Henry Louis Gates Jr.(Skip)

Yeah yeah, I know everyone is tired of hearing about this case, but it is very important when referencing the police and race.

Take race out of it...The leader of the free world has to apologize to an officer, for calling him stupid, for arresting a man for breaking into his own home (with luggage); but the officer does not have to apologize to the man he arrested, for breaking into his own home (with luggage). Now reinsert race and there you have a summary of race and police relations in this country! Houston we have a problem!

Let's look at it deeper. Yes Gates could have completely complied with every order he was given, explained the situation, and all would have been merry. Who is to say that he didn't, the police report??? Oh the report that was written by the arresting officers. We all know it's not what happens but how it's written.

Well let's say Gates was less then cooperative, and did not comply. Look at the facts, he was black, he was in his own home and he is a internationally known scholar, I think anyone in his shoes would be less then compliant too. Only one thing mattered there!

Personally, I believe this was more then a straight race thing, it was more of a, you did not do what I say (and your black) thing. What I believe happened was, that after the police demanded to see ID (lets not mention that when you do reach for your ID, you might get shot 41 times), he tried to explain himself (after all he was in his own house). Sgt. James Crowley wasn't feeling that, and on top of it he had the nerve to ask for his badge number. That really didn't go well. I'm sure he became very annoyed by the (black) man questioning his authority. I won't even touch on the fact that the officer entered Gate's residence without a warrant or showing ID himself.

After all was said and done, I'm sure the police knew Gates lived at the residence, before the arrest. The arrest did not have to go down, and yes I agree with Obama, it was stupid. I don't care about the back peddling, political apology he had to give, he meant it was stupid, because it was stupid, and I'm sure he still thinks it was stupid. Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct, which is really a joke because it gives the police any reason to arrest, but that's a whole different blog.

Just a side note. The black officer on the scene is being used as a propaganda pawn. "The race card can't be used because the black guy said they did the right thing." Sorry, he's not black, he's blue!

In summary, what this incident taught me is, if you don't bow down to the police, and kiss their ass, as soon as your told, no matter what your told, when your told, where your told, how your told, it's a problem! WE DO NOT LIVE IN A POLICE STATE, UNDER MARSHALL LAW, do we???

Michael Jackson is killing the charts!

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/...03991520.story

Michael Jackson Music Dominates Billboard Charts, 800K Albums Sold
July 07, 2009 10:27 PM ET
Keith Caulfield, L.A.
On the day the world said goodbye to Michael Jackson, his legacy continues to shine on Billboard's charts, a testament to his lasting musical legacy and impact.

Based on preliminary sales numbers from Nielsen SoundScan, Jackson's catalog of solo albums sold a whopping 800,000 copies in the U.S. in the tracking week that ended at the close of business on Sunday (July 5) night. That's an increase of 90% compared to the previous week, when his combined albums sold 422,000.

A jump in sales was expected, since this was the first full week of sales since Jackson's passing on June 25. Additionally, after most physical retailers swiftly sold out of available Jackson albums, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group were able to replenish brick-and-mortar stores with CDs last week to meet customer demand.

In turn, physical albums accounted for 82% of Jackson's sales last week -- 656,000 physical albums versus 144,000 download albums. In the week previous, when Jackson's albums moved a total of 422,000, physical albums accounted for 43% of that sum (181,000) while digital albums made up the other 57% (241,000).

When SoundScan's charts are released in the morning on Wednesday, July 8, Jackson's "Number Ones" collection will be the top selling album in the United States, with 339,000 (up 215%) and will also be No. 1 on Billboard's Top Comprehensive Albums chart. "Thriller" will be No. 2 with 187,000 (up 86%) while the third place set will be the newly released "Now 31" various artists compilation, which will start with 169,000.

Jackson will also again dominate the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. It tallies albums that are more than 18 months old, have fallen below No. 100 on the Billboard 200 and don't have a current radio single. Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on The Billboard 200 chart though they can chart on the Top Comprehensive Albums chart.

Last week, Jackson had a record eight albums out of the top 10 on the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart, while a Jackson 5 compilation also found its way into the upper tier. This week, the entire top 10 is all-Jackson, all the time. He alone has albums at Nos. 1-6 and Nos. 8-10 while a Jackson 5 title ("The Ultimate Collection") resides at No. 7.

On Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart, Jackson will hold down five out of the top 10 slots, with "Man in the Mirror" leading as his top selling digital download song of the week (159,000; down 3%). Overall, it ranks as the second-best selling song of the week, next to the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" (215,000; up 6%).

Jackson's total song download sales this week -- including his works with the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons -- stand at 2.2 million downloads. Last week, the collected total was 2.6 million.