(Music Series on the Spot) RIP Baby Girl by Donald Mitchell

This was one of the many Aaliyah songs that I loved, simply because even though Aaliyah wasn't the greatest artist vocally, but she brought her own Detroit style to the table. (not to mention, she looks DAYUM good in a 2 split skirt). Even though her beginnings started off with that scandalous pedophilic musical mastermind R'rah Kelly, she eventually bloomed into her own, and realized that the girly look was gonna take her farther in the business than the "thug misses" look ever would. (and I agree...leave that to Da Brat..lol).

Aaliyah's life was taken way before her time shoulda been gone, but honestly I guess that's not really my decision to make. She gave us 3 good to great albums before her untimely passing, but if given the chance, I bet that she had a lot more to offer the world. Aaliyah paved the way for such folks like Ciara and Teyana Taylor...but I betcha that if she was still alive, that she woulda been blowin them to pieces. Some of my favorites by the Baby Girl herself are listed below (and low key, I still bump some of them to this day. lol)Back and Forth- The first single from her first CD "Age Ain't Nothin But a Number". This was the song that introduced us to the female protege of R'rah.

Street Thing- This wasn't a mainstream hit, but it was a banger. Loved the feeling she put into it.

Age Ain't Nothin But a Number- The title track from her 1st cd that let folks know that even though she may be young, she still know how to get down.

One in a Million- A re-used title with a bangin beat and different words. The title track from her second CD: this was the beginning of a Timbo era.

If Your Girl Only Knew- The first single released from the second CD. Probably was the theme song for all those fly girls back in the day. LOL

We Need a Resolution- First track from her self-titled and last CD. She really came wit it. Gotta love the Timbo beat.

I Care 4 U- Love the sincerity in this video. She vows to make things all better after a broken relationship. Fellas, how many of us are lookin for someone like that?

I Don't Wanna Be- From the Romeo Must Die Soundtrack....acting was pretty bad, but the song knocks tho!

There were plenty of others that could and should be mentioned here, but if I listed all of the songs that banged throughout her career, we'd be here all day. I know that you guys got more to list, but these are the ones that stood out to me. The world is missing an angel, but she's in Heaven right now performing for those people up there now.

R.I.P. Aaliyah

"Dinner Fo' Show" By: Luminous

Toby’s Dinner Theater ain’t got nothing on this. Yes, I said “ain’t got,” but when you are writing a review of “Dinner fo’ Show: The Dinner Show,” how else would you describe it. The overall show left you with a twang in your toes, broken vernacular and an urge to contort your face… all in a good way. I mean have you ever heard some feel good music that made you step outside of the constrictions of your 9-5 box and just get loose?

Hosted by the hip-hop duo AXIOM, the show started off with the dinner portion. The menu consisted of baked chicken, macaroni & cheese, green beans and a choice between sweet potato biscuit or a dinner roll. I must add that the staff were pretty accommodating after finding out that I didn’t eat meat, and for that I awarded the first gold dinner plate of the night. The premise was to let the patrons enjoy a hearty meal and then push the tables back to party. I thought it was a rather fulfilling idea being as though you were being feed both physically and mentally with food and music. Plus, the dancing portion provided a great opportunity to burn off the calories from the previous meal. Four bands and a full belly, you can’t beat such a thing for $15.

First up to the stage was Old Man Brown, a band who named themselves after the owner of the barn where they originally held rehearsals. I’m not sure I can accurately describe their sound or musical genre but if you were to take funk, blues, R&B and soul and threw it into your juicer the finely strained liquid would be the sound of Old Man Brown. I know that my musical ear and brain process things in a different manor than most but, I immediately think of a mesh between Washington D.C.’s W. Ellington Felton, Maxwell and Christion. Smooth, nutritious and filling. Similar to an appetizer, just enough to hit the spot but leaving you with enough room for more, from original songs to covers this band was an eXcellent way to start the show.

Dinner is served. Presented before you on a piping hot plate but cool enough to not burn your musical palate, A Cool Stick fed a meal that may have been deceiving to the naked eye. Dressed in typical “B-Boy” lounge gear, these guys took the stage and commanded it and the crowd with much more style and grace than their small frames are looked to be able to handle. Spitting verses in tempos that most wouldn’t be able to keep up with, these guys laced the lounge area of Club Reality with lyrical fire and warmed the crowd up for the final act. Slowly but surely, the audience members began to vacate their seats and vibe along with flow of the music. Once they got to the cover of Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” many audience members were dancing and singing along.



