Barack Bowls Badly!!

Barack hit the lanes in Pennsylvania yesterday, where he bowled a 37. he may have struck out with bowlers, but he is headed closer to the Democratic Party Nomination. Hey Senator, try using that right hand!!

Oh My! Imitation Is The Best Form of Flattery?

Ummm, there is a new "Kraze" in Korea. It's a REVERSE PERM! Aww now! Apparently beauticians are able to use a chemical process to add kinks to otherwise straight hair. What do you think? Would YOU get a REVERSE PERM!

Sean Levert, Brother Of R&B Singer, Dies

Sorry Guys! Was busy with Music 360, but now back to blogging> Speaking of music, check this out:

Sean Levert, the younger brother of R&B singer Gerald Levert and son of Eddie Levert of the O'Jays, died late Sunday night.

Levert, 39, died at 11:57 p.m. at Lutheran Hospital after being transported to the facility from the Cuyahoga County Jail. Sean Levert had been kept on the mental health floor of the jail.

He was serving time for not paying $85,000 in child support.


It was in November that Sean Levert started singing again. He talked with NewsChannel5 about finishing a project -- bringing the R&B trio Levert back together -- that his brother started.

Gerald Levert died Nov. 10, 2006. He was found dead in his bed at his Newbury home.

"Sometimes I'll have my moments, but right now I think I'm in a happier stage thinking about the good times we had together," Sean Levert had said.

Gerald Levert started his career as the lead singer of the R&B trio Levert before pursuing a solo career.

REMY MA FOUND GUILTY ON ALMOST ALL COUNTS - FACES 25 YEARS IN PRISON!!!

March 27, 2008. NEW YORK: Grammy-nominated rapper Remy Ma was led out of a Manhattan courtroom Thursday, weeping and in handcuffs after being convicted of shooting a woman outside a nightclub last summer.

The defense had conceded that the entertainer fired a shot toward a friend she suspected of stealing $3,000 (€1,900), but said it was an accident.

The 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is Remy Smith, faces up to 25 years in prison following her conviction in state Supreme Court for assault, weapon possession and attempted coercion.

She quietly wiped away tears as the verdict was read, then wailed loudly and sobbed openly after she was outside the courtroom. Many of her supporters also cried.

Justice Rena Uviller ordered her jailed without bail while awaiting her April 23 sentencing.Remy Ma was nominated for a Grammy as part of the Terror Squad for the 2004 hit "Lean Back." She also has appeared on recordings with Busta Rhymes and Eminem.

The rapper was acquitted of witness tampering and gang assault, charges related to a Bronx nightclub attack on the boyfriend of a witness who ultimately testified against her.

Remy Ma got into Makeda Barnes Joseph's car after a party at the Manhattan nightclub on July 14, 2007, and demanded that she dump her purse.

Assistant District Attorney Michael McIntosh said the defendant "took an illegal .45-caliber automatic and loaded it with hollow-point bullets," then used both hands to cock the weapon as she got into the car. "She took every step you had to take to shoot somebody," said the prosecutor.

Defense lawyer Ivan Fisher said the gun went off accidentally as the women struggled over the bag.

Joseph, who was shot in the abdomen, testified that she underwent three surgeries during a three-week hospital stay.

TI SENTENCED TO 12 MONTHS IN PRISON AND 1500 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE!!!

March 27, 2008. ATLANTA - (AP) Rapper T.I. was expected to plead guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges and will face prison time, according to two people familiar with his case.

The 27-year-old singer, whose real name is Clifford Harris, was expected to be sentenced to 1,500 hours of community service talking to youth groups around the country, followed by about 12 months in prison, according to two people familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plea deal had not been finalized yet Thursday morning.

Harris is one of Atlantic Records' most successful artists. His sixth album, "T.I. vs. T.I.P.," was released July 3, debuting at No. 1. He appeared in the 2007 film "American Gangster," which starred Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.

His prison time could be increased or reduced, depending on his fulfillment of the terms of the deal and good behavior, the two people familiar with the negotiations said. His talks to youth groups are supposed to be about the pitfalls of guns, gangs and drugs.

The U.S. Attorney in Atlanta announced a change-of-plea hearing was scheduled Thursday afternoon at the federal courthouse. Prosecution officials were expected to speak to the media after the hearing.

U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell Jr. must approve the deal.

Harris was arrested Oct. 13, just blocks away and hours before he was to headline the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.

He was charged with possession of unregistered machine guns and silencers, as well as possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He faced a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.

Harris was allegedly trying to buy unregistered machine guns and silencers. He initially pleaded not guilty, and has been under house arrest since he was released on $3 million bond Oct. 26.

KILPATRICK PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO PERJURY: Mayor and former Chief of Staff charged Monday with lying about their affair.

Kwame! The truth shall make you free! They already got all 14,000 of yo text messages man! Peep this ya'll:

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that they lied under oath about having an affair.
Both parties appeared in separate hearings to answer the charges of perjury, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and misconduct in office announced Monday by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. District Court Magistrate Steve Lockhart entered not guilty pleas for each of them before they were released on personal bonds.
Kilpatrick, 37, is married with three children. Beatty, also 37, was married at the time and has two children. Both are accused of lying under oath about an affair and their roles in the firing of a top police official. Text messages first reported by the Detroit Free Press revealed a flirty, sometimes explicit, exchange between the two.
Worthy's investigation began in late January after the Detroit Free Press published excerpts from 14,000 text messages that were sent or received in 2002-03 from Beatty's city-issued pager.
In setting the mayor's personal bond, Lockhart noted defendants generally are restricted to the state of Michigan while their cases are pending. However, given Kilpatrick's position, Lockhart granted him the right to travel anywhere within the United States without prior permission, but said Kilpatrick still must give advance notice to the court.

The tax payers are gonna pay for these shenanigans! What do you think?

Music 360 Spotlight: Michelle Williams From Gospel Chops To Dance Floor Hops?

