From Bored Panda -
Exploring America: 45 Maps That Might Shift Your View Of The US
By Robertas Lisickis and Mindaugas Balčiauskas
Monday, March 4, 2024
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Still Fighting at 101 Years Old!
An excerpt from Dan Rather's Steady Column -
A 101-Year-Old’s Fight Against Book Banning
Inspiring young 92-year-olds like me
DAN RATHER AND TEAM STEADY
 |
| Credit: PEN America/Damarcus Adisa |
I’m often inspired by those younger than I who work tirelessly to help our country survive and thrive. But at 92, it’s not every day I find someone older who is such an inspiration. Grace Linn is a spry 101-year-old with strong opinions about what’s happening where she lives in Martin County, Florida. The school board there has been at the forefront of book bans in the state, removing more than 80 titles from county classrooms.
I recently came upon a remarkable and inspirational interview with Linn. Her husband died in 1944 fighting the Nazis, who were notorious book burners. Linn was so disgusted by the book bans in her Florida school district that she made a quilt depicting 84 banned books and displayed it while testifying before the school board. “Banning books and burning books are the same. Both are done for the same reason: fear of knowledge,” Linn said. “Fear is not freedom. Fear is not liberty. Fear is control.”
Linn’s dedicated activism got me thinking about the surge in book bans specifically and the culture war being waged more broadly. The idea of a culture war is not something new in America.
https://steady.substack.com/p/a-101-year-olds-fight-against-book?
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
CIA's Former Chief of Disguise Reveals Secrets
An excerpt from People -
CIA's Former Chief of Disguise Reveals Spy Secrets: 'People Who Knew Me Well Will Be Shocked' (Exclusive)
Trailblazer Jonna Mendez revolutionized the CIA’s techniques — and now she’s finally sharing her own story
By Dawn Klavon
 |
| “I didn’t join the CIA thinking I’d drive over the Alps in a Jaguar like James Bond,” says Jonna Mendez (in 2023 and, opposite, disguised as a man in 2005). PHOTO: NANCY PASTOR/THE WASHINGTON TIMES; TINA LEU |
When Jonna Mendez, then the CIA’s chief of disguise, was asked to brief President George H.W. Bush on the agency’s new mask technology in the early 1990s, she wanted to make a powerful impression to secure more funding.
“It’s expensive to make these masks,” says Mendez, 78.
Meeting Bush in the Oval Office disguised as a Latina woman with black curly hair, she described the extraordinary results her team achieved to evade Russia’s KGB. Bush curiously glanced to her side, perhaps looking for a briefcase holding the new disguise. She told him she was wearing it.
“He said, ‘Hold on, don’t take it off yet.’ Then he got up and took a closer look,” she recalls. “He said, ‘Okay, do it.’ ”
Like a Mission: Impossible character, Mendez slowly peeled off a remarkably lifelike mask, revealing her true face: blue eyes, fair skin and short, dark blonde hair. When she held up the disguise that duped everyone in the room, Bush and his advisers seemed dazzled.
“The masks were something that no one else, not even Hollywood, could do,” she says.
That’s just one memory from Mendez’s 27-year tenure as a master of disguise that she’s mined for her CIA-reviewed memoir In True Face: A Woman’s Life in the CIA Unmasked, out March 5.
“This is my career that no one knows about,” she tells PEOPLE in this week's issue from her Reston, Va., home. “You step into that world, and the door closes behind you. I thought it would be interesting to open the door. People who knew me well will be shocked.”
 |
| The cover of Jonna Mendez's book, "In True Face," out March 5. Photo: PUBLICAFFAIRS |
https://people.com/cias-former-chief-of-disguise-reveals-spy-secrets-people-who-knew-me-well-will-be-shocked-exclusive-8594627
10 Landmark R & B Albums Turning 50 This Year
An excerpt from People -
The Sound of '74: 10 Landmark R&B Albums Turning 50 This Year
Learn more about the making of iconic albums by Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Al Green and more.