Funk Friday slid in right behind A Cool Stick and hypnotized the crowd with their melodic instrumentals. J Pope joined in to season the third course with just enough flavor to keep the audience salivating for more. AXIOM hit the stage with tons of energy, as they are known to do and they brought the final flavor to top off a perfect meal. Similar to the ultimate sundae that brings a smile and a happy dance at the conclusion of your meal, everyone was out of their seats. Then again, most didn’t have a choice because the tables and chairs were taken away for the specific reason of partying. LOVE the poet and J Pope made guest appearances in the song “Money Matters” and AXIOM performed tracks off of both albums “The Mixtape” and “Heat Rises.” They even did a flash back segment with the help of the DJ where they sang snippets of oldie but goodies.

All in all, I give the show 4 out of 5 gold dinner plates and the lack of the last plate wasn’t due to the line up or the energy level of the performers. I was kind of disappointed that everyone in the building wasn’t on their feet rocking out with the performers. This show was well thought out and put together and although everyone isn’t the dancing type, it doesn’t take much to throw your hands in the air, bob your head and throw a bit of energy and enthusiasm towards the artist. After all, they are pouring their heart into the show that they are putting before you. Great price, great food and great performances, I can honestly say that I left well fed and got a dance workout in the process.

Much peace, love and light


For more on the groups:
http://www.oldmanbrown.com
http://www.acoolstick.com
http://www.mindstatemix.com

Rise of the Aryans By Jamal Greene

Never again. It is a phrase that calls to remembrance the horrors of the Holocaust and the genocides that followed; to never forget that in order for atrocities to occur, the world must turn its back and allow them to. At this present time the world faces another totalitarian regime bent on dominating the energy rich region of the Persian Gulf, and destroying an Ancient people, already having suffered under the Holocaust, by embroiling them in the flames on a nuclear attack. Iran, a regime the US government claims to be the world’s leading exporter of Terrorism around the world; a regime that has been responsible for hundreds, maybe thousands, of US deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan due to its shipment of explosive devices to Terrorists and Militia fighters.

Today the Islamic Republic declared itself A Nuclear State, with the ability to enrich uranium up to 80%, which is weapons grade. Iran claims to have produced its first batch of 20 % enriched uranium, a feat that many did not expect so soon. In his inaugural address, President Obama said, “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” In response, the Iranian Supreme leader in short told America to stuff it and he considered it disgusting to negotiate with America, even with the Anointed One as President. Throughout 2009, Iran tests fired several short to medium range missiles with little to no action on the part of the US administration and the international community. In 2009 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood in the UN general assembly and assailed the world for allowing a dictatorial mad man like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to once again make a mockery of the world and Jewish people worldwide by denying the holocaust and routinely calling for Israel’s destruction. The Israeli Prime Minister, and indeed the world, is now asking themselves, have the time for sanctions pasts?

There are some that would argue that the time for sanctions have pasts and that’s it time for the US or Israel to take out the Iranian facilities. However, the regional and international repercussions of such a strike would be major to say the least. Some believe a surgical airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities would be a quick, slam dunk, operation but there are many reasons to believe such thoughts are based in idealism, not Realism. We have learned over the past few months of a secret Iranian enrichment facility located in the Shiite holy city of Qom, and there are many who believe there are more such facilities yet to be uncovered. An airstrike against the known Iranian facilities would be relatively easy for an Air Force as technologically advanced as America or Israel but the strike would fail to hit the facilities we believe may exist but don’t know there locations; and it’s the unknown facilities that should cause concern. Soon after the air strike to take out the known nuclear facilities, ground forces would need to be sent in to find the other facilities and troops in the region would have to be put on high alert as the Iranians seek retaliation. Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and other allies in the region would need to be protected from a bombardment of Iranian missiles, plus Israel and Lebanon would also have to defend against incoming rocket and missile attacks from Iranian proxies Hezbollah and Hamas. The region could diverge into regional war causing massive shock waves through the financial markets as oil prices soared. These are very possible scenarios that could unfold in the event of a surgical strike to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities. The strike would have to be on a massive scale if we are to downgrade Iran’s retaliatory measures and protect our troops and allies in the region. Not only would we have to go after known Nuke facilities but also high level military installations and bases. The question American and Israeli policy makers must ask themselves: Are we ready to put a substantial amount of human life on the line by green lighting the strikes?

