tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55991678622414689152024-02-07T01:23:22.673-08:00Universal BlacknessA blog that focuses on issues relevant to the Black Community and other cultural communities in the United States and throughout the world. Your guide is Mr.Shadow: an agent dedicated to helping improve the lives of our people in America and abroad.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-85638075897622955092011-11-16T12:56:00.001-08:002011-11-16T12:58:51.623-08:00Quote of the Month: Arthur Ashe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can."</div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-85100108075520023422011-09-13T14:34:00.000-07:002011-09-13T14:34:32.817-07:00Leila Lopez of Angola is the New Miss Universe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another milestone in Black History. She represents herself and her country well and will make an excellent Miss Universe. I love our Black Queens!mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-50194165601685024852011-09-12T15:09:00.000-07:002011-09-12T15:09:47.508-07:00In Remembrance of 911<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember this terrible day well. As a middle school English teacher, I consider it part of my responsibility to discuss the events of September 11th 2001 to them. The past several years the students actually saw what happened and could draw upon those memories. However, there are now students who were very young then and have no first hand accounts of what happened. So this year I am devoting about a week of teaching and discussion about 911 in my classes. Right now I am having them watch the documentary 911mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-46238368203016283852011-05-19T16:18:00.000-07:002011-05-19T16:41:34.877-07:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALCOLM X<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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It is a nice coincidence that my last post occurred on the birthday of Malcolm X. Much has been made of Malcolm thanks to the publicity of the recent book by the late writer Manning Marable. I will be honest and say that from what snippets I have read, I don't intend on buying it. To me it does not paint a true representation of Malcolm and all that he stood for. Malcolm's grandson agrees in an article from today's <a href="http://www.amsterdamnews.com/articles/2011/05/19/news/doc4dd43a82455ff167384928.txt">Amsterdam News</a> and makes for good reading as he deflects several of the claims made in Marable's book.<br />
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Well, happy birthday 86th birthday Brother Malcolm.<br />
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I will end this post with one of Malcolm's quotes which brings to mind the speech that President Obama made today about the Middle East.<span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><br />
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<div align="justify" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b style="background-color: #444444;">If you've studied the captives being caught by the American soldiers in South Vietnam, you'll find that these guerrillas are young people. Some of them are just children and some haven't reached their teens. Most are teenagers. It is the teenagers abroad, all over the world, who are actually involving themselves in the struggle to eliminate oppression and exploitation. In the Congo, the refugees point out that many of the Congolese revolutionaries, they shoot all the way down to seven years old - that's been reported in the press. Because the revolutionaries are children, young people. In these countries, the young people are the ones who most quickly identify with the struggle and the necessity to eliminate the evil conditions that exist. And here in this country, it has been my own observation that when you get into a conversation on racism and discrimination and segregation, you will find young people more incensed over it - they feel more filled with an urge to eliminate it."</b></span></div><div align="justify" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></div><br />
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</div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-85678330182539423002011-05-19T15:44:00.000-07:002011-05-19T15:44:34.070-07:00AFTER A ONE YEAR HIATUS: MR.SHADOW IS BACK!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaDHhB8pFTp2DooxfiT3_TCTHdETep-7_d4kFzNiMiYVMvoykr7j-da_jsf3QcQADIUT1mkoSielAtg91BDmIsIRi6TVBOmRU7IZAKybXXKrRDu7gBQXGFGCwNmhQg1TzlT0ZV27oZw/s1600/shadowstandingbig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaDHhB8pFTp2DooxfiT3_TCTHdETep-7_d4kFzNiMiYVMvoykr7j-da_jsf3QcQADIUT1mkoSielAtg91BDmIsIRi6TVBOmRU7IZAKybXXKrRDu7gBQXGFGCwNmhQg1TzlT0ZV27oZw/s320/shadowstandingbig.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>Well my dear friends it has been awhile since my last post. I swear that I didn't intend on letting an entire year pass. I don't intend to let that happen again. It feels good to get the writing juices flowing again and letting the blogosphere know of my thoughts and opinions. So in essence folks, Mr. Shadow 33 is back and he is rearing to go!mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-26378530987579890172010-05-19T13:42:00.000-07:002010-05-19T13:49:41.365-07:00QUOTE OF THE WEEK: MALCOLM X<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4B3z4QmOH-4qhaEfooSFDsliL8kv7bRnxc5nflVu0sEZnZA4pTATyou0fxmlLw1chIKeHlnXY-zNo6OVAwYGbNqfXaEHYbBVqPM4iXpGjOpWo5SZTgFYX6vf8xphQt6Z0O7NPtM-KA/s1600/114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4B3z4QmOH-4qhaEfooSFDsliL8kv7bRnxc5nflVu0sEZnZA4pTATyou0fxmlLw1chIKeHlnXY-zNo6OVAwYGbNqfXaEHYbBVqPM4iXpGjOpWo5SZTgFYX6vf8xphQt6Z0O7NPtM-KA/s400/114.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19px;">"You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it."</span></blockquote>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-8180470195138083122010-05-19T13:32:00.000-07:002010-05-19T13:32:49.669-07:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALCOLM X<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvBej-OWEQY12hjMe3zmS8TexnunQk4imE0iTxE5TvDAksMGmChgKcjQgb2DyNxejOi4oSWsHP8sU5R7bcbgresXvFP3z5p6sFBpW2Zt5ve33v2H2ljpS17rPn61fL8G-4MDA9uPiUQ/s1600/059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvBej-OWEQY12hjMe3zmS8TexnunQk4imE0iTxE5TvDAksMGmChgKcjQgb2DyNxejOi4oSWsHP8sU5R7bcbgresXvFP3z5p6sFBpW2Zt5ve33v2H2ljpS17rPn61fL8G-4MDA9uPiUQ/s400/059.jpg" width="362" /></a></div><br />
