This Is How Real Rap/Hip-Hop Music Is Suppose To Sound

LUPE FIASCO - THE COOL

Buy this album on Tuesday, December 18th!!!

Twenty years. That's how long I've been listening to rap music, if not longer. And believe me when I say I have heard it all when it comes to rap music. I'm a fan of all music genres, but for most of my life rap music has always been the music of preference. There has always been something about it that has always moved me. Whether it be the heavy bass drums thumping through my speakers or the art of a rhyme slayer spitting out metaphors that make my head spin and make me have to stop and think about what I had just heard. I've always been enamored by it. But Satan must be investing in some snow boots right now because my thoughts on rap music has changed dramatically over the last few years and there are a few reasons why.

First and foremost, I was fortunate enough to meet someone very special a few years ago. She helped me shape my views on what a lot of these rappers were really saying. At first I wasn't having any of it because to me it was all entertainment. It didn't matter what a rapper said on the mic because I knew in real life that these guys didn't actually believe what they were saying. They just said things in their songs that they would never get away with saying or doing in real life. What is the big deal? The big deal is, is that it hurts people.

When rappers spew out venom about disrespecting our women it sets a very bad example for our youth. Rappers see nothing wrong with portraying our women as nothing more than sex objects as opposed to respecting them with the highest regards like they should be. Would Lil' Jon get upset if I went up to his mom and said "come on skeet skeet, mother fuckin' ass hoe, do dat come on, skeet skeet more now" or would he be okay with it? I think he would wanna have his posse kick my ass. Yet these are the things being heard on just about every rap album that gets put out. I'm sick of hearing about bitches, hoes and stripper poles. And kids these days think it's the normal to degrade and disrespect our women. They think there's nothing wrong with calling a female a bitch or a ho. There in lies the problem.

Listening to rap since I was at least seven, you would think that I would have zero respect for women, but I was a lucky one. I actually had someone there to tell me right from wrong and how to respect people. And if there was a time that I didn't do what I was taught, you can rest assured that I paid the price for not listening. So I had someone there. A lot of kids today don't have that. More and more households have single parents who can't always be around to remind their children how to treat people. Instead the radio and television are raising our youth. And if it's not radio or television, it's their peers at school or on the streets.

Rappers don't have a responsibility to raise our children. The thing is kids often imitate what they are seeing on t.v. or hearing in music. These rappers have a choice on whether or not to be a positive or negative role model. I've heard many rap songs talking about coming from broken homes and families so, if we are to believe their struggles then why aren't they trying to be positive about it? They say art imitates life. They just rap about what they saw and went through growing up. I can understand that. What I don't understand is why they would continue to be so negative in their music. If it was that bad wouldn't you want to make a difference so that your kids and loved ones wouldn't have to go through the same struggles you did?

It's not just disrespecting women either. It's the narcissism, jealousy, envy and ego driven personalities that go along with it. It's the "I'm a bigger man" attitude and I'll prove it because my chain is bigger than yours. I have more bling than you and it shines brighter. I got more hoes in different area codes. My cars are more expensive, faster and have bigger rims. Really? Who the hell cares what you have? Why don't you take more time and pay attention to what you are saying in your rhymes. How about you go out and do something positive in your community. Na, because then it would make you look weak. And you don't wanna look weak.

When did it become so cool to sell drugs? As a kid growing up, did anyone have the dream to grow up and want to sell crack? Is it really that cool to talk about wanting to kill somebody? We just lost eight wonderful people in a horrendous, tragic, cowardly, senseless act. Ask the families of those victims how cool it is to kill somebody. I can answer that real quick. Not cool! And if it really was all that cool then what's with all the sadness when another rapper dies from being shot? You rapped about it. I guess you reap what you sew.

Every new rap song that comes out today is basically garbage. It has no substance or meaning, trash! When your lyrics are so simple that a third grader can understand them you definitely have some work to do. Of course maybe a lot of these rappers have a third grade education and that's the reason many of them act like they're 10. Even though many rappers are in their mid 20's or earlier 30's. It's time for you to grow up. Be a man and make a difference in the world. If you are that gifted use your talents in a positive way. Don't continue to be a part of the problem. And to the younger rappers, stop and think about what you're putting out there. I guess you wouldn't understand because you are just imitating what you're use to seeing.

There are some great rappers out there, but very few of them garner mainstream success. Chamillionaire, Common and Talib Kweli are just a few. And now I give you Lupe Fiasco. Fresh off his critically acclaimed debut, "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" Lupe strikes back with his sophomore set "Lupe Fiasco's The Cool." I have not stopped listening to this album since I first got a hold of it last Wednesday. To me it's better than his first album and one of the best rap albums I've heard in a very long time. From beginning to end I can listen to the whole album and just vibe out. Although there are a few favorites such as "Intruder Alert" and "Hip-Hop Saved My Life", the album as a whole is just incredible. The Cool is a well rounded album, touching on current events, the issues we face as a society and the problem with rap music.

If you have never been a fan of rap music or had been a fan but grew out of it, give "The Cool" a listen. When rap music is done right it is incredible and amazing. I can not find enough words to describe how much I love this album. I just wish more rappers would stop and think about what they are saying and try to do something positive in their songs instead of always being so negative. I'm glad that Lupe has stuck to his morals and beliefs and didn't cave in to mainstream pressure. Thank you, Lupe!

For you, Kelley!

WHY?

Warning: I apologize in advance for any language I may use that might offend people. My emotions right now, like many people in Omaha, are running very high with everything that happened Wednesday. Sometimes there's just never the right words to explain how one is feeling. So if you are easily offended please keep reading and try to understand where I'm coming from and why I may end up using colorful language.

I wanted to write this Wednesday night when I got home after Santa Slam. I wanted to let all of my emotions out and let the world know how I felt about what had happened earlier in the day. After much thought I decided not to. I decided to let myself calm down for a bit, wait for more details and facts to come in and then put my thoughts on paper. I thought this would calm my emotions and relax my mind a bit so I could write something with substance instead of just a bunch of anger. I was wrong.