Destiny's Child veteran Michelle Williams takes it to the dance floor with her forthcoming album "Unexpected."
The title is perhaps a nod to her first solo project outside of the gospel genre. Due in August from Music World Entertainment/Columbia Records, the album is full of "synth-y, driving bass samples, electronic keys and bopping drums," according to Billboard.com.
"Unexpected" marks the follow-up to 2004's "Do You Know" and 2002's "Heart to Yours," with which Williams returned to her church roots. However, Music World CEO Mathew Knowles insists "Unexpected" isn't that much of a stretch, considering Williams spent the bulk of 2007 playing the raunchy character Shug Avery in Oprah Winfrey's Chicago-based cast of "The Color Purple."
"Destiny's Child fans bought Michelle's last album (which sold about 78,000 copies)," said Knowles. "So now those fans are in their late 20s and early 30s. With 'Unexpected,' she'll be able to appeal to those fans and reach back to the 16-year-old audience and hit mainstream pop radio."
"We Break the Dawn" is the first single, set for release in April, while "Stop This Car," which leaked on the Internet earlier this year, is the second.

Michelle, make up yo mind chile! What do you think?

What Happened When T.I. Went To Church Sunday?

The Judge let TI out of jail to go to Resurection Services this past Sunday. He is facing a host of weapons charges. This is what happened:
T.I. used part of his time away from house arrest to address an Easter Sunday crowd of about 30,000 at Atlanta's New Birth Missionary Church.
"We're here to celebrate the death of our Lord and Savior," T.I. told the congregation, according to Atlanta news outlet 11 Alive, as part of his three-plus-minute speech at the podium. "He was willing to give his life for us so that we may ask for forgiveness for our sins and be forgiven and saved. ... No matter how many times we have to ask ... or how long it takes to get it right."
A judge granted permission for T.I. to attend the service while under house arrest until his trial on gun charges.
According to MTV, the rapper was accompanied by his mother, his six children and significant other Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, who is six months pregnant with a boy, the couple's second child. The entire lot arrived at the church in a tour bus and stayed for the entire service before returning home and eating dinner.

Jacksons Not Recession Proofed

This is how the world can do you. I heard somebody say recently, "if you chase the dollar, it WILL RUN!" Seek ye first the Kindom of Yahvah, and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you....Check this out:

According to a crazazy report by the New York Post, most of the Jackson clan isn't fairing too well financially -- some of the Jackson boys are even still living at home! Check out a rundown of the current state of events.

Michael is on the verge of losing Neverland ranch as well as the family's Encino, Calif., home. He is currently hiding out in Las Vegas.

Marlon stocks shelves at a Vons supermarket in San Diego, and had to temporarily move into an extended-stay hotel with his wife.

Tito formed a band and plays at small gigs for $500 to $1,500.

Randy does odd jobs for income. He did act as Michael's business manager during the 2005 molestation trial but ran into problems with friends after he persuaded three people to take out lines of credits against their homes to help Michael pay his attorney fees and Michael stiffed them!

Jackie had a failed internet clothing business and still tries to produce. He still lives at home with his parents.

Jermaine splits time between the parents home and his girlfriend's home. He has more than $5 million in federal, state and other liens against him and a 1995 bankruptcy filing. He does not work.

Janet is the current breadwinner of the family. She bought her mom a Vegas home in anticipation of losing the family's mansion, to foreclosure.

La Toya is all but shunned from the family for declaring Michael guilty during the 1993 molestation case. She earns a living mostly in Europe judging beauty and singing contests. She lives with a wealthy boyfriend in Beverly Hills and has little contact with her siblings.

Rebbie got married to successful businessman Nathaniel Brown.

Daddy Joe still thinks the Jackson family can get it together, saying, "We can get back out there and set the world on fire. If the Rolling Stones can still rake in the money, so, too, can my boys."

BEST BUY WAVES 'MAGIC' WAND OVER BLACK CONSUMERS: Retail chain teams with Earvin Johnson to boost urban market presence.

BlackEnterprise.com is reporting that electronics retailer Best Buy Co. Inc. has entered a multiyear agreement with Magic Johnson Enterprises in hopes of boosting its curb appeal among urban consumers.


With the opening of more stores in racially and ethnically diverse locations, the Minneapolis-based chain hopes its partnership with MJE will help grow the business by better understanding the needs of local communities and how to connect with them more effectively, says Herschel Herndon, Best Buy’s vice president of multicultural relations.


Best Buy also hopes MJE can help enhance management’s “ability to create jobs, train, retain, and develop employees and to create value in communities by developing local business partnerships and supporting urban development which helps everyone,” Herndon tells Black Enterprise.


Earvin “Magic” Johnson, MJE’s chairman and CEO, says the company has been working with Best Buy in another capacity for many years. “Along with Best Buy leadership and current store managers, we’re going to look at a range of ways to better serve the multicultural consumer who is already a great customer of Best Buy. We love electronics. We love to have the latest and greatest DVDs and CDs. So, this is about how we can grow the physical presence of Best Buy in the urban community.”

According to a recent poll conducted by consumer research company, Yankelovich, roughly 57% of the African Americans and Hispanics polled in 16 states that represent MJE’s business markets indicated that they are more likely to purchase from businesses associated with Magic Johnson.


Best Buy follows in the footsteps of such companies as Aetna, Starbucks, Burger King, NASCAR, T.G.I. Fridays, and 24 Hour Fitness in partnering with MJE to increase multicultural consumer traffic.

SINBAD VS. HILLARY CLINTON II: Senator responds to comic's recollection of Bosnia trip, which prompts a final from Sinbad – so he says.

Sen. Hillary Clinton is brushing aside comments made earlier this month by comedian Sinbad, who claimed that their 1996 trip to Bosnia was not as violent as she described in two separate occasions on the campaign trail.

As previously reported, the Democratic presidential candidate was attempting to show up fellow candidate Barack Obama on foreign policy by talking about her "harrowing" trip to the war torn country, stating she "landed under sniper fire" and had to duck-and-run toward waiting vehicles.

Sinbad, who was also on the trip, told Washington Post blog The Sleuth that sniper fire was never an issue when the plane landed, and there was no mad dash to vehicles while under duress. When told of Sinbad's differing account of the trip, Clinton's four-word response was: "Sinbad is a comedian."