Brother Malcolm X would have turned 85 today had he still been with us in the physical sense. However, his spirit is very much alive and we as a people must continue in our own ways to push forward the the things that he believed in and essentially died for: the total equality of our people and the liberation of our people. If he were standing here I believe he would tell us that while we have come a long way and achieved much, there is still so much that we must do to help our people achive total lberation. Peace be with you and Sister Betty always Brother Malcolm.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-47346483125235023922010-05-19T13:11:00.000-07:002010-05-19T13:11:56.872-07:00BILL COSBY KEEPS ENTERTAINING AND SOLDIERS ON FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUnV7X9cB07_OAVEy_arL9bNhkmTk50DXEfcTuuTZJ4ptjkgUO-UvccOt7KHGhuKmH7zX2Dx6gyH38MWOVah-itM86w7LHOwzz06ywSEezSUxAJ8k7J2x3tQcy2rLZBnjxWmYQIHnHQ/s1600/BILL+COSBY_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUnV7X9cB07_OAVEy_arL9bNhkmTk50DXEfcTuuTZJ4ptjkgUO-UvccOt7KHGhuKmH7zX2Dx6gyH38MWOVah-itM86w7LHOwzz06ywSEezSUxAJ8k7J2x3tQcy2rLZBnjxWmYQIHnHQ/s320/BILL+COSBY_2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I grew up with Bill Cosby during the time of his wonderful cartoon "Fat Albert" and of course the classic sitcom "The Cosby Show". These were much watch shows in my household . In fact, when the Cosby show ended after eight years in 1992, I was 18 and ready to go to college.<br />
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His accomplishments are legendary in an almost 50 year career but I equally adire him for the dedication he has always shown for education. He has long been an active participant and supporter of Civil Rights and marched and worked with many of its key leaders. He has not been afraid to speak out on issues pertaining to the Black community even when it is not appreciated and is criticized and mocked by others. No matter what personal issues have befallen him, he continues to speak out.<br />
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On the entertaining front, Mr. Cosby has just recently<a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/hello-jell-o-bill-cosby-and-jell-o-reunite-to-bring-about-smiles-2010-05-17"> inked a deal with Jello </a>with whom he made mant classic commercials in the past to direct and produce new material and will be part of a nationwide campaign by the brand. <a href="http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/35750/">He appeared on the Tonight Show</a> last night and did a complete stand up act sitting down and made note that it was completely clean material. Truly the mark of a master.<br />
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So I will continue to admire and support the eforts of Bill Cosby in trying to uplift our communities out of the negative mire. Do I agree with everything he says? No of course not but I appreciate his willingness to put the issues out there and can find much to agree with him.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-36349638958334061822010-05-18T10:50:00.000-07:002010-05-18T15:17:33.237-07:00Political Cartoon: Graduation By Bob Engleheart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DWpYS3hjq8qYuB16FZsPsn2vAfGOCqHB6EowMHS_nYVWLQ9mnPkseOzV5o-E6dEqV4TkAg7TG67aJw2NhStnzNVdBQdotv8syat49eMmBGX5oq1FYzhjXQ6meSHpiE7AERwQuwcGOg/s1600/%7B8ca87aa6-097f-4a22-9b03-c70e5744e8a3%7D.gif.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DWpYS3hjq8qYuB16FZsPsn2vAfGOCqHB6EowMHS_nYVWLQ9mnPkseOzV5o-E6dEqV4TkAg7TG67aJw2NhStnzNVdBQdotv8syat49eMmBGX5oq1FYzhjXQ6meSHpiE7AERwQuwcGOg/s320/%7B8ca87aa6-097f-4a22-9b03-c70e5744e8a3%7D.gif.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-42934929496372887932010-05-14T17:56:00.000-07:002010-05-14T17:59:58.855-07:00Rep. Maxine Waters Isues Lakeesha Alert For Mitrice RichardsonI found this today from my colleague over at Electronic Village concerning the ongoing saga in the dissapearance of Mitrice Richardson, who has been missing since September of last year. My thanks go out to you my Brother.<br />
