Painting perfection

When it comes to art, there's no doubt that it can take many forms. If one were to ask me what my favorite form of art is I would not hesitate to say, "music, you ass," however, there are other forms of art that I hold high admiration for. One of which is the age old venue of expression and communication, painting. In this particular example, my overall favorite pice of art has to be Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night."

Ok, why "Starry Night?" Well, first and foremost it's the tittle. As technical as the painting is, the simple tittle accents it perfectly. When I look at the painting there are a lot of things that tend to occur. The first one is that I tend to put my self back on a hilltop I used to live on in Woodstock, Georgia. I didn't like the surrounding area too much...at all, but this hilltop made the place decent because it had the best view of the stars I had ever seen. I don't know if it was the land elevation (most likely not, cause that's just dumb) or what, but on many nights out there in the boondocks, I would just stand outside and look up, and just think about what was up there.

The second occurrence that happens is that I play music in my head; but not just any music though, I stare close and hear either "Clair De Lune" by Claud Debussy (the song in Ocean's 11, after the heist at the Bellagio fountain), or the main theme from Stephen Speilberg's futuristic Pinocchio story, "A.I." These songs are so much, "put you at peace songs" more-or-less, they're reflective and often lull me to sleep a bit.

The painting itself is beautiful. The extravagant blend of blues and yellows clashing over the silent town is almost violent, yet they blend in perfect harmony. I love the colors, and I especially believe that there's a hidden meaning in it's blend. The meaning: so much beauty happens in the chaos we don't understand. The universe is vast, and we know of it, and how things form, but we like to dream about it We like to sleep and whisk away in our minds to places unforeseen, much like the painting. I don't know, it's hard to explain really, but just know that it kicks major buttocks. The End. :)

The Hottest Summer Ever...

It is finally upon us. Summertime; a time for vacation, for laughing, and relaxation. Unfortunetly for me, I don't really plan on doing too much of any of them, why, because I'm graduating, and the last thing I need to do is slack major at this point.

Thus, my summer will be spent working. I have to pay off a lease at my bullsh*t apartment complex, so for 25 hours out of the week I'll be down at the good ol' j-o-b, slinging tables and tending to wondering parents of incoming freshman...lame.

By July I'll have left Statesboro only to comeback and check up on folks from time to time. For the majority of my time I'll be back in Atlanta, working. Summer doesn't look to be too exciting, but that's ok, just as long as I know that I'll have my finances straight by the end of the year to move out into the real world on my own, I think I can learn to get over it.

High Noon..

Let me pain the picture that I have in my mind for you.

As I see it, it's 1885. I'm in a tavern sitting in a dusty bar with a pianist playing awfully in the background. I've just downed a shot of whiskey and my face is scrunched, but it's only a physical reaction. Mentally I'm in another world. I don't notice too much that's going on around me, only my objective. A clock hits and the town bell sounds in the distance. When I stand, the whole tavern falls silent and awaits my next move. They know he's out there, I know he's out there, and that after all these months, it ends right here, right now.

I walk calmly towards the doors; face stern, stance stiff. Making my way toward the dirt road, they all flock to witness. They duck behind posts, lean against rails and stop their horses midway in hopes of seeing what happens. I crack the kink in my neck, brush my brow and await his words...It all comes down to this. Four years of bloodshed to make it here, and I refuse to let him win. He looks confident, as he should. After all, he's one of them; the high-and-mighty law. He's got years of experience under his belt in sending men with hopes like mine to their graves. But they won't be me. Sure, I've accepted the fact that we can't all be here forever, but not by his hands...not today.

He stands a good 40 yards away. The sun hits the star on his chest like a call from God, he's a messenger of death. He's been decided to leave this town and head back east to North Carolina with his wife and little girl. I understood. No rational man could take too much of this place before it took its toll on you, but I was his one loose end. He had passed judgment on my entire posse, and out of all 19 of us, I was the only one left. He walked roughly 13 yards rested his thumbs on his belt and with the smuggest smirk said, "So Woodard...this here's the FINAL stand."

I didn't want to respond. I only wanted to leave. There had been so much that I had been through already. The most important, losing my love. I remembered all the nights I wrote until my hand could no longer trace the pains of my heart. I worked 18 hours out of the week, still wanting to express my thoughts; but alas, my efforts came up short...she didn't get 11 of my letters, and it broke her heart. So much so she killed herself for thinking that I didn't care about "her." But I did. The pressures of my posse, my brothers, and trying to sustain a decent life in all of this chaos diverted my attention...but I cared...always did...always will.

"Now Woodard, you have to make a choice. You tell me how you wanna handle this. I know you want out of this life, but I ain't about to let you waltz out here 100 percent, I just wouldn't sleep too well at night if I did that."

I said nothing. I refused to let this end all that I had worked so long to achieve. Four years of preparation lost to four months, I wouldn't let it happen. I rounded up the courage and frustration that had been built up in my soul for as far back as I could remember, and with the readiness of fighting for my survival I yelled at the top of my lungs as loud as humanly possible, "Carr!"

He had gotten to know my comrades and me real well over the last few months. He knew that I had heart, and that I wouldn't go down quietly. I had more fight than them all. Sure, I'll admit, I had struggles, but I learned. I learned skills that I could use outside of this place. I had learned the value of responsibility in one of the toughest years of my life. Yet in still, he was insisting on passing my judgment.

"You win Carr, I know I'm not perfect, and you know this. But I'm not going to let you kill me and leave me here to die," I said. I was passionate, I had to play my hand on emotion, it was my only chance to make it out in one peace.

