Keep em Coming Youtube!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
WWPD (WHAT WOULD PETA DO?)
So Far BPs Oil spill has killed
3,412 Seals
3,412 Seals
7,050 Gulf Coast Birds
845 Clown Fish (including Nemo)
209 Sting Rays
14 Parrots
333 Dolphins
Jaws
A lot of Coral
4 Gorillas
22 Elephants
17 snakes
Simba and Mufasa
6 Hyenas
67 Roaches
And a handful of homo-sapiens
And what have PETA SAID ABOUT THIS..Absolutely NOTHING!!!
*disclaimer: these numbers are only an estimate. Who knows how many Parrots BP have actually killed???
When I logged onto Peta.com, I was certain that they would jump down BP throat (just like they did Vick when he killed some Vicious pitbulls) but NOPE! Nothing was said! I didnt see any campaigns to stop using BP gas, what you can do to help the animals, NOTHING!! So Ive come to the conclusion that either BP is paying Peta to overlook this devasting tragedy or Peta doesnt care about animals covered in black oil (in my Kanye voice). I found three articles where Peta addressed the oil spill and this is what they had to say "dont blame BP. It's your fault. Stop eating meat!" Great advice Peta that definitely makes me feel more at ease about BP polluting our ocean.
Texas changes History: Politics Overpowering Education
The Texas Board of Education approved a curriculum that will change history, social studies and economics textbooks. The man in charge of pushing this new textbook bill through is Don McLeroy. Some people wonder what expertise McLeroy has to change history. Hes not a Historian, an Economist, or a teacher, hes a dentist in training (thats right A DENTIST). McLeroy claims that the Texas curriculum had been "unfairly skewed to the left" and that he wants to bring it back into balance. Conservative balance that is! Some of the new textbooks will include:
1. The words of Jefferson Davis, President of the confederacy during the civil war, be considered right along with President Lincoln.
2. The new curriculum plays down the role of Thomas Jefferson among the founding fathers, questions the separation of church and state, and claims that the U.S. government was infiltrated by Communists during the Cold War
3. The new textbook stresses the superiority of American capitalism (you know the superiority that says its okay for the top 1% to have 90% of the countrys profit.)
4. They also included a plank to ensure that students learn about the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schlafly, the Contract With America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association.
5. High school students will learn about leading conservative groups from the 1980s and 1990s but not about liberal or minority rights groups.
6. Board members also rejected requiring history teachers and textbooks to provide coverage on the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy and new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, while the late President Ronald Reagan was elevated to more prominent coverage.
7. Civil Rights Movement will be downplayed and all the credit will be given to the Republicans because they signed the bill for equal rights.
Thats just a handful of what is going to be changed. These new textbooks are meant for Texans students but what happens in Texas definitely does NOT stay in Texas. Texas has an estimated 4.8 million students that will be studying the revised curriculum over the next decade and Because the Texas textbook market is so large, books assigned to the state's 4.8 million students often rocket to the top of the market, decreasing costs for other school districts and leading them to buy the same materials. So in a few years your children will be reading these books. Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, said school officials should keep politics out of curriculum debates stating, "We do a disservice to children when we shield them from the truth, just because some people think it is painful or doesn't fit with their particular views. They are going overboard, they are not experts, they are not historians, she states. Changing history is only one of the first steps to Social Dictatorship. They are rewriting history, not only of Texas but of the United States and the world.
WHAT CAN I IDO:
1. Sign NAACP petition to stop these textbooks for reaching into other states at
2. Call your local elected officials urging them not to allow Texas new textbooks into the school systems
3. Call Texas officials and Shame them for thinking this was a good idea
4. Found out what dentist office Don McLeroy is working at, get your teeth done, AND NEVER PAY!
*disclaimer My suggestions are better than Bp's
1. The words of Jefferson Davis, President of the confederacy during the civil war, be considered right along with President Lincoln.
2. The new curriculum plays down the role of Thomas Jefferson among the founding fathers, questions the separation of church and state, and claims that the U.S. government was infiltrated by Communists during the Cold War
3. The new textbook stresses the superiority of American capitalism (you know the superiority that says its okay for the top 1% to have 90% of the countrys profit.)
4. They also included a plank to ensure that students learn about the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schlafly, the Contract With America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association.
5. High school students will learn about leading conservative groups from the 1980s and 1990s but not about liberal or minority rights groups.
6. Board members also rejected requiring history teachers and textbooks to provide coverage on the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy and new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, while the late President Ronald Reagan was elevated to more prominent coverage.
7. Civil Rights Movement will be downplayed and all the credit will be given to the Republicans because they signed the bill for equal rights.
