Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.
Satchel Paige

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SNOOP ON LARRY KING, WORD:



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(UNOFFICIAL?) WU-TANG 'TAKE IT BACK' VIDEO:



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HANGAR 18 BABY! PEACE TO ALASKA:



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GET YOUR PAY AND WEIGHT UP - THIS IS ALMOST ME RIGHT NOW:

These are the top ten reasons why you might want to quit your current job. These are difficult, if not impossible, work problems to solve. You need to look out for your best interests. Your job consumes too many hours of too many days of your life for you to stay where you are if you're miserable. No excuses, now. If these problems exist in your current job, make a plan, and quit your job.

1. Your company is experiencing a downward spiral, losing customers, losing money, and rumors of possible closure, bankruptcy and failure prevail.


2. Your relationship with your manager is damaged beyond repair. You have sought help to mend the relationship but you know it is too damaged for recovery. (Perhaps you were untrustworthy, missed work on too many days, or the manager acts like an untrustworthy jerk.) Whatever the reason, the relationship is irrecoverably damaged.


3. Your life situation has changed. Perhaps you have married or had a baby, and the salary and benefits no longer support your life needs. You need to move on to better opportunities to support your family.


4. Your values are at odds with the corporate culture. Perhaps your company is egalitarian and you believe in assigned parking spots for salaried employees. Your company does annual employee satisfaction surveys and you think these are a waste of time. Your company is hierarchical and you want to influence every aspect of your job. No matter where the clash is occurring, a lack of congruence with the corporate culture will destroy your attitude at work.


5. You've stopped having fun and enjoying your job. No matter what changed, when you dread going to work in the morning, it's time to quit your job.


6. Your company is ethically challenged. Perhaps the managers lie to customers about the quality of the products or the day on which the product will ship. You become aware that the company is stealing information from competitors. Whatever the issue, don't stay in an organization where your ethics are out of sync.


7. For whatever reason, you have behaved in ways that are considered improper at work. You've missed too many days of work, slacked off on the job, failed to maintain needed skills, and / or just generally developed the reputation of a loser. That reputation, once earned, is unlikely to change; you might as well quit your job, while you have the opportunity.


8. You've burned your bridges with your coworkers. Your group is not getting along in an environment that requires people to work together well. Again, at some point, the reasons don't matter; start fresh in a new job and resolve to not let this situation happen again.


9. Your stress level is so high at work that it is affecting your physical or mental health and your relationships with your friends and family. Watch for the signs of burnout and if they can't be cured, move on. Read this article, Tips for Managing Stress and Change at Work for ideas about managing work stress.


10. And the top ten reason to quit your job? You are unchallenged, need more responsibility, and seek opportunities that just don't exist for you in your current organization. You've explored the current and potential options, and they are limited. It's time to quit your job.

~

Set Your Course and Direction With Goals

Heed the advice offered by Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat, Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe and Stephen Covey. When you begin your new year with solid direction and desired outcomes in mind, you set yourself up for awesome success.

The new year is a beginning, so new goals and resolutions, new plans, new dreams and new directions fuel your thoughts. Whether it’s your fiscal year, your budget year, your religious year or the calendar new year, goals and resolutions are on your mind. These tips will help you achieve your goals and live your resolutions.

What is it about this annual “new” that causes us to reflect upon our lives and our accomplishments? I believe each of us has a natural inclination to grow our self-esteem and capability through new accomplishments.

Most of us want to make a difference in the world. Most of us want to live life as fully as we can. Thus, we annually draw a new line in the sand and claim a starting point for our next chapter.
Goal Setting Success

Yet, for all the initial enthusiasm, keeping yourself motivated, committed and moving toward the accomplishment of your goals, is often tough. Tired of setting goals and making resolutions which fade fast from your daily thoughts and actions? Consider adopting some or all of these tips to experience awesome success in accomplishing your goals and living your resolutions.

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From my Favorite Quotation Series:

Lewis Carroll from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:

'Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly,as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. `Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
`I don't much care where--' said Alice.
`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
`--so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.
`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'
--Project Gutenberg, 1991

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The Goal Is Yours – You Own the Goal

Whether the goal is a promotion at work, a streamlined work process, a new customer, a published article, an exercise program or weight loss, the goal must be your goal. You are unlikely to achieve your manager’s goal, your spouse’s goal or the goal you think you “ought” to work on this year. Your goals must generate excitement when you ponder their accomplishment. You must believe there is something in it for you to accomplish them.