By Jordan Runtagh
 |
| PHOTO: Getty |
The year 1974 saw a host of legendary Black performers reach the peak of their powers, with icons like Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Millie Jackson and Aretha Franklin releasing works that defined both their careers and the decade through bold sonic innovations or powerful social commentary. It was a transitional time for the sound of Black America, as the ever-expanding scope of R&B grew to include emerging genres including funk, disco and even early hip-hop. In celebration of Black History Month, learn about — and listen to! — these landmark works by some of the greatest Black artists of all time.
01 'Perfect Angel' by Minnie Riperton
 |
| 'Perfect Angel' by Minnie Riperton. |
Released: Aug. 6, 1974
Standout Tracks: "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” "You're the First, the Last, My Everything"
Far more than just a velvet-voice, White was a writer, producer, arranger and key pioneer of the developing disco sound thanks to his run of early ‘70s solo albums that fused Memphis funk, Philly Soul, lush strings, and infectious four-on-the-floor beats with his unmistakable stage-rattling croon. Can’t Get Enough, his third solo disc, is the maestro at his peak. "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” the lead single, became his first No. 1 under his own name, and “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” — which began life as an unreleased country song from the 1950s before White reworked it — remains a sultry R&B standard half a century after its release.
The amped-up romance came from a real place for White. While producing the R&B group Love Unlimited, he fell in love with their singer, Glodean James. During one sleepless night, he poured his passionate sweet nothings for James into a song that became the title track. They were married by the time it topped the charts that September.
2nd HBCU Vet School to Open
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE TO BECOME 2ND HBCU TO HAVE VETERINARIAN SCHOOL
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is making strides in diversity, becoming the second HBCU to host a veterinarian program.
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Maryland, is set to become the second HBCU to have a veterinarian school. Classes are set to begin in 2026.
Not only will the school join Tuskegee University as the only HBCU in the nation to have the program, it will soon be part of the just over three dozen schools that grant the degree, as reported by USA Today on Feb. 20, granting more opportunities for aspiring Black veterinarians.
“We are hoping that our new school will open the door and create plenty of opportunities in an underserved field,” said Moses Kairo, the dean of agricultural and natural sciences at the university.
“There are very few vet schools being established, so there’s room for growth. We feel our timing is just right.”
Black veterinarians only make up 1.2% of all professionals in the United States, according to a 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
First Medical School Staff President
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
MEDICAL SCHOOL’S FIRST BLACK GRADUATE MAKES HISTORY AGAIN AS FIRST BLACK MEDICAL STAFF PRESIDENT
Dr. James D. Griffin, the first Black graduate of the University of Texas Southwestern’s medical school, was elected as the first Black president of the Medical Staff at Parkland Health.
By Daniel JohnsonDr. James D. Griffin is the first Black graduate of the University of Texas Southwestern’s medical school to join the school’s faculty, as well as the chief of Anesthesiology at Parkland Health, a hospital located in Dallas, Texas. Griffin made even more history, recently he was elected as the first Black president of the medical staff at Parkland Health.
Griffin, as NBC DFW reported, shares a special connection with Parkland; he was born in the hospital’s segregated wing in 1958. In an interview with the outlet, Griffin reflected on that history and his parents, who he says pushed him to believe in himself, beyond the limits that society placed on Black people in the Jim Crow South. “To be born at Parkland in a time when my mother could not receive health care in any other hospital was important. At that time, Parkland’s maternity ward was segregated so the African American babies were born in one part of the hospital and everyone else was born somewhere else,” Griffin said.
Griffin continued, praising the values his parents instilled in him, “We never talked about what we couldn’t do. It was always based in faith on what was possible if we put our minds to it.
https://www.blackenterprise.com/first-black-president-parkland-health/
Monday, February 12, 2024
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Scarf Bombing
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
‘Scarf bombing’ is helping keep people warm in the winter months
The act of leaving handmade garments in public places when it’s cold out has spread across Canada and the U.S.
By Sydney Page
 |
| A "scarf bomb" in Pittsburgh in December 2022. (Scarf Bombardiers) |
The 14 handmade scarves were a mystery.
Ten years ago, they appeared around the necks of famous statues in Ottawa on a chilly January day. Each scarf was tagged with a note that read: “I am not lost! If you are stuck out in the cold, take this scarf to keep warm.” It was later revealed that a few university students were behind the good deed.
