Too Funny!

THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!! Get your boogie on, get your boogie on!!! Get your boogie on, get your boogie on!!! Get your boogie on, get your boogie on!!!

Black is Beautiful

Smile

"Smile On, Pass it On"

Wanna be Startin' Somethin'

Lift Your Head Up High
And Scream Out To The World
I Know I Am Someone
And Let The Truth Unfurl
No One Can Hurt You Now
Because You Know What's True
Yes, I Believe In Me
So You Believe In You
Help Me Sing It,
Ma Ma Se,Ma Ma Sa, Ma Ma Coo Sa
Ma Ma Se, Ma Ma Sa,Ma Ma Coo Sa

Embarrassing moments in Black history

This is a reply I recently sent someone:

I didn't watch that idocracy that was "American Gangster" either, but I (unfortunately) saw all the BET ads for it ... just the way they presented the show and just the fact that they would do this show to acknowledge these people, tells me that there was some glorification going on ... so sad. There was some quote I heard in an ad, it was one of the most ignorant things my ears have captured.

Yes, BET is an embarrassment to the Black community ... what happened to the good ole days of Teen Summit (and YSB magazine), Bev Smith, Tavis Smiley, and Donnie (assuming you're in my age range). I will never forgive Mr. Bob Johnson for selling out. I guess the price tag on his soul was $1.44 billion dollars? (So cheap)

Sadly, I don't get TVOne in my neck of the woods.

Well, I just wanted to do a Diana Ross on you and "reach out. and touch. somebody's hand. make this world a better place. if ya can." :)

The Environment

Ideas from Al Gore on the Oprah Winfrey Show:

You are not helpless in the fight against global warming. Gore goes inside a Lowe's Home Improvement store outside Nashville, Tennessee, to show you the five things you can buy that will help solve the climate crisis…and save you a few bucks!

• Compact fluorescent light bulbs: These energy-efficient bulbs cost less than $4 and are produced by major corporations like GE. If every household in America switched five regular light bulbs for five fluorescent bulbs, it would be the equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the highways for a full year.
• Outdoor solar lighting: These yard or patio lights cost less than $20, and they don't burn any electricity or produce any CO2.
• Programmable thermostats: Though these thermostats cost from $50 to $100, they can actually cut your heating and cooling costs. Set the setting so it's a little bit cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer when you're not in the house. A difference of 2 degrees can reduce a home's CO2 emissions by up to 9 percent over the course of a year.
• Air filters: Changing the air filters in your heating and cooling systems regularly can knock 2 percent off of your CO2 output each year.
• Electric hot water heater blanket: Hot water heaters use a lot of energy and generate a lot of CO2. A blanket costs less than $18 and can cut your home's CO2 emissions by almost 4 1/2 percent.Gore says that when you're shopping for major home appliances, look for the Energy Star label. "This is a signal that you're getting an environmentally efficient appliance that's going to save you money at the same time," he says.

Marketing guy sings U2's song "One" about Bank of America

When I first saw this clip on VH1's WebJunk ... I was only halfway paying attention. So I thought it was a church guy singing about Revelations in the Bible.

Now I know that he works for a bank and the bank is proud about buying another bank .. and now you just need "one card" "one bank" ....

Well, that sounds a lot like Armageddon to me ... and this is NOT a good thing. I love Bono and U2, and I've always loved that song ... but guess what ... the original song ("One" by U2) is not about profits and money and acquisition ...

IT'S ABOUT LOVE ... so leave money (the root of all evil) out of that song. This guy doesn't realize he's singing about "one currency", like in Revelations ... so that the devil can track us better. This is NoT anything to sing about.

Living While Black (LWB)

Talk to me ... have you ever been shopping or just walking somewhere, and a non-Black person suddenly feels the urge to get a tight grip on their purse or bag???? I don't really know if that's happened to me, but I know it's happened to a LOT of other Black people.

I was thinking ... it would be funny to do the same thing when I see a non-Black person approaching my path ... and make it REALLY obvious what I was doing ... like I need to protect myself from a potentially theiving/non-trustworthy "White collar" criminal

... I don't know, what do you think???? Flip the script ... turn the tables????