Sometimes, especially at work, if you perceive the end reward is worth the work, you will take on challenges in support of the organization’s goals. These goals might not be as close to your heart as your personal goals, but you work to achieve them for the good of the organization and your success there.

Tips to Fuel Goal Setting Success and Progress

Here are three more tips that will help you experience awesome success in accomplishing your goals and living your resolutions.
Base Your Goals Firmly in Your Values

Hyrum Smith, the founder of Franklin Quest, later Franklin-Covey, Inc., developed a model for goal setting. Smith's "Success Triangle" puts governing values at the base of the goal setting process. Smith recommends that every goal is linked specifically to a governing value. For example, if diversity in the workforce is a value espoused by your organization, then at least one goal must further diversity. Every goal should be linked to a governing value.

Short-term, mid-term and long-term goals are then established based upon the solid foundation of your values. If the goal you set is congruent with and allows you to live your most important values, you are more likely to accomplish the goal.

According to Gene Donohue, of TopAchievement.com, set goals in all aspects of your life, to maintain your life balance.

The balance also helps you accomplish goals as each aspect of your life is represented in your goals. You are less likely to experience warring priorities if every aspect of your life has a value-based goal. He suggests goals in these arenas.

* Family and Home
* Financial and Career
* Spiritual and Ethical
* Physical and Health
* Social and Cultural
* Mental and Educational

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From my Favorite Quotation Series:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in ones favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: 'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.'"(Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe)

--W.H. Murray, of the Scottish Himalayan Expedition

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Believe You Can Accomplish the Goal

Each of us has a little voice in our head. It is the voice of our sub-conscious, judging self. On a daily basis, we engage in self-talk; we comment on each situation we encounter. We discuss events and plans in our minds. Our commentary is both positive and negative. Positive thoughts and planning support the accomplishment of our goals. Negative thoughts and comments undermine our self-esteem and self-confidence, and negatively impact our ability to accomplish our goals.

Listen to your voice. You can change its tone by believing in yourself and in your ability to accomplish your goals and resolutions. Use this unconscious critic to positively support your goal setting success.

If you are a manager, one of your more important tasks is to support the development of positive self-esteem by your staff members. Your positive outlook and belief in their ability to accomplish great goals fosters their increased self-esteem and self-confidence. This, in turn, magnifies their ability to accomplish more and contribute more to your business.

Paint a Vivid Outcome

Traditionally, goals were established around measurable outcomes. This works well when the outcomes are measurable. Don’t tie yourself to setting only measurable goals, however; you may find yourself concentrating on the trivial, because it is measurable, rather than on your most important outcomes. Sometimes the most important goals, the non-urgent, critical goals, are hard to measure.

“Explore alternatives for a business in the World Wide Web,” is tough to measure, whereas the steps, once you make a decision, are easy to measure. “Learn about new options and thinking around performance management,” is tough to measure in any significant way. The next step, “design a new appraisal system,” is easier to define and measure.

As you move up the management ranks, you may find more of your goals are harder to measure. The key measurable aspects of your job will likely be the results produced by your reporting staff.

With goals that are hard to measure, start with a picture in your mind, that you commit to paper, that describes the outcome you are seeking. Make the picture as vivid as you can. I have a published book in my mind, while I am still thinking about and exploring potential topics.

More Tips to Fuel Goal Setting Success and Progress

Here are six more tips that will help you experience awesome success in accomplishing your goals and living your resolutions.
Write Your Goals

Writing out your goal is your commitment to achieving the goal. Writing a goal is a powerful statement in comparison with half-formulated thoughts in the back of your mind. It is the conscious promise to yourself to pay attention to the accomplishment of the goal. Writing out potential action plans and due dates makes the goal even more powerful.
Share Your Goals With People Who Are Important to You

If you are certain your significant others will support the accomplishment of your goals, share them. Your manager is likely to support your goal accomplishment as your success is her success. Honestly assess the ability of family members, peers and friends to provide support.

Check Goal Setting and Achievement Progress Regularly

One of the weaknesses of any annual appraisal system is the lack of frequency with which progress and success are measured and tracked. You are most likely to accomplish the goals you set if you review them daily as part of your normal planning process. (You do have a normal planning process, don’t you?)