"Now why should I spare you boy," he said, "If anything, it would have been your own doing that put you in this predicament in the first place."

Carr looked at me viciously, but I wouldn't budge. I was calm, steadily watching his movements, but calm. The crowd knew that this was the moment. One of us was going to do something epic, and that’s when I saw it. He didn’t flinch, he didn’t cower, but there was a moment of remorse. He had seen that I was sincere in changing my ways, and that I went well. “I can’t lie to you Woodard, given all that you’ve done, and lack there of, I can’t let it end like this,” he said.

“So what do you mean?” I was slightly confused at his statement. here I was walking into a fight I was prepared to shootout until the death, and he gives me the pardon.

“You’ve come up slack boy, but I see you’ve got promise…I won’t lie to you.” That’s when he did the unthinkable.

“I’m gonna turn around, and if you leave, I won’t stop you.”

I didn’t believe it at first. He I was thinking that all of the work that I lacked, all the things that I had done would surely bring our fighting to arms. “C’mon now Carr. You and I both know that that’s not gonna happen. As soon as I walk into that there sunset, you’re gonna take that pistol tucked there in your holster, and shoot me dead.” I was really at a loss as to what to say, so I let my emotions speak for me.

“No,” he said, “You’re a good kid. Sure, I’m not too fond of your work, but I’ve got a feeling that you’re gonna do something great with your life son. I won’t recommend you be anyone’s mayor, but I’m not gonna condemn you to hell either.”

And with that, Carr turned around and faced the stunned crowed behind him. You could tell that they didn’t believe him either, and with good reason. He was leaving, what was one more body to add to the toll? However, he never turned around. He stayed facing the howling wind running wildly as the florescence of the dimming sky set in. This was my chance.

“I admit Carr, I’m no angel, but if what you’re saying is true, and you do see that I’m a changed man, I hope that you Believe in me as much as you’re preaching. I admit, some of my partners put in a lot of work, but I gave my life to make it this far, and I’m hopin’ you can see that.”

He didn’t have to turn around for me to know that he was smirking. I could feel it. Yet even in his skewed sense of humor, he knew where I was coming from.

“I’ll be seeing you Woodard,” He said, back still to me. He tilted his hat, and started walking towards his horse. The crowd parted something like the Red Sea when he made his way through to his horse. “Take care son. I hope you do make somethin’ outta that life of yours.” He kicked the right side of his beautiful stallion and like that, rode off.

I walked away from a changed man, and realized something great that day. Sometimes the measure of a man can’t be figured in numbers, letters, or words. Sometimes it takes a genuine trust of unknowing. Call it what ever you want: faith, hope, optimism, but I honestly believe that day, Carr saw who I wanted to be, and gave me that chance. I had done it; I had graduated into the life I was destined for. A life that no one in my family before me could ever state claim to. A name to be remembered, forever.

Rookie of the year

To whom this may concern,

My name is Darin Woodard, and I am a graduating senior of the Class of 2010 out of Georgia Southern University. I am completing my college career with a degree in journalism, and am looking to apply the knowledge I have acquired through the years in a professional setting. The following will be a list of reasons as to why I feel I would make an outstanding member of your organization.

I am polite.

I was raised on the principle that people should be mutually respected. My household consisted of two parents dedicated to making sure I knew what the definition of respect was, and how to show it. I have an appreciation for everyone I encounter, and do my best to let my attitude reflect it.

I am determined.

After I graduated high school, I could not attend a university on the grounds that my initial test scores did not meet the necessary requirements. Instead of giving up, I worked for five months in a restaurant to raise the money to re-take the test and re-apply for school. It was grueling work, but there was a lesson it all. I learned that if you really want to accomplish something, you will not accept defeat...ever. You press on until what you deem as success manifests itself into reality, and because of these beliefs, as of May 8th 2010, I will have been the first in my family to attend and graduate a four-year University, and do so in exactly that; four years.

I am responsible.

I believe that I am mature enough to admit my faults. In my opinion, this character trait is one that means a bit more than most simply because it is one you're least likely able to own up to. I admit to having challenges, but I do not let these challenges hinder me from my goals. If there is something that I may have done wrong, I will speak up as opposed to placing blame on others. I believe that my up-bringing has taught me how to be mature enough to handle things expeditiously; however, when I do "miss the mark," I step-up and speak out.

I am unique

There's no one like me around for light-years. I am strong, easy to talk to, and creative. I may have the mind of a dreamer, but at the end of the day those same wacky concepts conjured in my head allow me to write praise-worthy work. I do not toot my own horn (unless it's beyond awesomeness), and am an avid believer in humility.

In conclusion the traits I posses, I believe, will allow me to even further develop myself not only as a professional, but as a contributor to society. I have dreams and aspirations, and want to bring them to fruition. Hopefully you will be moved enough by this letter to see that my words are in fact sincere, and that I will stop at nothing to make something of myself.

Thank you for your consideration,

-Darin C. Woodard II

"With great power comes great responsibility"

You may know him as the wall-crawler, the web-head, or simply put by one of his lovers, 'tiger.'

Whatever you call him you can rest assured he's you're one and only friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Growing up, I was introduced to Batman. The bat-mobile, gadgets, and dark allure spoke to me. He was beyond intriguing. As I grew older, and understood how real-life worked, my interest began to shift. I saw my parents scratch to pay rent; I struggled with payments myself, fell further and further in being able to relate to the ladies, and so-on and so forth. This is where Peter Benjamin Parker stood out to me.

