Letter From Chioma Gray's Mother

Drumbeats came to us loudly from the NAACP Wichita Branch about a letter written by Chioma Gray's mom. Chioma is the 15-year old young girl missing since December 13, 2007. We encourage Villagers to keep Chioma and her family in your prayers. Here is the letter from Franciene Black...

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On April 27, 1992, God loaned us one of his most incredible, gifts of all. The gift of life! A beyond, beautiful child of God. This gift was just what I had requested from Jesus. A healthy, beautiful baby girl. It was so very important that I observed this gift for two months before God gave me the name inscribed in Gods hand. It was so important that she be given a name of her character and a meaning representing God. She was blessed with his "Word" of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Lord knew that she was so special that he even stamped a birthmark on her body, representing Love, a beautiful heart!!! The definition of this baby loaned by Jesus Christ. A Child of God!

The Power is in the Blood of Jesus, was given as her first name: CHIOMA = God's Good Blood, ATINUKE = loved cherished and protected from the womb. AMARACHI = God's blessing, God's Grace, OGECHI = God's Time!

We must know with his power that God did not send his son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. I give many thanks and praise for this young beautiful daughter Chiomaezronesha... Truly, Chioma has represented her name through out her 15, years of life.

Who is Chioma? Chioma is my daughter, whom loves Jesus. She is a very well respected and loved girl in her community. Chioma is invited to an International event every year, for students that have high GPA, and Excel in sports. Chioma wrote a story called "The Perfect Story". She describes how great her life is. Her love for her family is so innocent and pure. Chioma is my last beautiful baby girl.
On December 13, 2007, as usual, Chioma was driven to school by her father and two brothers. She was taken inside of the campus. That same day she was abducted by, Andrew Joshua Tafoya, a convicted felon. He abducted her on the same day he was released from work furlough. If anyone knows Chioma, she always takes a few important things with her. First her make-up, second electronics such as sidekick phone, and if she was going far away, third she would have taken her 1lb dog "Pink," that she carries everywhere in her purse. All of these personal belongings were at home. Trust and Believe that Chioma has been "ABDUCTED AND KIDNAPED." She is completely against her will, and her beliefs.

Her education is extremely important. Chioma’s number one dream in this life since the age of 6 was to become an OB/GYN. She was looking forward to join her sister, who is presently studying to become a Pediatrician. They had planned to open a practice together after receiving their degrees. My daughter, Chioma and my dreams are on hold. The absence of my Soul "Chioma" is desperately seeking the safe return of Chioma. Please pray that all of our dreams will come true. Our family has a strong belief in our Lord Jesus Christ; He is our Alpha and the Omega. We know that God’s word is True. Chioma is in God’s beautiful big hands, just waiting to return. No matter what the situation, God is in control! God has never failed! God is the same yesterday as he is today! I will always love him, worship him, adore, believe, have faith and trust only GOD!

And I know this, that whatever God does is final-nothing can be added or taken from it; God’s purpose in this is that man should fear the all-powerful God. Whatever is has been long ago; and whatever is going to be has been before; God brings to pass again what was in the distant past and disappeared.

Moreover, I notice that throughout the earth "JUSTICE" is giving way to "CRIME" and even the "POLICE" and COURTS" are "CORRUPT." I said to myself, "In due time season God will judge everything man does, both good and bad."

Remember, " Delay is not Denial." "Continue to pray without Ceasing"

"LORD SHOW ME HER FACE, SO WE CAN JUST SEE YOUR FACE"

Missing You "Cho Cho"!

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Any suggestions or thoughts on action that we can take over and above keeping the Chioma Gray, Franciene Black and their family in our prayers?

Young Latinos Say Obama or Nada

Many Black political bloggers have wondered why Latino voters favor Team Clinton over the 'O-Man'. Of course, it wasn't too long ago that the same thing could be said about Black voters. Many of us were posting about whether or not Black women would vote for Obama before the South Carolina primary. It was only after that primary that the vast majority of Black voters demonstrated support for Obama's campaign.

Can the same thing be happening in the Hispanic community? LatinoPundit pointed me to surveys conducted after the Potomac Primaries last week show that a growing majority of young Latino voters are excited by the Obama campaign -- but if he doesn’t win his party’s nomination, they may not vote at all in the November general election.

Click here to read the full story

Do you have any sense on the reasons that Hispanic voters favor one candidate over the other?

Is It Time for Hillary Clinton to Step Down?

Drumbeats from another village brought us this letter from a former Hillary Clinton supporter.

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An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton
By Erin Kotecki Vest

This is a very hard letter for me to write, so please bear with me.

I’d like to ask you, with all due respect and humility, to step down as a Democratic Candidate for President of the United States.

Please understand this is not because I believe you can not or should not lead this nation. Please understand that I find you qualified, capable, and worthy. Please also understand I want nothing more than to see a female as the leader of the free world. I would be pleased and honored if you were that female.

However I am finding, right or wrong, many citizens of this country seem to react to you on an emotional level. Emotional, not practical. They can’t seem to see your record. They can’t seem to see your policy. They just hear or read “Hillary” and venom or praise spews.

I thought that with your candidacy, would come reason. I thought that you would be able to get a fair shake by main stream media, by voters, by sexists, and by soccer moms. I thought over time people would begin to see that you really are an effective politician.

I was wrong.

