Too young.

I want to start this post with a sad story: The body of Phylicia Barnes has been found in a Maryland river. *shaking head*. This is a sad coincidence, because just a couple of days ago another young lady's body was found in the Schuylkyl river here in Philly.

She was also a beautiful young African American sister who was kidnapped from her home in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Her story didn't garner as much national attention, but it is just as tragic.

I am just hoping that the families of these poor young ladies can pull through these tragedies.

Finally, I see that yet another piece of scum in Washington is stepping down to avoid further embarrassment.

"WASHINGTON — Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, facing an ethics investigation over his affair with a former campaign aide, announced Thursday that he would resign his seat effective May 3.
Ensign said in a statement that he would send Vice President Joe Biden a letter Friday making the resignation official.

The 52-year-old Republican announced in March that he would not pursue re-election. He acknowledged in June 2009 that he had an extramarital affair with Cynthia Hampton, a former member of his campaign staff, and that he had helped her husband, Doug Hampton, a member of his congressional staff, obtain lobbying work with a Nevada company.

The ethics investigation focuses in part on some $96,000 Ensign's parents gave to the Hamptons, which Ensign's attorney has characterized as a gift.

..The Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission investigated, then dropped the cases with little explanation. The Senate ethics panel, however, named a special counsel to look into the matter.

Through it all, Ensign insisted he would seek re-election until his announcement in March, when he reiterated that he had not violated any laws or ethics rules. He also said at the time the investigation did not influence his decision to retire from politics after 2012.

But in his resignation notice Thursday, Ensign said the appointment of the special counsel shook him because he had hoped the investigation would end with the Justice Department." [Source]

Don't worry folks, he will be back. Scum- bag poli-tricksters never really go away.

"While I stand behind my firm belief that I have not violated any law, rule, or standard of conduct of the Senate, and I have fought to prove this publicly, I will not continue to subject my family, my constituents, or the Senate to any further rounds of investigation, depositions, drawn out proceedings, or especially public hearings," the statement said. "For my family and me, this continued personal cost is simply too great."

Riiiight.

Revenge Of The Ex.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". Steve Harvey better keep that little quote by William Congreve in mind from now on.

Seems my man's ex is speaking out about his.....ahem ahem, issues during their marriage. Sorry Steve, you can't "creep" on wifey and then give the rest of us relationship advice. I saw your mug on the cover of Essence Magazine -and damn near everywhere else -preaching to folks about relationships. Unfortunately for you, I guess your ex saw it too and said enough.

"Steve Harvey's ex-wife Mary Harvey has taken to YouTube to bash her marriage to the comedian and radio personality.

The former Mary Shackelford, Harvey's second wife, said she's speaking out now because she's being sued by her ex-husband in Texas, where he alleges that he was passed up to host an Oprah Winfrey-backed show because of her.

"When I try to move forward, I keep getting pulled back into a situation that I don’t want to be a part of," Mary Harvey said.

In what begins and ends like a plug for Shanae Hall's "Why Do I Have to Think Like a Man?" — which includes a "bonus chapter" responding to Steve Harvey's relationship book, "Straight Talk, No Chaser" — Mary spelled out her side of the story while sitting on a couch in a series of three videos that clocks in at more than 25 minutes total. The videos were posted Friday. The video above is the second in the series.

'The ex-wife is fully aware of the court's current orders and permanent injunctions which prohibit either party, their lawyers or representatives from discussing and releasing information on the Internet and to the media,' Steve Harvey's lawyer, Bobbie Edmonds, said in a statement to People, adding that Harvey's camp would be taking legal action regarding the videos. "

Oh Lawd! You all better hurry up and watch the clip, I don't think it will be up much longer.

"Come on Field, why are you hating on Steve Harvey? The brotha is just trying to make a living"

Yes, but Mr. Harvey might have been trying to make a living (allegedly) at the expense of others. Sorry, I still don't have closure with this Sharon Carson thing. So, until I do, Mr. Harvey is fair game.

Ms. Carson if he broke you off please holla at me.

Speaking of broke off. Oprah, I am disappointed that you haven't found your long- lost -half- brother Field as yet. But I am glad you found our sister. I am looking forward to the family reunion next Thanksgiving.

Finally, it's so sad that Phylicia Barnes' father had to go to AOL News to plead for his daughter's safety. But hey, thank goodness for the Internet and Abe Lincoln for freeing you black folks so that you could learn how to read. I don't watch Nancy Grace, so could one of you people who do watch her tell me if this story is being played out on that show? Not just a one time interview with Mom, I mean really played. Just like they do when Becky goes missing.

