My Appearance On NPR’s News & Notes
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Entertainment & Sports, My Thoughts
I meant to send an e-mail out to everyone, but didn’t get a chance. I was given the opportunity to be on the Blogger’s Roundtable on News & Notes this past Monday and jumped at the opportunity.
I’d never done something like that, so I didn’t know what to expect. We were scheduled to be on at noon and I had to go to the local Dallas KERA station to get set up in the studio. I used to pass the station a lot when I was working downtown, but I never had a reason to go in until yesterday. The participants were the host Farai Chideya and fellow bloggers Earl Dunovant of Prometheus 6 and Liza Sabater of Culture Kitchen. The cool thing was that our segment followed an interview with Julianne Malveaux about personal finance (I would have enjoy talking to her). Later that night my wife and I got a chance to listen to it on KERA.
There’s a lot more to come from this blog and podcast. Big thanks to the News & Notes crew on giving me the opportunity to participate. Hopefully there will be more chances to do this again. To hear the Bloggers Rountable portion of the show, click the link below.
Bloggers Roundtable – 10/29/07
Black To Our Roots
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Education, Think Global
I wanted to share this video from Inside Africa CNN about a program called “Black to Our Roots”. It is an educational tour where fifteen black youth are selected to go to Ghana to learn about their roots. I’ve always thought the best way to learn is through first hand experience. To apply each youth must write a 500-word essay which answering the following:
- Who Am I. (50 words)
- What I know about African history and culture. (200 words)
- Why I want to go to Africa. (200 words)
- What I expect to learn. (50 words)
The program is sponsored by HABESHA, Inc., whose aim is to broaden our youth’s knowledge of the world and themselves; Through it, may be expanded our youth’s awareness, to include Africa in their thoughts, their educational horizon and life long ambitions. If you know of someone who is interested, encourage them to submit an essay. These type of opportunities don’t happen everyday.
Budgeting Makes the Difference
It took a while, but I’m happy to say I’m almost done paying off my credit cards. In our world of gathering stuff we don’t need it wasn’t easy and it took discipline and sacrifice from the whole family. I’ve made the attempt before, but it seems something would always come up and I had to once again rely on the one thing I was trying to get rid of. After a couple of tries, I got smart and started saving while paying the minimums on each card. I stopped carrying the ones I was trying to pay off and only charged what I knew I could pay off in the same month it was charged. After I reached my goal for an emergency savings amount I built a budget and set a fixed amount that would be spread out amongst all the card payments. The higher interest cards got paid off first and the others got the minimum. After one was paid off the next highest interest rate would get the same payment as the one paid off plus the minimum. I kept that up until I got to the very last card. It feels good to look at the statements and see zeroes for the balances.
We have to take our credit history and finances more seriously. A good credit score can help you save a lot of money and it affects other parts of your life that you may not consider. I’ve worked hard to improve mine and I can see the results and rewards in doing so. The most important thing you need to do is build a budget. It wasn’t until I started budgeting that I figured out my plan to payoff my debt. I started out using a spreadsheet with categories, then I moved up to using Quicken Home & Business. It made life a lot easier and I was able to track where my money was going a lot easier. Businesses do this all the time. If your outflows exceed your inflows, then you’re borke. It’s as easy as that.
I ran across a website that had an article about “6 Great Free Alternatives to Quicken & MS Money“. While I’ve never tried any of these products, I did want to take away all your excuses for not build a budget. If time is your problem, then do it while you watch a game or your favorite TV program. It’s important to know where your money is going and it keeps you from living beyond your means. I also want to get you to check out an article on “Five Steps for Ditching Credit Card Debt“. It’s informative and has some really good information.
Sagging Pants: Fashion or Disrespectful
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Society & Culture
It was bound to happen at some point. The Dallas city council is looking to declare war on the sagging pants fad. There are differing opinions about what needs to be done because you can’t jail someone for wearing pants below their waist. Some have proposed fines for indecent exposure and others feel warnings will work. But the bottom line is something will be done.
Most of the push for the ordinance is coming from black officials in the community and while the understand it is a fashion statement, they also feel it’s a sign of disrespect to others around them. They’ve also made the point that it’s not about race and hope that it will reduce discipline problems and increase responsibility. It’s gotten to the point where they’re even going to put up billboards (mostly around the black neighborhoods) urging young men to “Pull’em Up”.