Thats just a handful of what is going to be changed. These new textbooks are meant for Texans students but what happens in Texas definitely does NOT stay in Texas. Texas has an estimated 4.8 million students that will be studying the revised curriculum over the next decade and Because the Texas textbook market is so large, books assigned to the state's 4.8 million students often rocket to the top of the market, decreasing costs for other school districts and leading them to buy the same materials. So in a few years your children will be reading these books. Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, said school officials should keep politics out of curriculum debates stating, "We do a disservice to children when we shield them from the truth, just because some people think it is painful or doesn't fit with their particular views. They are going overboard, they are not experts, they are not historians, she states. Changing history is only one of the first steps to Social Dictatorship. They are rewriting history, not only of Texas but of the United States and the world.
WHAT CAN I IDO:
1. Sign NAACP petition to stop these textbooks for reaching into other states at
2. Call your local elected officials urging them not to allow Texas new textbooks into the school systems
3. Call Texas officials and Shame them for thinking this was a good idea
4. Found out what dentist office Don McLeroy is working at, get your teeth done, AND NEVER PAY!
*disclaimer My suggestions are better than Bp's
Look Out Artist: J. Cole
J. Cole may seem like he just came out of nowhere but this North Carolina rapper has more Buzz than a Bumblebee. Coles music is a mash up of dusty, soul filled sound beds, raw, energetic drums and an endless range of topics ranging from everything from carefree days of college to the endless plight of those have-nots scrapping for change Cole is here to sway Hip Hop it in a more insightful, meaningful and passionate direction.Jermaine Cole, better known as his stage name J. Cole, was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and then shortly after moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he was raised by his mother. Since the age of 12 he always knew that he wanted to be a rapper and by age 15 had notebooks filled with Rhymes. He even learned how to produce his music using a beat machine. By the time he graduated high school in 2003 Cole has a surefire way to get signed. He decided that he had a better chance of getting signed in New York City, so he attended St. John's on an academic scholarship. After graduating Cole released his debut mixtape The Come Up, in late 2007, two years later he released his second mixtape the Warm Up. Since then J. Cole has signed to Roc Nation and also appeared on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint 3, on the track "A Star Is Born. Cole has is currently working on his first debut album. If his album is anything like his mixtapes then expect only greatness.
Help wildlife threatened by the oil spill
A massive oil slick caused by the BP oil drilling platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico has reached the U.S. Gulf Coast. Efforts are already underway to protect sensitive ecological areas.
Many organizations are preparing to mobilize along the coast from Louisiana to Florida to help rescue animals and wildlife. The oil poses a serious threat to fishermen's livelihoods, marine habitats, beaches, wildlife, and human health.
Although BP has publicly stated the company will pay for all damages from the oil spill, many organizations still rely on donations to protect wildlife from this type of impact. For example, Greenpeace stated that it has opened support lines to report oiled wildlife, discuss oil-related damage, and for volunteer recruitment, and the group relies on donations from individuals for this type of work.
Click on the organizations below to donate or volunteer to help the wildlife and areas threatened by the oil spill.
Building a list of volunteers prepared to help with this response including wildlife recovery, monitoring and photographing oil movement, and providing a boats and drivers for response activities. Donate to Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Register to volunteer with Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.
Urging the public to help prevent another drilling disaster through advocacy. Donate to Defenders of Wildlife. Find volunteer opportunities with Defenders of Wildlife.
Gathering volunteer crews ready to help clean-up efforts. Donate to Emerald CoastKeeper. Find volunteer opportunities with Emerald CoastKeeper.
Defending our oceans and protecting our environment from toxic pollution like the recent oil spill. Donate to Greenpeace USA. Find volunteer opportunities with Greenpeace USA.
Multiracial USA
New Census Bureau estimates for 2009 show that the minority population grew by 2.5%, boosted by a surge in births among Latinos and an increase in the number of people who describe themselves as multiracial. During this time, the white population remained flat, making up roughly 65% of the country (199.9 million people).
In 2000, whites comprised 79% of the total population and minorities 21%.
Four states -- Hawaii, New Mexico, California and Texas -- as well as Washington, D.C., have minority populations that exceeded 50%. About 316 of the 3,143 counties -- one in 10 -- have minority populations of 50% or greater. That's up from more than 250 counties in 2000 .And it's one state more than in 2000, when Texas had not yet become a minority state. The 35% overall minority proportion of the population was up from 34% a year ago.
The new Census Bureau estimates, released Thursday, documented a widening age and race divide. They also are the last government numbers that will be available before the completion of the 2010 census, which could change the balance of political power when legislative districts are redrawn based on population and racial diversity.
The overall rise in the minority population is due to recent sharp increases in minority births, especially among Latinos, who made up more than half of the total population gains last year. There are roughly nine births for every death among the Latino population, compared to a roughly one-to-one ratio for whites.
