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Drumbeats from Iya brought this uplifting story to me via email. I thought that villagers would enjoy it as well...
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly.
So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital! This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' he explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.
Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.
Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!
Below is the text of President Barack Obama's speech at the University of Michigan Commencement, released this afternoon by the White House:
Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody. Please be seated.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you!
THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Laughter.)
It is great to be here in the Big House -- (applause) -- and so may I say, "Go Blue!" (Applause.) I thought I'd go for the cheap applause line to start things off. (Laughter.)
Good afternoon, President Coleman, the Board of Trustees, to faculty, parents, family and friends of the class of 2010. (Applause.)
Congratulations on your graduation, and thank you for allowing me the honor of being a part of it. (Applause.) Let me acknowledge your wonderful governor, Jennifer Granholm; your mayor, John Hieftje; and all the members of Congress who are here today. (Applause.)
It is a privilege to be with you on this happy occasion, and, you know, it's nice to spend a little time outside of Washington. (Laughter.) Now, don't get me wrong -- Washington is a beautiful city. It's very nice living above the store; you can't beat the commute. (Laughter.) It's just sometimes all you hear in Washington is the clamor of politics. And all that noise can drown out the voices of the people who sent you there. So when I took office, I decided that each night I would read 10 letters out of the tens of thousands that are sent to us by ordinary Americans every day -- this is my modest effort to remind myself of why I ran in the first place.
Some of these letters tell stories of heartache and struggle. Some express gratitude, some express anger. I'd say a good solid third call me an idiot -- (laughter) -- which is how I know that I'm getting a good, representative sample. (Laughter and applause.) Some of the letters make you think -- like the one that I received last month from a kindergarten class in Virginia.
Now, the teacher of this class instructed the students to ask me any question they wanted. So one asked, "How do you do your job?" Another asked, "Do you work a lot?" (Laughter.) Somebody wanted to know if I wear a black jacket or if I have a beard -- (laughter) -- so clearly they were getting me mixed up with the other tall guy from Illinois. (Laughter.) And one of my favorites was from a kid who wanted to know if I lived next to a volcano. (Laughter.) I'm still trying to piece the thought process on this one. (Laughter.) Loved this letter.
But it was the last question from the last student in the letter that gave me pause. The student asked, "Are people being nice?" Are people being nice?
Well, if you turn on the news today, or yesterday, or a week ago, or a month ago -- particularly one of the cable channels -- (laughter) -- you can see why even a kindergartener would ask this question. (Laughter.) We've got politicians calling each other all sorts of unflattering names. Pundits and talking heads shout at each other. The media tends to play up every hint of conflict, because it makes for a sexier story -- which means anyone interested in getting coverage feels compelled to make their arguments as outrageous and as incendiary as possible.
Now, some of this contentiousness can be attributed to the incredibly difficult moment in which we find ourselves as a nation. The fact is, when you leave here today you will search for work in an economy that is still emerging from the worst crisis since the Great Depression. You live in a century where the speed with which jobs and industries move across the globe is forcing America to compete like never before. You will raise your children at a time when threats like terrorism and climate change aren't confined within the borders of any one country. And as our world grows smaller and more connected, you will live and work with more people who don't look like you or think like you or come from where you do.
I really enjoyed Alex's remarks because that's a lot of change. And all these changes, all these challenges, inevitably cause some tension in the body politic. They make people worry about the future and sometimes they get people riled up.
But I think it's important that we maintain some historic perspective. Since the days of our founding, American politics has never been a particularly nice business. It's always been a little less gentile during times of great change. A newspaper of the opposing party once editorialized that if Thomas Jefferson were elected, "Murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest will be openly taught and practiced." (Laughter.) Not subtle. Opponents of Andrew Jackson often referred to his mother as a "common prostitute," which seems a little over the top. (Laughter.) Presidents from Teddy Roosevelt to Lyndon Johnson have been accused of promoting socialism, or worse. And we've had arguments between politicians that have been settled with actual duels. There was even a caning once on the floor of the United States Senate -- which I'm happy to say didn't happen while I was there. (Laughter.) It was a few years before. (Laughter.)
The point is, politics has never been for the thin-skinned or the faint-of-heart, and if you enter the arena, you should expect to get roughed up. Moreover, democracy in a nation of more than 300 million people is inherently difficult. It's always been noisy and messy, contentious, complicated. We've been fighting about the proper size and role of government since the day the Framers gathered in Philadelphia. We've battled over the meaning of individual freedom and equality since the Bill of Rights was drafted. As our economy has shifted emphasis from agriculture to industry, to information, to technology, we have argued and struggled at each and every juncture over the best way to ensure that all of our citizens have a shot at opportunity.