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From <b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_737356911">Electronic Village</a></b><a href="http://may%2014%2C%202010%20rep.%20maxine%20waters%20issues%20lakeesha%20alert%20for%20mitrice%20richardson%20%20%20%20%20%20mitrice%20richardson%20has%20been%20missing%20for%20over%20a%20year.%20the%20mainstream%20media%20doesn%27t%20appear%20to%20care.%20the%20amber%20alert%20system%20isn%27t%20working%20for%20this%20nubian%20sister%20...%20so%20it%20is%20good%20to%20see%20that%20a%20lakeesha%20alert%20is%20being%20sent%20by%20u.s.%20rep%20maxine%20waters%20%28d-los%20angeles%29.%20rep.%20waters%20asked%20the%20department%20of%20justice%20to%20investigate%20the%20disappearance%20of%20mitrice%2C%20who%20was%20released%20in%20september%20from%20the%20malibu/Lost%20Hills%20Sheriff's%20Station.%20[SOURCE]%20%20%20Mitrice%20Richardson%20was%20arrested%20at%20Geoffrey's,%20a%20Malibu%20restaurant,%20for%20not%20paying%20an%20$89%20dinner%20bill.%20Deputies%20who%20took%20the%20Cal%20State%20Fullerton%20graduate%20into%20custody%20described%20her%20as%20%22coherent%20and%20rational,%22%20Los%20Angeles%20County%20Sheriff%20Lee%20Baca%20told%20the%20Board%20of%20Supervisors%20in%20a%20letter.%20%20%20Waters%20asked%20the%20Justice%20Department%20in%20a%20May%205%20letter%20to%20investigate%20alleged%20civil%20rights%20violations%20by%20the%20deputies.%20%20%20%22I%20believe%20that%20Mitrice's%20civil%20rights%20were%20violated%20when%20she%20was%20arrested%20and%20then%20let%20go%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20night%20without%20money,%20a%20phone%20or%20transportation,%22%20Waters%20said.%20Steve%20Whitmore,%20a%20spokesman%20for%20the%20department,%20said%20that%20the%20deputies%20followed%20policy.%20%20%20%20%22We%20believe%20that%20everything%20was%20done%20right,%22%20he%20said,%20adding%20that%20Baca%20%22obviously%20believes%20that%20nobody's%20civil%20rights%20have%20been%20violated.%22%20Waters%20previously%20had%20asked%20the%20FBI%20to%20investigate%20the%20disappearance,%20but%20she%20said%20she%20was%20told%20by%20the%20agency%20that%20it%20does%20not%20probe%20adult%20missing%20persons.%20%20Mitrice's%2025th%20birthday%20was%20April%2030th.%20Let's%20hope%20that%20she%20is%20found%20sooner%20rather%20than%20later.%20I%20encourage%20other%20bloggers%20to%20share%20the%20Lakeesha%20Alert%20for%20Mitrice%20Richardson%20with%20their%20blog%20readers!"> </a>May 14, 2010:<br />
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<a href="http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/search/label/Mitrice%20Richardson"><strong>Mitrice Richardson</strong></a><strong> has been </strong><a href="http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/2009/11/lakeesha-alert-mitrice-richardson-is.html"><strong>missing for over a year</strong></a>. The mainstream media doesn't appear to care. The Amber Alert system isn't working for this nubian sister ... so it is good to see that a <a href="http://knockthehustleblog.typepad.com/hustleknockin/2008/05/lakeesha-alert.html">Lakeesha Alert</a> is being sent by U.S. Rep Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles). <strong>Rep. Waters asked the Department of Justice to investigate the disappearance of Mitrice, who was released in September from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station.</strong> [<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/05/mitrice-richardson.html">SOURCE</a>]<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKzBYRLtGVUGT-jC7plWSpsAxhcWvsBUn6q4WHIpY4Mo3UqAu3g97oyWts4mz2Ic9_5T98hYmflMd2wlUo0sp42VUh7XOiSztRensoQxiJnzaYE8eTIqkJycZLPSnT0FKwjS0cQ6m8N44/s1600/MitriceRichardson-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKzBYRLtGVUGT-jC7plWSpsAxhcWvsBUn6q4WHIpY4Mo3UqAu3g97oyWts4mz2Ic9_5T98hYmflMd2wlUo0sp42VUh7XOiSztRensoQxiJnzaYE8eTIqkJycZLPSnT0FKwjS0cQ6m8N44/s200/MitriceRichardson-3.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></a></div>Mitrice Richardson was arrested at Geoffrey's, a Malibu restaurant, for not paying an $89 dinner bill. Deputies who took the Cal State Fullerton graduate into custody described her as "coherent and rational," Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca told the Board of Supervisors in a letter. <br />
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<strong>Waters asked the Justice Department in a May 5 letter to investigate alleged civil rights violations by the deputies</strong>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"<i>I believe that Mitrice's civil rights were violated when she was arrested and then let go in the middle of the night without money, a phone or transportation</i>," Waters said.</blockquote>Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the department, said that the deputies followed policy. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>"<i>We believe that everything was done right</i>," he said, adding that Baca "<i>obviously believes that nobody's civil rights have been violated</i>."</blockquote>Waters previously had asked the FBI to investigate the disappearance, but she said she was told by the agency that it does not probe adult missing persons.<br />
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Mitrice's <a href="http://blog.blackandmissing.org/2010/04/30/still-missing-happy-25th-birthday-mitrice-richardson/">25th birthday</a> was April 30th. Let's hope that she is found sooner rather than later. <b>I encourage other bloggers to share the <a href="http://knockthehustleblog.typepad.com/hustleknockin/2008/05/lakeesha-alert.html">Lakeesha Alert</a> for Mitrice Richardson with their blog readers!</b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-59672169933994329222010-05-13T16:50:00.000-07:002010-05-13T16:50:44.183-07:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVIE WONDER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIXYQuIq9j9ygWsqWjguUWkZ4LVkXbXA_ciA32RUTkK9et2ciuUmDTS9WjbA4Qy1apYN3YEo1CgD8-7gNiRlg6UyR4BWk01HKqfJtCAsycgf279sClDLoT8dqBBiEgiaHCJBFqXLu2Q/s1600/stevie-wonder-arrival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIXYQuIq9j9ygWsqWjguUWkZ4LVkXbXA_ciA32RUTkK9et2ciuUmDTS9WjbA4Qy1apYN3YEo1CgD8-7gNiRlg6UyR4BWk01HKqfJtCAsycgf279sClDLoT8dqBBiEgiaHCJBFqXLu2Q/s400/stevie-wonder-arrival.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br />
<br />
