I just spent a good chunk of last month in Vancouver filming PSYCH. Everything about it was a great time. It was my first visit to Vancouver and let me say the place is BEAUTIFUL. From the airport to downtown to the mountain ranges to the open sea, it’s a lovely city to be in. Even the “tough” parts of town look nice.

Second, Canadians are nice people. I shot LADIES MAN in Toronto, and they were very nice there too. I remember thinking “why do I feel like a burden has been lifted” as I walked down the streets, and I realized for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel myself constantly appraised because of my race. I understood what those black expatriates talked about when they came to Europe. But even though I felt it when I’ve been there too, I never felt the absence of attitude more than Toronto.

Vancouver isn’t as multiethnic as Toronto (with their banging Caridad festival every year, just to give one example) but while black folks are few and far between, there is significant Asian and East Indian presence. But race aside, Canadians are just nice. They have manners. They are friendly. It’s like some idealized version of America.

The cast and crew were also great. When I first walked on set, I found Dule tapping like a mad genius. I didn’t know he was part of the original cast of BRING THE FUNK, BRING THE NOISE but boy I knew then. He can rock it in sneakers, desert boots…no taps needed. It’s a joy to be around.

Chi McBride was our guest star this episode and he’s an excellent actor with brilliant comic skills. His team up with stars James Rodey and Dule Hill was a joy to watch. Speaking of talent, that James Rodey has a lightning fast comedic imagination. We all did some hang time off set, where they introduced me to some fine dining in the city.

The episode was co-written by executive producer Saladin Patterson, who I knew from my BERNIE MAC days. Great guy and a fine writer. We each left with YO GABBA GABBA swag for our kids that we wrote into the show. That’s Black Power for ya!

We had a few stunts on the show, including a two day sequence we shot on a ferry in the ocean. I don’t get seasick, but a few crew members went down. I was still rocking on dry land several days after.

Everyone in Vancouver boats; it’s so pretty out in the water it’s easy to understand why.

I wish I had more shots of the show, but I was kinda busy at the time.

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Here are some shots of EL DEBARGE in rehearsal. I got to spend some quality time with him over the past weeks and he’s an amazing talent and an amazing man. And the next generation of DeBarge children could be as beautiful and talented as the ones we grew up with!

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by Vada O. Manager

In probably one of the most eagerly anticipated pop culture dramas since "Who shot JR?" and the O.J. Simpson verdict, we finally know that basketball supernova LeBron James has opted to orbit in a new basketball galaxy in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Certainly a coup for what some people consider " New York South" and thus the collective empathetic grieving can rightfully commence for his hometown Cleveland and the other unsuccessful franchise suitors.

During the course of my twelve years as an in-house sports industry executive and global business strategist, two of the most important lessons I have learned when arriving at such weighty decisions are: it isn't about what happens today, it is about the next 10 years or longer; and, finally, don't let emotion or too much sentiment cloud judgment.

As LeBron and his savvy management team (some of whom I have engaged with over the years, but not on this process) were weighing the options of where to sign his next contract, I hope these guiding principles were also somewhere on their whiteboards, PowerPoints or back of the napkin:

1) Championships matter. Fair or unfair, legendary players are judged by championships -- not the size of their maximum contracts or endorsements. This is an often brutal reality and it makes sense to place yourself in the best position with the maximum available talent around you to achieve that Holy Grail. Despite all the attractions of New York or having Jay Z courtside in New Jersey, it is the main reason why we still speak glowingly of players such as Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Terry Bradshaw and others that have reached the sacred mountaintop on multiple occasions. Truthfully, would we really pay any attention to retired NFL great Michael Strahan's charmingly toothy on-air promotions of Vaseline lotions or soccer gear IF he hadn't won a Super Bowl ring with the New York Giants? Highly unlikely.