Tonight, I’m typing as I watch you speak in El Paso, Texas. I’m sad. There really is no other way to put it-I’m sad.

I truly believed you would be the best person for the job, and I had this nagging thought in the back of my mind that is now at the forefront. The thought that drove me on Super Tuesday to Vote for Senator Obama and the thought that is the driving force as I write tonight: Senator Hillary Clinton divides this country.

It’s not fair. It’s not right. And under just about ANY other circumstance I would go to the mat for you. However we are a wounded and deeply divided nation. We are a nation at war. We are a nation at odds with each-other. It’s ugly. I thought you could get people past it. I really did.

When I told myself it was gender that got people going, I refrained from asking and wanting you to step aside. Simply on principle, I wanted to see you run and win because they said it couldn’t be done. Because it was my belief, this was all about being a girl.

It’s not, and I was wrong.

I firmly believe while the gender issue has given you a handicap I hope we all one day overcome, it is NOT the reason people have a gut reaction to you or your campaign or your legacy.

Enter the Senator from Illinois, and what I think could be your true legacy. If you were to step aside now, shockingly early and shockingly un-Hilllary-like, you could galvanize an entire nation behind your party. If you were to throw your weight, and your tremendous political clout behind Senator Obama you could still change the world and make your mark in a way no one would expect and everyone would admire.

I don’t want to see you throw in the towel because the fight is too hard or the mountain too tall. I am asking you to throw it in because history is on the line. It is not the history either of us expected, however it is an equally important, momentous, earthshaking change in this country we sorely need.

Do something no one would ever expect. Do something extraordinary. Do something that changes politics as usual and changes history.

I could have never predicted having to chose between what my husband called “the lesser of two goods, not the lesser of two evils” when it came time to cast my vote.

It was agonizing.

But in the end, with no major policy difference and valid reasons on BOTH sides, I had to go with the candidate who I thought could best bring our nation back together. Who could cross party lines and gender lines and racial lines.

I wanted it to be you, but it’s not. For some reason you still get people very riled up, and not in the good way.

There is no way around it-it sucks. But after 7 years of nothing but fighting and head shaking and feeling like we’re living in two Americas, I can’t do it again. Not even if my team is in office.

I really hate asking you to do this, but I want you to please step down and let this nation heal.

We’ve been too angry for too long and your history and your name brings a suitcase of anger to the White House front door.

With the full weight of the Clinton name, behind the scenes, your true legacy could be written. With the full weight of the Clinton know-how you could help orchestrate the next chapter in American history where an African-American leads our nation.

It is this time in history your nation needs you.

As nation’s go, ours has never been one to do things the way we predict. Who could have seen when we finally get our first, legitimate, female front runner we’d see our first, legitimate front runner of color?

Our nation and it’s people need you to do what is best for this country. We need you to be true to what you say on the stump and bring us back together.

If you firmly believe that there is still time for you to change the hearts and minds of those rude and stubborn Americans who are voting with their gut when they see “Hillary” on the ballot-then please, prove me wrong. I’ll be at the Democratic National Convention come August and I’ll hold up my Hillary sign loud and proud and fall in line.

But I think you’ve tried. You tried with everything you had to overcome that Clinton-emotional reaction. Here we are, moving into Texas and Ohio and Pennsylvania-and it’s not you winning over hearts and minds, it’s the Senator from Illinois.

Let’s end the division in this country now. Right now. Let’s start with the Democratic Party early and provide a united front against the GOP months ahead of schedule.

Let’s take back this country for the people, with you playing a much different role than you envisioned.

Make history. Make us one. Step down now.

Sincerely,
Erin Kotecki Vest

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Well Villagers ... what say u?

Edison Chen May Be Looking for Life Insurance

Edison Chen is a major Hong Kong movie star. Evidently, his laptop was stolen awhile ago. He had some explicit sex photos of him and a number of other actors and famous people ... including a fine woman named Maggie Q who starred in the recent Die Hard movie with Bruce Willis. Edison apologized for having the photos. However, if I were him I might consider getting some life insurance.

It is important to make smart choices when buying life insurance. You must make the best decisions for you and your family - quickly and easily. One place that you can go online to get information is IntelliQuote Insurance Services. IntelliQuote is the smart choice for life insurance. As an insurance online marketplace, they make it easy for you to compare, shop, and save on life insurance costs. Their qualified life insurance agents offer free quotes on highly rated life insurance products. It's an opportunity for you to have the convenience and privacy of shopping online while you compare prices without sales pressure.

It is especially important if you piss off international starlets!

As an aside, the company also offers other insurance products including Automobile, Health, Homeowner's and Long-Term Care.

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Blog It Forward

Danielle Vyas, author of Modern Musings has named the Electronic Village as one of her favorite blogs in a meme named Blog it Forward. Danielle is an Original Villager in that she was one of the first to discover our blog last year. She is an activist in the pure sense of the word and I encourage all villagers to check her blog out today if you can.

This Blog It Forward meme appears to have been created in October 2003 by Buzz over at the Buzzstop blog. The meme rules are simple: 'pick someone off of your blogroll (or bloglines, linklist, bloglink) and post a little something about them on your site. Tell us why they are on your list. What makes them link-worthy? Perhaps you'd like to spotlight someone on your list that isn't getting the attention that you think they should. Maybe it's someone who has made a difference in your life. Maybe it's someone who just puts a smile on your face every day.'