Around the same time all this carnage was going down I was on my way to Omaha from my home in Plattsmouth. I had a few errands to run and I had to be at the station early to get ready for Santa Slam. On my way to the station I talked to our midday host, Sterling, totally oblivious about what was going on just a few blocks down on Dodge Street. She had informed me of a shooting at the Westroads Mall where two people were dead and five more injured. Adding to that she informed me about a coworker of ours who was at the mall. I was not prepared for what I was about to see when I got to the station.

In my short radio life of 4 1/2 years I have never been around when there was a breaking news event of this magnitude. I think it's also safe to say that most of the people I work with haven't seen a breaking news event of this kind since 9/11. Before I go any further I just want to draw the line right there and say that is the only comparison I will make towards 9/11. Two completely different events, however both very tragic. Just seeing everyone I work with working so diligently to get this breaking news event out over the air to our seven station cluster, one being a Spanish station, was incredible. To see everyone come together and work as a team was truly amazing. I applaud everyone in my building for doing their part in this time of despair. All I could really do was sit back and try to give any information I could about what news I was getting from the other various media outlets.

The more and more I saw all the live news footage come in only one word came to my mind. Senseless. That word just kept repeating over and over in my head all day as we tried to piece everything together. Even though the title of this blog is "Why?" that question didn't pop into my head until...well honestly until I needed a title for this blog. Senseless, senseless, stupid, senseless, cowardly, senseless. Those were the words that ran through my mind Wednesday. And the more news that trickled in the louder those words were sounding.

The whole time we kept getting word that one, maybe two people were dead including the gunman with many more injured. At one point someone walked by and said a confirmed source said nine dead and five injured. It took a good few seconds to really sink in. Did he just say nine dead? I had to ask myself that question over and over. Let me point out that this was also about five minutes before the police held their press conference and confirmed it. When they did say nine people were dead my heart just sunk. A senseless, pointless waste of human life yet again.

It was probably a good thing we had Santa Slam Wednesday night to take our minds off things and break away from it all. I'm sure all the people that came out enjoyed the break as well. But through it all it was always in the back of my mind. We also announced that some of the proceeds from the show were going to go to help the families of the victims. The Mid-America Center also announced they were going to donate half of concession sales to the benefit as well. It was all capped off by a very moving moment when Avril Lavigne went on stage and asked for a moment of silence and ended up breaking into tears. I know those were real because I was no less than 20 feet away from her when this took place. Very honorable and very real of her to do that. It's just too bad that Avril's first time in Omaha had to be surrounded by such tragedy.

After the show ended I went home and found myself once again wanting to hear more information of Wednesday's events. The more I heard the more angry and sad I got. The long day had finally taken its toll on me though and I finally crashed to bed. That didn't last long though as I was up once again at 5:15 in the morning gathering more national coverage and hearing what they had to say about everything about my home city. It was basically five hours of coverage through the 9:30 press conference where the nine deceased were identified. They had finally put a name to those who perished so tragically and way too soon. Six employees of Von Maur and two shoppers. Later on Thursday we had the faces to go along with those names. Right now I'm going to take this time and remember you because you are the ones who need to be remembered.

Pictured left to right; top to bottom. Shoppers: Gary Scharf, 48, Lincoln; John McDonald, 65, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Employees: Angella Schuster, 36; Maggie Webb, 24; Janet Jorgenson, 66; Dianne Trent, 53; Gary Joy, 56; and Beverly Flynn, 47.

My thoughts and prayers will always be with you. I am thankful enough to say that I didn't have any friends or family members that ended up being victims of the shootings because that's what I feared the most on Wednesday. And even though I never knew or met any of you, through your friends and family I will be able to get to know all about you and I think that is such a wonderful thing. May you all rest in peace.

As the days go on more and more info is being released. Now the 9-1-1 tapes have been released. To hear the chaos, fear, and the shock in the voices from the people calling in, it really takes my breath away. Especially the first phone call dispatch received about the shooting which also originated from inside Von Maur. The operator picks up and all you hear are gun shots echoing in the background. Round after round going off piercing through the phone that gives me chills and makes me flinch every time that awful popping sound is heard. There is nobody answering on the other end as the dispatcher continues to ask, "Hello 9-1-1." Then it ends with just eerie silence. It sickens me to my stomach when I hear that cause I am visualizing what is happening on the other end of that phone to the person who originally made that panicking phone call. I'm sure many of you can paint your own similar idea of what was going down. I don't have to try and visualize it for you anymore. And if you need any more visualization the Omaha Police Department released some still photos from the Westroads security cameras of that coward going into the mall. One even showing him aiming, preparing to shoot his AK-47 at an innocent life. Horrible!

I think the cover of the Omaha World Herald said it best the day after, "It Happened To Us." I think we all knew it could happen here, but we just never wanted to believe that it would. Everything that happened Wednesday is still a shock, but not really surprising to me. Nebraska's motto is "The Good Life." People move here to get away from the violence that ravages the bigger cities in the U.S. Omaha is just a fairly sized, Midwestern city where you want to start a family and raise your kids. At least that's the perception anyways. Let me remind everyone who doesn't already understand. What happened to us in our city Wednesday can happen anytime, anywhere, in any city in the United States or around the world for that matter. This isn't the first time and sadly won't be the last time that something like this will happen. It will happen again. The question is when and where. In the end though, we will never be prepared for it no matter how many times it happens.

Every few months or so you see something like this in the news. I remember sitting in Study Hall my senior year of high school and watching Columbine unfold before my very eyes. Now, there had been school shootings before, but this was something different. It set the standard for kids who felt like they were the outcasts, loaners, drifters who had nothing left to lose in life. That they could finally do something to be famous and finally have their name forever remembered by the history books. Too bad in the end they will always be remembered as fucking cowards! There's really no other way to describe them. They commit these heinous acts so their name will live on forever. I'm not going to use the shooter's name on here out of respect for the families, friends and loved ones of those who were shot in Wednesday's tragedy. Just using his picture at the top makes me fuckin sick. I understand that we all had questions and wanted to know who would do such a thing. Now that the media has given us that info we can now move on without using this murderer's name again. At least I'm not going to. From here on out I'm just going to refer to that murderer, that coward as YOU.

