Just a reminder.

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1st Annual Juvenile Justice Awareness Day at Wheelock College in Boston

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "Definitive 200" List is a Bunch of Crap

Months after they first announced its inception, the official list of the 200 albums that comprise the Definitive 200 list has finally been unleashed on an angry world and boy does it suck. Considered to be 200 albums that every music lover should own, it should be noted that The Definitive 200 is not an attempt to spark a dialogue on the history of pop music, but rather a transparent attempt by the record industry to spark sales in their back catalogue. In addition to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (who inducted their first hip-hop act just this week!!!), the list is co-sponsored by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), which represents over 7,000 music stores in the U.S.

I know these type of lists are supposed to suck, what was I expecting? Well, when I first heard about this list I assumed that it would have some integrity and that I would at least be able to respect the first 10 selections. This however, was not the case. It seems as though the completely out of touch RRHOF decided to have circus animals rank these though osmosis. If this list was unranked I would almost be able to shut up about it, but since the RRHOF decided to rank these albums 1-200, they have left themselves wide open to my insults. I will now rant through (some of) what I see to be glaring omissions and laughable choices at ranking the Definitive 200 albums of all time:

1. BEATLES - SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

Was this decision made by a team of middle school boys circa 1992?...

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The "T" In LGBT: Mass House Bill #1722: An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes

During the last couple of months, through both academic work and personal exploration, I have become interested in gender identity discrimination as a human rights and social justice issue. I felt that since the local blogging community and in particular the straight, white, male, liberal blogging community has not yet taken very much interest in the topic that I would use AA as starting point for this much needed dialogue.

Right here in the Commonwealth, legislation to outlaw discrimination on the basis of "gender identity or expression" was introduced Jan 10, 2007, by lead sponsors Representative Carl Sciortino and Represenative Byron Rushing (This is another of the many issues where Rep. Rushing has been the first of his colleagues to take a stand on. I love this man). House Bill #1722, "An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes,” sends a clear message that transgender and gender non-conforming people in our communities should be able to work, go to school, and live without fear. This bill...

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Dennis (D.J.) Johnson 1954-2007, R.I.P.

"And there's a steal by Bird, underneath to DJ, he lays it in..." -Johnny Most

According to the Boston Globe:

Dennis Johnson, the star NBA guard who was part of three championship teams, died Thursday after collapsing at the end of practice. He was 52. Johnson, coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, died at a hospital, D-League spokesman Kent Partridge said.

Johnson, a five-time All-Star and one of the great defensive guards, played 14 seasons and retired after the 1989-90 season. He played on title teams with the Boston Celtics in 1984 and 1986 and with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979 when he was the NBA finals MVP.

Wow, does this one hurt. It is kind of weird to feel sad about the death of someone I have never met, but I suppose that is the testament to the player that he was. The player Bird once referred to as, "the best I've ever played with," Dennis Johnson, or as he was know to Celtic loyal, "DJ," was the best true guard to play for the C's in my lifetime...

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Next Time You Say “Bush Sucks,” Remember Saparmurat Niyazov

R.I.P. Saparmurat Niyazov (1940-2006). Niyazov ruled Turkmenistan as the head of state/cult of personality from 1985 until his death in December 2006. The circumstances of Niyazov’s passing has been surrounded by some media speculation, including that Niyazov had been the victim of poisoning. Some Turkmen opposition sources also claim that Niyazov died several days before the officially announced date of December 21st. According to the Atlantic Monthly:

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Romney, Michigan and the Globe

Read the full post at the new and improved American Athens.

Though the timing and location were released earlier, Mitt Romney's choice of Michigan --- and specifically the Henry Ford Museum --- to start his Presidential campaign made some news yesterday on the internets. This morning, the Globe's Scott Helman has an article about the announcement and the history of the Romney name in politics.

Romney had nothing to gain by announcing in Massachusetts, other than grabbing some free New Hampshire media time, so it's understandable that he'd fly the coop on this one. The two logical choices remaining would be Michigan, where his father was governer and his last name carries cachet, or Utah, where he can appeal to that state's Mormon population and remind the country that he "saved" the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.


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