Presidential Succession

Ok, I have my answer!!!! Here is the Presidential Succession

From: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0101032.html

The Vice President Richard Cheney
Speaker of the House John Dennis Hastert
President pro tempore of the Senate(1) Ted Stevens
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ************
Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson
Secretary of Defense Vacant
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns
Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez(2)
Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao(3)
Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson *********** Black man!!!!
Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters
Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
Secretary of Homeland Security(4) Michael Chertoff

Note:: An official cannot succeed to the Presidency unless that person meets the Constitutional requirements.
1. The president pro tempore presides over the Senate when the vice president is absent. By tradition the position is held by the senior member of the majority party.
2. Carlos Gutierrez was born in Cuba and is ineligible.
3. Elaine Chao was born in Taiwan and is ineligible.
4. In late July 2005, the Senate passed a bill moving the Homeland Security secretary to number 8 on the list. The bill is awaiting House approval.
See also:
Powers of the Government
U.S. Constitution
Executive Departments

Presidential Authority

You know what I was wondering? Ok, the vice prez takes over if something happens to the prez .... what if something happens to the vice prez? who takes over ... and so on down the line? What's the chain of command?

How can The People vote to impeach a prez?

I didn't know Clinton was impeached .. yes, I knew there was that huge trial and what not, but I didn't know it ended in impeachment. I thought impeachment meant that the prez is fired and can't continue job. But when Clinton was impeached ... he continued working as president. Ok, I'd like to impeach Bush, but I don't want him to continue working as prez. I would like Bush and his entire staff fired. How do you completely remove a president from office, while he's in office (besides not voting for him)?
===

Wednesday, June 16th, 2004
Should President Bush Be Impeached?

Attorney John Bonifaz argues the president has commited high crimes by lying to the American public and Congress about Iraq in the lead-up to the invasion. He makes his case in the new book “Warrior-King: The Case For Impeaching George W. Bush."

...

One of the main reasons for the book’s ["My Life", by Bill Clinton] popularity is undoubtedly Clinton’s account of the events that led him to become the second American president in US history to be impeached.

...

While Clinton was impeached over a personal scandal, some say President George W Bush should be impeached for much serious crimes.

From: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/06/16/151222

tipping

I didn't know you were supposed to tip the people at Sonic!!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20060713180409AAfIuL8

I am not my HAIR

Picture source:
http://www.rimmellondon.com/me/

INDIA.ARIE LYRICS

I Am Not My Hair

[Talking:]Is that India.Arie?
What happened to her hair? ...
[Verse 1]Little girl with the press and curl
Age eight I got a Jheri curl
Thirteen I got a relaxer
I was a source of so much laughter
At fifteen when it all broke off
Eighteen and went all natural
February two thousand and two
I went and didWhat I had to do
Because it was time to change my life
To become the women that I am inside
Ninety-seven dreadlock all gone
I looked in the mirror
For the first time and saw that HEY....
[Chorus]I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
[Talking:]What'd she do to her hair?
I don't know it look crazy
I like it. I might do that.
Umm I wouldn't go that far. I know .. ha ha ha ha

[Verse 2]Good hair means curls and waves
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
Its time for us to redefine who we be
You can shave it off
Like a South African beauty
Or get in on lock
Like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight
Like Oprah Winfrey
If its not what's on your head
Its what's underneath and say HEY....
[Chorus]
[Bridge](Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend?
Oooh(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
I am expressing my creativity..
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
[Verse 3]Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy
Took away her crown and glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy everyday of her life ooh
On national television
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Bald headed like a full moon shining
Singing out to the whole wide world like HEY...
[Chorus 2x]
[Ad lib]If I wanna shave it close
Or if I wanna rock locks
That don't take a bit away
From the soul that I got
Dat da da dat da [4x]
If I wanna where it braided
All down my back
I don't see what wrong with that
Dat da da dat da [4x]
[Talking:]Is that India.Arie?
Ooh look she cut her hair!
I like that, its kinda PHAT
I don't know if I could do it.
But it looks sharp, it looks nice on her
She got a nice shaped head
She got an apple head
I know right?It's perfect.

Inked

Yes, I'm one of a kind. Unlike everybody else and they mama, I do not have a tattoo. No, I don't have anything against tattoos. In many cultures (outside of the US) it's a right of passage or just a cultural tradition. For me, being the art lover I am, I can't help but see it as an art form. ... albeit, very permanant art form.