Whether you use a paper planner or a hand held computer, you can enter your goals, and schedule daily and weekly actions that support their accomplishment. The discipline of the daily review is a powerful goal accomplishment tool.
Take Action to Identify and Eliminate Obstacles to Goal Setting Success

Simply tracking your goals daily is not enough. If you’re unhappy with your progress, you need to assess what is keeping you from accomplishing the goals. Ask yourself questions such as, “Is this goal really important?” (If not, why did you pledge to accomplish it; maybe it’s not important, or less important than other goals.)

”Are there specific obstacles you are experiencing which are interfering with your ability to accomplish the goal?” (In this case, make action plans to remove the obstacles or seek help from a co-worker, friend or family member.)

If you are not making progress on a particular goal, attempt to do a root cause analysis to determine why. Only by honestly analyzing your lack of progress can you determine steps to take to change this picture. In this era of the hand-held computer and PDA cell phones, picture your goals automatically forwarding for 365 days. Talk about a daily reminder about failure!

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From my Favorite Quotation Series:

Seven Habits Revisited

“Begin With the End In Mind is the endowment of imagination and conscience. If you are the programmer, write the program. Decide what you're going to do with the time, talent, and tools you have to work with: "Within my small circle of influence, I'm going to decide."

--Stephen R. Covey

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Reward Yourself and Celebrate Goal Accomplishment

Even the accomplishment of a minor goal is cause for celebration. Don’t depress yourself with thoughts about all you still have to do. Celebrate what you have done. Then move on to the next milestone.
Goals and New Year Resolutions Change

Periodically look at the goals you have set for this year. Are the goals still the right goals? Give yourself permission to change your goals and resolutions based on changing circumstances.

Don’t spend an entire year failing to achieve a particular goal. Your time is better spent on achievement than on beating yourself up for lack of progress. Maybe you made the goal too big; maybe you set too many goals. Do an honest assessment; change what needs to change periodically, and move on.

Paying attention to these ten guidelines can make all the difference in your year. Will this year be a year of triumph for you, a year of awesome success? Whatever your goals and resolutions, these tips can help power your success.

~

Goals, Goal Setting, Dreams, Purpose

Looking for an inspirational quote or a business quotation for your newsletter, business presentation, bulletin board or inspirational posters? These quotes are useful to help motivation and inspiration. These quotes will help you dream, find your purpose and use goal setting to set stretch goals for your life and business.
Quotations

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he had imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." --Henry David Thoreau - Walden, or Life in the Woods

"To me, there is only one form of human depravity - the man without a purpose." --Ayn Rand in Atlas Shrugged

"It's never too late to be who you might have been." --George Elliot

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in ones favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: 'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.'" --W.H. Murray, of the Scottish Himalayan Expedition

"The entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and actualizer... He can visualize something, and when he visualizes it he sees exactly how to make it happen." --Robert L. Schwartz

"Give yourself an even greater challenge than the one you are trying to master and you will develop the powers necessary to overcome the original difficulty." --William J. Bennett - The Book of Virtues

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it." --Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

"'Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. `Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'

'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.

`I don't much care where--' said Alice.

`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

`--so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.

`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'" --Lewis Carroll in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

"The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach." --Benjamin Mays

"By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands — your own." --Mark Victor Hansen

~

How to Promote Your Work Contribution

Tired of watching other workers advance their career as you continue to exceed all expectations, without promotion, in your current position? Successful workers create their own path to promotion; they don't rely on luck. Self-promotion is key to your career success.

If you have experienced this situation, even once, you know that you can’t continue to wait for others to decide when you should be offered a promotion. Even if you are not ready to make a job or career change today, you will benefit from knowing how to put into action a successful self-promotion plan.

Unfortunately, if no one knows how much you contribute to the company, you will continue to miss the next great promotion opportunity. Letting people know that you are interested in advancing your career is the first step in an effective self-promotion plan.

You can simply advise your immediate supervisor or a representative from your human resource department, but remember the old adage that "actions speak louder than words," and plan to make a lasting impression.
Create a Career Opportunity

One successful technique is to single out an unresolved challenge that exists in your company. Try to pick a situation that will benefit from your combination of experience and skills. Write a memo that outlines the need you've discovered. Highlight how you will use your skills to resolve the problem and contribute to the immediate objectives of the team or department involved. Send your memo to the person who will benefit most from your unique approach, for example, your boss or a human resources representative.

Don't wait for your organization to discover the same need. By waiting, you take the chance that they may decide to post the position. (If posting positions is policy in your company, at least your name is on the promotion list first.)