"I made my statement, and she made hers," Sinbad wrote to the Sleuth this week in an email. Refusing to comment any further, Sinbad did suggest that he finds the entire exchange amusing. "Ha ha! This has taken on a life of its own," he wrote.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal chimed in with details of Clinton's personal schedule detailing the Bosnia trip. The itinerary, which the Clinton campaign released along with scores of other records from the Clinton White House last week, had "no mention of security threats" regarding the trip.

Sinbad, an Obama supporter, feels Clinton should be more concerned with her poll numbers following the Illinois senator's speech on race relations.

"After Barack's last speech, Bosnia is the least of her problems," Sinbad said.

Watch as CBS news catches Hillary in the same lie as Sinbad did:

Radio One Sells L.A.'s V-100 Radio Station

Radio One Inc., whose losses swelled to $386 million last quarter, has agreed to sell its Los Angeles radio station to Bonneville International Corp. for $137.5 million.

The Lanham-based broadcaster says it will use the money to reduce its leverage, expand its Internet operations and buy back stock.

KRBV-FM, an R&B station known as V-100 to its listeners, is the latest in a string of radio stations Radio One has sold. Most of the divestitures have been in underperforming stations or properties that Radio One has said don't fit into its plans for core market holdings.

It leaves Radio One with 53 stations in 16 markets. Radio One also owns Giant Magazine and the Tom Joyner Morning Show, and is part owner of TV One.

Radio One says its board of directors has also authorized a stock repurchase program of up to $150 million.

Radio One's class A stock (NASDAQ: ROIA) jumped 51 cents, or 49 percent, to $1.64 per share in Monday trading. The stock is still down 76 percent in the last 12 months.

Hillary Deathblow! New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson Endorses Obama

Well, now we have more endorsements for Obama to match up with his lead on the delegates. Gov. Richardson possesses the needed Hispanic base that Obama needs. Umm...Hillary, I think it's a wrap.

The Ignorance...Bishop Don Magic Juan

Self-proclaimed Archbishop Don "Magic" Juan, the former pimp best known as the spiritual advisor to Snoop Dogg, has launched a new Web site that aims to help troubled singer Britney Spears.

       HelpBishopSaveBritney.com features a series of Bishop-hosted episodes that include interviews with celebs willing to help Spears in her "journey of recovery," according to Allhiphop.com.

       "Britney all I need is 33 minutes of your time to sit down, to talk and to find out what it is that you’re missing in your life to fulfill your dreams because dreams do come true," said Don Magic Juan.

       The Bishop said he hopes the Web site can help Spears find joy, love and happiness in her life.       

       "I’ve been there. I’ve done that. I understand what you are going through Britney and you don’t have to go through it like that," he said. "One day at a time. That’s all God asks for. One day at a time. Don’t worry about the day before or the day after."

Ummmm....No.  The B.D.J. needs to get his house in order, and stop kickin' it at those Pimp Conventions!  Let Jesus Take The Wheel Bishop!

Shhh! Don't Tell Anyone, But Sharpton Supports Obama

It didn't take a recent "Saturday Night Live" cartoon for Rev. Al Sharpton to realize that a public display of affection for Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama may do more harm than good.

      According to the New York Daily News, the civil rights veteran said he's made the strategic decision to keep quiet about his support for the Illinois senator, despite speaking with him "two to three times a week."

       "I said, 'I'm gonna do whatever I gotta do to help you. Hillary Clinton has never done nothing for us,'" said Sharpton, recounting a conversation with Obama during a weekly rally Saturday for his group the National Action Network.       

       Asked to explain his comment that Clinton had "done nothing for us," Sharpton said he was referring to his NAN organization, not the black community.      

       An endorsement from the controversial Sharpton is a double-edged sword, impressing some voters and driving others away. A recent "SNL" cartoon poked fun at the idea of Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson attempting to help Obama's campaign, only to be sent on phantom assignments in remote parts of the world by Obama in an attempt to distance himself from the two civil rights veterans.      

       Sharpton told the Daily News Tuesday he has no plans to officially endorse Obama, but admitted he's "absolutely supportive" of his White House bid.

       So why go public now? Sharpton said one of the reasons he has "started discussing my private feelings is because of the disappointment I've had in the public conduct of the Clinton campaign."      

       He specifically mentioned racially charged statements from former President Bill Clinton, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro as troubling.

Judge GIves Rapper T.I. The Resurrection Spirit! Amen!

Rapper T.I. will get a break from his house arrest this weekend after a federal magistrate judge ruled Thursday that he'll be allowed to attend Ressurection services.

      The artist, born Clifford Harris, is currently confined to a home near Atlanta while awaiting trial on weapons charges. But on Easter Sunday, he'll be granted a reprieve to attend services at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

       Under the rules, T.I. must be accompanied by a court-approved monitor and one of his attorneys, the judge said.       

       The rapper was arrested Oct. 13, just hours before he was to headline the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta. He is charged with possession of unregistered machine guns and silencers and possession of firearms by a convicted felon after an FBI sting caught him allegedly trying to purchase unregistered machine guns and silencers.

       He was released on bond, but is under house arrest at a home in Henry County. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the weapons charges if convicted.

       T.I. had previously asked to host a Thanksgiving Day gathering at the home where he's staying, but the plan was scrapped after the government opposed it. His bond conditions require court approval of visitors.

Would you have let T.I. out to attend church? 

Oh My! Bill Clinton Has Relationship With Rev. Wright Too!

During one of the most difficult periods in the presidency of Bill Clinton, he addressed a group of clerics at an annual prayer breakfast in September 1998 just as the Starr report outlining his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky was about to be published.

Among those in attendance, was the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., who is seen shaking hands with Mr. Clinton in a photograph provided today by the Obama campaign. Mr. Wright’s relationship with Senator Barack Obama, as his longtime pastor, has been the subject of considerable controversy in recent days because of incendiary excerpts of sermons Mr. Wright gave at their church, Trinity United Church of Christ, in Chicago.