Here are those that I wish to share the love with today:

1. Black Political Thought (BBR #660) - Janet Shan owns & operates this blog. She seeks to be the premier blog for conservative and balanced political and social commentary. I thoroughly enjoy the detailed postings on her blog.


2. Blacks Gone Geek (BBR #641) - This is a relatively new blog created by Milt Haynes. I served as national BDPA president-elect when Milt was national president. Earlier we each served as colleagues on BDPA board of directors when Milt led the BDPA Chicago chapter and I led the BDPA Cincinnati chapter. I appreciate the support Milt provided to me over the years and I'm hopeful that his blog continues to grow and evolve.


3. Black Threads (BBR # 308) - This blog is owned and operated by my sister, Kyra Hicks. I credit Kyra with getting me started as a blogger. She is a published author and her blog focuses on niche of African American quilters. Any quilters or quilt-lovers out there?


4. Detrick DeBurr (BBR #666) - This brother provides a weekly rant worthy of notice. He's a bit slow on the uptake as far as Hillary v. Obama ... but, Detrick is a serious entrepreneur and an up & comer in the afrosphere.


5. On The Black Hand Side (BBR #246) - This is an informative, educational and entertaining blog with a growing blogger interview series called '20 Questions With...'. Vanessa Byers owns and operates this blog. She was kind enough to interview me on her blog. Perhaps you will be next?

Have you had a chance to visit any of these blogs in your travels through cyberspace?

John Lewis May Switch Endorsement to Barack Obama

John Lewis is one of the icons of the civil rights era. He is an important political figure in the 2008 presidential election. He endorsed Team Clinton last year when the Borg Queen was the inevitable nominee from the Democratic Party. Back then Hillary was leading the field by 20+ points in all polls. Today, the political landscape is much different ... and John Lewis is sitting at the tipping point.

John Lewis is wavering in his support as a super-delegate to Team Clinton. His congressional district voted over 90% for Barack Obama in the recent Georgia primaries.

John Lewis is on an island. Should he honor his earlier commitment to Hillary or should he honor the will of his congressional district? What would you do if you were in his place?

Before you answer, there is another factoid that all Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) members have in the back of their mind. One of their cronies, Congressman Al Wynn, lost in the Democratic primary last week to Donna Edwards. The vast majority of the Democratic voters in that Maryland primary supported Barack Obama. They took out their wrath on a CBC member that didn't flow with the movement that is being led by Barack Obama. Support for Clinton is partially responsible for Al Wynn losing his job as a congressman. Methinks that John Lewis has this factoid in the back of his mind as he mulls his decision to switch sides from Team Clinton to Barack Obama.

John Lewis is a pragmatic person. I figure he will formally announce his switch to Barack Obama in the next few days. It will be another sign that Team Clinton is fading fast. What say u?

Spread The Love

Our blog continues to evolve over time. There are so many issues that I hope to discuss with you over the coming weeks and months. Time will tell if I'm successful in creating an Electronic Village that is truly worthy of a daily click-thru by you and others. For now, I am grateful to those that share their village voice with comments on our posts as well as those of you that simply ~lurk~ in the shadows of the village.

Regina's Family Seasons (BBR #137) is a blog that I learned about recently. Regina surprised me recently with a Spread The Love award. This award originated in Jan 2007 with Gar-Boodles Soup. She used these words to describe the essence of the award, 'Do You know what friendship is ? - Yes- it is to be as brother and sister, two souls which touch each other without meeting, like two fingers on the same hand.'

In that spirit, I share the Spread The Love award with Black & Missing But Not Forgotten, Eddie Griffin (BASG), Mes Deux Cents, Mrs. Grapevine and Vanessa Byers. These five bloggers dedicate a good portion of their blogging energy to uplift others. I have not met any of them in person, however, I feel as a kindred spirit with each. I invite all Villagers to take a moment to visit their blogs so that you'll understand why this award is bestowed on them.

Villagers, have you made friends here in cyberspace that you've never met in the real world?

Fox News Compares Barack Obama to Adolph Hitler

Fox News Radio host Tom Sullivan took a call from a listener who stated that when listening to Barack Obama speak, "it harkens back to when I was younger and I used to watch those deals with Hitler, how he would excite the crowd and they'd come to their feet and scream and yell." Sullivan then played a "side-by-side comparison" of a Hitler speech and an Obama speech. Sullivan mimicked the crowd during both speeches, yelling, "Yay! Yay!"

When a later caller complained that Sullivan was "denigrating" Obama with the comparison, Sullivan said he wouldn't play it again, then begged: "Can I, please, one more time? Just one more time? Then I won't do it again. ... Until the next time."

Judge for yourself. Here is the audio clip provided by Media Matters.

I call on all Villagers to take action and let these fools know that it is unacceptable to compare any candidate for President of the United States to Adolph Hitler:

Fox News Radio
Phone: (212) 301-3000
Email: foxnewsradio@foxnews.com

Tom Sullivan
E-mail: tomsullivanradio@foxnews.com

Are you going to contact them? What did you think as you listened to the audio clip?

Wordless Wednesday: 20 Questions With Villager

20 Questions With Villager

Ed Rendell Says 'Pennsylvania is Racist State'

Did you see where Governor Ed Rendell shared his insights on what Barack Obama can expect from Pennsylvania voters?