Currently the US and other western nations are calling for a new round of international sanctions on Iran targeting their financial sectors and refined petroleum imports. The United States and others such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom could move quickly to impose unilateral economic sanctions on Iran, barring any company doing business with Iran from doing business within their perspective countries. The hope of sanctions is that companies and individuals doing business with Iran would be so adversely affected by not having access to US and Western markets that they’d divest from Iran thereby crippling Iran’s economy. However, Iran, similar to Iraq and North Korea, has survived sanctions in the past and would most likely survive these due to Iran’s trade and economic agreements with China and Russian; these are the same nations by the way that are standing in the way of meaningful sanctions. China has repeatedly voiced their opposition to new sanctions on Iran via the UN Security Council and although the Obama administration claims to be making inroads with convincing Russia, the real story tells another tale. Russia has economic, political, and diplomatic relations with Iran and as late as 2009 there was much reported in the international press on the pending Natural Gas cartel to be headed by Russia and Iran; these are the two nations with the largest known world reserves. Without Russia and China onboard, and with those nations continuing to support Iran’s economy, there are only minimal effects sanctions can have. It should be the policy of the United States of America to use every tool in its diplomatic and political arsenal to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. This means the US congress should pass and President Obama should sign the Refined Petroleum Act forbidding companies and individuals from doing business with both Iran and American financial institutions. The Obama administration should hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I believe war with Iran is inevitable because I understand the mentality of the radical fundamentalists that control Iran. Religiously, these individuals are what are known as “twelvers”, and they are called “twelvers” because they believe in the ultimate return of the Twelfth Imam, their version of an Islamic Messiah. The leaders of Iran believe that in order for this Figure to appear, the world must first warrant his coming through war and bloodshed. Only in a time a severe chaos, do they believe the Imam will appear and save his people from destruction. The Iranian’s believe they can bring about such calamity with a nuclear weapon. As outlandish as this may sound to some who have not studied the different schools within Islam, it is a reality. Many would have thought it was just as outlandish to say that 19 men of Middle Eastern descent and sharing a common Islamic faith would highjack airplanes on a bright September’s morning and change this nation’s history forever. But it happened. In the event that sanctions have minimal effect on dissuading Iran’s activities, then the US should quickly move to take out the known facilities, buying Israel and the world more time to locate the other facilities, take them out, and help the Iranian people to topple the current regime. I’ll leave you all with an interesting and thought provoking account of contemporary Iranian history. Persia, the name Iran was known by until more modern times; but when and why did Persia become Iran? During the years of Adolf Hitler’s rule in Germany, the Iranian Ambassador to Germany and the Nazi’s decided that during the “war to end all wars”, or WWII, that Iran should declare its alliance with Nazi Germany, and it was to be public. Sadly it is rarely mentioned in the media or foreign policy publications as to why Persia became Iran; and there are scant sources found by a simple Google search. Since 1935 and the secret alliance with Nazi Germany Persia has been known as Iran. The name Iran means in their native language “Land of the Aryans”. Never Again.

Music Hits The Spot Series (All Night Long By Donald Mitchell)

I must say...this was one of my favorite songs by the First Lady of Bad Boy, Faith Evans. I always get into an upbeat jam that'll make me nod my head to the beat, and this is what it did. Low key, I always felt like taking a trip to the roller skating rink and doin a couple of laps around the rink for old times sakes. LOL. I think what really attracted me to this song is that you don't really hear much upbeat music from Faith, so when I heard this one, it instantly caught my ear...

Another song that I love from her is this one right here:


Actually, I think this is my favorite song of hers...with All Night Long coming in a close second, both hailing from her "Keep the Faith" cd. I think that the pairing of her and 112 really hit the mark. Don't get me wrong, she's done some really great work with other people, but this song right here, will (and already has) go on the playlist that gets rotated while we groovin. (Keepin it PC...this is a family oriented site people..lol).

This song right here used to knock...and actually it still does:


Featuring an up and coming Carl Thomas, this song is one that goes on the chill playlist. I was feelin this song the moment it came out, and the beat goes HARD. For real though...it's too bad Carl didn't blow up like he should have. But then again, he was a product of Bad Boy...so what were we supposed to expect? lol
And although I wasn't the biggest fan of her 2005 album:


This was one of the few silver linings that saved that CD from being a total flop to me. I wasn't really impressed with it, because it seemed that she tried to be too "hip" and the features of Mario Winans, they DEFINITELY could kept. But for some reason, I really liked this song. It kinda had a "lounge club" feel to it. Like I need to be sittin in a darkened club with a glass of Henny at my table and just kinda noddin my head to the beat while she serenades the entire room. LOL

Faith, we're waiting for another cd to drop from you. We need some good R&B to touch our ears once again, and I think that you're the just the lady to do it.