As a result, even with immigration of Latinos slowing, U.S. minorities make up 49% of the children born in the U.S., up one percentage point from 2008. Based on current rates, data from the 2010 census could show a new tipping point in which babies born to minorities outnumber those of babies born to whites.
Multiracial Americans, the fastest growing U.S. demographic group, also are adding to minority gains. About 5.3 million people last year were identified as being of multiple race or ethnicity, up 3.2% from the previous year.
The Latino population grew by 3.1% to 48.4 million and the Asian population increased 2.5% to 13.7 million. They now represent about 15.8% and 4.5% of the U.S. population, respectively.Blacks, who make up about 12.3% of the population, increased less than 1% last year to 37.7 million.
Most parts of the country are now totally dependent on minorities for achieving growth in their young adult and child populations, said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, citing the low birth rates among whites as well as the aging white baby-boomer population.
Minorities are especially important for current and future labor force gains in all but the most rapidly growing parts of the country, he said.
-- Associated Press
The Boondocks
Im not sure whether to call it offensive or educational either way its hard to turn off. The Boondocks started as a comic strip written and drawn by Aaron McGruder. The comic strip features Huey Freeman - A 10-year-old boy with strident political awareness, and who sees himself as a revolutionary. Riley Freeman - The opposite of his older brother, praises the "thug life, and admires the rappers and thugs he sees on television. Other characters includes Rileys and Hueys grandfather, Robert Freeman. Thomas and Sara Dubois - An interracial couple in the neighborhood. Jazmine Dubois - Thomas and Sara's biracial, 10-year-old daughter.
If youve never sat down and watched an episode of the Boondocks it usually goes like this; Excessive use of the N-word, unflattering portrayal of African Americans people, political controversy, and the relentless bashing of entertainers. Im not that upset at the political controversy because we need to hear the stories of Bushs involvement with 9/11, Reagans treacherous ways and the fact that Condoleezza need a man. Im not even upset at the entertainer bashing because NOBODY is off limits when it comes to comedy. What seems to upset me most about this cartoon in the negative portrayal of African Americans. For instance the 1st episode of the 3rd season implicated that African Americans are only Dick Riding Obama because he is black, It even had a song entitled Dick Riding Obama. I guess its not possible to agree with his propaganda and his intelligence without it being called Dick Riding Season 3 is not the only time McGruder has crossed the line. Other controversial shows includes the depiction of BET as an evil media empire plotting the destruction of black people (okay that might be true). Another episode I recall is when Grandpa Freeman allowed Katrina victims to stay at his house and the Katrina victims were portrayed as lazy, sloppy, greedy, selfish, all while waiting on a Fema check. Although I wasnt a Katrina victim I felt as did not take into consideration that Katrina victims watched that show and felt discredited.
McGruder, admits he is purposely provocative -- he wants people to talk about the strip and show and watch and find them funny. But he also wants people to talk about issues they wouldn't otherwise confront and go beyond racial issues. Yea its a cartoon and its funny but the entertainment purposes overshadows the discussion it intends to provoke. I understand theres comedy and nobody is immune to comedic attacks, but to purposely portray a race (your own race at that) so viciously shouldnt be called comedy, more like treason. African Americans have a long way to go as far as respect and boondocks might give us a laugh or two but its harming more than hurting all while setting African Americans further back. Some of Mcgruders biggest critics have wondered whether his primary intent is to entertain instead of provoke real dialogue, and whether he is just capitalizing on hot-button issues.
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Monday, June 21, 2010
Bet's founder ashamed of the network
The Daily Beast caught up with Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET this past week during the Tribeca Film Festival and she shared her thoughts on the network since selling it to Viacom in 2000.
"Dont even get me started, I dont watch it. I suggest to my kids [a 20-something daughter and a college-age son] that they dont watch it Im ashamed of it, if you want to know the truth. t wasnt always that way. When we started BET, it was going to be the Ebony magazine on television, Johnson tells me. We had public affairs programming. We had news I had a show called Teen Summit, we had a large variety of programming, but the problem is that then the video revolution started up And then something started happening, and I didnt like it all. And I remember during those days we would sit up and watch these videos and decide which ones were going on and which ones were not. We got a lot of backlash from recording artistsand we had to start showing them. I didnt like the way women were being portrayed in these videos. I just really wish, and not just BET, but a lot of television programming that they would stop lowering the bar so far just so they can get eyeballs to the screen. I know they think thats whats going to keep programming on the air; thats whats going to sell advertising. But there has got to be some responsibility. Somebody has got to take this over. Because with all the studies that are out there, this is contributing to an atmosphere of free sex, I dont have to protect myself anymore."
Interesting article. Sheila & Bob Johnson started the network 3 decades ago with $15,000 in seed money and $500,000 from an investor. When they sold the company to Viacom in 2000, they pocketed 1.3 billion making them the first African American billionaires in the nation.