In providing the photograph to The New York Times, the Obama campaign appeared to be trying to divert some attention to the Clintons after a week in which Mr. Obama’s relationship with Mr. Wright has left him facing one of the biggest challenges of his campaign. There is nothing in the picture or the note that addresses whether Mr. Clinton had met Mr. Wright prior to the White House meeting or whether he or Mrs. Clinton knew anything about Mr. Wright’s views.  Wait, there's more!  Click here

DEMS WILL CHOOSE BARACK OVER HILLARY: Bill Clinton's former advisor, Dick Morris, says it's practically a done deal

Will the Gospel According to Jeremiah Wright "sink" the Obama candidacy? Not very likely.
Let's start with two basic facts:
(a) Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) has already won the Democratic nomination. It's over. Regardless of how the remaining primaries and caucuses go, including Michigan and even Florida, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) can never catch Obama in elected delegates. His current lead of 170 pledged delegates will not be overcome no matter what happens.
Even if Clinton beats him by 10 points in each of these primaries, he will still lead among elected delegates by over 100. The superdelegates will not override the will of the voters unless Obama is in jail.
They will not let themselves in for a civil war by overruling a black man who is beloved by the young by going over the heads of the electorate and naming the candidate that lost the primaries as the nominee. Regardless of how damaged Obama may be by the Wright tapes, it will not provide sufficient cover or cause for them to do so.
(b) Wright's rantings are not reflective of Obama's views on anything. Why did he stay in the church? Because he's a black Chicago politician who comes from a mixed marriage and went to Columbia and Harvard. Suspected of not being black enough or sufficiently tied to the minority community, he needed the networking opportunities Wright afforded him in his church to get elected. If he had not risen to the top of Chicago black politics, we would never have heard of him. But obviously, he can't say that. So what should he say?
He needs to get out of this mess with subtlety, the kind Bill Clinton should have used to escape the Monica Lewinsky scandal -- but didn't. As the controversy continues, Americans will gradually realize that Obama stuck by Wright as part of a need to get ahead. They will chalk up to pragmatism why he was so close to such a preacher. As they come to realize that Obama doesn't agree with Wright but used him to get started, they will be more forgiving.

What do you think? Wait, there's moe! Click here

Disney Ruining the Small small World?

Uh Un!! First Captain Eo, and now this?! Ya'll need to leave Small World alone! According to the LA Times, the family of the woman who helped create "It's a Small World" are begging Disney not to mess up the iconic ride with "idiotic" changes. The ride has been closed since January to upgrade the its boats - which some think was needed in order to accommodate the ever increasing weight of the general population. But now other changes are being tossed around. Miceage.com is reporting that Disney Imagineers are considering adding Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Peter Pan, Nemo and other Disney characters to locations throughout the ride while replacing the Papua, New Guinea, rain forest scene with an American tribute.In an open letter to Disney execs, the family writes, "The Disney characters of themselves are positive company icons, but they do NOT fit in with the original theme of the ride. They will do nothing except to marginalize the rightful stars of the ride 'The Children of the World.'" Disney officials say some additions will be made to Small World but that no decision has been made on specific creative changes to the ride despite the speculation. What do you think? Should they make changes to Small World?

KILPATRICK VOWS NOT TO RESIGN

The Detroit City Council voted 7-1 to call for the resignation of its mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick amid a text-message scandal.
Kilpatrick dismissed the non-binding vote and has continually vowed not to resign.
“My reaction is, OK, now since it’s over, it has no effect, it’s not binding, let’s get back to work,” he told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t blame anybody on council. The incredible scrutiny and overwhelming pressure of the media — you all are something — it’s probably tough for anybody there.”
The resolution cites 33 reasons for Kilpatrick to quit and also claims his administration has failed to govern effectively.

What do you think? Should he resign?

BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: OTA BENGA

Ota Benga (ca. 1881-1916) was a Congolese pygmy who was featured in a 1906 human zoo exhibit at the Bronx Zoo, which was intended to promote the theory that humans evolved from primates and scientific racism.
Ota Benga (or Bi, which means ‘friend’ in his language) was born around 1881 in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the time, the area was under control of the Belgians, who plundered the land for ivory and rubber. Upon returning from gathering ivory one day, Ota Benga found that his village had been destroyed and his wife and two children murdered.

To read more, click here

Fashion? Hellz Bellz?

I don't want to be overly sensitive, but can some of you ladies out their hip me to this designer and what is behind this "Hellz Bellz" name? I don't know if I want Hellz in my Bellz...Hmm...Hollah bak at me on this one!

Born Again Voters No Longer Favor Republican Candidates

One of the most reliable constituencies of the Republican Party in recent years has been born again Christians. A new national survey of likely voters conducted by The Barna Group, however, shows that the Republicans have lost the allegiance of many born again voters. The November election is truly up for grabs - and if the election were held today, most born again voters would select the Democratic Party nominee for president, whoever that might be.

Born Again Voting Pattern

In 1992, born again voters sided with Republican incumbent George H.W. Bush over Democratic challenger Bill Clinton by a 39% to 35% margin. In the 1996 election, born again voters again sided with the Republican candidate (Bob Dole) rather than the incumbent Democratic President Bill Clinton by a 49% to 43% margin. In the 2000 election, the born again constituency gave Republican nominee George W. Bush a resounding 57% to 42% margin over Democratic challenger Al Gore. In 2004, the born again segment again sided with George W. Bush, giving him a lopsided 62% to 38% preference over Democratic hopeful John Kerry.

In the past couple of elections, the born again vote represented about half of the total number of votes cast in the U.S. Given the razor thin margin of victory achieved by President Bush in 2000, and the close tally in 2004, the born again vote was vital in both of the Bush victories.

For more on this study, click here

UNION TO PROBE LACK OF OFFERS FOR BARRY BONDS: Opening day is two weeks away and slugger is still unsigned

As part of its annual review of the free agent market, the Baseball Players Association plans to examine the lack of offers to Barry Bonds, who remains a free agent less than two weeks before the new season is scheduled to begin.


"He's in playing shape right now. He just hasn't hit off live pitching," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, told the Associated Press. "I've had conversations with Barry. It would probably take him about two weeks to get ready."


Bonds, 43, was indicted in November on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, charges stemming from 2003 grand jury testimony in which he denied knowingly using illegal performance-enhancing drugs. The home run king and seven-time NL MVP pleaded not guilty.

Tampa Bay showed early interest in Bonds, acknowledging it had internal discussions about pursuing the former San Francisco Giants star last month. St. Louis manager Tony La Russa also had interest in the slugger but Cardinals management decided against opening talks.

