A black cinematographer in Hollywood.
His story below.
http://deadline.com/2014/12/selma-bradford-young-black-cinematography-1201338543/
His story below.
http://deadline.com/2014/12/selma-bradford-young-black-cinematography-1201338543/
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Too Adorable!
A dog helps to reunite lost items to their rightful owners, in the airport.
Just darling!
http://www.chonday.com/Videos/dogairgpklm2
Hat tip to Forrest.
Just darling!
http://www.chonday.com/Videos/dogairgpklm2
Hat tip to Forrest.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
A Changs is Gonna Come
This daddy can blow!
Now, enjoy the original version by the one and only Sam Cooke.
In these turbulent times, it is still quite fitting.
Now, enjoy the original version by the one and only Sam Cooke.
In these turbulent times, it is still quite fitting.
Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars
Bring in the new year with some old school funk!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Super Cool Apps!
The first one is a fireworks app to help bring in the new year. This is the closest I want to be to the real thing.
The iTunes link is below.
Real Fireworks Artwork Visualizer 4-in-1 HD 2014 - Play Awesome Light Show, Enjoy Fun Visuals, Make Cool Pictures for Instagram and Draw Amazing Art with Colors & Glow
My absolute favorite is BitGym. It's a virtual landscape app (for lack of a better description) that puts in the place you see on the scene. It uses the camera on your device to monitor how fast you're going, and the scene slows down or picks up speed based on your movement. It's totally interactive. It's for exercising on a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, etc. On my treadmill, I was walking through an Italian countryside, then I moved to a boardwalk in Venice. Really amazing. It made the walk go so much faster and was so much more interesting. Once you sign up (it's free), you have access to many more trails from around the world.
You have to see it to believe it.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitgym/id651190653?mt=8
The iTunes link is below.
Real Fireworks Artwork Visualizer 4-in-1 HD 2014 - Play Awesome Light Show, Enjoy Fun Visuals, Make Cool Pictures for Instagram and Draw Amazing Art with Colors & Glow
My absolute favorite is BitGym. It's a virtual landscape app (for lack of a better description) that puts in the place you see on the scene. It uses the camera on your device to monitor how fast you're going, and the scene slows down or picks up speed based on your movement. It's totally interactive. It's for exercising on a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, etc. On my treadmill, I was walking through an Italian countryside, then I moved to a boardwalk in Venice. Really amazing. It made the walk go so much faster and was so much more interesting. Once you sign up (it's free), you have access to many more trails from around the world.
You have to see it to believe it.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitgym/id651190653?mt=8
Do Your Baby's Hair!
Ah, the challenges of white folks combing natural black hair. (See previous post).
To save everyone grief, especially the kid from being teased, as we all know kids will do - white mommas and daddies - learn how to comb your baby's hair.
To save everyone grief, especially the kid from being teased, as we all know kids will do - white mommas and daddies - learn how to comb your baby's hair.
Fool the Kids With a FAKE New Year's Eve Countdown - Netflix
Fool your kids into thinking the new year has arrive hours earlier with this fake New Year's Eve celebration.
Simply brilliant!
Simply brilliant!
Monday, December 29, 2014
Quick. Fast. In a Hurray.
That's how I like my news.
I discovered a sight that gives it just like that. If I want to read more, I can, but otherwise I get the highlights and can move on.
It's the daily newsletter from vox.com that arrives via email.
Sign up at http://www.vox.com/newsletter
A sample is below.
I discovered a sight that gives it just like that. If I want to read more, I can, but otherwise I get the highlights and can move on.
It's the daily newsletter from vox.com that arrives via email.
Sign up at http://www.vox.com/newsletter
A sample is below.
1. Flight 8501
- A plane with 162 passengers went missing in Indonesia Sunday.
[Vox / Joey Stromberg]
- The flight, en route from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore, was operated by Indonesia AirAsia, an affiliate of the Malaysian carrier AirAsia.