The incident went viral, and is part of a movement now known as “scarf bombing” — leaving handmade scarves in public places to warm people up during the winter months. The scarves are typically tied around fences, benches and railings, and are especially intended to support those experiencing homelessness.
 |
While the Ottawa scarf bombing was the first to go big online, the phenomenon had already arrived in other places, including Winnipeg.
The scarf bombing movement has spread across Canada and the United States — including in Maryland, Virginia, Iowa, New York City, the Twin Cities and Jacksonville, Fla.
“Most of us are doing it because that one person did,” said Michelle Chance-Sangthong, who saw the Ottawa story online in 2014 and started scarf bombing in Jacksonville. She created a Facebook group called Scarf Bomb Jax and has recruited dozens of volunteers over the past decade. They range in age from their teens to their 80s.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2024/02/02/scarf-bomb-winter-homeless-kindness/
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Why He's "The Boss"
This is a truly wonderful story from Bruce @springsteen and I hope you listen to the end of it.
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) July 26, 2023
It's a reminder to all artists...be humble, be grateful.pic.twitter.com/QC380HC1ua
Driven by Curiosity: The Lanny Smoot Story
An excerpt from AfroTech -
Lanny Smoot Becomes The Second Person From Disney, Since Walt Disney Himself, To Get Inducted Into The National Inventors Hall Of Fame
By Ashley Turner
Smoot is making history as the first Disney Imagineer to receive this honor. He’s also only the second Walt Disney Company employee since Walt Disney to earn the recognition.
During Smoot’s 45-year career, he has been a theatrical technology creator, inventor, electrical engineer, scientist, and researcher. The innovator has amassed a collection of over 100 patents, 74 of them created during his 25-year stint at the Walt Disney Company.
Before working at Disney, Smoot was talented.
After graduating with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Columbia University, Smoot developed multiple innovations, such as video-on-demand technology, video conferencing, and specialized television for remote locations, to name a few.
Smoot has been integral in creating some of the most technically advanced special effects at Disney theme parks and experiences. Some examples of these special effects include Madame Leota’s floating in the Séance Room at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, Disney Live Entertainment’s extendable lightsaber, the Magic Playfloor interactive game experience on the Disney Cruise Line, and the Fortress Explorations adventure at Tokyo DisneySea.
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Sunday, January 14, 2024
A Classy Dude
An excerpt from the Whiskey Riff -
Derrick Henry Thanked The Kitchen Staff, Security And Cleaning Staff By Name After His Last Game With The Tennessee Titans
By Aaron Ryan
It’s been said a million times that you should treat the cleaning staff the same way you treat the CEO. And NFL superstar Derrick Henry lives by that philosophy.
Henry has been one of the best running backs in the league for years now, since being selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 2016 NFL Draft. He’s a four-time Pro Bowl selection, led the NFL in rushing in 2019, and in 2020 was selected as the AP Offensive Player of the Year after becoming just the eighth player in history to rush for over 2,000 yards.
But despite all of the accolades and accomplishments, Henry has managed to stay humble.
It’s likely that yesterday’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars is Henry’s last game in Nashville. And after the game, he took a moment to address the fans and thank them for their support over the past 8 years:
Pretty incredible two-plus minutes from #Titans RB Derrick Henry @KingHenry_2 after today’s game — thanked countless members of the organization by name, from equipment staff to cafeteria staff to custodial staff and many, many more.
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) January 7, 2024
🎥 pic.twitter.com/aND2GiL0my
Friday, January 12, 2024
Regina Hall's Acceptance Speech
Kevin Costner’s best Golden Globe appearance is still last year when he didn’t show up pic.twitter.com/vlOvSrnZAW
— Ryan Aguirre (@aguirreryan) January 8, 2024
Monday, January 8, 2024
Thursday, December 21, 2023
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Saturday, December 16, 2023
FLYING ETIQUETTE - AN ESSENTIAL READ!