Sure, powers play a part in how I see a hero, but the fact that Marvel went out of their way to make a super-hero seem like the most average/regular joe when the mask was off was genius. A part of us tries to see a bit of ourselves in these heros, and with Spider-Man, I felt I was veering into the deepest reflection of a mirror. I lived his life...to an extent. I lived with both of my parents, and wasn't a brainiac, but was an outcast and dealt with the struggles of day to day life just as Peter did.

What also made Spider-Man cool was his villains. Let it be known, my favorite comic-book villain of all time is The Joker. He's sick, twisted, and is the epitome of what an arch nemesis should be. But 'Spidy's' villains had style, flair, and a sick lust for evil. Take the Green Goblin, Spider-Man's version of the Joker. He's nuts, strong, and flies around on a scary glider in a horrifying Goblin outfit armed with bombs to the teeth. Then there's Venom, Spider-Man's reflection of terror. Venom was written as an alien creature hell bent on Spider-Man's destruction after Peter fought and rejected the alien as a host (symbiotic relationship).

With his troubles in school, to his troubles with the ladies, to his cool powers and abilities (wall-crawling, web-slinging, sixth-sense having, super weight-lifting awesomeness) Spider-Man is the regular guy's super-hero. A guy you can share a brew and talk about your troubles with and at the same time, expect to save you if you've got a 6'7" man in a rhino suit chasing you atop a sky scraper. The 'amazing' Spider-Man.

Phil, Zen, and You...

Phil Jackson: Former player, winning coach, spiritual leader?

Well all know Phil Jackson as arguably one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. With a total of eleven rings (two as a player with the New York Knicks, six as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, and three as head coach of the Los Angles Lakers) Phil Jackson has become a relative icon for winning. But how? What's his secret?

For the last three decades, Phil has been a practitioner of Buddhism, particularly Zen Buddhism. According to the faith, all human beings have the Buddha-nature, or the potential to attain enlightenment. The belief also notes that the potential is blocked or clouded by the frantic lives we live.

Jackson's application to coaching? Well, it's quite simple. As a coach you are a leader, a person to go to in the midst of chaos. Jackson's beliefs have brought him an inner-peace that he tries to instill in his players. Seriously, just think for a moment. Phil is one cool dude. I can count how many times I've seen him jump off of a bench for a bad call, or go loco on a player for an ill-advised shot attempt. Some would say that he's not even a coach, more like some kind of "on-the bench guru" that motivates his players to victory. When really, he's crossed his knowledge of x's and o's with the art of Zen and found a pretty nice medium.

Who I'm beefing with

If you haven't noticed, when it comes to food, bargains are in. In the realm of fast-food, specifically the "burger-joints," one is able to indulge in high caloric goodness for cheap. As a humble college student, no one appreciates being able to enjoy a burger more than me. I've tasted dozens of variations, but this post will reflect the three highest domestic chains: Burger King, McDonald's, and Wendy's.

My good friend Nic Roundtree and I have had this conversation plenty of times, more than often ending with a difference of opinion. Our argument is based on the "double-cheeseburger,"a standard amongst many restaurants today. Of what we'll call the Big 3 (Burger King, McDonald's, and Wendy's), I have made my decision on whose beef is best. The three components to a good double-cheeseburger: price, quality, and taste. The accommodation of each restaurant's respective french-fry also weighed into the decision, but not too much as to take away from the effect of the burger.

First up, Burger King. Flame-broiled goodness. What's unique about this particular brand of double-cheese burger is not only how it's prepared, but the ever-so delectable sesame seeded bun. McDonald's may have made a name for their bun in the form of a jingle for one of their burgers, the 'Big-Mac,' but the fact one is able enjoy sesame seeds atop top flame-broiled patties is sexy to me, I'm sorry. Although there isn't too much else to this burger besides pickles, ketchup and mustard, the Burger King double-cheeseburger is nothing to sleep on.

Next up, the McDonald's "McDouble." You would think with over "a billion served" that you would be able to have a pretty sturdy double-cheeseburger. Well, McDonald's had me, and lost me faster than a dollar down a stripper's g-string. They lamed out and gave me the "McDouble" where I was used to their good old double-cheeseburger. The problem? Choice of beef, and the price. I'm not saying the McDouble isn't good, but rather that I am disappointed in that I had gotten so used to eating better quality overall for a cheaper price. If I'm not mistaken, the McDonald's located down the street from my current location sells double-cheeseburgers for $1.26 as opposed to the $1 McDouble. Now I know what you're thinking, "Felix, stop being cheap! It's only change!" But that's where you're wrong m good patron. It's about principle. The double-cheese burger was bigger and leaner, the McDouble is merely it's tag along sidekick. Sure it'll get you by, but when you want bang for the buck, Mickey D's comes up a little short.

Last but not least, we brief the chain Dave Thomas made famous, Wendy's and their "Double-Stack" burger. In terms of size, it isn't the biggest thing on the block, but where the double-stack lacks in size, it makes up in flavor. What separates this burger apart from its two competitors is the use of garnishes: lettuce and onion. Teamed with ketchup, mustard, and those "pretty thick for a buck" squared patties, the double-stack is that deal. I just wished Wendy's chains would come to a consensus on a price! There's nothing worse than seeing a double-stack offered for a higher price than what you're used to. It's very disheartening, almost insulting. "What do you mean it's an extra $.50? How dare you!"