So before we get too depressed about the current state of our politics, let's remember our history. The great debates of the past all stirred great passions. They all made somebody angry, and at least once led to a terrible war. What is amazing is that despite all the conflict, despite all its flaws and its frustrations, our experiment in democracy has worked better than any form of government on Earth. (Applause.)
On the last day of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was famously asked, "Well, Doctor, what have we got -- a republic or a monarchy?" And Franklin gave an answer that's been quoted for ages: He said, "A republic, if you can keep it." If you can keep it.
Well, for more than 200 years, we have kept it. Through revolution and civil war, our democracy has survived. Through depression and world war, it has prevailed. Through periods of great social and economic unrest, from civil rights to women's rights, it has allowed us slowly, sometimes painfully, to move towards a more perfect union.
And so now, class of 2010, the question for your generation is this: How will you keep our democracy going? At a moment when our challenges seem so big and our politics seem so small, how will you keep our democracy alive and vibrant; how will you keep it well in this century?
I'm not here to offer some grand theory or detailed policy prescription. But let me offer a few brief reflections based on my own experiences and the experiences of our country over the last two centuries.
First of all, American democracy has thrived because we have recognized the need for a government that, while limited, can still help us adapt to a changing world. On the fourth panel of the Jefferson Memorial is a quote I remember reading to my daughters during our first visit there. It says, "I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but...with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times."
The democracy designed by Jefferson and the other founders was never intended to solve every problem with a new law or a new program. Having thrown off the tyranny of the British Empire, the first Americans were understandably skeptical of government. And ever since we've held fast to the belief that government doesn't have all the answers, and we have cherished and fiercely defended our individual freedom. That's a strand of our nation's DNA.
But the other strand is the belief that there are some things we can only do together, as one nation -- and that our government must keep pace with the times. When America expanded from a few colonies to an entire continent, and we needed a way to reach the Pacific, our government helped build the railroads. When we transitioned from an economy based on farms to one based on factories, and workers needed new skills and training, our nation set up a system of public high schools. When the markets crashed during the Depression and people lost their life savings, our government put in place a set of rules and safeguards to make sure that such a crisis never happened again, and then put a safety net in place to make sure that our elders would never be impoverished the way they had been. And because our markets and financial systems have evolved since then, we're now putting in place new rules and safeguards to protect the American people. (Applause.)
Now, this notion -- this notion, class, hasn't always been partisan. It was the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, who said the role of government is to do for the people what they cannot do better for themselves. And he'd go on to begin that first intercontinental railroad and set up the first land-grant colleges. It was another Republican, Teddy Roosevelt, who said, "the object of government is the welfare of the people." And he's remembered for using the power of government to break up monopolies, and establish our National Park system. (Applause.) Democrat Lyndon Johnson announced the Great Society during a commencement here at Michigan, but it was the Republican President before him, Dwight Eisenhower, who launched the massive government undertaking known as the Interstate Highway System.
Of course, there have always been those who've opposed such efforts. They argue government intervention is usually inefficient; that it restricts individual freedom and dampens individual initiative. And in certain instances, that's been true. For many years, we had a welfare system that too often discouraged people from taking responsibility for their own upward mobility. At times, we've neglected the role of parents, rather than government, in cultivating a child's education. And sometimes regulation fails, and sometimes their benefits don't justify their costs.
But what troubles me is when I hear people say that all of government is inherently bad. One of my favorite signs during the health care debate was somebody who said, "Keep Your Government Hands Out Of My Medicare" -- (laughter) -- which is essentially saying "Keep Government Out Of My Government-Run Health Care Plan." (Laughter.)
When our government is spoken of as some menacing, threatening foreign entity, it ignores the fact that in our democracy, government is us. We, the people -- (applause.) We, the people, hold in our hands the power to choose our leaders and change our laws, and shape our own destiny.
Government is the police officers who are protecting our communities, and the servicemen and women who are defending us abroad. (Applause.) Government is the roads you drove in on and the speed limits that kept you safe. Government is what ensures that mines adhere to safety standards and that oil spills are cleaned up by the companies that caused them. (Applause.) Government is this extraordinary public university -- a place that's doing lifesaving research, and catalyzing economic growth, and graduating students who will change the world around them in ways big and small. (Applause.)
