tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72833720823848102372024-02-06T20:01:22.995-08:00What About Our Daughters?WE'RE THE ONES WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger710125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-60159027947509328382008-12-12T05:16:00.001-08:002008-12-12T05:32:39.820-08:00Friday Ruminations 12/12/2008Well of COURSE our hosting service would go down one day after What About Our Daughters was mentioned by <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/11/burt-murray.michelle.obama/">ESSENCE magazine editor</a> on Cnn.com.<br /><br /> I am wondering if the site didn't go down because the <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/11/news/companies/auto_bailout_senate/index.htm?postversion=2008121206">auto bailout "failed"</a> and the universe didn't want me to talk about it. <br /><br />Today the Down Jones Industrial Average will likely throw a temper tantrum because the bailout failed. I don't care, let it drop. It will come back. To everyone asking "What About Retirees?" My response is that no retired person should have growth stocks as any substantial portion of their portfolio. That's not advice, that's my opinion.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-67538367881154207352008-12-12T05:08:00.001-08:002008-12-12T05:14:14.494-08:00What About Our Daughters.com is DOWN :(Hey folks, if all the tampering I did early this morning worked, thosw of you who type in WhatAboutOurDaughters.com should be directed back to our old stomping grounds over here on blogger. Our hosting provider is having "issues" hopefully these issues will be resolved today, otherwise we'll be over here until they resolve. THIS is why you should follow GEM2001 on Twitter. To keep up with what's going on with this blog go to www.twitter.com/gem2001Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-33032074261697055372008-08-26T06:14:00.000-07:002008-08-26T06:16:25.068-07:00Michelle Obama at the Democratic National ConventionAs you know, I am currently at the Democratic National Convention. Last night I watched Michelle Obama's speech from the floor of the Pepsi Center. You can find all of our comprehensive convention coverage at WhatAboutOurDaughters.com our new home.<br /><i>What About Our Daughters has <a href="http://www.demconvention.com/credentialed-blogs"> received credentials </a>to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. .</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-65131564387860428502008-08-10T06:22:00.000-07:002008-08-10T06:24:51.458-07:00We're moving to WhatAboutOurDaughters.comOh my goodness. I am not ready yet, but it has to be done. W're moving to our own domain Y'all!!!! WhatAboutOurDaughters.com. There may be some hiccups and stumbling blocks as we move from blogspot, but our time ha come. We have to do some serious upgrades for the Democratic National Convention later this month and this is the first of what will likely be many. I think I might cry, but I won't<br /><br />So join us at www.whataboutourdaughters.com<br /><br /><br /><i>What About Our Daughters has <a href="http://www.demconvention.com/credentialed-blogs"> received credentials </a>to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-36562934369303625192008-08-09T06:26:00.001-07:002008-08-09T06:33:50.821-07:00Bernie Mac Dies: MSNBC ReportingLast week <a href="http://sandrarose.com/2008/08/03/comedian-bernie-mac-in-very-very-critical-condition/">Sandra Rose</a> reported that Bernie Mac was in very critical condition, but Mac's publicist said otherwise. Well, MSNBC just put up a headline that comedian Bernie Mac has died. He was only 50 years old.<br /><br />Folks stop waiting around to find some peace in your life. Tomorrow or even the next hour isn't promised to us. <br /><br /> My thoughts and prayers are with the family.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-88013856614930283902008-08-08T06:54:00.000-07:002008-08-08T06:54:10.522-07:00Black Love: Tamela and David Mann EditionWe take a temporary pause from all the mayhem and foolishness to put some Black Love on display. I know CNN wants y'all to believe that we have the suckiest lives on planet Earth, but there are some folk sout there who managed to snatch happiness fromthe jaws of despair. Soledad Obrien must have overlooked these two. Another blogger wrote a side-splittingly funny post about one of the actors who frequently appear in Tyler Perry theatrical productions and got me to thinking about one of my favorite singers, Tamela Mann so I YouTubed her and found this clip of Tamela and her husband David talking about the first time they met and what is like to work together. They made me smile. I see couples like this everywhere EXCEPT Television.<br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S1GDxaBs-tE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S1GDxaBs-tE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />For all you ESSENCE.com readers who voted repeatedly in that dadgum "<a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/">Do Right Man- Gurl Get Cho Ring Befo' Spring</a>" Competition, Black love tends not to be baby oiled down,hairless, and airbrushed within an inch of its life. It looks something like this--Two people who enjoy each other's company.<br /><i>What About Our Daughters has <a href="http://www.demconvention.com/credentialed-blogs"> received credentials </a>to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-40427621470152249422008-08-07T19:08:00.001-07:002008-08-07T19:51:01.644-07:00Kwame Kilpatrick Jail House Vigil Open Thread<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KrBWkCZrRT0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KrBWkCZrRT0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />I really don't have anything to say. <a href="http://technorati.com/posts/dKH5miM%2FcfWEOeGlGyMJWfgaCOgEnn%2F7kMKB2Jfn1Cg%3D">The man is in jail.</a> I don't believe in kicking folks while they are down and it doesn't get more down than being locked up. So feel free to comment and leave links to interesting posts about Kwame Kilpatrick. This is all very sad. Sad for the city. Sad for the family, and yes, even sad for him. All that talent and all those gifts SQUANDERED!<br /><br />I have offered some of my pasts comments in chronological order ( that's beginning to end y'all)<br /><br />Previous Posts:<br /><a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/01/waod-wagging-finger-of-shame-kwame.html">Wagging Finger of Shame to Kwame and Christine (6 Months Ago)</a><br /><a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/01/detroit-to-kwamewhy-cant-we-quit-you.html">The Apology/ Non Apology Video</a><br /><a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/03/kwame-kilpatrick-vs-elliot-spitzerwhy.html">Elliot Spitzer vs. Kwame Kil Patrick- Why Wives Should Get Hazard Pay</a><br /><a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/03/kwame-kilpartick-charged-with-perjury.html">Kwame Charged</a><br /><a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/04/when-nigga-met-niggette-detroit-love.html">Detroit: A Love Story-</a> My Interpretation of 18 Pages of TXT MSGs<br /><a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/08/yallz-boy-kwame-kilpatrick-career.html">Kwame K is Career Kryptonite</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-71931151033499293612008-08-07T04:19:00.000-07:002008-08-07T05:36:43.126-07:00ESSENCE "Do Right Men" Want to Give us All Diabetes!-Mr. WAOD???<span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>ATTENTION LADIES (</strong> <span style="color:#333333;">and <em>some gentlemen- we don't discriminate 'round here</em></span><strong>), today is your VERY LAST DAY to vote in ESSENCE Magazine's "</strong></span><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Do Right Man of the YEAR</strong></span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>" Competition.</strong> </span><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></strong><br />Since it is almost over, it is now safe to post about ESSENCE's semi-annual attempt to prey upon the paranoia of single professional Black women. Its the semi annual "Sistahs I don't know Why Y'all All Still Single Because there are Plenty of Good Black Men Out Here, y'all just too picky!" psychological warfare.<br /><br />Y'all know all we unmarried professional Black women are all going to die old and alone and be eaten alive by nine cats! MEOW! I told y'all not to get all high and mighty and go out and get a degree and whatnot--we're all unmarriagable now. Oh and you went out and purchased a home as well? Oh well just pull out the Friskies cat food right now! Tis OVA! All is lost! Sistas run for your LIIIIVES!<br /><br />For about a month, I have been getting email blasts from ESSENCE.com about this"Do Right Man" competition. My dear friend and I had a hoot when I spotted a few folks she has dated and more than a few of these "Do Right" men <s>are NOT</s>may not be single( <em>according to her</em>). But anyway, we had a good laugh about it going through the list to see if there was anybody else that we know. Tis a very . small. world.<br /><br />But while perusing this list of "Do Right" men I noticed something VERY WRONG....almost every single DO-Right man's most "romantic" gesture involves food:<br /><em><blockquote><em>“I once serenaded a special someone with a song on a <strong>yacht dinner<br />cruise</strong>.” </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_miguelpozo.html"><em>The Lawyer</em></a></em><br /></blockquote><em><blockquote><em>Maree says he once sent an anonymous letter to a woman that he really liked<br />and asked her to <strong>meet him at a four-star restaurant </strong>on the<br />beach. Quite a risk but Charles says, “The evening went very well.” </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_charlesmaree.html"><em>The<br />Fireman</em></a></blockquote></em><br />No seriously, they all mention food. Even the "medical professionals" who should know better:<br /><br /><em><em><blockquote><em><em>After she had a hard day at work, “I <strong>cooked my girlfriend’s<br />favorite meal</strong> and drew bathwater for her. With Luther Vandross<br />playing in the background, I washed and rubbed her feet.” </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_donaldarnold.html"><em>Doctor</em></a></em></blockquote></em></em><br />Here is another doctor:<br /><br /><em><blockquote><em>“A young woman I went to college with was frustrated about not having been<br />voted homecoming queen. So I compiled [a collage] with several photos of her on<br />the homecoming court and <strong>bought her a cake</strong> that read ‘You Are<br />My Homecoming Queen.’ ” </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_raniwhitfield.html"><em>Doctor</em></a></blockquote></em>I ain't gon' lie, the arts and crafts collage idea was kinda tight.. minus the sugary sweet diabetes inducing cake. No wonder we all got issues with "sugar" and high blood pressure. Oh wait, here is one that didn't talk about food:<br /><br /><em><blockquote><em>“When a woman I was seeing was venting to me about something, I just<br />listened until she was through. I believe that is the most romantic thing a<br />man can do. Sometimes a woman just needs to know you’re there.” </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_darrylwilson.html/"><em>Dooooctoooor</em></a></blockquote></em><br /><p></p><p>Too bad at 48 he is just over my 15-year cut off. Tis a shame. Gosh darnit' and there I was picking out a china pattern and bridesmaids dresses. Oh well. Here is another one that wants to clog our precious arteries:</p><em><blockquote><em>I once surprised a special lady by preparing a <strong>romantic,<br />home-cooked, four-course, candlelit dinner</strong>.” </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_michaelguise.html"><em>Real<br />Estate MOGUL</em></a></blockquote></em><p>Don't you feel your blood sugar spiking right about now. What's with the four and five course meals. Appetizer, entree, dessert. That's it. And it keeps going. R&B "Crooner" Jaheim wants to kill us all too:</p><em><blockquote><em>Jaheim also likes treating you to some <strong>home-cooked comfort<br />food</strong>. </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_jaheim.html"><em>Jaheim</em></a></blockquote></em><p>Even the athletes want to fatten us up:</p><blockquote>“He’ll trade his playbook for a cookbook and work hard to captivate with <strong>five<br />courses. </strong><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_oviemughelli.html">Baby-oiled Down NFL player. </a></blockquote><p>Is he counting the salad and rolls as a course???Now you mean to tell me not ONE person has noticed this pattern? Can a sister get a sonnet? A PO-EM? Nope, but we'll give her some scampi with a side of spare ribs.</p><em><blockquote><em>If sipping fine champagne on a secluded beach, enjoying mellow music, and <strong>sampling delectable nibbles </strong>is your idea of a great date,<br />Ferguson is the guy for you. </em><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_dbrickashawferguson.html"><em>Another NFL Player I Ain't Ever Heard of</em></a></blockquote></em><p>Delectable NIBBLES? Why not just say his idea of a romantic evening is hooking a sister up to a feeding tube? ESSENCE is trying to kill us all one biscuit at a time!!! Run for your lives SISTAS!!! RUN LIKE THE HOUNDS OF HELL AND <s>NIPPING</s> Nibbling AT YOUR ANKLES! With a side of fava beans and potato salad and raspberry tea.</p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">MR WAOD?</span></strong></p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><p align="left">So all this has gotten me to thinking, should have our own competition? I don't want to wound the sensibilities of my culinary- challenged male readership. Because here at WAOD, we try not to discriminate based on gender or cooking ability. Do y'all think we should have a MR. WAOD Competition like<a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/"> ESSENCE.com</a>? </p><p align="left">We can have men submit videotapes of themselves performing essential functions like:</p><ol><li>Cooking on something other than a grill, </li><li>Changing a tire/ using a tire gauge PROPERLY!!</li><li>Opening a jar of pickles, </li><li><div align="left">Putting down the toilet seat, </div></li><li><div align="left">Sitting outside the women's dressing room holding some shopping bags and a purse </div></li><li><div align="left">Assembling some furniture from IKEA (using all the parts that came in the box- No "Black engineering" allowed!)</div></li><li><div align="left">Other miscellaneous tasks. </div></li></ol><p align="left">We could culminate it with a phone interview on a podcast. Or would that objectify Black men too much? </p><p align="left">Brother's let us know, did you feel objectified by ESSENCE.com's <a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/">"Do Right Man"</a> competition? Was it fair to have regla' brothers go up against <a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_oviemughelli.html">baby oiled-down NFL players</a>? Is this REVERSE SEXISM? Can you compete with brothers who are cooking their women "<a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_curtisdotson.html">a meal of shrimp and scallop pasta and served on the beach</a>"? (I can just feel the sand grinding away at my tooth enamel as I try to eat sauce laden pasta on a beach.) Can you compete with a brother who <a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_reubencannon.html">bakes oatmeal cookies</a>? Can you perform a <a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_adriansaddler.html">tropical fruit-scented massage</a>?<br /></p><blockquote>“The delicious feel of a head-to-toe, nice-and-slow massage. The invigorating<br />scent of warmed botanical oils. The tantalizing taste of ripe tropical fruit...”</blockquote><p>Is this fair brothers? I say IS IT FAIR? Can you compete with <a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_quesijones.html">fresh baked bread and gourmet cheese</a>? And granted more than a few of us are holding it down for the CGU, but really do Black men really think romance = food? No, am serious. <strong>Is Black love all about the DRANKS and VITTLES in 2008?? </strong></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">I say we all vote for </span><a href="http://www.essence.com/essence/dorightmen/bio_angelomitchell.html"><span style="font-size:180%;">this guy </span></a><span style="font-size:180%;">because he is the only finalist old enough to rent a car at a major US airport.</span> </strong></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-29989060515648295242008-08-06T06:51:00.000-07:002008-08-06T06:08:33.492-07:00Y'allz Boy Kwame Kilpatrick Career Kryptonite for Black Women--- ALMOST Brings Down His Mama<span style=";font-family:courier new;font-size:180%;" >"Pull us from the water when it is clear we are drowning and then after you are sure we've recovered taking us back down to the river and tossing us in and saying "Um don't you think its about time you learned how to swim on your own because I'm not always gone be here to rescue you!" *splash*" <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Gina on a Mother's Love</span></span><br /><br />First there was Carlita, then Christine, now add Carolyn to the list of Black women who've been singed by the uncontrollable lustful urges of Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick. <br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l_2hxRAqctE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l_2hxRAqctE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br />Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, a seven-term incumbent, found herself fighting for her political life. Why? Because of the uncontrollable lustful desires of her fully grown son:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Early results Tuesday showed the six-term congresswoman trailing both her opponents, but as the night wore on and more Detroit numbers came in, she pulled even and then slightly ahead of former state Rep. Mary Waters at around midnight.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">With all precincts reporting, Kilpatrick had 20,888 votes, or 39.1% and Waters had 19,183 votes, or 36%. State Sen. Martha Scott was in third place with 13,280 votes, or 24.9%, according to the Associated Press. </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080806/NEWS15/808060414">FREEP</a></blockquote><br />In a three way race yesterday, she won by 1,700 votes in a race that should not have even been close for a seven term incumbent. Mama K had over a half a million dollars, her closest challenger had $10,000 and if this had not been a three way race, it would have been lights out.<br /><br />I had an occasion to meet Mama Kilpatrick at an event I was asked to speak at. It was an event with a bunch of rich Black women, many of whom were not all that warm and cuddly towards the fire breathing blogtavist, but Mama Kilpatrick was one of the nicest people I met that weekend. No strike that, she was the nicest. And no, it wasn't the politician thing because I sat at a table with another Black Congresswoman and she wasn't warm and fuzzy at all. AT. ALL. If it wasn't for enabling her fully grown son and his massive lapses in ethical behavior and judgement, I really don't have a bad thing to say about the woman. I don't live in her district.<br /><br />So far Kwame has taken out Christine Beatty. Now his Mama barely holds on to her job, and yet he still keeps his job despite new allegations that he <a href="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/NEWS01/80724095&imw=Y">shoved sheriff's deputies</a> who were attempting to serve a subpoena on one of his friends.<br /><br /><p><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Jim Thomas, the mayor’s lawyer, said Kilpatrick merely told a process server that Ferguson was not there and asked him to leave.