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Monday, May 9, 2016

Another View

An excerpt from Very Smart Brothas -

FEATUREDRACE & POLITICS

DARTH BECKY WITH THE GOOD HAIR AND THE NOT-SO-GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF MATH IS THE REAL TERRORIST

Last week, when explaining the history, etymology, and context behind “Becky,” I referred to Iggy Azelea as Darth Becky. Which A) she is (duh) and B) was one of those jokes that wasn’t really a joke. Because she’s not the only one. There really are swarms of Darth-ass Beckys out there — stealing swag, taking up sidewalk space, sabotaging conversations with strategic tears, ruining office potlucks with cucumber casseroles, and tattle telling to human resources because you put a period after the “Good morning” you replied to her “Good morning!” email instead of an exclamation point and she was hurt and threatened by that — and they really do need to be stopped. And they need to be acknowledged as what they are. Terrorists.
Perhaps this characterization seems harsh, but there’s no other way to describe their knack of using their Whitewomanness — and the sympathy and consideration they’re often given for merely possessing it — as a means to infiltrate, disrupt, and manipulate. For instance, let’s consider what happened to University of Pennsylvania economics professor Guido Menzio for having the misfortune of sitting next to the Darthest of Beckys on a plane.

http://verysmartbrothas.com/darth-becky-with-the-good-hair-and-the-not-so-good-understanding-of-math-is-the-real-terrorist/

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This references an earlier post entitled, "Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again."

Hide & Seek Kitties

From Mashable -

16 cats that are absolutely terrible at hide-and-seek

Number 10 is my favorite.

Can you find Number 16?

http://mashable.com/2016/05/08/cats-hide-and-seek/?utm_cid=mash-com-social-huffpo-partner#VSYQO3xFZEq2


Catching Up

With the cast of The Wire.

From The Root -

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/the_wire_the_ultimate_where_are_they_now.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26

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Season 4 is hands down the most accurate portrayal of many inner city educational systems in America.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Diva?

From the Root -

Lauryn Hill Shows Up Late For Concert Again, Dragged (and Defended) on Twitter

The hip-hop icon started her Atlanta show more than two hours late on Friday and set off a conversation on the merits of her career the next day.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/lauryn_hill_shows_up_late_for_concert_again_dragged_on_twitter.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26

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This is me y'all.

Over two hours late?

Who does she think she is?

This behavior screams, "I'm more important than you.  My time is more valuable than yours."

But mostly it screams, "What the heck?" (Not my first choice of words here).

Some folks are giving her a pass by saying she's an artist, and her artistic expressions can't be rushed or be bothered by the constraints of time.

No, what this is, more than anything, is business; or in this case, bad business.

Although this behavior is not new for her, it certainly doesn't excuse it.  The fans that remain in her corner should know that by now.

They've got to be asking themselves, "Is she worth it?"

And I'm guessing many are thinking . . .

Oh hell no!

Kudos!

An excerpt from The Root - 

15-Year-Old Memphis Student Gets Perfect ACT Score

Dwight Moore, Jr
Christian Brothers High School


A 15-year-old high school sophomore got a perfect score on the ACT (American College Testing) exam, reports Blavity.com.

Dwight Moore, a student at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis scored a 36 out of 36 on the college entrance exam putting him in rare company—less than one percent of the 1.9 million test takers received a perfect score in 2015.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/_15_year_old_tenn_students_gets_perfect_act_score.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26

Happy Mother's Day!

As we celebrate this day, my thoughts always turn to my mom, as I'm sure is true for most of you.

I wish I had appreciated her more while she was alive.

She had a third-grade education, but a Ph.D. in common sense.

For years, I thought she was old and crazy. What she said went in one ear and out the other.

When I finally had sense enough to realize the treasure that she was (when I became a mom), I couldn't get enough of conversations with her.  I didn't want them to end.

She had a tough life.

Her mom died when she was seven, and she went to live with her grandmother, who died when she was thirteen.  From that time until she got married, she moved from pillar to post, from one relative to the next, working as their maid for her room and board.  No wonder she married one of the first guys who showed an interest in her, anything to escape life as she knew it.

The thing is though; she went from the frying pan into the fire.  The good life she was hoping for did not materialize.  She was now the wife of a drunk, a mean one to boot.

Once my brothers and I came along, we were her absolute focus.  She was bound and determined that we would have a better life than she did, in spite of the alcoholism that permeated our upbringing.

I asked her why she put up with my father and the hardships that entailed, and she said she stayed for us (her kids).  I remember thinking then that I would NEVER do that.

Never say never . . .

Because that's exactly what I did.

I stayed in a marriage long after its expiration date because I wanted my boys to have their father in their lives for as long as possible.

Her example helped me to get through that.

She was the strongest, kindest woman I have ever known.

God knows we didn't have much, but if she knew of someone in need, she lent a hand, every single time.

Was she perfect?

Far from it, but I know now that everything she did was from a good place, a good heart.

If you're lucky enough to still have your mom in your life, appreciate her, and not just on Mother's Day.

She may not be perfect, but if she's there, active in your life, she's trying to be.

Thank her while you can.