Music Hits the Spot Series (The Soul of a Man By: Donald Mitchell)

Hey ladies....you ever wondered what it would be like to look into the deepest innards of a man and figure out what he's thinking? Do you ever wonder if he's into you as much as he says that he is. What would you think if a man ever told you that this is how he thinks of you:

That's right...he's just THAT into you. This song here should bring any doubts you have to a crumbling pile. I mean listen to the lyrics that he sings.
If I ever leave you baby
You can say I told you so
And if I ever hurt you
You know I'd hurt myself as well
Is that any way for a man to carry on
Do you think I want my loved one gone
I love you...more than you'll ever know
More than you'll ever know

The original, sung by the late great Donny Hathaway, inspired Kenny to cover this, and I must say, he covered and quite well. Unlike other covers, where they tried to channel the spirit of Donny himself, Kenny took this song, and made it his. Of all the versions of this song, Kenny's, I must say, is the best one (maybe this is what he sang to Chante').

Coming from the CD Soul of a Man, I think that this is the best song on that cd. Not sayin that the other songs aren't good, cause this is a great cd, but I think that this song is what puts it over the top. Of course it came from a great mind, so all Kenny had to do is put his own personal spin on it.

So tell me..how do you feel if your significant other told you this:

I'm only flesh and blood
But I'll be anything that you demand
I could be king of everything
or just a tiny grain of sand
Is that way for a man to carry on
Do you think I want my loved one gone
I love you.....more than you'll ever know

Hopefully, you'll love him just as much if not more.

Under the Obama Economy: Delusions of Grandeur (By Jamal R Greene)

The Department of Commerce released its first set of figures accessing the health of the US economy during the fourth quarter of last year and to the surprise of many, mainly in the Obama Administration, the economy supposedly grew at a rate of 5.7%. On the surface, and without dissecting the numbers first, it appears that the Administrations claim that the recession may be over could be valid. Fortunately many Americans have learned they have to take many of the things coming out of this White House with an objective suspicion. After all, this is the administration that pledged to the American people that if congress passed its Trillion dollar so called stimulus unemployment would not rise above 8%; today the national unemployment rate stands at 10%. This is the same President that promised to hold HealthCare negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people could see who were in bed with the special interests and corporations. The American people never had a chance to see these negotiations of C-SPAN but what they did see was one of the most corrupt congresses in History lead by Reid and Pelosi in a slew of backroom multi-million dollar deals in an effort to buy votes for Obama unpopular agenda. This is a President that railed against the influence of lobbyist on the US political landscape and swore he would never hire them to work in his administration. This promise, like the others, was short lived, as the President hired lobbyists for top positions within his administration.

The prospect that the economy appears to be growing again is something of good news, even if the actual growth is overstated. The Obama administration was quick to pounce on the news of potential growth but they should have learned from experience by now that they often pounce too quickly. What the administration failed to mention as they attempted to take credit for the GDP figure was the fact that an overwhelming majority of that growth came from private business inventories not his economic policies. According to the Commerce Department report, “The U.S. economy grew at a faster-than-expected 5.7 percent pace in the fourth quarter, the quickest in more than six years, as businesses made less-aggressive cuts to inventories and stepped up spending.” Amazing, not a mention of the “stimulus” in the reported growth figure, but the administration seems to think they played a part in it. The fact of the matter is this administration has not created a climate for private business growth and job creation to occur; in fact they’ve did the opposite as a recent poll shows 77% of investors consider this administration hostile toward business.

