Even the Pres despises the iPad

President Obama fakes old fart syndrome with iPod hate

President Obama gave the commencement speech at Hampton University, but instead of his wicked humor making waves, it's his slam of technology including the iPod, iPad, Xbox and Playstation. And not just in class — in life.

Apparently too much information can be a bad thing, and we can't expect folks to effectively sort through the muck without a good education.

"And with iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation," Obama said. "So all of this is not only putting pressure on you; it's putting new pressure on our country and on our democracy."

From a journalist's standpoint, the idea of information (so long as it's accurate) as a distraction is of concern. But my real question is this: Why the veneer of being so out-of-touch?

Obama says he's got no idea how to operate an iPod? I've gotta call some bullshit on that, Brobama — remember when you admitted you had some Jay-Z on your iPod after famously brushing your shoulders off during a speech you gave after your debate with Hillary Clinton? I do — it was the ish. No need to pretend you're not clued in.

And does anyone else find this rather ironic coming from the first president to (also famously) demand that he get to keep his Blackberry while in office?

Guess we're supposed to put away the Halo's, the iPad apps and the Madden.

But Brick Breaker's just fine.

Watch Obama brush his shoulders off below. I'll venture to say he didn't learn this move in class:

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Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”