“He </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">gently took him by the arm and escorted him off the porch</span><span style="font-style: italic;">,” Thomas said, adding that Ayanna is married to Ferguson’s cousin, Daniel Ferguson.Thomas said he did not know why Kilpatrick did not ask his police bodyguards, who were with him, to handle the matter. </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/NEWS01/80724095&imw=Y">FREEP</a></blockquote><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/NEWS01/80724095&imw=Y"></a>In WHAT world do you lay hands on a uniformed peace officer and escort them anywhere? Somebody reminded me that both Kwame Kilpatrick and Barack Obama gave speeches at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Wow how quickly their paths diverged.<br /><p></p><br />Ladies remember this, don't sacrifice your marriage, your life, or your career for an untrustworthy, undisciplined man or you will end up like all of the women in Kwame Kilpatick's life--- Left OUT THERE while he is chillaxin in the Mayor's mansion. <br /><br />I know about a Mother's love and whatnot, the fact that no matter what you do in life, you'll always have your Mama, but part of being a parent is letting your kids go through the fire on their own. At a certain point, its not your job to keep us from getting burned, only to help bandage a few wounds. Or better yet, pull us from the water when it is clear we are drowning and then after you are sure we've recovered taking us back down to the river and tossing us in and saying "Um don't you think its about time you learned how to swim on your own because I'm not always gone be here to rescue you!" *splash*<br /><br />On a side note, I about fell out when I read this:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">11:15pm, Mary Waters has joined her supporters at Fuddruckers on East Jefferson Avenue. Her supporters are wearing their Mary Waters for Congress t-shirts and keeping a close eye on the results. </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.wxyz.com/content/news/2008vote/story.aspx?content_id=2ac64b1b-62e4-481e-87f6-265168296435">WXYZ</a> </blockquote><br />So that's how y'all roll Detroit? Fuddruckers on East Jefferson is the spot. What? Y'all didn't have any hotel ballrooms available? Did she at least pick up the fries?<br /><br />PS, Y'alls is spelled Y'all's or Y'allz not "Yaws" its "Y'all's Boy" not "Yaw's"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-62266197978296935312008-08-06T02:41:00.000-07:002008-08-06T02:41:17.305-07:00Ain't She Grand? Michelle Obama Covers Ebony Magazine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm83/michelleobamawatch/michelle-obama-ebony.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm83/michelleobamawatch/michelle-obama-ebony.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Michelle Obama is covering this month's Ebony magazine. She looks FAB! It is so nice to see a Black women on the cover of a magazine without her g-string clad rear in the air. The issue is out August 12th. here are some quotes from the article .<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Michelle on campaigning and the American people…</span><br /><blockquote><br />“It has been a blessing for us to have this opportunity to spend this year traveling the country,” she tells Ebony magazine. “We’ve been in almost every state in this nation—in people’s homes, in their kitchens, in their community centers, and just having the opportunity to be reminded of how decent the American people are and how our values are so closely linked, that gives me hope.”<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michelle on her style…</span><br /><br /><blockquote>“I do think what you wear is a reflection of who you are. I love to look glamorous when there’s a wonderful, purposeful event that is appropriate. But when I’m in Iowa campaigning with the girls, I am in Gap shorts and a T-shirt.” </blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michelle on being a mom…</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“My first job in all honesty is going to continue to be mom-in-chief,” she says, “making sure that in this transition, which will be even more of a transition for the girls…that they are settled and that they know they will continue to be the center of our universe.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michelle on being married to Barack…</span><br /><blockquote><br />“Barack and I – as partners, as friends and as lovers– we accessorize each other in many ways,” she said. “The best thing I love having on me is Barack on my arm and vice versa, whether it’s having him standing there smiling at me, or watching him mesmerize a crowd or talk to some seniors in a senior center.”</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> BARACK OBAMA-On Michelle balancing work and family…<br /></span><br /><blockquote>“Michelle believes deeply in the American Dream – because she’s lived it. And as a mother of our two young daughters, she understands firsthand the challenge of balancing work and family. That ability to empathize and understand the struggles that so many hardworking families are going through will be valuable to have as a first lady.” </blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">MARIAN JOHNSON(Michelle’s mom)-On Michelle being driven</span><br /><blockquote><br />“She always wanted to do her best, and I don’t think it had anything to do with outdoing someone else. It’s within her.” </blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Robin Givhan-On Michelle’s style<br /></span><br /><blockquote>“People associate her with Jackie Kennedy because that’s the last time there was a first lady with a trademark style.”</blockquote><br />Man, BUMP that Jackie Kennedy comparison. Ever hear of Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King? Lena Horne? Come on! We've always had style.<br /><i><br /></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-10511491267670202072008-08-05T20:02:00.001-07:002008-08-05T20:04:23.559-07:00Looking For Graphic Artist/ CartoonistFinalizing site redesign for Democratic convention and need an illustration. Pretty simple, but beyond my limited abilities. Hit up the gmail in the right sidebar if you are interested. Thanks a bunch!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-69035558275881465532008-08-05T04:19:00.000-07:002008-08-05T04:19:00.709-07:00AIDS is NOT a "Black Disease" and Those Promoting That Foolishness (CNN) have a VERY. SHORT. MEMORY!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" > Just because you are mad at your people doesn't mean you stand by and watch as someone, even one of our own, selfishly attempts to throw them over a cliff. We ALL don't deserve what CNN has been doing to us for two weeks and counting.</span></span><br /></div><br />The fact that Black people are complicit in racism does not make it any less morally repugnant. So I was all fired up and ready to blast an angry letter to CNN when I read another one of their sensational headlines that they have been dropping to promote their propaganda called "Black in America", you know, the show where CNN, with the help of Soledad O'Brien, takes every negative stereotype you can find about Black people and applies it to the entire race and beams it to the world.<br /><br />Last week CNN's headline writer declared that Black women were <a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/07/black-women-are-endangered-species-aids.html">an endangered species</a>. Then today I read a CNN headline that asked "Is AIDS an 'Black Disease?". Of course not you ninnies! Then I got to the meat of the article and the blame, for once, does not lie with the high schoolers responsible for the content of CNN.com, but from a Black AIDS activist:<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"AIDS in America today is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">black disease</span>," says Phill Wilson, founder and CEO of the institute and himself HIV-positive for 20 years. "2006 CDC data tell us that about half of the just over 1 million Americans living with </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/hiv_and_aids" class="cnnInlineTopic">HIV or AIDS</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> are black."</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/07/29/black.aids.report/?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail">CNN.com</a></blockquote>I get his point, but I question his marketing methods and that's what he is doing, marketing his message. We live in a country where "separate is inherently unequal." So have these activists thought of the long term implications of labeling ANY disease as a "Black disease"? You can hear the sound of funding drying up as we speak. Drug research. POOF! Compassion- POOF!. Telethons-POOF! Let's get real.<br /><br />Doesn't anybody remember how much time, energy and money were spent to shatter the myth that AIDs was the exclusive province of White gay men? We had songs, telethons and Oprah shows! Now we are intentionally trying to undo the lesson that no one is immune from this disease. Oh wait, somebody else remembers the 80s and 90s too:<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">This reminds me of the lies that were told about HIV/AIDS and are still being told. Remember the lie that HIV/AIDS is a gay disease, and that only gay people get it? WRONG!! Remember the lie that you could contract HIV/AIDS from kissing someone with the disease? WRONG!! Remember the lie that you could contract HIV/AIDS by shaking hands with someone who has the disease? WRONG!! Remember the lie that you could contract HIV/AIDS by using the same dishes and silverware that someone with the disease used? WRONG!! Ooh, and the biggest lie of all is told by the Catholic Church, particularly in Africa. They tell people that condoms are laced with AIDS. WRONG!! Condoms can help prevent diseases!! Now we're asking if AIDS is a Black disease? Are you kidding me?The bottom line is, ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN CONTRACT HIV. It doesn't matter if you're black, white, hispanic, asian, native american, or anything else. You can get the disease.<br /><br />I'm really sick and tired of hearing that it's this group or that group's disease. It's a disease that anybody can get, PERIOD!!<a href="http://iwishiwereinparis.blogspot.com/2008/08/is-aids-black-disease.html">I Wish I Were in Paris</a></blockquote><a href="http://iwishiwereinparis.blogspot.com/2008/08/is-aids-black-disease.html"></a><br />THANK YOU!! How Quickly people forget!