2) The ACL x- factor. It is surprising that hardly any experts have mentioned the possibility of injury as a decision x-factor that could significantly alter the championship strategy of LeBron, his teammates or the franchises vying for his services. Obviously, LeBron is a healthy, well-conditioned athlete. However, he is also is a lightning rod drawing some of the most physical contact the NBA basketball has perhaps ever witnessed, maybe only rivaled by the pick-up games on New York or Philly blacktop courts. When you are a professional athlete, a career- altering ACL or other injury always lurks in the recesses of your mind. If you can't fully perform, it won't matter if the body of water near your arena is Lake Erie, the Hudson River or the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, it makes sense to surround yourself with a triple-threat stable of proven superstars like Bosh and Wade (who like LeBron each willingly plan to accept less money than they could have commanded) who can temporarily carry the franchise with teammates as an injury risk management strategy that could impede a championship run. Again, any good businessperson anticipates risk.

3) Yes, you can go home again. The hurt in LeBron-loyal Cleveland is understandable. In the midst of that pain, some fans have already suggested permanent revocation of LeBron's Ohio citizenship while owner Dan Gilbert torched him on his website. Perhaps Gilbert's vitriol could have been diluted by a phone call from LeBron himself (not an associate) just before the announcement. But neither side should also burn bridges too quickly. Both LeBron and Cleveland need to have an outlook that is 15-20 years from now. This city and Ohio's designated former "Mr. Basketball" will be inextricably linked forever. LeBron will undoubtedly continue his generosity to the youth of his hometown. As he stated, his potential for championship success is greater in Miami with Bosh and Wade right now moreso than hopes of personnel tinkering elsewhere. Should this youthful dynastic championship formula work, (Wade is the elder of the trio at 28; Bosh is 26 and LeBron is 25) he'll be in a position by his next free agency to perhaps return to Cleveland in his early 30s and recruit another championship roster with him there. With the strategic and financial platform he is currently building, I could also envision him perhaps vying to become a future owner of the Cavaliers franchise (or another business) making it a potential title contender at some point. In any of these aforementioned scenarios, it undergirds something I have long witnessed in sports and politics: winning and solid performance are often "redemptive" of past ills. Just ask Kobe Bryant or Bill Clinton about that.

We indulge and even celebrate freedom of choice in every other career, business or sports endeavor. In this instance, three marquee players are willing to accept less salary to win rings. LeBron is a young man who bypassed college and has spent his entire life in Ohio. While this isn't quite the equivalent of leaving home for university frat parties, this new team chemistry could unleash a Jordan-esque competitive output inside him. Many of us can relate to leaving the familiarity of home environs as a motivating factor in our own personal growth -- let LeBron do the same and Cleveland may yet still reap a future championship and bigger economic windfall with their native son .

# # #

The author is the former Senior Director of Global Issues Management at Nike, Inc and serves on Fortune 500 corporate boards. He is the CEO of Manager Global Consulting Group. His practice is located in Phoenix, Arizona;Portland, OR. and Washington DC.

The following report just came from my Persian friend that lives in Ottawa, Canada:

I was on my usual evening walk last night, when two speeding police cars with bright white lights came and busted me by mistake for someone who had been breaking into cars! An old lady had called them. There were no lights on the street!
 
The alpha policeman opened his car door and said can I talk to you. I walked up with a dumb smile and said sure. He asked if I have ever been in trouble with the law and I said no. He said can I see some ID, I said sure and gave him my wallet, he said take it out and I did. He went inside the car and cam out in a few minutes and he said you can go sir, thank you.
 
So off I went on my way home, when another police car stopped me again, so I went to him and asked what did I do now, I just walked 50 yards on this straight sidewalk, he said my partner has more questions for you. It turned out that the old lady had "positively identified me for being there for 3 nights". I told them I've lived in this city for 32 years and tonight is the first time I walked on this road, ever.
 
Then when all the cop cars were in one place and people had come out on their porches to watch, traffic was being stopped, they made me empty my pockets on the hood of the car, lean on it as they body searched me. Then they said I was "clear".
 