Just because I love art, more than the average person ... I don't love ALL art. If there's a painting on display and the painting consists of simply a blue dot ... uh unnnnn ... that is NOT art. At least not something worth staring at for hours, certainly not worth hanging in my living room, certainly not worth $0.01 or $1,000,000. I don't care if a celebrity painted it ... nope, not true art, not true talent. I'm not THAT kind of art lover. I'm not a big fan of Jackson Pollock either. His art is sooooo 80's .. remember those paint splashed Trapper Keepers and acid washed jeans with the fake paint splatters?

Good grief ... don't go to this website: www.jacksonpollock.org .... seriously, don't do it. Ok, ok, it is a little fun, to get a bunch of paint (real paint, not like that website) and splatter it all over a canvas .... but it would get old really quick.

Anyway ... back to tattoos....What I have a really big problem with is NECK TATTOOS. This is seriously disturbing ... it's not enough that everyone and they mama's are sportin' tattoos and facial piercings ... but the neck tattoos .... let me remind you ... it is permanent, and removing tatt's is VERY expensive and probably more painful than getting the tatt in the first place.

People there are a LOT of ways to be bold, and in your face, and rebellious, and wild, avant garde and non-conservative, and non status quo .... and don't-give-a-@%#*ing ... lots and lots of ways.

Ok ok, I KNOW you love ______[fill in the blank]_______ and you want the world to know ... but I'm pleading with you, the NECK Tattoos are NOT the way to go!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a suggestion ..... about "Name tattoos" in general, because I estimate that 96% of Name tattoos are regretted at some point, do to heartache and breakups. ... My suggestion ... it could be just as expensive (if that's what you're looking for) as a tattoo, but not so permanant ... get a pendant with your boo's name on it!!!!! Yeah, see, isn't that a better idea???? Custom made, and everyone can see it prominantly displayed around your neck. You can get straight up ridiculous with it, and REALLy show how crazy in love you are with this person ... get the first, middle, AND last name, and next year (if you last that long) with the cute little pet names ... stack 'em up, layer it on .... that's wild. I have a feelin' this is gonna catch on. Just watch. Mark my word. Sales will sky rocket ...... I'm not sayin' people will stop getting tattoos ... they'll just stop getttin' "name tattoos" .. and hopefully neck tattoos.

That's what I'm here for. To help ya out. Gotta problem, I'll solve it ... bring it on.

The world's only tattoo school ... cool: http://www.tattoo-school.com/
Tatt's on tv: Inked, Miami Ink ... I was thinking there were a bunch of other tattoo-themed programs???? Do you know of anymore?

GOOD REASON NOT TO GET INKED:

Tattoo customers in 3 states get infections

By MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press Writer Thu Jun 22, 3:41 PM ET

ATLANTA - A worrisome superbug seen in prisoners and athletes is also showing up in people who get illegal tattoos, federal health officials said Thursday.

Forty-four tattoo customers in Ohio, Kentucky and Vermont developed skin infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The infections occurred in 2004 and 2005, and were traced to 13 unlicensed tattoo artists, according to an article in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

These are the first documented cases if tattoo-related MRSA infections, said Dr. Mysheika LeMaile-Williams, a CDC infectious disease investigator who co-authored the report.

MRSA is an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that fights off the body's immune system and destroys tissues. The community-associated variety, seen in the tattoo infections, has been diagnosed in otherwise healthy athletes, military recruits and prison inmates.

The skin infections can be transmitted from person to person by contact with draining sores, or through contact with contaminated items or surfaces. MRSA generally causes mild skin infections, but in some cases has led to pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and a painful, flesh-destroying condition called necrotizing fasciitis.

Clusters of MRSA cases were seen in Ohio in June 2004, November 2004 and April 2005, involving 33 people. A four-person cluster was reported in Kentucky in May 2005 and a seven-person cluster was in Vermont in August.
Four of the patients were hospitalized, but all recovered, LeMaile-Williams said.

Ohio, Kentucky and Vermont require licensing for tattoo artists, but all the affected customers went to unlicensed artists. Instead of doing the work in tattoo parlors, the body art was done in the homes of the tattooists or the recipients, or even in public places such as a park.

The tattooists sometimes did not use masks or gloves, did not properly disinfect skin and did not properly clean the equipment. One Ohio tattooist used a homemade tattoo gun made from a computer ink-jet cartridge and guitar strings, LeMaile-Williams said.

Three of the Ohio tattooists had recently been jailed, she said.