The truth is, the debate we've had for decades now between more government and less government, it doesn't really fit the times in which we live. We know that too much government can stifle competition and deprive us of choice and burden us with debt. But we've also clearly seen the dangers of too little government -- like when a lack of accountability on Wall Street nearly leads to the collapse of our entire economy. (Applause.)
So, class of 2010, what we should be asking is not whether we need "big government" or a "small government," but how we can create a smarter and better government. (Applause.) Because in an era of iPods and Tivo, where we have more choices than ever before -- even though I can't really work a lot of these things -- (laughter) -- but I have 23-year-olds who do it for me -- (laughter) -- government shouldn't try to dictate your lives. But it should give you the tools you need to succeed. Government shouldn't try to guarantee results, but it should guarantee a shot at opportunity for every American who's willing to work hard. (Applause.)
So, yes, we can and should debate the role of government in our lives. But remember, as you are asked to meet the challenges of our time, remember that the ability for us to adapt our government to the needs of the age has helped make our democracy work since its inception.
Now, the second way to keep our democracy healthy is to maintain a basic level of civility in our public debate. (Applause.) These arguments we're having over government and health care and war and taxes -- these are serious arguments. They should arouse people's passions, and it's important for everybody to join in the debate, with all the vigor that the maintenance of a free people requires.
But we can't expect to solve our problems if all we do is tear each other down. (Applause.) You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it. You can question somebody's views and their judgment without questioning their motives or their patriotism. (Applause.) Throwing around phrases like "socialists" and "Soviet-style takeover" and "fascist" and "right-wing nut" -- (laughter) -- that may grab headlines, but it also has the effect of comparing our government, our political opponents, to authoritarian, even murderous regimes.
Now, we've seen this kind of politics in the past. It's been practiced by both fringes of the ideological spectrum, by the left and the right, since our nation's birth. But it's starting to creep into the center of our discourse. And the problem with it is not the hurt feelings or the bruised egos of the public officials who are criticized. Remember, they signed up for it. Michelle always reminds me of that. (Laughter.) The problem is that this kind of vilification and over-the-top rhetoric closes the door to the possibility of compromise. It undermines democratic deliberation. It prevents learning -- since, after all, why should we listen to a "fascist," or a "socialist," or a "right-wing nut," or a left-wing nut"? (Laughter.)
It makes it nearly impossible for people who have legitimate but bridgeable differences to sit down at the same table and hash things out. It robs us of a rational and serious debate, the one we need to have about the very real and very big challenges facing this nation. It coarsens our culture, and at its worst, it can send signals to the most extreme elements of our society that perhaps violence is a justifiable response.
So what do we do? As I found out after a year in the White House, changing this type of politics is not easy. And part of what civility requires is that we recall the simple lesson most of us learned from our parents: Treat others as you would like to be treated, with courtesy and respect. (Applause.) But civility in this age also requires something more than just asking if we can't just all get along.
Today's 24/7 echo-chamber amplifies the most inflammatory soundbites louder and faster than ever before. And it's also, however, given us unprecedented choice. Whereas most Americans used to get their news from the same three networks over dinner, or a few influential papers on Sunday morning, we now have the option to get our information from any number of blogs or websites or cable news shows. And this can have both a good and bad development for democracy. For if we choose only to expose ourselves to opinions and viewpoints that are in line with our own, studies suggest that we become more polarized, more set in our ways. That will only reinforce and even deepen the political divides in this country.
But if we choose to actively seek out information that challenges our assumptions and our beliefs, perhaps we can begin to understand where the people who disagree with us are coming from.
Now, this requires us to agree on a certain set of facts to debate from. That's why we need a vibrant and thriving news business that is separate from opinion makers and talking heads. (Applause.) That's why we need an educated citizenry that values hard evidence and not just assertion. (Applause.) As Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan famously once said, "Everybody is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." (Laughter.)
Still, if you're somebody who only reads the editorial page of The New York Times, try glancing at the page of The Wall Street Journal once in a while. If you're a fan of Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, try reading a few columns on the Huffington Post website. It may make your blood boil; your mind may not be changed. But the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship. (Applause.) It is essential for our democracy. (Applause.)
And so, too, is the practice of engaging in different experiences with different kinds of people. I look out at this class and I realize for four years at Michigan you have been exposed to diverse thinkers and scholars, professors and students. Don't narrow that broad intellectual exposure just because you're leaving here. Instead, seek to expand it. If you grew up in a big city, spend some time with somebody who grew up in a rural town. If you find yourself only hanging around with people of your own race or ethnicity or religion, include people in your circle who have different backgrounds and life experiences. You'll learn what it's like to walk in somebody else's shoes, and in the process, you will help to make this democracy work. (Applause.)