"You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African American candidate. I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann [2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate] been the identical candidate that he was --well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking -- but white instead of Black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so."

Gov. Rendell is a talented politician and Clinton surrogate. I wonder if he is signaling to the country that Team Clinton is so desperate to win this election that they are going to pull out the race card again? What say u?

Latino Super-Delegate Calls Clinton 'Dumb as a Stump'

There may be a crack in the support that Hillary Clinton receives from Latino population around the country. The Latino vote is credited with providing victory for Clinton in California and Nevada contests. Steve Ybarra is a super-delegate from California. He circulated a sharp e-mail saying the removal of Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle was disloyal to Hispanics and should give "pause" to superdelegates and voters.

Ybarra told The Post that the loss of Solis Doyle, a child of Mexican immigrants, just weeks before the Texas primary, where 36 percent of the population is Hispanic, was "dumb as a stump." [Source]

George Bush Denounces Nooses and Lynching as Symbols of Hate

Hail to the Chief! Rarely have I been proud of George W. Bush. He may be one of the worst presidents in the history of our nation. However, I give him props today for the strong condemnation that he gave to those who bring nooses into the workplace or those that joke about lynching. President Bush noted that some Americans may be losing sight of the suffering that Blacks have endured across the nation as a result of nooses and lynching.

"The era of rampant lynching is a shameful chapter in American history," Bush said in an event marking Black history month. "The noose is not a symbol of prairie justice, but of gross injustice," the president said. "Displaying one is not a harmless prank, and lynching is not a word to be mentioned in jest."

As a civil society, Americans should agree that noose displays and lynching jokes are "deeply offensive," Bush said. "They are wrong. And they have no place in America today."

For decades, the noose was a symbolic part of a campaign of violence, fear and intimidation against Blacks, the president said. Sometimes, he added, it was orchestrated by the law enforcement officers charged with protecting them. Bush also said the noose was a tool for intimidation and killing that conveyed a sense of powerlessness to millions of Blacks throughout the country.

"Fathers were dragged from their homes in the dark of night before the eyes of their terrified children," he said. "Summary executions were held by torchlight in front of hateful crowds. In many cases, law enforcement officers responsible for protecting the victims were complicit in their deaths."

George Bush showed me today that he had the potential to be a compassionate conservative. I'm sorry that the type of insight and compassion that he showed in his remarks today have been absent over the past seven years of his presidency.

Today, the drumbeats are for President Bush. What say u?

Prediction: Obama Wins in Ohio or Texas

Many pundits are talking about a divided Democratic party going to the convention in Denver later this year without either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama having enough votes for victory. There is a lot of angst in the Black community about so-called super-delegates going into a smoke-filled room and handing over the election to Team Clinton, much as the Supreme Court handed over the 2000 election to George W. Bush.

I see it different.

Barack Obama ... the 'O'-Man as he is affectionately known by many in The AfroSpear ... swept through the past weekend winning every election and caucus against Hillary Clinton ... the 'Borg Queen' as she is affectionately known by many in The AfroSpear (or maybe it's just Field!). Anyhow, three more contests take place tomorrow night ... and 'O'-Man could win all three ... giving him about eight victories in a row this month. 8-0. That is big Mo' in any league.

Ohio and Texas both hold their voting on March 4th. A Columbus Dispatch poll taken before Super Tuesday shows Clinton with a 23% lead in the polls. Texas polls show Clinton with a 10% lead in the polls.

My prediction is that the constant, continuous and decisive victories by 'O'-Man this month ... combined with him doing well in the debates ... combined with the continued disarray in Team Clinton will result in a remarkable come-from-behind victory by Obama in Ohio or Texas.


I live in Ohio. I witnessed first-hand the election-day controversy in 2004 ... so my hope is for the upset to occur here in my state. However, it is more likely to occur in Texas. I truly believe that the Hispanic voting block that Team Clinton has been counting on is going to abandon her next month in Texas.

If 'O'-Man wins Ohio or Texas ... that should seal the deal for him to come rip-roaring through Pennsylvania in April and he should have enough pledged delegates and momentum to easily win the nomination in August at the convention.

That is my road map for 'O'-Man victory in the Democratic primary season. What say u? Am I drinking the kool-aid or do you sense that this longshot scenario is possible?

Civil Rights Act of 2008

Drumbeats from NAACP Wichita Branch let us know that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and many other senators and congressmen support the Civil Rights Act of 2008.



Click here for the full 80-page bill.

Personally, it saddens me to realize that we are over 230 years from the Declaration of Independence being signed ... and we still need legislative action to ensure basic civil rights for African Americans and others. Why can't our country achieve positive race relations without legislation?

What do Phylicia Moore and Natalee Holloway Have in Common?

If I say Natalee Holloway there is a good chance that you know what I'm talking about. However, what if I say Phylicia Moore? Did I get a blank stare?

Drumbeats came to us from Latimer Williams about legislation under consideration by Congress that will significantly improve the safety and security of students that go abroad for school-sanctioned trips.

Our prayers are with Phylicia Moore and her family. I imagine that friends and family of both Phylicia and Natalee support Phylica's Law.

I'm curious ... had you heard of this young woman who died before her time?

Is Chioma Gray in Portland?

Investigators have reason to believe that Chioma Gray may be in Portland with a man identified as Andrew Tafoya. Gray was reported missing Dec. 13. She and Tafoya were last seen in a white 2008 Acura TSX with California plates: 6AXX928.

