Davina, watching me unwrap the lace tablecloth gift: “You can tell the lucky man you get married to that you have a trousseau!!”
Me: “I suppose Ivan can also use his gift to persuade people to marry him.”
Davina , turning to Ivan: “Yes, you can say, look I came with my own wine!”

Wessel: “What I love about Day after Tomorrow is that they show a thermodynamic map of all the areas affected, and South Africa’s fine.”

Alex: “I’m a lesbian.”
Jean: “You’re male! You can’t be lesbian!”
Alex: “I can! I like girls. Why are you being so sexist?”

Lesley: “Your little brother’s throwing up in the bathroom!”
Petrus: “Jan, go look after him.”
Jan: “Petrus, go.”
Petrus: “Agh wait, Herman can go.”
Jan: “It’s a good thing there’re so many of us.”

Petrus, turning around to see the dogs fighting with each other: “EET MEKAAR!”

Jean and I after listening to Jan: “Wow, give us more life lessons before you leave!”
Jan: “What? No ****, **** no! Don’t listen to a word I say! I wasn’t giving out advice, I was just making small talk!”

On a further update about the little brother, Petrus: “He’s definitely not adopted.”
Jan: “Yeah, he’s got the balls to be a De Klerk.”

Leaving Jan’s braai, Alex suddenly: ‘Ooh. I think my liver just failed.”

Alex: “Well, tomorrow when you’re drunk , can I hit on you?”
Jean: “No.”
Alex: “Why not?”
Jean: “You’re a gentleman.”
Alex: “Oh. Good to know.”

at Candice’s surprise baby shower…
Candice, holding up a manual breast pump: “What’s this for? Constipation?”

Candice, looking at a baby carrier: “Wow, it even has a space for a cellphone!”
Candice’s mom: “For the baby’s bottle! It’s not for you!”

Rob, seeing Christiaan’s 2 year old suddenly get up and wave his arms during the church service: “That kid thinks he’s at Shofar!”

Irene, to Paul: “I tell everyone that you taught me how to drive and that’s why I drive so well.”
Me, muttering from the back seat: “That’s funny. I tell everyone I drive so badly because of your example.”
Paul, overhearing: “I had NOTHING to do with your driving!”

Me, as we drive past a smashed streetlamp: “Oh my word, look at the streetlamp!”
Irene: “Someone had fun this morning.”
Paul, turning suspiciously towards me: “Where were you this morning?”

Izelle: “I’m going to kill you with my mind!”

Izelle, as Emma takes her lamp: “Do you want to take my blood as well?”

Me, as yet another person interrupts Mathew’s Frismas speech: “Aaah. shame guys, let Mathew finish- it is his speech.”
Mathew: “Thanks Grace, that’s very sweet of you. Now be quiet.”

Me, washing up: “I think I cut myself on a spoon!!! Or the jagged edge of the glass I washed earlier. […] That would make more sense.”

One of the older members of staff at a Writing Lab meeting: “Why are you guys sitting so far back?”
Helga, muttering next to me: “Apartheid.”

Me: “Why is Eloff growing hair?!?!”
Paul: “Movember. They talked him into it. It appears that he has no principles.”

Paul: “That’s not your dress!”
Me: “No it is! Sandy chose It out for me for her wedding!”
Paul: “Thought so! It’s too normal to be yours!”

Paul: “Do I look like I care? ‘Cause then I’m giving off the wrong vibe.”

Luke, spotting CDS on my car floor: “Are those Tom Waits’ CDs yours?”
Me, sarcastically: “Do you think I carry around other people’s CDs in my car?!? Oh no wait, that’s actually highly plausible. Sorry about the sarcasm!”

Irene, as we drive past some workers on the N2: “Are they starting a revolution?!?! Oh, phew, they’re just workers. I thought it was some American ‘Free the Negroes’ type thing!”

Sorry there wasn’t one last week … had a brake … but back to normal now. More HERE.

I like to explore family resemblances – be they physical, or likenesses in temperament, character, emotion, behaviour, health and so on. It’s fun to observe the interplay between genetic inheritance, upbringing and socialization.

Before Leo, my thoughts about these things where simpler, something along the lines of: your body and intelligence are mostly inherited while upbringing and socialization determine your personality. These assumptions are probably not wrong, but the idea of a baby born with a “clean slate” ready for us to fill, now just seems like wishful thinking.