The Labor department released its jobless claims report and we found that initial claims for unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly. The only people in the nation that were expecting a decrease in claims were the Obama Administration and their allies in the mainstream media outlets and it’s because they live in a land called Delusion. The President and his party fail to realize how jobs are actually created in a Free and open society, a Capitalist system, and their performance on jobs and the economy shows just how in the dark they are. In a Free and Open Market economy, businesses need Capital and Credit in order to operate and expand but unfortunately all they received from this Administration in more regulation and taxation on the industry that supplies this much needed credit: The Banks. In order for business to expand and new businesses to open, the climate for business ventures must be solidly in place and most Americans simply don’t see this kind of climate being produced and nurtured in Washington. The American people understand that when the President says he is serious about job creation, he’s just blowing smoke. The American people understand that when you heavily regulate or tax something, you received less of it or less from it. When small businesses see their tax burden increase, they do like any American family would do when they see expenses begin to reach parity with income; they trim the budget and the quickest way to do so is to cut Payroll. When mid to large corporations see their taxes increased, some offset the increase by slashing payrolls while others simply pass them on to the consumer in the forms of higher prices. Increasing taxes on corporations sounds good to some in theory but in practice it often results in an economic debacle. When will some in Washington learn that Corporations don’t pay taxes? When most major corporations see their tax burdens increase they often offset these new liabilities by passing the tax on to the consumer at consumption. In an unfriendly business environment companies have to do what they have to do to meet, and hopefully exceed, growth and revenue projections and if that means passing on Obama’s tax in the form of higher prices to the consumer then so be it. It is beyond idiotic to believe that business can be overtaxed, over regulated, and overburdened and still be expected to created jobs and bring down the nation’s unemployment rate.

Even as Washington touts a supposed drop in the national unemployment rate from 10% to 9.7%, the American people seem to have lost trust in our government. The people understand that the national unemployment rate is much higher than 9.7% and they know this because they live in the real world and have seen themselves, love ones, and friends lose jobs in 2009. It is now becoming aware to more and more citizens that the government actually manipulates Labor statistics in order to show a lower unemployment rate than reality yields. The unemployment rate is calculated one of two ways and at times both methods are use. The best way to count the number of Americans employed is to survey all US businesses payroll and count from there. However, our government refuses to be an honest broker. The government decided it would count the number of employed persons, but “Adjusted seasonally”. This means that the government is basing the number on past hiring seasonal trends, and NOT hard data. The evidence shows that these numbers are actually derived from telephone surveys, and not an accurate headcount. The government acknowledges this counting method and does not dispute that if it were not used the nation’s unemployment rate would have “RISEN FROM 10.0% TO 10.6%”. This is nothing more than accounting tricks and the American people deserve more, they deserve the Truth, a characteristic lacking from our current government. The second way the government calculates unemployment figures is by the Establishment survey. This report only surveys about 370,000 US employers and the list of companies surveyed rarely changes year to year meaning that newer businesses are rarely accounted for. So the figures given are based on almost the same companies surveyed every year. What about the small businesses that lay off thousands of workers? Most are not counted. What about millions of workers who don’t work for one of the 370,000 businesses surveyed? These people are simply not counted, and many of them are unemployed. Therefore no matter how the White House tries to steer the news cycle on the day, the people, the true guardians of our great Republic, see through the media hype and rhetoric and can see the truth. This Truth is that the nation’s economy is in shambles and most of it, but not all of it, is due to the Statists and their anti-business, anti-growth, and most of all Anti-Capitalism agenda.

Music Hits The Spot Series (Snowy Day! By Donald Mitchell)

As I sit here looking out the window at the snow (for the 23789329703 time this year), I think about music that I'd listen to if I was sittin there with that special someone. Sometimes, music is all that's needed in order to get the mood right and tight. And here's one song that I definitely would have playing (and maybe more than once):
This is, has, and always will be my favorite Luther song. True enough, it's talkin about creepin around, but that withstanding, it's the perfect song to play while sittin in front of a fire with the boo, while drinkin some hot chocolate with Bailey's (or Henny #dontjudgeme). lol. Really, he's promoting steppin out on the one you're with to be with the one you're diggin, but let's be real, how many of us have done (or even thought) about doing the same thing. Especially when it seems that the grass is greener on the other side.

In reality, he's tellin her that he's willin to be her "one night stand", and that it'll be worth it to hold her for one night. (she must got that good stuff...lol)

Your eyes say things I'll never hear from you
And my knees are shakin too
But I'm willin, willin, too go through

I must be crazy
Standin in this place,
But I'm feelin your disgrace
For askin

Hey...you both know what it is. It's just a one time thing (which might turn into something more in the future), but for right now, all you wanna do is:

Let me hold you tight
If only for one night
Lemme keep you near
To ease away your fears
It would be so nice
If only for one night...

The Famed Monster...

