William Washington Photography

Years ago, I was given an SLR camera as a birthday gift and since then I have taken thousands of pictures.  That camera has long been put to rest but the hobby has continued.  For a couple years now, I toyed around with the idea of creating an online website to showcase some of my pictures in a portfolio style.  But not really to generate business, only because photography is still a hobby for me.  I just want to simply to have a calling card for opening future doors.  Last week, I took a couples hours to collect some pictures and throw together a website.

I present William Washington Photography.  Feel free to check it out.

http://photography.willwash.com

American Samoa Is Now On My Help Radar

American Samoa is US territory (think like Puerto Rico, but less independent).  The population is about the size of Washington, DC.  And they have a larger than average percentage of people in the NFL and in US military service.  Basically, good people.  They live under the poverty line and in 2007 laws were passed giving the islands minimum wage.  It's would grow slowly every year until it reached the same as here on the mainland.  The main provider of the economy of American Samoa is tuna, everyone there worked for one of the 2-3 tuna companies.  Well Chicken of Sea packed up ship and moved from there because they didn't want to pay minimum wages and moved closer to home, Georgia.  So StarKist is the only company left to employ the citizens there and have started laying off people.  I am no longer buying Chicken of Sea tuna, I'm going strictly StarKist tuna. I believe in minimum wage and fair employment so I will support them being able to employ them even at additional cost. Especially if it mean helping out poor people by providing them with the same equal benefits that I enjoy and not necessary hand outs.  Basically I rather give a dollar to the homeless guy that washes my windows or pumps my gas than the guy the just sits there with a cup.  One is trying to normal.  Hopefully, StarKist doesn't pack up and leave the islands jobless.

*Sidebar* it's still FUCK WALMART!  My beef with them ain't no where near over!

Keeping It Real With the Eel

This was a rough morning for me today. I found out my grandfather passed away this morning. He was honestly one of the greatest people I have ever met in my life. He had an impact in who I am today. He was a man of few words so when he spoke the words were not wasted. I remember bragging about how good my time was getting from Maryland to North Carolina and how I think I had the best time ever and he simply smiled and said, "you was breaking the law" and left it at that. LOL Extremely smart guy with more talent in his pinky than I would ever possess. He could fix anything, he was the definition of an good old school husband, hard working bread winner that did what was needed for his family and around the house. A great man, who I learned a lot from and looked up too.  I remember him on a couple of times telling me how proud he was of me, I wish I could remember me saying the same to him...because I was and wanted to be a man just like him.  Too often we forget to tell people how we really feel about them until it’s too late. I don't like to think about death much so I will leave it at that.

To help take my mind away for a while, I went to lunch with Michelle. I told her I want to try something new. We only live once. So we went to Konami in Tyson's Corner for sushi. After taking 10 mins to pick over the menu, I decided I wanted to try eel today. Michelle said it was good and her favorite fish. I'm not sure it's actually a fish but I wasn't in the mood argue with her today. lol Also the waiter said it was really good and I should get a whole eel, it feeds about 2-3 people and is very flavorful. I was like slow down, playboy, this is my first time trying it, I might not like it.

I am not a sushi guy, I think it is overrated and I'm not exactly cool with the idea of eating raw meat. Last year, I finally acquired a taste for California roll after trying several times. Each place is different. But it was time graduate to real sushi (well kind of real). Michelle assured me that the eel is cooked and she being Japanese have never eaten a piece of eel that wasn't cooked.

The eel was prepared with cucumbers wrapped in seaweed and rice.

I was so pleasantly surprised that the eel was sweet and soft. It was like a candy. OMG it was so good. Both Michelle and the waiter was right! To me the cucumbers were the odd taste in my mouth. WWFTW on the sushi! oh and my rice noodles with chicken and shrimp was good too.

Bad Boy 4 Life

In current pop culture news, it looks like rapper Shyne will be deported after being released from prison.  If you don’t who the guy is, you probable not a Bad Boy Music Label fan, any time in the last 12-13 years.  Shyne was a young promising rapper from the streets of NY that sounded a lot like Notorious BIG, Biggie.  *Dateline, Signal the Musical Child Predator* Puff Daddy, Puffy, P-Diddy, Diddy, Sean Combs the music business tycoon behind one of the greatest rapper of all time B.I.G. got wind of a guy sounding like Biggie and signed him under his music label, Bad Boy.  Puff took him under his wing like he does most of his young artist to groom his career.

