March MADNESS!!!

March 6, 2010

“The Battle for College Hardwood SUPREMACY”
By Phil “The HAND” Hackett

What’s In a Name!?
Well… It’s that time of year again! From the moment the 2010 NCAA basketball season opened, B-Ball fans began making their March Madness picks. Homebodies and blue collar workers across the country are now scrambling to get last minute information in hopes of cashing in on the local bar, on-line and/or office pool. Hell, even the well-to-do white-collar worker can’t resist looking into his or her crystal ball for the chance at claiming this year’s top prize when it comes to college hoops. Being no April fool, March Madness is world renowned and gathers more TV attention than all the Easter and St’ Patrick’s Day parades combined making it the most viewed event during the spring.

Where the Action is!!
Let’s face it… The action really heats up after round 2 of the tournament. It’s the Regional games that start drawing the real ratings and will be putting ASSES in the Arenas and sport bar seats across the nation. This year’s Regional Arenas are strategically placed to do just that. St. Louis, MO. Edward Jones Dome plays host to the Midwest Region. Reliant Stadium; in Houston, TX. will host the Southern Region. The Western Regional will take place in Energy Solutions Arena out of Salt Lake City, UT. Leaving the Eastern Regional to be decided in the sea of orange known to those as the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. The “Final Four” game to decide just
who will be “CUTTING DOWN THE NETS” will be held at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

Who’s Who!?
With the field of 64 seemingly wide open this year; it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be crowned as “NATIONAL CHAMPS” on April 5th in Indianapolis. The usual suspects are, well, “SUSPECT” this year, which couldn’t make for a more exciting tournament are North Carolina, U-Conn, Florida, Memphis, Louisville, WHO? These tournament perennial powerhouses have stumbled this year. Former winners, N.C. and U-Conn and runner-up Memphis are not even on the radar to make this year’s field. Purdue, Kansas State, West Virginia, New Mexico, Temple, Richmond, WHO? Two number (2’s), a (3), (4), (5) and (6) seed as of today, that’s WHO!!! With potential (16) seeds Coastal Carolina, Lehigh, Belmont and Robert Morris looming, WHO could possibly script a better Cinderella?

AND THE WINNER IS!?
With the Syracuse and Villanova, two potential number (1) seeds, and a loaded BIG EAST having most likely 8 or 9 teams going they look like the conference with the best shot. With current No. 1 ranked Kansas, a shoe-in (1) seed and a dangerous Kansas St., a likely (2), the BIG 12 has a stake to claim as well. Kentucky, who seems at times, unbeatable, looks to be the SEC’s “last man standing”. Always present, BIG 10’s Michigan St., Ohio St. and an up and coming dark horse, Purdue will sure to be in the mix. The ACC’s bad boy Mike Krzyzewski and DUKE, is poised and hiding in the shadows. As for this year’s glass slipper (Cinderella), there are too many to name. So the question remains… WHO’S GOING TO WIN??? Thought I’d fall for that shit huh? All I can say is “THE HELL IF I KNOW”!!! What I DO know is that I will be just like the rest of you know nothin’, alcohol drinkin’, bull shit talkin’ fanatical motherfucker’s yelling at the flat screen TV on April 5th only to swear on my dead mother’s grave that it was my
team all along “CUTTIN DOWN THE NETS”.

“My President Looks Like Me” By Solomon “Superman” Carter

December 30, 2009

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America.”

-President Barrack Obama-

These were the words spoken by a man that just 8 or 10 years ago I would have told you that you were crazy if you said he was going to be the most powerful man in the world. If you would have told me that I would be standing on the lawn of the capitol mall watching him be sworn in with his hand on the same bible that Abraham Lincoln was sworn in with I would have said you were off your rocker. I watched an 80 year old woman and her daughter of 62 cry their eyes out because they had lived to see the day that an African American man was the President of the United States of America. I was moved to tears myself almost, because for the first time in my life… my president looked like me.

It has been almost one year since these events transpired, and lots of things have happened since my president took office. I say my president not because he is a black man like some will assume, but because I believe in this man. I believe in what he stands for, and what he is trying to accomplish. These things won’t happen over night… some things won’t even happen in one year. Most of the plans this president has will take his full term (and beyond to another hopefully) to be realized. This country has been run into the ground by the Bush administration in my humble opinion… both of the Bush’s, the last one for eight LONG HARD years. This is when the country took it’s biggest down turn in my opinion. The mistakes in administration that were made by Bush the 2nd (is what I call him) made such a negative impact on the economy, education, & health care that some Americans feel it will take decades to recover from. I don’t believe it will take that long, and I do feel that this man can get America back on track.

What Obama doesn’t need are the critics… second-guessing every move. and trying their very best to find fault at every turn. I know that these critics go along with the job of being president, but if we can’t see that …this time our president may actually have the intelligence and charisma to make it happen, but sad to say there are some Americans that are just waiting for this man to fail… WHY?? Why can’t we all just show this man the support that is needed to fix what’s wrong in America, or is what’s wrong with America some of the people (haters) that live here. Give the man a chance to
succeed for God’s Sake he’s been the president for less than a year…the people in this country elected Bush the 2nd… TWICE!!! …and he was a dumb ass that couldn’t even speak on camera coherently whatsoever… let alone run the country and affect policy like a president needs to.