Which brings me to the last ingredient in a functioning democracy, one that's perhaps most basic -- and it's already been mentioned -- and that is participation.
Class of 2010, I understand that one effect of today's poisonous political climate is to push people away from participation in public life. If all you see when you turn on the TV is name-calling, if all you hear about is how special interest lobbying and partisanship prevented Washington from getting something done, you might think to yourself, "What's the point of getting involved?"
Here's the point. When we don't pay close attention to the decisions made by our leaders, when we fail to educate ourselves about the major issues of the day, when we choose not to make our voices and opinions heard, that's when democracy breaks down. That's when power is abused. That's when the most extreme voices in our society fill the void that we leave. That's when powerful interests and their lobbyists are most able to buy access and influence in the corridors of power -- because none of us are there to speak up and stop them.
Participation in public life doesn't mean that you all have to run for public office -- though we could certainly use some fresh faces in Washington. (Laughter and applause.) But it does mean that you should pay attention and contribute in any way that you can. Stay informed. Write letters, or make phone calls on behalf of an issue you care about. If electoral politics isn't your thing, continue the tradition so many of you started here at Michigan and find a way to serve your community and your country -- an act that will help you stay connected to your fellow citizens and improve the lives of those around you.
It was 50 years ago that a young candidate for president came here to Michigan and delivered a speech that inspired one of the most successful service projects in American history. And as John F. Kennedy described the ideals behind what would become the Peace Corps, he issued a challenge to the students who had assembled in Ann Arbor on that October night: "on your willingness to contribute part of your life to this country," he said, will depend the answer whether a free society can compete. I think it can," he said.
This democracy we have is a precious thing. For all the arguments and all the doubts and all the cynicism that's out there today, we should never forget that as Americans, we enjoy more freedoms and opportunities than citizens in any other nation on Earth. (Applause.) We are free to speak our mind and worship as we please. We are free to choose our leaders, and criticize them if they let us down. We have the chance to get an education, and work hard, and give our children a better life.
None of this came easy. None of this was preordained. The men and women who sat in your chairs 10 years ago and 50 years ago and 100 years ago -- they made America possible through their toil and their endurance and their imagination and their faith. Their success, and America's success, was never a given. And there is no guarantee that the graduates who will sit in these same seats 10 years from now, or 50 years from now, or 100 years from now, will enjoy the same freedoms and opportunities that you do. You, too, will have to strive. You, too, will have to push the boundaries of what seems possible. For the truth is, our nation's destiny has never been certain.
What is certain -- what has always been certain -- is the ability to shape that destiny. That is what makes us different. That is what sets us apart. That is what makes us Americans -- our ability at the end of the day to look past all of our differences and all of our disagreements and still forge a common future. That task is now in your hands, as is the answer to the question posed at this university half a century ago about whether a free society can still compete.
If you are willing, as past generations were willing, to contribute part of your life to the life of this country, then I, like President Kennedy, believe we can. Because I believe in you. (Applause.)
Congratulations on your graduation, 2010. May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you. (Applause.)
As the President beats back lobbyists seeking to weaken Wall Street Reform, he talks about an even broader threat that would vastly expand the influence of massive industries and their lobbyists in Washington. A recent Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates for corporations, including foreign corporations, to spend endless money on political ads that would give them even more power at the expense of American families – the President pledges to fight for reforms to stem that influence.
32-year old Adil Jouamai is dead after an Arlington County Police officer shocked him with a taser. Officers responded to reports of a psychiatric emergency at the Wildwood Park Apartments earlier today. Police said he did not live in the apartment but was visiting family there. It was a relative who called police after the man became distressed. Police say they found Jouamai inside the apartment when they arrived. [SOURCE]
The naked man refused all verbal commands and was combative with the officers, police say.
An unidentified officer then pumped Adil Jouamai with 50,000 volts of electricity from a taser gun. Moments later, officers noticed he was not breathing. Medics already on the scene took Jouamai to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.
Police have not said whether Jouamai was armed. The incident remains under investigation.
This is the 2nd taser-related death in Arlington, VA in 2010. William Bumbrey was killed in January 2010.
The National Enquirer broke stories about sordid affairs by former presidential candidate John Edwards and Sarah Palin in the past. As such, we can't count out of hand the Enquirer reports that President Obama was caught a few years ago in a shocking cheating scandal after being caught in a Washington DC hotel with a former campaign aide.
