Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Houston...




Houston is under water.

Literally...

The images and news of the destruction created by Hurricane Harvey has been mind blowing for me.

Like many people, I didn't realize the magnitude of this storm. There have been bigger hurricanes but none have dumped this much rain over an area than this one. This is one of those "once in a lifetime moments." It's hard to fathom...one of the biggest cities in the United States has been pounded with rainfall that could reach up to 50 inches in some areas. We watched the horrific images of Hurricane Katrina and how it ripped through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Now, Hurricane Harvey has done the same to Houston and South Texas. What can we do but watch?

I don't have any family that live in Houston. But I do have a few friends who live there. Fortunately, they are all safe and have not been flooded. But they know tons of people who live in their city who have been. I was glad to hear that my friends were ok. The last thing that you want is for something to happen to your friends. But you still feel some compassion for those who aren't as fortunate. You feel helpless. What can you do?

You could tell jokes. That seems to be the norm on social media. I've seen far too many jokes about Houston being flooded. What's funny about that? I'm not sure how anybody could find any of this funny. Some people have lost their homes, their cars, their possessions, and some...their lives. And folks think it's ok to post jokes about it on social media. I've blocked a few people on social media for doing that. I don't want to see it. Let's see...what else can you do?

You could complain and point your finger. Oh...that seems to happen a lot. People are blaming the mayor and city officials for not evacuating the city of Houston. I think there's about 6 million people in that city. You can't get them all to leave at once. That's not possible. Should people blame the mayor? I don't know. I don't live in Houston. That's not for me to decide. At this point, does blaming the mayor and city officials help? You could also blame megachurch pastor Joel Osteen for "initially being reluctant" to open up his church as a place of refuge for those who were displaced. His church can hold more than 15,000 people. He eventually opened the church up. Do I blame him? No, I don't know him or his church. At this point, does blaming him matter?

You could come up with "conspiracy theories" that the government broke the damns and levees around the city and made the flooding worse. Yes...I saw that actually being debated on social media. I had to block them, too. I think having 40+ inches of rain fall in less than week probably led to the flooding. Do I buy into these theories? Nah. Why should I? Especially if you don't hear it from somebody who lives in Houston. I've found it extremely interesting that the people who have the most to say about what did or didn't happen in Houston...don't live in Houston. What do THEY know?

This is a major natural disaster in one of the largest cities in the country. This ain't a small town that was flooded by the Mississippi River. This...or any other natural disaster could happen ANYWHERE. It could happen in your city and mine. If something like this happened, would you want people making jokes and pointing the finger?

When I drove home today, I pulled my car in my driveway and I looked at my house. Then, I imagined if the entire first floor was flooded and I had to gather my family and escape through my bedroom window. How would I get out? Where would I go? What would I take? These are the kind of decisions that people are making right now as you are reading this.

Anybody can tell jokes on twitter or complain on Facebook about Joel Osteen. Few will do what they SHOULD do...and that's shut up. If you're not a part of the solution, then you're a part of the problem. You can give money or you can donate clothes and supplies. I definitely plan to do that.

At the very least...we can all pray for those affected. And it's never too hard...or too late to pray.




Friday, August 18, 2017

PODCAST: my Top 10 video games of all time



Video games are a staple of your childhood. Most kids spend countless hours playing video games. No matter the era in which you grew up, video games played a huge role. Listen to latest podcast as I discuss MY Top 10 video games of all time. These are my personal favorites.

Listen & tell me what you think!

You can LISTEN, SHARE, AND SUBSCRIBE to The 12Kyle Podcast here...

Apple Podcasts https://itun.es/us/RZVM_.c

SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/twelve-kyle

Stitcher http://bit.ly/2ij1KWZ

Overcast FM http://bit.ly/2ij6zzC

Google Play - Search 12kyle Podcast

YouTube http://bit.ly/2mVmOng

Blogger www.the12planet.blogspot.com

FOLLOW ME...

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/twelvekyle

twitter @12kyle ; @12kylepodcast ; Instagram @12kylepodcast




CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LISTEN ON SOUNDCLOUD

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

in the face of hate...





In the face of hate...what do you do?

Do you condemn it?

Do you run from it?

Do you fight it?

Do you pretend that it doesn't exist?

Do you say "that's unfortunate"...but breathe a sigh of relief that it didn't happen in your town or city?

or do you say nothing?

Like many of you, I watched the horrific, racist, and terroristic events that transpired over this past weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Hatred and bigotry spewed out right before our eyes.

Those scenes reminded me of the stories that I heard my parents tell me as a child. I heard stories about the Klan and what they thought about me and my people. Growing up in the South, you knew what it was. You knew what that confederate flag looked like. I remember my mom showing me places in my hometown, Florence, SC, where she couldn't go as a child. She showed me the places that had the "back entrance" for black customers. She even showed me where there were signs that read "FOR COLOREDS" that were posted over the water fountain. At the age of 10, I remember thinking "wow, they had it real bad back in those days."

Fast forward 34 years later...and you see me trying to explain this to my 10 year old son. I never thought I'd see anything that resembled the Jim Crow south. But it's on my tv screen. How do you explain that to a little black boy? How do you explain a world that you never thought you'd see? It's simple...you do what your parents did...you arm him with the truth.