Ok, so with each burger thoroughly discussed, a decision has infact been reached. The victor? The.........Burger King double cheeseburger. Why? It's basic, yes, but it has a certain, "complex-simplicity." What sets it off is not only its soft bun, or flame broiled patties. It's the fact that it dwarfs the other two and leaves you fuller longer. I dare you to eat two BK double-cheeseburgers and a fry and say, "I'm not stuffed." Those words should never fall from a human's lips...unless they have serious eating condition. IT PUTS YOU DOWN, and when I have little to my name, I want something that not only tastes good, but puts me to sleep.

So the BK double-cheese burger is the winner. Second place goes to the double-stack, and in last, WACKdonald's McDouble. Congrats Burger King, you've got the 'Cool' points for the day. And I'm out!

What's my passion?

I began this blog as a project for a class, but I don't think the world is fully aware of who I am and what I do. That being said, let me introduce my passion: music.

When I was in the 7th grade I had listened to hip-hop to the point that I figured I would give it a go myself. When I first started out, well, lets just say I wasn't some sort of child prodigy. Ok, looking back, I was bad. Like I was really bad, but it was something I stuck with. Something that I was passionate about. I kept my lyrics in decorated composition notebooks. The contents showed I was definitely just starting out, but with each book I filled a busted to the brim with mangled hand writing and fancy doodles, you could sense the level of progression. By the time I was a junior in high-school I had met up with a group of guys I had been introduced to by my cousin, and became a member of the Miles High Crew, a rap group whose dreams rested solely in a mic hung in our friend's closet across from his stack of t-shirts.

I used my time with Miles High to enhance my skills and eventually left the group and became a member of BFO, a six man group I enlisted in when I reached college, and whom I've been with ever since.

Since I began my journey I've hit many highs, and a whole lot of lows. In the end, rhyming is something I've stuck with for over 12 years. Damn, my girl friend just called me old! (lol) I am proud of my accomplishments and encourage all to follow their heart. I'm a soon to be college graduate with a degree in journalism, and plan on making use of it; however, I plan on giving everything I've got to make myself as a known emcee the world over.

US & WEed

I want to out on a limb and say the average citizen knows little about 4/20, three notorious numbers that literally 'spark' excitement amongst marijuana enthusiasts across the globe. Apparently the stoner holiday came about in 1971 when a group of teenagers named the 'Waldos' would meet up at 4:20 p.m. after school to smoke pot after school.

Yesterday would mark 4/20's 39th annual celebration. How does one celebrate you ask? Well it should be rather obvious at this point. Imagine back to your fondest childhood Christmas memory. You were so giddy with excitement you could hardly contain yourself, running down the stairs with a smile from ear-to-ear. That's pretty much the feeling one gets when 4/20 rolls around, only the wide ear-to-ear smile is replaced with an obnoxious laugh and red eyes.

For the record, I do not smoke. However, I am currently in college where such activities do occur from time to time, so don't judge me when I tell you that I've seen things. Weather it be people coughing up a lung from hitting a blunt (joint) too hard, or rooms so full of smoke it looked like Shanghai in the summer time. I've experienced a lot where people would indulge in such activities...and it's actually quite hilarious.

I mean, I'm not going to sit here and tell the U.S. government that they should legalize weed; that would be a disaster. I honestly believe weed can't be made legal because it would piss drug dealers off too much. The legalization of weed would cause a chain reaction that would send pot to convenience stores, and consumers to crack! I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. Weed is the one illegal contraband that dealers know that they'll sell. It's their staple. Whenever you need a quick $10 bucks you grab a dime bag and you post on a corner, simple as that (again, don't judge)! If you take away their bread and butter by making it just another item you can check out along with a tank of gas and some doritoes they'll be forced to alternative means. Means to ensure that the customer stays hooked. Enter the hard drugs, crack-cocain in particular. Ok, maybe crack is a bit much, but you can't argue that there would be more pill abuse than a teenage...never mind...too insensitive.

But alas, weed smokers do it because they feel it's natural, it's from the earth, so it's ok to do, and honestly, that's the dumbest thing I've heard since Sarah Palin, but I'm not going to judge. Do you.

So here's to all my dro, kush, blue-berry yum-yum, purple haze, durban poisen rollers out there. Sure you give Bob Marley a bad name, but again, I'm not going to judge. Burn one for ya boy!

And I'm out!

Baby Bucks

As a college student, I am trained to extensively think about my future. All I've been taught is to learn enough to be able to support myself, and one day a family.

Considering that I'm in a pretty good relationship, and that I'm two weeks from graduation I've really been dwelling on what it would mean to have a family...mainly supporting a kid.

There's a lot of us out there who've grown up knowing someone close that have had a child without preparation, many times before hitting their 20s. I'm 23 years old, and though I want to start my own family one day, I thank GOD that I've gone through life thus far without getting some one pregnant.

So I did a little research and found out what it would cost to bring up a baby:

>$3,000-$12,000 to have a baby (hospital care)

>$200-400 for housing (per child/a month)

>$70-$260 for food (per child/per month)

>$200 a month for transportation ($30K over 17 years)

>$30-$100 (a month/$17,000 over 17 years)

>$15,000 for health care (over 17 year period)

>100K-200K for education

Wow...after seeing this, I wanna cut off my...well on second thought, that's a bit extreme, but it does make me think. As much as I want a child, I'm nowhere near ready for the financial obligation that comes with one. To find out what it's like making babies click here.