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
The 52 Definitive Rules of Flying
The Handbook of Behaving Like a Civilized Person, From Airport Arrival to Landing
By Natalie Compton and Andrea Sachs
Etiquette is more important than ever these days. For most of this year, more than 2 million people have been streaming through security checkpoints each day, according to the Transportation Security Administration. One ill-placed limb on the arm rest or acrid hard-boiled egg can sour the air travel experience for many.
To help you become a model passenger, we compiled 52 rules that cover every step in the flying process, from arriving at the airport to exiting the aircraft. To reinforce these tenets, we inserted several pop quizzes. Ace these tests and adopt these behaviors and you will earn your wings — angel’s, not pilot’s.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/interactive/2023/flying-airport-etiquette/
This is Faye - PLEASE READ AND SHARE FAR AND WIDE.
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Monday, December 4, 2023
Inmates Can Now Make Free Phone Calls in Five States
An excerpt from CNN.com
Making phone calls from prison is now free in Massachusetts
By Zoe Sottile, CNN
 | ||
| Inmates at Massachusetts correctional facilities can now make an unlimited number of calls cost-free. WichienTep/iStockphoto/Getty Images |
Massachusetts has now become the fifth state in the US to allow inmates to make phone calls for free, thanks to a new bill signed into law by Governor Maura Healey.
The new law went into effect on Friday and includes all 14 correctional facilities in the state, according to a news release from the Massachusetts Department of Correction.
The change will “provide equitable access to sustained communication between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones,” says the news release.
There is no limit to the number of calls each inmate can make, according to the release.
“The Massachusetts Department of Correction recognizes the importance of incarcerated individuals maintaining bonds with their loved ones,” said the Department of Correction commissioner Carol Mici in the release. “No cost calls will alleviate the financial burden and remove barriers for an individual in MA DOC custody to stay connected with their outside support system. Strong family support helps to advance the rehabilitative process, reduces recidivism, and contributes to successful reentry upon release.”
https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/03/us/massachusetts-prison-call-free-trnd/index.html
Sunday, December 3, 2023
TSA Canine Calendar
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
Meet the hard-working dogs of TSA’s 2024 canine calendar
You can get your paws on one this second because it’s free to download
By Natalie B. Compton
 |
| Zita, a German shorthaired pointer, works at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. (TSA photo) |
The Transportation Security Administration has just released the perfect antidote to this week’s capitalistic overload of holiday sale mania: a 2024 calendar of very good dogs with airport jobs. And it’s free.
Travel better with news, tips and guides that make you feel like a local wherever you go. In your inbox, Thursdays.
The TSA Canine Calendar is an annual tradition celebrating the work of America’s explosives-detection dogs. More than 1,000 patrol our airports and 300 more are trained every year to sniff out explosive materials.
“We screen passengers, baggage, we do terminal searches, we even screen cargo,” said TSA canine handler Caitlyn Winn, who’s been working with her dog, Puk (featured in this year’s calendar for October), at the Boston Logan International Airport since 2019. Like all the dazzlers in the calendar, Puk lives at home with her handler and leads a pretty normal life. But at the office (or, airport) she goes from pet to professional.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/11/29/tsa-dog-calendar-2024/
The Billionaire Myth
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
Opinion: The billionaire myth takes a beating
By Jennifer Rubin
 |
| New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, left, and Elon Musk at an event in New York on Wednesday. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) |
Long before Donald Trump rode down the golden escalator or Elon Musk purchased Twitter (now X) or Sam Bankman-Fried built a crypto empire, Americans lionized billionaires.
“The idea of a self-made American billionaire is the super-sized version of all other self-made myths, and outlandish to the point of being at least mildly insulting,” BSchools.org, a blog about business schools, explained. “Individual achievement still deserves recognition. But these things don’t operate in a vacuum — and massive wealth is never solely attributable to the actions of a single person.”
But, as we have learned again and again this year, sometimes the self-appointed “genius” billionaire is simply a crank, a con man or a beneficiary of familial wealth and luck.
