Finally, I got a chance to see "Lincoln"

On Christmas Eve I finally had a chance to see Skyfall, the lastest James Bond effort. On New Year's Eve I finally had a chance to see Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. This needs to become a recurring tradition!

Lincoln could be a film in the same vein as say The American President - well aside from the romantic comedy aspects it's still a film that involves politics. I also have compared Lincoln to The West Wing TV series. They all did tackle some issues that were important to the eras that they had been set in.

In the case of Lincoln it was slavery and the Civil War. Basically what we saw in this film was President Abraham Lincoln securing the votes in Congress for the 13th Amendment. Not only that he also had to contend with ending the Civil War. In fact news of representatives coming from the Confederate States of America wanting to talk about the end of the war figured in the political machinations of enacting an amendment to the US Constitution to abolish slavery.

We also learned more about the other players involved other than Lincoln. Many members of Congress - Representatives & Senators - played a role in making the 13th Amendment a reality. Just like the effort it took to make many of today's policy objectives a reality. For example look no further than "Obamacare" as one example of many.

Granted it's not the most exciting movie to watch. There's only one scene of the movie that was action packed which is mainly of Black soldiers fighting against the Confederate army. Then there's a scene that shows the bombardment of a Southern city although we didn't see anyone in that scene. It's a movie for the history buffs and President Lincoln (portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis) does come alive for us in this movie as well as the many other players in this drama!

When I came to see this movie again at River East there was a packed theater to see this movie. This movie and Skyfall has been out since November and people are still coming to see it. Spielberg must have done something right for it to have the appeal it does. :)

So is there going to be a NHL season?

To be honest, I haven't really kept an eye on the current NHL lockout that has already claimed half of the NHL season. It's unfortunate since I consider myself more of a hockey fan than anything else. It's also unfortunate that it almost seems like the NHL could lose another season to labor strife.

In 2005, the NHL cancelled their whole season thanks to another lockout. So far they are the only professional sports league in North America to have cancelled an entire season due to labor strife. In that vein I'm glad that the league and it's players are about to further their talks in order to save the current season.

You know all I when it comes to labor strife in professional sports is that I rarely know what's going on. It seems whether it's MLB, NFL, NBA or NHL it's always about the collective bargaining agreement. Some will make it about the players thinking their not getting enough money while it does seem the big news in sports is the latest million-dollar offer some athlete signed. At that it seems some athletes are making more money not on their respective fields of play but with outside offers such as endorsement deals. If it's all about the money how much is enough!

Anyway, hopefully the NHL will eventually start their season in the near future. I'm looking forward to some Black Hawks games in the near future! Then by April, it's time for my other favorite sport, baseball!

VIDEO: Spelman College acceptance reaction...

[VIDEO] I wish there were more videos of some young men getting college acceptance letters. That would be very exciting but I recognize young men may not be so willing to show their emotions on camera.

Although what we're looking at is a young lady who discovered that she had been accepted to Spelman College she's even more excited. Why is she excited because this was definitely her dream school.

You know her excitement is contagious as I see that many Spelman women are sharing this which is how I got wind of it. Well one of my Morehouse bros shared it on his wall as well. He may share in her excitement as well.

It makes me wonder what would've happened if I had allowed myself years ago to take some risks and fill out some applications when I was still a senior. My excitement came years later when I found that I had been accepted to Spelman's sister university of Morehouse College. Though thankfully my reaction didn't elicit a YouTube video as they didn't yet exist!

I'm very excited for the young people who are taking one step forward in their futures, but it's also envy. My youth didn't exactly allow me to take life by the horns! Thankfully many youth today are doing the same especially when it comes to college.

Congrats Nia on your acceptance to Spelman. I also hope that you will be able to afford going to school there. Hopefully you'll navigate the intricacies of college finance and then avoid going into serious debt! Meaning hopefully you will be good the day you walk the stage and graduate as a Spelman woman!

Where has James Bond been?

Not sure why exactly but James Bond wasn't even a blip on my radar screen this year. It got squeezed between The Dark Knight Rises and next year's Star Trek into Darkness. And there's more than enough time to watch the Star Trek sequel next May.