A very happy birthday goes out to Stevie Wonder who turns 60 today. In addition to being a all around musical genius and entertainer, he is also the owner of the only Black owned radio station that is left in Southern California; 102.3 KJLH. He has opened the door for so many others over the years and continues to do so. May the Creator continue to bless you as you continue your remarkable career.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-88271821071553994912010-05-13T16:40:00.000-07:002010-05-13T16:40:54.041-07:00TREMENDOUS THURSDAYS: AUTUMN ADKINS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="hd" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 11px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static; zoom: 1;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxSS6I5PlBwBTR3sPxgttnuw0lk8s2EDp9dYyKo21Et5W5dzndaqmPtInPobRX_YegF9ljRUvHSFn873pVeLqSi7DGzvTXhjpjajUy5CH_EvRwWXu64Vanr2Wor7EtwLESMEjtxf4Hg/s1600/Autumn-Adkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxSS6I5PlBwBTR3sPxgttnuw0lk8s2EDp9dYyKo21Et5W5dzndaqmPtInPobRX_YegF9ljRUvHSFn873pVeLqSi7DGzvTXhjpjajUy5CH_EvRwWXu64Vanr2Wor7EtwLESMEjtxf4Hg/s400/Autumn-Adkins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><h1 id="yn-title" style="font-family: georgia, times, serif; font-size: 28px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Black woman leads former whites-only Philly school</h1></div><div class="bd" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 11px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; zoom: 1;"><div class="byline" style="color: #777777; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><cite class="vcard" style="color: #777777; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">By KATHY MATHESON, Associated Press Writer </cite></div><div class="yn-story-content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">PHILADELPHIA – The <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_0">private boarding school</span> for underprivileged students now led by Autumn Adkins, who describes herself simply as "a black girl from Richmond, Virginia," would have excluded her in years past.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The one-time white boys-only institution in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_1">Philadelphia</span> did not admit its first black student until 1968 — and that was only after numerous legal challenges, months of protests, a visit from <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; cursor: pointer;">Martin Luther King Jr</span>. and a ruling by the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_3" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; cursor: pointer;">U.S. Supreme Court</span>. Girls weren't allowed until 1984.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; cursor: pointer;">Girard College</span> — a misnomer, as it serves first- through 12th-graders — has come a long way since being established by the richest man you never heard of. And as its newest president, the 37-year-old Adkins is determined to take it further, raising the school's profile by giving its students "a true 21st-century education."</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"I have been really putting a lot of energy around making school exciting," Adkins said. "It needs to be engaging. I've said to several of my administrators, I don't want teachers wasting kids' time — they're young. It's just not fair."</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_5" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; cursor: pointer;">Stephen Girard</span>, a French-born sea captain, amassed a fortune through shipping, trading and banking after coming to Philadelphia in 1776. He helped the U.S. finance the War of 1812 and, when he died in 1831, was likely the wealthiest man in America.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Girard left about $6 million (approximately $146 million in today's money) to the city of Philadelphia, mostly to build and endow a tuition-free school for poor, fatherless white boys. The "college" opened in 1848 and, until now, had been run exclusively by white men. Its first president was Benjamin Franklin's great-grandson.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The school's overseers were not looking to make history after the most recent president retired. But they were bowled over by Adkins' enthusiasm, work ethic, rigorous standards and an impressive resume that includes degrees from the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_6" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; cursor: pointer;">University of Virginia</span> and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_7" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; cursor: pointer;">Columbia University's Teachers College</span>.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"She is highly intelligent, she is highly driven, she is extremely communicative," said Peter Shoemaker, chairman of the board of managers. "She has evolved a very clear vision for the school."</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Raised in an upper-middle class Virginia suburb, Adkins' passion for education was inspired in part by<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_8">teenage volunteer work</span> in poor neighborhoods. She was struck by the narrow life experiences of the children there, and later wrote in a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_9">college application</span> that she dreamed of starting a boarding school for underprivileged students.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Girard is the realization of that dream.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Following high-level posts at the elite <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_10">Friends Seminary School</span> in New York and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_11">Sidwell Friends School</span> in Washington, D.C., Adkins arrived last summer at Girard's 43-acre campus.