Never has the billionaire myth looked shakier. Trump, the four-times-indicted former president, is facing civil liability for exaggerating his wealth (built on inheritance) and property values. Bankman-Fried is facing a lengthy prison sentence for fraud. And Musk, who lost more than half of Twitter’s value, self-incinerated in a now-viral interview in which he crassly told off advertisers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/03/billionaire-myth-musk-trump/
Looking at 2023 in the Rearview Mirror
From CNN -
2023: The Year in Pictures
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2023/specials/year-in-pictures/
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Outstanding Travel Hacks
An excerpt from Travel Noire -
103 Travel Hacks to Make Jet-Setting a Little Easier
Travel Hacks
By Leah Jones
 | |
| Photo Credit: Atikh and Khayriyyah/Unsplash |
Hitting the road can be exhilarating, but traveling also comes with its fair share of hassles. Between crowded airports, cramped flights, and language barriers in foreign destinations, getting from point A to point B can involve plenty of headaches. Luckily, there are all sorts of ingenious tips and tricks that can make travel less stressful and more enjoyable. Whether it’s your first time backpacking abroad or you’re a seasoned jet-setter, a few simple travel hacks can go a long way in making your trips simpler and smoother.
We’ve put together 103 of these hacks to help upgrade your next trip. From packing pointers to tech tools, these hacks cover all aspects of travel from start to finish. With these tips at your disposal, you can breeze through annoying logistics and focus on creating memorable experiences.
https://travelnoire.com/travel-hacks
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Trevor Noah on Having Difficult Conversations
@spotifypodcasts Let’s have the conversation @Trevor Noah 🎯 #podcast #trevornoah #whatnow #podcastrecommendations #monologue #dailyshow #trevornoahclips #podcastclips ♬ original sound - Spotify Podcasts
https://youtube.com/shorts/phsbi4ibsck?si=ZYh18lHJFmLsdyad
Sunday, November 26, 2023
10 SHOCKING Things I Learned Driving Around Texas for 4 Months
When I moved back to Texas from California and the small town of China, Texas (population 1100) where I was raised to the big city of Houston, the biggest surprise was the Texas Turnaround (number 2). Every city should have these. They're the best.
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Ten Commandments Bill - Best Rebuttal EVER!
@jamestalarico Texas Republicans are trying to force public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. I told the bill author: “This bill is not only un-constitutional and un-American, it’s deeply in-Christian.” #txlege ♬ original sound - James Talarico
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Jenga Genius - Guinness World Records
An excerpt from Upworthy -
Teen with autism makes record-breaking Jenga block tower, inspiring Hallmark holiday movie
15-year-old Auldin Maxwell, who stacked an astonishing 1,840 Jenga pieces all on one single block, says using them helps tap into his creativity.
By Heather Wake
At the ripe old age of fifteen, Auldin Maxwell is already breaking world records and inspiring Hallmark movies.
Maxwell landed his first spot in the Guinness World Records in November 2020, when he successfully balanced 693 Jenga blocks all on top of one vertical facing Jenga block.
Only four months later, he broke his own record by stacking 1,400 Jenga blocks onto one vertical block, more than doubling the original amount. He then broke the record for most Jenga GIANT blocks (500) stacked on top of a single vertical Jenga GIANT block.
Monday, November 20, 2023
Rosalynn Carter: A Testament to Her Character (May She RIP)
An excerpt from Time.com
Rosalynn Carter Hired a Wrongfully Convicted Murderer to Serve as White House Nanny. They Remained Lifelong Friends
BY KATHY EHRICH DOWD
 |
| Amy Carter playing on the White House grounds with Mary Prince. National Archives and Records Administration/Wiki Commons |
Mary Prince, a Black woman who had been convicted of murder, was already a controversial figure at Jimmy Carter’s 1977 Presidential Inauguration.
Although she was incarcerated, Prince was given permission to travel to Washington, D.C. for the event and arrived in a dress made of material given to her by her fellow inmates at the Fulton County Jail and the Atlanta Work Release Center. At the end of the celebration, Prince remembers newly minted First Lady Rosalynn Carter pulling her aside. "Before I left, Mrs. Carter said, 'How would you like to work in this big old place?'" Prince told People that year.