Then they looked at my iPod and asked what was the last song you listened to? What make is your iPod, I said apple, like all the other ones. I have the receipt at home. I was so nervous I couldn't remember the last Persian classic title. Then they looked at my ID for a second time and asked where I was born.
 
Because I couldn't sleep all night, I went to the police station by bus early this morning and talked with their chief. (The old lady) had lied to them about going out in her car to see me under the headlights. I told the police last night that only two cars passed here while I was walking, your two police cars. Why would I be eating sunflower seeds as I steal a car? There was a pack in my pocket.
 
Also, if I was going to steal a car I would put on running shoes, not dress shoes, in case I have to run. And there is a Mercedes in our driveway at home one street up from here, why would I be looking in some old lady's car, would I not be stealing at least a Porsche or something?
 
It turned out the lady was not reliable and had withdrawn her positively identified claim and had made up other things. Too much TV watching does that to some people I guess. Anyhow, I am no longer a suspect.
 
I won't be walking on that road again!
 
People are going nuts I tell you.

What I have learned is that true friendship transcends race, gender, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic status and a host of other artificial constructs that prohibit people from allowing others into their lives. Stepping outside my comfort-zone has rewarded me with some very special people that I am proud to call my friends.

Sacrificing the known for the adventure of living abroad, I have discovered wonderful allies in four Iraqis. One was my roommate for a while. Two others, I traveled with on a weekend excursions around the Persian Gulf. I've entertained Israelis in my home.  My computer doctor is a Palestinian. I've traveled and done business with a Kenyan girlfriend who treats me like a sister. I have broken bread with Sudanese and Rwandans and Ugandans that I never would have met at home. One of my closest friends and trekking buddies is Iranian. Who would'a thunk the gangly chick from East Saint Louis, IL would be Skyping compatriots all over the planet?

Though the Iraqi guys and gals and I frequently exchanged barbs about our nations' current conflict, the overriding factor betwixt us is that we are all humans, passionate about life. Yes, we are from vastly different cultures and religions and a bunch of other stuff, but our similarities outweigh our differences and our respect for each other make the differences negligible.

Through this cornucopia of Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, atheists, homosexuals, homophobes, pro-lifers and pro-choicers, I've learned so much more about my self. More importantly, I learned about myself without losing the essence of who I am. It's important to have a strong sense of self, lest we get swept away into a potentially unhealthy group-think and find ourselves trying so hard to belong, that we relinquish our own identity.

We are all multi-faceted, but sometimes we limit which attributes of ourselves that we explore for fear of offending or raising the eyebrow of peers. I believe we should embrace our unique characteristics. We should not allow ourselves to be discouraged by 'circumstance' from investigating the interesting parts of ourselves and growing. We have many, many peers outside our current sphere. Step outside and check them out. Reach out with respect and sincerity and a desire to learn. You'll be so pleased at how they will enrich your life.

This link is to an article in the May 17, 2010 issue of The Guardian in which are reported some startling results from a Brandeis University study on the disparities between white family assets and African American family assets.  The following quotation captures the essence of the findings:
 
“White families typically have assets worth $100,000 (£69,000), up from $22,000 in the mid-1980s. African-American families' assets stand at just $5,000, up from around $2,000.”
 
Given the troubling conditions of too many schools attended by African American students and the intense and glittery consumerism beamed to them by television and other media, I’m compelled to ask:  What does all of this portend for the future?  How can students from families with such limited economic resources and prepared in schools that are too often substandard and chaotic, replenish the workforce?  How will they acquire their expensive, media-defined “toys” when they will have neither the money to buy them nor the skills to earn them?
 
Given current demographic trends in the United States, we should all contemplate how these economic and educational disparities will affect the long-term maintenance of Social Security, pension funds, tax bases, etc.

I haven't read any of the reviews yet, since I was avoiding them before seeing the film tonight, but the word was that the sequel to one of the best comic book movies ever made was not so hot.  

Wrong.