Obama Wins Maine; Team Clinton Begins to Panic

This was a good weekend for the Obama campaign. They won the state caucus in Maine today. On Saturday, Obama won in Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington and the US Virgin Islands. The clean sweep of all five weekend contests gives him a 19-10 lead in the state contests that have been held to date. His victory margins are substantial in recent contests.

Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign showed signs of panic by firing campaign manager Patty Doyle in favor of a new campaign manager, Maggie Williams.

Obama and Clinton now head into a series of contests on Tuesday: Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

It appears that we are entering into one of those tipping moments in the campaign. Can Obama win the Virginia primary? More importantly, can he win the Ohio or Texas primaries that are coming up in a few weeks? I see that the Cleveland Plain-Dealer endorsed Obama this weekend. It would be a remarkable moment if he can upset Team Clinton in Ohio (my home state). That could be a death-knell for the Clinton campaign if it happens.

How are you feeling about the election today? What say u?

Arkansas Supreme Court Denies DeAunta Farrow Grand Jury Investigation

There will be no grand jury investigating the DeAunta Farrow shooting, at least for now. That was the decision by the Arkansas Supreme Court, which ruled that Crittenden County Circuit Judge Victor Hill has no authority to call a grand jury to investigate last summer's shooting of the 12-year-old boy by West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis. [SOURCE]

Obama Shuts Out Team Clinton

I admit that I was somewhat depressed about the results of Super Tuesday. However, I feel better today after watching Barack Obama sweep through Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington and the US Virgin Islands. Obama won Louisiana's Democratic primary with 57 percent of the vote and bested Clinton in the Washington and Nebraska caucuses by a 2-1 margin.

"The voters from the West Coast to the Gulf Coast to the heart of America stood up to say, yes we can," Obama said in a speech last night to a Democratic party dinner in Richmond, Virginia. "We won North, we won South, we won in between."

I notice that the MSM made a big deal of the fact that Clinton won 74% of the white vote in Louisiana while Obama won 83% of the Black vote in that state. I imagine that this is a factually correct statement, however, it dismisses the fact there are very few Black voters in Washington or Nebraska ... and Obama won big in both of those states. Currently, Obama has won 18 of the 28 states in which a primary or caucus has been held.

Our blog is going to use the unofficial delegate counts tallied by The Green Papers, a nonpartisan Web site. At least 2,025 delegates are needed to win the Democratic nomination. Obama is currently winning with pledged delegates 910 to 887. This count does not include delegates from Florida or Michigan. Nor do they include 796 so-called super delegates. Super delegates are Democratic Party officials and officeholders who aren't bound by primary or caucus results and can back whomever they choose. Clinton has 219 committed super delegates; Obama has 124; with 453 uncommitted.

There are six more primaries and caucuses in the next 10 days. Any thoughts or predictions on the presidential election you want to share with us today?

Galilea Montijo and Viviane Castro Don't Need Plastic Surgery, How About You?

Ever considered having a facelift, breast augmentation, liposuction, tummy tuck or some other plastic surgery procedure? I imagine that if you are Galilea Montijo or Viviane Castro then you don't need to worry about such things.

However, others may be considering breast implant surgery. Many women think at one point or another about breast implants. Breast implants are designed for women who wish to increase the size of their breasts. During the operation, a small incision is often made underneath the breast, where it is inconspicuous.

If you are considering breast augmentation with breast implants, this plastic surgery procedure is available at Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery, located in Beverly Hills, California.

USC medical students train at the Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery. Their medical director is a fully trained plastic surgeon in the ilk of Nip-Tuck who offers the latest approaches to plastic surgery and uses cutting edge technology. And best of all, the motto at Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery is: "Our surgeons may work on Rodeo Drive. Lucky for you, they don’t shop there!"

And lest you think that this sponsored post is only for women ... there are actually plastic surgery options for men as well.

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Jena 6 Student Arrested in Texas

Sorry to share that one of the Jena 6 students, Bryant Purvis, was arrested this week in Carrollton, Texas. He was charged with misdemeanor assault after an altercation with another student at Hebron High School. Purvis was released on bail and suspended for three days from the school, where he enrolled as a senior after moving to the area to live with a relative.

This is a bad development for the 19-year old. His Jena attorney may have a tougher time getting a plea-deal with District Attorney Reed Walters.

Purvis' arrest is the latest in a series public embarrassments for the Jena defendants, who last summer attracted the sympathies of more than 300,000 petition signers and donations of more than $500,000 to their legal defense fund. [SOURCE]

What do you think of this latest Jena Six news?

Three Suspended for Bringing Noose to Work

I'm happy to see that the Town of North Hempstead suspended three highway department workers in connection with an incident involving rope made into a hangman's noose that was used to tie equipment together. Two of the workers are supervisors. The worker who tied the noose, a symbol of bigotry, was suspended for five days without pay, North Hempstead officials said. The other two, both foremen in the highway department, were suspended without pay, one for two days, the other for one day.

I'm glad to see employers taking immediate action when these fools bring nooses into the workplace. Perhaps the epidemic of noose sightings is truly going away in the post-Jena world. What say u?