Dear Sheila DON'T complain because its your fault. What did you think selling the company to Viacom was going to do?? She saw those billions and SOLD OUT!
Gulf Oil Spill
An oil spill that threatened to eclipse even the Exxon Valdez disaster spread out of control with a faint sheen washing ashore along the Gulf Coast Thursday night as fishermen rushed to scoop up shrimp and crews spread floating barriers around marshes.
The spill was bigger than imagined five times more than first estimated and closer. Faint fingers of oily sheen were reaching the Mississippi River delta, lapping the Louisiana shoreline in long, thin lines.
The oil slick could become the nation's worst environmental disaster in decades, threatening hundreds of species of fish, birds and other wildlife along the Gulf Coast, one of the world's richest seafood grounds, teeming with shrimp, oysters and other marine life. Thicker oil was in waters south and east of the Mississippi delta about five miles offshore.
The leak from the ocean floor proved to be far bigger than initially reported, contributing to a growing sense among many in Louisiana that the government failed them again, just as it did during Hurricane Katrina. President Barack Obama dispatched Cabinet officials to deal with the crisis.
The Coast Guard worked with BP, which operated the oil rig that exploded and sank last week, to deploy floating booms, skimmers and chemical dispersants, and set controlled fires to burn the oil off the water's surface.
The company has requested more resources from the Defense Department, especially underwater equipment that might be better than what is commercially available. A BP executive said the corporation would "take help from anyone."
Government officials said the blown-out well 40 miles offshore is spewing five times as much oil into the water as originally estimated about 5,000 barrels, or 200,000 gallons, a day.
At that rate, the spill could eclipse the worst oil spill in U.S. history the 11 million gallons that leaked from the grounded tanker Exxon Valdez in Alaska's Prince William Sound in 1989 in the three months it could take to drill a relief well and plug the gushing well 5,000 feet underwater on the sea floor.
Ultimately, the spill could grow much larger than the Valdez because Gulf of Mexico wells tap deposits that hold many times more oil than a single tanker. -- Geoff Mohan
Source: LA Times/Enviornment
The Changing of The Guard: Class In Session
Class distinctions were once rigid, unbending social structures that one had to be born into. In times past, it was difficult if not impossible to move up or down. Breeding, pedigree, background, education, the right schools, the right colleges, and the right Greek organizations (1906-1913) were all qualifications one must have had to be a member of the black higher classes. Looking at photos from any era, one could judge the subjects class by their clothing. Style was indicative to class. Class then was more of a caste, an immobile structure.
The class structures of today are based solely on family salaries. And though most of the buying power lies in the wallets of the white upper-class, it is the black lower class that spends the most money on fashion. For those who grew up near or around project homes, they may remember that the kids who lived there often wore the latest and most expensive clothes.
One reason for this dis-correlation between earnings and spending is television. The entertainment industry has allowed those who normally wouldnt have been accepted into the upper-class to buy their way up. And those people- athletes, actors, singers, dancers, etc- have in turn brought the upper class back to the hood by influencing its occupants to buy upper-class priced clothing.
So the end result is that most families who survive off (in a year) less than what an upper-class family makes (in a month) will continue to spend money on things that they cant afford to emulate people whom they dont know. Thus, the lower-class will continue to grow poorer and the upper-class, who makes and markets these fashions, will continue to grow richer
James R Jones
jjoneswrites@yahoo.com
The class structures of today are based solely on family salaries. And though most of the buying power lies in the wallets of the white upper-class, it is the black lower class that spends the most money on fashion. For those who grew up near or around project homes, they may remember that the kids who lived there often wore the latest and most expensive clothes.
One reason for this dis-correlation between earnings and spending is television. The entertainment industry has allowed those who normally wouldnt have been accepted into the upper-class to buy their way up. And those people- athletes, actors, singers, dancers, etc- have in turn brought the upper class back to the hood by influencing its occupants to buy upper-class priced clothing.
James R Jones
jjoneswrites@yahoo.com
Album Reviews
I was expecting a "lets change the world, Kumbayaa, love peace and soul" album but it was not what I expected. Erykah Badu's album impressed in more ways than one. "The album is so rich with sample-reliant songs that it sometimes resembles a glorified mixtape."
Her songs ranged from Losing love and regaining cofidence in "20 feet tall" to playing on the foolish blindness of love in "You loving me" to sampling the late great Big Papa's hit song "Get Munny". This album is sure to please with its "rich and layered sound, piano/key structure, guitar/bass pacing and loose vocal construction."
This album is brilliant no matter how you take it.