A Generation Obsessed with Perfection, Fame, and Materialistic Things
Written by: Renee BlackStar

Allow me to start off this topic by saying… I think that our society is doomed to be fucked if we continue on this warpath we’ve engaged in with ourselves and with each other. That’s a crass statement, I know, but being straightforward is the simplest way to express how I really feel. It seems as if the air of reason has changed within the last thirty years with regard to our priorities. We have become a society of people that puts the love of “things” and “money” before the welfare of their fellow man and, often times, even themselves.

What has happened to our morals? Why are we bingeing so shamelessly and so unapologetically on vanity, gluttony, and jealousy?

History stands to remind us that we are not the first generation, nor the first civilization for that matter (and probably not the last), to have been ignorant and short-sighted enough to fall prey to the temptations of envy, easy money, beauty, opulence, attention, and the acceptance by others that go along with living a materialistic lifestyle. Most of those guys managed to wipe themselves right off the face of this earth worshipping power and greed. Every generation has its idiots, I suppose. And ours is no exception. Our generation is merrily sinking in to an abyss of shallowness, and it is a very painful thing to watch from a humble perspective.

Now, I know that I am not the only person that sees how overly obsessed people are becoming with perpetuating the illusion of a seemingly effortless and “perfect” image of themselves to the masses. Spending more than half of their income on shit that makes them look good, they forget about putting money away for the future. But, maybe we’ve lost faith in the future, and that’s the reason why we live like there’s no tomorrow. We have lost our respect for life, giving in to all of the vices a human being could have ever possibly given in to, only to lose respect for ourselves, all in the name of perfection. However, the cliché phrase “nobody is perfect” will soon be phased out because, in the future, capturing the ideal of “perfection” will be as simple as having a whole body transplant. That’s right! If you don’t like who you are, just get a new body all together. Yep… that’s the ticket for the train we’re looking to ride on.

To read the entire article, click the link below:
http://www.etmmagazine.info/wakeup/2010/articles/02/2010_02_famedmonsters.html

Cultural Diver...

Cultural Diversity:
Are We Really That Different?

Written by: Chenita “Infinite Apex” Dickerson

I am writing this article on the eve of Martin Luther King’s birthday, a few weeks before Black History Month, and just days after a devastating earthquake took the lives of many in Haiti and injured millions more physically and emotionally. It’s not hard to put myself in another’s shoes, but walking in them is another story.

Although I cannot imagine a time when equal rights didn’t exist, and I feel that the world is one big melting pot, often there are differences that seem to divide and conquer even if only in our minds. People will do things that don’t correlate to their thought process; give money to a cause, but won’t help the guy down the street. The disaster in Haiti appears to be the cause of the moment. I mean, why else would Former President Clinton and Bush come together and have a website combining both of their names in order to raise funds and awareness geared towards the victims in Haiti? The NFL paid 1.5 million dollars for a commercial to tell people to give money to the American Red Cross. Call me crazy, but give the 1.5 million to the Red Cross and hold a FREE press conference saying you did it to encourage others to give what they can. I just hope that the money raised far surpasses the money spent, although there is no real way of tracking the true numbers.

Fraudulent criminals are already sending out false e-mails and letters trying to swindle money from people who are attempting to get the funds to those in need. Are we really that different? Hell, No! One man’s disaster is another man’s dream come true… a politician’s chance to get his face in the place and in the good graces. We all want peace in the midst of the storm, but pray for change to come. Sad to say, one fellow’s found dollar is another’s lost one. A great price on a foreclosure is another’s homeless ticket. Everyone finds a way to make it about them.

Every race has had a hand at slavery and at being a slave master. Check your history, folks, and you will see that, yes, even Blacks (Africans, African-American, or whatever you identify by) have been slave owners (Michael Jackson’s song titled “Remember The Time” was about just that).

To see the entire article, click the link below:
http://www.etmmagazine.info/wakeup/2010/articles/02/2010_02_culturaldiver.html

What is Swagger?!

Swagger”:
The Attraction Factor Amongst Teens
Written by: Kenneth-Michael

The word “swagger” has been mentioned in just about every record on the radio today. But, just what is the meaning of “swagger” and how is it affecting teenagers today? So, I decided to interview youth in Baltimore City to get the scoop on the term and just what it means to this generation.

Shakera Lawson, 17, is a student at Western High School. Lawson credits her swagger to her individuality…

What is swagger?