Leo, a colicy and tense newborn, was never a relaxed infant (despite Baby Tui Na Chinese massage and other efforts). He was a doer from the start, hampered only by his own impatience. Ambition is still a hallmark of his everyday behavior, as well as fits of frustrated complaining when his goals are not easily fulfilled. He loves to interact with others and readily assumes a dominant role. When Leo stomps around the house, I am reminded of my own mother complaining that I stomp around like an elephant.

I am both proud and amazed to see so much of Jan and myself in Leo. I no longer believe that we can form his personality. We can only help and guide him to make the best of what he is.

These days scientists are even discovering genetic dispositions that have an effect on personality. Everyone, for example, has genes that are responsible for building “specialized modules” in their brain (for example, we all have a brain module that can recognize when we’re in a public setting), but individual gene variants trigger the brain’s response – introverted or extroverted – to this recognized scenario. These discoveries might lead us to think differently about why we are who we are.

The picture on the left was taken recently for Leo’s new biometric passport.

So who does Leo look like the most? Jan? Linnea? His aunt Ilka?
Or somebody else?

More pictures to help you decide.

We hope you will take part in Puddingtown Bears’ first online survey:

I’m writing this stupid post for the third damn time because the hotel in the richest county in America thinks it’s appropriate to charge $12.95 to use their lame Internet, but that’s another post entirely.  They can suck it, though.   I tried twice (unsuccessfully) to write this post from my phone, but now I’m down in the lobby slumming it like a poor person.  I figured since WordPress had an iPhone app to update your blog that it would also function.  Needless to say, I was quite angry when I finally published the bloody thing and the version I thought was deleted was the one that got put up, not the version I actually liked.  Technology…what can we do but bend over for it?  Here we go…

Check out my yummies.

I’ve finished day one of a four-day trip, and I’m working on the two hundo so I give that two very strong thumbs down.  I’ve not been on a trip longer than two days in quite some time, and packing the food to last me through it all took rather a lot of effort.  I got it done though.  One of those containers is empty, and the penne with meat sauce was quite tasty.  Tomorrow I’m in JAN, which brings me to the point of tonight’s post.

One of the great perks of this job is getting paid to visit friends I don’t get to see nearly as often as I’d like.  This time tomorrow I’ll probably be drinking my second beer with my great and wonderful friend Kristen whom I’ve not seen since the beginning of time.  I met her in 2003 on a study abroad in Spain.  Even though I don’t get to see or talk to her nearly as often as I’d like, when I do it’s like we pick up right where we left off – for me anyway – so I’m very much looking forward to some quality time with a quality girl and some quality brews.

Now if only we could score some overnights in ATL…that’d be pretty boss.

I’m forced to write this post from my phone since the hotel doesn’t seem to provide free high speed Internet, which is another post entirely. Thankfully, I have a fancy iPhone with a useful app that allows me this luxury, so here we go…

I’m on day one of a four-day trip. I’m also on the two hundo, and I give that two very strong thumbs down. I’ve not been on a trip longer than two days in quite some time, so trying to pack food for it involved rather a lot of effort on my part. I got it done, though.

One of the many perks this job affords me is the opportunity to visit friends that I don’t get to see nearly as often as I’d like. Tomorrow I’ll be overnighting in JAN, and I’ll get to spend part of my evening with my great and wonderful friend Kristen whom I’ve not seen since the beginning of time.

I met Krissy in 2003 on a study abroad in Spain. Even though we don’t get to see or talk to each other much whenever we do it’s like we pick up right where we left off – for me anyway – so I’m very much looking forward to some quality time over an ice-cold brew or two.

This is a comic I did recently as a brake from my Three Letter Word comics.

Blondie was the most commercially successful band to emerge from the much vaunted punk/new wave movement of the late ’70s. The group was formed in New York City in August 1974 by singer Deborah Harry (b. July 1, 1945, Miami), formerly of Wind in the Willows, and guitarist Chris Stein (b. Jan. 5, 1950, Brooklyn) out of the remnants of Harry’s previous group, the Stilettos. The lineup fluctuated over the next year. Drummer Clement Burke (b. Nov. 24, 1955, New York) joined in May 1975. Bassist Gary Valentine joined in August. In October, keyboard player James Destri (b. Apr. 13, 1954) joined, to complete the initial permanent lineup. They released their first album, Blondie, on Private Stock Records in December 1976. In July 1977, Valentine was replaced by Frank Infante.

