An honest dialogue about love, life, and everything in-between...

Thursday, February 28, 2008

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

12:07 AM |

...celebrating those we forget


With the end of Black History month upon us, I found myself underwhelmed with the amount of attention paid to it this year. Normally I'm sickened by hip-hop versions of various product commercials, and constant talks about Martin and Malcolm. Even McDonald's didn't do their 365 commercials this year. I can say that I give credit to Freestyle Collective who developed VH1's "Black Is" station id's this year. Really click on the link and view it. By far the most impressive Black History month animation and information I've seen by a cable network.

Every year we love to pay attention to the great contribution of Blacks in music, art, literature and culture. However to limit the tales of our contributions to those areas makes us appear to be very one dimensional people. Remember "in olden times" it was only acceptable for Black people to be successful in those fields and in a sense we are continuing to perpetuate that belief. Black people have contributed in huge ways in many other fields, so with the help of 101 Little Know Black History Facts, I'd like to share a few accomplishment from those we've forget given the spot light to.

Walter S. McAfee is the African American mathematician and physicist who first calculated the speed of the moon. McAfee participated in Project Diana in the 1940s - a U.S. Army program, created to determine whether a high frequency radio signal could penetrate the earth's outer atmosphere. Official news of this scientific breakthrough did not include McAfee's name, nor was there any recognition of the essential role he played. But Americans could not have walked on the moon had it not been for Walter S. McAfee and his calculations.

Alexander Lucius Twilight was the first African American to receive a college degree. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College in 1823.

Louis Latimer was the only African American engineer/scientist member of the elite Edison Pioneers research and development organization. Until Latimer's process for making carbon filament, Edison's light bulbs would burn only for a few minutes. Latimer's filament burned for hours.

A tailor in New York City, Thomas L. Jennings is credited with being the first African American to hold a U.S. patent. The patent, which was issued in 1821, was for a dry-cleaning process.

Otis Boykin’s most noteworthy invention was an electrical mechanism, created in 1955, as a regulating unit for the heart pacemaker. Boykin also invented a type of resistor (an electric circuit element) commonly in use today in radios, computers, and television sets.

The first Blacks to settle in Alabama were Moors that arrived with the Spanish in 1540— 80 years before the pilgrims.

Jefferson Franklin Long becomes first Black person to speak in the House of Representatives as a congressman in 1871.

Diahann Carroll was the first African American woman to have her own weekly television series, “Julia.”


In 1954, with Barbara Jordan as the leader, the all-Black Texas Southern University debate team stunned and beat the Harvard debate team. She was also the first black woman to serve as in congress on behalf of a southern state.

Sophia Tucker and Harriet Giles, the founders of Spelman College, used just $100 to found this Historically Black College. FYI Spelman is not the only Historically Black all girls university; Bennett College in Greensboro, NC is the other one. (Spent many summers there).

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Edward Alexander Bouchet was the first African American to graduate (1874) from Yale College. In 1876, upon receiving his Ph.D. in physics from Yale, he became the first African American to earn a doctorate. Bouchet spent his career teaching college chemistry and physics.

Joseph N. Jackson invented a programmable remote control for television.

Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., became the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force in 1954.

If you enjoy buying fresh food from across the country at your local supermarket, you have an African American inventor named Frederick McKinley Jones to thank. He invented the air-cooling units used in food transporting trucks in the 1930s, and was awarded more than 60 patents over the course of his life, 40 of which involved refrigeration equipment.

Alice Parker, in 1918, created a heating furnace that could be used to heat an entire living space.

Col. Guion S. Bluford, Jr., Ph.D. (USAF) was the first African American in space. He has flown missions on STS–8, STS 61–A, STS–39, and STS–53.



Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Random Thought

9:24 PM |







Sunday, February 24, 2008

No More Drama

10:30 PM |

I'm so tired...I'm so tired......

So it's been a while since I've posted. I could say that it was because I haven't had anything to write. Nothing interesting has come across my desk. Nor have I stumbled across anything worth applying my attention to. But that wouldn't be entirely true. The truth is, I've been too tired to write. Now before I get to far I must say to my friends who support this blog, I'm not saying don't tell me anything ever again. Nor am I saying that I don't want you to share what is going on in your life. I am saying that for the last week or so the only thing I've have the opportunity to wrap my mind upon has been drama. And to be really honest, I'm tired.

Drama is exhausting. And really ladies, I hate to have to say this, but you are the main generators of drama in my world right now. I've always said I need more guy friends and this week my opinion hasn't changed. As a matter of fact it was even confirmed by one of my closest friends. I love my girls to death, but I promise, all they have managed to come to me with this week has been drama. And if I recall correctly, I didn't have this much drama when I chilled with mostly guys.

