In other American issues, foreign investors are taking a big chunk out of American investments because of the incredible shrinking dollar. Yes folks, the dollar does not stand a chance against the global phenomenon, the Euro. So, the Almighty Dollar has been literally punked in terms of global economics. Currently, the dollar is worth only three quarters of a Euro (.75). I mean really, you do the math! In reverse, one Euro is worth $1.35 in America.

In other turns of the hand, Arabian janjaweed members are now joining forces with rebels in Darfur who are taking on the Sudanese government. Previously, the janjaweed were a government "outsourced" army who raped and pillaged their way across Darfur. Also, if you missed it and I'm sure you did, here's a gander on some Darfur legislation:

Just as many did to South African during its tyranny of apartheid, there's a global movement to divest in Darfur.

In an attempt to save Africa from itself, the G8, a group that seems to rival and marginalize the United Nations, are in talks of how to financially salvage the war torn continent. They mainly feel that African nations need to learn how to "manage their own finances responsibly." Really what can be said: seeing that colonialism and capitalism have surely disabled this continent since about 1617 (maybe even earlier), how can a continent overcome the deep wounds of slavery, apartheid, rape, corruption, and lack of education venues, positive foreign suppport and relations, stability, and progress? Is there a reset button somewhere?

As I was reading on Black America Web about the new fall lineup, I realized after finishing the article, it didn't mention what's up with African American shows and other diverse viewings. What's the deal? I had to go in search. Seeing that the majority of African American shows are on the CW, this is what I found. I was actually disappointed to know that All Of Us was cancelled; just when I got into it - but the show did stray from its original premise. We all knew Tia was bringing the drama because she wanted Robert back...do blended families really work? But Girlfriends actually made history with another renewal, bringing them to eight seasons.

The Geoge Lopez Show was also canceled. Lopez even commented that network television just got a little bit "whiter." This totally refutes Kevin Liles, the Executive VP of the Warner Music Group, who claimed on Oprah's Town Hall on Hip Hop that hip hop contributed to the "browning of America." He even commented on his blog, Making It Happen, "The Latino community called to ask me lots of questions about Making It Happen and to give me confirmation that I'm promoting a message for all cultures. Hip Hop is the catalyst towards the Browning of America." So do we call it ManTan? Apparently he hasn't read Eric Lott's Love and Theft: Blackface Minstrelsy in Middle Class America. But, you're really important when an entire community calls you. Why not wrap yourself in some of his homespun wisdom on his website, KevinLiles.com.

But overall, people are really looking to see how Tyler Perry's show, The House of Payne will stand on TBS. Catch an exclusive 6 minute peak of the show here. Let's just hope it sticks to the tradition of the plays. Here's a collection of funny moments from Madea's Family Reunion the stage play:


have a great week!
mdgg