At this time Puff was the luckiest dude in America, more than the President, he was dating and hopefully tapping (can’t assume he’s not a Decepticon) the most famous booty in America, Jennifer Lopez.  So one night they go to a night club and NYC and of course shots are fired.  Someone was hurt, Puff and Latin Booty flee the scene.  Scandal.  Puff and his Biggie Pokémon are arrested.  Police say Puff and Shyne both pulled guns in a “dispute” after a person disrespectfully threw money at Big Daddy Dollars Mr. Combs.  Shyne’s dumb ass fired and shot someone in the face.  Puff’s driver says Diddy tried to bribe him in to taking his gun.  The same driver who later takes Puff Daddy to civil court and gets a settlement (for you Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson people ;-) means he was guilty, right???). 

Here’s where my opinion comes in.  They both get the same charges against them but like a smart guy, Puff ( the rich guy of the two ) get another lawyer.  He buys the greatest lawyer on earth, at the time, Johnny L. Cochran Jr.  I would too, if I had the money.  And Shyne was left to fend for himself in court.  I would of thrown Shyne some money for a lawyer upgrade, that’s a rich me.  Smart for Puff but it may not be the most loyal (street) thing to do either.  Even drug king pins give their best guys and friends money and access to their favorite lawyers, if only so the don’t snitch.  But Diddy is too pretty to go to jail, and not a “street” dude.  I thought he did Shyne kind of dirty in saving his own ass.  I mean, one, you are the rich one of the two.  Two, you supposedly took the guy under your wing and befriended him to the point of loyalty.  Also most like a father figure to that young man.  Finally, the guy got in trouble defending you!  Sure it was a dumb way of doing it, but not like you wasn’t involved in it too.

Shyne being the stand up guy (and street) that he is, he didn’t turn on Diddy.  He plead guilty and didn’t testify against Combs.  Of course, Diddy beat the case with his super lawyer.  One juror actually said Diddy was guilty but the prosecution couldn’t prove it’s case.  Why wouldn’t that work for Shyne too?  He was up for the same charges, was standing right beside each other???

Was Shyne guilty, yes.  And so was Diddy.  The people outside the courthouse protesting and claiming his innocents are retarded.  They didn’t know he was innocent, they just like the guy.  He’s popular, that’s all they know, and like his music.  They don’t know him personally.  Most of the people that was on his label don’t think nicely of him.  A real friend or someone who cares about you will tell you when you are wrong and not just overlook it. And fans will not.

I do like when people beat the justice system designed to work against them, but it doesn’t change the fact they were wrong.  It is also troubling that the justice system is not the same for someone with money verses someone without.  Now the poor kid from the streets, Shyne was not a US citizen.  He carried a green card.  He been in the country since early teens.  Typical immigrant story of a poor family saving up to bring the rest over to America for a better life.  It’s sad the family dream was almost greatly achieved with Shyne getting a record deal and famous mentor (who brought the world one of the greatest rappers of all time) then only seeing it being locked away or put on hold.  Shyne could still be a great rapper and make millions, but the problem is - he is not a citizen and committed a felony, he must go.  Seriously, I am all for this law!  We should not have criminals as a US import, we have enough home grown ones.  But is Shyne special, should he be allowed to stay, because people “like” him?  No.  He is in fact no different from any ol’ Hector.

I commend the guy for being tough through prison (and not snitching when he easily could taken down the music mogul) and I think he is a good/alright rapper but just winning a popularity contest is not enough in my book to be above the law.  Also, he is a rapper and well known, he has a much better chance at a fulfilling life overseas than some poor knucklehead with no education does.  He doesn’t NEED to live here, would just LIKE to.  He can still make music, shit the internet don’t care what country you are in.  Shyne is just a victim of stupidity, idol worshiping, and Diddiness.  For that, I feel bad for him.  I’m sorry he was a talented guy that crossed paths with Puff Daddy.  I think Puff should of had him take the Nationalization test while he had him under his wing too.  I mean he grew up here, why not?! 