YOU are a coward! God tells us not to judge anyone, that He is the only one that is to cast judgment upon us. Even if that's so, I can certainly sit back and judge your actions. Your actions were cowardly and senseless in the worst way. YOU have changed the lives of so many people in mere minutes. YOU have taken away mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone down the line. YOU have taken the lives of some very wonderful and extraordinary people. YOU have ruined so many peoples lives including the ones that wasted their time caring and loving your pathetic self. There was even an ABC photographer on his way to cover your sorry actions and ended up getting killed in a car accident near Grand Island. Sure, he was doing his job, but if you didn't decide to be so selfish he never would have been on his way to Omaha. Look at all the lives you selfishly took away from us and continue to take away from us.

And why? Because YOU lost your job for stealing $17 from the McDonald's you worked at? Because your girlfriend broke up with you? Because YOU couldn't get into the Army? Because YOU were too much of a boy to get up off your ass and do something for yourself? It was always everyone else's fault, never your own. YOU weren't ever man enough to step up to the plate and take responsibility. Everything I mentioned are problems that many people face everyday. The difference is those people choose not to lower themselves even more by killing others, you murderer. They choose to make a difference for themselves in a positive way or at least they try to.

YOU left some suicide notes explaining that you will no longer be a burden to people. YOU, my sorry excuse for a human, have burdened and created so many more problems then you will ever know. Then again YOU knew exactly what you were going to do. YOU knew the consequences and repercussions your actions were going to have because you boldly stated that YOU were "going to go out in style" and that YOU were now going to be "famous." YOU are now infamous and hated. At least by me.

He had problems. You have problems, I have problems, we all have problems. But we don't go out and ruin other people's lives and put their loved ones through so much misery and pain because our life isn't the greatest. This year has been a very trying year for me. I've dealt with a lot more in one year then I ever would have imagined. Never once did I ever think about going out and killing people because of it. And it's funny to me that the title of my last post reads as "Kill Yourself, Not Me." Maybe YOU should have read those words and lived by them. Maybe then we wouldn't have to mourn so many wonderful people over a senseless act.

I don't condone anyone taking their own life to run away from their problems. It's called life people, we all have good and bad times. My only thought is if it truly does get to that point in your life, why would you do something so horrifying that it would alter the course of history in such a negative way? Why bring others down with you that never played a part in your life? Why would you do something at a time of the year when everyone is celebrating life, family and togetherness...Christmas time! Now, every year around Christmas time the families, friends and loved ones of the victims, not to mention the survivors, will always remember what YOU did to them. What YOU took away from them. We are a forgiving society, but no one will ever forget your senseless, cowardly actions.

This is Omaha, Nebraska. It's not always the funnest place to live. We don't have some of the same fun and interesting things that most of the major populated cities in this country do. We don't get the glamour or the glory. We are in fly over country with a metro population of just over 617,000 people. The one thing about us is our resilience. We will unite together through this and rely on each other for comfort. We will remain strong through these toughest of times and always keep the victims of 12-05-07 in our prayers and hearts. And even though the national media gives us less and less attention every day because we are not on the East Coast or in California, I have one thing to say. We will NEVER forget and we will NEVER allow a selfish coward take away from what we have here in our community.

God bless those wonderful people we lost on 12-05-07!

Avril Lavigne Mourns For The People In Omaha

Kill Yourself, Not ME!!!

Where do I even start with this? Let's start with this past Saturday night. It was my best friend's birthday on Sunday so we went out for the night to celebrate. Now, there are numerous reasons why you won't find me in bars very much and one of the biggest reasons is cigarette smoke! Every time I come home from bars or clubs the result is always the same. I smell like a damn smoke stack by the time I get home, my hair feels so grimy I feel the need to bathe for about eight hours and the next day I always feel like I was the one smoking nine packs the night before. Saturday was no different.

After inhaling poisonous smoke for five hours, it not only embedded itself in my clothes, but my lungs, hair and eventually my car as well. As I lay trying to sleep I found myself coughing and feeling congested. There was a tightness in my lungs and my throat felt like an iron rake was going to town on it. I could not sleep, my eyes were sore and watery and I felt like complete garbage. I knew what I was going to talk about later on that day on-air.

About a week and a half ago Sterling had discussed the topic of banning smoking in public places. I happened to be in the studio that day (rare daytime appearance) and threw my own two cents in about it. Sterling, a smoker, is for smoking in public places. Her main argument was the government overstepping business owners and telling them how to run there business. She had more arguments, but that was her main point. Sterling, if you read this and disagree with that statement, let me know. But that's what I took away from her argument.

Here now is my argument against smoking in public places. First of all, smoking is a privilege not a right. It's not your right to smoke. It is my right to be able to breathe clean air. Well, as clean as our polluted air can get. I think that no matter what you do, if you do something that adversely affects someone, it is wrong. We are all against drunk driving and it is illegal. Why is it illegal? Cause you can kill or seriously injure someone, including yourself. Smoking is the same thing. You can smoke all you want, but when you blow those toxins in someones face, you are potentially killing them.

Fact: every year there are 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 46,000 heart disease deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States. Fact: In 2005 there were 16,885 alcohol-related fatalities in car accidents. Both are horrible and avoidable ways to die. And if you look at the numbers you can clearly see that more people are affected each year from second hand smoke. I'm not saying that one is worse than the other, just simply looking at the numbers. Both results from what someone did to affect another.

Now, I'm not gonna sit here and say we should outlaw cigarettes or alcohol, but something needs to be done. In 2004, Ireland became the first country in the world to have a full smoking ban. Ireland! The land of my relatives and where they smoke and drink in the womb! The UK soon followed with a full ban in 2007. Denmark, France, Romania and The Netherlands have broad smoking bans coming in 2008. A number of major cities and states in the U.S. including California and New York have banned smoking in public places. Why would it be so hard to do in Nebraska?

Let's look at the argument of the government telling privately owned businesses what to do. Let the owner decide on how to run their business. Doesn't the government already set rules and regulations in place for the safety of consumers? All businesses such as restaurants need to follow strict guidelines like cleanliness, food preparation, fire codes, etc. They do that to protect us, the consumer. Let's say there wasn't such a thing as the FDA. A restaurant decides not to be very clean and has cockroaches crawling on the floor and rats dropping feces in pots and pans causing serious health hazards to anyone who eats at said restaurant. You wouldn't want to eat there would you? Then you would probably want the government to step in and do something about it. That's what I'm asking for here. You read the statistics. Second hand smoke IS a serious health issue.