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The school looks like a slice of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_12">New England</span> in rough North Philadelphia: Students in blue and burgundy blazers stroll grassy quads amid stone buildings, playing fields and a soaring chapel. The grandly columned Founder's Hall — the original school building — was planned by <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_13">Thomas Ustick Walter</span>, who designed the dome of the U.S. Capitol.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Yet Girard's imposing walls and entrance gate became symbols of segregation when trustees refused to admit African-American students. Local activists picketed for months outside the school in 1965; King visited that August, declaring "the walls of segregation would come tumbling down." In 1968, they did.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Today, most of Girard's 620 students are black and half are female; all come from low-income families headed by a single parent or guardian. Students are selected based on an assessment test, family interview and, if older than first grade, an academic transcript.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Adkins — the descendant of a slave — believes <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_14">Stephen Girard</span> would support diversity and that the restrictions in his will, which she has read, simply reflect the era in which he lived.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The new civil rights struggle, she says, is to make urban education competitive with its suburban peer.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">To that end, Adkins plans to broaden the curriculum, modernize the facilities and increase teacher salaries. She also wants to better prepare students for life outside the walls; while nearly all Girard students are accepted to college, less than half get a degree in six years, school officials say.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The school's $25 million annual budget comes almost entirely from the Girard estate's securities, real estate and mining investments, which suffered during the recession. Financial records show the trust's value dropped from $309 million in 2008 to $204 million last year, prompting Adkins to launch aggressive fundraising plans.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"I do have real concerns," Adkins said. "Will we be able to educate as many children as we should be?"</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The new president is a vibrant presence on campus, doling out hugs, handshakes and banter. She hosts small groups of students at the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_15">president's house</span> for "family" meals — a chance for Adkins to know them better, and to expose them to sit-down dinners they may not get at home.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"I've learned an enormous amount from the students," Adkins said. "They're interesting, they're thoughtful, they're inquisitive — they deserve the kind of education that complements that."</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Sophomore Olayinka Lawal said when she first saw a picture of Adkins last year, she was most struck by the new president being young and female. That Adkins is black was almost an afterthought, Lawal said, coming as it did the same year <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272221714_16">Barack Obama</span> became the nation's first African-American president.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"It just fit perfectly, it really did," she said. "It was like, wow, what a mirror!"</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">___</div></div></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-6624130101068371972010-05-11T15:25:00.000-07:002010-05-11T15:25:30.040-07:00SWEEPING OUT THE JAZZ: LAKERS WIN SEMIFINAL SERIES 4-0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye1RzVMQq6Day8HRQ6JEhuse61Ls2hECCg8itx89YmFULn8gxS8cdoShoVoepqpgzd3-3xCjaOHgsK94Jp5Wja9y2seiimhCSrFniA6XTPaA5AqyyboWHxGwRHCg0yopY72CHk3K42Q/s1600/53700255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye1RzVMQq6Day8HRQ6JEhuse61Ls2hECCg8itx89YmFULn8gxS8cdoShoVoepqpgzd3-3xCjaOHgsK94Jp5Wja9y2seiimhCSrFniA6XTPaA5AqyyboWHxGwRHCg0yopY72CHk3K42Q/s320/53700255.jpg" /></a></div>This was a nice surprise and I am so glad to be wrong. As previously mentioned your humble blogger predicted that the Lakers would beat the Utah Jazz in five games. So the Lakers go on after their close victory on Saturday and beat them again pretty easily 111-96. Now the Lakers get a week's worth of rest while they prepare for the red hot Phoenix Suns. Oh and to those classless so called fans who kept heckling Dereck Fisher and wearing t-shirts saying "Fisher lied" because he chose to leave the team after a season to find the best medical facility for his then ailing daughter and happened to re-sign with the Lakers: You got what you deserved and I'm glad you got your asses whipped. Now on to the Suns and I predict victory in five games..yes I'm carrying it over from the previous series.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5562Bcgi_ewLq2WVKoVn72GJpo3MdlY1N9FQ1FOQZjvJjj1Nifm5u_Uf1X3YQtQoIgNM3mQXt4v5MnoLyqEz5LhDDr19FBVXV-hOChZDX6NP2byB4vIKmvg4Gx0WmQGkLBYbOMfyztg/s1600/53700074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5562Bcgi_ewLq2WVKoVn72GJpo3MdlY1N9FQ1FOQZjvJjj1Nifm5u_Uf1X3YQtQoIgNM3mQXt4v5MnoLyqEz5LhDDr19FBVXV-hOChZDX6NP2byB4vIKmvg4Gx0WmQGkLBYbOMfyztg/s320/53700074.jpg" /></a></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-40994581536959968492010-05-10T12:23:00.000-07:002010-05-10T13:10:53.848-07:00QUOTE OF THE WEEK: LENA HORNE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSFZaHoCOKHxkXzm8wRD_BJ7nEH0U9h43cNaR5Iltm_xjOlq3duvpRSpDYcqySqUf5wYnhyphenhyphen3q5bGreubZgUSz0QfjU6s9bE3JFUnCmz_Teyb9kQ7Ub1pCxajhq0Tc14ck0pgm5b7blw/s1600/r2884295120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSFZaHoCOKHxkXzm8wRD_BJ7nEH0U9h43cNaR5Iltm_xjOlq3duvpRSpDYcqySqUf5wYnhyphenhyphen3q5bGreubZgUSz0QfjU6s9bE3JFUnCmz_Teyb9kQ7Ub1pCxajhq0Tc14ck0pgm5b7blw/s320/r2884295120.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;">“My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. I’m free. I no longer have to be a ‘credit.’ I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"></span></div><div><br />
