Saturday, July 10, 2010

VVV = Vancouver, Vacation & Vixens....

Day 2, Night 2....Vancouver is nice!! Me, chase, & myles landed around about the same time in the Vancouver Airport. Thinking, we were' good as our luggage arrived we were directed towards customs where we awaited with several other ethnicities with the exception of Chris Jones(later about how & when we met Chris). After having my luggage rampled through by security, we caught a taxi to Le Soleli where we're booked for the next 4 nights. MOST Excellent accommodations and staff (see pics)

Friday, February 15, 2008

A SUPER Hero better known as S.W.A.T. Officer Randall Simmons...

As I await patiently in the medical center waiting room for a friend of mine who had awaken me from my slumber to drive her to the center for a quick visit, I began to focus my attention towards the television to where KCAL 9 was televising LIVE the memorial services for L.A. S.W.A.T. Officer Randall Simmons, the officer who was killed in the line of duty by a disturbed young man who had just taken the life of his own family. The night before this morning services, I'd glanced at the news coverage of the local Burger King in South L.A., to where thousands of people were showing up until midnight to help in raising funds and BK itself donating 100% of the proceeds to the family of the fallen Officer. You know when I arrived back home in L.A. from my trip up north this past weekend and heard of the news of the officer, it never dawned on me how much of an impact this officer might've had on his community. The news stated that it was SWAT's first lose in it's 41 history as a special ops division. I knew that had to have had a tremendous impact on the community and I just remember feeling very sorry for his family but praying that they would be alright. But as the news coverage began to report more about this dedicated officer of the law, I began to learn more about his role as a community leader in Los Angeles and throughout the country. Only then did this loss to me appear to be even more tragic than I could've imagined.

I was able to watch most of the memorial service in between dropping my friend off at her home, up until an hour ago 5:45ish, is when it ended. The anchor woman on
KCAL News had stated that the procession started at 11am. PEOPLE...I have to say that that was the most supportive,emotional, and historical scene I've witnessed on television in my entire life. From the community hanging out on the streets waving at the family in the limo's to the 4 mile stretch of police cars that drove into the grave site to the former football coach speaking....to the releasing of the doves...to the wrapping of the flag...to the gun shots by the color guards....Randall Simmons was loved and honored today by millions as the live news coverage titled the telecast, "Salute To A Hero." The more I listened the more I kept referring to him as a Super Hero.

As much as I love the sci-fiction of comic book artist & the writers that represent in their books truth, justice and the American way, SWAT Officer Simmons from what I interpreted ,was a modern day, real life Super Hero. One without a cape, without laser beams coming from his eyes, without bat-a-rangs or a Robin. He was made from the stuff that super heroes were created upon. A walking super solider for the community. Caring and saving souls. Ministering to the youth and troubled teens. Going out on the call of duty invincible to evils that plague our world. Making sure to share tactics with his fellow officers that may not have involved the killing of another human being. Constantly, leading by example.

After watching the service today, I must say that I have a new found respect for law enforcement officers. Not that I haven't always, but a more new found respect from the perspective of what they might go through on an daily, emotional and spiritual basis. For what their families might go through knowing that these men & women have taken oaths to protect and serve their country and could be taken from us at a blink of an eye. To protect and serve takes on a whole new meaning within it self. You read it on the police officers patrol cars...but I dont think it really sinks in. This modern day Super Hero gave a new face to the good in men to which is what our country needs right now....to what this world needs right now. It's terribly sad that it had to come to us loosing such a fine and dedicated officer, but in so many ways it's a wake up call for people to start standing up for what is right in their own communities. No longer is it ok or was it ever ok to ignore the patterns in another human that could easily harm another human being. It's been time to wake up!

I was telling my friend earlier in the day that I could recall when I was kid, that there was police officer that would come around our neighborhood in North Oakland just to say hi to everyone...just to say hi to my mother & my grandmother. That's the kind of Officer Randall Simmons reminded me of. All too often you hear of the media reporting about the 2% out of 100% who are out there giving good cops a bad wrap. The TV Show Cops is always focusing on the worst case scenarios. And have you heard about the latest antics of Rodney King? No one deserves what he got, but this guy is and was clearly a very bad apple. I know when you hear of these few incidents with the police & civilians they tend to piss you off a bit but you have to put yourself into that officers position: Part of his job is to protect his family, and protecting his family means protecting his community. And protecting his community means protecting his fellow officers family. And protecting his fellow officers family means protecting the people and the children from those that just do not want to abide by the laws that are put in place to protect us all. He wants to protect his community so that his family ...his kids...his buddies family...your kids...your family...the kid next door....the family next door, can be Safe! He wants to protect his country from those of this world who are bent on evil and destruction...and trust me ... he's aware of their existence in this world. Dont be naive to what this world is made of...because you and I know it aint all good. There is no place in this world for those who dont want to abide by the laws that are here to protect us. These officers are protected under GOD. They pledge their allegiance. In God they trust. So as we should Trust in Them.