In August, Chrysalis Records bought their contract from Private Stock and in October reissued Blondie and released the second album, Plastic Letters. Blondie expanded to a sextet in November with the addition of bassist Nigel Harrison (born Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England), as Infante switched to guitar. Blondie broke commercially in the U.K. in March 1978, when their cover of Randy and the Rainbows’ 1963 hit “Denise,” renamed “Denis,” became a Top Ten hit, as did Plastic Letters, followed by a second U.K. Top Ten, “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear.” Blondie turned to U.K. producer/songwriter Mike Chapman for their third album, Parallel Lines, which was released in September 1978 and eventually broke them worldwide. “Picture This” became a U.K. Top 40 hit, and “Hanging on the Telephone” made the U.K. Top Ten, but it was the album’s third single, the disco-influenced “Heart of Glass,” that took Blondie to #1 in both the U.K. and the U.S. “Sunday Girl” hit #1 in the U.K. in May, and “One Way or Another” hit the U.S. Top 40 in August. Blondie followed with their fourth album, Eat to the Beat, in October. Its first single, “Dreaming,” went Top Ten in the U.K., Top 40 in the U.S. The second U.K. single, “Union City Blue,” went Top 40. In March 1980, the third U.K. single from Eat to the Beat, “Atomic,” became the group’s third British #1. (It later made the U.S. Top 40.)

Meanwhile, Harry was collaborating with German disco producer Giorgio Moroder on “Call Me,” the theme from the movie American Gigolo. It became Blondie’s second transatlantic chart topper. Blondie’s fifth album, Autoamerican, was released in November 1980, and its first single was the reggaeish tune “The Tide Is High,” which went to #1 in the U.S. and U.K. The second single was the rap-oriented “Rapture,” which topped the U.S. pop charts and went Top Ten in the U.K. But the band’s eclectic style reflected a diminished participation by its members – Infante sued, charging that he wasn’t being used on the records, though he settled and stayed in the lineup. But in 1981, the members of Blondie worked on individual projects, notably Harry’s gold-selling solo album, KooKoo. The Best of Blondie was released in the fall of the year. The Hunter, Blondie’s sixth and last new album, was released in July 1982, preceded by the single “Island of Lost Souls,” a Top 40 hit in the U.S. and U.K. “War Child” also became a Top 40 hit in the U.K., but The Hunter was a commercial disappointment. At the same time, Stein became seriously ill with the genetic disease pemphigus. As a result, Blondie broke up in October 1982, with Deborah Harry launching a part-time solo career while caring for Stein, who eventually recovered. In 1998, the original line-up of Harry, Stein, Destri and Burke reunited to tour Europe, their first series of dates in 16 years; a new LP, No Exit, followed early the next year.

Blondie All Music Guide Biography

Blondie was the most commercially successful band to emerge from the much-vaunted punk/new wave movement of the late ’70s. The group was formed in New York City in August 1974 by singer Deborah Harry (b. July 1, 1945, Miami), formerly of Wind in the Willows, and guitarist Chris Stein (b. January 5, 1950, Brooklyn) out of the remnants of Harry’s previous group, the Stilettos. The lineup fluctuated over the next year. Drummer Clement Burke (b. November 24, 1955, New York) joined in May 1975. Bassist Gary Valentine joined in August. In October, keyboard player James Destri (b. April 13, 1954) joined, to complete the initial permanent lineup. They released their first album, Blondie, on Private Stock Records in December 1976. In July 1977, Valentine was replaced by Frank Infante.

In August, Chrysalis Records bought their contract from Private Stock and in October reissued Blondie and released the second album, Plastic Letters. Blondie expanded to a sextet in November with the addition of bassist Nigel Harrison (born in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England), as Infante switched to guitar. Blondie broke commercially in the U.K. in March 1978, when their cover of Randy and the Rainbows’ 1963 hit “Denise,” renamed “Denis,” became a Top Ten hit, as did Plastic Letters, followed by a second U.K. Top Ten, “(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear.” Blondie turned to U.K. producer/songwriter Mike Chapman for their third album, Parallel Lines, which was released in September 1978 and eventually broke them worldwide. “Picture This” became a U.K. Top 40 hit, and “Hanging on the Telephone” made the U.K. Top Ten, but it was the album’s third single, the disco-influenced “Heart of Glass,” that took Blondie to number one in both the U.K. and the U.S. “Sunday Girl” hit number one in the U.K. in May, and “One Way or Another” hit the U.S. Top 40 in August. Blondie followed with their fourth album, Eat to the Beat, in October. Its first single, “Dreaming,” went Top Ten in the U.K., Top 40 in the U.S. The second U.K. single, “Union City Blue,” went Top 40. In March 1980, the third U.K. single from Eat to the Beat, “Atomic,” became the group’s third British number one. (It later made the U.S. Top 40.)