To me, swagger is the way someone carries themselves, such as the way they dress and the personality that comes with it. It mean there is not a set swagger; it can be a switch-up type thing, like if they have on sweatpants, tennis, and a shirt, they may have a swagger that goes along with that particular outfit. Some people have that swagger where it is a constant thing everyday, but, to me, it is something that can be switched. It is not a set or ongoing thing.

So, you could be dressed in a suit and still have swagger?

Right.

Describe your swagger, if you could? Do you have a swagger?

I think I do have swagger. I feel that my swagger is different from everyone else because I feel as though, I don’t try to replicate anyone. I am my own person and there are people that will come up to me and say, “Well, yeah. I like what you have on.” Then, there are people that say a thing like, “That is different,” and, “I don’t think I will ever wear that, but it looks cute on you.” So, my swagger is very out of the normal. I think that I am very odd in my style. For me, I like bright colors, but I can’t really explain how I put them together. So, I do think that I have swagger.

“Boys who chose to wear their pants off their butts… They don’t have no type of swagger. I think you have to
have a belt on at least. No one wears pants hanging off their butt no more. That was like so three years ago…”

Do you have a boyfriend right now?

No.


But, you have had a boyfriend?

Yes.

So, when it comes to swagger in males, what do you look for?

I’m not really into the baggy clothes style, to be honest. I like a guy who can be sophisticated in a way, but calm and laid back. For me, I like nice pair of jeans, fitted (hats), slacks, boots or clean tennis. I love a guy in a cardigan sweater or button-up shirt, or a regular t-shirt with a cardigan. Let me go back, I do like fitted at times, but it depends on your particular style. But, I like real calm and chill, but nothing like a suit and tie everyday.

So, that is what attracts you to the opposite sex, you would say?

Yes, if it was a first glance kind of thing. I would be like, “Yeah, he is cute or whatever.”

So, if a guy approached you and he didn’t have those things on, but he had a nice swagger and confidence, would you still talk to this person?

Yes, I think that you can be dingy and still have swag—It is a confidence boost. If you feel as though you can come up to me, and I feel that you have swag, then, of course, I will. Because it could just be a bad day, really, so I would talk to them.

It is important that someone has to have a swagger to talk to you?

Yes, I would say, just because I want someone who can be their own person. Say, if you are in a group or with friends, and maybe I know one of those friends and I see that you are trying to be too much like one of his friends in the group, then no. But, if he is around that person and he seems to be his own person and not stuck on that bandwagon, then, yeah, I would talk to him.

To read the entire article, click the link below:
http://www.etmmagazine.info/future/2010/articles/02/2010_02_swagger.html

Instructions for Alchemy!

Instructions for Alchemy. Ingredients of Ether.
by David “Judah 1” Oliver
Book review by: Ccep J. Dew, West Coast Editor


“If poetry were my religion, your book would be my Bible…”

There is truly no other way to describe how I feel about this book. Having met the author and seen him perform his poetry in person a few months prior to the book’s release, I had an idea of what to eXpect: poems, haiku, personal reflections, and religion. As soon as I pulled the book from the mail, I knew I had underestimated the author and, soon after, realized I had underestimated myself, as well.

Instructions for Alchemy. Ingredients of Ether. is not your typical book of poetry, so I cannot give a typical review. In fact, I think simply calling it a 134-page, 6 chapters, nearly 8 ½ by 11-sized “book of poetry” or “collection of writings” is an insult. One can flip through the pages to see that time, research, and thought went into crafting this completed work. One can also conclude some things about the author if one looks closely at some details:

--there is a firm order to the disorder upon the pages…
--it is not your typically-sized chapbook or poetic collection…
--it has an in-dept introduction by an Associate Vice President of a university…
--“Alchemy” and “Ether” are defined, analyzed, and given new meaning at the start of the book…
--the Table of Contents is “incomplete” and without page numbers, but there is one…
--there are bonus writings, haikus, and “Dear Sanity” letters “scattered” throughout the pages…

Haiku for you:
You are but a Breath
And a Word of God; how I
Love when He speaks you.

To say that David Oliver breathes life and knowledge into his writings would be an immense understatement. The author appears to be one who doesn’t accept the confines of what is typical of a poetic collection, so it is no wonder that each piece of writing, itself, should not eXhibit the same rebellion. From love and self-awareness to religion and society, the author tackles each subject with a breathtaking consciousness that is backed up with historical references where appropriate.

To view the entire review, click the link below:
http://www.etmmagazine.info/freeyourmind/2010/articles/02/2010_02_instructions.html