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</span></span></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-43834029278359171872010-05-10T11:51:00.000-07:002010-05-10T11:51:21.822-07:00LEGENDARY ENTERTAINER LENA HORNE PASSES AWAY AT 92<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCowSbUu4AMPuoQQ2T7-62ZLFeWEZ41LC6TOUolZLuMM761xp2AnoDT85WhkF7-rUeWPHfQ_PDLhi-_DOcyNdUjsjlb7t6HSmhW2ExAQWCU-xdD7WTUvMrHfBW6fQ5sefVco5zUWEwQ/s1600/capt.photo_1273472307710-1-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCowSbUu4AMPuoQQ2T7-62ZLFeWEZ41LC6TOUolZLuMM761xp2AnoDT85WhkF7-rUeWPHfQ_PDLhi-_DOcyNdUjsjlb7t6HSmhW2ExAQWCU-xdD7WTUvMrHfBW6fQ5sefVco5zUWEwQ/s320/capt.photo_1273472307710-1-0.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100510/ap_on_en_mu/us_obit_horne;_ylt=Aud_wmpdbkESKW82cmhcZkqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFpcHNoZzVoBHBvcwMyMgRzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX21vc3RfcG9wdWxhcgRzbGsDYmFycmllci1icmVh">Lena Horne has died.</a> A woman who exuded strength, grace and beauty while breaking down racial barriers in an almost fifty year career has gone on to be on the eternal stage. She was among the first Black performersx to sing with a white band and was included with the few Black performers to have a contract with a major studio in the 1940's. Her rendition of "Stormy Weather" from the all Black musical of the same thing is to me the definitive version of the song. She won a Tony award for her one woman show "The Lady and Her Music" in 1981. She was the embodiement of an entertainer, a singer, dancer and actor and excelling at them all.<br />
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Finally there was her activism and commitment to the cause of human and civil rights. She endured many indignities and attacks of racism for years such as scenes of her in movies being cut out due to pressure from the south. These only served to embolden her and she became a staunch supporter of the Civil rights movement. She suffered much but she blazed a trail for all of us to follow and we must always do our best to honor those like Dr. Dorothy Height and Benjamin Hooks who we recently lost as well as Ms. Horne.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Lena Horne</div><div style="text-align: center;">1917-2010</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYIakesTZL_JQkA4M9e6HRKHdazKnrcpHc33fYijmCOFDPaU_vokB7JkaiOm2QpJBq_2PbxOA45aBmhlWTvjDQfd2-9V9dJhEX2G_Gv95NJtXu-gOs1kh5fchYxsBIl1HeySyDJaUSA/s1600/capt.1ef17e13ed2441a09236db6b962d3be3-1ef17e13ed2441a09236db6b962d3be3-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYIakesTZL_JQkA4M9e6HRKHdazKnrcpHc33fYijmCOFDPaU_vokB7JkaiOm2QpJBq_2PbxOA45aBmhlWTvjDQfd2-9V9dJhEX2G_Gv95NJtXu-gOs1kh5fchYxsBIl1HeySyDJaUSA/s320/capt.1ef17e13ed2441a09236db6b962d3be3-1ef17e13ed2441a09236db6b962d3be3-0.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-82769969260328617372010-05-06T10:01:00.000-07:002010-05-06T10:01:26.464-07:00TREMENDOUS THURSDAYS: AMBASSADOR HARRY THOMAS JR.This is a new feature on this blog and is inspired by the Good News Tuesday segments by Ms. Symphony over at Essential Presence. The segment will highlight the achievements of African American and other Africans around the world in various areas.<br />
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The first feature is on the first Black Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry Thomas Jr.<br />
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From Phillipine News:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaUyXLkcI5x5xLr0Sbh1sXJ2NAi_-spmUIY6cBIlD0OJ9acs4suIR8z26YohvNkrSZb_ziffGtr9qmGC96xuLq5Iagw3vOCpw578HGEjFEbdwY3UX27eI9YiCJYeQZlnLyvzeNaDXsw/s1600/harrykthomas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaUyXLkcI5x5xLr0Sbh1sXJ2NAi_-spmUIY6cBIlD0OJ9acs4suIR8z26YohvNkrSZb_ziffGtr9qmGC96xuLq5Iagw3vOCpw578HGEjFEbdwY3UX27eI9YiCJYeQZlnLyvzeNaDXsw/s320/harrykthomas.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, sans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">The first African American envoy to the Philippines, Harry K. Thomas, arrived here April 10. The U.S. Embassy said Thomas spent his time learning Tagalog while waiting for his confirmation to be approved. On March 19, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm his appointment.<br />
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Thomas first joined the Foreign Service in 1984 and previously served in the White House as director for South Asia at the National Security Council from 2001 to 2002. His last ambassadorial assignment was in Bangladesh from 2003 to 2005.A career diplomat, he served most recently as director general of the Foreign Service and director of Human Resources. His other postings included India, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Peru.<br />