The National Enquirer reports that Obama first became close to gorgeous 35 year-old Vera Baker in 2004 when she worked tirelessly to get him elected to the US Senate, raising millions in campaign contributions.
While Baker has insisted in the past that "nothing happened" between them, reports reveal that top anti-Obama operatives are offering more than $1 million to witnesses to reveal what they know about the alleged hush-hush affair.
Among those being offered money is a limo driver who says in 2004 that he took Vera to a secret hotel rendezvous in where Obama was staying.
It has been almost a year since I've published something new to our Village Interview series. I enjoy doing these interviews and I encourage you to contact me if you know of a blogger that would like to sit under the baobob tree with me to be part of these series.
Today, we are pleased to invite you for a seat under our baobob tree to read interview with Martin Lindsey -- creater of MartyBLOGs. I hope you enjoy it!
What were you like when you were younger? - As a child I was happy-go-lucky, but kind of introverted too. I wasn’t always comfortable being the first to approach other people to make friends but when I got to know you I was the life of the party. The silliness and jokestering always came out in the end.
That degree of shyness kind of continued into the high school years. I could be a laid back wallflower type some times. I was basically a homebody but I learned to break out of my shell as I got older.
I loved sports and couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to be anything other than an athlete when they grew up.
You’d never know from my early years that I’m now a hard core networker and as an adult I go out of my way to meet a new face.
Name a famous historical figure, living or deceased, you would like to meet and tell us why. - If he were alive it would be really cool to meet Jacques Cousteau. He was one of my favorite scientists when I was a kid (Marlin Perkins of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom fame was the other) and is a major reason I pursued a technical career. I loved watching Cousteau’s National Geographic specials on PBS (pre-cable T.V era). If there was ever a field of science that seemed exotic and cool it was oceanography the way the captain of the Calypso could portray it. He is the reason scuba diving is #1 for me on your bucket list question.
I always wanted to join the crew of the Calypso and travel all over the world shooting film of sea animals, ship wrecks and ancient buildings fallen into the sea. I’d still like to pat a whale on its side and get a fin ride from a dolphin before I leave this earth.
And who knows? As a digital cinema grad student I may yet get the opportunity to do something cool like that.
Name a person in your community who is relatively unknown to the rest of the world, who you believe is significant in some way, and that you would like the rest of the world to know more about. - For me that unsung person would be Mr. William Slayton. I’m not sure if he’s still around now but Mr. Slayton was our block unit president when I was a kid in St. Louis. I think the block unit dealt with safety or neighborhood politics. Maybe both. I’m not sure because while I tagged along with my mother to the meetings, the adults met in the Slayton’s living room and I watched T.V. in their kitchen.
However there was one time in particular when I went to an actual neighborhood political meeting of some sort with Mr. Slayton completely unrelated to the block unit. To this day I have no idea how I wound up hanging out with him but he drove us over to some storefront in the neighborhood and it was packed with a room full of people. The best I can recall is that they were talking about serious issues and that’s only because I remember all of those adults having serious looks on their faces and really getting into the discussion at hand. That was my first exposure to grass roots politics in action.
That’s what made Mr. Slayton a significant person, that he put his concerns for the well being of our neighborhood into action. I couldn’t appreciate it as a kid but I remember those events vividly and I have all the respect in the world for him to this day.
What are two items in your 'bucket list' ... things you want to do or accomplish before you kick the bucket? - I want to go scuba diving and see with my own eyes many of the interesting animals and oceanic environments that I watch on National Geographic and Discovery Channel.
I want to travel into outer space on one of the civilian versions of spacecraft that are under development by various corporations. All the NASA missions are the yet another reason I fell in love with science.
Describe your first experience on the Internet? - I learned about the Internet in 1995 when it first went public. I was a young engineer who discovered something way more interesting than engineering (LOL). I knew even back then that I wasn’t going to be in that profession the rest of my life.
The most exciting thing about it was finding a web page that taught basic HTML. I learned the basics in an hour and started creating and editing some bare bones pages with sections, colors, radio buttons and all the other now rudimentary features that were new and fascinating back in the old days at the end of the 20th century.
That’s how I entertained myself after work each day, by learning this new technology. It’s interesting seeing its evolution over the years. Some online applications that I imagined have come to fruition and many others that never occurred to me have been transformative in the way business is done and the way we live our daily lives on a personal level.