Without your proactive approach to your career and potential promotion, they may decide to promote one of your peers. By being proactive, you create a win-win situation. You may gain a challenging, enjoyable career opportunity and eliminate the need for a competition. Even if a new career or promotion opportunity does not result from your actions, you have successfully created an opportunity to demonstrate your value to the organization.You have increased the likelihood that they will consider you for the next rewarding career or promotion opportunity.

More Career and Promotion Tips

Volunteering is another way to promote your career and demonstrate your value while expanding your knowledge in critical areas of your company. Volunteering also provides a great way to earn a reputation for being reliable, professional, and cooperative, worthy of promotion. Keep in mind that while you are volunteering, you may discover a need that you have the skills and experience to resolve. A great advantage in this situation is that by being involved, you know the right person to contact; it may be the person you are working with in your volunteer position.

The more you know about yourself, the more you will communicate about your value to the right people at the right time to promote your career. Record everything that you do to enhance the company's bottom line. Start today by dividing a blank sheet of paper into three columns with three separate headings: action, result of action, and impact of action.

Keep this paper with you as you do your job.

Your key accomplishments are probably actions that you take for granted. For example, if you are responsible for accounts payable, in column one write "paying invoices;" in column two write the result of this action, for example, paid in time - no interest payments, and in the third column write the impact of this action, for example, a decrease in the cost of production. Did you think of this action as related to decreasing cost, or did you think of it as doing part of your job? How do you think others view this action?

Scheduled performance development planning meetings provide the perfect opportunity to showcase your accomplishments for career promotion. By being proactive and creating opportunities, you improve the likelihood that you will gain the attention of your employer and the career promotion that you deserve.

~

Small Business Success Program: Business Success Lesson 9

You are an expert at what you do. And what you do is exciting and fulfilling. If these two things are not true, you wouldn't be doing what you're doing! But to be successful, you need to let other people know about your expertise and your enthusiasm and blow your own horn. There's nothing wrong with self promotion.

Be A Part Of Word Of Mouth

Positive word of mouth is wonderful advertising. And you can contribute to the development of word of mouth by techniques such as developing and using a promotion kit.

But word of mouth takes time to build. Why wait for the results of other people talking about your business to build your customer base, when you have so many positive things to say about your business? Contribute to the build up of positive word of mouth through self promotion.

Learn How To Brag About Yourself

Too often we defeat our self promotion efforts by assuming that other people won't be interested in what we do, or by childhood notions that it's not polite to brag about ourselves and our accomplishments.

But we need to brag about ourselves.

We need to tell others what we do well and what we're proud of; that's what self promotion is. Doing this not only makes other people aware of our accomplishments and expertise, but shapes their perceptions of us.

Reach Out Consciously To Increase Your Business Success

People like successful people. It's natural for people to admire success or think that success will rub off on them. And so successful people draw more customers or clients, and success breeds success. But to get this process happening, you have to make a conscious effort to let individuals know about your accomplishments.

What is it that you're proud of? Have you won an award? Gained a new skill or accreditation? Done some valuable work for the community? Think back over the past two years and make a list of the accomplishments you're proud of. These are what you're going to let other people know about.

Self Promotion Activities

Practice self promotion by speaking and writing about your accomplishments. Add a line about something you're proud of to your email signature and to your stationery. If your accomplishment is an event or an award, write and send out a press release. If you have a web site, announce it on your site.

Spread the word about your accomplishment or talent by talking about it. Practice bringing it up in conversation. Volunteer to make a presentation to your networking, business, or Toastmaster's group. Increase your perceived expertise by appearing on local television or radio programs.

Don't Denigrate Yourself

Many people are their own worst enemy. They belittle their accomplishments when others notice and praise them. When someone praises you, do you say "Thank You", or do you say, "Oh, it's nothing. Anyone could have done that?" Don't denigrate yourself by being self-depreciating. Practice accepting praise sincerely without adding excuses or qualifications.

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Small Business Success Program: Business Success Lesson 6

Word-of-mouth is fabulous business promotion.

But why sit back and wait for word-of-mouth to build? You're impressed with your products or services, aren't you? Speed up the word-of-mouth process by creating and using a Promotion Kit.

Why Carry A Promotion Kit?

Wherever you go and whatever you do, you are surrounded by opportunities for business promotion. Having a Promotion Kit with you ensures that you're ready to capitalize on those promotion opportunities.