Hate Crime Indictment in Megan Williams Case

Drumbeats from OverAnalyzeIt tell us that there is new developments in the Megan Williams case. One of several white people charged in the suspected kidnapping, torture and sexual assault of Megan Williams has been indicted on a hate crime count, and two others have entered guilty pleas in the case. [SOURCE]

Wordless Wednesday: Super Tuesday Winners

Hillary Clinton and John McCain won Super Tuesday. I must admit that I wake up on Wednesday morning very disappointed in the results. What did you think about the Super Tuesday results?

He Who Defines You, Controls You

My favorite newspaper columist is Jim Clingman. He regularly publishes in Black newspapers around the country. He wrote a column last year that I didn't share at the time. I want to share it with you today...

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He Who Defines You, Controls You

The Pew Research Center reported, "African Americans see a widening gulf between the values of middle class and poor Blacks, and nearly four-in-ten say that because of the diversity within their community, Blacks can no longer be thought of as a single race."

Black people can now play out this doomsday scenario with a clear conscience and without remorse for the dismal future we are creating for our children. Now that Pew has done its research and revealed that Black people are so fragmented by "class," is there any reason for us to continue to espouse collective and cooperative anything among our people?

You have heard the saying, "He who defines you controls you."

Well, Black folks have now been defined for what may well be the final time, because if we accept the "spinning" of the Pew report, it will be the death-knell that many have longed to hear since free Black labor went out of style.

The initial reporting of the information was centered on the contention that Black people could no longer be considered as "one race." Then I looked at the actual report and found that 37 percent of those polled believed that nonsense, but 53 percent did not. Well, that’s funny, I thought. Why would the emphasis be placed on the 37 percent rather than the 53 percent? Then the age-old phrase came to mind, He who defines you…."

I was also reminded of another conversation that went something like this: "What’s your name?" The young man replied, "Kunta Kinte!" After having the Black overseer apply another stinging lash to the young man’s back, and with the other enslaved Africans watching, the White man said, "No, your name is Toby, and it will be your name until the day you die."

Click here to read the rest of Jim's column

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Any thoughts on comments on what Jim shared with us?

Missing: Chioma Gray (Update)

Villagers are encouraged by NAACP Wichita Branch to lift up Chioma Gray in prayer, and that you would also lift up Chioma's family.

Kevin Myles, NAACP Wichita Branch president wrote,

"Since the abduction I have had the opportunity to speak and to really dialogue with Chioma's Mother and I have found her to be a woman of great faith who is fighting with everything she has to find her baby. Chioma has siblings and a loving family who desperately want her home. Her mother has worked so hard in
this case, doing everything a mother could possibly do to try and find her baby and we all need to just pray that God gives her the strength to keep her head up and keep fighting for Chioma's safe return. I am trusting and believing in almighty God that Chioma will make it home safely. Let us all keep that faith."

Click here for comprehensive update on Chioma Gray abduction.

Manic Monday: Blue

I enjoyed using my Manic Monday weekly meme last week to focus on music. This week Mo asked us to post on the word Blue.

I thought about giving some background on the blues. I've listened to some good Blues music in my life ... but that era of music was before my time. My next thought was a musical group called Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

Not all of y'all may know what I'm talking about ... but Harold Melvin's Blue Notes were da bomb back in the day. That was an era when you could touch the body of your dance partner ... you didn't have to search around to find where your partner went to. That was an era when there was still some mystery to the lyrics of a song or the visuals in a video. And for truly ol' school folks like me ... that was an era when you could understand the lyrics as they were being sung!!!!

The most famous Blue Note was Teddy Pendergrass. He was so good at singing his songs that female fans would throw their panties on the stage during his concerts! Do any of y'all remember that?

Some of the top hits from the Blue Notes included: 'If You Don't Know Me By Now', 'Satisfaction Guaranteed', 'The Love I Lost', 'Where Are All My Friends', 'Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" (with Sharon Paige)', 'Wake Up Everybody', 'Don't Leave Me This Way', 'Bad Luck', 'You Know How To Make Me', Get Out (And Let Me Cry)', Be For Real', 'Yesterday I Had The Blues', 'Reaching For The World' and many more.

Here is video of one of my favorites...

Dayum ... this was back when a brotha would beg for a sista! The lyrics from this song are simple and direct and they hit home with me very much. Now, I'm getting blue (sigh). What does hearing this music remind you of in your past?

Related articles

• Rest in Peace: Teddy Pendergrass (1950-2010)

New York Giants Win Super Bowl

Eli Manning's 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter boosted the New York Giants to one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history, a 17-14 victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.

I loved every minute of it!

Barack Obama Video * 'Yes We Can'

How many of the celebrities in this video can you name? More importantly, are you registered to vote yet?

Brattleboro vs. George Bush-Dick Cheney

Drumbeats from Latimer Williams informed us of a sleepy town in Vermont that is truly pissed off at George Bush and Dick Cheney. I imagine that Dennis Kucinich would have won the Brattleboro precint vote this year if his presidential campaign kept going long enough. Kucinich wants to impeach Dick Cheney while the good people of Brattleboro want Cheney and his boss, George Bush, indicted and arrested for war crimes, perjury or obstruction of justice if they ever step foot in Vermont.

Perhaps Kurt Daims is just mad that Vermont is the only state George Bush has not visited since he became president in 2001. Does Vermont have an airport?