- The head of Indonesia's search and rescue team said the plane was probably "at the bottom of the sea."
[NYT / Thomas Fuller]
- "If all of [Malaysia-based AirAsia] Flight 8501’s passengers have perished, that would mean the three deadliest aviation disasters of 2014 are all tied to Malaysia."
[NYT / Michael Forsythe]
- It appears that weather is the likeliest explanation for the disappearance, but we don't know enough to say yet.
[Slate / Jeff Wise]
- By contrast, the disappearance of a Malaysian Airlines plane in March doesn't appear to have been weather-related.
- Even including this flight and the Malaysian Airlines flight, 2014 had relatively few deaths from plane accidents.
[Vox / German Lopez]
Baby It's Cold Outside!
Brrrrrrrrr!!!
Yesterday I was cocooned in my hotel room, not knowing how cold it was outside.
My first hint today was at breakfast where I could see from the windows the new fallen snow and the trees blowing in the wind. It was a brisk 27 degrees with no wind, a couple of days ago, so I knew I'd need to bundle up.
Sho' nuf, when my face hit the door, there was a blast of freezing cold air.
It was 23 degrees, but with the wind chill, it felt like 13!
Now, I could have been better prepared with wool scarves, but I don't like buying heavy clothes that I will very rarely wear. So, I decided I'd just layer.
That worked until my feet got wet from the snow. My cute boots were no match for the slushy snow. Once my feet got cold and wet, I was cold all over.
I left the hotel about an hour earlier than I needed to, so that I could stop by that beautiful church, St. Francis of Assisi, to check and see if it was open. It wasn't.
I then walked to the bus stop, but I still had an hour to wait. Too long to be standing in this weather, so I was headed back to the hotel, when I decided to stop in a cafe along the way instead. I had some steaming hot tea. That warmed me up.
After about 45 minutes, I headed back outside to the bus stop, but saw another shop I wanted to explore on the far side of the church. When I got over to that side, I saw someone going into the church, so I forgot about the shop and proceeded to check out the church.
It was simply stunning, but in a classic, understated way. I've seen Catholic Churches that are gaudy and over-the-top with gold and jewels, but this one was plain by comparison. It looked and felt like the neighborhood church that it is. I think I was in one of the small chapels, as the main doors were locked. I didn't take any pictures of the inside because there were others in there praying, and I didn't want to intrude on their time.
From there, I walked across the street to my bus stop and had to wait just a few minutes before the bus pulled up.
Once on board, I had to make a change a couple of stops later, to access the other route that I had not seen.
This was away from the center of town, and it featured the Schoenbrunn Palace, which I definitely wanted to see.
The temperature was dropping by the minute, so when the bus stopped and there would be a half hour wait for the next one to take me back to my original stop, I cheated and caught a taxi to the hotel. That cut about an hour off my trip, plus I wouldn't have the walk that last mile or so from the bus stop back to the hotel in this inclement weather.
Well, that's it.
This concludes my Vienna adventure.
I'm thrilled to have had this experience.
As always, thanks for taking this journey with me.
Auf wiedersehen (goodbye).
Yesterday I was cocooned in my hotel room, not knowing how cold it was outside.
My first hint today was at breakfast where I could see from the windows the new fallen snow and the trees blowing in the wind. It was a brisk 27 degrees with no wind, a couple of days ago, so I knew I'd need to bundle up.
Sho' nuf, when my face hit the door, there was a blast of freezing cold air.
It was 23 degrees, but with the wind chill, it felt like 13!
Now, I could have been better prepared with wool scarves, but I don't like buying heavy clothes that I will very rarely wear. So, I decided I'd just layer.
That worked until my feet got wet from the snow. My cute boots were no match for the slushy snow. Once my feet got cold and wet, I was cold all over.