Customers sometimes seek out unlicensed tattooists because their services are less expensive, or because they are younger than 18 and cannot go to a licensed tattooist without parental consent, she said.

Several of the infected patients were under 18, she added.

The tattoo cases are not surprising, said Dr. Kate Heilpern, an Atlanta emergency room physician and Emory University researcher who has studied MRSA.

The superbug is appearing in locker rooms, homes and many other unsterile places where people are in skin-to-skin contact.

"We are still riding a big wave of this bacterial infection and I really don't see any end in sight," she said.
___
On the Net: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov

Wow ... that's REALLY DISGUSTING.

This is another work of art that represents me well [reminds me of me] ... it's by Jennifer Wiley and is called Sisters of the Sea I

Since I didn't want to post my photo, I've always had this piece on my Blackplanet page ... along with my poem "A Black Man" (which isn't posted there right now, should I post it here? I don't know).

But since I don't use Blackplanet much anymore there's much on that page. All these different web communities ... it's really getting out of hand .. "Hey, let me get your blackplanet name, your yahoo name, your msn name, your myspace name, your hi5 name, your aol name ...." Look I can't be on 600 different websites at one time. Right now, this is the only site I keep current.

Jesus you are, (Jesus you are, Jesus you are)

I. Am. LOVIN' THIS SONG RIGHT NOW!!!!!
If I'm feelin' moody (which is more often than I'd like to admit) this song instantly uplifts me ...like soooo many K. Franklin songs!!!!

Artist : Kirk Franklin Title : Looking For You

FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE STRUGGLE, YOU THINK THAT GOD'S FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU ... HERE'S SOME PAIN MEDICINE!!!!!!! you in your car, you at the house .. be encouraged boo

[Verse 1:]
I've been down so long, I've been hurt for so long,
There were times I thought I would never see the break of day.
It was hard for me , to see your plan for me
And I tried to believe, surely it won't last always
But night after night, (Night after night, Night after night) [I LOVE THIS PART]
I pray Lord don't take your joy from me
Then late one night (then late one night)
I read in your love letter that it's gonna get betta

[Chorus:]
Don't cha know that I've been looking for you
I realized that nothing else will satisfy me
I'm so glad I found you
Now that I'm changed no one can keep me away from you

[Verse 2:]
you brought us a mighty long way, that's why we love you
And my enemies, tried to come for me
And they thought that my world was comin' to an end
All the while you knew
That I would make it through
I feel closer to you now than when I first began
Jesus you are, (Jesus you are, Jesus you are) [LOVE THIS PART]
You are my sun right after the rain
Wherever you are (wherever you are)
I just wanna be near you
I'm so glad I can hear you

[Chorus 2x]

here we go now, here we go now, don't stop now. lets go now in the front now in the back now Ladies
Ohoh OhohohOhoh Ohohoh oh that's for the struggle
Ohoh OhohohOhoh Ohohoh oh that's for the pain
Ohoh OhohohOhoh Ohohoh oh that's for those dark nights
Ohoh OhohohOhoh Ohohoh oh
come on and sing it with us ya'll
Jesus you are, (Jesus you are, Jesus you are)
You are my sun right after the rain
Wherever you are (whereever you are)
I just wanna be near you
I'm so glad i found you

[Chorus 2x]

oh oh, oh oh oh (ohoho)
oh oh, oh oh oh (ohoho)
oh oh, oh oh oh (ohoho)
oh oh, oh oh oh (ohoho)
oh oh, oh oh oh (ohoho)

[Outro]

Afro lean

I'm a biggg art enthus! As you can see, I'm starting an "afro" collection on this blog. So if YOU should happen to spot some great "afro" art ... hook a sistah up, with the link;)

I love this piece so much, that I've been using it as my desktop wallpaper. I first saw it here, on this program: http://www.pbs.org/art21/

You really have to see this piece (by Oliver Herring) up close, to really appreciate it's complexity. It's a sculpture unlike any other, in the way it's pieced together.

In a lot of ways, I can see myself in this woman. She reminds me of myself. I feel like she was modeled after me.

What I love about art in general, is that it can be whatever YOU want it to be or see it to be. There's no right or wrong answers, sort of speak. What do YOU see?