<br /><br />In addition, CNN, as the arbiter of all things Black has followed up with a report that says that Black people are <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/07/29/black.aids.report/?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail#">genetically predisposed</a> to developing HIV. They are saying genes increase the likelihood of developing an HIV infection by 40%.<br /><br />Silence Kills. So raising awareness and public education are necessary, but I question the wisdom of labeling any disease in this country as a "Black disease". When was the last time somebody held a telethon for sickle cell anemia? Y'all let me know when the "high blood pressure" ribbon campaign begins.<br /><br />I admire what they are attempting to accomplish, but labeling AIDS as a "Black disease" is WRONG and short-sighted. Your temporary headlines on CNN and a possible up tick in funding are nothing compared to the damage that will likely follow if people are able to write off AIDS as a problem for "that other group of people" I thought we already fought this battle. Anybody can contract this disease.<br /><br />Furthermore, if you are going to label any disease as a "Black"disease, then you have a moral obligation to go beyond getting some temporary news clipping for your cause and providing us an explanation as to WHY.<br /><span class="cnnBlogCommentTmeStmp"></span><br /><p></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">My frustration with this series is the constant presentation of statistics with little or no time spent addressing how those numbers got so high (or in some cases, low). The question “How did we get to such a place?” should be towards the top of this post, not in the last paragraph. Answer those questions first then let’s engage in conversation about changing the course.<a href="http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/29/black-and-beautiful-and-hiv-positive/">Cherisa from CNN.com comments.</a></blockquote><a href="http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/29/black-and-beautiful-and-hiv-positive/"> </a><p></p>EXACTLY CHERISA! Is it because there is something inherent about our BLACKness that makes us susceptible? Or is it poor access to care, a lack of education, gender dynamics, misogyny, poverty, culture, music? Give me something other than this sensational headline to justify trying to turn back the clock 20 years.<br /><br />The <a href="http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/29/black-and-beautiful-and-hiv-positive/">comments at CNN</a> basically prove my point. The LAST thing Black folks need to do is to try to turn AIDS into "OUR" disease. Nobody owns a monopoly on AIDS. ASIA has suffered from its own <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/asiaCrisis/idUSN03377322">AIDS epidemics.<br /></a><br />Y'all know that if FOX NEWS ran this mess, we would be marching right now. I am so seriously sick of CNN right about now. I mean those ratings must really be worth it to them.<br /><br />And to all of you who say "Well people need to know the TRUTH!" This ain't the truth.Stop using the fact that Black folks have problems to welcome slander and abuse from internal or external forces. Stop letting the fact that we aren't perfect excuse being brutalized by ourselves and others. Stop letting the fact that you are disgusted by the behavior of some Black people allow you to pardon someone engaging in behavior that has longterm negative consequences for all of us. Just because you are mad at your people doesn't mean you stand by and watch as someone, even one of our own, selfishly attempts to throw them over a cliff. We ALL don't deserve what CNN has been doing to us for two weeks and counting.<br /><br />This latest example is one man's opinion and mainstream media, with CNN and the front of the pack has run with it. There has to be another way. I remember the 80s and 90s-it wasn't pretty and for the life of me I can't figure out why someone who claims to be an activist would intentionally engage in turning back the clock to the days when people really did think that if they didn't belong to a certain "group" they were immune from the disease. That just isn't true. No one is immune. No one is immune. No. One. Is. Immune.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-32542510763200683972008-08-04T06:39:00.000-07:002008-08-04T06:49:38.234-07:00Black Woman, LaKecious Edwards , Wins Lawsuit Against AT&THat tip to <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/100/story/802530.html">MTO</a><br /><br />Well what are you supposed to do when your coworkers who have less experience and mared disciplinary records get promoted over you and your Black coworkers repeatedly? Well, you certainly don't wait for the statute of limitations to run out your discrimination lawsuit.<br /><br /><blockquote>AT&T, named one of the 40 "best diversified" companies by Black Enterprise magazine, has been ordered to pay $411,339 to a Fort Worth woman who was one of three African-American employees to file suit accusing the company of racial discrimination at its Arlington call center.LaKecious Edwards received the award from a Dallas jury this week, her lawyer said Friday. <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/100/story/802530.html">FT Worth Star Telegram</a></blockquote><br /><br />Go Lakecious! The reason given for being denied a promotion:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote>One manager said in a deposition that Edwards was not promoted because she spoke so fast that men couldn’t understand her and because she was too emotional. <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/100/story/802530.html">SOURCE</a></blockquote></span><br /><br />AAAh yes, "too emotional."<br /><br />But this was the kicker for me:<br /><br /><blockquote>"Six other mi- nority employees with simi- lar complaints could not file lawsuits because the statute of limitations ran out while they waited for responses from AT&T’s legal department to internally lodged grievances." <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/100/story/802530.html">SOURCE</a></blockquote><br /><br />LaKecious, please put that money in the bank and live off of the interest.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-28305494623031151472008-08-04T06:14:00.000-07:002008-08-04T06:29:13.900-07:00Black Women "Emotionally Labor" At Work? - "Keep Your 'N' in Check" StudyWe have another "revelatory" study on Black women. At least it isn't declaring how diseased we are like the last few rounds. This one is supposed to have findings that I do believe Dubois pointed out about a kazillion years ago. But anyway, PhDs gotta earn a living. Apparently Black women feel extra special stress at work trying to conform.<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Black professionals make extra efforts in the workplace to fulfill what they believe are the expectations of their white colleagues, according to research to be presented today at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sociologists Marlese Durr of Wright State University and her co-author Adia Harvey Wingfield of Georgia State University argue that black professionals engage in two types of "emotional performance" in the workplace: General etiquette and racialized emotion maintenance.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Our analysis of these aspects of workplace behavior reveals that women and men co-mingle etiquette and emotion maintenance to be accepted in the workplace and to fit white expectations," said Durr. "This emotional overtime in the workplace strengthens race/ethnic group solidarity."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Whether it's stressful, inauthentic or downright draining, Durr claims that emotional labor is "a crucial part of black women's self-presentation in work and social public spaces." These efforts to fit in can, in effect, make African American women feel isolated, alienated, and frustrated. </span><a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/asa-se072908.php"><span style="font-style: italic;">SOURCE</span></a></blockquote><a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/asa-se072908.php"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></a><br /><br />Oh, and they couldn't have found a more "professional" way to state the following in their press release<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Durr and Wingfield illustrate emotional labor as performance with a quote from an African American woman who says of her workplace peers, "They…are careful to remember…'that's not professional. Remember they got the s[hit] that'll get you bit! Keep your Negro in check! Don't let it jump up and show anger, disapproval, or difference of opinion. They have to like you and think that you are as close to them as possible in thought, ideas, dress and behavior.'" </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/asa-se072908.php">SOURCE</a></blockquote><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/asa-se072908.php"></a><br />Is it lost on anyone that a study about professionalism at work is entitled "Keep Your N in Check"?? Anybody else see an irony or paradox or whatever? This is stereotyping I don't care what y'all say in the comments. We aren't some our of control beasts who don't know how to behave. That isn't where the stress comes from.<br /><br />This study implies that we inherently don't know how to act in the workplace and it is extra taxing on us. It fails to acknowledge that we often can engage in the same behavior and conduct as their coworkers and have that behavior viewed through a completely different lens.<br /><br />Next week I am going to do a study to see if Black women spend entirely too much time in the beauty salon or some other revelatory investigation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-72772000425387687892008-08-01T16:55:00.000-07:002008-08-01T18:46:52.010-07:00Obama Heckled. Acolytes Slipping?? OH MY!Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? So I was about to shut down the blogging for the weekend I was watching a feisty <a href="http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/16936775/index.html">Debate between Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick and two other sisters</a> in Detroit. I love the big D they never fail to disappoint.<br /><blockquote>Kilpatrick, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said she has brought in $500 million for Michigan and asked Waters and Scott what they know about Congress's budget process. <p style="font-style: italic;">"How many appropriations committees are there in Congress? How many departments are there in the federal government? What department has the largest bill before the appropriations committee?" she asked. </p><p style="font-style: italic;">Waters said, "Anybody who goes to Congress can bring home the dollars." </p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">Kilpatrick replied, "<span style="font-weight: bold;">You can't even carry my bra."</span> </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/METRO/807200316">Detroit News</a></p></blockquote>I Don't care what anybody says, you gotta love "Mama K" because "<a href="http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/16936775/index.html">You can't even carry my bra</a>!!!" has to be the best political sound byte EVER! Only in De-twoi. Somebody get me that t-shirt!<br /><br />But anyway, So while I am being entertained by Carolyn, Martha Scott and Mary Waters, I see that Obama got heckled.<br /><br />Now previous I have written that this election cycle Black folks have been forbidden to do anything other than vote. By whom? Well the Obama Accolytes.<br /><blockquote>There are Obama supporters. There are Obama "stans" ( stalker fans). Then, there are the Obama Acolytes as we fondly refer to them here. The Obama Acolytes are like a paramilitary mercenary force. They work independent of the campaign and take orders from no one in particular. They won't even listen to their candidate. They are friends, relatives, and coworkers. Ordinary, generally well loving people except for one occasional problem, they view anyone and anything that might in anyway get in the way of Barack Obama making it to 1600 Avenue as the ENEMY that must be destroyed at all costs. <a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/07/bernie-mac-embarrasses-hey-ell-out-of.html">WAOD July 12, 2008</a></blockquote><a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/07/bernie-mac-embarrasses-hey-ell-out-of.html"></a>Those over zealous family and friends that won't let you question so much as Obama's tie color.<br /><br />So low and behold these Black hecklers from some group I ain't ever heard of and probably never will again, got up and cut up. The acolytes already have an APB out on those three brothers for violating the <a href="http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2008/07/breakinghave-bernie-mac-and-jesse.html">11th Commandment</a>. Um did ole boy said "in the face of <span style="font-style: italic;">nunumus</span> attacks?" Y'all know Bernie Mac sent these guys.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ille2P93bGg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ille2P93bGg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sARnrGPlzDg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sARnrGPlzDg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br />Huffington Post provided a transcript of a question to Obama that followed the dust up:<br /><blockquote><br />QUESTION: "In the face of the numerous attacks that are made against the African community or the black community, by the same U.S. government that you aspire to lead. We are talking about attacks like the sub-prime mortgage... that was a phenomenon that started in the African American and Latino community, attacks like the killing of Sean Bell... and the Jena Six... and on and on... in the face of all these attacks, why is it that you have not had the ability to speak to the interest and the behalf of the oppressed and exploited African-American community in this country?"<br /><br /><br />OBAMA: "I think you are misinformed ... Every issue you talk of I did speak out about. I have been talking about predatory lending for the last two years in the U.S. Senate and worked to pass legislation to prevent it when I was in the state legislature. I have repeatedly said that many of the predatory loans that were made in the mortgage system did target the African American and Latino communities.<br /><br />"Jena Six, I was the first candidate to get out there and say this is wrong, that an injustice what had been done... When Sean Bell got shot I put out a statement saying immediately this is a problem...<br /><br />"Don't start shouting back, I'm just answering your question. On each of these issues I have spoken out. I may not have spoken out the way you have wanted me to speak out. Which is fine. I understand. On each of these issues you have mentioned I have spoken out and I have spoken out forcefully. Listen, I was a civil rights lawyer. I passed the first racial profiling legislation in Illinois. I passed some of the toughest death penalty reform legislation in Illinois. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/01/obama-heckled-for-not-foc_n_116308.html">Huffington Post</a>.<br /></blockquote><br />Snap, crackle, and pop. Who went and liberated Black folks and whatnot? You mean we get to heckle just like all the other disgruntled group of people in this country? Wow! Say it ain't so! Today feels like Juneteenth or sumthin'<br /><br />Baratunde over at Jack and Jill has another perspective:<br /><br /><blockquote>I don’t think Obama’s above reproach or criticism, and I think he should be called to answer any question any citizen of the country he aspires to lead has. So, by all means, lay into him if you think he’s off base or plain wrong. However, anybody who can say with a straight face that Obama is somehow ignoring the problems of black America, is a liar or incredibly, shamefully, willfully lazy and simple-minded. Check out his <a href="http://www.barackobama.com/issues/urbanpolicy/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview ('/outbound/www.barackobama.com');">Urban Policy Plan</a>, his <a href="http://www.barackobama.com/issues/poverty/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview ('/outbound/www.barackobama.com');">Poverty Plan</a>, his <a href="http://www.barackobama.com/issues/civilrights/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview ('/outbound/www.barackobama.com');">Civil Rights Plan</a> or <a href="http://www.barackobama.com/issues/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview ('/outbound/www.barackobama.com');">any of his plans</a>, and there can be no doubt that they offer solutions to the problems of black Americas specifically as well as all Americans generally. <a href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2008/08/obama-heckled-what-about-the-black-community/#more-1722">Jack and Jill Politics</a><br /></blockquote>So did the Slant Truth:<br /><blockquote><br />I really don’t get why some people think that if Obama doesn’t talk <em>all black all the time and only about black issues</em>, then he’s a sellout. His vote on FISA, now that was a sellout, but come on, the man was a civil rights lawyer for chrissakes. There are a lot of valid reasons to criticize Sen. Obama. This is not one of them. <a href="http://slanttruth.com/2008/08/01/obama-heckled/">Slant Truth</a></blockquote><a href="http://slanttruth.com/2008/08/01/obama-heckled/"></a><br /><br />Shay over at Booker Rising thinks this was helpful to the campaign:<br /><br /><blockquote>Sen. Barack Obama getting heckled by a bunch of hardcore Marxists only helps his campaign. <a href="http://bookerrising.blogspot.com/2008/08/hecklers-greet-barack-obama-in-florida.html">Booker Rising</a></blockquote><a href="http://bookerrising.blogspot.com/2008/08/hecklers-greet-barack-obama-in-florida.html"></a><br /><br />I LOVE this headline from Black Voices "<a href="http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/08/01/what-the-heckler-happened-to-obama/">What the Heckler Happened to Obama?</a>"Oh S.T.O.P! It!<br /><br />This post pretty much encapsulates what most people think about Black folks this election cycle. You can vote, but don't you dare dissent ( publicly or privately). Just sit down and shut up.:<br /><blockquote><br />Even if those three dudes weren't Uncle Tom's and had an honest agenda to<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span>challenge<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Obama's</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">positive yet at times vague rhetoric regarding our people</span>, interrupting the man who has brought together the youth of this generation with optimism & hope was a bit out a line.<a href="http://icedotcom.blogspot.com/2008/08/barack-obama-heckled-by-black-students.html"> Iced.com</a></blockquote><a href="http://icedotcom.blogspot.com/2008/08/barack-obama-heckled-by-black-students.html"></a>He's calling some Marxists "Uncle Toms"?? UM wasn't the rap on Uncle Tom that he helped prop up the system- Tom wasn't radical? isn't that the complete opposite of what these rabble rousers are about. They ain't mainstream.<br /><br />Wow. Is this America? Dissent is "out of line"? Oh well, Dr. King, who knew you were out of line. Rosa Parks head to the back of that bus, You are out of line. Lunch counter demonstrators, out of line. Linda Brown, out of line. Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, out of line. Harriet Tubman, out of line. Frederick Douglas, out of line. Sojourner Truth; out of line! Thank goodness for all the Black folks who occasionally got "out of line" He's not running to be dog catcher! He is running to be the most powerful man on the face of the planet. He will survive criticism form some random fringe element we will never hear from again.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong. I don't agree with a thing the hecklers said, but dissent in an era of intolerance for dissent by Black people tis a beautiful thang! I agree, no president can be a panacea for all that ails the Black community. In fact, I think that our biggest problem may be expecting anything at all from a government that has a long history of not necessarily having our best interests at heart. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me over the course of 500 or so years, call me a a complete and total fool.<br /><br />So I don't agree with this groups politics, but I continue to be disturbed by an environment where black people are told to basically be quiet until November. Nod Nod Wink Wink. As if it is "understood" that a "brotha' "has our back . He is running for President of the United States of America, it isn't his job to have Black folk's backs. Its our job to hold all politicians accountable and that's hard to do in an environment where the slightest sign of dissent gets people branded as race-traitors and Uncle Toms.<br /><br />I wonder if all of these people swiftly moving to minimize these heckler's concerns would have the same opinion if these folks had heckled McCain. Who am I kidding, they wouldn't have gotten into a McCain event with a sign. If an <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/1-0&fp=4893b37942446e08&ei=t6uTSOf3OKbgyQSB5KnrBA&url=http%3A//www.9news.com/news/local/article.aspx%3Fstoryid%3D95394%26catid%3D346&cid=1226496254&usg=AFQjCNENNWG_JYfACtzXuJHSdQfxCcVIxA">elderly librarian can get ticketed and dragged off of public property</a> for holding a sign saying Bush=McCain, these three wouldn't have gotten within on mile of the arena<br /><br />How long y'all think it is going to take the acolytes to catch up with these three? Run fast. Run like the wind. That sound you hear in the distance is the Obama Acolyte woodshed door swinging open. They're coming for you in 5..4..3..2..1. Don't look back<br /><br />Now let me go finish watching this debate between Kilpatrick, Scott and Waters,> its excellent weekend fluff! I needed this.<br /><br /><i>What About Our Daughters has <a href="http://www.demconvention.com/credentialed-blogs"> received credentials </a>to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-64080105670759407532008-08-01T02:22:00.000-07:002008-08-01T02:22:00.595-07:00First Black Disney Princess In Theaters Christmas 2009- TrailerAccording to Young, Black and Fabulous, the Princess and the Frog the first Disney film featuring a Black princess will hit theatres in Christmas 2009. The film stars Anika Noni Rose Here is the trailer. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dLliH_XiQqA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dLliH_XiQqA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />We are SOOOOO going to have a WAOD watch party!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-13523843637102808522008-07-31T06:38:00.000-07:002008-07-31T06:38:01.320-07:00"Black women are an endangered species"- AIDS and Black WomenBy now you should have heard about the report that one out of two people with AIDS in this country are Black. Well that sounds about right because one out of two people murdered in this country are also Black.<br /><br /><blockquote>AIDS is the leading cause of death among black women between 25 and 34, and the second-leading cause of death in black men from 35 to 44, according to a report released Tuesday. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/30/bia.hiv.irpt/index.html">CNN.com</a></blockquote>You can have all of the AIDS prevention awareness programming you want, but what we are fighting here is as much a disease of the mind as one of the body.<br /><br /><blockquote> "For a lot of young black women, what's putting them at risk is emotion," <a href="http://www.ireport.com/people/SUZANEAFRICA">the 29-year-old iReporter</a> said. "Young women are going to men for security -- you're talking about a fatherless home and a girl looking for approval. That's the kind of thing that puts them at risk." <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/30/bia.hiv.irpt/index.html">CNN.com</a></blockquote><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/30/bia.hiv.irpt/index.html"></a><br />I was horrified and EMBARRASSED sitting in Atlanta's airport at 5:45 in the morning waiting to catch a flight. I was finally forced to watch Soledad O'Brien's "Black<span style="font-weight: bold;"> PROBLEMS</span> in America" I saw the vignette of the single Black woman who does not use condoms despite the fact that she thinks her "man" is cheating on here. I think every Black person in the boarding areas had their mouth open. One brother looked downright indignant.<br /><br />I have no solutions to offer on this one, but I doubt that that single Black mother on Soledad's "Black PROBLEMS in America" is likely to change her mind. For some women being without a man, any man is a fate worse than death and it appears that that mentality is costing Black women their lives.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-54738598026990804042008-07-31T06:26:00.000-07:002008-07-31T06:33:01.865-07:00LaVena Johnsons Update:Oversight Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military This Morning at 10:00 EST<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Watch hearing on <a href="http://nationalsecurity.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2125">webcast</a></span><br /></div>In 30 minutes a hearing Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs will conduct an oversight hearing into the current status of sexual response and prevention within the U.S. military. This hearing seeks to ensure that the Department of Defense has adequate policies and oversight mechanisms in place to prevent, treat, and punish sexual assaults.<br /><br />LaVena Johnson's case is not on the agenda, but members of Congress will be asking Army Officer's questions so it was a good opportunity to possibly get a few answers on the LaVena Johnson case or highlight it again. I know many of you have written to ask the members of the committee to ask about LaVena's case and some of you are actually gong to the hearing. I would give you advice, but you are probably sitting on the hard floor of the Rayburn Building waiting to get in right now. If you take your laptop, head for the side where the power outlets are and if some high school student intern tries to tel you that the area is just for the media just say "I AM the media!" and sit down. Make sure you stick around for Panel Three were the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Department of Defense and U.S. Army, and GAO </span> will provide testimony.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Witness List</span><br /><br />Panel One – Members of Congress (Statements Only):<br /><br />Honorable Louise M. Slaughter, Member of Congress (NY-28)<br /><br />Honorable Jane S. Harman, Member of Congress (CA-36)<br /><br />Panel Two – Victims and Family Members:<br /><br />Ms. Ingrid Torres, MSW, CSW, Washington, DC<br /><br />Mrs. Mary Lauterbach, Mother of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, Vandalia, Ohio<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Panel Three – Department of Defense and U.S. Army, and GAO:</span><br /><br />Mr. Michael Dominguez, Principal Deputy Undersecretary for Defense<br />(Personnel and Readiness)<br /><br />Dr. Kaye Whitley, Director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, U.S. Department of Defense<br /><br />Lieutenant General Michael D. Rochelle, Deputy Chief of Staff G-1,<br />United States Army<br /><br />Ms. Brenda S. Farrell, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, U.S.<br />Government Accountability Office<br /><br />The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building and is open to the public.<br /><br /><br /><i>What About Our Daughters has <a href="http://www.demconvention.com/credentialed-blogs"> received credentials </a>to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-40548430749062757392008-07-31T06:17:00.000-07:002008-07-31T06:24:43.251-07:00BWB Roundup Podcast- Clarissa Goodlett from Color of Change and Necole from NecoleBitchie.com are on 8:00PM CSTOkay. So we are going to give our two lunchtime panelists from <a href="http://blggingwhilebrown.com">Blogging While Brown</a> an opportunity to speak!<br /><br />We had a panel about new media and online activists and their relationship with old media and old guard civil rights groups and whether there are gulfs between the two groups and whether bloggers and online activists should even bother to try. The panel went off on an unexpected tangent about money so I have invited our two panelists to the <a href="http://blogtalkradio.com/blackwomen">roundtable </a>where they will get to talk about what I wanted to talk about at the conference.<br /><br />Necole will be on at 8:00PM CST and Clarissa will join us at 8:30PM. In addition we will be talking with Clarissa about Color of Change's campaign on behalf of the family of LaVena Johnson.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The call in number is 646-478-4750<br />8:00PM CST<br /></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blackwomen"><img id="btnBlogShow" alt="Listen to Black Women's Roundtable on internet talk radio" src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/img/180x60_callmyshow.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><i><br />What About Our Daughters has <a href="http://www.demconvention.com/credentialed-blogs"> received credentials </a>to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-32280843609183858382008-07-30T18:02:00.000-07:002008-07-30T18:58:38.515-07:00Ludacris Accepts Position With McCain Campaign - Obama Denounces<div align="left"><span style="font-size:180%;">“Hillary hated on you, so that <strong>bitch</strong> is irrelevant,” declared Luda on the track titled “Politics: </span><a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink1" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,1);" style="position: static; text-decoration: underline ! important;" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,1);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,1);" href="http://sandrarose.com/2008/07/30/barack-obama-denounces-ludacris/#" target="_top"><span style="font-size:180%;">Obama</span></a><span style="font-size:180%;"> is Here” Ludacris ( hat tip </span><a href="http://sandrarose.com/2008/07/30/barack-obama-denounces-ludacris/"><span style="font-size:180%;">Sandra Rose</span></a><span style="font-size:180%;">)<br /></span><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDsQtIvgNtI&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDsQtIvgNtI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />I saw this earlier today at <a href="http://sandrarose.com/2008/07/30/barack-obama-denounces-ludacris/">Sandra Rose.