Yes I am fired up...but I had to get some of that out. I was gonna go to the movies this evening, but I stayed in my living room to watch the services for a Hero. As the tears started to roll down my cheek and that lump in my throat grew larger by the moment, I watched on as the 10's of thousands of officers and people payed their respects to a brotha who stood for something Godly. I didn't know Officer Simmons, but I wish I had. After hearing remarks about him as a person and as an officer I started to feel like I'd lost a distant uncle I'd never met or better yet...a father I wished I'd had. He set an example of honor that I could only imagine. If you want to be remembered for something in this world ...do something that touches the hearts of the children and the people in your community. Life isn't about what Britney is doing or how many Grammy's Denzel is gonna get. Or how much money you dont have or why you should care about why a rapper wants to rap about how hot he is. Life is about putting others first, making a stand...and worrying not. Faith in God is all you need. He takes care of those who do their part...and then when he feels that you've done your part in his divine plan ...he then calls for you to come on home.

SWAT OFFICER Randall Charles Simmons...I salute you ...I thank you brotha for re-enlightening me. For showing me that one man can make a difference. To me, you stand in the same path as Martin, Malcom and JFKennedy....and I'm sure they were standing at the pearly gates of heaven waiting for you with open arms. I imagined you all with God in the center, looking down at the services today. Crying with tears of joy. You will be honored for years to come. The country took notice today...if not, the world.
Peace be with you brother...you've shown me what real men are made of.
-mr anderson-

Friday, January 11, 2008

MYSPACE ....YOURSPACE....OURSPACE...No Space.

I'm at my producers home in El Cerrito California. We'd just finished laying the hooks for a song I co-wrote. The room is filled with excitement with others listening in on what could easily be a major hit. After listening to the entire recording, the buzz starts around kats wanting to check their myspace page. MYSPACE??? I'm thinking ... "What the hell is a myspace?"

You see up until 2 years prior I was the tech savy fool. Knew everything of the goings on with the internet from Google, to web-cam conferencing...to having the first digial camera at clubs in the bay area scene. The dot com boom lay offs landed me in a uncompromising position that left me less tech savy..ie..broke as hell. Yeah everybody has a downside. Anyways, Myspace was totally new to me and I got instantly hooked. It came across as a site for musicians who were looking to gain major exposure outside of their own realm. Fans could contact you directly. A picture and a song...meant instant booty!! Not me...but Yeah there were kats hooking up with chicks every nite of the week due to myspace. It was a fans dream come true. And Tila Tequelia(or however you spell her name) was the first chick expose'n the goods and landed as one of your first friends on myspace. This chick was bigger than Tom the founder of the site. This thing was huge...but it still hadn't gone main stream just yet.
To have a myspace page was the definitely the **it. Having a conversation with other artist who weren't on the up and up was somewhat gratifying. It's always a good feeling to be the kid with the latest toys on the block. And networking with digital distribution companies were on the rise. The middle man within the music industry would soon be out of a job and the music industry as you know it would cease to exist.
Chicks from all walks of life started to learn of myspace and...quick. Soon...chicks starting getting hip, running out to get a digital camera or using their new camera phone to post pix on myspace. And then it started to get real scandless. The honesty factor of posting a legit pix would soon be over. The really young chicks started locking into myspace and soon the buzz got really crazy. Soon every hood-chick, country bammer, web-hooker with a camera wanted to be a super model...wanted to be seen...wanted to be the next myspace chick with thousands of friends....even if she never left a note.
Things were getting pretty krayzee...Until some jackass created what they called myspace bots. These bots would generate faster ways of implementing friends into your network just to build "myspace friends"...and then the game changed. Soon myspace would make headlines on the 11'oclock news because kids are spending wayyyyy too much time in front of the computer doing nothing.Not to mention the freaks that were luring young little girls to their chat rooms. BUT THEN it got krayzier. After scolding their kids of this new myspace thing...the single moms and dads thought to themselves,"hey I can actually meet these women/men online?"
AND LADIES and GENTLEMEN that's when **it hits the fan...I do mean literally!

Soon mothers....families...daughters...army dudes....dads..dads and their kids....people who had nothing to do with music...comedians....people who thought they were funny....wanna be models....the nerd....the self-proclaimed author...the neighbor...the channel 7 news guy ....the cashier at Wendy's.....and now the main stream signed record label deal artist wants to get in on the act. AND GUESS WHAT? It's no longer any fun!!


LATER...Myspace is bought by NewsCorp for millions. Changed for the somewhat worse. You see ...being underground is the **it. Once everyone knows about something...it's all down hill from there. Flashing banners....Movie Previews...It's an advertisers dream come true.

...and then came along the others...Facebook. LinkedIn. MiGente. But the for the record I think BlackPlanet was first....I even had shut that one down...but that's anutha story.

Monday, January 7, 2008

...a transmission to the future.