Union head Donald Fehr said his staff will examine possible collusion against Bonds and others.

"We always look at the free-agent markets every year and make judgments about them, and if we come to the conclusion with respect to any player that there's a matter worth pursuing, we'll pursue it," he said. "But I'm not going to make any suggestions or accusations unless and until we come to that conclusion."

Hmm....I wonder why? What do you think?

Mike Huckabee Defends Obama and Pastor

Well, Lookee, Lookee! Former Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is defending Obama and Obama's pastor? Well IMAGINE that! What do you think?

Metro Launches Campaign to Help Free-flowing Traffic Future

If you see a bus go by that you thought had my buddy Keith's picture on it, you would be correct! MTA has released it's "Imagine" campaign, and he is featured! I would IMAGINE that I may be ridin' the bus soon if these fuel prices keep going up!!

MTA Says:
With the release of its draft Long Range Transportation Plan for public review last week, Metro today launched a major campaign to focus public attention on how individuals can work with Metro to achieve a free-flowing traffic future for Los Angeles County.

Billboards, bus and rail advertising, web and newspaper ads that started debuting today are steering the public to a new interactive Metro.net web page where the public can learn more about current and proposed highway and public transit projects and options for funding them.

The draft Long Range Transportation Plan is posted on the web site along with notices of seven public meetings that will be held through April to discuss the plan. Following public review, the Metro Board will consider plan adoption in June.

Metro’s Long Range Transportation Plan prioritizes dozens of new highway, street and public transit projects in virtually every corner of Los Angeles County.

Want more info, Click here

Real NOT Rumor: New Cellular Phone Laws that Go Into Effect July 1, 2008

Ok, let me break this down to you Cali dwellers: After July 1, you CANNOT be driving around TALKING ON A CELL PHONE or TEXTING! It will be AGAINST THE LAW PEOPLE! Ok, well what about "MY BLUETOOTH" or "HANDS FREE"? Well, if you are 18 or over, you can use a hands free device, however if you are UNDER 18, you CANNOT USE A PHONE OR ANY HANDSFREE DEVICE while driving! Get all the info at the click below! GOTB ya'll, cuzz I don't want to hear about you getting upset because PO PO, pulled you over. Get off that phone and ask momma about dem greens later!

For more on this, Click here

Gospel Spotlight: GOSPEL CHILD STAR RELEASES COMEBACK CD: Bryan Wilson’s 'A Second Coming' hits stores April 1.

Remember dude who sang "His Eyes On The Sparrow" with that Children's Choir 15 years ago? No, it's not AHJEI! Well his name is Bryan Wilson, and he's baaaack! Check out the old sckool video!

Former Gospel star Bryan Wilson is gearing up for “A Second Coming” on Bryan’s Songs/CE Music.

Wilson started in Gospel at the age of 12 in 1994 with his rendition of, “His Eye on the Sparrow,” with the Mississippi Children’s Choir, which made him an overnight Gospel sensation.

A Dove and Stellar Award nomination followed as well as two solo CDs and tours with the who's who of Gospel artists. After a voice change and time off for college at Princeton University, Bryan is now ready for a comeback.

His new sound is urban contemporary. He had help by Washington, DC producers One Up Entertainment (Keyshia Cole and Ciara) and producer Kris “Doc Sizzle” Bell (John P Kee).

Bryan and his manager decided to finance and release the CD themselves on Bryan Songs/CE Music.

For more info, check out his website. Click here

BBC ACCUSED OF REWRITING THE RESSURECTION STORY: Outrage expressed over network's show with Yeshua crucified in a 'foetal' position

Paul Revoir of The Daily Mailing in the UK reports that the BBC is facing accusations of rewriting the Ressurection story by claiming Christ was nailed to the cross in a "foetal" position.The British Broadcasting Corporation is accused of “misleading” the public by ditching the traditional image of Yeshua with arms outstretched, legs straight and hands nailed.Makers of the lavish new drama, "The Passion," say they are challenging this image, because new historical evidence shows he probably did not die this way.They instead maintain he likely died with his arms above his head, nails through his arms and his knees bent, when killed by the Romans. But the network is being accused of ignoring evidence in the Bible and gratuitously offending Christians who cherish the traditional image.This comes just weeks after the broadcaster faced claims of exonerating Judas and Pontius Pilate in the same program, which stars Joseph Mawle as Yeshua. Others also strike out at the program’s portrayal of Yeshua’ mother Mary, after the program suggested she had not known what was happening to her.Simon Elliot, production designer for the BBC show says he tried to make the show “historically accurate” as possible. Elliott claimed that the position known to Christians was only one of a number of ways the Romans crucified people. But the decision to go with the new portrayal was based on “lengthy research,” including the discovery of a crucified skeleton found near Jerusalem in 1968.

HALLE BERRY'S DAUGHTER'S NAME IS NAHLA ARIELA AUBREY ... WANNA KNOW WHAT IT MEANS!!!

MediaTakeOut.com just learned that name of Halle Berry's new daughter - Nahla Ariela Aubry. For those interested Nahla is an Arabic name which means to drink (water). And Ariela .is a Hebrew name which means the Lioness of God.  Maybe we should share our Hebrew with Halle!

Police: Rise in LA Homicides Not Result of Interracial Killings

LOS ANGELES -- Police say statistics show that racial hatred is not the reason behind the city's rising homicide rate. It's up 35% in this city, but they do not appear to be racially motivated

Through Monday, 93 people had been killed in Los Angeles this year, compared to 69 during the same period in 2007. 

Recently, there has been a spate of high-profile shootings in the city where suspected Latino gang members have been charged with killing blacks. 

Police say, however, that blacks are suspected in nearly two-thirds of this year's homicide cases with black victims. Police say that of the 57 Latinos killed this year, 87 percent of Latinos killed are believed to have been struck down by fellow Latinos.  This flies in the face of rumors/myths that race wars have developed in Los Angeles.

But one black civic leader doesn't believe the numbers tell the whole story. John Hope Bryant, president of Operation HOPE, said that anyone who says race is not at factor in the recent violence.