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Thomas is from New York and speaks Spanish, Hindi, and Bangla.He is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and pursued further studies at Columbia University. He is married to a jazz singer Ericka Ovette. Thomas revealed his father was in the Philippines after World War II and that he had a great time with Filipinos.<br />
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He will replace Kristie Kenney -- the first female ambassador to the Philippines -- who is departing after four years.<br />
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</span>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-54045034002871554092010-05-05T10:29:00.000-07:002010-05-05T10:29:12.687-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qGvZOFoP4nyd6aq049A6Jwxib_DQ60KfhM8qmn-6sT7OjRBgXJHFye_Vffh3X8QsYX329uHgRxoZISb3Vu2zM8e8DSM1uOR13sDeN-HknnSHzIpWQ-ZBrMt6OsQORdaIwNK6XsD5kw/s1600/53620522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qGvZOFoP4nyd6aq049A6Jwxib_DQ60KfhM8qmn-6sT7OjRBgXJHFye_Vffh3X8QsYX329uHgRxoZISb3Vu2zM8e8DSM1uOR13sDeN-HknnSHzIpWQ-ZBrMt6OsQORdaIwNK6XsD5kw/s320/53620522.jpg" /></a></div>Ahh,,another Laker victory. Yes the Jazz cut the Laker's 15 point lead to 4 in the fourth quarter but the Lakers fought them off to an eight point victory. Hey the Jazz will not stop playing so I can take this victory as a sign of victory for this series. Despite the 2-0 lead, I will stick to my prediction of the Lakers winning this series in five games.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-69750982726197281702010-05-03T14:02:00.000-07:002010-05-03T14:02:00.319-07:00NEW FASHION FOR LAKER STAR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2WbuO4cKvNxhwZg8xA6AvRU8WpyCWMnIhUtUCfh7zVwwhfyOJ2w-kXmV89E2YXXr9V2HKfSuQAXxD5UHFAvdl0nwPKcN4T0uz6cMsXx4owKcFWLykmZHaC8y6eORMbibkErgGeFKDA/s1600/ept_sports_nba_experts-514607906-1272904196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2WbuO4cKvNxhwZg8xA6AvRU8WpyCWMnIhUtUCfh7zVwwhfyOJ2w-kXmV89E2YXXr9V2HKfSuQAXxD5UHFAvdl0nwPKcN4T0uz6cMsXx4owKcFWLykmZHaC8y6eORMbibkErgGeFKDA/s320/ept_sports_nba_experts-514607906-1272904196.jpg" /></a></div>I had to put this up after I spotted this in a <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Kobe-Wardrobe-that-s-all-white-This-just-does?urn=nba,238277">yahoo article</a> and yes your eyes do not decieve you, that is Kobe Bryant dressed in all white. He is featured in an article in the L.A. Times Magazine from this past sunday. All I can say is....ummh, ummh,... I guess he's starting a new fashion trend.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-30715900275146750522010-05-03T13:44:00.000-07:002010-05-03T13:44:41.570-07:00LAKERS WIN GAME 1 AGAINST THE JAZZ 104-99<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxRxQMffdgNgmspzZKXsrJnzO-AobYzGirbkHo2khDydLLmmqy3beR03rWeCqGmt4ks8iNDqoQDij5zVct-Hg-jdkSgQKY1QgjBz7nh9gq4UibpyjQEnP9QX0h-lOmLKFwFj9IubmWw/s1600/53585495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxRxQMffdgNgmspzZKXsrJnzO-AobYzGirbkHo2khDydLLmmqy3beR03rWeCqGmt4ks8iNDqoQDij5zVct-Hg-jdkSgQKY1QgjBz7nh9gq4UibpyjQEnP9QX0h-lOmLKFwFj9IubmWw/s320/53585495.jpg" /></a></div><br />
O.K. I am glad that the Lakers squeezed out a game 1 victory against Utah for a 1-0 series lead. However, I did not like the team squandering a 14 point lead and falling behind by four points in the fourth quarter. Despite this I had no doubt that the Lakers would win but do they have to do it this way? The reserves need to stop fooling around and play like they are supposed to and not lose leads in games. I also don't like that Andrew Bynum is injured again. I think after they win the title again...yes I said it!!... that the Lakers have to make some serious moves in the offseason. As for this series, Lakers in five games.<br />
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</span></span>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-16587042274794604732010-04-22T11:29:00.000-07:002010-04-22T11:30:34.867-07:00HAPPY EARTH DAY: 40 YEARS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu-ody6UGfcTeLlk5uDLqrRQ3ZNBRBAG04PxrYK-RASjfZpScFBi3jC3o-sdjt4Hq4OqLgAwWw-pOI8RPezznxjW6f45C5ss9hK9zVx80rJbwzW86zTuWp7GJizuURruVegUTS46eOg/s1600/earthday2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu-ody6UGfcTeLlk5uDLqrRQ3ZNBRBAG04PxrYK-RASjfZpScFBi3jC3o-sdjt4Hq4OqLgAwWw-pOI8RPezznxjW6f45C5ss9hK9zVx80rJbwzW86zTuWp7GJizuURruVegUTS46eOg/s320/earthday2005.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;">Let us use this day as a springboard to taking care of this planet every day. So strive to recycle and conserve so that we can leave this world in a much better shape for the next generations.</span>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-42118010883477787162010-04-20T13:03:00.000-07:002010-04-20T13:03:08.928-07:00CIVIL RIGHTS WARRIOR AND PIONEER DR. DOROTHY HEIGHT DIES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKET2Cb2Bx8LoZuzI8OK17BLdD0GtC4vpg-0EfSQysB31WCr0pajwL4nLueC-fhsm3g9xx6qK36Y0P4l7OVkWG_T3sfENX8ZU1DbE6NqL0pP62TtddrA6GZRFtMeCAR9KByVydL30isg/s1600/AR-VP-FamilyReunion-Height-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKET2Cb2Bx8LoZuzI8OK17BLdD0GtC4vpg-0EfSQysB31WCr0pajwL4nLueC-fhsm3g9xx6qK36Y0P4l7OVkWG_T3sfENX8ZU1DbE6NqL0pP62TtddrA6GZRFtMeCAR9KByVydL30isg/s320/AR-VP-FamilyReunion-Height-.jpg" /></a></div>Just on the heels of the passing of former NAACP head Benjamin Hooks, another warrior in the continuing struggle for human and civil rights, Dr. Dorothy Height has passed on.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-44633146333908694782010-04-20T11:14:00.000-07:002010-04-22T11:32:59.256-07:00IN MEMORIAM: HIP HOP ICON GURU FROM GANG STARR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKf78RZ29z2vStRvkNDMpY7DgO5Mh4yqCO_kQWoqLDPZaMKreM8g3EFl89bB_6GaLU37a6AmfhwM5EL8a9Z3ZlzNJC-261AY6YLKHokFrQXHUhFjojFJ5HmrErgV8mjIQzo8MZtn1-g/s1600/guru2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKf78RZ29z2vStRvkNDMpY7DgO5Mh4yqCO_kQWoqLDPZaMKreM8g3EFl89bB_6GaLU37a6AmfhwM5EL8a9Z3ZlzNJC-261AY6YLKHokFrQXHUhFjojFJ5HmrErgV8mjIQzo8MZtn1-g/s320/guru2.jpg" width="320" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