Barack Obama Wins California Debate

Dayum ... this was a good debate. However, I thought Barack Obama showed me that he is truly the leader that our nation needs to follow-up the bumbling, mumbling and stumbling Dubya. Quite frankly, I left this debate with realization that Hillary Clinton would be a good vice president. The two of them could potentially create a landslide victory in November.

Did you see the debate? It was truly an uplifting civics lesson in which the two candidates talked at length about immigration, health care, experience, character and Iraq. Here are some of the key points in my view:

• Health Care - The difference seems to be mandating health care vs. lowering the cost of health care. Both seemed very comfortable with their health care policy. Clinton was very passionate about automating medical records. If she becomes president I am confident that she will put her full energy towards putting our medical records online.
• Immigration - Interesting question from a Black woman who felt that illegal immigrants were taking jobs from African American youth. Obama correctly point out that Black youth have experienced high unemployment rates well before the latest wave of illegal immigrants. He doesn't think it is a good thing to scapegoat Hispanics for unemployment rates in the Black community. On the other hand, Clinton appeared to be willing to use this issue as a wedge between Blacks and Hispanics when she ruminated about a brother she met in Atlanta who felt that he was losing construction work as a result of illegal immigrant. I felt that she was throwing fuel on a fire she would like to see set between Black and Brown people in our country.
• Experience & Character - Both gave their resumes for the past 20-30 years. Hillary spoke about her work as First Lady as it relates to health care issues and speaking out for women in China and 81 other countries around the world. Obama praised Hillary, however, he pointed out that it didn't matter if you are ready for Day one in the White House ... he would prefer that you be right on Day One. Obama noted that his campaign is bringing in new people ... young people to the electorate. He indicated that his vision for his time as POTUS is to inspire Americans to reach for higher goals in life. He was passionate about the possibilities for his administration, his cabinet and everyone that works in the federal bureaucracy. It was another moment when I realized that he truly is the right person for the job.
• Iraq War - This is where Obama won the debate. He almost won it by not saying anything. Just listening to the tortured explanation that Hillary gave about her reasons for giving George Bush authorization to go to war in Iraq was painful. She simply won't acknowledge that she made a mistake. Obama pointed out that he stood against the war when it was unpopular to do so. He suggested that not only does he want to "end the war", but, he also wants to "end the mindset that allowed us to get into this war in the first place."

At the end of the day it comes down to the fact that Hillary Clinton made a mistake on the single most important public policy vote in her life ... authorizing the Iraq War. Her mistake (shared by 74 other senators back in 2002) cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars. And it comes down to the fact that Hillary is a divisive figure in American politics who doesn't inspire ... whereas Obama is an inspirational leader who can transform the way that we all think about our government.

Barack won the debate in my view. Did you watch it? If so, what did you think about it?

NAACP Questions Obama & Clinton on Civil Rights Issues

Many Villagers indicate that they want to see how the presidential candidates think on issues. NAACP continues to take steps to become relevant for Black folks. Drumbeats from NAACP Wichita Branch informed us that the NAACP Presidential Candidate Questionnaire is now available.

The questionnaire contains questions and answers from Clinton and Obama on issues of crucial importance to African Americans. In each case, the NAACP asked the candidates to limit their responses to 200 words or less. Click here to access the questionnaire. Let us know which question or answer surprised you the most!

Police Kill Five People With Tasers in January 2008

We noted one taser death last month on our blog. Tasered While Black keeps a good count of the taser attacks that impact on African Americans. Did you know that police killed five people with taser blasts in January 2008?

Tasers seem to be the modern-day version of the police dogs and water hoses they used on our people during the 1960s.

Villagers, doesn't it seem to you that the police policy of using tasers needs to be re-examined? Did these men deserve a death penalty for 'erratic driving' or 'disorderly conduct' or 'failing to obey police commands'?

Top Ten Black Blogs (Feb 2008)

We began to track the number of Black-owned and operated blogs in September 2007. Only 75 blogs were being tracked at that time. Today we announce the Villager's Black Blog Rankings (BBR) for February 2008 with over 750 blogs in the mix. In fact, it turns out that none of the Top Ten Black Blogs in September 2007 are still in the top ten this month.

The number of Black-owned and operated blogs included in our BBR increased by 25% in the past 30 days. We are looking for support from anyone interested in working with us on this project. I remain open to ideas and suggestions from all Villagers on ways that this project can be more useful to you. I appreciate those of you that pointed out white-owned blogs we listed in the past.

On The Black Hand Side (BBR #262) is placing a wonderful spotlight on Black Bloggers with their '20 Questions With' interviews. This is outstanding opportunity to learn more about talented brothers and sisters that you see listed in the Villager's Black Blog Rankings.

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) is the driving force behind the BBR. Let others have lists of so-called influential bloggers with no melanin. We have created a growing list of our own to highlight the talent and creativity (Kuumba) that exists in our own community:

• Sept 2007 list ranked 75 Black blogs.
• Dec 2007 list ranked 516 Black Blogs
• Jan 2008 list ranked 602 Black Blogs

Today we release the February 2008 BBR with 751 Black blogs in the mix. Anyhow, with no further ado, here are the Top Ten Black Blogs for February 2008:

1. The Bossip: Bossip.com (Authority: 1,173 / Rank: 2,023) - [Entertainment] Bossip.com becomes the third Black blog in the past three months to take over the BBR #1 slot. Bossip.com is a fast growing urban-focused new media property that draws a loyal following of young and influential trend setters who are up to date with what’s hot in society. We don't know if The Bossip is a brother or sister ... but, we do know that What About Our Daughters ain't happy with The Bossip for calling Maya Angelou a 'ho'. Hey Bossip ... any response to WAOD concerns?