I know some people may say that I’m “Bush Bashing”, but I’m really not. It’s not his fault he’s an idiot. I blame his idiot family for raising an idiot and fixing the election so he got elected…TWICE! No Bush wasn’t our only problem. Like I said before we have a nation full of haters, and that’s a part of the problem as well because they facilitate doubt in our leader by
questioning his every move. I am a leader of men & women, and when I have an individual in the organization that outwardly questions my every move I fire them because that’s terrible for the morale of the other team members just as it would be on a battleship or an aircraft carrier or anywhere there is a leader and subordinates… same difference. It’s called dissension, and dissension leads to mutiny in some cases.

The American people need Leadership, and we finally have it… Let the man do his job, and STOP HATIN ON HIM.

My name is Solomon L. Carter a.k.a. ChiTowns Finest Superman…

I am the President,  CEO, and Founder of Stunnaz Magazine…

…and My President looks like me

www.barackobama.com

www.whitehouse.gov

A Fabulous Man By Jewel Carter

December 18, 2008

What Every Woman should have…if she wants one!
This is my personal salute to all the “real” men out there. We know you exist. You been seen, smelt, heard and felt around the world and it’s high time we pay some homage to you! For those guys that fall a little short of their fabulousness…here’s a list, just check off the qualities as you work your way to your greatness.

There is something sexy about a “real” man. Now I’m not talking about the fictitious characters that have been served up on prime time television. I’m talking about the true, day to day, down for the crown, do-or-die dudes that we see every single day.

It’s difficult for me to put these in any particular order of importance, because the truth is that they are ALL important qualities and every fabulous man that I’ve ever met, had them all (not in equal proportions). This is what I call the “IT” list…

I…is for Integrity. For all the men out there that know who they are, not who they want or anyone else wants them to be. When you know yourself, you are less likely to be easily distracted and lured into situations or relationships that are not for you. Men that possess
Integrity is considered to also be genuine, trustworthy, truthful, fair and loyal. Integrity defined means “the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or standards”. It’s knowing the difference between right and wrong…and even when it’s easier to do wrong without reprimand, you do right.
T…is for Temperament. Having total control over your mind and body, what could be sexier than that? A man with true vision is fearless, courageous, supportive, stable and generous of his time and talents. Let me point out my interpretation of the difference between fearless and courageous. They aren’t the same thing. A man can act with courage and still have fear. Fear is the absence of faith. A fearless man never walks, talks or acts alone. He is a protector and provider and has a sense of humor to boot.

There are many fabulous men out there that don’t know it, because they’ve been too busy doing it, to be caught up in the titles. In addition, there have been far too many of us women that do not bother to mention to the men in our lives how fabulous they are. Contrary to popular belief, men love a good compliment too! They like to know that there are women that can identify and appreciate the fabulousness of a real man.

So, thank you to all the guys out there that are doing everything that they can to be all that they can. We don’t need to find our better halves; we need to find our equals. We need to be 100% individually and 200% collectively.

If you have IT…share it with the world (not literally). Mentor other young men and help them understand the difference between boys and men. Explain to them that any male can be a father, but it takes a man to be a dad.

Happy Father’s Day to all the daddies and real men of the world.

No Romance without Finance! By Jewel Carter

December 17, 2008

How to get your finances in order for 2010
If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a thousand times… “Money doesn’t buy you happiness… However, it sure does make being miserable a lot more fun!” How is it that some people do and some people don’t? Some can and some can’t. Some will and others won’t? Save money that is. For some it’s an endless cycle. They get caught up in the “if I only made more money”. Then when they get more money… it still isn’t enough.

The problem doesn’t seem to be a lack of money, but a lack of money management. You ever wondered how our grand parents made a lot less money and provided for a lot more children. They all ate three meals a day, had clean clothes, shoes and for the most part, everyone turned out all right. Except maybe your uncle Pookie?!

Of course our ancestors had it a lot easier than us right? There was no QVC or Black Card on the market. If you wanted to hear music in the car everyone would sing a song, if you got lost, you’d pull out the map. Now, we’ve got to have a 12-disc CD changer that goes in the trunk or better yet XM satellite. A GPS system is a must. With every new technology is a bigger price tag and we’ve managed to make more millionaires and billionaires in the history of our world all the while we’re still trying to pay off our student loans from 1982.

Well, I am no financial expert, however, like you; I have access to a wealth of information on the Internet. This is what I have found: There are 113,000,000 sites on Financial Planning, 9,920,000 on Credit Repair, 31,400,000 on Saving Money, 17,900,000 on Investing and 14,300,000 on Creating a Budget.

Check them out and then go back to the article on Setting your Goals. You’ve got to have a plan in order to achieve anything…let’s call it a physical, spiritual or financial road map to help you get from where you are to where you want to be. You can use all the help in the world getting there, but how and if you stay there is determined by your attitudes about money and your ability to make the best choices for you and your family in the short and long term.

As you probably know by now, there are many happy poor people and there are unhappily wealthy folks. You must make the money and not let the money make you. The best part of being financially fit is a lot like being physically fit, it allows you the opportunity to live a healthier and happier lifestyle, filled with unlimited possibilities. It gives you the chance to ask, “What do I want to do?” Instead of “what can I afford to do”?

I hope that I’m not the first to tell you this…there is no one in the world that is more deserving of happiness and financial freedom than you!