Race is the 400 pound elephant in the room. It's in the room and most people want to ignore it. But they can't. Not only can they not ignore it, but many walk past it as if it doesn't exist. People seem to be "begging to have a discussion about race" but do they REALLY want to talk about it? No. They don't. And they few who want to talk about it, only want to talk until they begin to get uncomfortable. So, you can miss me with the attempts to talk. You either do or you don't. There is no in between.

I'm not surprised that these fools took to the campus of the University of Virginia. It's much safer for them there than it is Hampton Roads or Richmond. Am I surprised that these fools would come out and act this way? No. I am a little surprised that they didn't have their masks on. That's bold! Then again, their fearless leader has put the battery in their backs and given them the juice to act this way. I've often said that I don't worry about Chump...but I worry about the 50M people who voted for him. Many of those folks were in that crowd thinking of what they could do to scare folks. Those people may be the principal at your kid's school or the dude who you need to help you get a mortgage. These are the real domestic terrorist.

I couldn't help but also think about my big cousin. He's a UVa alum from their law school. His wife is an alum from the medical school. They have 2 kids who have recently graduated from there. Their 3 child...she will be attending school there this week. I pray for them...and I pray for her. They shouldn't have to deal with this. But here we are. She is armed with the truth. She will be just fine.

Lastly, I go back to my original statement. What are we going to do? More importantly, what are YOU going to do? Truth be told, most of the push needed for the Civil Rights came from white people who grew tired of watching black folks on tv every night being sprayed with fire hoses and being attacked by dogs. How far away are we from those days? If this current administration has anything to do with it...we are moving closer to those days. So...again...what are you going to do?

If your decision is to sit and do nothing...or say nothing...you are just as bad as those fools on tv. Your silence speaks volumes....

Friday, August 11, 2017

PODCAST: 10 signs he's into you...





Ladies...have you ever been interested in a man but you weren't sure about how serious he was about you? There are signs that he will help show you how he feels. I discuss them on this podcast

Listen & and tell me what you think!

You can LISTEN, SHARE, AND SUBSCRIBE to The 12Kyle Podcast here...

Apple Podcasts https://itun.es/us/RZVM_.c

SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/twelve-kyle

Stitcher http://bit.ly/2ij1KWZ

Overcast FM http://bit.ly/2ij6zzC

Google Play - Search 12kyle Podcast

YouTube http://bit.ly/2mVmOng

Blogger www.the12planet.blogspot.com

FOLLOW ME...

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/twelvekyle

twitter @12kyle ; @12kylepodcast ; Instagram @12kylepodcast


CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LISTEN ON SOUNDCLOUD










Sunday, August 6, 2017

PODCAST: be happy...





Be happy. It sounds simple and easy to do. What is happiness? Listen to the latest podcast and I'll tell you what it is...and what it is not

Listen & tell me what you think!

You can LISTEN, SHARE, AND SUBSCRIBE to The 12Kyle Podcast here...

Apple Podcasts itun.es/us/RZVM_.c

SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/twelve-kyle

Stitcher bit.ly/2ij1KWZ

Overcast FM bit.ly/2ij6zzC

Google Play - Search 12kyle Podcast

YouTube bit.ly/2mVmOng

Blogger www.the12planet.blogspot.com

FOLLOW ME...

Facebook www.facebook.com/twelve
kyle

twitter @12kyle ; @12kylepodcast ; Instagram @12kylepodcast


LISTEN BELOW ON SOUNDCLOUD







1000th post





This is post #1000

Wowww!!!

I didn't expect to make 1000 of these when I started back on January 10, 2008.

I called the first post The Genesis because it was the beginning.

I had no idea I'd keep this thing around this long.

I want to thank you for rocking with me. It doesn't matter if it's been for almost 10 years or 10 days. I appreciate it. I know I don't blog nearly as much as I used to. But there are more people who read it now than ever before. I definitely appreciate the love. I still have a lot to say.

How much longer will this go? As long as I feel like I have something to say!

PODCAST: 5 for 5 Hip Hop Summer Playlists w/@12kyle




Listen to the podcast from eclectik (@Tweetrhymeslife)


If you had to pick 5 songs for your Summer Hip Hop Playlist, which would you choose?

Choose something not so obvious, something that reminds you of summer, Hot weather, that good Hip Hop feeling, what do you have?

Listen to 12Kyle and Myself go back and forth with our 5

Listen ... Share ... Comment

Click the link below to listen on SoundCloud



PODCAST: 3 things (We wish we had growing up/didn't want w/@12kyle)


LISTEN to the podcast from eclectik (@PodcastEDP)



Do kids have it better now?

What are you happy you didn't have to deal with growing up?

That's what we discuss...

Three things we WISH we had that kids have now

Three things we are HAPPY we didn't have

co-hosted by 12kyle

Listen...comment...share


CLICK the link below to listen on SoundCloud






PODCAST: Comparing NBA players to emcees (w/@12kyle)



LISTEN to the podcast from eclectik (@Tweetrhymeslife)


What emcee would you compare Magic Johnson to?

What about Lebron James?

Steph Curry?

Hakeem The Dream Olajuwon?

12Kyle and I do that and more ... turn off your brain and take a listen!

Click the link below to listen on SoundCloud