Rosalynn Carter and Prince had known each other for years at that point, and had developed a close bond. Prince had been young Amy Carter's nanny when the family lived at the Georgia governor's mansion, not long after Prince was accused of—and subsequently sentenced to life for—murder. When the Carters arrived at the White House, most political operatives would have advised the family to keep their distance from Prince. But the first couple did the opposite.
After the inauguration, Prince told Rosalynn that she would indeed be interested in working at the White House. And Rosalynn pulled out all the stops: She secured a reprieve for Prince, helped make President Carter her parole officer and officially hired her to serve as Amy Carter's nanny at the White House.
Send Your Name to Space in a Bottle
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
Send your name to space via NASA’s ‘Message in a Bottle’
The space agency is inviting people to submit their names by the end of the year for inclusion on a mission to one of Jupiter’s moons
By Erin Blakemore
In 2024, a new spacecraft will hurtle toward Jupiter in a bid to learn whether its moon Europa is capable of supporting life. The craft will carry more than high-tech sensors: It also will bear a poem and hundreds of thousands of human names.
Yours could be one of them.
NASA is asking people to submit their names ahead of the mission’s October 2024 launch. Those submitted by the end of 2023 will go into space on the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which should enter Jupiter’s orbit in 2030.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/11/19/nasa-name-in-space-europa/
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Saturday, August 26, 2023
The Servers All Have Dementia at The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders in Tokyo
An excerpt from NPR -
It was founded as a way to raise awareness and celebrate the quirks of living with dementia. Even though 37% of the orders are delivered wrong, 99% of customers are happy, the restaurant says.
Monday, July 31, 2023
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Righting a Wrong From So Long Ago
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
At last, a diploma for Black deaf students who set historic precedent
A court victory in 1952 allowed them to attend school in Washington. On Saturday, Gallaudet University finally gave them a diploma and an apology.
Perspective by Theresa Vargas
 |
| Janice Boyd Ruffin tears up after accepting a diploma on Saturday during a ceremony at Gallaudet University honoring students who attended a segregated school on the university's campus in the 1950s. (Minh Connors/The Washington Post) |
Robbie D. Cheatham knew her worth. She also knew other people didn’t always see it.
“She had a lot of things that happened to her in life, really hard, hard stuff, because of being deaf, because of being Black, because of being a woman,” Cheatham’s daughter Krissi Spence told me. “She was so strong mentally and emotionally because she had to be. She had to fight.”
She had to fight in ways that Spence only fully realized after her mom’s death in December at the age of 86.
It was then that she learned Cheatham was part of a group of Black deaf students who weren’t allowed to attend the only school for deaf children in Washington, the city where they lived, until their families filed a class-action lawsuit in 1952. Then, despite a court victory, they weren’t treated the same as the White students who attended kindergarten through 12th grade at the Kendall School on Gallaudet’s campus. Black students were enrolled in the Kendall School Division II for Negroes. They were placed in a separate classroom with separate teachers, and when it came time for them to graduate, unlike their White peers, they weren’t given diplomas.
On Saturday, Gallaudet University held a poignant ceremony aimed at righting that wrong. Officials handed out diplomas for 24 Black deaf students who should have received them more than six decades earlier. Five of the six students who are still alive made it to the ceremony.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/22/deaf-black-gallaudet-diploma/
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
I'm Ready to Head to Chicago Now!
An excerpt from The New York Times -
A Pie Shop on Chicago’s South Side Serves More Than Dessert
With her first brick-and-mortar bakery, Justice of the Pies, the pastry chef Maya-Camille Broussard focuses on creativity — and inclusivity for people with disabilities.
By Kayla Stewart - Reporting From Chicago
 |
| The pastry chef Maya-Camille Broussard has opened a new bakery in Avalon Park on the South Side of Chicago. Credit...Taylor Glascock for The New York Times |
The South Side of Chicago brims with inimitable African American culture and history, and the pastry chef Maya-Camille Broussard is adding her brand of sweetness to the place where she was born and raised. In June, Ms. Broussard opened the first brick-and-mortar store of her longtime delivery and wholesale pie business, Justice of the Pies.