More and more workplaces have all but done away with smoke break areas. Businesses have either pushed the smoking area outside or have gotten rid of it all together. We all agree we shouldn't smoke around babies and young kids. Hmmm, I wonder why that is? Maybe it's because we all know it's bad for us. It can destroy an infants developing lungs and encourage young people to start smoking because they see their parents or an influential person doing it. So why should we subject teens who work in restaurants to be around second hand smoke? Most young people's first jobs are at restaurants, but they also work at other places too. Car dealerships, grocery stores, retail stores and so on. It would be insane to think of someone smoking in the middle of any of those businesses. Why should restaurants or bars be any different?

And why are more and more smokers lighting up outside instead of inside their own home? Why do they ash out their car window and throw their buts out instead of using their ash tray? Simple, the smoke seeps into the woodwork, walls and everything inside the house leaving the paint with a shade of yellow and stinking everything up leaving you smelling like a chimney wherever you go. And you can't dirty up your car with those nasty, stinky filters. Plus, your change is in the ash tray! If it's too disgusting for you, how do you think us non-smokers feel? If you thinks it's so bad and so dirty and a terrible habit, why do you think it's okay for you to spread your noxious poisons on to other people?

When I discussed this topic again yesterday I was surprised to not get a lot of opposition. There were some that called and disagreed with me and had some descent points, but no argument against me that really made the point of why banning smoking in public places was a bad thing. Some listeners called up and simply told me to "go somewhere else." Why don't the smokers go somewhere else? That's not a point of argument if you're telling me that cause I can say the same thing. I had so many phone calls yesterday that I couldn't air all of them and it took over my entire shift from Noon-5. Below you will see a player where you can listen to all of the aired calls. I'm working on getting the other phone calls that weren't aired up as well.

If you disagree with me and feel the need to comment or email me, please do I encourage you to! It's 2:52 Tuesday morning and my throat is worse than it was yesterday! Tell me second hand smoke isn't a big deal. Tell me how it would affect our economy and I will ask you, when did a dollar mean more than a human life? Listen to the call at the end, followed by my commentary very closely. I think she has a great idea that's fair to everybody. It makes too much sense though, so we know that will never happen.

Thanks For Listening...And NOT SMOKING!!!

Series Premieres

Let me just state that I don't have a lot of time to watch t.v. these days. Well, besides what's on during the overnights which limits me to just about nothing. But as I sat home tonight fighting off allergies (and working out) I caught the premiere episodes of ABC's "Cavemen" and "Carpoolers." Both were preceded with a lot of ads for well over the last month or so.

Honestly, I couldn't wait for the Cavemen show as soon as I heard they were spinning them off from all those great Geico ads. Some of the best on television if you ask me. Then I quickly thought about how they were gonna pull this off. In the back of my mind I figured the show would be funny, but would soon become unoriginal and start to repeat itself and lose it's appeal. And sadly after watching the first episode last night I feel the same way. Although funny, I just don't see it lasting.

Basically it's showing everyday struggles through the eyes of cavemen living in the 21st Century. All the problems and issues we live through on a daily basis except through their eyes. Then again I might be surprised. After all you can't really judge a show after the first few episodes. Seinfeld never really took off until its fourth season so hopefully the writers will find a way to reinvent themselves and do things to make the show current and relevant.

After Cavemen it was time for Carpoolers. I see this one lasting a bit longer than Cavemen. Four different guys all going through what seems like their own mid-life crisis. Being stuck to ride to work with each other every day to help each other out with their problems. I really think the show has potential, but probably won't last very long either. Then again maybe shows like these aren't meant to last long for some reason. Just something to get us through to the next big show. By the way, where is Lost? That is one of my favorite shows on t.v. and I have to wait till February for the new season? Well, at least I have my answer as to why Cavemen and Carpoolers are on the air right now. Once again, love the shows but just don't see them lasting very long.

Thanks For Listening!

Real Talk

The video is pretty much self explanatory. Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy goes off about a newspaper article written about some of his players. Gundy has since been applauded and criticized for the way he conducted himself. I applaud him. We have to remember that players in college athletics are just kids. They don't deserve to be attacked like rich professional players who make mistakes on the field. I just wish Nebraska's coaching staff could show this much emotion about something. Then again, Tom Osborne and his staff never had to get real emotional to fire up their players.

I Thought This Was America People

There's been so many things going on in this country lately that just blows my mind. I can't seem to focus enough attention on one thing before something else pops up and bothers the hell out of me. Where are we at and where are we heading as a nation? I don't think I've ever questioned myself about the future status of the United States as I do now. Not after September 11th, not after Hurricane Katrina, but after all the nonsense that's been in the news lately.

Let's start with the Jena-6 situation. What is this, 1852? More evidence that many parts of the South is still showing hate and blatant racism towards black people. If you don't know the story here's a quick briefing. Basically some high school kids got in a fight over sitting under a tree. Yes, a tree! Some black students asked their high school administration if it was okay to sit under it since that's where all the white kids would always hang out. When they tried to all hell broke loose and white students started to fight with the black students. The end result was the white kids in the fight either got off with a slap on the wrist or no punishment at all. Meanwhile, the black students were charged with severe crimes including attempted murder. Attempted murder for using a shoe in the fight. It is truly unbelievable. For more on the story click here.

Now some stories about free speech. In Florida during a town hall meeting with Senator John Kerry, an overzealous UF student started to ask some pretty tough questions that he wanted the Senator to answer. After asking if he was in the same "Skull & Bones" secret society with President George Bush, they cut his mic and police started escorting him out of the building. After asking what he did wrong and not wanting to leave, the cops eventually took him to the ground where they proceeded to taser him. For what? He was obnoxious and unorthodox in the way he presented himself, but when did it become a crime to voice your opinion in this country? To me this seems like something out of a dictatorship. The government wants to shut you up so you can never be heard. This isn't America to me. This definitely is not freedom! And to hear this dude scream is brutal.

Here's a few videos of the student getting tasered.