One of Hip Hop's royalty <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-100420-guru-gang-starr-dead,0,5699575.story?track=rss">has passed on due to complications of cancer</a>. May he be well and performing with the other great performs on the other side. Rest well Keith Elam aka :"GURU"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugYRnxNgHG7riJLNIdHht4H82Gh0zczXDLPMEZ5r-DeREsec1PUF-HCz9n5AUwfmNb05c3nCu4hSBoEoBJBhjxzwvrxoCK4uA0DE8eDLahTEhKAkXLEaEBj079VObTwweRomBobu_TA/s1600/gangstarr-daily-300x298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugYRnxNgHG7riJLNIdHht4H82Gh0zczXDLPMEZ5r-DeREsec1PUF-HCz9n5AUwfmNb05c3nCu4hSBoEoBJBhjxzwvrxoCK4uA0DE8eDLahTEhKAkXLEaEBj079VObTwweRomBobu_TA/s200/gangstarr-daily-300x298.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-100418078363430912010-04-19T16:05:00.000-07:002010-04-20T10:47:47.798-07:00LAKERS WIN GAME 1 AGAINST THE THUNDER 87-79<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4SMVdXpM07z8nI_wJYjEwCqNx6WlFIQzgmdkHgqk5EYmFc0HOQERGpLat_1-9k-kf62_Fx2BjdRFTOw3dQVZoNda1PfHbcYK-vDdxs7f4eJ8S_bjnHCpL9qgwSM2KortSzewwSRdsw/s1600/53370615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4SMVdXpM07z8nI_wJYjEwCqNx6WlFIQzgmdkHgqk5EYmFc0HOQERGpLat_1-9k-kf62_Fx2BjdRFTOw3dQVZoNda1PfHbcYK-vDdxs7f4eJ8S_bjnHCpL9qgwSM2KortSzewwSRdsw/s400/53370615.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Well the game started off great and then ended on a ho-hum level. Yes, it is a victory and of course the Lakers will take it. However, they are going to have to play much better. This should have been a victory in the double digit area. Anyway, as a fan I look forward to much better playing from Kobe, Pau, D Fish and big Andrew Bynum on tuesday and get a 2-0 lead in this series.mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-91284733203985036812010-04-19T15:51:00.000-07:002010-04-20T10:48:58.400-07:00DAUGHTER IS A SUCCESS AFTER THE ORDEAL OF LOSING HER MOTHER IN THE BOMBINGFound this today on Yahoo and had to post it. This <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100419/ap_on_re_us/us_oklahoma_city_bombing_the_children_4">story about Dion Thomas </a>who lost her mother in the Oklahoma City bombing and the grief and soul searching she had to do in the aftermath. She drifted in and out while she tried to find her way after the loss of her mother. Her grades once in the A's and B's, slipped to D's and F's as she struggled to cope.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyltF2FSh_fAuJqiEXH01Y1UR1ANmvTlLYaLX7aQeg8LBuG3hnRf_-e-HJPzZzKbJuztnxAvsMhKVZ62lVXYvgut5FOFuzr7Fu1DcgIzEtT6ga7JLgnr4rCfEZsROQmTafRR-GNyEdA/s1600/20100419233040408g1_233805_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyltF2FSh_fAuJqiEXH01Y1UR1ANmvTlLYaLX7aQeg8LBuG3hnRf_-e-HJPzZzKbJuztnxAvsMhKVZ62lVXYvgut5FOFuzr7Fu1DcgIzEtT6ga7JLgnr4rCfEZsROQmTafRR-GNyEdA/s400/20100419233040408g1_233805_0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
She eventually went into the Army and found stability and purpose. Today she is a college graduate working on getting an advanced degree in speech pathology. Sometimes we have to find the good in the world so we are not overwhelmed with the negative.<br />
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Dion's grandmother put it simply; "Out of evil there is good...and she found some good."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITzJtm0FTG4_pdShfgzNtD2VWde4NjJx6inIUjlZ6JTlm-sFkxYOwKDaUsdh7FBvzAKqVaAMhHsifKt-8CcsZnA0gUBWNgw102O_HRiduRtK2zrjzhAxANrmdPYndm5r8zZqxnREYJA/s1600/dt2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITzJtm0FTG4_pdShfgzNtD2VWde4NjJx6inIUjlZ6JTlm-sFkxYOwKDaUsdh7FBvzAKqVaAMhHsifKt-8CcsZnA0gUBWNgw102O_HRiduRtK2zrjzhAxANrmdPYndm5r8zZqxnREYJA/s400/dt2.bmp" width="400" /></a></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599167862241468915.post-17471293693569911232010-04-19T15:20:00.000-07:002010-04-20T10:50:33.590-07:0015th ANNIVERSARY OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBINGI"m sure that many of you can remember the day of this horrific and cowardly homegrown terrorist attack on the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City back in 1995. I was in college then and remember being glued to one of the screens in the student lounge absolutely stunned at the aftermath and of all of the innocent men, women and children who lost their lives. Considering the atmosphere that this country is in, we would do well to remember the havoc and destruction that Timothy McVeigh unleashed upon this country. I know he has been dead for several years know but If there is any kind of cosmic and divine justice, he is experiencing an eternal and cruel punishment in the afterlife.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Speaking of him, MSNBC will air "The McVeigh Tapes" tonight at 9pm est and 6pm pst hosted by Rachel Maddow.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrFbFqO891n-Zwb-IGmaTzGQBlMPbsXb-bsPqFDYK0N8rx8f6h9taPLPQp_IhMVbRbiiZBrWQcgQadzsLX-hjYCK6b4oQO22JsPG1E-ETuC8eH04KOJPEK5o1xFNo6qWqnHdUDW-3sQ/s1600/capt_6fbc9cfc392245828509ef6b55ee92dd-6fbc9cfc392245828509ef6b55ee92dd-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrFbFqO891n-Zwb-IGmaTzGQBlMPbsXb-bsPqFDYK0N8rx8f6h9taPLPQp_IhMVbRbiiZBrWQcgQadzsLX-hjYCK6b4oQO22JsPG1E-ETuC8eH04KOJPEK5o1xFNo6qWqnHdUDW-3sQ/s320/capt_6fbc9cfc392245828509ef6b55ee92dd-6fbc9cfc392245828509ef6b55ee92dd-0.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>mrshadow33http://www.blogger.com/profile/15555105052502821408noreply@blogger.com0