Saturday, May 7, 2016

Texas

An excerpt from The New York Times -

What Makes Texas Texas
People in this rapidly changing state believe their way of life is under
attack, and they are making a kind of last stand by simply being Texan.

~~~~~~~~~~

I was born and raised in Central California, and I moved to Houston from Brooklyn in June 2011 to cover Texas for The New York Times. I live here with my wife, my 7-year-old son and my 3-year-old daughter, who keeps a pair of pink cowboy boots outside on the porch or inside by the front door. I have covered stories in the South, the Midwest and other parts of the country. People in those places identified with their political party, their job, their cause, their sexual orientation, their city, their race. Almost no one identified with their state the way Texans do.

Who are these people, these Texans? What do they tell us about America? What to make of a state that is so focused on itself? I wrestle with these questions all the time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/us/what-makes-texas-texas.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&region=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed

Obama Delivers Commencement Speech at Howard

Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again

From The Washington Post - 

Ivy League economist ethnically profiled, interrogated for doing math on American Airlines flight

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/

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Yes, it has come to this.

Sad.


Forgiveness Quotes

Remember, forgiveness is not about them, it's about you.

http://www.oprah.com/quote/Iyanla-Vanzant-Quotes-Forgiveness

Super Long Lasting Clothes

From News 360 -

What if you didn’t have to buy another jacket, sweatshirt, or T-shirt until the year 2046?

Thomas Cridland, a young UK designer, is hoping to make that possible with clothing designed to last and backed by a 30-year guarantee, promising to repair any rips or tears.

http://news360.com/digestarticle/ywJdgLvWq0iTKA3wTrAe-w

Baffling Medical Mystery

An excerpt from CBS News -

ISLAMABAD -- The two brothers have come to be known as the "solar kids" and their case has completely mystified Pakistani doctors.
Aged nine and 13, the boys are normal active children during the day. But once the sun goes down, they both lapse into a vegetative state -- unable to move or talk. Javed Akram, a professor of medicine at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had no idea what was causing the symptoms.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistan-solar-kids-medical-mystery-doctors-baffled-brothers-vegetative-night/?google_editors_picks=true


Aunties

An excerpt from Slate - 

In Praise of the Auntie


They’re the rule-breaking, adventure-taking, hug-dispensing women who make every family stronger.

Aunties are the rule-breakers. When they come over to babysit, the fancy dishes come out, the kitchen becomes a playground, and screen time and bedtime extend. They go on adventures, take my kids to slightly inappropriate movies and shows, and they expose them to new music. They are also the culture-keepers who can share family stories and the histories of our people. They are the oracles who answer questions children don’t want to ask their parents (sex! drugs!) and share knowledge about subjects children didn’t know existed. They see children as their own people, which enables them to talk to kids as whole individuals and understand what they are truly capable of. Parents say, “Let me help” and “That’s not safe.” Aunties just say, “Yes!” —maybe without even lifting their eyes up from the book they’re reading. They expand children’s internal and external boundaries.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2016/05/in_praise_of_the_auntie.html?sid=554654ea10defb39638b510d&wpsrc=newsletter_tis

A love Letter to Nia

An excerpt from The Root -

When Nia Long Told Larry King That J. Cole Wasn’t Too Young, I Lost My Mind
Man, he had a shot.

Nia Long . . . Another example of "black don't crack."

To say that Nia Long is a national treasure is an understatement. Long has been a part of most of our lives since at least the mid-’90s, when she played Beulah “Lisa” Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and when a visionary Ice Cube saw fit to cast her in cult classic Friday.

Thank you, Ice Cube.

And then there’s Love Jones. Because of course, Love Jones.

Since then, Long has been in movies, music videos, Target ... other stuff, basically. Nia Long needs no introduction. We all know who Nia Long is. Because she’s gorgeous and has been for a very long time and we love her, especially within the hip-hop community. Hip-hop loves Nia Long; I’d wear that as a T-shirt and use it as a bumper sticker for my car.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/when_nia_long_told_larry_king_that_j_cole_wasn_t_too_young_i_lost_my_mind.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26

An Engineering Feat



http://www.wired.com/2016/05/fly-massive-tunnel-theyre-carving-seattle/?mbid=nl_5616

Friday, May 6, 2016

Quote

From Vox - 

"If you had to choose a moment in human history to live — even if you didn’t know what gender or race, what nationality or sexual orientation you’d be — you’d choose now. There’s power in nostalgia, but the fact is the world is wealthier, healthier, better educated, less violent, more tolerant, more socially conscious and more attentive to the vulnerable than it has ever been." [Barack Obama to NYT / Philip Galanes]

http://www.vox.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/fashion/barack-obama-bryan-cranston-table-for-three.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Vox%20Sentences%205/6/16&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All&_r=0

Beautiful, Smart & Talented

http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/04/chloe-halle-bailey-beyonce-generation-c-v-r.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Vox%20Sentences%205/6/16&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All

Let's Here It For Cooking Grandmas

Grandmas Project – Teaser from Chaï Chaï Films on Vimeo.

(If the video clip is missing, you can find it in the article linked below.)

https://www.good.is/articles/grandmas-project-jonas-pariente-kickstarter?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood

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Side note - I can be described in many ways - loud, opinionated, someone who loves to laugh, but a good cook would not be listed.  In fact, cooking is one of my least favorite things to do.  Do I shy away from it because I'm not good at it, or am I not good at it because I don't do it much?

Who knows?

Who cares, right?

Anyway, heads up Ben and Frankie.

If you consider doing a project like this involving me, you'll have to come from a different angle.

But you knew that already, huh?


More Mom Tributes

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nba-players-mothers-day_us_572a2f81e4b016f378945d90

Message to His Mom

From The Root -

The Real MVP: TV Movie About Wanda Durant’s Life Offers a Powerful Tribute to Single Moms

She was made famous by an emotional MVP speech given by her son, NBA star Kevin Durant. Now she’s the subject of a Lifetime TV movie.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/the_real_mvp_tv_movie_about_wanda_durant_s_life_offers_a_powerful_tribute.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26

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This clip is from a couple of years ago, but its message is timeless.  He begins talking about his Mom at 2:25.