Meanwhile, Harry was collaborating with German disco producer Giorgio Moroder on “Call Me,” the theme from the movie American Gigolo. It became Blondie’s second transatlantic chart-topper. Blondie’s fifth album, Autoamerican, was released in November 1980, and its first single was the reggae-ish tune “The Tide Is High,” which went to number one in the U.S. and U.K. The second single was the rap-oriented “Rapture,” which topped the U.S. pop charts and went Top Ten in the U.K. But the band’s eclectic style reflected a diminished participation by its members — Infante sued, charging that he wasn’t being used on the records, though he settled and stayed in the lineup. But in 1981, the members of Blondie worked on individual projects, notably Harry’s gold-selling solo album, KooKoo. The Best of Blondie was released in the fall of the year. The Hunter, Blondie’s sixth album, was released in May 1982, preceded by the single “Island of Lost Souls,” a Top 40 hit in the U.S. and U.K. “War Child” also became a Top 40 hit in the U.K., but The Hunter was a commercial disappointment.

At the same time, Stein became seriously ill with the genetic disease pemphigus. As a result, Blondie broke up in October 1982, with Deborah Harry launching a part-time solo career while caring for Stein, who eventually recovered. In 1998, the original lineup of Harry, Stein, Destri, and Burke reunited to tour Europe, their first series of dates in 16 years; a new LP, No Exit, followed early the next year. After more touring, this was followed by another studio set, The Curse of Blondie, in 2003, and a DVD of the Live by Request program from A&E was released in 2004. In 2006, Blondie celebrated their 30th anniversary with induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the release of Greatest Hits: Sound & Vision, a best-of collection that contained all their classic videos as well.

Op zaterdag 15 november was de aanstelling van de nieuwe carnavalsprinsen. Jeugdprins Dario 1 en Prins Carnaval Jan 2 waken over het Hasselts carnaval. Wij presenteren de voorlopige carnavalskalender van de Hasseltse carnavalsverenigingen.

20 november 20u11: carnavalsbal De Hasseltse Loltrapper in het OC Sint-Ludovicus Rapertingen

21 november 20u11: carnavalsbal De Hasseltse Narren (ex-Molennarren)  in De Biekaer in Tuilt

19 december 20u11: carnavalsbal Runkster Carnavalsvrienden in OC De Binder Kiewit

26 december 20u11: carnavalsbal Beekmennekes in de Kermeta in Kermt

16 februari 15u: installatie Hendrik als eerste carnavallist op Grote Markt

27 februari 20u11: gemaskerd bal van De Flessentrekkers in De Biekaer in Tuilt

6 maart 20u11: internationale carnavalszitting Koekerellen en Orde van het Claverblât met uitreiking van de ‘Humor zonder Grenzen’ in CC Hasselt

12 maart 13u: kindercarnavalstoet met leerlingen van het Hasselts basisonderwijs

12 maart 21u: wijding carnavalswagens in loods Tuilt

13 maart: Hielige-Mis voor de afgestorven carnavalvrienden in Virga Jessebasiliek

13 maart: jeugdcarnavalfuif met jeugdbewegingen op Molenpoortplein

14 maart om 9u11: brunch Orde van het Claverblât in Holiday Inn

14 maart: Internationale carnavalsstoet in centrum

14 maart: Avond van de Ambiance met optreden van Sylver in organisatie van De Knèpkes op Molenpoortplein

15 maart om 19u: sleuteloverhanding op stadhuis

15 maart: haring happen en soepbedeling in diverse horecazaken

19 maart om 20u15: visbanket van de Koekerellen in CC Hasselt

20 maart om 20u: Lichtstoet in Banneuxwijk van de Beekmennekes

3 april om 20u11: Laatste nacht van carnaval door De Fluiters in de Kermeta

5 april vanaf 13u11: internationale carnavalsstoet van De Fluiters in Kermt aanvullend vanaf 17u carnavalsbal in Kermeta