The adventures of Bobby Ray; B.o.B.'s first full length record, The Adventures of Bobby Ray, is a lot of things. It's pop ("Nothin' on You feat. Bruno Mars"). It's straight-up rap ("Bet I feat. T.I. and Playboy Tre"). It's smooth R&B ("The Kids feat. Janelle Monae"). It's indie pop ("Magic feat. Rivers Cuomo"). It's emo alt-rock ("Airplanes feat. Hayley Williams" and "Airplanes Pt. II feat. Eminem and Hayley Williams").
That sounds, on paper, like a recipe for disaster, or at least something somewhat less than cohesive. And that would be the case if it all weren't so amazingly good. At its heart, the record is hip-hop, but B.o.B. takes that genre and melds it effectively with a number of different musical ideas. B.o.B. is: an interesting musician with an intriguing career ahead of him.
Written by Phil Owen
When I heard Usher's "Daddy's Home" I enjoyed it. (even though he's a lil too old to be singing such an elementary song). Then I heard "OMG" and was even more impressed! Then he came with "There goes my baby" and it blew me out the water. Usher gave me goosbumps with that song. Then "Little Freak", a bit Cruddy but I still rocked with it.
Back to back to back Usher was coming out with chart topping singles which made me even more excited to buy the CD. BUT when I bought the CD is was a HUGE dissapoint. His CD wasnt what I expected and didnt give me the Pizazz I was expecting. So I not saying that I hated it... I just like his singles much better.
Double Down or Heart Attack??!?!
KFC’s new Double Down sandwich has been buzzed about since its ingredients were revealed. The Double Down is essentially a sandwich with two chicken fillets taking the place of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese and a zesty sauce. The sandwich will pack 540 calories, 32 grams of fat and 1,380 milligrams of sodium, according to KFC.
This thing looks like it should come with a bottle of Aspirin, just in case you have a HEART ATTACK after consuming something like this! Should you eat this? Probably not. It is very much what you think it is, a sloppy and salty mess, and will make your stomach hurt for several hours after you've consumed it.
Garbage Patch
Researchers are warning of a new blight on the ocean: a swirl of confetti-like plastic debris stretching over thousands of square miles in a remote expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The debris is harmful for fish, sea mammals — and at the top of the food chain, potentially humans — even though much of the plastic has broken into such tiny pieces they are nearly invisible.
Since there is no realistic way of cleaning the oceans, advocates say the key is to keep more plastic out by raising awareness and, wherever possible, challenging a throwaway culture that uses non-biodegradable materials for disposable products. "Our job now is to let people know that plastic ocean pollution is a global problem — it unfortunately is not confined to a single patch," Cummins said.
Long trails of seaweed, mixed with bottles, crates and other flotsam, drift in the still waters of the area, known as the North Atlantic Subtropical Convergence Zone. Cummins' team even netted a Trigger fish trapped alive inside a plastic bucket.But the most nettlesome trash is nearly invisible: countless specks of plastic, often smaller than pencil erasers, suspended near the surface of the deep blue Atlantic.
Plastics have entangled birds and turned up in the bellies of fish: A paper cited by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says as many as 100,000 marine mammals could die trash-related deaths each year.
Source: http://www.michaelmoore.com
Since there is no realistic way of cleaning the oceans, advocates say the key is to keep more plastic out by raising awareness and, wherever possible, challenging a throwaway culture that uses non-biodegradable materials for disposable products. "Our job now is to let people know that plastic ocean pollution is a global problem — it unfortunately is not confined to a single patch," Cummins said.
Long trails of seaweed, mixed with bottles, crates and other flotsam, drift in the still waters of the area, known as the North Atlantic Subtropical Convergence Zone. Cummins' team even netted a Trigger fish trapped alive inside a plastic bucket.But the most nettlesome trash is nearly invisible: countless specks of plastic, often smaller than pencil erasers, suspended near the surface of the deep blue Atlantic.
Plastics have entangled birds and turned up in the bellies of fish: A paper cited by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says as many as 100,000 marine mammals could die trash-related deaths each year.
Source: http://www.michaelmoore.com
Nas Vs. Kelis: Its Cheaper to keep her!
Nas must have really pissed his wife Kelis off!
The NY rapper went to court Monday to handle some legal business involving his ongoing divorce battle with his estranged wife, singer Kelis. And TMZ is reporting that Nas was ordered to immediately pay over $87,000 in back child/spousal support.
He was also ordered to fork over $10,000/mo in spousal support until he pays off the $299,015.50 he already owes her. In addition, The 36-year-old emcee must pay 90% of Kelis’ legal fees, which amount to $155,787.28. And lastly, Nas was ordered to pay over $48,000 to cover his soon-to-be ex-wife’s accounting expenses.
Did this dude just get raped or what?!