The shop, in a former dentist’s office in Avalon Park, one of the South Side’s many historic, predominantly African American neighborhoods, serves Ms. Broussard’s inventive pies and pastries, such as her calling cards — a blue cheese praline pear pie and a strawberry basil Key lime pie — along with unorthodox items like her salted caramel peach pie and a deep-dish chilaquiles quiche.
 |
| One of her signature desserts, strawberry basil Key lime pie, is available at the bakery. Credit...Taylor Glascock for The New York Times |
Ms. Broussard, who lost 75 percent of her hearing in a childhood accident, may be the industry’s most prominent hard-of-hearing Black pastry chef. She has gained a following for her pies through social media, pop-ups and appearances on the Netflix competition show “Bake Squad.” “I realized that being a member of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community actually gave me a superpower,” she said, “and that superpower includes a heightened sense of smell and taste.”
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
LeBron + FAMU = Nice Kicks!
An excerpt from hbcusports -
Nike unveils official images of latest FAMU x LeBron collaboration. See the heat
By Brandon King
Since the inception of the branding partnership between NBA legend LeBron James and Florida A&M, the Rattlers have some of the most visually appealing team-exclusive footwear in recent memory.
The FAMU men’s and women’s hoops teams have taken to the hardwood in team-exclusive iterations of LeBron XVIIIs, XIXs, and XXs.
 |
| Photo Lebron-FAMU XX |
Florence Price Violin Concerto No. 2 (A Lost Voice, Found At Last)
The following is a sampling of work by Florence Price, a brilliant African-American classical composer who would have been completely lost to history if not for an accidental find of some of her compositions in a rundown home she once owned. Read her fascinating story in STEADY by Dan Rather and then enjoy one of her compositions.
Words of Wisdom From Bill Gates
Excerpts from Inc.
Bill Gates Says the Path to Lifelong Success and Happiness Comes Down to 4 Simple Choices
Four memorable lessons about achieving success from Bill Gates.
Bill Gates on embracing your uniqueness
Don't compare yourself with anyone in this world ... if you do so, you are insulting yourself.
~~~~~
On failure and learning from mistakes
Gates once said:
It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.
~~~~~
On taking personal responsibility for your life
Gates said:
If you are born poor, it's not your mistake. But if you die poor, it's your mistake.
~~~~~
On avoiding the trap of complacency
Gates said:
Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose.
Monday, July 3, 2023
Saturday, July 1, 2023
Tamia Potter: Black Woman Neurosurgeon
From TeenVogue -
Tamia Potter Is One of the Only Black Women Neurosurgeons in the U.S.
Only 0.6% of neurosurgeons in the country are Black women.
BY ADAIRA LANDRY
 |
| Tamia in the operating room STEPHONX PHOTOGRAPHY |
Tamia Potter will soon become the first Black woman neurosurgery resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, an institution founded nearly 150 years ago. This achievement is even more remarkable given that, as of 2019, only 0.6% of neurosurgeons in the United States were Black women. Potter is on the brink of breaking a barrier, yet her origin story provides insight into just how much distance a Black woman must travel to succeed.
Potter was born and raised in Crawfordville, Florida, a small town where front doors are rarely locked and neighbors feel like family. And as a child — when she wasn’t outside mud bogging on an ATV or eating fresh food from her grandparent’s farm — she studied the human body. Inspired by her mother, a nurse, Potter developed an early, insatiable curiosity for anatomy and science. During high school, Potter became a nursing assistant and cared for patients in nursing homes suffering from dementia. While in college she was able to observe neurosurgery in the operating room, a moment that truly inspired her path. Potter would go on to complete medical school at Case Western Reserve University with plans to become a neurosurgeon herself.
Teen Vogue explored her journey — full of sacrifice, insecurity, and mentorship — into one of the most competitive and time intensive specialties in medicine.
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/tamia-potter-black-women-neurosurgeon
Hello Again!
Hello Folks,
It's been so long since I've posted; I forgot my address, login, and everything!
So much has happened.
I retired as a K-8 principal after 24 years in education. Returning after COVID was exhausting.
I moved from Sacramento to Houston. The cost of living is so much cheaper in Texas.
I purchased a home sight unseen that I absolutely love and have had so much fun making into a home.