2 DOLLAR BILL Y'ALL

How often have you been in a convenience store and only wanted maybe a snickers and a sprite, and the total comes to roughly $2.35? You look in your wallet and find that all you've got is a $20 and your debit/credit card. You don't want to be the prick that walks around with wads of cash in your pockets, because you'll just hold up the line the next time you stop for lunch. On the other hand, you don't want to be the prick who puts a $2.35 charge on their card. Worst case scenario: you're with Bank of America and you over draft on a $2.35 purchase and get charged a $35 over-draft fee... but I digress.

If there were only some way to alleviate this dilemma. Oh wait! There is! The rarity of the $2 bill!

According to tnttrader.com, only %1 of all notes produced today are $2 bills. The note, which features the United States' 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson, and the signing of the declaration of independence had mainly been used for entertainment purposes, primarily for placing horse race bets and tips for "gentlemen's clubs." Since a print of the note in the 1976 series, the bill has only been printed twice (1995 and 2003). It is said that more will be printed once the 2003 series is taken out of circulation.

"Though many cash registers accommodate it, its slot is often used for things like checks and rolls of coin. Few money-handling machines (such as vending machines) accommodate it, but self-checkout lanes have been known to do so, even if the fact that they are accepted is not stated on the label. They are not handed out arbitrarily, but two dollar bills can sometimes be found at banks by request. Oftentimes if a bank has none in stock, they will order them, so long as the customer takes a certain quantity of the order."

-www.tnttrader.com

I honestly don't know where this whole notion of "we don't need $2 bills" came from. i don't think the people that made this statement have ever been to Snackers or Chick-fil-A on my college campus, or have ever had a long night out with friends and crave a double cheese burger! Stop making my life so damn inconvenient! We want more $2 bills and we want them NOW!

The American Reform Party

Ok, so this blog is going to be about the American Reform Party...yeah....

Basically the American Reform Party (according to their site www.americanreform.org) is the "sister" party to the Reform Party. You may remember the reform party in that big eared gremlin looking runner Ross Perot ran as the party's representative in 1996.

From what I can understand, the difference between the two parties came with the decrement of political agenda and funding. I'm assuming they don't want the "front office" or the deep pocket folks of the party to ultimately decide what the political agenda is... I don't know, you decide:

"Mr. Perot who ran for President on the Reform Party Platform with his own funding, the party needed a strong political base built from the ground up rather than from the top office down as in the case of Mr. Perot. This fundamental difference in views and approach ultimately lead to a split in the Reform Party with most supporters leaving...Hence the American Reform Party was born."

Referring to themselves as a committee, the American Reform Party has existed since 1997, and are currently looking for candidates to run on their platform for the presidency. The following are just a few of their views, so if you feel you've got the chops, give them a call...

Foreign Affairs

• Keep our United Nations dues current, meet international obligations and humanitarian needs, and stay engaged in world affairs as the political and economic leader of the free world.
• Restore normal diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba.

Campaign Finance Reform

• Reduce the influence of money and special interests groups in campaigns.
• Establish public funding options for clean elections and shorten election cycles.
• Eliminate soft money from corporations, unions, and wealthy individuals.
• Prompt Internet disclosure of campaign contributions and voting records.
• Lobbyists provide information, not money
• Establish election spending caps on candidates with annual adjustments tied to relevant national inflation/cost index

EXTRA TID-BIT: lmao...

Take Back Control Of America

Time to kick some ass and take back control of our Country and its government from the corrupt officials and Progressives. Both our government and its leaders are entirely out of control. They continually violate the laws of our constitution and ignore the will and desires of the people. When their actions are questioned their canned response is "we did what was best for the good of the people". In other words, Not what the people wanted but what THEY wanted. This has to stop! They need to remember for whom they work. And that is the people. And what we want, is for the "Good of the People". Well we have a plan to put a stop to this abusive style of governing which is destroying our Constitution and our freedoms and liberties.

Time to Act is NOW!

Jim Crow: "When freedom 'ain't' free"

There's no secret that slavery existed here in America. Stories and photos of Africans turned African-Americans fill historic records and texts with tales of sorrow and heart-break. Families were ripped apart through slave trading and bloodlines tainted due to slaves being raped. After President Lincoln emancipated the slaves, there was still a level of animosity towards African-Americans generally and politically.

Politically there were the Jim Crow laws. These laws prevented blacks from living equally among whites. Anti-African-American racism was pretty much legal, and even if gruesome acts were brought to trial, often times than not, whites you were put on trial were acquitted. It wasn't until the civil rights movement of the 1960's that the issue was adequately addressed. This means from the 1880s to the 1960s (roughly 80 to 90 years) blacks were freed without being free. They were still targets for hate crimes, still not recognized as members of t

he general population, and still weren't seen as human beings in many cases. States all across the nation created separate entrances and refused service to African-Americans, and many other minorities during this era.

The struggle of racial equality is still a relevant issue today. Though things have looked up for minorities there are still hurtles left to climb by themselves and those hell

bent on bigotry and racial segregation.

Examples of Jim Crow laws: http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/jcrow02.htm

Where the hell am I?

Ok, this is just an insight post. Being a college senior and involved in various organizations, stress gets a bit high for me at times. I know that there are a lot of people like me who feel the pinch of the "real world" or suffer from severe cases of senioritus, so really I'm talking to you.

Recently I bombed, and I mean BOMBED a history exam. Why am I putting this information on the web? Because I'm real. I feel like I represent the everyday student, ok, maybe not the everyday student, but the 'dreamer' students. I'm a musician, I eat, drink, and breathe melodies and rhymes, so for me to make it this far in school is a big deal. It's not that I don't value learning, it's just that I've lost my faith in the education system.