Have you ever had someone ask you for your business card and be in the unfortunate position of saying, "Sorry. I don't have any with me right now"? This doesn't happen to people who have a Promotion Kit prepared.

And think of your wider experience. If you're shopping, you'll be visiting other businesses that might be interested in exchanging some advertising space with you.

If you're taking one of your children to a sports event, you'll be meeting people who might be interested in your products or services. Even if you're just out walking your dog, chances are good you'll meet someone.

With a Promotion Kit, you're ready for every contact.

Building A Promotion Kit

The basic Promotion Kit will include:

* your business cards
* other people's business cards
* your elevator spiel

You might also want to include other promotional materials, such as brochures or pamphlets about your business and press releases.

Huh? Other People's Business Cards?

You read that right. Business promotion is a circle, not a line. You already have a whole network of business contacts, including businesses that you and your friends and family prefer to do business with, because of their superior products or services. You probably don't have all their contact and product information memorized, though, so carrying those business' cards is a convenient way to share that information with others.

Carrying other people's business cards can give you an entrée into conversations with strangers. People like to receive information that they see as immediately valuable to them. Being able to "tip" someone about the exact service or product they're looking for at that time will get you remembered, and maybe even get you the chance to talk about your own business.

At the very least, it will make the person more receptive to your business promotion activities. For more about this, see my article "Carry Other People's Business Cards".

Don't Leave Home Without An Elevator Spiel

Your spiel is your verbal calling card or introduction. I call it an elevator spiel because it has to be really short, but still give the person you're talking to a clear explanation of what your business is all about. (Think of the time you'd have to talk to someone while an elevator goes up two or three floors.)

Limit your elevator spiel to two or three sentences that tell your listener what you do and, even better, what your business can do for the person you're talking to. Practice your spiel so you sound relaxed and sincere.

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PAPOOSE ON THISIS50.COM:



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A JOKE WAITING FOR THE PUNCHLINE TO COME:



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ESTELLE AND KANYE WEST:



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WHAT INSPIRED SNOOP TO MAKE 'SEXUAL ERUPTION'?:



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WANNA SEE WEEZY AT HIS OLD PUBLIC SCHOOL? PEEP THIS LINK:

http://videos.nola.com/times-picayune/2008/02/lil_wayne.html

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RAP IS OFFICIAL OUT OF CONTROL:

Editor's Note: This story originally reported that the Clive Campbell who filed the claim was the real name of D.J. Kool Herc, a founder of hip hop. In fact, it is a different Clive Campbell. Mr. Campbell is a Brooklyn-based activist. The story has been corrected.

Brooklyn activist Clive Campbell is seeking $5 billion from rapper Jay-Z, developer Bruce Ratner and Barclays bank, filing a “claim of lien” in property records that seeks the money for slavery reparations.

Mr. Ratner, Jay-Z, and Barclay’s are all linked through the $4 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, for which Mr. Ratner plans to build a Frank Gehry-designed basketball arena for the Nets and more than 6,000 apartments. Jay-Z, a partial owner of the Nets, has been a major supporter of the project, appearing at press conferences to tout its merits. Barclays owns the naming rights to the arena, and has been accused of having links with the slave trade—an accusation the bank denies.

In the claim, Mr. Campbell said that Mr. Ratner and Jay-Z worked “in concert” with Barclays, and “profited from the African Slave Trade and continue to profit from these gains, through a conspiracy dating back hundreds of years and continue to date to oppress Black people, enslave them, unlawfully deport them to all corners of the Earth.”

Mr. Campbell filed the claim in October with a group called the DA Black Defense League. Earlier this month Forest City Ratner dismissed it as not having any legal merit.

A representative of the Defense League said the group is filing a lawsuit in court for the action.

A spokesman for Forest City Ratner, Mr. Ratner's development group, declined to comment.

~~~

Last night, I went to go see Parliament/Funkadelic. It was fucking awesome. I saw my heroes, and my future. When I am 70 years old, I want to be on stage rocking to my fans, travelling the world, doing all kinds of fucked up shit, and jamming like a motherfucker! Peace to Shaun Pilot and everyone who helped me get in to that show, I loved every second of it. God bless this Heaven on Earth! AND PEACE TO SIR NOSE D'VOIDOFFUNK!!! You are my new hero, homie.
Diane, I hope you enjoyed the show. Sorry I couldn't get anyone else into it.

okay, time to create a mountain.
i would love you, but only if you are not afraid :)
Mindbender