So what do you think? Is this impeding on their personal freedoms? One thing I’ve learned in life is that your first impression is extremely important. While it may not be fair, when you meet someone you are immediately judged on your appearance. People treat you a certain way based on your attire. Try going to a business meeting in shorts and flip-flops. People will look at you like you’re crazy. Personally it’s hard for me to take you seriously when you have to keep pulling your pants up to keep them on. It’s a distraction and doesn’t make sense to me! While I think a fine is going too far, kids have to realize that opportunities can be missed just because you want to make a fashion statement.
Additional Thoughts: In listening to the radio this morning I heard some more comments on this topic. One listener said it’s going to take the young women to discourage this fad. If the ladies start calling them out, then change will happen. There’s a song out discouraging sagging and said when you spell “saggin” backwards what do you get? It’s all about perception. If you dress like a dope boy or thug then you might be treated like one.
Update: Read this post and comment if you were there. Saggin’ Summit Saturday at Dallas City Hall
What the President Has Signed Into Law – September 2007
Once again, I’m a little late, but here it is. The purpose for this post is to inform you of the new laws enacted by President Bush. It’s good to know what’s going on because some of them may benefit us as a people. It’s important for us to watch every step our government takes. We elect them, so we need to make sure they are doing their job. The laws I list are posted at whitehouse.gov. For a more unbiased version, I’d recommend doing additional research at govtrack.us.
On September 14, 2007, the President signed into law:
President Bush Signs Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007
On Thursday, September 20, 2007, the President signed into law:
H.R. 2358, the “Native Americans $1 Coin Act,” which requires the Treasury, beginning in 2009, to mint and issue dollar coins in commemoration of Native Americans; and
S. 377, the “United States-Poland Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program Act of 2007,” which authorizes an educational exchange program for secondary school students between the United States and Poland.
On Thursday, September 27, 2007, the President signed into law:
H.R. 3528, which establishes a Treasury fund for the Peace Corps to provide separation pay for host country resident personal services contractors.
College Cost Reduction and Access Act
On Thursday, September 27, 2007, the President signed into law:
H.R. 2669, the “College Cost Reduction and Access Act,” which makes changes to Federal student grant and loan programs, and creates new grant programs for higher education students and institutions; and
H.R. 3580, the “Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007,” which reauthorizes a number of Food and Drug Administration programs including the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act; extends and modifies authorities related to pediatric uses of drugs and medical devices; and expands current authority related to post marketing surveillance of drugs.
On Friday, September 28, 2007, the President signed into law:
H.R. 954, which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service in New York, New York, as the Percy Sutton Post Office Building;
H.R. 3218, which designates a certain portion of Interstate Route 395 located in Baltimore, Maryland, as “Cal Ripken Way”; and
H.R. 3375, which extends the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program until December 31, 2007.
On Saturday, September 29, 2007, the President signed into law:
H.J.Res. 43, which increases the statutory limit on the public debt limit;
H.J.Res. 52, making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2008; and
H.R. 3668, the “TMA, Abstinence Education, and QI Programs Extension Act of 2007,” which extends the Transitional Medical Assistance, Abstinence Education, and Qualifying Individuals programs, and modifies other Medicare and Medicaid programs.
New Book By Bill Cosby & Alvin Poussaint
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Education, Society & Culture
I was watching Meet the Press this past Sunday and saw part of an interview with Bill Cosby & Alvin Poussaint about their new book Come On People. I’m a big fan of Bill Cosby having grown up on a lot of his shows. I even blogged about it in a post about Fat Albert and the lessons I learned (and missed) as a kid.
Cosby has received a lot of criticism over the years for some of the things he’s said, but I according to the interview he said them to stir up discussion. While what he may have said seemed harsh, I think he really does care about the welfare of black people. Look at some of the shows he’s created. Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids, The Cosby Show, A Different World, Little Bill, all shows geared towards educating black people.
I’m getting a copy of the book and will do a review of it on the blog. According to an e-mail I received about it, Come On People is for all those who are tired of being used, neglected and undefended—folks who wish to see changes in their governments, their neighborhoods, on their streets and within the walls of their living spaces.
I’ve provided some links for you to preview a couple of pages in the book. Let me know what you think.
http://treasures.billcosby.com
http://treasures.billcosby.com
http://treasures.billcosby.com
Podcast: What’s Really Going On? – #31 – 10/14/07
Show Notes – Episode 31 – What’s Really Going On?