Civility means we "suck" and IEDs.

Wow, talk about "sour grapes". As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Glen Beckkk was kicked off the radio here in Philly. Well, as is to be expected from folks like Mr. Beckkk, my man is not going quietly. He took some shots at my beloved city while yapping it up with his side kicks today.

"While talking about Camden’s massive police layoffs on his radio show Tuesday, controversial commentator Glenn Beck inexplicably decided to take some pot shots at the city across the river.

Beck calls the area around Philadelphia's Independence Hall “the killing streets” and challenges his executive producer Steve “Stu” Burguiere to wear a hidden camera and walk around Independence Hall at the extremely dangerous time of 6 p.m.

While Burguiere disagrees with Beck’s bizarre assessment of Old City’s danger level, Beck keeps pushing his groundless opinion.

“The killing streets known as right there in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia -- you know how Philadelphia is not a place you want to be,” Beck says.

“You feel really comfortable,” he says in a sarcastic tone of voice.

Burguiere continues to say that he’s never felt like he was in danger around Independence Hall or “downtown” Philadelphia.

“Don’t listen to Stu. Philadelphia sucks,” Beck says.

According to The Philly Post, Beck unleashed this tirade a day after his radio program stopped being broadcast in Philadelphia and New York City. "

Poor Glenn, I actually feel sorry for the guy. Don't worry Glenn, at some point in our lives we have all been there: The girl who dumped us in high school wasn't all that pretty to begin with. It's called "sour grapes", and you happen to have a mouth full of it.

Sorry to break it to you Glenn, but I have lived and traveled all over the world; and Philly is right there with all of your -so called- world class cities. Great arts and culture? Check. Great access to places like New York and D.C.? Check. Access to the beach? Check. (Just an hour) Access to the mountains and skiing? Check. World class international airport? Check. Affordable housing? Check. Sport teams? Check. Great restaurants? Check......I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

Does Philly have its warts such as crime and all the other urban ills that plagues a major city? Of course it does. But so does London, Paris, New York, Madrid, and Los Angeles.

Yes I rip Philly for our murders, but I am allowed; I live here. Glenn you haven't earned the right to say s&*t about my city.--- Even though, if I am not mistaken, you got your big breakthrough in radio here. And your special needs child was given great care by our medical professionals in this city that you say "suck" while you lived here.--- But that's OK, enjoy your move to Texas. I just hope that all of your fans here remember how you gave them your ass to kiss on your way out the door. Good riddance! And may you fall off a steer and break your neck.
It's nice to see that the national media is finally catching up to the Phylicia Barnes story. (See my sidebar) She was featured on NBC World News tonight and it's about time. Phylicia is an honor student from North Carolina who went missing in Baltimore, recently. -Hmmmm, let's trade Baltimore for Aruba and we have some similarities to another case that grabbed the nations attention.- Unfortunately, the police suspect foul play, but we are all hoping that her story has a happy ending.

All I can say is thank goodness for Anthony Guglielmi of the Baltimore PD who says that race might have been a factor in the Phylicia Barnes case not getting the publicity it deserves. Better you say it than me Mr. Guglielmi. I am just a racism chaser, what do I know?

Finally, speaking of racism chasing; I see that some folks up in the great Northwest had their own little celebration planned for MLK Day:

"SPOKANE, Wash. — A backpack discovered along the route of the Martin Luther King Jr. march in Spokane contained a bomb "capable of inflicting multiple casualties," the FBI said Tuesday.

The FBI said a suspicious backpack was found about 9:25 a.m. PST on Monday on a bench at the northeast corner of North Washington Street and West Main Avenue in downtown Spokane.

A bomb disposal unit was called in and neutralized the device. The FBI said in a statement on Tuesday that "the backpack contained a potentially deadly destructive device, likely capable of inflicting multiple casualties."

The FBI has refused to discuss how the bomb was constructed.

'Suffice it to say it was of grave concern,' Frank Harrill, special agent in the charge of the Spokane FBI office, told NBC News.

"You could describe it as an improvised destructive device ... or improvised explosive device," Harrill said.

Area workers initially reported the suspicious package to Spokane police. The march was slightly re-routed and delayed because of the bomb scare.

'The three contract workers in the area who were there are unsung heroes,' the FBI spokesman said. " [Source]

I know, I know Sarah, it isn't political.

Hey, isn't Glen Beckkk from Spokane?