BHM - Black History Month 2006

African American Lives hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on PBS

• I saw all the previews and I was really looking forward to seeing this
• PBS is always so innovative .. yes yes I've seen hundreds of "African-American" history programs on PBS, but I could tell that this was going to be different in some way
• I was NOT disappointed
• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/

Some of the remarkable ancestories traced were of:

• Oprah Winfrey
• Henry Gates, Jr. [the host himself]
• Dr. Ben Carson [reknowned neuro-surgeon]
• The Q [Quincy Jones]
• Dr. Mae Jemison [astronaut]
• Chris Tucker [yes, the comedian ... "and you know that, man"]
• Whoopi Goldberg [born Caryn Johnson]
• Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot
• Bishop T.D. Jakes
• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/index.html

I've only seen the 2 hour, 1st part of this 2-part series ... and yes, it was well worth watching while missing a brand new ep of Project Runway (I can catch the rerun (BTW .. there will probably be an encore of AA Lives this month so "check your local listings")

Speaking of BHM, some networks got a jump on the festivities!!! Bravo, for example, started in Jan. showing back to back to back ep's of Inside the Actors Studio which I think started with Queen Latifah, then Martin Lawrence, then Jaime Foxx, and next up (after Minelli) is Dave Chappelle. It's always interesting to see these in depth interviews (which always starts with "where were you born?" and progresses to the present day for the actor ... you always learn something new, about your fav. actor!!! Believe me, I know I know I know...I'd be flippin' channels and it's so easy to skip right over this show ... dark stage, and you wonder, who is this James Lipton anyway? ... now it's a can't miss for me.

Dr. MLK, Jr.

Wow stunning tribute: http://www.bushflash.com/mlk.html
---
I always think of the song, when I think of MLK

Once a year we celebrate
Washington and Lincoln on their birth dates
And now a third name is added to the list

A man of peace, (Drum Major for Justice)
Now, now, now every January on the third Monday

We pay homage to the man who paved the way
For freedom, justice and equality
To make the world a better place for you and me
It's a holiday, it's a gathering
For the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King

Dr. King tried to love somebody
(Do you wanna love somebody)
For his sake put your hate away, take a day
(Take a day to love somebody)
Don't play on the Holiday, work to find a better way
(Everybody love somebody now)

Oh, everybody sing
For Martin Luther King
Oh, let freedom ring (That's right)
For Martin Luther King, now sing

Holiday! Holiday!King Holiday!
Not a day just for some
It's a day for everyone

He had a dream now it's up to you
He had a dream now it's up to you
To see it through, to make it come true
Now do it

Who do we thank for teaching us
That we all have the strength to love
Mmm, we thank the Prince of Non-Violence
For showing us the way

Dr. King tried to love somebody(Do you wanna love somebody)
For his sake put your hate away, take a day(Take a day to love somebody)
Don't play on the Holiday, work to find a better way(Everybody love somebody now)

Oh, everybody sing (Come on)
For Martin Luther King (Ah, yeah)
Oh, let freedom ring (That's right)
For Martin Luther King, now sing

Holiday! Holiday!King Holiday!
Not a day just for some
It's a day for everyone
He had a dream now it's up to you
Because you gotta see it through, and make it come true

Holiday! Holiday! (Mmm)King Holiday!
Not a day just for someIt's a day for everyone
He had a dream now it's up to you
He had a dream now it's up to you
To see it through, to make it come true
Now do it

Listen children of today
Don't think love has gone away
It's in your hearts and minds(How long) Not long
New day will shine
If we just take the chance[His love will glow]
Open up the windows
Let the hero shine
Every day in your life
Yours and mine
Everybody shine, whoa...
Let it shine, let it shine, woo...whoa...oh...

For the future generation, Dr. King's medication
For successful operation is peace for every nation

Sing! Celebrate!

Sing! Sing! Celebrate!

For a King Celebrate!Sing! Sing! Celebrate!

THIS SONG IS TRULY A HIP-HOP CLASSIC AND A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW HIP HOP CAN BE A POSITIVE VEHICLE OF EXPRESSION

This song is credited to Run D.M.C., but several artists sung this song together [like "We Are The World"].. back in the day around late '80s, early 90s ... I only remember New Edition on this song [what sistah didn't have a crush on New Edition? So they def. stood out in the song]

www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/run-d_m_c/king_holiday.html [Beware of ads and pop-ups] www.lyricscafe.com/r/run_dmc/king_holiday.html [Beware of ads and pop-ups]