Kathy Griffin and Sally Field were censored for speaking their minds while accepting their Emmy's. Free speech? That's a crazy idea that will never work.

Speaking of speech, let's talk about Isiah Thomas. The former NBA basketball star for the Detroit Pistons and current New York Knicks coach is being sued for sexual harassment by a former female employee. One of her arguments in the lawsuit was the way Thomas would describe her as a "bitch" to both her and Knicks employees. In a deposition given by Thomas he had stated that when a black man calls a black woman a bitch it's not as serious as when a white man calls a black woman a bitch. He stated that it is actually more offensive for a white man to call a black woman a bitch than if a black man did. To me this is totally not a race issue, but a sexist issue. Females should be referred to as women or ladies, not bitches no matter what color they are. It's offensive either way. I wonder what Thomas would have said if it were the other way around. Would it be more offensive for a black man to call a white woman a bitch than for a white man to do so? My answer is the same, no! Bottom line, don't refer to women as bitches or any other derogatory words. Women are queens and deserve to be respected by males of all color.

Donovan McNabb, quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, says that black quarterbacks are more scrutinized than white quarterbacks. Given the city he plays in (Philadelphia once booed Santa Clause) it's probably more the media there than anything. Then again, when you read stories like Jena-6, it makes you think twice about it.

Nebraska Senator Ernie Chambers is suing God. Need I say more?

O.J. Simpson is in the news again. While vigilantly searching for the "real killer" he got arrested in Las Vegas and is charged with 11 counts of armed robbery and is now facing life in jail. Only 12 years too late!

The U.S. Congress decided not to give extended leave to returning soldiers from Iraq. Way to honor those that are defending mine and your asses. Thanks congress!

Osama Bin Laden put out another video today. Can somebody please get rid of this guy? We can read license plate numbers from space, but yet we don't know where this guy is? Bullshit!

And the worst of all, Chris Crocker is getting a t.v. production deal. You know this guy. He's the "leave Britney alone" clown.

For those who haven't seen this 3rd grade dropout.


God help us all...or kill me now!!!

Thanks For Listening!

2007 MTV VMA's Review

So, the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards were held tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada. I have to admit I have not watched this show from beginning to end in years. This year I decided to. And after watching it, I remembered why I usually don't.

All the hype going into this years VMA's was the big return of Britney Spears. Personally I could care less, but for some reason America loves watching a human train wreck on t.v. Sure enough Britney leads off the show with her performance. Seriously, wtf was that? First of all, if you are lip syncing through your entire song (and doing a terrible job at it) please just stay home. She looked like she didn't even want to be there. Dressed in scantily clad clothes it was apparent she has been losing some weight, but still needs to keep her clothes on! Her dancing, if you can call it that, was just a bunch of slow movements and some awkward gyrations. I can't put into words how absolutely horrible it was. This was her comeback? Try again in four years! Charles Manson's fan club just checked in, they want to kill you!

Sarah Silverman followed with her one of a kind stand up. She's very crude in her comedy, but very funny. Most people don't know whether to be offended or to laugh at her jokes. Remember people, she's a comedian, laugh! She made me anyways. After that it was on to the usual performances and the rewarding of moonmen to artists. Aside from the usual on stage performances they had "fantasy suites" in the Palms Hotel where different artists were performing. Kanye West, Fall Out Boy, Justin Timberlake and the Foo Fighters were some of the artists that rocked their fantasy suites during the VMA's as MTV would regularly check in with them. It was different, but if you were in the audience would you have felt a little ripped off?

Chris Brown had a good dance set, but once again he was another artist who would rather lip sync than actually sing. Makes you wonder if these artists are just "studio" artists. He did a few Michael Jackson dance moves and entertained people with that. Maybe he should stick to being a backup dancer if he doesn't wanna sing. You could tell throughout the night who actually sung and who lip synced. The ones who lip synced wore headsets and the real singers used microphones.

No performances really blew me away, except for one. Alicia Keys (no headset) got the crowd moving with her vocal cords! That girl has some pipes and got the crowd going like nobody else who performed tonight. Without any fancy effects or surprises she did it with her talent and on stage presence. Definitely one of the finest singers around today. Props to Miss Alicia Keys! I also liked Linkin Park's performance, but it just didn't compare to Keys.

Kid Rock socked Tommy Lee in the face off camera. Too bad MTV didn't show that, I may have actually been entertained. (It happened during Keys' performance) And what is the hypocrisy with MTV? They edit out lines that borderline reference suicide, but it's ok to have strippers on poles dancing all around the stage, use of the word bitch and oh yeah, letting Britney come out dressed like that! Don't be so sensitive and up in arms about some issues, but could care less about others. Sexism, racism and violence are more of a problem in this country than suicide. Don't be so uppity about suicide, but fine with teen girls making themselves out to be whores on t.v. Yes, suicide is a problem, but I think if you're going to take a stance on issues, take a stance on all serious issues. Don't pick and choose.

Rihanna and Justin Timberlake were the big winners tonight. When you leave voting up to MTV viewers do you not expect JT to have a big night? And are Timbaland and Justin Timberlake dating? Every time I see them they are always together and almost flirting with each other. It's just really weird. Anyone else notice that? I do have to give JT some props though. On not one, but two occasions, Timberlake called out MTV to "play more videos." I concur. The biggest reason I don't watch that channel is because I'm sick of seeing horrible shows like The Hills, Maui Fever or whatever crap reality show seems to be on at the time. Do you really think MTV will listen? No, I don't think so either. It's MTV they will do what they want and they don't care what you think. They still have John Norris for crying out loud. Does anyone really enjoy watching this guy? He can go away anytime soon.

All in all I thought it sucked. Nothing blew me off my feet and nothing really surprised me. Isn't that suppose to be the niche of these award shows? Now that I've wasted four hours of my life I can't get back, I'll remember to read about it next year instead of wasting my electricity tuned into this crap!

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Weekend Update

First, the Huskers were shaky early, but then ended up looking pretty impressive in their 52-10 victory over Nevada. Yay!

Second, it's Labor Day weekend and just like clockwork over the last 10+ years my allergies are starting to kick up. Boo!