I also feel sorry for the families that were hurt in the shooting.  For that reason, Shyne doesn’t not get a free pass.  He hurt people.  Those families should not have to see him and Diddy grinning and hopping down the street of NYC on a shopping spree (Not that they ever would, Shyne hates Diddy now).  Shyne should put a hit out on Diddy for ruining his life, since he can’t come back to America anyway…just a thought.

I think we all can learn a lesson from Shyne’s story.  Want to support him, then buy his music on itunes when it comes out so he can make money still –and pay back the civil suit he lost to the families that were hurt in the shooting.  Just please don’t argue he is innocent or should stay here because he is not and shouldn’t stay.  We have enough popular “bad boys” already.

We Was Going To The Free Zone, Hamsterdam

I am trying to forget this story, but let me try to recap for the record keeping. Those that follow me on Twitter prob heard me bitching. After Brussels, everything was lovely. We was on a natural high. We jumped on the train to Amsterdam first class and was scooting along in a private room on the train. But we get to this one stop in Belgium and they make an announcement that there will be a delay. We think nothing of it. Sitting around laughing and joking. We caught two people at the train station picking boogers in the same spot. First guy sits on the bench and picks his boogers, then another guy takes his spot on that bench and picks his but then he wipes his boogers on the seat and gets up. A lady and her child then takes his spot on the booger bench.

A few minutes becomes an hour. They announce people can go and come from the train. The power is out of line in the section of track between Belgium and Netherlands. Confusion was here by now. There was no universal language to share information. The Station displays were in Dutch and people were speaking Dutch, French, English (somewhat AND as an afterthought), and German later.  The lack of information was the theme of the night.  So then they said for us to take another train and transfer at some station.  Everyone goes to the other train confused in all types of ways.  At the first stop on the new train they tell everyone to get off and catch a bus.  People breakout running and confused, don’t know where to go to.  It just officially became the amazing race.  Running, asking questions, running again – just going in circles.  So we wait outside under a bridge for a long time waiting for buses.  This was a whole train of people going to the Netherlands, so we are talking hundreds of people.  People start grouping up together and taking taxis.  We was making friends through pain with people that spoke English, I mean we had to stick together for info because all the officials was only speaking Dutch, it hurt them to talk English, a universal language most of the riders understood.  After a long time under the bridge they told us to go catch another train they set aside for us.  We take that train only to be told to get out.  Half the people went to a transfer point only to find out the last train to Amsterdam left already.  So then there was another mad dash to the buses that was suppose to take us across the country line.  By this time we left Belgium and was in Germany.  We was one of the lucky few to get a spot on a bus.  By this time I stop helping the lady with the baby in a stroller, I was out for self.  She wasn’t smart about it and evolution say the strongest survive, that includes mentally too.  If she was smart she would take the baby out the stroller when going down steps.  My new friends was people that speak Dutch and English.

The bus drove us in to the Netherlands.  Stopped at a station where the trains were still running to Amsterdam.  The process lasted for 8 hours, the normal train ride was only about 2 hours.  We got to the hotel after midnight.  Every 100 meters (doing the Euro talk) you smelled weed in the air, every 50 meters you saw a young zombie walk by.The people at the Hotel was cool, the Hotel was cool. Amsterdam is cool.  I loved the friendliness and diversity of the people there.  I plan to go back.  I lost 6 hours of Amsterdam wondering due to a fuck up in the train system.

We had really stylish rooms that was a great change from the old grim of Paris the night before.  After finding both food and free porn on TV, we called it a night.  For the record, Amsterdam makes you horny.  It’s strange but true.  It truly is Sodom and Gomorrah.

The next morning, we had breakfast (Dutch and English Style), shopped, and went on a tour.

I wanted to punch this kid in the face.  He kept giving me the evil eye.  You can see where he learned it from.

Also hit up the Diamond Factory and wasted a lot of time there buying stuff.  Tax Free.

Pictures:

You Playing Yourself, Ray. No You Playing Yourself, Roe!

No matter where you go, they will always see you as a n****!

A line from Sugar Hill.  A good one at that.  Right now as I am watching Sugar Hill on cable I am reminded 1. how many levels this movie works on, 2. Black early and mid 90’s movies are way better than the Tyler Perry and 50/Cam’ron/Rapper crap we got now, and 3. I need to add more purple to my wardrobe. 