A lot of professors will tell you that they don't care about a letter grade; that what matters most to them is that their students learn...damn that sounds like a beautiful theory, too bad it only ends there. I can count on one hand how many professors actually spoke to me as a person who wanted to pass along their knowledge rather than throwing facts at me and leading me to water to see what I've learned, "Hope you know how'da swim b*tch!!" *KICK*

I love learning, I don't do it very often, but picking up a book to learn about something is cool to me. This is only when I have free time, and I'm not worried about what concept my teacher feels is most important. Half of the classes I'm taking will prepare me to be involved in some sort of media outlet, yes, but what stresses me the most is the fact that the best paying jobs are nowhere near my field. These days it's all about engineering...I'm a journalism major, you do the math. I'm not nosey enough to be a journalist. I don't want to ask a whole bunch of random people questions on something I don't care about, I'd rather be behind a microphone slaying a track about why I can't stand a girl, how we as a human race need to get it together, or just how nice I am at rhyming, period. We as a society have strayed from what it means to be happy. I'm tired of people lying to these kids about following their dreams, only to tell them 12 years later that their dreams are stupid/flawed/or unrealistic. I'm only here for a piece of paper that deems me qualified in a field I have little interest for. A columnist, maybe. It's more up my alley, but reporting...not so much. Unless it dealt with music (lol).

So in all kids, follow yourself. If you want to be a comic book writer, cool. If you want to be a dancer, cool. A rapper, well you're going to have to see me, but still, cool (lol). Learn along the way though. it's ok to pick up a book and see how things work or where we come from. Everything you need to be educated is in a library, don't let these nubs tell you anything different. It's a trap. Do better than I have. I'm going to make it, but I'd rather be honing my skills elsewhere. Happiness first people, and I'm out.

'Cool Reviews: Spirited Away

Ok, so after everyone feasted and left me what was at the bottom of the bucket, I was surprised to see this film wasn't picked up by anyone... "Haven't you heard of this?! Sheep! You are all sheep!"

But I digress.

Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away is, well, think Wizard of Oz meets The Never Ending Story, and you get one heart warming acid tri

p of a movie.

The story follows Chihiro, a little girl who is basically dep

ressed with the fact that she has to leave behind her friends and old life to start anew with her family on the other side of town. The idea of meeting new people didn't sit too well with Chihiro, so in the process she became melancholy, distant, and a wee-bit of a brat...but only a little.

Chihiro's adventure begins when her par

ents lead her down what can be simply put as a gateway into another world, where due to their ignorance, leaves Chihiro to rescue them from the wicked witch Yubaba.

"Spirited Away" is largely about the growth of Chihiro. Several times during the film her will is tested, ultimately leading to a bulk in confidence an

d strength. Miyazaki creates a world of spirits, frogs, and big headed witches all in illuminating color. The characters of the movie reflect most of humanities natural emotions and vices, including greed, compassion, vengeance, and love, bringing the audience closer to understanding the motives and intent behind Miyazaki's unique art of story telling.

My only gripe with the film was how it ended. As mentioned before, Chihiro went through trial after trial and grew throughout the course of the film, and when it was all said and done, it seemed like she was handed her prize without much effort. It was like ordering a fight on Pay Per View. You watch great preliminary match ups that go the distance, but when it comes time for the main event, you get a knock out 26 seconds into the first round!?

Besides that though, I can understand why this movie has been held in such acclaim over the past few years. It's a beautiful movie that serves as motivation to never quit, that no matter what you're faced with, there's always a way to make things work (spare me your judgements, I know what I

just said was corny, but hey...sop). I recommend this movie for kids, esspecially between the ages of 9 through 13, mainly because there's a lot to keep up with. The flick gets an official Cool seal, check it out, and I'm gone.

Plates Y'all...

There have been a lot of major geological incidents in recent years: the tsunamis of the pacific, the earthquakes of Haiti, Chile, and Taiwan, as well as major climate changes around the world. These and other events motivated me to look up the explanations for these happenings to figure out what they meant in the grand scheme of our planet, and I found out some interesting stuff. For one, our planet's poles are beginning to shift, that's right. The magnetic fields of north and south are swapping polarities, which means bad news for us, but I'll save that for another post.

What I really wanted to talk about were the real movers and shakers of our planet, and I mean it quite literally. They're called tectonic plates. They are the cause of a lot of what goes on here on Earth. There are six main plates as well as a handful of smaller plates, but don't sleep on the smaller ones, they have just as much an impact as their big brothers.

There are three types of tectonic boundaries: convergent, divergent, and transform.

Convergent boundaries are when plates come together. When they do, you get a massive pile up, i.e. mountains. such as the Himalayas. They are even responsible for the formation

Divergent boundaries are when plates move apart due to magma from deep within the earth's core. NationalGeographic.com says that due to divergent boundary shifts, the eastern coast of Africa will split and form a new land mass that will mark the boundaries of two plates beneath the continent (Arabian and African Plates).

The last of the types, transformation boundaries, are pretty much when two plates grind side by side on each other, this phenomena is responsible for earthquakes.

So there you have it, a brief, VERY brief over view of tectonic plates. Check this out for more info. >>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDqskltCixA

About: "Don't ask, don't tell"

I'll keep this short.

This post is to briefly inform those on a legal act that impacts our nation's defense agencies. In a few states today, the right to homosexual unions or "gay marriages" has been passed, legally recognizing the relationship between man and man, and woman and woman in the court of law.