Third, that little "magic in a tube" I bought to help cure my poison ivy ended up NOT working like I thought. I woke up Saturday with yet another outbreak worse than what I had before. After going through the entire 1oz tube of Zanfel and not having it work, I wasn't about to go spend another $36 to see if I just got a bad bottle. So I went and stocked up on more Caladryl and it seems to be doing the trick, finally! I still look like I have a really bad skin disease on my arms and legs, which technically I guess I do, but it has really stopped me from doing anything this weekend. Maybe things will be better the next few days.

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This Stuff Sucks!!!

Let me just say that I actually love doing yard work. There's just something about being outside in the sun sweating your butt off to make your yard look nice. But after this week my point of view may change a bit. After four hours of working outside on Tuesday, I woke up Wednesday with the worst case of poison ivy I've ever had.

Now, just about a month ago I was just getting over a case of the poisonous weed. It lasted for nearly three weeks! Needless to say I was not happy about getting it again. After several applications of cremes, doses of medicine and two oatmeal baths...yes oatmeal...I felt the need to try something else. The other stuff just wasn't doing it for me. So on my way home from work this morning I stopped by Wal-Mart and found my "magic in a tube."

It's called Zanfel. This little one once bottle (that costs $36) did the trick. Although it was pricey, it was definitely worth the price for anyone who has a severe case of poison ivy. It relieved the itching almost instantly and is starting to clear up my skin. So if you ever run into poison ivy I would absolutely recommend this stuff.

I don't know if I'm going to continue liking working outside anymore. Maybe I should invest in some good weed killer. But what's the fun in that?

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Can You Feel It?

There's something in the air. It's more crisp, a tad cooler and the days are shorter. Fall is on the way and that means two things for me, my birthday and Nebraska football! Now don't get me wrong I love both the pro and college game, but I'm a Nebraska boy and when I hear football I think Cornhuskers!!!

That itch to see football will be scratched this Saturday when Nebraska takes on Nevada. Today though ESPN decided to tease me a bit longer by having 25 hours of college football. Counting down until the first college football game of the year Thursday night. Hopefully Nebraska will finally break through this year and surprise people. If not, then oh well it's just a game. I'll still cheer for them and always enjoy watching Nebraska football.

That's all I got for now. I gotta go back to watching the 25 hours of college football :)

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Appreciation

I just wanted to thank all the listeners who came out to see Colbie Caillat at a very special No Worries Wednesdays. We've been bringing in Q artists to do acoustic sets for years now. Artists like Anna Nalick, Mat Kearney, Rocco Delucca and Ben Lee just to name a few. But last nights turn out at Muldoon's was definitely the best!

From the brave listeners waiting outside in the rain (a lot didn't make it in) to MoZellA and Colbie being outstanding people (as well as artists) the show could not have been any better. This wasn't the first and definitely not the last time we'll have a performance like this. It's just gonna be pretty damn hard to top it!

Thanks again to all the listeners! It's you that make us who we are. It's also you (the listener) who make us the most listened to radio station in Omaha. And we're more than happy to give back with these free Q performances! Thank You All!!!

(Me with MoZellA)

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An Indictment Doesn't Make You Guilty Unless...

...three of your friends agree to a plea agreement against you leaving you no option but to confess to your cowardly crimes. Now after months of deny, deny, deny, Michael Vick has accepted to plead guilty to dog fighting and gambling charges. Seriously, was there really any doubt to this?

Vick is no stranger to controversy which makes it even funnier that people have and will continue to defend this guy. In 2005 a woman sued Vick saying she contracted genital herpes from him in 2002. She also said Vick had visited clinics using the alias Ron Mexico as to keep his identity concealed. In 2006 the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Settling a lawsuit like that doesn't make you innocent or guilty, but perception is golden.

Last year after a loss at home to the New Orleans Saints, fans had booed Vick's poor performance. While leaving the field Vick decided to respond by flipping them off and getting into a verbal spat as security rushed him into the locker room. Remember Vick, it's the fans that make you who you are. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!

(See pictures below)

In January of this year Vick was stopped from boarding a plane in Miami because he didn't want to give up his water bottle. (water bottles are not allowed on planes) Thus making him suspicious they confiscated his bottle to find a secret compartment that was believed to hide marijuana. After tests came back negative for illegal drugs, all charges were dropped against him. Once again I add, perception is golden. Give up your damn water bottle!

(A video from Saturday Night Live making fun of Vick)

Now we come to the dog fighting charges. In April feds raided a house in Virginia that was owned by Vick for illegal dog fighting. Vick denied having anything to do with the dog fighting and wanted us all to wait until the truth came out. Then, in July, Vick and three other men were indicted for felony and misdemeanor charges for gambling and interstate dog fighting. They even had a name for their operation, Bad Newz Kennels. Once again an indictment doesn't mean guilt, but this was a federal grand jury we're talking about.

Soon after, one by one, Vick's "great" friends accepted plea deals to testify against Vick. Even saying in court last week that Vick was the head guy in the operation and was personally there for the fighting and execution of dogs. Executions such as hanging, drowning and electrocution. Are you freakin' kidding me?

This is one of the most disgusting things I think I have ever heard of. And I don't want to hear the excuses that these are just dogs or this is part of a culture. This is outright ridiculous. Anyone who has ever owned and seriously cared about a pet, especially a dog, will agree that there are real emotional attachments you can get with your pets. When some lose their pet it's just like losing a loved one. And for some people all they have are their pets.

And this garbage about "the culture." Really? What culture? A sick, twisted, inhumane culture? So dog fighting has deep roots, history and tradition in the South. Yeah, well so did slavery, but we got rid of that a while ago. Some "traditions" shouldn't be continued and this is definitely one of them. Forcing dogs to fight by pumping them full of steroids, treating them inhumanely so they'll be more "aggressive" and then killing them if they're too "weak" is flat out a crime. Anyone who disagrees is a coward, plain and simple. Maybe people who do this live vicariously through their tough "champion dogs" because said person in real life is nothing but a sad, pathetic, weak coward.

Way to go Michael Vick. You did the same thing with your blustering football career and endorsements the same way you played quarterback on Sundays; you threw it away! I always knew there was something I didn't like about Michael Vick. Good luck in the federal penal league. Maybe I'll see you in the next "Longest Yard" movie, scumbag!