Stats:

Gang Related Homicide Comparison:  

Out of all the homicides, 38% were gang related, 62% were not

African-American offenders are 8 times more likely to kill another black person than a Latino

Latino offenders are twice as likely to kill another Latino than a black person

Critics say that anyone who suggests race "IS NOT" a factor is not in touch with what is happening on the streets and they say that the LAPD simply does not want to inflame racial tension.

Here is a similar study from UC Irvine.  Click here

What do you think?

Music 360: Coming Friday, March 28th & 29th!

Today's "RACE" Speech From Obama

Obama delivers a POWERFUL speech today. If you missed it, here it is. What do you think?

Check out the poll on how effective this was....click here

Music 360 Spotlight: 7 Aurelius

If you have seen "Making The Band" lately, this producer named, 7 Aurelius was brought in to produce some tracks for the groups, but namely "Donnie". 7 is a "hit" maker who is responsible for tracks by Ashanti, Ja Rule, J Lo, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige. and the list goes on. He caught my attention because of his name, first off, then his strange behavior. In a clip from the show, he is seen misting up the studio with a fog machine, and speaking to persons that weren't there, and listening to voices that were inaudible to everyone else. 7 is "off the chain". As you know, in our previous Music 360 expose, we discussed 5% belief systems in Hip-Hop, and 7 seems to skirt that edge. I don't know just yet if he is a 5%er, but I am trying to find out. Anyway, he company is called "The 7th Sign", and check this out:

"Sev is also very spiritual in the studio, known to light up candles and incense to set the ambiance for creativity. “I have to have candles, incense and flowers and different things like a fog machine’s and stuff like that,” he says. “I like to set the tone and usher in the spirit.” He also likes to usher in beautiful women for inspiration as well, “It all helps the vibe, its all about the vibe, without a good vibe you might as well just pack up and go home. Beautiful women enhance my vibe, I bring in girls into the studio for a while just to hang with me because their presence brings a different energy.” Hmm.....we've got our 360 eyes on you, Mr. 7....

New Statistics On Church Attendance & Avoidance

With Americans pursuing a growing number of "church" options, some of the traditional measures of church health are being redefined. According to a new study released by The Barna Group, which has been studying church participation patterns since 1984, popular measures such as the percentage of people who are "unchurched" - based on attendance at a conventional church service - are out of date. Various new forms of faith community and experience, such as house churches, marketplace ministries and cyberchurches, must be figured into the mix - and make calculating the percentage of Americans who can be counted as "unchurched" more complicated. The fact that millions of people are now involved in multiple faith communities - for instance, attending a conventional church one week, a house church the next, and interacting with an online faith community in-between - has rendered the standard measures of "churched" and "unchurched" much less precise.
The latest national surveys by The Barna Group address these new behavioral patterns and provide a different approach to evaluating church participation.
New Measures
According to Barna, one way of examining people's participation in faith communities is by exploring how they practice their corporate faith engagement. Unveiling a new measurement model, Barna identified the following five segments:

Unattached - people who had attended neither a conventional church nor an organic faith community (e.g., house church, simple church, intentional community) during the past year. Some of these people use religious media, but they have had no personal interaction with a regularly-convened faith community. This segment represents one out of every four adults (23%) in America. About one-third of the segment was people who have never attended a church at any time in their life.
Intermittents - these adults are essentially "under-churched" - i.e., people who have participated in either a conventional church or an organic faith community within the past year, but not during the past month. Such people constitute about one out of every seven adults (15%). About two-thirds of this group had attended at least one church event at some time within the past six months.
Homebodies - people who had not attended a conventional church during the past month, but had attended a meeting of a house church (3%).
Blenders - adults who had attended both a conventional church and a house church during the past month. Most of these people attend a conventional church as their primary church, but many are experimenting with new forms of faith community. In total, Blenders represent 3% of the adult population.
Conventionals - adults who had attended a conventional church (i.e., a congregational-style, local church) during the past month but had not attended a house church. Almost three out of every five adults (56%) fit this description. This participation includes attending any of a wide variety of conventional-church events, such as weekend services, mid-week services, special events, or church-based classes.



Which are you? For more on this intriguing study, click here

Americans Identify Their Most Important Relationships

(Ventura, CA) Americans have a global reputation for being religious people, but a new study from The Barna Group indicates that people’s most important personal relationship is not with God. Family surpassed their Heavenly Father as the key personal connection. However, when asked to identify the most important group or network in their life, colleagues from their church topped the list, mentioned by three out of every ten adults.
Most Important Relationship
Adults are clearly most focused on their family in terms of important relationships. Overall, seven out of ten adults mentioned family or family members as their most significant connection. One-third said their entire nuclear family is tops, while one-quarter (22%) named their spouse and one-sixth (17%) identified their children. (An additional 3% mentioned their parents as their key relationship.)
The only other relationship mentioned by at least 3% was various iterations of people’s deity. God, Jesus Christ, Allah, and the Trinity were among the names listed by one out of every five adults (19%).
Surprisingly, just 2% of adults said a specific friend represented their most important personal relationship.
Among the related findings were:
The people most likely to list God were 40 or older.
Political conservatives were almost three times as likely as political liberals to identify God as their most important relationship (33% vs. 12%, respectively).
People in the Midwest were only half as likely as residents of the West and Northeast to say their children are their most important relationship.
The only subgroup for which at least one-third said God was their most significant relationship was evangelicals, among whom 70% listed God.
Thirty percent of Protestants listed God as their most important connection. In contrast, just 9% of Catholics did so.
Blacks were about twice as likely as all other Americans to describe their bond with God as their most important relationship.
Women were nearly twice as likely as men to list their children as their most important relationship.

To check out the rest of the study, click here

Will Smith -- I Am (Not) Scientologist!

Will must have been reading the blogs yesterday! Will Smith says just because he's a Friend of Tom doesn't mean he's a Scientologist ... not that there's anything wrong with that. Smith tells Rush & Molloy, "You don't have to be Jewish to be a friend of Steven Spielberg. You don't have to be a Muslim to be a friend of Muhammad Ali. And you don't have to be a Scientologist to be a friend of Tom Cruise." So what is Smith, anyway? "I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions."Will made the public pronouncement to refute allegations in a recent Radar magazine story that he and wife Jada Pinkett, along with Kimora Lee Simmons, have been recruited into the LRH fold. TMZ spotted W & J slicing steak at Cut last week with T & K, which only fed the rumors.

