Friday, July 28, 2017

Brown Sugar Update




According to at least one commenter, I give Bounce TV a hard time.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  I mean, the station comes on digital and cable, they edit movie titles that contain the N word and their original programming , from what I've seen, depicts us in a positive (but sometimes dull) light.

However, I must say that they do listen to their critics.  Not long ago, I signed up for the Bounce streaming service and gave what I thought was an honest review.  This was due to the fact that commercials gave little information about the then-new product.

So several corny (and non-informative) TV commercials later, I have to say that the inventory has greatly improved.  They've added hard-to-find joints like The Spook that Sat by the Door and I believe I even saw Pipe Dreams and Mean Johnny Barrows.  I mean, a person can scroll for hours ....if there using the right device.

Now my problem is not the selection but the service itself.  They've fluctuated from a one-month trial to a one-week trial.  Ordering from the website or Google/Amazon.  One time, I had a movie load perfectly and play with no buffering on my smartphone but I couldn't get that on my Chromebook to save my life.  Then there's billing.

According to their customer service, there is no continuous billing protocol.  Without giving away too much information, Google can only do so much in terms of choosing the right card?  In reading through the reviews, I wasn't the only person not getting service beyond the initial billing period  (maybe this is why they stopped airing commercials with Pam Grier and Fred Williamson - as they're two examples of blaxploitation actors that do receive residuals from their work).

But like I said their customer service does come through.  I dealt with a charming (no sarcasm) person named Foxy Yazmin, it took time to find out that the system may still have a bug or two.  At one time, you could access a personal account via the website to see payment methods but going through a 3rd party seems to be more hassle than it's worth.  Yet, I stand true by my promise to return sometime in the future.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Before You Decide to Floss


 Here's a subtle reminder of how the establishment sees us (yes, even today in 2017).  Think about it, how often are we featured in ads about investments and other financial services?  While I'm glad to more of us in ads referring to small business ownership and advanced education, spending wisely is the real key to success IMHO. Don't trust the big name institutions? Try these instead! (Courtesy of Watch the Yard). P.S. Thanks to my cuzzo Shadana for posting this on Facebook last month.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Goodnight Skillet

On  7/4/17, we lost veteran actor Ji Tu Cumbuka to causes not yet determined.  Cumbuka, whose acting credits date back to 1968's Uptight (starring actor/ screenwriter Max Julian), make a remarkable presence on the stage, television, and the silver screen.  Update: It's been reported that he was suffering from a number of ailments, including vascular disease.

While major mediums mention Roots and Harlem Nights as his most notable roles, blaxploitation movie fans remember him as Skillet from 1972's Blacula.  With Cumbuka's stand out, gap-toothed smile, he was THAT dude in the club.  Rest in heaven bro.

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Jim Brown Fans Tune into Bounce TV Tonight



If the summer heat is too much to deal with, Brown Sugar Saturday night has you covered with a blaxploitation triple threat.  Starting with Black Gunn (1972), Take a Hard Ride (1975 with Fred Williamson), and I Escaped from Devil's Island (1973).

Jim Brown has a lot in common with my favorite, Bernie Casey, as they always played solid characters on screen and got their start playing professional ball.  Of tonight's trifecta, I recommend Black Gunn.  It's filmed in L.A.'s west side, has an interesting plot, and the leading lady is the late Teresa Graves of Get Christie Love.

Hopefully, you'll enjoy the little bonus I threw in at the top, 1967's Riot.