A few tidbits that didn’t see the light of a full-blown Signifyin’ column!

Tidbits and column topics that didn’t make it past my initial review, or second review, or third review… 

No one knows how much time we have on this earth. Thus, every second is precious. 

That’s why I stopped answering marketing telephone calls beyond my limited number of blocked numbers. 

There was a time when I would answer, if for no other reason than to tell the robot or live solicitor to remove my name from their computer-generated list. 

Now, I don’t waste my energy with that procedure, since the time I waste can never be replaced. 

Over the last couple of years, I’ve lost two and one-half days–61 hours– explaining I’m not interested. 

*A few eons ago, the marketing director for the Milwaukee Bucks said the team didn’t advertise in the Community Journal or any other Black newspaper because our audience couldn’t afford their game tickets. 

While there is some truth to that prejudicial assumption, it is also factual that most of us need but prioritize arena tickets over brand-name tennis shoes or gold teeth to see the millionaire ball players live and in living color. Or is that colored? 

In fact, that theory may soon be put to the test for televised games as well. 

Television? 

Yeah, television! That’s because most screening services will soon be charging exorbitant fees to watch their sports offerings. 

YouTube has purchased the broadcast rights for ‘NFL Sunday Ticket,’ and to watch its NFL games, you have to subscribe to see them. 

I saw the handwriting on the wall when I received an email saying first-time subscribers could receive a $100 reduction. That means it’s expensive as hell. How hot (The cost of the ticket, not hell!)? The cheapest I could find was $249 a year ($73 per month). 

And if that’s not bad enough, you must take out a two-year contract. 

On a positive note, this may force us to start reading more. 

*This might sound like a stupid question, but bear with me. It is directed toward the parents of children considered ‘at-risk.’ What was the last book your child(ren) saw you reading for pleasure? 

Have you ever taken your child(ren) to the library, discussed the importance of reading, or bought them a book (versus a computer game or expensive shoes they will grow out of)? 

* For those who rely on social security as your ‘pension,’ it is disturbing to see Washington politicians playing ping-pong with our future. 

The law should be changed so congressmen get a portion of their massive ‘pensions’ in social security. They have nothing to lose because they don’t receive social security. Instead, they get big bucks in the form of ‘life after service,’ upon ‘retirement’ from public ‘service’—which means they do little to nothing when their party is not in power. 

The opposition party for America’s problems. 

*My oldest son has found a solution to rising inflation-related costs for food. When he visits, he brings a ‘larger’ grocery cart. 

*I thought it was a mirage, so I didn’t respond quickly enough to get the license plate number of the late model sedan whose young White driver threw a handful of trash from his car Monday. 

I was temporarily taken aback because the incident occurred at the Pick n’ Save in Germantown! A Republican stronghold to boot. 

Since white Republicans don’t steal or loiter—sneeze—this must have been an aberration. 

But things may change. I saw a Dollar Store and check cashing store in Waukesha last weekend. 

*My mother-in-law almost cussed when she saw the price of lettuce at a local grocery. As I explained, if she has a taste for a salad, she’ll be better off replacing her lettuce with dollar bills; she’ll come out cheaper. 

*A life and death question for you: You’ve stopped at a red light. As it is about to turn green, an un-plated car behind you speeds to his right and suddenly leaps in front of you to make a left turn. 

You’re ‘P.O.ed,’ as they say. 

Several blocks later, you’re at another stop light and pull up next to the same ‘Neckbone’ who jeopardized the lives of your family by his reckless act. What do you do? 

Get outta your car and approach him? 

Roll down your window and cuss him out? 

Cuss under your breath and ignore his mean-mugging stare? 

*If I understand correctly, the mayor is pushing for legislation allowing Milwaukee to increase taxes without citizens’ approval through a referendum. 

He was honest enough to explain: if you ask us to increase our taxes during a recession, high unemployment, and dissatisfaction with the government, it will be voted down. So don’t give us the ‘right’ to govern our government. 

*In the recent state supreme court race, we were given the option of voting for an assumed racist and an alleged racist. We were told to vote for the alleged racist (Peggy Protasiewicz, pictured above, second from right) because she was supported by the Left. Hmmm. 

*I’ve had the most challenging time finding tennis shoes and tee shirts that aren’t advertising somebody or something’s brand. 

I have never figured out why someone would pay extra— sometimes exorbitant fees—to advertise for Nike, Adidas, or store brands, for that matter. 

I could see if it was a new African or African American brand. But I get nothing back from the Japanese, Korean, or Chinese labor market. 

Likewise, you are foolish–make that myopic or naive– when you allow an auto dealership’s sticker on your new vehicle without renumeration. 

Think about it, the dealership benefits from being able to use your new car to advertise the dealership’s brand, and you get nothing. When last my wife purchased a car, I told the dealer to take off the sticker price or pay us to advertise his product. He did. 

*For the second year in a row, my son paid for a unique entertainment experience for my grandson on the latter’s birthday. 

Last year it was an indoor teen adventure outing. This year, it was laser tag. Both were in Waukesha. 

My son would have preferred to keep his money and friends in Milwaukee. But there are no similar services here (or movie theaters). Instead, you see dozens of Black families traveling to areas where you aren’t allowed after dark. 

Why? You know why; you just don’t want to admit why. 

*What does it say when University School (that iconic educational institution opened only to the rich and famous) now employs armed guards. 

What does it say about our country that a private, upper-echelon school has armed guards roaming the hallways (retired Milwaukee cops)? 

Second, why is there so much resistance to police in Milwaukee public schools? Would it be better if they were in dress suits? 

I recall the Messmer High School basketball team arriving on a school bus at University School (in Fox Point). They were greeted by University School team members driving Mercedes and Jags. 

Knowing who some of their parents are, they could hire their own security. 

*The more I watch Sunday morning talk shows, the stronger my belief that politicians—on either side of the political aisle and of various hues—are trained to dismiss specific questions and to redirect to nonsensical realms of reality. 

In other words, they speak as if we’re too dumb to notice it took 200 words to respond to a ‘yes or no’ question. 

Even the African American ‘pols,’ (94.9% of whom put their party platforms before the people they represent), play those political games, contributing to political polarization, prostitution, and ‘pimpology.’ 

This past Sunday confirmed my assumption. 

Black Democratic Representative for New York and House democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (pictured above far right) did more double-talk than Muhammad Ali. When asked about the debt ceiling impasse, he refused to commit to a compromise, stating he supported President Biden’s refusal to talk with Republicans. 

Obviously, the GOP’s refusal to liftthe debt ceiling without massivebudget cuts to social services is insanely myopic, but that’s not thepoint. 

What really got me about Jeffrieswas the statement he made about thepending immigration crisis. 

He said the solution to the dailyentry of 9,000 ‘illegals’ (if you canuse that word) should be consistentwith ‘American values and our historic compassion.’ 

American values? History of compassion? 

A brother, a descendant of slaves, bigotry, and apartheid speaking of our nation’s history of compassion?…REALLY! 

For whom? Native Americans who white settlers and soldiers nearly exterminated—if not physically at least their culture and language; the American-born Japanese who were interned onto isolated ‘reservations’ during World War II, the Haitians our government let die instead of granting them asylum (the island nation is being overrun by street gangs, while starvation and disease run rampant…in 2023!)? 

To African Americans who have stood in the shadow of apartheid’s since 1526 (not 1619, as you’ve been told). 

What’s the difference between Jeffries ridiculous view of His-story andRepublican presidential candidateTim Scott positing racism is on itsdeathbed? 

Hotep.