Tell us about your current blogging career and how you got into it. - I got into blogging about four or five years ago. I don’t recall where I first read or heard of blogging but I used it as the subject of two of my early Toastmasters International speeches. It was quite fascinating to me and I knew it would be an eye opening subject for my club. The focus of my research for the speeches was on corporate blogging mostly. Of course as it turns out it’s individuals who have been the most popular and widely read bloggers and not the corporations.
It was around that time that I started my first blog. I have rehashed it in a couple of different incarnations since then as I discovered platforms that seemed easier or more advantageous for one reason or another.
Who are the two bloggers you read the most and why? Include their links and tell us why we should subscribe to their feeds. - This one is hard to nail down to two that I read most so I’ll take interviewee’s privilege and reclassify the question as two that I really like and respect.
First I’d recommend a blogger I've discovered on Facebook over the last few months. His name is Mason Jamal and his site, Mason Says, with his irreverent brand of humor is always good for a laugh.
To take his tagline, he writes about "style, substance and sensibilities for men (and sometimes women)". His sarcastic, yet thoughtful observations and analysis of life makes you think while cracking you up. I like his writing style and as a blogger who regular tries to include humor in my writing and public speaking I admire his skill with the craft.
Secondly I’d recommend you oh great attendant of the baobab tree. The Electronic Village is one I can’t miss. Neither should anyone else. I’ve gotten to know you virtually over the last few years as we’ve both worked on improving our blogging skills. Your range of content covering matters social, technical and fun makes for interesting and different reading each day.
I like the way your layout shines the spotlight on other bloggers or people of interest in your side columns. You’ve gone beyond the blog roll with your AfroSpear Voices link featuring individual bloggers of color. And your Village Heroes link gives us a consistent dose of Black History. The other linked sections are cool too but those are my favorites.
Where are you taking your blog over the next 2-3 years? - I’m working on expanding the scope of MartyBLOGs over the next couple of years. I’ve begun focusing the subject matter of my posts into a consistent set of categories over the last year. I have been doing more on social networking and music for instance. Sometimes I’ll write about principles to live by and other times I’ll write about my spiritual perspective as a Christian in particular.
I also want to begin learning how to monetize my site. I’ve always had good intentions and made small scale attempts at it but I’ve never focused on it as a feature in order to make it effective.
What is your 'killer post' over the past year ... the post you are most proud of? - I don’t have one that qualifies as a killer post in my eyes. The last year has been filled with school work. Classes haven’t allowed me the time to dig as deeply and as consistently as I like to in my writing. So most of my subject matter has been shorter and to the point.
What is your 'biggest noise post' over the past year ... the one that you took the most heat over from your readers? - I never hear big noise over any of my posts but I really seem to know how to fire people up when I comment from time to time. So how about a biggest noise comment?
As a person who is seriously conservative when it comes to applying timeless standards of morals and spiritual values to everyday living I get a lot of flack about one subject only, for some reason, and never for anything else that I might take the soap box for.
Everybody seems to want to raise cain with Marty when it comes to discussions of homosexuality. I don’t go for the “rights” excuse that is so popular and that some are trying their best to make mainstream. I’m trying my best to fight against this trend that threatens the social fabric of our society. I believe in the “what is right” line of thinking and living. People can continue to be upset with me, try to justify immoral lifestyles and pass them off as social issues all they like. Doesn’t matter to me because I’m going to continue saying what’s right anyway.
Martin ended his interview by saying, "Thanks for allowing me to participate in your interview series, Villager. This has given me a chance to think on some subjects I haven’t had the opportunity to focus on in a while. I appreciate it."
Martin was one of the first Black bloggers that I discovered in the afrosphere. I think that the thing I most appreciated about Martin is his action-oriented blogging style. Oddly enough, we have never met face-to-face, however, we have worked together in a variety of online activism efforts and within BDPA Education and Technology Foundation.
I enjoy publishing interviews of bloggers. I hope that I can do some more of these over the coming weeks and months. Let me know if you have a blogger you would like us to interview.Also, share some love with Martin for taking time to participate in this Q&A process.
How often do you hear folks complaining about one thing or another? Sometimes it is a good idea to remember how good we have it. What right do any of us have to compain about anything when we see the positive attitude expressed by Brittany Carey, a Trimble Tech sophmore in Fort Worth, TX. Brittany is living with a malignant brain tumor ... however, she was able to work with her parents and teachers to achieve an educational dream ... wearing a cap and gown. Learn about Brittany's story from the following video:
This blog plans to share some good news about people of African descent each and every Tuesday. You can help ... let me know if you see a good news story that you think would inspire our Villagers!