12 september 12-20u: prinsenmossel van Koekerellen in Kermeta

2 en 3 oktober 13-18u: carnavalsmarkt loods Tuilt door Verenigde Hasseltse Groepen

Var på nåt som heter Private Investors Club, förkortat PIC, på Pontus by the Sea igår. Det är en klubb som är inne på sin tolfte år. Initiativtagare är kompisen Magnus Briggert.

Huvudgäst igår var Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, avsutten vd på Tele2. Och den godmodige smålänningen, numera iförd rödlätt skägg, drog den ena goa historien efter den andra.

Här är några som jag minns i all hast.

Jarnheimer jobbade på H&M, innan han kom till Kinnevik och Jan Stenbeck. En kväll var Stenbeck och Jarnheimer på Café Opera, där de stötte ihop med H&M:s Stefan Persson.

- Hur kunde ni släppa Lars-Johan till Kinnevik? undrade Stenbeck.

Persson lutade sig framåt mot Stenbeck och viskade:

- Han stal som fan.

(plats för skratt)

När Jarnheimer jobbade på H&M hade han Peter Kamprad, Ingvars äldsta grabb, som sin assistent under en tid. Herrarna var ute och körde i Jarnheimers tjänste-Audi. Vädret var uselt och regnet öste ner. Torkarbladen var slut och Jarhneimer beslöt sig för att köpa nya på första bästa mack.

Det visade sig att ett par nya torkarblad till Audin gick löst på 358 riksdaler, vilket smålänningen tyckte var alldeles för mycket. Men Lars-Johan fann på råd, för i fyndlådan hittade han ett par torkarblad till en Volvo för bara 79 kronor.

Med hjälp av ett verktyg lyckades han få bladen på plats och glad som en lärka rullade han ut på landsvägarna igen, den här gången med fungerande torkarblad. Varpå Kamprad genmäler:

- Nog hörs det och märks att du är smålänning, Lars-Johan.

(tankepaus)

- Men för egen del köpte jag bara ett nytt blad till vänstra torkaren.

Så där höll det på under utrfrågaren Henrik Frenkels trygga ledning.

För egen del har jag lagt ett annat av Jarnheimers uttryck på minnet:

“Tiden, hon är rättvis.”

Nästan som poesi.

Nach der Rückkehr waren Freunde und Verwandte glücklich überrascht zu hören, dass meine Ausreise aus den USA sich komplikationsloser gestaltet hatte als die Einreise. Kurzfassung der Komplikationen: Irgendein Hanswurst, der so heißt wie ich, hat sich daneben benommen, und da der Name offenbar das einzige ist, was in der Shitlist der Homeland Security gespeichert ist, wurde ich eine gute Stunde aus dem Verkehr gezogen.

Und gestern berichtet Informationsmonopolist Spiegel Online dann das:

Deutsche Behörden warnen in Afghanistan mit einem Plakat vor einem deutschen Islamisten. Jan Sch., Kampfname Hamza, soll Kontakte zu al-Qaida haben. Es gibt Hinweise, dass der Konvertit im pakistanisch-afghanischen Grenzgebiet ist und Terroraktionen planen könnte.

Dass mich die fortschrittlichste Nation der Welt mit einem saarländischen Liliputaner verwechselt, das beleidigt mich dann aber doch ein bisschen.

Het Groenplein voor het stadhuis was zaterdagnamiddag uitgedost om de aanstellingen van de Jeugdprins en Prins Carnaval te houden in presentatie van Giovanni van de organiserende Orde van het Claeverblât, die alles aankondigde in een mix van Algemeen Nederlands en Bilzersachtig dialect. Voor Dario 1 en Jan 2 was het moment aangebroken om zich te ontdoen van hun vermommingen en zich voor te stellen aan het publiek.

Dario 1

Jeugdprins Dario 1 is 9 jaar, woont op het Hefveldplein en zijn papa is Jan Marechal, al 11 jaar voorzitter van de succesrijke carnavalsverening De Knèpkes en zelfstandig ondernemer. Hij loopt school in de Triangel op de Bakkerslaan en is ook fier op zijn lieve mama, Nathalie, en zijn drie jaar jonger zuster. Dario heeft zelfs een eigen website: www.dario1.be. De aanstelling van de jeugdprins is een zaak van de Koekerellen.