I discovered I needed back surgery. Had it. Thank God it was successful, and I'm recovering from that nicely.
I've missed you.
But I've had mixed emotions being in my office. This is where I lived when I worked remotely and I hated it. If I never have to Zoom again, I'm OK with that.
I know it's silly, but I still avoid this room.
Anyway, I'm back.
If anyone is interested in continuing to FollowFaye, I'll be posting more than once a year from now on. Promise.
Thursday, June 23, 2022
A Ballin' Doctor!
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
COLLEGE BASKETBALL STAR BECOMES FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO EARN DOCTORATE IN BIOCHEMISTRY AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
By Jeroslyn Johnson
 |
| FIU |
Chantrall Frazier made her way through college as a star player on the women’s basketball team. But she’s leaving the school having made history in another area.
As part of Florida International University’s 2022 graduating class, Frazier became the first Black woman at the university to earn her Ph.D. in biochemistry. Frazier brought her passion for biochemistry to the school after obtaining her bachelor’s degree at the HBCU–Savannah State University.
Through her groundbreaking research, Frazier received departmental funding and funding from the Dubai Police. The Florida Education McKnight Fellow and Florida AGEP Pathways Alliance (FL-AGEP) scholar’s work helped to pave a lane for collaborations with the FIU research community. She also created optimized protocols for examining human odor profiles to understand the odors that attract mosquitos.
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Friday, June 17, 2022
Friday, June 10, 2022
Sunday, June 5, 2022
Monday, May 30, 2022
Dinner With Dad
@yourprouddad Happy Sunday❤️. Is school out for you??
♬ gymnopédie no.1 - Edits
https://www.upworthy.com/dinner-with-dad-tiktok?rebelltitem=7#rebelltitem7
Sunday, May 29, 2022
What a Kid!
A 5th-grade boy is going viral for his beautiful rendition of Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come.’ Jordan Hollins' performance won him Best of Show at a local talent contest in Shreveport, Louisiana. If you have 60 seconds, this might be just the video you need to watch today. pic.twitter.com/gelGiO9SxU
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 26, 2022
Saturday, May 28, 2022
The Same Story 21 Times
An excerpt from Buzzfeed -
Every Time There's A Mass Shooting, The Onion Writes The Same Story. Today, It Featured All 21.
The Onion's editor-in-chief, Chad Nackers, explained why after the Uvalde shooting it reposted every variation of its story "'No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens."
By David Mack, BuzzFeed News Reporter
It jokingly bills itself "America's finest news source," but for years now the Onion has done exceptional, biting coverage of a very American phenomenon.
Each time there is a high-profile mass shooting, the satirical website publishes a variation of the exact same story.
Starting with the 2014 attack in Isla Vista, California, that killed six people, the Onion published a piece titled "'No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens."
In the years since, it has published that same headline 20 more times.
"It's just incredibly draining and it's hard to actually find like new angles on it," Onion Editor-in-Chief Chad Nackers told BuzzFeed News in an interview on Wednesday. "And this kind of encompasses everything and it just works so well and it captures the helplessness of it."
On Wednesday, the Onion published its 21st variation of the story — this time in response to the murder of 19 elementary school children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas, the previous day.
For the first time ever, the Onion devoted its entire front page to all 21 past stories and linked all the past pieces in a long Twitter thread.
"Today, it kind of shows how powerful that looks when the entire homepage is filled with showing that nothing has been done for eight years," Nackers said.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/davidmack/onion-mass-shooting-story-no-way-prevent-this-uvalde
Disgraceful
From Newsweek-
See the whole list @
https://www.newsweek.com/republican-senators-nra-funding-texas-school-shooting-uvalde-1710332
Senators bankrolled by the NRA:
— Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) May 25, 2022
Mitt Romney: $13,648,000
Richard Burr: $6,987,000
Roy Blunt: $4,556,000
Thom Tillis: $4,421,000
Marco Rubio: $3,303,000
Joni Ernst: $3,125,000
Josh Hawley: $1,392,000
Mitch McConnell: $1,267,000
Ted Cruz: $176,000
An absolute disgrace.
Friday, May 20, 2022
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Monday, April 18, 2022
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)