FLIPSIDE - WJLB at AT&T

Saturday, the AT&T in Roseville, MI was visited by CoCo and others from WJLB, a popular urban radio station out of Detroit. The radio station was brought in to help bring traffic into the store where, in comparison to last year, the sales have fallen off a bit. The radio station gave away tickets to the Katt Williams New Year's Eve comedy show as well as an advanced screening of "Seven Pounds" starring Will Smith. The advanced screening will be at 7:30p Wednesday evening.

The event brought in a lot of traffic, yet the increased traffic did not transform into increased sales. The radio station also gave away two $100 gift cards as well as a new AT&T smartphone.

The afternoon was filled with fun though, where contestants had to compete in karaoke to win Katt Williams tickets. Some of the contestants could sing, but some of them were just willing to do anything to get those tickets.

CoCo definitely made the afternoon interesting and crowd was persistent while the radio station broadcast from the AT&T sales floor. However, the fact remains that the sales did not receive a major boost because of it.

It is just an obvious sign of how tough the economy is these days. Some people are losing their jobs. The others, who still have their jobs are holding on to their money in hopes of a rebounding economy. The pressures of the two allow for a decline in sales across the board, ultimately making retail jobs as tough as the auto industry. Catch ya' on the FLIPSIDE.

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Are today's athletes living in fear? More and more, the news of athletes being caught with guns is becoming an everyday thing. Most recently Plaxico Burress was charged with possession of a fire arm after accidentally shooting himself at a night club in Manhattan.

Athletes are not allowed to have firearms with them at the facilities in which they practice or play. This is a situation that some NFL players have said makes them feel uncomfortable. It leaves them in a situation of vulnerability, whereas criminals know there are no guns on premises and the robbery could go that much easier.

The murders of Sean Taylor and Darrent Williams initially sparked the players' unrest and doubt of their overall security. Taylor, probably the most frightening story, because the fatal shooting took place inside his home in Florida.

The high profiles of these athletes is no secret when their salaries and estimated worth are publicized on television, in print and on the internet. Should these athletes be afraid? Should these athletes be able to defend themselves? Catch ya' on the FLIPSIDE.

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With the gas stations finally releasing their death grips from American wallets, shoppers have began the holiday season by spending money. A few months ago, the financial woes of America made the holiday season look bleak in the minds of retailers. Somehow, though, consumers have found a way to spend money this holiday season.

CNN reported that Black Friday brought in a total of $8.9 billion in sales. This was, overall, a 6% increase in sales from last year. These are surprising numbers. With the percentage of unemployment and home foreclosures increasing, its almost hard to believe that America has gone shopping despite the economical setbacks of today's economy.

The resurgence of the American shopper will help the overall position of the economy and hopefully get us back into a financial situation where shopping is comfortable and not a burden.

Perhaps the holiday shopping season will be the turning point in our failing economy. An upward trend in consumer purchasing will undoubtedly improve the economy, but will gas prices and unemployment percentages drop to a low enough rate to encourage consumer purchasing throughout the year? Catch ya' on the FLIPSIDE

FLIPSIDE...Black Friday!

Gone Shopping!

FLIPSIDE - Reflecting on those who got us here...

You know, today is a day to be thankful. In today's world economic issues, terrorism issues, education issues and any other issues you can come up with, may interfere with your ability to be thankful at all. That is when you must dig deeper.

I was thinking of all the things that I could complain about and that's when it hit me. In comparison to those who lost their lives, families and dignity to forge a lane into society in which people of color could one day prosper and take full advantage of the "American Dream", my worries are futile. So today I am thankful for Harriet Tubman. I am thankful for Frederick Douglas. I am thankful for Martin Luther King Jr. I am thankful for President Barack Obama. I am thankful for each and every one individual who gave of themselves to create a future for me and you even though the promise of seeing that future was not bestowed upon them.

With that said, I have come up with a selection of words that manifest the struggle of our people to become one with the society in which we live and the freedom from all that holds us from succeeding. Enjoy my poem and have a Happy Thanksgiving. Catch ya' on the FLIPSIDE.

Eyes of Midnight

Broken, crushed, slaughtered,
Somehow saved by prayers,
The promise of golden gates
Giving way to serenity, identity.

Sunshine plays hide and seek with the moon
Every now and then going unnoticed for hours
Never revealing its hiding place.

Freedom prevails and sunshine reveals itself
One minute too late, but not soon enough
The moon readies for another game tonight.

Eager feet trust the sunshine won’t peek
Just count to ten, how many will it discover
Shadows scurry under the moon’s watch
Chasing the North Star, chasing
Life, freedom, identity, equality.

Still chasing.

-Q. Lewis

FLIPSIDE - Deal or No Deal

The country is in an obvious recession. Jobs are hard to come by and even the ones that are available are not guaranteed. Such is the case with the Big 3.

The automakers are financially strapped, due in part to the ridiculously high gas rates that had Americans traveling less as well as purchasing fewer vehicles. Amid the Wall-Street bailout, the three automakers, GM, Ford, and Chrysler, have also asked for relief from the government. However, it has not been so easy for the Big 3, as they have been turned away and asked to come back in front of congress once they have a better business plan and plan overall as to how this money will help the industry.





The congress is looking for long term goals and not just a band aid for the ailing auto industry, but the executives from each has to bring a plan that is convincing of that direction. I agree.

The executives at each of the failing automakers have been lining their pockets with outrageous salaries and bonuses that allowed each of them to fly their own private jets to the congressional hearing. Private jets. Private jets, when thousands are being forced to take buyouts and early retirement to save the sinking company. Private jets, when people with thirty years on the job are leaving these jobs with no pension or health care.

The Big 3 has to come up with an eco-friendly plan that will open up new areas of employment and keep them competitive in the global market. The auto industry is the backbone of the American manufacturing industry and must come up with innovative ideas keep that position.

With a majority of its origin being Detroit, Michigan, it is even that much more important for the Big 3 to survive. Not only must it survive, but it must thrive, in order to bring Michigan out of its financial suffering that was reminiscent of a recession long before the nation decided to call it a recession. With an unemployment rate and home foreclosure rate that rank highest in the country, Michigan’s last hope is the resurgence of the auto industry. Catch ya’ on the FLIPSIDE.

FLIPSIDE - Last of a dying Breed

"I neva got caught wit a kilo/ and if you ever do, it neva be wit me yo!" Everybody who knows hip-hop from the early nineties and lived in Michigan knows that song like the back of their hand. Before Breed droped jewels on Too $hort's Cocktales album alongside $hort and Tupac, Breed had put Michigan on the map with "Ain't No Future in Yo Frontin".

In a smaller city about 40 miles north of Detroit, Breed had brought Flint and Michigan to the attention of the rest of America who thought that there wasn't anything but dope, prostitutes and cars being sold in the state dominated by the Motor City. Although Breed still only seemed to enjoy mild success, he aligned himself with Too $hort and Pac on several occasions, yet never really breaking into mainstream.


Famous enough, at least here in Michigan. The news of his death was shocking and thought provoking. Not yet even reaching the age of 40 and dying from kidney complications. It's always odd to hear of a younger person dying from bodily malfunctions that we normally associate with older people. Sad, but true, we witness the fall of another soldier in our culture. Catch ya' on the FLIPSIDE.