I think it's twice as good as the last one.  It had every thing I liked about the first film plus the best act three in a comic book movie ever.  

First of all, it's an amazing ensemble of actors, let alone a cast this talented for a summer superhero popcorn film.  Robert Downey Jr. continues to dazzle as Tony Stark.  It boggles the mind to think of anyone but him in the role.  Scarlett Johanson continues to the one of the sexiest women in the movies, and delvers a great performance as Black Widow.  She has a great action set piece and I look forward to her as the Marvel movie franchise expands.  No one can object to an actor as good as Don Cheadle stepping into the role, but I do wonder what Terence would have done.  Sam Rockwell brings tons of imagination to would could be a flat role as rival industrialist Hammer.  Sam Jackson is Sam Jackson.  He's not PULP FICTION level intense, but still a pleasure to watch.  Gwyneth Paltrow is surprisingly sexy and continues her solid work from the last film.  Like Jackson, Mickey Rourke has done more intense work in dramas, but still very good.  Last but not least, Agent Carlsen is solid as a rock.  

The action is fast and imaginative, it still has cool science stuff in it, but the real discovery here is building an act with with sufficient credible threats and action levels to give the film a big finish.  

Also, better music cues in this film than the last one.

I can't wait to see BATMAN 3.  And what Matthew Vaughan does with X MEN:  FIRST CLASS.  Because right now, IRON MAN 2 has the crown.

Never let bad policy get in the way of good politics. That's the cynical motto of the growing class of political copycats bent on replicating Arizona's controversial new immigration law in other states, including California.

Arizona's law, SB 1070, requires local police to act as federal immigration agents. Now police officers in Arizona can detain someone if there is a "reasonable suspicion" that she's an illegal immigrant.

Despite a broad, national backlash, the urge to score political points on the fringe seems irresistible. Last week, a California Assembly candidate promised to introduce an Arizona-style immigration law if he's elected. And in ten more states--Georgia, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Ohio, Missouri, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, and Maryland--politicians looking for a boost have called for laws that would mirror Arizona's law.

California cannot afford an Arizona-style immigration law. It is bad policy and the worst kind of politics.

Protecting public safety was supposedly a main justification for Arizona's law. As a career prosecutor for nearly two decades, I can tell you that transforming our local police officers into immigration agents will seriously harm our crime-fighting efforts. We have the nation's largest population of immigrants, with nearly 10 million California residents born abroad. If they don't report crimes, for fear of being interrogated about their immigration status, crimes will go unsolved and criminals will walk free among us. I've personally prosecuted hundreds of serious and violent crimes--robberies, murders, and rapes--where the case depended on an immigrant who was scared to come forward, but, because they did, we got a conviction.

We need to encourage, not discourage, people to report violent crimes. In every community, there are predators who literally stalk immigrants precisely because they count on them to "keep quiet" if they're victimized. In domestic violence cases, abusers routinely threaten their spouses that they'll "turn them over to immigration" if they report the abuse. Other criminals rob their neighbors, scam people out of their homes, and sexually abuse children, counting on the fear of police to keep victims from reporting the crimes. Turning police officers into immigration agents will only push them further into the shadows and make them reliably easy victims for criminals.

But, of course, the predators don't stop there. The same people who victimize immigrants quickly turn their attention to other victims, as well -- citizens, bystanders, and others. Ultimately, then, it is our community that wins when people report crime, and ours that loses when they don't.

We also can't afford to divert scarce local law enforcement resources to enforcing federal immigration laws. Law enforcement budgets have been cut to the bone across California; many cities are laying-off police officers, firefighters, and prosecutors. We need to focus every resource on fighting violent crimes. We don't have extra officers--or local tax dollars--available to moonlight as immigration patrol, which is a federal responsibility.

There's no doubt that the federal government needs to pass meaningful immigration reform and that we have a serious illegal immigration problem in California, but "politics now, think later" measures like SB 1070 aren't the solution.