In 1993, congress passed the "Don't ask, don't tell act" (DADT) in an effort to mandate openly gay and lesbian service members. According to the Service Members Legal Def

ense Network, more than 13,500 service members have been fired under enforcement of the law since 1994.

Recently, President Obama and his administration have made it a mission to repeal the act with the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (MREA).

Based on data from the Service Members Legal Defense Network, 73 percent

of military personnel are ok with gays and lesbians in the military.

In my own opinion, the U.S. military is the most ironic place for segregation. In the past, minorities had been banned to serve, and when they were finally allowed, were subjected to racial torment and injustice. With DADT, it's just another way to divide our country, which is supposed to stand for freedom and democracy. I'm not saying that I support all gay rights, i personally believe a marriage is a union between man and woman under God, but if you're gay and you want a forever relationship, then by all means fight for what will make you happy. In a time where enlistment is somewhat shaky, I don't think that our department of defense can be picky. Younger generations have gotten a lot better with accepting people for who they are, but some still hold on to visions of a separated nation, which isn't really ideal for anyone, but that's just me...

Bear Grylls a.k.a Macgyver-'Man vs. Wild' star gets new series

Bear Grylls; motivational speaker, adventurer, humanitarian, ultimate survivor. He's a mans man. To some he could be considered an all around bad-ass; not quite Chuck Norris, but damn close.

Grylls' series 'Man vs. Wild,' which aires on Discovery Channel, has pitted him against some of the harshest elements known to man. The show's main intention is to teach its viewers how to survive if they ever find themselves in an unfathomable situation. But seeing as how I don't plan on being in air-dropped in the Siberian tundra anytime soon, I think I speak for most of the shows fans when I say that we watch this guy push himself for sport. That's how it works. Sure we all love the Discovery Channel, but only a handful of us would ever actually go to these locations just to get a few breath taking shots, lets just be real.

Grylls has risked his life in various scenarios in nature, but his new show, 'Worst Case Scenario,' places Grylls in situations that seem a little more feasible: escaping apartment fires, making it out of shark attacks, what to do if you've been involved in a serious car wreck, etc.

Sure, there've been other shows with the same premise, but this is Bear Grylls! He drank his own pee on national television! If hollywood was talking about rebooting the Indiana Jones franchise, he gets top bidding. Given his extreme survival tactics from 'Man vs. Wild,' I'm excited to see what this series will have him do. I wonder if he'll give tips on the best way to deal with the savage wrath of a p.m.s.-ing girlfriend?

'Worst Case Scenario' premieres this spring on the Discovery Channel.

Critical Writing

Historically, stories were passed down orally. As time and technology progressed, people found it more effective to express themselves through writing. Writing has existed since, well, the era of the caveman. Cave drawings and carvings depict the most basic means of communication. Writing is important because it requires engagement of the audience to actively participate in reading, as well as allows the author to express themselves and better organize their thoughts.

Since its induction, writing has since evolved. With the use of technology and a faster paced society, sentences, as well as words have become shorter. The use of phrases and acronyms have better allowed to communicate effectively to save time, but it is important to remember that though the modern world is fast paced, that we should effectively communicate by ensuring that we get our point across. To do this a writer must understand that certain topics have different impacts on various audiences.

The 2010 Sprite Slam Dunk Compition and why it sucked beans

Ok, let me first start by saying that these are all professional athletes. Each of these men have proven themselves in one facet or another to qualify them to play in the National Basketball Association. They are of an elite breed on a world stage few seldom see, and with that said, WHAT THE ^&#% WAS THAT!?!? WHAT THE HELL NBA?!? I MEAN REALLY? WHAT THE &*#%!?!?

If you didn't see the Sprite 2010 NBA Slam Dunk contest, well, I don't blame you, because you didn't miss much. But just to tickle your fancy and give you another reason to hate on the NBA I'll shoot you the list of the participants and you can judge for yourself:

-Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Bobcats)

-Nate Robinson (New York Knicks)

-Shannon Brown (L.A. Lakers)

-DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors)

Now, after you read this list, what's one of the first questions in your head after you take a glance at a name, here I'll help, "who?". You

should know Nate Robinson, however, he's the league reigning three-time champion, he beat Dwight Howard! I don't care who you are, if you've ever seen Sports Center you know whoDwight Howard is. Hell, I bet your mam

a knows who Dwight Howard is. But the point is this, Nate Robinson proved himself worthy by literally facing a giant. The other three, well, I'm sorry, just couldn't match up.

I asked a few people about the contest that took place last Sunday and the main response I received was that this contest lacked flair. There wasn't enough style or anticipation behind the dunks. It was only a

matter of time the world gave two licks about Nate Robinson. "Ok, we get it, you're short and you can dunk, NEXT". The gimmick kind of wore off a little this year...like really.

Nate's competition didn't help the situation either. Gerald Wallace has been in the league nearly a decade. Is he a major house hold name, no. Is he a pretty damn good role player for his team, yes. Is he deserving for consideration in the dunk contest, gonna go with a no. The past few years it seems like Wallace has been hit with a bad case of "Damn-I-got-hurt-againitus

". If he wasn't racking up double-doubles he was racking up ice treys for his hamstrings, knees, or ankles.

Shannon Brown, he's been playing in the NBA for three years. Went to Michigan State, averages about 8 pts. per game, but has been getting around 40 minuets of playing-time the past few games. If you take a look at some of his old You Tube stuff from college, you'll see the dude has ups, but we know it takes more than a prestigious vertical to win over a dunk contest crowd.