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Asinine

So just when I thought everyone had moved on from the Don Imus fiasco, I turn on my t.v. Tuesday to see that he is now getting sued. Kia Vaughn, a center on the Rutgers women's basketball team, is suing him for describing the Rutgers players as "nappy-headed hoes" on April 4th and claiming his comments damaged her character and reputation.

Her lawsuit claims slander and defamation of character in state Supreme Court in the Bronx. Coincidentally she filed the suit on the same day Imus settled with CBS Radio in a deal that pre-empts his $120 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS. Imus reportedly received $20 million in the settlement. Basically Imus got fired for doing and saying the things he was hired to do.

Vaughn's lawyer, Richard Ancowitz, said

"This is about Kia Vaughn's good name. She would do anything to return to her life as a student and respected basketball player; a more simple life before Imus opened his mouth on April 4."

Vaughn also went on Oprah in April to discuss the outrage at his comments and was saddened because it overshadowed the success of the Rutgers basketball team who had made it to the women's Final Four.

So, let me get this straight. She's trying to return to a more simple life? She wants to return to her life as a student and respected basketball player? So why is she bringing her name into the spotlight with this lawsuit? If my memory serves me right, the Rutgers team and Imus had a sit down and accepted his apology. It couldn't be the money, could it? No, because her lawyer said it wasn't about the money. (there was no dollar amount noted in the lawsuit) I think we all know that when someone says it's not about the money, that it actually is.

Here's my question for Kia Vaughn. If you want to return to a life of normalcy, why are you suing? You want people to respect you. Well, people have that respect for you. We've had it since the way we watched you and your team carry yourself throughout that whole mess in April. Let me tell you though, if you carry on with this lawsuit you will lose that respect that you earned. If you were walking down the street nobody would even recognize you (outside of the Rutgers campus) and I'm sure when people hear the name Kia Vaughn, they don't associate you as being a "nappy-headed hoe."

Not anymore though, Kia. You have singled yourself out from your team. Because before this everyone knew you as part of the Rutgers women's basketball team. You have now singled yourself out and made this about you. Selfish. Now we all know your name as the sole person who is suing Don Imus. Your actions have taken everything good you did in April and thrown them out the window.

Now, don't get me wrong, what Don Imus said was disgraceful and disrespectful. At the same time he was getting paid to say the things he said. Don Imus is considered to be a radio "shock jock," what did people expect? Personally, I think Imus got caught up in a slow news week and was only brought down when the advertisers started pulling out. He has said a lot worse in his years in radio and although they weren't politically correct, his show was highly respected with presidential candidates announcing their candidacy on his show. So if you ask me Don Imus should not have been fired. Like I said before, that's what he was paid to do, right or wrong.

So the next time I hear a rap song generalizing about "bitches" and "hoes" should I sue that artist cause I feel he was talking about my mom, sisters and aunts? I mean after all they are generalizing and that would mean they are talking about every female, right? It might sound ridiculous to you, but that's what Vaughn is doing with her lawsuit. So good luck with your lawsuit Kia Vaughn. I can now associate you as a player on that team that Don Imus called "nappy-headed hoes."

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Superbad Movie Review

Tuesday night I went to see the Q View of the new comedy, Superbad. From all that I had seen and read, this was suppose to be one of the more funnier movies in a long time. That's the scary part. Most of the time when you see something getting so much hype there's generally a let down. Let me just say there was no let down here. Actually, it was a lot funnier then even I expected. It seemed as though I and everyone else in the theatre were laughing about every 10 seconds at something.

The basic premise is three geeky guys (Seth, Evan & Fogell/McLovin) experiencing their last week of high school and their major goal is to finally "get" with their prospective dream girl before going off to college. They find the need to do this to make their high school years worth while. But of course like any geek or nerd trying to get a girl in a movie, none of them really know how to communicate with a girl. Finally opportunity knocks when Seth's love interest (Jules) invites him to her party.

Seth and Evan are the two best friends of the group getting torn apart because Evan is going off to college at the end of the year. To room with Fogell no less. They try to keep this from Seth, but he discovers this and it creates a rift between he and Even later on in the movie.

Fogell, the third wheel of the friends and biggest geek of all, finds a way to get a fake id before the big party. From there the plan is to get all the alcohol for the party and get their dream girls drunk so they would like them. Cause in their minds the only way they will ever want to talk them is getting them drunk. Needless to say things don't turn out as planned and wackiness ensues, LOL. This also where Fogell's "McLovin" character is introduced.

They find out that not everything is as it seems and the movie ends up having a very good and positive message. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who loves comedy. And if you can't laugh at this movie, then you don't have a sense of humor! Keep in mind that this movie is rated R, mostly for language. And although there are a few scenes where people are scantily clad, the only nudity seen is on a magazine and hand drawn pictures. I give it a SMALLS rating of 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. Definitely the funniest movie I have seen in a really long time!

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Tainted

Well, its been a while since I've posted anything. I blame vacation. That doesn't mean I don't have a lot to talk about though. Several things have happened in the last couple weeks that I don't even know where to begin. So I'm gonna start with Barry Bonds.

I was going to write the very same night he broke the all-time home run record, but I held back to see if my feelings about him and the record would change. They have not. And although I am not as bothered by it now as I was last week (baseball is just a game) it still bothers me that such a hallowed record has been broken under such controversy and scrutiny. For the most coveted record in all of sports to be broken you would think there would be celebration and praise nation wide. But when a majority of the country feels that it wasn't broken the "right way" it's almost like everybody was hoping it wouldn't happen.

This is a record so magical that we may only see this once in our lifetime. Babe Ruth's record of 714 stood for 39 years (1935-1974) until Hank Aaron passed him and ended up with a career total of 755 when he retired in 1976. And now, 31 years after Aaron retired, Barry Bonds has surpassed him as the home run king. So you would think we would all be stoked to see such a record broken. Maybe we would if Bonds was a "nicer guy" or if he was on pace throughout his whole career to break Aaron's record. But maybe, just maybe we would have celebrated more if Bonds' head didn't grow while using performance enhancing drugs aka steroids, creams and human growth hormones. Who's head grows in their 30's? Someone using steroids that's who.

