Tommie Smith and John Carlos, 1968 Olympics.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
11•12
Black History Fact Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
11•12
At the 1968 Olympics, held at a Mexico City stadium, 200-meter-record-setting gold medalist Tommie Smith, along with 200-meter-race bronze medalist, John Carlos, gave the “black-power salute” on the podium when receiving their medals.
Both of the Olympians also accepted their medals shoeless, with their feet covered with black socks. The world-class athletes stated that the socks represented the poverty that Black Americans suffered. Also, Wikipedia states: Smith wore a black scarf around his neck to represent black pride, Carlos had his tracksuit top unzipped to show solidarity with all blue collar workers in the U.S. and wore a necklace of beads which he described “were for those individuals that were lynched, or killed and that no-one said a prayer for, that were hung and tarred. It was for those thrown off the side of the boats in the middle passage.”
Quote Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
11•12
“If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein
Black History Fact Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
10•12
According to biography’s website, Jackie Robinson played football for the Honolulu Bears before he became a professional baseball player.
Black History Fact Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
09•12
On August 19, 1884, M.C. Harney invented the latern lamp. This lamp became a substitute to candles as a light source when there was no daylight.
Quote Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
09•12
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” -Jesse Owens
Sunday’s Op-Ed: Be Careful What You Pursue
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
08•12
Success, and how people define and pursue it, is strongly linked to their integrity. Every right-minded person wants to be successful. However, success-markers are as varied and individualized as a person’s personal taste. The means that a person implements to reach these markers will be determined not only by their skill level and work ethic, but by their personal belief system and morals.
There are many cases where a person’s impeccable work ethic, talent, and drive is not welcomed because it is accompanied by an unbending, strict moral code. This enigmatic dilemma can occur in any industry or career field. However, it is most popularly known to occur in the field of entertainment.
In a corrupt world, the entertainment industry is a standout in the sordid playing field of debauchery. Music studios and sound stages are cluttered with hollow shells missing their souls; their ambition akin to a bull in a china shop.
Within recent history, music and entertainment fans have seen the demise of legendary artists of immense talent. Some of these artists’ talents were worthy of the artistic acclaim that they received from millions of music lovers. However, we should deeply contemplate whether the industry these extraordinary creative forces participated in was worthy of their attention, presence, and their very lives.
Watching the heartless way in which Whitney Houston’s musical colleagues and self-proclaimed “friends” literally partied under her corpse should have been a wake up call for all on-lookers. What type of people would knowingly engage in festivities beneath the dead body of any fellow human being; more or less a person many of them profess to “love?” Do we as “fans” consider this behavior acceptable?
Watching the calloused behavior of the entertainment industry’s “elite” in response to Whitney Houston’s death shattered any illusions of the type of people who comprise this unfortunately often-coveted profession.
While great talent should have great ambition, there is something that is more important, and something that should be primary. Foremost, everyone should firmly know where their boundaries are and what they will, and will not, participate in. Secondly, people have to know that it is okay to be a big fish in a small pond if that pond’s waters are pure and clear, rather than putrid and turbulent. I would rather happily sing on a street corner, than to sing in arenas via a conduit created by craftily disguised devils looking to corrupt and devour.
Be careful what you pursue, how you pursue it, and what you choose to align yourself with. All the clues are there. We have been warned!
As Always,
Lots of Love,
Elsie “Starface” Law
Quote Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
08•12
“One of the strongest characteristics of genius is the power of lighting its own fire.” -John W. Foster
Revisted: The African Community In China Protest A “Mysterious” Death Of An African In Police Custody
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
07•12
Members of the African community in Guangzhou in China were protesting the release of the body of a member of the African community who died while he was in police custody. The community was seeking to have an independent autopsy done in order to confirm the cause of death of the man.
According to Global Voices, approximately 200,000 Africans live in Guangzhou. The African residents have been reportedly subjected to a campaign to remove them from China. Many Africans have been said to be unable to renew their visas and are marked with the status of “illegal residents.”
In regard to this particular protest situation, the Chinese police say that the African man who was in their custody died after he slipped into a coma. Their autopsy reports claims that there were no signs of bodily injury. However, conflicting reports from community members say that the man was beaten to death.
Book Review: “Amusing Ourselves To Death” By: Neil Postman
Written By: Elsie Law
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Jul•
07•12
Written almost two and a half decades ago, “Amusing Ourselves To Death” is a thought provoking analysis of how our advancement of technological devices that facilitate communication has affected our relationships and our ability to think. Although the author penned this book before the popularization of the internet, the points he makes are very relevant to today’s computer-saturated world.
One of the oft-repeated ideas of the book is the observation that the media has created a population that desires constant entertainment and showmanship. Neil Postman states: “It does everything possible to encourage us to watch continuously. But what we watch is a medium which presents information in a form that renders it simplistic, nonsubstantive, nonhistorical and noncontextual; that is to say, information packaged as entertainment.” The author perceptively opines that television broadcasts of the news are packaged like an entertainment show: The newscasters are required to have a certain glamorous look; News reports of serious incidents are insensitively sped through in a manner that allows the severity of the event to be ignored; Music is played before and after news show intermissions; and commercials interrupt what is supposed to be an important relaying of news. This set up trains human beings to emotionally and mentally dull weighty events. It also robs us of our empathy.
In “Amusing Ourselves To Death,” Neil Postman also brings up ponderings of how different and cohesive family and community life would be if the automobile, aircraft, mail system, and telephone was never invented. This is definitely worth contemplating.
As our communication devices increases the feasibility of long-distance communication, we are becoming more distant in our personal dealings with each other in a bevy of ways. We must consider if we will let modern day inventions become the instruments of “family suicide.” What we latch on to out of convenience may actually become an enemy of basic human bonding. This book is definitely a catalysis for the reader to think about this premise.