So, you're a Christian Will? Amen, then brotha! We've got our eyes on you... Interesting though, that he doesn't mention Jada, and say "we're not Scientologists".......Hmmm

Diddy Implicated in TuPac's Death

“This story is beyond ridiculous and is completely false. Neither Biggie nor I had any knowledge of any attack before, during, or after it happened. It is a complete lie to suggest that there was any involvement by Biggie or myself. I am shocked that the Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story.”


–Sean “Diddy” Combs in response to a story in Monday’s Los Angeles Times claiming that he and the Notorious B.I.G. knew Tupac Shakur would be ambushed in a 1994 shooting at New York’s Quad Recording Studios.

Read the full article here.

Rapper DMX: Obama Who?!

Don't let this be you...
Apparently DMX is not only crazy as the day is long, but he's also living on another planet.

The rapper did a bizarre interview recently with XXL, where he claims he has never heard of anyone named Barack Obama! He then proceeded to make fun of Obama's name -- because the name DMX is clearly ingenious.

DMX continued digging a hole for himself, saying he hasn't followed the presidential race at all and that "The president is a puppet anyway. The president don't make no damn decisions."

Lucky for the rest of the America, DMX revealed he's not allowed to vote because he's a convicted felon.

Calls to DMX's rep for a statement were not returned.

Planned Parenthood a RACIST Group?

*Is Planned Parenthood a racist organization with a covert mission to control black births? Well if you believe a UCLA right-to-life student newspaper called The Advocate and other reports, it would be hard to argue against that allegation.

Last Wednesday, in Idaho, Planned Parenthood officials apologized Wednesday for what they called an employee's "serious mistake" in encouraging a donation aimed at aborting black babies, reports the Idaho Statesman.

The organization also lashed out at The Advocate for trying to discredit employees in seven states in a series of tape-recorded phone calls last summer.

In Idaho, last July, The Adcocate's call went to Autumn Kersey, vice president of development and marketing for Planned Parenthood of Idaho. A recording provided by The Advocate has an actor portraying a donor saying that he wanted his money used to eliminate unborn black children because "the less black kids out there the better."

Laughing nervously, Kersey responds: "Understandable, understandable. ... Excuse my hesitation, this is the first time I've had a donor call and make this kind of request, so I'm excited and want to make sure I don't leave anything out."

The Advocate says this is evidence that Planned Parenthood targets minorities and minority neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, according to The Statesman, Planned Parenthood of Idaho "firmly and unequivocally" denounced racial bias, admitted making a mistake and said the group had taken corrective action.

Transcript of The Advocate's phone call to Autum Kersey at Planned Parenthood of Idah

Autumn Kersey of Planned Parenthood in Boise: Good afternoon, this is Autumn.

Donor: Hello, Autumn, I'm interested in making a donation today.

Kersey: Fantastic!

Donor: What about abortions for the underprivileged minority groups?

Kersey: Oh, absolutely. We have, um, in fact, uh wonderful, fantastic news. We just received a very generous donation to our women in need fund.

Donor: Wonderful. I want to specify that abortion to help a minority group - would that be possible?

Kersey: Absolutely.

Donor: Like the black community for example?

Kersey: Certainly.

Donor: OK, so the abortion I can give money specifically for a black baby, that would be the purpose.

Kersey: Absolutely. If you wanted to designate that you wanted your gift to be used to help (an) African-American woman in need, then we would certainly make sure that that gift was earmarked specifically for that purpose.

Donor: Great. Because I really face trouble with affirmative action, and I don't want my kids being disadvantaged, you know, against black kids. I just had a baby; I want to put it in his name, you know.

Kersey: Hmm, absolutely.

Donor: So that's definitely possible.

Kersey: Oh, always, always.

Donor: So I just wanna - can I put this in the name of my son?

Kersey: Absolutely.

Donor: Yeah, he's trying to get into colleges, and he's going to be applying, you know, he's justwe're just really bighe's really faced troubles with affirmative action.

Kersey: Mhmm.

Donor: And we don't, you know, we just think, you know, the less black kids out there the better.

Kersey: (Laughs) Understandable, understandable. ... Um David, let me, if I may, just get some sort of specific general information so we can set this up the right way. You said you wanted to put it in your son's name, and you would like this designated specifically to assist (an) African-American woman who's looking to terminate a pregnancy.

Donor: Exactly, and yeah, I wanna protect my son, so he can get into college.

Kersey: All right. Excuse my hesitation, um, um, this is the first time I've had a donor call and make this kind of request, so I'm excited, and I wanna make sure I don't leave anything out.

What do you think?

Ancient Church Remains Found

Israeli dig uncovers what's believed to be oldest place of worship in the Holy Land

In a report by Michele Green/Ecumenical News International, Israeli archaeologists digging near a prison have discovered the remains of what they believe could be the oldest church ever found in the Holy Land. Experts say the discovery may shed new light on early Christianity.

The structure was found in Megiddo, Lower Galilee, near a site traditionally believed to be the “Armageddon” described in the New Testament Book of Revelation, the site of the prophesied final battle between good and evil.

The church, which dates approximately to the third century A.D., was discovered during a dig on the grounds of the Megiddo Prison, where Israel keeps hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners and ordinary convicts. It was discovered by inmates detailed to work in the excavation.

The small, rectangular building lacks the characteristics of later churches, but contains mosaics said to be breathtaking, including one of a fish design. It also contains a Greek inscription mentioning a woman called Ekeptos who “donated this table to the God Jesus Christ in commemoration.”

The building is believed to be one of the oldest Christian holy sites in the region. Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on the traditional site of the crucifixion, dates to about AD 330, but maintains only scant remains of the original structure.

Christian scholars say the building could provide a wealth of information on Christianity in the Holy Land in the first two centuries after the crucifixion.

Operation Xenu: Recruiting The Smiths!?!

Tom & Katy are doing their part for the UFO Kingdom! Check this out:

Who wants to join Scientology????

Not us!

But it seems like Will Smith and Jada Plinko Smith might be the latest members to join the cult religion.

TomKat's influence is growing more notable on their famous friends, it's being reported.

An insider says, Will's "been getting more and more involved (in Scientology), and it isn’t just him, it’s definitely Jada, too."