Source: http://gossiponthis.com/
Featured Video "La Roux": Impeccable Style & Individuality
La roux is an astonishing duo out of the UK.."When La Roux's uptempo synths kick in at the opening here, music fans will be instantly transported to 80's electropop memories" Not only is the song "Bulletproof amazing but thier visual style is as arresting as the music."
La Roux's lead singer, Elly Jackson's, style is one that she owns and can be compared to the timeless trends of the 80's. Her style is so influential mainly because its one of a kind. Elly Jackson is a refreshing alternative to the hashed up and mashed up graphic artists and fashionistas. She proves that you dont have to show skin and wear skimpy clothes to get fans all you need is good music.
Elly Jackson has a strong individualistic attitude and her music brings back something that was lost in the midst of the modern music today, Enjoy her video as she shows us impeccable style, immaculate visualiztaions, and unaltered music.
La Roux's lead singer, Elly Jackson's, style is one that she owns and can be compared to the timeless trends of the 80's. Her style is so influential mainly because its one of a kind. Elly Jackson is a refreshing alternative to the hashed up and mashed up graphic artists and fashionistas. She proves that you dont have to show skin and wear skimpy clothes to get fans all you need is good music.
Elly Jackson has a strong individualistic attitude and her music brings back something that was lost in the midst of the modern music today, Enjoy her video as she shows us impeccable style, immaculate visualiztaions, and unaltered music.
The Changing of the Guard: Style Versus Fashion as Defined Within the Rise of the Black Middle Class
Though most people within the black diaspora share a common history and heritage, our views on that history and heritage are skewed and separated due to our varying memberships within the class structures of our society. Though believed to be a reconstruction-period invention, the black middle class, and higher social classes still, extend as far back as the beginning of time-in Africa.
To know that we are a people with such a vast history is also to know that both style and fashion have played a major part of our culture since its ancient origins. Within every class structure, there has always existed a standard of dress which defined and divided the classes.
In modern times, it would seem that those standards have all but disappeared. The Old Guard of yesterday, a formal society consisting of top hats, pearls, silk gowns, canes, tuxedo jackets, shawls, and wingtips is being replaced with the The New Guard of today, a shapeless mass of people prone to jeans, graphic Ts, stilettos, Timberland boots, and gaudy diamonds.
When looking at the relaxed standards of dress between the classes, the question arises: Is our clothing defined by our social class? Another question can also be pondered: Does our belonging to a particular class dictate our wardrobes.
I am not an expert on fashion. But I am an expert on literature. In the African American Literature genre, our peoples travels from Africa, to Europe, to Asia, to the Carribean, and to America have been documented. Within the pages of these books also lies the testimony that clothing was essential to our culture.
Looking back allows us to look at now. And perhaps if we knew of our rise, we would understand where and how we fell- with style and fashion that is. Also, we would understand that the things we put on daily do, or at least once did, speak volumes of our backgrounds, families, home sizes, cars, back accounts, cattle heads, and yams stored in barns.
To know that we are a people with such a vast history is also to know that both style and fashion have played a major part of our culture since its ancient origins. Within every class structure, there has always existed a standard of dress which defined and divided the classes.
In modern times, it would seem that those standards have all but disappeared. The Old Guard of yesterday, a formal society consisting of top hats, pearls, silk gowns, canes, tuxedo jackets, shawls, and wingtips is being replaced with the The New Guard of today, a shapeless mass of people prone to jeans, graphic Ts, stilettos, Timberland boots, and gaudy diamonds.
When looking at the relaxed standards of dress between the classes, the question arises: Is our clothing defined by our social class? Another question can also be pondered: Does our belonging to a particular class dictate our wardrobes.
I am not an expert on fashion. But I am an expert on literature. In the African American Literature genre, our peoples travels from Africa, to Europe, to Asia, to the Carribean, and to America have been documented. Within the pages of these books also lies the testimony that clothing was essential to our culture.
Looking back allows us to look at now. And perhaps if we knew of our rise, we would understand where and how we fell- with style and fashion that is. Also, we would understand that the things we put on daily do, or at least once did, speak volumes of our backgrounds, families, home sizes, cars, back accounts, cattle heads, and yams stored in barns.
Lil Wayne's Letter From Jail
Lil Wayne wrote a letter to his fans from jail in Rikers Island.
Love. Live. Life. Proceed. Progress. Thats who I am and who Ill always be. You see, were all living on borrowed time, so Im not worried about this situation. Life happens quick. The more time you spend contemplating what you should have doneyou lose valuable time planning what you can and will do. Trying to tear down the past prohibits you from building up your future. So for my time here, my physical will be confined to the yard. My love and my spirit, however, know no boundaries.
Im in good spirits man, for real. My kids race through my mind all day. They know they were created with love, so love is how their life will be defined. I just hope my love and adoration for them provides a temporary bandage on a wound I unknowingly inflicted on them.