It appears that the Democrats are going to try to counter the usual losses that occur in an off-year election by reaching out to the 15 million voters that supported President Obama's election in 2008. There were many young people, Blacks and Latinos that voted for the first time in 2008. The question is whether or not these same first-time voters will be inspired to vote again in November 2010.
Chioma Gray has been missing since December 2007. She celebrates her 18th birthday today ... but, her family can't celebrate because they have no idea where she is located. Chioma's mom, Franciene Black (shown in above photo), wrote an open letter awhile ago that still seems to be appropriate. I'm going to re-post it for your consideration:
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 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"!
I wonder if Chioma or her abductor ever use the Internet to see whether there is still activity to find her? If so, then I hope that they find this Lakessha Alert. I hope that this Lakeesha Alert is seen as a blessing by Chioma's mom. I don't know how else we can help her at this time ... I'm open to hearing some suggestions from villagers.
It is apparent that the Amber Alert system didn't work in this missing person case. Perhaps our Lakeesha Alert will have more impact.
I attended the inaugural Blogging While Brown Conference in Atlanta GA. In fact, I was honored to be one of the seminar speakers at the conference that year. The BWB conference is growing in quality with the following announcement of the speakers for the event later this summer in Washington DC.
The BWB conference takes place in Washington DC on June 18-19, 2010. Are you attending?
Elections have consequences. President Obama selected a wise Latina for the Supreme Court last year. He recently added a wise Sista to the mix this year.
Multiple sources say that the White House added a federal judge from Chicago to its working list of potential Supreme Court nominees to fill the upcoming vacancy.
Judge Ann Claire Williams, who became the first African American appellate judge in the federal Seventh Circuit, has joined a working list of about 10 other candidates.
One of the things that caught my attention about Judge Williams is that she is a native of Detroit MI. That is one town that could sure use some good karma in 2010! Her dad was a bus driver in Detroit and she dreamed being a Motown star.
Here are some other tidbits about Judge Williams:
Named to federal bench by Presidents Reagan, Clinton
Former 3rd-grade teacher in Detroit
Considered a moderate on the court
Third African American woman named to a federal appeals court (NOTE: who were the first two?)
Have you heard about this sista-Judge before? I never heard of her until today.
It does seem that she has that 'real-world' experience that President Obama seems to like. What are your thoughts on Judge Williams or the whole SCOTUS selection process?
A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
I'm not sure if Sam Todo, a student in the Togolese Republic in Africa, knows about the three laws. I do know that this young brother has a vision about robots and robotics. He views robotics as a way to put the outdated technology found in the garbage to new, innovative uses. In this video, Todo displays a humanoid robot he created almost entirely from discarded TV parts.
For now, the robot only walks in straight lines, but Todo is working on future versions that automatically greets people and naturally avoids objects in its path.
More than simply showing off his own amazing ingenuity, Todo hopes his robot serves as an inspiration to other Africans (and even Americans of African descent) to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. After all, if this young brother with few resources in the Togolese Republic can seek out STEM education and acheivement ... then perhaps our young brothers and sisters in the United States can seek STEM tools out as well.
This blog is committed to sharing good news about people of African descent each and every Tuesday ... we call it Good News Tuesday and I wish that other bloggers would join this weekly meme!
This blog has shared information with you about the taser death of Patrick Burns. He was killed by an unidentified sheriff's deputy in Sangamon County. I'm convinced that the police did not need to kill this man with their taser guns on January 28, 2010. His family agrees. Many of them are wondering what happened to Patrick ... they want to know how a mild-mannered man ended up dead as a result of pre-trial electrocution by unidentified police officers.
A local reporter, Bruce Rushton, did a remarkable job of reporting about Patrick Burns' life and times prior to his taser-related death. The question that this reporter wanted to answer was simple: 'What Happened to Patrick Burns'?
I came across this 10-part series of online seminars for recession-stressed entrepreneurs. The Foundation for the Advancement of Marketing Excellence in Entrepreneurs (FAMEE) helps small and medium sized companies improve how they grow profitable, sustainable, long-term customer revenue steams. They do this by providing free resources, training programs, and guidance to both entrepreneurs and consultants.
I've been operating my own business since July 2002. As such, there were a number of important learnings shared in this 10-part series. I thought it worthwhile to share with those entrepreneurs that follow my blog.
Curt Clinkinbeard developed this course for the FAMEE Foundation. Curt owns his own company, Strive Coaching. He is also the author of Customer Pillars.