2. Pam Spaulding: Pam's House Blend (Authority: 1,167 / Rank: 2,047) - [Politics] This is a prolific blog with a number of contributors that shares candid thoughts on politics and invites others to join in the debate. Pam shared some blogging tips with us recently. She wrote, "Are there secrets to getting eyeballs? Hmmm. I don't think so, though having religious right nutcases calling you "a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy" probably helps. Seriously, there is no one suggestion to gain larger readership. It's luck, timing, and blogwhoring at other sites similar to yours to entice readers to take a peek at your stuff. Having your own "voice" that stands out as different as well as authentic and true to yourself helps a lot."


3. Angel Laws: Concrete Loop* (Authority: 1,128 / Rank: 2,199) - [Entertainment] This is a Black celebrity entertainment blog with gossip, music, celebrity interviews, pictures and such. Angel Laws, a 23-year-old college student in Jacksonville, NC, started this blog as a hobby. It is now one of the top-ranked Black blogs in the world. Angel recently walked the red carpet herself. Have you seen your favorite celebrity on Angel's blog?


4. Debra Dickerson: MoJo Blog (Authority: 1,085 / Rank: 2,352) - [Politics] Mother Jones is an independent nonprofit whose roots lie in a commitment to social justice implemented through first rate investigative reporting. Debra Dickerson is the author of An American Story and The End of Blackness and a former intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force. Admittedly, I am trying to determine if a blog owned by a non-profit should be on the BBR. What say u?


5. Fresh Crunkjuice: Crunk & Disorderly* (Authority: 788 / Rank: 3,933) - [Entertainment] This blog was created in August 2004, however, it didn't get serious until May 2005. This is an active entertainment blog that tackles the world of African American celebrity gossip. From Kanye West to the Reverend Al Sharpton, C&D takes no prisoners. I'm still hopeful to get some link-love from Yo' Fresh on his Fresh Picks!


6. ESKAY: Nah Right (Authority: 727 / Rank: 4,482) - [Entertainment] This is another Black blogger that is steadily moving up in the rankings. Some say that Nah Right is the most important East Coast hip-hop blog there is. His blog began in May 2005 and continues to thrive. Somebody tell ESKAY that we are looking for him to share his village voice with us on what it takes to grow a successful blog.


7. Oliver Willis: Oliver Willis (Authority: 603 / Rank: 6,002) - [Politics] Oliver is a fan of the Washington Redskins. His blog alternates between posts on the NFL and presidential politics. He began his blog in April 2005 and we hope that he will share his village voice with us at some point.


8. Natasha Eubanks: Young, Black & Fabulous (Authority: 591 / Rank: 8,840) - [Entertainment] Natasha moved her hot gossip blog to her own domain. Natasha is a law student who recently relocated to the Washington area, said she gets about 99 percent of the information she posts simply from researching the Internet out of her own curiosity and interest. Did you see when Natasha and Omarosa went after each other recently?


9. La Shawn Barber: La Shawn Barber's Corner (Authority: 542 / Rank: 7,033) - [Politics] Freelance writer La Shawn Barber offers political commentary from a Christian perspective. NPR News & Notes listed the 8/15/2007 Blogger's Roundtable with Sis. Barber as one of their best shows in 2007. I 'met' Sis. Barber during NPR Blogger Roundtables that we did in Nov 2007 and Jan 2008. She is an insightful sister with a powerful political blog. She is shown in this photo with Pam Spaulding (BBR #2)


10. Natasha Eubanks: Young, Black & Fabulous (Authority: 423 / Rank: 10,523) - [Entertainment] See #8 above! Her newer blog has moved up to BBR#10, making her the first blogger with multiple blogs in the Top 10!

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HONORABLE MENTION (11-25): Afro Bella*, What About Our Daughters*, Jack and Jill Politics*, Darla Mack News & Reviews, Sandra Rose, Rod 2.0:Beta, The Field Negro*, Entre mes Lignes, How To Split An Atom, Black Looks, Keith Boynkin*, Ill Doctrine, A Hot Mess!, Republic of T and Real Talk NY Provides The Latest Hip Hop News*.

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The only qualification is that the blogger needs to be of African descent. The blogger does not have to be a member of The AfroSpear or the Afrosphere Bloggers Association, although we invite all Black bloggers to join either (or both) of those organizations.

Those blogs with an asterisk after their name are 2007 Black Weblog Award winners. Black Blog Rankings lean heavily on the Technorati Authority and Rank score for each blog. The Technorati authority and rank numbers are shown in parenthesis. The authority figure includes a number of factors including the number of blogs that are linked to this blogger over the past six months. The rank number indicates how many blogs are between the person listed and the #1 ranked blog in the world.

My vision is that many of the brothers and sisters on this month's BBR will join us later this year at the Blogging While Brown conference in Atlanta, GA on July 25-27, 2008.

We do think that these Black blogs are important spheres of influence. Reach out and let them know that you appreciate the work they have put in over the past few months and years to get on this list. Post a comment below if you are a Black Blogger interested in learning what your ranking is this month!