Real soon, you can catch me blogging for ESPN again thank you espn for not letting my passion for sports perish. I work out a lot because it helps pass the time. I read the Bible everyday. Jail didnt make me find God, Hes always been there. They can lock me up, but my spirit and my love can never be confined to prison walls.
But this isnt all about me, you are the reason for this letter. Its because of you Rebirth went gold when critics aborted it. Its because of you Young Money is and will always be a movement. If the weight of the world is on your shoulders, I beg of you, place it on mine. Thats the least I could do for you, after all you have sacrificed for me. If I could, Id write each one of you back. Because of this, my team and I have created a website where you can view my letters. Each week Ill answer as many questions as I possibly can.
Mia Edwards (Southern California) I wish you nothing but the best for you. Earning your Masters in Library and Information Science is beautiful. Ill keep you in mind whenever I decide to do an autobiography on my life.
Kelly Holloman (Brooklyn) I still remember your letter. You have a great spirit. Thank you for the words and being a real fan. I love you.
Nurris Terrero (New York) Your letter was so thoughtful and sincere. The way you worded everything left me in awe. Please send suggestions on books I should read. I look forward to checking them out.
For real, this will be the best way we can communicate for the coming months. The same way yall miss me, I miss yall, only 100 times more. To those who hate. Hate is only a form love that hasnt found a way to express itself logically. Keep sending the letters and I promise keep responding. Thank YOU, thank YOU, thank YOU. No matter what they do to erase me, my love for you will always be permanent. Remember that. Take care. God bless.
Give me the patience that I need
To keep my piece of mind,
And with lifes cares, I hope, Dear God,
Some happiness to find.
Give me the courage to face life`s trials
and not to from troubles run.
let me keep this thought in mind.
Thy Will, not Mine, be done.
- Pray
M.I.A. Goes in on Lady Gaga
Songwriter/producer/musician M.I.A recently spoke out on how she feels about fellow Pop singer LADY GAGA's rapid rise to superstardom. Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam, most known simply by her stage name M.I.A. said that she thinks that Gaga is simply a mimic of whats been done before, adding that her music isnt truly genuine. She says all of this in her cover issue for NME Magazine, a British publication.
"People say were similar, that we both mix all these things in the pot and spit them out differently, she said, but she spits it out exactly the same. None of her musics reflective of how weird she wants to be or thinks she is."
She added: "She models herself on Grace Jones and Madonna but the music sounds like 20 year-old Ibiza disco. Shes not progressive, but shes a good mimic. She sounds more like me than I f**king do! Thats a talent but shes the industrys last stab at making itself important."
Movie Reviews
When did it become cool to take a loveable childrens'story and turn it into a borderline horror movie? "Alice in Wonderland" is just plain difficult to watch. The movie is simply an eyesore. Gaudy colors and shallow artifice everywhere, all of it overflowing with annoying, overacted eccentric weirdos. After sitting at the movies for3 hours I was more than ESTATIC to see Alice become a businesswomen........A BUSINESSWOMAN????
Whats this??? Isn't he a vampire or something
Facebook Faux-Pas
With more than 400 million active visitors, Facebook is arguably the most popular social networking site out there. And while the site is known for the casual social aspect, many users also use it as a professional networking tool. With that kind of reach, Facebook can be a valuable tool for connecting to former and current colleagues, clients and potential employers. Some of these Facebook faux-pas they might cost you a great opportunity.
1. Inappropriate Pictures
It may go without saying, but prospective employers or clients don't want to see pictures of you chugging a bottle of wine or dressed up for a night at the bar.
2. Complaining About Your Current Job
You've no doubt done this at least once. It could be a full note about how much you hate your office, or how incompetent your boss is, or it could be as innocent as a status update about how your coworker always shows up late.
3. Statuses You Wouldn't Want Your Boss to See
Statuses that imply you are unreliable, deceitful, and basically anything that doesn't make you look as professional as you'd like, can seriously undermine your chances at landing that new job.
4. Guilty by Association
You can't control what your friends post to your profile (although you can remove it once you see it), nor what they post to their own profiles or to those of mutual friends. If a potential client or employer sees those Friday night pictures your friend has tagged you in where he is falling down drunk, it reflects poorly on you, even if the picture of you is completely innocent.
Facebook Can Help You Get Hired or Fired
The best advice is to lock down your personal profile so that only friends you approve can see anything on that profile. Then, create a second, public profile on Facebook purely for professional use.
Source Yahoo.com
1. Inappropriate Pictures
It may go without saying, but prospective employers or clients don't want to see pictures of you chugging a bottle of wine or dressed up for a night at the bar.