Shumato's log....01062008...monday morning. The western hemisphere of the united states, as you might've known it, has just come out of a weekend of rain and the rain makes me sad at times....BUT as I ....glance outside the window through a slight opening through the shutters of my 3 story condo/apartment complex...I view the leaves and branches of nearby trees swaying in the calm morning winds... and a blue sky in which I haven't seen the likes of in 3 days. I can imagine morning commuters in L.A. driving with a sigh of relief knowing that this mornings weather will provide a somewhat smoother commute than it's been over the course of the week because there is no rain. Otherwise I'd be on my knees praying for those pour souls who make that more than hour long commute to their jobs...in the rain. I dont know what the weather is gonna be like for the entire day...I really dont care. I'll probably be in doors for most of the day returning calls and emails. You see....I work from home. :-)

If I'm correct it's only 6 days into the new year of 2008. I might be off a day because I dont have a calendar posted in my bedroom to give me the exact date...and my mind doesnt feel like calculating backwards what day the first landed on.....which reminds me ...I have to pick up a new calendar ....immediately.

The latest news of 2008 ....it may be a bit premature to say...but it looks as if the United States may see it's first Black President(if you're in the future...you're saying damn how did he know). Obama has definitely got my vote. Why?!? .... The people want change....not to mention...he's managed to capture the attention of the young peeps. Something no president has done in quite a while. People talk about what the baby-boomers want...and how their votes will matter the most...WHY does what the baby-boomers want matters?....if anything they've managed to do a fine job at the slow destruction of our environment...so I say enough of the old grey haired white men in office...let a man (not only a black man) but a man who will be symbol of change in America become the leader of our "oh so great" nation. At least we'd have the chance to call ourselves great again.

Ok. enough about that....actually not really...but If I continue it will cover my entire blog for the day....SO...

Dairy products are higher than ever in 2008. A half gallon of milk will run you at least $4.09...and that's lactose free....or is it?!? They'd sale us cow boo-boo literally if they could...disguised as ..."the new nutrient" in capsule form....lol!....laugh...because it's true. Well as of 2008 my system is so jacked up that I cant even drink so called lactose free milk anymore....so Vanilla Soy here I come...I can now enjoy cereal and homemade milkshakes without running off to the bathroom in a panic. :-)

One of the new laws passed for California this year: smoking while driving with a minor in the car can result in a fine. Go figure. From what I understand....an officer cant pull you over for that, but if he pulls you over for other violations and just happen to notice that you've been puffing away with that kid in the car seat in your SUV....that ass will get a fine.
When i first read of this new law... I thought to myself...and said..."self...you have to figure out how to get a law passed and act on it immediately!" Can you believe the laws that people will lobby to get passed these days? How about staying on the Tobacco Industry for making cigarettes in the first place?
Ok...what else...Oh yeah....

The writers guild is still on strike. Good for them! I hope they get what they deserve ...and then some......


The law was passed in California for those annoying cell phone drivers.
I have one thing to say "SHUT UP & DRIVE" ...no one and I do mean no one is that great multi-tasker...it's dangerous and should be banned altogether!

You know ....it's 2008...... there are still no flying cars..... Live Streaming-Video-phones aren't as popular as they should. .....we're(THE U.S.)is still dependent on oil & gas from foreign trades....The U.S. is BRoKE and cant afford to front any longer ...Hybrids are too pricey.....Solar energy isn't powering up every home...Polar bears and penguins will soon be extinct...and 60 some'n year old Stallone is still making RAMBO flicks ......WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!?!...

If you are in the future and reading this...understand these things: We once lived in a time when good old fashioned values worked. Even though we could'nt see him,God was first in our lives above all. Hard-times came and we still came out on top. But then some jerk decided that prayer in schools should be taken out...that the pledge of allegiance wasn't necessary...that being Rich was the most important thing in life...that same sex marriages are great for society even if they cant produce natural offsprings...that education in the U.S. isn't a priority...that loans and credit scores makes the person...so thus... hell on earth began. There were those of us who might've attempted to prevent what was to come...but failed miserably or was taken out before their time. The people then conditioned and began to live in fear. The generations had nothing solid to pass on ...and our earth would soon see it's last days. It's inevitable....and I leave with a quote "If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control."
-Rev.Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.-

This is Dr. Shumato...you say tomato ...i say potaetoe....please stop by more often...as even I dont know what I'm gonna babble about....


peace-

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

If I'm so talented why am I broke?

If I'm so talented why am I broke? The question I ask myself...my spirit alot. I still dont have an answer...and I'm no closer to being wealthy than I am broke. I have diverse business skills, knowledge, talent and experience but cant seem to manage to get myself back on track. Of course I know I have to let go of my pass with heartbreak relationships and the dot.com boom lay-offs...but it hasn't been easy. Since the move to L.A. it's actually been a little more difficult. I thought if I moved away from my hometown things might've taken a turn for the better. In which in some cases it has. If nothing else I have discovered alot about myself in which I had no idea about. And I have grown spiritually conscious and aware of self. I seriously dont know what my next move is...but I have to do something with what I have.