"It’s not so much that anyone is upset that Will is becoming a Scientologist, it’s that as he becomes more involved, you’d think he’d sort of help fly the flag with Tom, who seems to only get a bad rap for it, while Will does this and comes through just fine," adds the source.

The report claims that the Scientology Church has "also set its sights on African Americans, opening up a center in Harlem in 2008-2009."

It is even rumored that Kimora Lee Simmons might be dabbling in the Xenu religion.

At a 2006 gathering, David Miscavige, the Scientology leader, spoke "glowingly of Kimora Lee Simmons’ efforts to distribute a personalized edition of Hubbard’s The Way to Happiness, featuring her image on the cover, to school kids in New Jersey.”

Uhmmm, we think that may be an urban legend. At least we sure hope it is.

Stay away, KLS. Stay away!

(Source - PerezHilton.com)

Another Reason For Abstinence

We all know the Bible's stance on fornication, and how we should abstain until marriage. According to the law, there's another reason. Watching 20/20 the other night, many government agencies are enforcing "Age of Consent Laws".  Did you know California's age of consent is 18?  Meaning if you are under 18 and sexually active, you could be prosecuted and registered as a sex offender.  Check this out:

The age of consent is 18, with a misdemeanor if the minor has 3 or less years of difference with the major. Penalties increase if the minor is under 14 and the major is above 21.

Texts :

• California Penal Code - Part 1. of crimes and punishments -
  • Title 9. of crimes against the person involving sexual assault, and crimes against public decency and good morals
    • Chapter 1. Rape, abduction, carnal abuse of children, and seduction. - Section 261.5.
      • (a) Unlawful sexual intercourse is an act of sexual intercourse accomplished with a person who is not the spouse of the perpetrator, if the person is a minor. For the purposes of this section, a "minor" is a person under the age of 18 years and an "adult" is a person who is at least 18 years of age.
      • (b) Any person who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is not more than three years older or three years younger than the perpetrator, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
      • (c) Any person who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is more than three years younger than the perpetrator is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony, and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison.
      • (d) Any person 21 years of age or older who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years of age is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony, and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years.

Obama Shares Video To Clarify His Pastor's Comments

Obama just released this video in response to the negativity he has been receiving. What do you think?

The IGNORANCE...

Shawty Putt Feat Lil Jon - Dat Baby Don't Look Like Me [NEW]
by PeteRock

Here in the TYC Zone, you may see things that we can't show you at church.  Why?  So that we can eradicate the IGNORANCE that is breeding out there and just plain put an end to it.  So, before I get comments on why this is here, I set you on notice that this is the only created where I can deal with mess like this:

This can't even be in my Music 360!  But, this foolish video is a sign-o-the-times.  This video by Shawty Putt called “Dat Baby” is utterly ridiculous. Of course Lil Jon makes this no better. We have got to do better and stop feeding the media trash like this!

Obama Denounces His Pastor's Comments

Sen. Barack Obama, writing on theHUFFINGTON POST, addressed theCONTROVERSIAL REMARKS by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

“I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy,” Obama writes. “I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.”

Obama's Pastor Is Getting Some Heat

This is Jeremiah Wright, who is Obama's (now retired) Pastor. Now, this Pastor is no where near that "speaker" further down this post, but he has a very strong presence, and what he speaks.....well, listen for yourself. What do you think?

Can You Believe This Was In The Hood?

Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Mall?? Jeremy how come you didn't call us? We always hear about Improv Everywhere pulling crazy stunts off in New York City, like five-minutes of frozen time at Grand Central or no-pants on the subway. Well, after a small improvised pillow fight at the Glendale mall (video below), the new LA Chapter of the collaborative pulled off their first major mission: a spontaneous musical at Baldwin Hills Mall, starting off with the Hot Dog On A Stick girl.
Eventually a cast of 16 joins her including the janitor who began clearing tables a half hour before and a security guard who entered in saying "What the hell is going on here?" before breaking into song.
The original song was written by writers of the hit Off-Broadway show, Gutenberg! The Musical! especially for this occasion, but the lyrics had to change to fit Hot Dog On A Stick's staple lemonade (originally it was diet soda). Wow!

The Right Way to Confess Sin
by Ted Slater on Mar 6, 2008 at 10:00 AM

So you sinned this week against someone? I'm not surprised. Sinning is what sinners like you and like me do. Instead of being surprised by our sin, or the sins of others, we should learn how to deal with it rightly.

C.J. Mahaney, best known for his passionate awe of the cross of Christ, blogged recently about wrong ways to deal with your sin, and right ways. Wrong ways include using the word "if" (e.g., "I'm sorry if you were offended"), providing lengthy explanations of why you sinned, requesting understanding for your sin, being indignant about being caught, and so on.

Here's how he describes a right way to confess sin:

A confession that is sincere and pleasing to God will be specific and brief. I have learned to be suspicious of my confession if it's general and lengthy. A sincere confession of sin should be specific ("I was arrogant and angry when I made that statement; will you please forgive me for sinning against you in this way?") and brief(this shouldn't take long). When I find myself adding an explanation to my confession, I'm not asking forgiveness but instead appealing for understanding....

Genuine conviction of sin is evidenced by a sincere, specific, and brief confession of sin, without any reference to circumstances or the participation of anyone else. When I sin, I am responsible for my sin, and the cause of my sin is always within my heart and never lies outside my heart.

The thing is, such honest and vulnerable and responsible confession of sin is actually liberating, because there is One who is able to thoroughly forgive sin -- any sin. Because of the death of the only righteous Man ever to have existed, sin may be completely forgiven. And C.J. recognizes the hopefulness of this situation:

I want my confession to express genuine sorrow and gratefulness to God for the mercy I experience because of the substitutionary sacrifice of his Son for my sins on the cross.... I hope my confession of sin is the sincere and specific confession of one genuinely convicted of his sin, sorrowful about his sin, and amazed at the grace of God provided for the forgiveness of sin.

I'm freshly convicted of how I deal with my own sin. I'm looking forward to being specific and sincere as I confess my sin to my wife, and to others whom I sin against. And I'm looking forward to enjoying the benefits of being a child of the God Who Forgives.