</a> It is a new "song" from Ludacris. Oh this is sure to go over well in the flyover states. Ig'nant. These merchants of misogyny don't have the sense God gave a chicken. Anything for a dollar and a bisquit.<br /><br />For his part, Barack Obama quickly denounced Ludicris.<br /><em><em><blockquote><em><em>“As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today<br />too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he<br />doesn’t want his daughters or any children exposed to. This song is not only<br />outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain,<br />and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our<br />children with the values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented<br />individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.”</em> </em></blockquote></em></em></div><br />Sandra pretty much sums up this clear cry for attention:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>Expect Luda’s publicist to issue a carefully worded prepared statement apologizing for his “unintended” offensive lyrics in 5…4….3…2 <a href="http://sandrarose.com/">Sandra Rose</a></blockquote>Yeah right. Unintended? Its going to be a long hot summer. Folks are we really ready for prime time?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-65343267871369238752008-07-29T15:46:00.000-07:002008-07-29T15:55:29.260-07:00Color of Change Launches Campaign to Get hearings for LaVena JohnsonSEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS! Color Of Change had <a href="http://www.colorofchange.org/cgi-bin/py/lavena-petition.py">written the letter for you<br /></a><br />Whew, I have been sitting on this for a minute waiting for it to launch. Color of Change has launched a campaign on behalf of Lavena Johnson's family. <br /><br />Democratic Representative Skelton's House Armed Services is basically twiddling their thumbs on the LaVena Johnson issue although sources say that discussions are still underway, however Color of Change is calling on another committee of Congress with jurisdiction to hold hearings. They want us to direct our efforts to Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee.<br /><br />Go to their site to send a message directly to Congress.<br /><blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> Dear ColorOfChange.org member, </span><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">LaVena Johnson was a 19 year old private in the Army, serving in Iraq, when she was raped, murdered, and her body was burned--by someone from her own military base. Despite overwhelming physical evidence, the Army called her death a suicide and has closed the case.<sup>1</sup> </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">For three years, LaVena's parents have been fighting for answers. At almost every turn, they've been met with closed doors or lies. They've appealed to Congress, the one body that can hold the military accountable. But, as in other cases where female soldiers have been raped and murdered and the Army has called it suicide, Congress has failed to act. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Will you join Mr. and Mrs. Johnson in calling on Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, to mount a real investigation into LaVena Johnson's death and the Army's cover-up<sup>2</sup>? Will you ask your friends and family to do the same? </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/">http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/</a></span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">From the beginning, LaVena's death made no sense as a suicide. She was happy and had been talking with friends and family regularly<sup>3</sup>--nothing indicated she could be suicidal. And when the Johnsons received her body, they noticed signs that she had been beaten.<sup>4</sup> That was when they started asking questions. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">After two years of being denied answers and hearing explanations that made no sense, the Johnsons received a CD-ROM from someone on the inside. It contained pictures of the crime scene where LaVena died and an autopsy showing that she had suffered bruises, abrasions, a dislocated shoulder, broken teeth, and some type of sexual assault. Her body was partially burned; she had been doused in a flammable liquid, and someone had set her body on fire. A corrosive chemical had been poured in her genital area, perhaps to cover up evidence of rape.<sup>5</sup> </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Still the Army sticks by their story. They refuse to explain the overwhelming physical evidence that LaVena was raped and murdered and continue to claim that she killed herself. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">For many Black youth, and working class young people of every race, the military is seen as an option for securing a better future. LaVena came from a deeply supportive family, and while the military wasn't her only option, she was attracted by its promise to help her pay for a college education and the opportunity to travel around the world. She also thought that by joining she could continue her lifelong commitment to serving other people in need. She made a decision to serve in the military, with all its risks, and expected respect and dignity in return. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">LaVena's death is part of a disturbing pattern of cases where female soldiers have been raped and killed, and where the military has hidden the truth and labeled the deaths suicides.<sup>6,7</sup> In virtually all cases, Congress has been slow to investigate or hold the military accountable in any way. Unfortunately, most families simply don't have the resources, time, and psychological strength to push back. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">We can help the Johnsons, and other families, by holding Congress accountable in the LaVena Johnson case and by demanding it investigate the pattern of cover-ups by the military. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Please take a moment to join those calling on Congressman Waxman to investigate the cover-up of LaVena Johnson's death: </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/">http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/</a></span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Thanks and Peace, </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">-- James, Gabriel, Clarissa, Andre, Kai, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team<br /> July 28th, 2008 </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">References: </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">1. "The cover-up of a soldier's death?" LavenaJohnson.com, March 6, 2007<br /><a href="http://www.lavenajohnson.com/2007/03/cover-up-of-soldiers-death.html">http://www.lavenajohnson.com/2007/03/cover-up-of-soldiers-death.html</a></span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">2. "Is There an Army Cover Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?" CommonDreams.org, April 28, 2008<br /><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/28/8564/">http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/28/8564/</a></span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">3. Ibid. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">4. Ibid. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">5. "Suicide or Murder? Three Years After the Death of Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Iraq, Her Parents Continue Their Call for a Congressional Investigation," Democracy Now!, June 23, 2008.<br /><a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/23/suicide_or_murder_three_years_after">http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/23/suicide_or_murder_three_years_after</a></span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">6. See reference 2. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">7. "2 Years After Soldier's Death, Family's Battle Is With Army," New York Times, March 21, 2006.<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/mzcvh">http://tinyurl.com/mzcvh</a></span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Other References: </span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">"Justice for Pfc. LaVena Johnson," DailyKos, June 30, 2008<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/5bh73v">http://tinyurl.com/5bh73v</a></span></p><p> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">"Rapists in the Ranks, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 2008<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/2z2c8l">http://tinyurl.com/2z2c8l</a></span></p><br /></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-39610934277530439382008-07-29T09:33:00.000-07:002008-07-29T09:50:33.489-07:00Lavena Johnson Update: Hearing on Thursday at 10:00 AM Rm 2154 Rayburn BuildingHere is another opportunity for you to get answers from the United States Army in the Lavena Johnson case:<br /><blockquote><br />On Thursday, July 31 at 10:00 am, the Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled, “Oversight Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military.” The hearing will take place in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building and is open to the public. <a href="http://nationalsecurity.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2125">Oversight Committee Website</a></blockquote><br />This is a subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The full committee is chaired by Congressman Waxman. The hearing will be webcast.