The median age of the American people is approximately 36.7 years and that of African Americans is a little more than 30 years while that of Latino/Hispanic Americans is about 29.5 years.  Whether these demographics are perceived as high or low, depends on the countries with which we are comparing ourselves (see link).

Canada, Japan and several countries in Europe have median ages greater than 40 years.  Few countries in Africa, Asia, Central, South America and the Middle East come anywhere near a median age of 40 years.

I am in no position to make global prognostications, but I will suggest that we consider the not-too-distant future when today's school children (and their children) will lower the U. S. median age even further with the median ages of African Americans and Latino/Hispanic Americans moving toward 27 or 28 years.

ALL OF US, but especially those responsible for our public schools, should try to contemplate the future when students in our public schools will be part of an even younger majority.  They represent our future work force and community leadership.  We ignore them and their schools at our own peril.

Here is me at SDCC July 2007 550 lbs size 58 pants	Here is me in March 2010 305 lbs size 38 pants

No Tricks

By Mrs. Sam Wilson

A little over two years ago my husband, Sam Wilson, was in trouble. He weighed about 550 pounds, got winded after going up a flight of stairs, kept falling asleep at the wheel, and it’s no exaggeration when I say I was not sure he was going to make it to forty. Many friends and loved ones, myself included, tried to express concern about his health, but he wasn’t ready to make the change.

A little over two years ago Diedra, the manager at our gym, approached me, as I was getting ready to work out after work. She told me that she and the owner were concerned about Sam; they wanted to help. Our conversation led to Deidra talking to Sam, and her genuine, caring concern was key in starting him on an astounding transformation.

Since that day Sam has lost over 245 pounds and counting. We constantly get asked how he did it, how he managed such an incredible feat. People, quite rightly, find him an inspiration and want to learn from his success.

People make millions of dollars every year on fad diets, products, scams which promise this kind of dramatic result. Research consistently shows, however that these diets do not work. Here is a summary of what did work, and it has not always been easy. It’s a complete and permanent lifestyle change.

• See a doctor. Get any other health concerns taken care of so that you don’t risk injury, heart attacks, etc. Farhat had terrible sleep apnea, and without having a sleep study and getting a CPAP machine so that he can get good rest at night, none of this would have been possible.
• See a nutritionist. I work in a hospital and was able talk to one of the nutritionists there to get started, but a scheduled appointment with a nutritionist is a great way to really understand what you’re eating now, what a portion size is, and to work out a healthy, balanced diet which won’t leave you feeling deprived.
• See a personal trainer. Not all trainers are created equal. Look for certifications like NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist), ACE (American Council on Exercise), or for someone with a BS in Exercise Physiology. Farhat has been an athlete all his life, I am a Physical Therapist, and we’re lucky to have a number of trainers among our friends to fill in any gaps.
• No cheat days. Cheat days start with eating one dessert, to eating a double cheeseburger, French fries and dessert, to cheat weekends, to cheat weeks to falling back into old habits. This is not a diet. This is a lifestyle change and therefore needs to be something you can maintain. With help from your nutritionist, build moderate portions of foods you really enjoy into your plan so you don’t feel deprived.
• Make a plan and stick to it. Every Saturday morning we plan what we’re going to eat for the week, then spend Sunday afternoon cooking. That way there’s no question of what’s for dinner, no excuse for picking up take-out on the way home because we’re both tired after work. A healthy, balanced dinner is ready in less than five minutes. And a home-cooked meal always tastes better than restaurant fare.
• Find other ways to socialize that don’t focus on food. This is probably the hardest thing. Our society celebrates everything with either food or alcohol, and people tend to feel like you’re judging them when you choose not to partake. Alcohol, in addition to having lots of calories, also effects the way you metabolize food, so avoid it or treat a drink like you would a high-calorie dessert in your food plan.
• Surround yourself with people who share, or at least support your lifestyle. We’re lucky that we both choose a healthy lifestyle and can support each other even when our friends and co-workers are pushing brownies and “happy hours.”

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