I left the hotel about an hour earlier than I needed to, so that I could stop by that beautiful church, St. Francis of Assisi, to check and see if it was open. It wasn't.
 |
| Snow along the path to St. Francis of Assisi Church |
I then walked to the bus stop, but I still had an hour to wait. Too long to be standing in this weather, so I was headed back to the hotel, when I decided to stop in a cafe along the way instead. I had some steaming hot tea. That warmed me up.
After about 45 minutes, I headed back outside to the bus stop, but saw another shop I wanted to explore on the far side of the church. When I got over to that side, I saw someone going into the church, so I forgot about the shop and proceeded to check out the church.
It was simply stunning, but in a classic, understated way. I've seen Catholic Churches that are gaudy and over-the-top with gold and jewels, but this one was plain by comparison. It looked and felt like the neighborhood church that it is. I think I was in one of the small chapels, as the main doors were locked. I didn't take any pictures of the inside because there were others in there praying, and I didn't want to intrude on their time.
From there, I walked across the street to my bus stop and had to wait just a few minutes before the bus pulled up.
Once on board, I had to make a change a couple of stops later, to access the other route that I had not seen.
This was away from the center of town, and it featured the Schoenbrunn Palace, which I definitely wanted to see.
 |
| Snow-covered landscape of the Hofburg Palace |
 |
| Hofburg Palace 2 This is the same place I photographed in my previous Vienna post. |
 |
| Hofburg Palace Statue |
 |
| Hofburg Palace 3 |
 |
| Typical road sign, written in German |
 |
| Schoenbrunn Palace. It is surrounded by a wall of buildings, so it wasn't easy to see. It was way too cold to venture outside to get a closer look. |
 |
| The Arsenal Military Museum |
 |
| Online photo of the Arsenal above gives a much better view |
 |
| The Belvedere |
 |
| The gates of the Belvedere - online photo |
Well, that's it.
This concludes my Vienna adventure.
I'm thrilled to have had this experience.
As always, thanks for taking this journey with me.
Auf wiedersehen (goodbye).
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Locked Up Lover
I always wondered about women who hook up with inmates.
What is that about?
I get it if they were involved with the person before prison, but to hook up after they're locked up.
Why?
How does that work?
The women spend all of their time, energy and effort trying to maintain a grossly one-sided relationship.
What do the guys have to offer?
What am I missing here?
How do the women benefit from these relationship?
Below is a really interesting article about a woman who shed some light one this. She describes her relationship with a death row inmate, and the witnessing his execution.
http://www.salon.com/2014/12/28/what_it’s_like_to_watch_him_die_2/?source=newsletter
What is that about?
I get it if they were involved with the person before prison, but to hook up after they're locked up.
Why?
How does that work?
The women spend all of their time, energy and effort trying to maintain a grossly one-sided relationship.
What do the guys have to offer?
What am I missing here?
How do the women benefit from these relationship?
Below is a really interesting article about a woman who shed some light one this. She describes her relationship with a death row inmate, and the witnessing his execution.
http://www.salon.com/2014/12/28/what_it’s_like_to_watch_him_die_2/?source=newsletter
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Robot Jockeys From My World
Camel races are a huge deal in the UAE. This video clip shows the use of robots, instead of the now banned kid jockeys.
Great News!
From theroot.com -
5 Black Students Named Rhodes Scholars
They were among 207 finalists from 86 colleges and universities who were selected in 16 geographic districts.
(Left to right) Tayo Sanders, Rachel Harmon, Ridwan Hassen, Sarah Yerima, Robert Fisher
RHODES TRUST
Five black students have been selected as Rhodes Scholars in one of the highest academic achievements for U.S. college students, according to the Rhodes Trust, which administers the program, and the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
The 2015 class of Rhodes Scholars was chosen from a pool of 877 students who were endorsed by 305 colleges and universities. There were 207 finalists from 86 colleges and universities who were selected in 16 different geographic districts, the Journal says. Two students from each district were chosen as Rhodes Scholars. Students can enter the competition in the district in which they reside or the district where they attended college. The 32 outstanding students will begin their studies at Oxford University in October 2015, according to the Rhodes Trust.