The final contestant, DeMar DeRozan, is a rookie...playing for the Toronto Raptors...a rookie in the dunk contest...nice. I mean, he probably had the best dunk of the night, but he's still no Vince Carter. Sorry guy.

Let's skip through the b.s., Wallace and Brown got the ax without blinking. Their performance could be described as mundane at best. In the end a groin injured Nate Robinson beat out the high-flying rookie in DeRozan to take home the crown for the third straight year.

Really NBA? Really? If you didn't know, LeBron James, the

guy who seems to be Conan on the floor was said to be in the contest, but decided to back out at the last minuet, and this was what we had left to watch. Gone are the days that prominent players took a little time out for the fans and performed for them. Julius Erving, Domineque Wilkins, Vince Carter (who could forget that), Kobe Bryant (rookie), and Dwight Howard; all mar-key players, but all did the dunk contest. The event is losing its luster, and if the league isn't careful about locking in better dunkers or bigger names, NBA All-Star weekend will turn into the NFL Pro Bowl, and no one watches the Pro Bowl, and you know it!

Get your sh!t together Stern! Damn!

Stimulus Package: Basic Economics

Here's a run down of President's Obama's stimulus package, try and keep up...

According to Stock Trading To Go.com there are four main targets:

1. Infrastructure (roads, schools) 39%

2.State relief (medicaid) 13%

3.Struggling citizens (unemployment in states) 12%

4.Tax cuts( individuals and businesses) 36%

The plan is to essentially bail out these four areas by pumping billions ( roughly $825) into the economy to get things going again. The catch? According to economists, its passing means that the country is doomed to an enormous amount of debt in the future. Think of the stimulus package as creatine. It's use is to help boost your protein to make you bigger, and/or stronger, but it sucks ass the water out of you, leaving you dehydrated if not taken properly.

It's seen as a method to "stop the bleeding" so too speak, with the unemployment rate at 10.6 percent, the stimulus package is used as a short-term tool that will in hopes give off long term relief.

You can't give everyone a super bonus, but those who have will spend ( i.e. supply and demand) which will create a demand which will in turn to lead to more jobs, and so on and so forth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byLZ3J9wRLI

Pi Rho's 23rd Birthday Celebration

The Pi Rho chapter of Phi Beta Sigma celebrated its 23rd anniversary last weekend at its first annual birthday-banquet. The event, coordinated by the chapter's collegiate members, featured alumni speakers Bro. Bruce Holbrook, Bro. Tony Knight, and Bro. Adrian Cunningham, along with the chapter's newly appointed advisor Bro. Moncello Stewart, and former Phi Beta Sigma national graphics coordinator Romondo Stewart. The highlight of the evening; however, was a speech given by Pi Rho charter line member Joel Jackson.

The message to the new brothers into the fraternity, as well as the approaching graduates was to hold Phi Beta Sigma in their hearts, and to use its lessons to empower them as successful men in society. Bro. Cunningham focused on being financial successfully, while Bro. Knight spoke on being successful in the community, and how a real man is "of the community".

The brothers celebrated in fellowship and told stories of their experiences as sigma men. Current chapter president Lamont Kelly reminisced on days of hardship that forced the brothers to come together to save the Pi Rho name sake. He along with the newest brothers from the pledge class of fall 2009 promised the next celebration to be even greater. A night of food, memories, smiles, and tears, the event could be summed up in a quote from Bro. Adgebite, "Pi Rho is more than a name, it's a lifestyle".

'Dr. Horrible' isn't really all that bad...

Neil Patrick Harris, better known as N.P.H by comedic fanboys alike, starred in Josh Whedon's 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog', a musical whose story revolves around a would-be evil villain hell bent on global domination through his inventions.

Through the length of the film, you find out that Dr. Horrible isn't that bad of a guy. For an aspiring super-villain, Dr. Horrible seems as ordinary as they come... he just happens to know how to build freeze rays. He documents his accomplishments and failures; mostly failures, via web-cam, and posts them on an unknown blog site.

One could watch Patrick's character and pity him. Though he would love to have the world fall to its knees and bow to him as its master, there's is only one other thing that would make his life complete; Penny (Felicia Day), his philanthropist laundry mat fantasy. The nerd-like Dr. Horrible acts socially awkward around her until his nemesis, the 'oh so' arrogant Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion), puts penny in his super-sights...of love!

The love triangle escalates to a climax once identities are revealed and things get a lil' ugly between Horrible and Hammer. The songs were pretty damn good for an hour long musical, and the story goes in a direction that many would think would go towards the end.

I can honestly say I enjoyed this film. I mean it's N.P.H, if you don't love him then f*ck you guy! What was most appealing about this film was Harris' role as the evil scientist Dr. Horrible. Though the movie was a straight shot comedy, it touched on a few nodes of emotion, especially when it came to "rescuing" Penny from the clutches of Captain Hammer, who if you ever see the movie, is a real deautch-bag of a hero. Maybe he just reminds of any stand out jock who played in any film made since 1985.

The nerd in you roots for the Dr. Horrible, and based on the personalities of the characters, seems like an anti-hero more than anything else. Think Peter Parker, but instead of amazing spider powers, this guy shoots people with death rays. I mean, Penny was a red head, not the most attractive, but still kind of cute in that "save me, save me" kind of way. In all, 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog' is definitely worth the watch. Between N.P.H hitting high notes while clutching a freeze ray, and the not so steamy love scenes, it's a pretty good way to pass an hour. I highly recommend it, and if you're under the influence, well then it'll only be that much better!