I Will Teach You To Be Rich Scholarship

The I Will Teach You To Be Rich Scholarship for Social Innovation is an annual $2,500 award for anyone in their twenties who has demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence and is planning a socially innovative project. The award can be used for a special project, service initiative, founding a company, creating a community organization, or any other entrepreneurial venture that scales to help others.




I heard about this scholarship on twitter and thought that our blog readers might be interested. Do you know anyone that might benefit from this scholarship opportunity?

John McCain's Rage

"I have a temper, to state the obvious, which I have tried to control with varying degrees of success because it does not always serve my interest or the public's." - John McCain
Am I the only one that thinks that John McCain doesn't have the temperment to be our next Commander-in-Chief?

Drumbeats from Brave New Films remind us that during last night's debate, John McCain said we need "a cool hand at the tiller," but McCain has proven to be a loose cannon. He has accosted his Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle on everything from the federal budget to diplomatic relations. He is known for hurling profanities rather than settling disagreements calmly. His belligerence is legendary. Even conservative Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi has said, "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."

When someone earns the nickname "Senator Hothead," the public ought to call his character into question. McCain's propensity to explode undermines his abilities as a rational decision maker, particularly on national security issues -- which could prove disastrous considering our country is already involved in two wars.

Watch this video to learn more about John McCain's rage:

Do you have concerns about McCain's temperment?

This Week in Blackness: Was There a Debate Recently?

John McCain Admits to Being 'Out of Touch'

Villagers, my election advice is simple. Believe your eyes! If a candidate tells you that, "It's easy for me to go to Washington and frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have." ... Believe him and vote accordingly!



Why would we elect another person like George W. Bush ... completely unaware of day-to-day issues and challenges ... as POTUS? Can we truly afford another four years of this nonsense in the White House?

Free Levi Johnson * America's #1 Political Prisoner

Drumbeats from Bill Maher urging us to 'Free Levi'...



What say u?

Every Day is Father's Day

Drumbeats from Springer's Journal pointed us to this video that honors fatherhood.






I am working hard to be the best father that I can be for my three young 'uns. Last month I shared with you a pledge for fathers. My father passed last year. My prayer is that he will continue to look down on me and be pleased with what he sees.

Many villagers do the right thing without comment or recognition. Some of us need to be reminded of life's priorities. We get our minds turned in many different directions and sometimes just need to be reminded about the importance of fatherhood.

Every day is father's day!

John McCain is a Liar

Do you remember the story of the Emperor who wore no clothes? He lied to his kingdom and they ignored their own eyes and went with the lie.

That is how I feel about John McCain. He continues to distort and lie about his record and about the record of his opponent. McCain lies to the American people and hopes that we will ignore our own eyes. He hopes that we will buy his lies and vote him into the White House.

I challenge all villagers to do what the little girl did in that story. She believed her own eyes and candidly pointed out to everyone, 'The Emperor has no clothes!'. This election is too important for America to let it be stolen. Villagers, it's time to step up and candidly point out to everyone, 'John McCain is a liar'.

Here is the video evidence:




That's my view. What say u?

The Real John McCain

I anticipate that Barack Obama will win this election in a landslide. John McCain simply doesn't have the temperament to be our Commander-in-Chief. Check out some candid clips of John McCain and you be the judge:



Should this man be our next President of the United States? What say u?

Fox News Continues to Smear Barack Obama

It is almost comical how transparent Fox News is when it comes to smearing Barack Obama. Check out this video prepared by the folks at Brave New Films.

Where On Earth Will YOU Vote?

Drumbeats from Adrianne George pointed us to this video reminder for those villagers living outside of the country during this election cycle. Every vote counts ... even if you are not in the country right now. Check it out!





Where might you be voting from this year?

Disney's First Black Princess Coming to a Theatre Near You

We told you last year about Maddy ... the first Black princess in the Disney ensemble. We're closer to 2009 grand opening of this animated story involving voodoo, frogs and our heroine princess. In fact, a teaser is now available for your review:




Care to comment on your favorite Disney character when you were growing up?

John McCain Lied To America

The Republican Party is built on 'smear and fear'. Do you remember how the first George Bush used 'Willie Horton' against his presidential opponent? His son, George W. Bush continued the tradition of 'smear and fear' for both of his presidential campaigns.

John McCain promised us that it would be different this election cycle. He constantly told us that he would run a campaign based on respect:




McCain lied! Not only would a McCain White House be a 3rd term of the Bush policies ... it appears that McCain wants to run a 3rd 'smear and fear' Republican campaign!

Old School Friday: Diana Ross

The theme for this week's Old School Friday meme is 'Motown'.

Motown was a remarkable music factory from 1959 thru 1972. In fact, there is a Motown Museum located on the same block that Berry Gordy led a music revolution.

I started to go with The Temptations as my music selection (My Girl and Ball of Confusion). However, in the end, I decided to go with Diana Ross singing in tribute to Marvin Gaye. Enjoy!