Alain LeRoy Locke, who graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1907, was the first black Rhodes Scholar, according to Henry Louis Gates Jr., The Root’s editor-in-chief and the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and founding director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard. Locke was born in Philadelphia in 1885, the only son of a lawyer and teacher, both of whom had been born free, Gates writes. Since then, others have joined the exclusive ranks.
Here is a list of the five most recent winners, according to the Rhodes Trust, which made the announcement in November.
Robert A. Fisher is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is majoring in political science with minors in history and Africana studies. He previously won a Truman Scholarship. Fisher is the student body president at the university and has a perfect academic record. Fisher will study for a master’s degree in comparative social policy at Oxford.
Rachel V. Harmon is from Champaign, Ill. She is a senior at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y, where she is majoring in industrial and labor relations. Before starting her college career, Harmon was an AmeriCorps volunteer at a rural elementary school in the Mississippi Delta. She plans to study for a master’s degree in evidence-based social policy at Oxford.
Ridwan Y. Hassen is a senior at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. He is majoring in computer science with an emphasis on neuroscience. He began his college career at Emory University and transferred to Dartmouth after two years. He is the son of refugees from Somalia and Ethiopia. At Dartmouth, he is a member of the Endurance Racing Team. Hassen is planning to pursue a master’s degree in public policy at Oxford.
Tayo A. Sanders II is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he is majoring in materials science. Sanders previously won a Goldwater Scholarship. He has conducted research in the nanomaterials laboratory at the University of Strasbourg in France. Sanders is a triathlete. At Oxford, Sanders plans to earn a PhD in materials science.
Sarah E. Yerima is a senior at Princeton University in New Jersey. She is majoring in sociology. During the summer of 2013, Yerima completed an intensive program in Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro. She will enroll in a two-year master’s degree program in politics at Oxford. After studying at Oxford, Yerima plans to enter a joint JD/PhD program and hopes to become a professor of law.
Read more at the Rhodes Trust and the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
Greetings from Vienna!
In my quest to visit someplace that looks and feels Christmas, I landed in Vienna, Austria for a few days.
It's a beautiful city that reminds me of Prague in its architecture and feel.
Vienna is known as the City of Music because some of the most extraordinary classical musicians - Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert - lived and worked here, and (according to Wikipedia) it's also known as the City of Dreams because it's the birthplace of Sigmund Freud, the world's first psychoanalyst.
I ventured out midmorning, headed to one of the Big Bus Tours bus stops. Armed with directions from someone in the hotel and my trusty Google Maps on my phone, I was off.
One of the first things I noticed was the temperature. It was 27 degrees.
The nearest bus stop was about a mile from my hotel. It was a beautiful, brisk, sunny day so the walk was really pleasant. I stopped a couple of times to ask directions, making sure I was on the right track, and each time, I was graciously helped.
Once on the bus, I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the ride.
When we arrived in the heart of the city, there were crowds of people, but not nearly as many as I expected. I got off the bus and mingled. I also got something warm to drink.
Like in Prague, there was hot wine, but I settled for something described as hot punch. I had mine sans the rum. It was delicious and warmed me right up.
The language spoken is German. It's not pretty. Definitely not easy on the ears.
Interestingly, it's easier navigating in the Middle East than it is here because the signage there is bilingual (Arabic - English), here its only in German, so this makes getting around tougher.
I know. I know.
I'm just as guilty as the next American - expecting the world to speak English.
I know. I know.
When in Rome, do like the Romans and learn another language or two!
Side note - Apologies to those of you who receive these posts when I click publish. Oftentimes, like today, I hit the button by mistake and have tons of correction, additions and/or deletions, to do in the editing process. Anyway, please omit the previous one.
Cheers.
It's a beautiful city that reminds me of Prague in its architecture and feel.
Vienna is known as the City of Music because some of the most extraordinary classical musicians - Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert - lived and worked here, and (according to Wikipedia) it's also known as the City of Dreams because it's the birthplace of Sigmund Freud, the world's first psychoanalyst.