2. Complaining About Your Current Job
You've no doubt done this at least once. It could be a full note about how much you hate your office, or how incompetent your boss is, or it could be as innocent as a status update about how your coworker always shows up late.
3. Statuses You Wouldn't Want Your Boss to See
Statuses that imply you are unreliable, deceitful, and basically anything that doesn't make you look as professional as you'd like, can seriously undermine your chances at landing that new job.
4. Guilty by Association
You can't control what your friends post to your profile (although you can remove it once you see it), nor what they post to their own profiles or to those of mutual friends. If a potential client or employer sees those Friday night pictures your friend has tagged you in where he is falling down drunk, it reflects poorly on you, even if the picture of you is completely innocent.
Facebook Can Help You Get Hired or Fired
The best advice is to lock down your personal profile so that only friends you approve can see anything on that profile. Then, create a second, public profile on Facebook purely for professional use.
Source Yahoo.com
Very Stylish Kids
I've always wondered who dresses these two. They're style is impeccable and they have'nt hit puberty yet.Willow and Jadan Smith not only show thier individuality through thier clothing but the look great doing it.
How 2 get over your EX
AS you may know summer time is nearing which means more skin and less clothes. It also means an alarming rate of breakups. if you so happen to be a victim of a "realtionship gone wrong', follow these steps and you should be fine.
Step 1: Mourn
Initially, the break up may hit you hard. It is alright to cry. Let it all out now, that is what the mourning stage is for.
Step 2: Distance Yourself
If the hurt and anger is overwhelming, distance yourself from your Ex completely.
Step 3: Stop being a Cyber stalker
Your morning routine should not consist of logging on to facebook or twitter and going straight to your ex's profile.
Step 4: Stop conversing about your ex
Every converstatioon should not be about your ex and honeslty who wants to sit around and talk about your ex all day?
Step 5: Learn How to Pass the Time Solo
You had a life before your ex came along, and you will have one after. Fill up your time with activities you enjoy.
Step 6: Remove memory triggers
There are all kinds of things that remind you of your ex - a teddy bear, a movie , a poem. Get rid of the things that reminds you of them. I'm not saying throw it away, just put in the deepest darkest closet you can find.
Step 7: No more Sex!
No intercourse, penetration, copulation, fornication, lovemaking, sleeping around, quickies, aftenoon delights, etc. Once you both decide to go your sepearate ways you should no longer be having sexual relations. Not only does it complicate things, but it makes it DAMN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE to move on.
Step 8: Forgive
Forgive your Ex, no matter what they did or didn't do. But remember forgiveness has little to do with words, and more to do with action.
Featured Video (Lady Gaga and Beyonce
Raise your hand if you've seen the latest Gaga video featuring Beyonce.
Now raise your hand if you thought it made any sense......
Don't worry, WE didnt get it either....... Hopefully the "featured video" will put things in perspective
What is Style Versus Fashion?
America is no longer a nation of individuality, its become a nation filled with self-gratifying groups and we’ve becoming a consuming society (especially African American youth). I’ve started this company because people will often enter a compulsive pursuit of ego-gratification (self-gratification) through fashion in order to identify with something. When Individuals fall into a frenzy of constant possesions, money, success, power, they lose their individuality, freedom, and free thought. Their obsession with fashion becomes their mind control which ultimately poisons that person and turn them into a social group other than a distinctive individual. Style Versus Fashion company focuses of Individuality “style”, as opposed to media consensus. “fashion”. You don’t need lots of money to be stylish. Style is your personality while Fashion is a social agreement usually determined by others (hence the name Style Versus Fashion)
So what is the difference between Style and Fashion?
Most people would think that there is NO difference between the two, but there are major differences.
Fashion is determined by others, usually magazines, models, media, etc. Fashion has time limits because its a trend; one day its in and the next its out. Fashion moves in cycles that are based on the collective social mood of the population and is usually looked at as a social agreement.
On the other hand, style is YOU. It's a perfect representation of yourself and who you are. Style is an extension of your attitude, personality, and instinct. Style is not material. It's a form of expression- a statement, and it's in the choices you make. Clothes are just one way of expressing style.
Fashion fades but Style is forever.
For the official site check out www.styleVERSUSfashion.com
So what is the difference between Style and Fashion?
Most people would think that there is NO difference between the two, but there are major differences.
Fashion is determined by others, usually magazines, models, media, etc. Fashion has time limits because its a trend; one day its in and the next its out. Fashion moves in cycles that are based on the collective social mood of the population and is usually looked at as a social agreement.
On the other hand, style is YOU. It's a perfect representation of yourself and who you are. Style is an extension of your attitude, personality, and instinct. Style is not material. It's a form of expression- a statement, and it's in the choices you make. Clothes are just one way of expressing style.
Fashion fades but Style is forever.
For the official site check out www.styleVERSUSfashion.com
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