<br /><br />Here is a list of the subcommittee members:<br /><br /><div class="fblock"><strong>Majority</strong><br /> <strong>John F. Tierney, Chairman</strong><br /> Carolyn B. Maloney<br /> Stephen F. Lynch<br /> Brian Higgins<br /> John A. Yarmuth<br /> Bruce L. Braley<br /> Betty McCollum<br /> Jim Cooper<br /> Chris Van Hollen<br /> Paul W. Hodes<br /> Peter Welch<br /> </div> <strong>Minority</strong><br /> Christopher Shays, Ranking Member<br /> Dan Burton<br /> John M. McHugh<br /> Todd Russell Platts<br /> John J. Duncan<br /> Michael Turner<br /> Kenny Marchant<br /> Lynn A. Westmoreland<br /> Patrick T. McHenry<br /> Virginia Foxx<br /><br />Although this is a subcommittee hearing, members of the full committee wil be able to attend. CBC members on the committee are Clay, Watson, and Cummings. But don't limit your inquiry to Black members. You don't care who asks the questions. Republican, Democrat, whatever! You just want answers.<br /><br /><br />My source said that he could not determine whether Lavena Johnson's case would be discussed specifically, but the members of the committee have the ability to ask questions. Here is your opportunity to tell them what questions you want asked. Due to the lateness of the notice a call or FAX was recommended as every member of Congress is not amenable to the digital age ( it is what it is)<br /><br />For all of you who are upset burn a few anytime minutes or get on efax and tell your elected representatives what you want to know from the Army about <a href="http://lavenajohnson.com/">Lavena Johnson</a> and others like her.<br /><br />This is separate from the organized campaign that some other large online advocacy groups are working on rolling out. When they tell me more, I will let y'all know, but I know some of you who are in DC may want to attend. In particular you might want to ask them about the allegations in this article,<a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10518131&pnum=0">Tracey Barnett: Women GIs in fear of the enemy in their army</a>. Including the allegation that three servicewomen died of dehydration because they didn't want to drink water. If they drank water, they would have to go to the latrine where they feared they would be sexually assaulted by fellow soldiers. CRAZY!<br /><br />For those not famiar with the Lavena Johnson story, here is some background from <a href="http://jezebel.com/5020732/lavena-johnson-murdered-by-her-colleagues-ignored-by-the-army">Jezebel</a><br /><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">When LaVena's father finally brought himself to look at his daughter's corpse in 2005, sent home from Iraq with a report that she'd committed suicide by shooting herself in the left side of her head with an M-16 — which, by the way, is not a handgun but a relatively long rifle, he thought there was something wrong.</blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"><blockquote>Private LaVena Johnson's nose was broken, teeth were loose, one eye was concave and there were abrasions over her body. The supposed M-16 hole to the head was far too small for the revolver-sized exit wound, and was on the wrong side of her skull for a right-handed woman to have pulled the trigger. Her genital area showed evidence of acid, perhaps used to destroy DNA evidence. She had white military gloves glued to her burned hands.</blockquote><blockquote>Since then, the Army has continued to insist that the LaVena committed suicide by pointing her rifle with her non-dominant hand at the side of her head and set herself on fire, all after she beat herself up and poured acid on her genitals (since their was no apparent investigation into whatever happened there). Oh, and there was a trail of blood leading away from the tent where her body was found.</blockquote></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><blockquote>Her father has been trying for nearly 3 years to get someone — including Congress — to investigate the death of his daughter.</blockquote></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Comment AFTER you have called.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-89277111270927321372008-07-29T02:58:00.000-07:002008-07-29T02:58:01.824-07:00Blogging While Brown YouTube Coverage From Black Interactive TVThe folks from <a href="http://www.blackinternettelevision.tv/">Black Interactive TV</a> have a sizable number of mini clips from the conference<br /><br /><object height="144" width="225"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8fl_7FmAUFM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8fl_7FmAUFM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="144" width="225"></embed></object><br />Brian Willis and Shawn Williams from Dallas South Bl<a href="http://dallassouthblog.com/2008/07/27/blogging-while-conference-in-atlanta-a-huge-success-in-inaugural-year/"></a>og, and Theo from <a href="http://www.theotalks.net/">Theo Talks</a> at breakfast.<br /><br /><object height="144" width="225"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oCd48FPDjmY&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oCd48FPDjmY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="144" width="225"></embed></object><br />Gina introduces Jordan from Free Press right before his presentation on <a href="http://savetheinternet.com/">net neutrality</a>.<br /><br /><object height="144" width="225"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X4bG_hFoaIc&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X4bG_hFoaIc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="144" width="225"></embed></object><br />The dynamic duo, Angela Benton and Markus Robinson from<a href="http://blackweb20.com/"> Black Web 2.0</a>. All of our workshops rocked!We had some truly talented and gifted people presenting at Blogging While Brown<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blogger Rights Panel - Kristal and Attorneymom</span><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-VSHi0YPrPU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-VSHi0YPrPU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br />Attorneymom from <a href="http://charactercorner.blogspot.com/">Character Corner</a> and Kristal from <a href="http://pocketbookprotest.com/blog/2008/07/26/blogging-while-brown/">Pocketbook Protest</a> broke down copyright and derivative works, terms of use and work for hire.<br /><br />Podcasting 101- Fanshen and Heidi from <a href="http://www.mixedchickschat.com">Mixed Chicks Chats</a><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/21i9CK1Kq60&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/21i9CK1Kq60&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />Heidi and Fanshen discuss the benefits and drawbacks of Talkshoe vs Blog Talk Radio.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Luncheon Panel Gone Wild<br /></span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TorvCvH-G90&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TorvCvH-G90&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />I hadn't left me seat at this point :) Tamera from <a href="http://blacklife.glam.com">Black Life by GLAM</a> Media is speaking.<br /><br />The Infamous Five Minute Break ( Turned into 15)<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gyN_K4CZ4fw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gyN_K4CZ4fw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Shout Out To All of the Sponsors</span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LYjORKGLPbs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LYjORKGLPbs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lunch Break</span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UibfZMXBeag&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UibfZMXBeag&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-28752089163839115162008-07-28T20:44:00.000-07:002008-07-29T05:36:32.589-07:00Workshop and Panel Video From Blogging While Brown- Carmen D. Villager, Necole Bitchie, Clarissa Goodlett and GLAM MediaWe're still chopping and slicing and dicing the professional video. There is over 6 hours of footage, but in the meantime, Theo from <a href="http://www.theotalks.net/">Theo Talks</a>, recorded about three sessions and streamed it live on USTREAM<br /><br /><embed flashvars="autoplay=false" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/video/586451" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="320" width="400"></embed><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; width: 400px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; display: block; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Video streaming by Ustream</a><br /><p>Panel Discussion - Can New Media Work with the Old Guard and Old Media?<br /><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/586451" target="_blank">http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/586451</a></p> <p></p><embed flashvars="autoplay=false" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/video/586623" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="320" width="400"></embed><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; width: 400px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; display: block; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Live streaming video by Ustream</a><br /><p></p><p>Blogging While Brown: Two Workshops in 1<br />Secrets from a Media Insider - How to Make News and Make the News Work for You by <a href="http://www.allaboutrace.com/" target="_blank">Carmen Dixon</a><br />“Umoja” from a Black Blogger’s Perspective by <a href="http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wayne Hicks</a><br /><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/586623" target="_blank">http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/586623</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283372082384810237.post-76977659223934449992008-07-28T02:22:00.000-07:002008-07-27T20:26:47.542-07:00YES WE DID!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bloggingwhilebrown.com/img/BWB2008Group.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.bloggingwhilebrown.com/img/BWB2008Group.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Blogging While Brown 2008, Atlanta, GA. Enough said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com