Jan 2

Stadsprins Jan 2 is een 51-jarige federaal politieagent in Brussel, heeft een vrouw Lorrie en twee dochters, en is al van de jaren 70 actief bij het Hasselts carnavalgebeuren als lid van de teloorgegane Stadswacht. Hij is geboren op de Luikersteenweg, waar nu de Delhaize winkel heeft, en heeft nog school gelopen op de Villers en in het Koninklijk Atheneum. Hij is het Hasselts dialect goed machtig als geboren en getogen Hasselaar, maar het humorniveau van zijn voorganger Tutske 1 ziet hij zich bijlange niet evenaren.

Zonder regen

De aanstelling bleef gespaard van de regen, maar hevige windstoten zorgden er echter voor dat de carnavalssteek van Giovanni ging vliegen. Verder stonden er nog optredens van de Lanakense carnavalszanger Juleke en de Skydancers van Borgloon. Toeternietoe zorgde voor de muzikale noot. Achteraf kon het carnavalminnend volk nog terecht voor een receptie op het stadhuis.

Juist terug van het verre West Vlaanderen… Michiel, Steph & Thomas Bedankt voor de leuke 2 daagjes en al het lekkers! Jakke, Anne en Jules heel veel beterschap hé en ook bedankt voor het tof avondje!

Tot binnenkort!

Hier al enkele foto’s van de 2 dagen!

Thomas

Jules

J & J

M & T

Thanks

mmmmmm... ribbekes

Jam jam... feed the ...

Thomas

Anne & Jules

Jan & Jules

Stephanie & Anja - Mijn 8000ste foto van 't jaar

Happy Birthday to Nana, Happy Birthday to you, We love you dear Nana, and Kiss you Too Too.

Adoration from all of us, including the Two Ts and the Z!

Zelfstandig ondernemer, Jan Marechal (38), voorzitter van carnavalsvereniging De Knèpkes is voortaan de nieuwe voorzitter van Lijst Dedecker (LDD)  in Hasselt. In het kernbestuur wordt hij daarin bijgestaan door Els Jacobs, Johny Dubois en Marcel Schoebrechts.

Jan Marechal geniet goede faam in het Hasselts cultureel leven en heeft politieke bagage en ervaring opgedaan tijdens het voorzitterschap bij Jong Open Vld. Met LDD wil hij met zijn ploeg een rechts liberaal beleid varen, dat hij bij de Open VLD niet meer vond. Met zijn overgang heeft hij toch al een vijftiental nieuwe leden gemaakt.

Werkwijze

“Het eerste jaar wil ik nieuw politiek talent coachen en klaarstomen voor de politiek. De daaropvolgende twee jaren zullen we ons met man en macht inzetten om een goede uitslag in de Hasseltse gemeenteraadsverkiezing te behalen”, aldus Jan. Een fatsoenlijke oppositie voeren met degelijke argumentering en ook het breken van de huidige meerderheid zit in zijn hoofd. Eén van zijn strijdpunten is de verlaging van de onroerende voorheffing op gemeentelijk niveau.

www.lddhasselt.be

50 Cent Graces the Cover of XXL’s Dec/Jan Year-End Double Issue

As one of the game’s most influential artists, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has the honor of holding down not one but two separate covers of XXL’s special year-end double issue. In the December/January cover story, the G-Unit CEO breaks bread with XXL to talk about his new album Before I Self Destruct, his big year on the Web with his site thisis50.com, his role in hip-hop and much more. Also included is a 10-year anniversary tribute to the making of the record that first brought 50 to the public, “How to Rob.”

Other features in the first-ever Internet Issue are XXL’s list of the 100 Best Hip-Hop Web sites, articles on Snoop Dogg and OJ Da Juiceman, as well as tribute pieces to rap legends ODB and Mac Dre to commemorate the fifth year anniversary of their passing. For the first time ever XXL has two candidates for Eye Candy of the Year, complete with a reader contest to vote for your favorite. But wait, there’s more as XXL reviews the new Gucci Mane album, The State v. Radric Davis.

XXL’s December/January double issue hits newsstands on December 1!!!!