It's not to say that guys don't have their own drama. They do. They have a lot of it sometimes. But it's not the same as girl drama. Girl drama tends to be irrational, illogical, and emotional making for conversations regarding drama very exhausting. Guy drama just tends to be stupid making conversations regarding their drama funny. However guy drama can lead to a headache from trying to figure out how the drama got started in the first place.

In reality you've made all of the decisions that have lead you to have the drama you have in your life.(or at least the majority of the decisions because drama can come to find you). If I can give any advice it would be:

Girls:
It's not that serious. All things do not have to be this complex web of innuendos and hidden meanings. Each decision you make every day will not cause a drastic change in how your are emotionally. Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss, and a wink is because he has something in his eye.

Guys:
Stop. Think (with the head that is on the top of your body..you know the one that consumes food, breathes, watches TV, etc). Then act. That will help you out of a lot of your drama.

Oh and in closing: Just because I don't subscribe to the nonsense of stupid girl drama does not make me mannish. It makes me logical and means I have sense! If you don't want a realistic opinion about what you did, will do, are thinking about, then DON'T ASK ME. I love to help and I will listen (I do that best), but please know that if I think something is stupid and pointless I will say. And you know this because you wouldn't be talking to me about it in the first place.



Friday, February 15, 2008

Indiana Jones Trailer

6:13 PM |

...say hello to Dr. Jones


I've been waiting to see a true trailer for this movie since I heard they were making yet another Indiana Jones. Finally I stumbled past one that shows more than the teaser did and what I can say is it appears to stay true to the franchise's aesthetic. With Lucas' love for all the new abilities special effects brings us, it appears that he's managed to integrate them without degrading the overall "Indy look". This trailer is very true to all the adventures that preceded it. Hopefully the full movie will prove to be as promising. I also hope that they acknowledge the fact that Dr. Jones is old and treat his character accordingly. I guess we'll see May 22.



Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Random Thought

8:32 PM |



Saturday, February 9, 2008

Intent vs Perception

1:52 AM |

...what we can and can't control


I just spent some time with a bunch of people who are caught up to some degree in how their actions will be perceived by another group of people. When I think about them and their current situation I am reminded of this quote I found: "I cannot control how I am perceived. I can only control how I am presented". This quote really stuck with me and it truly applies to my friends and their situation. If I come with my intentions in tact and I present myself in the manner in which I deem appropriate and in line with my intentions, what happens from that is not up to me. I cannot control how others receive my actions. I can take solace in knowing that I presented myself in a manner that is true to myself. While you may hope that people take your actions at face value, you also have to be able to let it go if they don't. Either way you have to examine how much these people's perception of you and your actions mean to you. If they don't matter, then why should you mind what they think. If they did matter, you won't have to worry about how your actions are perceived. A majority of the people that do matter will know and understand your true intentions. Those will also be the same people who will be able to accept an apology or explaination if your actions are received in the wrong way. Regardless, to invest so much of your time and thought into other's perception of you is a waste.

In summary say what you mean and mean what you say. Don't let worry or concern of how others will perceive you dictate who you are and what you do. You can't please everyone and truthfully at the end of the day the only person you have to answer to is yourself.



Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Random Thought

4:41 PM |







Friday, February 1, 2008

Weed, Brownies, 5-0

11:54 PM |

...o my

Listen to the 911 call made by an officer who confiscated some marijuana and, like the genius he is, decided to bake it into brownies with is wife. While at first the operator thinks it may be a legitimate call, she soon finds out it is just a bad trip. But what's not funny is the penalties, or lack there of, assigned to the pair. Also listen to the "professional" newscaster in the background. Was that a snort? Yes, Watson, it was.



Definition of A Hater

12:13 AM |

...thoughts on a drive home


Sitting in traffic today I had an opportunity to let my mind wander. Not sure what triggered this thought but the actual meaning of the term hater came to mind. I've been called a hater many times in my life. Sometimes I've even said "yes, yes I am a hater" and thought nothing of it, because there are times when yes, I hate almost everything. But hating things and being a hater are two totally different things.

To be an actual hater would mean that I have such a low esteem for my self and my abilities that I am too insecure to be happy for someone else's talents and success. It would mean I have no legitimate reasons to dislike a particular turn of event or person. For someone to address you as a hater is in my opinion a form of belittlement and disrespect. That means that person thinks that lowly of you. They infer that you have so little self worth that you would hate for someone else to do well. I can say that I'm no hater. I like myself ok and I'm confident in my abilities. I can be genuinely happy for another who does well.

But yes. I still hate a lot of stuff.

Now is every "hater" situation that serious. Of course not. To be honest if your secure with yourself it's never really that serious.



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