It's a shame

The video above is a segment of a documentary titled "The High Cost of Low Prices." It speaks about Walmart, the largest retail chain in the world & indubitably the number one seller of groceries in the United States. There are interviews with former associates, small business owners, and former managers from the mammoth company. The documentary speaks vividly about Walmart's shady tactics with wholesalers, their high rate of insurance offered to employees, and their improper calculations of employee overtime pay.

There is no mystery as to why Walmart can offer low prices. Generally their stores use up lots of real estate. They can afford to take large quantities of almost any item. Where as a local supermarket can order (and store) 500 cartons of orange juice, Walmart can store maybe 5000-10000 cartons of orange juice. In some supermarkets the managers may not order more 100 cartons of cereal. Walmarts can probably order thousands of cartons for one store. Since Walmarts can order larger quantities, the wholesalers & warehouses will offer Walmart a cheaper price per individual good. In turn Walmart can pass this discount onto customers who shop at their stores. Therefore it's a win-win situation. Walmart offers low prices. Customers like the low prices. All is well (even if the lines are super long). :p

The main people who lose out are the low level associates. Not only do they earn mediocre wages, but they encounter all kinds of abuse at the hands of management. If you watch this documentary in its entirety, you'll see that certain Walmart employees have been explicitly told by their bosses not to take breaks due to the work that needs to be done. Managers have been asked by their superiors to scale down the overtime pay of employees who work well over their normal hours.

To me the proof is in the pudding. Though I rarely shopped at Walmart I have yet to see an upbeat employee at any of their stores. Most look despondent, unhappy, and miffed at the fact that they have to work there another day. I may be wrong though, but if they have this outlook I can't blame them. How can a greeter at Walmart beam when he/she is enduring the abuses I'm reading about? Let's not forget that these guys make such low wages as is. I myself would probably flip everyone the middle finger with pride.

I became interested in learning about Walmart after reading the company plans to open its first Manhattan store soon. I personally could care less if a company wants to expand. That's their right, but I know New York politics too well. I'm pretty sure that Walmart will ask & get money from the city's public coffers to pay for the store's construction. For that reason I hope Walmart never comes here. In no way should taxpayers' money be used to fund the construction of a PRIVATE, wealthy company like Walmart. There may be teacher layoffs in the Department of Education. The NY Fire Dept. & NY Police Dept. will also have to layoff some officers. The city itself will have a projected $9 billion budget gap, but somehow money can be found to fund Walmart? GTFOHWTBS

I implore all to watch the documentary (it's all on youtube)& to understand one thing: This is American Capitalism at its finest. PEACE

-Muhammad the Harlem Sk8rboi

Baked & Fried for the whole ride

I haven't seen this commercial/PSA in years, and it's by far the one I remember the most. I used to always catch it Saturday morning right before Bugs Bunny reruns used to air. Anyway I saw an interesting documentary on VH1 Classic (one of my favorite channels) called "The Drug Years." It was a 4-part documentary that covered 4 decades of music & the influential drugs that were around during these periods of music. It also broke down the effects these drugs were having on celebrities, politicians, musicians, and everyday people.

There was the psychedelic era of the late 1960s where LSD was the drug of choice. If one watches any video footage of Woodstock 1969 or any live show by The Doors (with lead singer Jim Morrison), you'll see that many experimented with this substance b/c they wanted to be peaceful & loving which they thought was the antithesis of what their parents were about. LSD would bring about this effect (according to myth).

The socially conscious 70s ushered in the mass producing & importing of dope. Those who consumed it mostly were inner city dwellers & the heavy use of it spurred great songs from many artists from the era like Marvin Gaye (Inner City Blues), Curtis Mayfield (Freddie's Dead), Bobby Womack (Across 110th street), Teddy Pendergrass (Wake Up Everybody), and Stevie Wonder (Pastime Paradise). These artists felt compelled to put out these songs b/c of the prevalence of dope abuse.