I ventured out midmorning, headed to one of the Big Bus Tours bus stops. Armed with directions from someone in the hotel and my trusty Google Maps on my phone, I was off.
One of the first things I noticed was the temperature. It was 27 degrees.
The nearest bus stop was about a mile from my hotel. It was a beautiful, brisk, sunny day so the walk was really pleasant. I stopped a couple of times to ask directions, making sure I was on the right track, and each time, I was graciously helped.
 |
| St. Francis of Assisi Church This was the landmark across the street from the bus stop. |
 |
| Another view of the church |
 |
| My pictures just don't do this church justice. It truly is magnificent as this online photo illustrates. |
Once on the bus, I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the ride.
When we arrived in the heart of the city, there were crowds of people, but not nearly as many as I expected. I got off the bus and mingled. I also got something warm to drink.
Like in Prague, there was hot wine, but I settled for something described as hot punch. I had mine sans the rum. It was delicious and warmed me right up.
The language spoken is German. It's not pretty. Definitely not easy on the ears.
Interestingly, it's easier navigating in the Middle East than it is here because the signage there is bilingual (Arabic - English), here its only in German, so this makes getting around tougher.
I know. I know.
I'm just as guilty as the next American - expecting the world to speak English.
I know. I know.
When in Rome, do like the Romans and learn another language or two!
 |
| City streets |
 |
| City streets 2 |
 |
| Hofburg Palace - Open Christmas Market |
 |
| Another view of statute at Hofburg Palace |
 |
| Another view of the market |
 |
| Market 2 |
 |
| Danube River What you can't see very well is the amazing street art that lines the riverbank. |
Cheers.
Real Guys Respond to Fashion Issues
These guys make so much sense.
Maybe we should listen to the guys in our world more.
http://www.whowhatwear.com/how-real-men-solve-common-fashion-problems?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange
Maybe we should listen to the guys in our world more.
http://www.whowhatwear.com/how-real-men-solve-common-fashion-problems?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange
Friday, December 26, 2014
The Best of P.K. Subban [HD]
I read an article this morning, that quite frankly, I muddled through, but the subject of the piece is a very interesting young guy name PK Subban, who is one of the best hockey players in Canada.
The link to the article is below.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/15/ice-breaker
This video shows PK in action.
The next post also features PK and his brothers, great hockey players in their own right.
Side note - I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to add both videos to the same post.
In the technology fight this morning, the score is:
Technology - 1
Faye - 0
The link to the article is below.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/15/ice-breaker
This video shows PK in action.
The next post also features PK and his brothers, great hockey players in their own right.
Side note - I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to add both videos to the same post.
In the technology fight this morning, the score is:
Technology - 1
Faye - 0
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
A Great Series from USA TODAY
The tag line is -
Smarter. Faster. More colorful.
I love that!
This series features folks who have chosen to color outside the lines.
To step out of the ordinary and dare to be different.
To think differently.
Act differently.
And . . .
Produce differently.
This article features a young, black entrepreneur and CEO in Silicon Valley.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/12/23/tristan-walker-smarter-faster-more-colorful/20647441/?csp=tech
Sending best wishes to you and yours this Christmas Season!
Smarter. Faster. More colorful.
I love that!
This series features folks who have chosen to color outside the lines.
To step out of the ordinary and dare to be different.
To think differently.
Act differently.
And . . .
Produce differently.
This article features a young, black entrepreneur and CEO in Silicon Valley.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/12/23/tristan-walker-smarter-faster-more-colorful/20647441/?csp=tech
Sending best wishes to you and yours this Christmas Season!
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Year in Photos 2014
I woke up this morning to find this cool little video, made by Google+, in my inbox.
It represents my year in pictures.
I'm headed out of town today.
More soon.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
It represents my year in pictures.
I'm headed out of town today.
More soon.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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