Old School Friday: Luther VanDross

The theme for this week's Old School Friday meme is 'Make-Up Songs'. This one didn't take long for me. Luther VanDross nailed it on the head when he sang 'A House Is Not a Home'. Here he is singing the song live at the 1988 NAACP Awards show.




Luther VanDross sho' nuff knew he could sang! May he rest in peace.

John McCain Continues to Remind Me of Ronald Reagan

Do you remember how Ronald Reagan truly began to lose it in the final years of his presidency? Tragically, it turned out that President Reagan was in early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. I think about Ronald Reagan every time that I think about John McCain becoming our president.

So, when John McCain continues to make foreign policy errors ... it concerns me.

Did you see him on ABC's Good Morning America, when he made ANOTHER geography gaffe while trying to criticize Obama's visit to Iraq. (Just last week, McCain repeatedly referred to Czechoslovakia, a country that hasn't existed since 1993.)

Asked by Diane Sawyer whether the "the situation in Afghanistan in precarious and urgent," McCain responded: "I think it's serious. . . . It's a serious situation, but there's a lot of things we need to do. We have a lot of work to do and I'm afraid it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border."

But as ABC's Rick Klein noted: "Iraq and Pakistan do not share a border. Afghanistan and Pakistan do."





I will admit that I didn't know that Iraq and Pakistan didn't share a border. However, I'm not running for POTUS on the premise that I'm the best candidate when it comes to foriegn affairs! What say u?

Who is Whining Now Phil Gramm?

Former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, a top adviser to John McCain, resigned from McCain’s presidential campaign after he was criticized recently for saying, "We have sort of become a nation of whiners,” he said. “You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in ‘decline’ despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy."

How the mighty have fallen!

Gramm was a presidential candidate a few election cycles ago. He was the key economic advisor to McCain. Of course, the guy is still an executive with UBS Investment Bank, so he won't be missing any meals.

The odd thing is that Gramm was simply repeating much of what McCain has been saying about the economy over the past few weeks. Check out the following video to see what I mean:



Doesn't it sound like Phil Gramm, John McCain and George Bush all think that high gas prices, high food prices, low stock market prices, increasing unemployement and other economic problems that we are experiencing are simply 'psychological'? Do they truly think that the problems are all in our heads?

Anyhow, I'm glad that Phil Gramm is now out of politics. Next we need to get George Bush and John McCain into the retirement home as well! What say u?

Sunday Inspirations: Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela turned 90 this weekend. He is one of the most remarkable people in the history of the world. He retired from public life back in 2004, however continues working to make poverty history.

Anyhow, we have talked about Mandela before. I remain inspired by his example and thought he would make a good subject for my weekly Sunday Inspiration meme.

It appears that Janus was inspired as well:



I encourage all villagers to sign Mandela's birthday card!

Old School Friday: Randy Crawford

This week the theme for Old School Friday meme is 'Break Up Songs'. Do any of y'all remember Randy Crawford? She was a remarkable talent back in the early 1980s. The first song is technically in support of the week's theme. The second song is one of my all-time favorites. Enjoy them both!


'One Day I'll Fly Away'


'Street Life'

Video Satire on Beijing Olympics

The video is by award-winning cartoonist Mark Fiore. He introduces the world to the Olympic mascot Beijing wanted to keep a secret: "Gengen Genocide."

With less than 30 days left until the Olympics, the window of opportunity to pressure China is closing. But we still need China to use its influence with Sudan to stop the Darfur genocide.

I encourage villagers to join the Switch Over campaign.

We want to send a message to Olympic corporate sponsors; they have influence with China as host of the Games. Tell sponsors of these Genocide Games to use this influence and end their silence on Darfur.

We are not asking you to boycott the Olympics. With Switch Over, you ignore sponsors that ignore Darfur -- by pledging to change the channel during the Olympics when certain sponsors' commercials come on.

Villagers, what say u? Are you willing to participate in this effort of individual protest on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Darfur?

Kenneth Ransom as McReele

Lloyd Ransom was one of my father's best friends from his boyhood days in Tulsa. After college they both ended up working in the aeronautics industry out in southern California. He became my godfather when I was born.

Uncle Lloyd and his wife, Archie had three children. One of them was a little runt named Kenny. When I was young, Uncle Lloyd and his family moved to Denver CO. Anyhow, none of us are runts any longer ... and Kenny is now Kenneth. He is a working actor living in Australia.

Anyhow villagers, I'm proud of my godbrother ... he plays the title character in a play called, 'McReele'. Darius McReele is a death-row inmate when the play begins. He is exonerated from a sixteen-year murder conviction. Darius' sympathetic past and magnetic personality make him a darling of the lecture circuit, leading to national attention and political viability.

It sounds like a great play ... however, it goes with out saying that I'm touting it on my blog because Kenny ... uhhh ... Kenneth is in the flick. Here is the preview of the play that was filmed for an Australian television audience:



We have the Tony Awards for outstanding work in a Broadway play. I wonder what the Aussie award is called for similiar work Down Under?