The pop culture of the 80s popularized & augmented the use of cocaine all over the country. Cocaine was seen as a luxurious drug & many felt that living the life of the rich and famous included snorting cocaine or smoking free base. The side effect was the birth of crack, and those of y'all who live in a major inner city (like myself) know that crack literally decimated families & turned the streets into battlegrounds over drug money resulting in far too many casualties. It was so crazy that rumor has it "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five was recorded by Melle Mel while he was sniffing white lines of coke. So many celebrities became cocaine fiends & some even died of overdose (John Belushi).

The 90s saw the rise in popularity of ecstasy use mainly in raves & underground nightclubs. The drug was officially banned & made illegal in 1985 by the Drug Enforcement Agency. It was taken by many to reenact what the "Hippies" did in the sixties by spreading euphoria. The problem of course is that 30 years had passed. Times had changed & people who just wanted to gain that feeling of euphoria also gained many who simply wanted to take advantage of them. Therefore many rave goers became broke very quickly due to dealers charging high prices for ecstasy. During the days of Woodstock many were able to get high for free.

This decade has seen the increase in prescription drug abuse & homemade drug use. Crystal Meth use is at an all time high these days. We see how many people (cough... Lil' Wayne...cough...Project Pat) & celebrities drink Sizzurp. I personally know people who abuse codeine, sleep medication, and depression medication. These habits are done by many middle & upper middle class individuals who are seen as productive citizens in the eyes of our government.

As I watch the documentary all I could think about is how dependant we are on external substances. I'm not trying to even sound high & mighty here although I have never abused a drug in my life, but I wonder how certain people could even know how great life is if they're always fried or baked into another plane of existence. I will say that not all drugs are BAD. For centuries Native Americans have smoked Hemp & marijuana for medicinal purposes. Many chiefs would smoke cannabis through a pipe to help gain an appetite. However, they USED these substances. Pure tobacco even has some healthy advantages when it's not processed into cigarettes & when chemicals weren't added to the soil to change it's makeup.

I just think that ALL drugs should be used sparingly & never abused to have ANY sort of benefit. I also understand that this is a CAPITALIST nation, and illegal drugs are one of the most lucrative industries here & around the world. Lastly I understand that making drugs illegal or legal ISN'T the answer. When Prohibition was enacted in 1920 that didn't stop people from drinking. It just shifted the scene where people drunk. Instead of sipping on booze at home, many would go to speak-easies & drink EVEN MORE. Of course Prohibition had to be repealed in 1933 b/c gov't actually got the point. You can't just revoke something w/o destroying the need. The need for drugs is & will always exist. It's sad to say, but drugs are here to stay. It's up to every individual as to whether they will use them (either way) or not.

I implore everyone to check out this documentary b/c much will be learned about how those we elect to office are also the ones who want our brains to stay fried. PEACE

Muhammad the Harlem Sk8rboi

This is the remake!

Last summer I was traveling back to New York along the Interstate 95 when I tuned into a radio station in South Carolina. The opening music to the classic 1981 record "That girl" came on. I was jamming & waiting to hear Stevie Wonder's opening lyric & it came on, but instead it was the singer Joe's voice that I heard. Late last year I walked into a local Soul Food restaurant & heard a rendition of "Pretty Brown Eyes (Quit Breaking my heart)", but instead of Mint Condition the singers were Amerie & Trey Songz. Of course I was somewhat underwhelmed.
Remakes are sometimes treacherous waters to navigate if you do not know what you're doing or you have no real connection to the record you are re-recording. There have been some remakes that are remarkable & totally outshined the original. Then there are some that made me rip out my entire digestive tract. Since I have heard so many songs & remakes I decided to make a list of my 5 favorite remakes & the 5 worst remakes ever attempted. Let's get it:

Favorite

1) Isaac Hayes- Walk On By: Of course Dionne Warwick gave this song life, but Dionne didn't give the raw emotion that Isaac Hayes displayed throughout the record. This is pretty rare I might add.