My plan is to share the other nine parts of this online seminar over the coming days.I hope that you will take a moment to respond with your thoughts if you have time or inclination.
The November 2008 election of Barack Obama as our president and commander-in-chief is driving ignorant white folks stark-raving mad.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) used to be a reasonable lawmaker. Lately, he seems more and more like a sad and desperate politician destined to lose his job in November. He spends a great deal of time attacking President Obama.
Half-term quitter Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) used to be the most popular governor in America and the darling of the Republican Party. Now she is a celebrity seeking to get every penny she can from her elongated 15 minutes of fame. She spends most of her time attacking President Obama.
An entire Tea Party movement has grown over the past year. They spit at Black politicians, yell epitaphs at congressmen, carry racist signs at their rallies, and appear to be about 99% white folks. They spend most of their time attacking President Obama.
Joe Plumber became a pop culture icon in 2008 when he began attacking President Obama. His sidekick is LTC Terry Lakin. Lakin is an 18-year military veteran who is asking to be court-martialed rather than obey his military orders to report to Afghanistan. Why? Because Lakin isn't convinced that President Obama was born in America.
Yep ... this clown is buying into the myth that Barack Obama is a foriegner ... and as such Lakin doesn't feel any obligation to obey orders issued by the commander-in-chief.
It seems to irk these folks that Barack and Michelle Obama are in the White House. The attacks almost always seem personal in nature ... and rarely do they seem based on policy.
The next seven years of the Obama administration are really gonna be rough on these misguided miscreants. Don't you agree?
How many villagers remember an unsung group from back in the day known as 'The Bar Kays'? I didn't realize that this group survived 40 years, 27 albums, 25 members, 23 hits, a tragic plane crash, a stroke and a murder. The miracle is that this band nearly ended before it began, when all but two members – Ben Cauley and James Alexander - died in the plane crash that killed singing great Otis Redding. Yet those two members rebuilt the Bar-Kays into a remarkable hit machine.
I am looking forward to taping the Unsung episode on TV-One that will provide some background on this crew. One of my favorite tunes from The Bar-Kays was a slow ballad that I used to enjoy playing late at night on my college radio show -- 'Running In and Out of My Life'.
Of course, I think that the Bar Kays are probably better known to us Ol' School folks for their ability to bring the funk out of each of us! How many of you can remember seeking out your own personal 'Freakshow on the Dance Floor'?
What is your favorite song or memory of The Bar Kays?
The old lions in our village are being disrespected quite abit lately. Calling Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) the N-word during the health care debate was out of line. Spitting on Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) as he walked to his place of work was out of line. Next we learn that civil rights icon Haki Madhubuti was forced out of his job as an educator at Chicago State University after 26 years of service.
"This is a difficult time for me. Because of circumstances beyond my control, I have been forced to seek early retirement. On June 22 , 2009, I issued an open letter to the university community in regards to the appointment of our current president, Dr. Wayne Watson," said the Third World Press founder and Chicago Public Schools charter operator. "I questioned in no uncertain language the flawed and undemocratic process in which he was selected. I was as fully aware when I issued the letter as I am now that all actions have consequences."
Madhubuti said his split from the university came after Watson, who took the helm of the South Side institution last year, demoted him.
Madhubuti said Watson demanded he teach four courses a semester -- contrary to his contract -- removed him from the paid staff of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center he founded, and reduced him to volunteer status with the master's program in creative writing that he co-founded.
"I am convinced that this move against me is personal and vindictive," Madhubuti said. "Although I did agree to increase my course load, I rejected the points that removed me from the structures I founded and co-founded at the university."
Watson denied Madhubuti was being forced out, although Watson declined to discuss details of the departure.
"That is his decision. I am only asking him to teach," said Watson.
Madhubuti has filed a grievance against the university.
Madhubuti rose to international fame as a fiery poet who gave voice to the pain of the 1960s civil rights movement and founded the renowned Black publishing firm that distributed Black authors deemed untouchable by the mainstream publishers in the early '60s.
The prolific poet and longtime educator also operates three Chicago public charter schools and a private preschool he founded with his wife.
"Haki Madhubuti, he is an institution," said acclaimed author, biographer and researcher Maryemma Graham, a university of Kansas English professor inducted into the center's hall of fame Friday. "The Chicago State MFA program and Gwendolyn Brooks Center has become as powerful and renowned as it has in part because of his presence. That will never change."
I first learned of Madhubuti when I was taking Black Studies college courses back in the day. I'm sorry that Chicago State University chose to join the Tea Party in its disrespect of our old lions.
lained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.