The title and first line of this entry is still true to this day.  Not even a 5 days ago I was thinking along those lines.  I was in Annapolis eating with a bunch of friends and this table behind us was making a lot of noise, but it really wasn’t the whole table it was the one token black guy in the group.  He was the most animated out of the group. His friends seem to just tolerate him because they were no where near as hyped up as he was. There really wasn’t any wrong with the scene until you started to listen to what he was saying.  He was greatly opinionated with stereotypes and spoke like he was speaking for all black people using terms like us, we, and them.  He was “playing himself.”  Made several of us at our table want to go over there shake some sense into that fool because everyone in the dinner area room was noticing him.  Sugar Hill.  You playing yourself, Ray!

The story behind Sugar Hill is great.  A man tries to raise above his past and environment.  At first he tries through illegal means and then tries to go straight. Can’t Sell Dope Forever.

Released: 1993


Go to IMDb page

Information © IMDb.com

Sugar Hill

Wesley Snipes, DeVaughn Nixon, O.L. Duke, Abe Vigoda, Michael Wright, Steve Harris,

Old and Cute and Please Don't Shoot!

This is a video blog I recorded at Happy Hour with Allison. Here is the Twitter qoutes: "umm, can you really be old and cute? don't you have to switch to another word?" and "This is one good ass reason for gun control! How is this allowed at a protest rally?! http://bit.ly/36NgQv" And here is Chris Matthews interviewing that clown. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/11/chris-matthews-to-town-ha_n_256952.html

Hurricanes Don't Scare Team Ari

This weekend was Hurricane Hanna, and I was invited to a friend's housewarming. But that didn't stop her. She is a party animal. First, let me follow directions and first say that my friend, Team Ari's friends are hot or hawt as they say. Check out the video embedded. It was a fun and interesting night. Despite the earlier rains and wind, there was a lot people out that night. I met a lot of new cool, semi-cool, and fun peeps that night fo' sho (that's my Flavor Flav). I would have to say that the most interesting person that night (besides Nick) was a nice pretty young lady named Stephanie. Stephanie liked my t-shirt. I was wearing my "Can't Sell Dope Forever" t-shirt. And the poor child thought it meant I was a drug dealer. After explaining to her dope is cocaine or heroin and not marijuana, we agreed to disagree and had a great discussion on social and political effects of the drug trade. I think I was able to convince her that 1. you don't get high on your own supply and 2. people (other than her, because she said she never would) really out grow drugs or at least should. It's like the old guy in the club, you can't be that guy. So you sell weed in college, then you graduate. You going to still continue? Who's your new customers? What's the risk/reward value now? Can't you make more with a degree than pushing dimes and nicks? Hopefully, one day sweetie will see my point. ...Or was she fucking with me?! Come to think about it, we had a lot in common. Admittedly, we both like to play devil's advocate. haha, funny i think she got me. Shout outs is so hood, but fun. So let me give some shout outs. Shout out to Team Ari and her roommates, it always a pleasure. Shout out to Omid, for hanging with me and providing the laughs. Shout to Allison and Jenny, the dynamic duo. Special Big ups to Jenny for letting the girls breathe. Jenny is butter! Shout out to the Jack Black/Shaggy Doo/Ben for spinning all the hits like Coolio! Shout out to Stephanie for her determination, I guess it's OK to be a weed head for life. I don't judge. Big ups to Allison, for providing us with plenty of cheese that night. Shout out Allison, Jenny, and Renee's high school friend that crashed the party, he was the coolest says Allison several times. Shout out to Lauren, I was SO feeling the Barack Obama button. Lauren earn a hundred cool points from me. Shout to Greg, for not being afraid to ask questions. And no, I haven't seen Jordan lately. Shout to Jeff, for feeling what I was saying on the couch. I'm always right, homie. Shout out to Renee, for not hiding those pretty eyes from the camera. They need to be shared with the world. Shout out to Matt and the "Team Ari Security Team." Shout out to the Radford chick, for being for Sigma Pi before being against them, the republican party needs more people like you. Shout to Nick, for being the funniest guy alive! "I want Five Guys" too. lol And a huge big ups to Team Ari, for keeping it real with me on and off camera. Thanks for listening to me, and I so value what you say. Peace. I'm out till next time.