2) Troop- All I do is think of you: This is a tough one because the Jacksons original was off the hook. I feel that Troop sang it just as well, and the piano solo at the beginning was an excellent touch that actually enhanced the record.

3) The Whispers- I want to know your name: Contrasting the Whispers to the Intruders is like comparing apples & oranges. Both had amazing lead singers & both made memorable jams for the bedroom. For this record though, Scottie's solo towards the end of the record made all the difference.

4) Boyz II Men- It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday: I liked the original from the classic 70s film "Cooley High" by Freddie Perren & Christine Yarian. Boyz II Men performed it A capella & their version showed how flawless their voices once were.

5) Whitney Houston- All the man I need: This song was originally written & performed by Katherine Sledge (of Sister Sledge) and her husband Phillip. It sounded okay on Soul Train when they performed it in 1981, but Whitney Houston added a whole new dimension to the record.

Worst

1) Ginuwine- When Doves Cry: I have no clue what Ginuwine was trying to do with ths remake. I still got love for Mr. Lumpkin though.

2) Mary J. Blige- Natural Woman: Everyone knows my obsession with MJB & even I think she was high when the thought of remaking this classic entered her head.

3) Toby Lightman- Real Love: Though she has a pretty electric voice, she picked the WRONG song to use it on.

4) K-Ci Hailey- If you think you're lonely now: Though Bobby Womack didn't have the greatest voice, neither does K-Ci. He sounded quite bad to me & that's odd because Jodeci's remake of "Lately" wasn't bad.

5) The Fugees- Killing Me Softly: This one is mainly music based. Lauryn Hill has the voice to kill this Roberta Flack song. The use of the ATCQ (A Tribe Called Quest) sample didn't work well & therefore the remake was average when it could've been great.

What are the best & worst remade songs in your opinion?

-Muhammad the Harlem Sk8rboi

Superfly (Haiku dedicated to Curtis Mayfield)

Out of the scores of musicians that have blessed the artform I feel that there are few less appreciated than Curtis Mayfield (RIP). He didn't win an Oscar for a movie score like Isaac Hayes (RIP). Rarely did he win Grammys. He wasn't a sex symbol like Marvin Gaye (RIP). His voice wasn't deep like Barry White nor did he receive the acclaim as a producer/instrumentalist like Stevie Wonder. Yet his importance in music & the African-American experience (period......especially in the 70s) is immeasurable. He is more than worthy of a dedication poem:

He was considered
The master storyteller
Of my parents' time!



Rock his music people!

-Muhammad the Harlem Sk8rboi

Priorities: How many of us have them?