What I’m Talkin’ About
Credit energy, not egos, for ‘Jena 6′ turnout
Divided We Fall
Mychal Bell is back in jail on priors
Teen Roughed Up Over Cake Crumbs
See the video of Pleajhia Mervin
Dr. Julie Hare at State of Black Union 2007
First Time Home Ownership Programs
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox Blog
Individual Development Accounts (IDA)
The Genesis Project
ameridream.org
NACA
Official release of Liberate Magazine Online
Black Blogger Highlight
Electronic Village
Black History Facts
Dr. Mark Dean – Architect of the modern-day personal computer
Independent Music Showcase
“One” by Lisa Gilliam
Gospel/Christian
MySpace Page
Gilliam Vocals Inc.
Announcements
I’m a member of a new social networking site at www.cre8buzz.com. I need to build up the black population, so come join me. It’s open to the public. Come see me at cre8Buzz > People > African American community
Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History & Culture
New Domain to Get to the Site – theotalks.net
Hear My Show on the Blubrry Network
Spread the word about this podcast
Contact Information
Feel free to leave comments on the website or call the voicemail line at 972-464-1899
Intro & Background Music
The intro & closing music clip was written and performed by PsykoSoul Music
“Family Affair” by PsykoSoul Music featuring CB Harris and Calvin
What’s Going On?
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, My Thoughts, Society & Culture
Marvin Gaye was right on the money when he asked this question? The words to this song still sadly apply to what’s happening in today’s society. We’re in a war that we can’t get out of anytime soon, kids are being man-handled for minor offenses and racism is still being ignored as figments of our imagination.
Times have surely changed, but the issues remain the same. To get something done it’s going to take everyone getting involved in the name of change. I’ve always thought the change needs to happen first in our homes. From there we can branch out to our communities and then the world. How can we expect to change the world when our own homes aren’t in order?
I got a lot on my mind and luckily I have a podcast scheduled for this Sunday. I guess I’ll wait and vent more there.
MARVIN GAYE
What’s Going On
(Al Cleveland/Marvin Gaye/Renaldo Benson)
Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today – Ya
Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going on
Ya, what’s going on
Ah, what’s going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Father, father, everybody thinks we’re wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What’s going on
Ya, what’s going on
Tell me what’s going on
I’ll tell you what’s going on – Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby
Money Tips for College Students
Filed under: Black Blogger Postings, Blog Entries, Personal Finance
Venessa at vanessabyers.net posted a good article for college students titled “Money Saving Tips for College” by By Lisa Rogers-Cherry. This is something that I can relate to because I fell into some of those campus credit card traps when I was in school. Financial literacy is an important part of life and your mistakes early on can hurt you in the future. Especially when it comes to the African-American community, we tend to make light of the fact that our credit is bad. We shrug it off, but in reality it means we pay so much more money for the things than those with good credit.
I was watching an episode of Black Enterprises Business Report and they were talking about how African-Americans are more likely to recieve the subprime home loans than any other race. Most of the loans were based on the fact that our credit score was lower or we didn’t have as much for the down payment. Because of lower credit scores, we pay more for anything that needs to be financed. We get tricked into thinking that the companies offering “No Money Down” and “Credit Issues Not A Problem” are looking to help us out. All they want is the money from our higher interest rate!
I guess I’ll get off my soapbox, but check out the article because it has some great advice to keep students out of financial trouble. You don’t have to be a tightwad, but you can make wiser decisions when it comes to your finances. If you are a college student run the other way when they offer you the free t-shirt for signing up for a credit card. Take the steps now to learn how to manage your money now before you get out in the “real world”.
Cre8buzz Open to the Public
Filed under: Business, Community, Society & Culture, Technology, Think Global
I had a post about cre8buzz.com and wanted to let you all know the community is now open to the public. Since I’ve joined, I have noticed an increase traffic to the site and have gained a couple of readers in the process. It’s a great way to get exposure for blogs, personal, business and anything else you feel the need to share with the community. It’s a fun safe way to meet people all over the world to share ideas and opinions.
So check out the site and visit me in the People > African American community. If you want to rate my content or show your own stuff, sign up for a free account. Let me know what you think and give me a shout out after you join.
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