And while we can't go through every record that was broken in baseball over the last 15 years and test those who broke them, we can make a separation in the "era" they were broken. This is the steroids era. There was the dead ball era, the World War II era and now we have the steroids era, plain and simple. It still takes skill and longevity to hit 756 home runs, but when you were never known as a power hitter and your skull is growing, there is something not natural about it. And from all accounts about Hank Aaron, he did it the right way. And from all of the criticism that Bonds has received recently, Aaron has received more praise than ever before about him surpassing Ruth, and rightfully so.

So when I watched Barry Bonds break Hank Aaron's record last week, I was sick to my stomach. My words may have been a bit more critical last week then they are now, but my overall feeling is the same. He may have the record, but I think we all know how he did it. The wrong way!

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Unbelievable

After getting things situated with my cable company it was time to take in all the news coverage of the horrible bridge collapse in Minneapolis. From someone who has family in Minneapolis, my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the terrible tragedy. And my sincere appreciation goes out to the unnamed heroes who sacrificed their own lives to help others in need. Firefighters, police and civilians coming together to help one another out.

Usually I go home after my shift and go to bed. Yesterday though I had things to do in Omaha in the morning and afternoon. At one point I was coming over the I-80 bridge from Council Bluffs and a strange thought popped into my head. What if I were driving and the bridge just gave out? Or what if I were driving and then the bridge just ended and I would plummet into the Missouri River? Sure, I think we've all had those thoughts before when driving over a bridge. But when I got home yesterday afternoon and woke up later that evening to see the horror of what was going on in Minneapolis, those thoughts took on a whole new meaning and hit a little close to home for me. Not saying that I'm psychic, but it was just really eerie.

Then came today. I think we all pretty much knew that this story (and rightfully so) would dominate the television. I have a few favorite tv stations I watch, one is the news station MSNBC. So I prepared myself to sit through a lot of the bridge coverage today. It's hard not to turn away because we all have questions that need answers. And I think we can all relate to the people of Minneapolis cause this can happen in any city with a bridge. But I think at some point we have to turn away.

As I found myself doing during the early stages of the Iraq war and the days of 9/11 I found myself not wanting to turn away. I wanted more. But there came a point yesterday when I just told myself that I HAD to turn away. It really wasn't healthy for me or anyone else for that matter. Too much saturation in one's mind of such a tragic event will create panic, stress and anxiety. And that's not good. Should the news cover it? Yes. Should you be watching it 24/7? No. I'm sure some people have already decided in their mind that they will never go over a bridge again no matter what. To each is own, but if you can't live life in the fear of dying, then you're not living life to the fullest. Get out, enjoy your life and try to be happy. Never forget what happened and always keep those victims in your hearts and prayers. But don't let it affect how you live your life.

Have a safe weekend and look forward to a new post on Sunday or Monday.

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Canceled Appointments

You know, it's bad enough when someone cancels on you. Even worse when they don't bother to tell you about it. Worse than that is when they don't have a reason for canceling on you. Recently, I was canceled on. Not by my girlfriend, a friend or co-worker. I was canceled on by my cable company.

We all know that cable companies already have a bad reputation when it comes to customer service and once again they came through like clockwork. Early in June I noticed my high speed, top of the line Internet connection was running just about as fast as dial-up. Surely, in this day and age of everything "now" I could not stand for my Internet to be so slow. So on June 19th after several calls to customer service, I finally found a rep who wanted to fix my problem instead of telling me to "just wait and your problem might fix on its own." Key word there being might.

So after finding a rep to work with me and several minutes of troubleshooting, they found the only way to fix the problem was by sending a tech out to my house to decipher it. Fine, sounds great! Then the even better news comes. They can get a tech out to my house on Friday, June 27th. Well, after a quick thought and second look at my calender, I realized that June 27th fell on a Wed, not a Fri. The c.s. rep disagreed for a few moments and then realized his mistake and finally agreed with me that June 27th was on a Wed and the Friday he was talking about was in July. So clearly he just had his months mixed up, right? Wrong! The first available date for a technician to come to my house was on Friday, July 27th. That means I would be waiting for 38 days, 38 DAYS, for someone to come and look at my Internet connection. Ridiculous but what can I do? I live in a town (Plattsmouth) that's only big enough for one cable company. A total monopoly with no were else to go for high speed Internet. So I wait it out. Oh, and did I mention since cable companies are known for punctuality, I should expect them sometime between 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. that day? Given the fact that I do overnights it wouldn't matter what time they would show up, it would still throw a wrench into some quality sleeping time.

So there I was last Friday morning. Getting the house clean, drinking Red Bull, listening to music, doing whatever I could to stay awake. Slowly but surely the minutes went by. The help of a few friends on Myspace didn't hurt either. And so the hours started to go by and still no sign of the cable guy. By 12:15 I wasn't even about to try and wait any longer. I had been up since 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon and the tiredness was too overwhelming.

For some reason in the days leading up to last Friday I just had a feeling that they weren't going to show. After all I scheduled the appointment over a month ago! So I have all my info ready and the c.s. rep I get is very nice from the start. I asked him where the tech was, what time I called in June, etc. After verifying what I told him (he chuckled with disbelief on how long I had to wait for a tech) he found something very interesting. My appointment was made on June 19th (like I told him) and then it got canceled. Just like that. I asked him how? When? Who canceled my appointment? There were no notes attached to it (supposedly) and it was just canceled a couple of days before without any rhyme or reason. It was just canceled. Given that the c.s. rep was nice to me and I hadn't the energy to yell and scream I had to accept yet another appointment. The c.s. rep could get someone out to my house later that day, that Saturday or that following Tuesday. I wasn't about to stay up any longer and wouldn't you know it, those other days were pretty much the only days I wasn't available in the coming week. So I had to settle for the following Thursday.

So, later on today I will be playing the waiting game once again with CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS. I will be up for countless hours losing sleep and probably my mind in the process. Hoping, wishing, praying this time it doesn't get canceled. If it does, you can bet I won't be as courteous this time around. And if I sound tired tomorrow night for the overnights and am a little grumpy, don't blame me, blame CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS! Thanks Charter!

Maybe next time you will think twice before canceling on someone.

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