As a decade long employee for a pharmacy along with my lesser stint in education, I've noticed a disturbing trend among members of my community here in New York especially young parents (I consider young parents those under 40 years old) of my ethnicity. I'm constantly in contact with young parents through my profession & recreation. I see them pick up their children from school, order medicines for them through hospitals & pharmacies, and I see them in nightclubs.
I'll give a quick example. Last summer I went to a club in the Chelsea section of New York called Suzie Wong. I went there on a Monday night after work & it was jumping. There were hoards of scantily clad, juicy, and overall sexy ladies (I use that term loosely here) in the spot who were stacked from head to toe. There was this one young man who was no older than 25 that was acting particularly wild on the dance floor. Suddenly the DJ played the record "plenty money" by Plies. This dude pulls out a knot of bills that could choke a raging bull & throws it in the air. Everybody in the spot ran after the money. Out of nowhere four bills fell right next to my left foot. I quickly stepped on it & didn't lift it until 5 minutes later when I went to the bathroom. They were all $20 bills. I was eighty dollars richer for no damn reason. lol
The following Thursday afternoon I went to a local pharmacy to buy me a case of Cranberry-Pomegrante Juice that was on sale. I see this same young man in the pharmacy with what appears to be his son & another woman (maybe it was his wife or girlfriend so I won't assume it was simply his son's mother). They were buying a box of diapers & the woman didn't have enough cash. She asked this young man for some money & duke said "I only have $5 to my name." My manner went from happy go lucky to mad as fuck in a matter of milliseconds- almost instantly. This guy threw hundreds of dollars in the air to total strangers & in a few days didn't have enough money to cover his son's bare bottom.
This is my issue with many of the young parents I see today. They have the poorest money management I have ever seen especially those of my ethnicity. I see students who come to school in shoes & apparel more expensive than mines (at times....I do have a taste for upscale clothing) without proper school supplies like notebooks, pencils, pens, paper. etc. This unfortunate 5 year old child I see often in my residence wears a nice Sean John jacket while having lips badly in need of medicated balm. What happened? As a child my parents made sure I had adequate supplies for school as well as clothing, but they wouldn't spend their last dollar on purchasing brand name clothing for us. If anything both my parents would leave that task up to me. The last decade or two, an alarming amount of parents have lost sight of what's most important to the offspring they created.......which is their well being (my opinion).
At times I've been disparaged for having this opinion about young parents namely because I'm not one & don't really know the perils of parenthood. In no way would I want to intentionally hurt this group of people who are vital to my community. As Martin Luther King said 40+ years ago "There is no great disappointment where there is no great love." Indubitably I love my people from the elders to the progeny. I only want to see my people in a better state. These days my people can't blame all their troubles on the ubiquitous yet often invisible "White man." Some of that blame needs to fall on our own backs for not PRIORITIZING CORRECTLY!
Now don't try to play me for a simpleton though. I look at television. I read the magazines. I peruse the different blogs on the internet, and I see all the advertisements for high end merchandise as I skate down the streets of New York. With all of that media hitting the young parents at once, I sincerely understand why some make decisions that show a lack of true priorities. We all want nice things for ourselves & our children. That's human nature & in theory I believe that Allah provides for his creations. I think that all people of earth would live in moderate affluence if the wealth of the world were evenly distributed. However, the reality is that the world is filled with a few "haves" & an alarming majority of "have nots." Therefore as responsible people, we should try our best to live according to our means until we see an increase in what we earn. This includes the young parents I scrutinize at times.
Until the next blog, I'll be riding sideways on my skateboard. PEACE!

The Little Things (India Arie was right)

Greetings to everybody who really cares or was board enough to stop by! This is the opening blog of my new page here on blogger.com! I'm really excited about this page as if I'm expecting a newborn child (which I'm not). Maybe it's because I haven't been blogging regularly for about 18 months or so & I suddenly found the time to do so. It my just be that I've had too much Red Bull as well. Nix that thought because Red Bull tastes like liquid ear wax with red 40 food coloring. lol Let's get started.
Until today I had been locked out of my apartment since Thursday. I have no one to thank but myself because I lost my house keys. From Thursday up until today I was basically living like a homeless man. I wore the same clothes everyday. I slept somewhere other than home every night. I washed up in someone else's bathroom. I wandered around often & sometimes aimlessly. Lastly I began to look disheveled all around. My beard was scruffy (like always). My clothes weren't pressed. My coat had lint all over. Even my mouth became putrid like the Hudson River. In this state I was feeling lower than the dog poop. Suddenly while I was laying down outside my locked apartment I realized something.
Just a week ago I was contemplating what I should do with my tax return. I was thinking of buying a designer watch, maybe some more designer shades, and maybe even some more kicks to add to the reservoir I have in my room. As I was contemplating what to buy, I threw a tantrum because my anticipated return wouldn't buy me as much as I wanted for myself. Then a week later I was spread eagle laying out on hardly mopped project housing floors. Reality just bitch slapped me & made me realize something that's always in my subconscious but may at times escape my immediate conscious:

I'm just as broke as a homeless person. The only difference is I have a roof over my head. So every last one of us BETTER be grateful for the LITTLE THINGS in life that give us so much joy. That was just an appetizer! Until the entree comes I'll be riding sideways on my skateboard. PEACE!