I'm big into genre movies especially action and science fiction. In fact if there were any two movie franchises that have been long time favorites over the years it's Bond and Star Trek. It's even more puzzling to me that not a lot of focus on my part was put into the latest Bond effort entitled Skyfall.

I went to see Skyfall recently at River East near Navy Pier. It was pretty good and it almost seemed like a classic bond film with an old school sounding theme song and of course there's the Ashton Martin that was a fixture in the Bond films of the 1960s. It was certainly a nice touch at the end where the offices Bond enters into near the end of the movie simply went retro!

I've been a Bond fan for a long time and it's very regretful that no trailers were shown here on this blog prior to its release. Besides trailers for Star Trek and The A-Team had been shown here in the past on this blog for example. Why was I too slow for Skyfall?

James Bond will return in the near future and I promise to do much better in the future.

Instagram will not sell your photos

Whoever decided to write this language should've been fired! It's good that it will be corrected if it hasn't already:

Instagram apologized to its users today, saying it will "remove" language from its legal terms that would have let it sell users' photos or use them in advertisements.

In a blog post this afternoon, Chief Executive Kevin Systrom said it's "our mistake that this language is confusing" and that the company is "working on updated language."

"Since making these changes, we've heard loud and clear that many users are confused and upset about what the changes mean," he wrote.

Instagram's terms of use agreement announced yesterday sparked a user revolt unprecedented in its history -- and prompted competitors to tout their own services as more user-protective. It came three months after Facebook completed its acquisition of the popular photo-sharing service, which has over 100 million users, and follows recent efforts by the social network to increase revenue.
No other photo-sharing service appears to have had a policy as broad as Instagram's now-abandoned language, which claimed the perpetual right to license users' photos to companies or any other organization, including for advertising purposes, which would effectively transform the Web site into the world's largest stock photo agency. A hotel in Hawaii, for instance, could have written a check to Instagram to license photos taken at its resort and then use them for its own purposes.
...
Another pitfall of the now-abandoned policy: If Instagram users continued to upload photos after January 16, 2013, and subsequently deleted their account afterward, they may have granted Facebook an irrevocable right to sell those images in perpetuity. There's no obvious language that says deleting an account terminates Facebook's rights, said Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 

I was about to consider myself if I would continue using Instagram. Basically loathe to deactivate any usage of social networking sites, but for the right reason such as this it would be worth it. Enough people revolted where it was known it would be a problem.

New preview "Star Trek into Darkness"

[VIDEO] This the new preview for the upcoming Star Trek into Darkness that will premier next May. We also know more about the characters who will be portrayed in this movie. The only character introduced into this universe from Star Trek canon is Dr. Carol Marcus.

The main villain whom many thought was either Khan or Gary Mitchell well his name isn't very familiar to Trek fans. There's a chance he's brand new or it's possible he may be revealed to be someone from canon. To me the odds are about even and we won't know until the movie is out. The main villain is played by Benedict Cumberbatch.

The 2009 Star Trek was very intense, into Darkness appears to be even more intense judging by these previews!

Marathon Pundit wants to save President Reagan's former Chicago home

832 E. 57th St.

John Ruberry wants his post to be shared and so I shall share. It's safe to say Obama's Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park was briefly home to another president almost 100 years ago. In fact a year ago I wrote a post about that apartment building where a young Ronald Reagan once lived.

A year ago there were some activists who wanted to preserve this residence, and today it's in the shadow of the University of Chicago hospital and they're looking for room to expand. This building is also owned by UChicago according to Ruberry.

The former Williams Clinic

Crossposted at The Sixth Ward

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What you see above is a Google Streetview of the former Williams Clinic located at 408 E. Marquette Road. It was operated by a family of Black doctors and it seemed they offered a number of services at this clinic including a dentist and a pharmacy. In fact here's an obituary for one of the Williams brothers who originally founded the clinic.

Recently I drove by and it hits me that the clinic is close the motel near Marquette Road & King Drive that had been recently demolished thanks to the activism of a local minster Corey Brooks - who incidentally was interested in succeeding Jesse Jackson Jr. for the 2nd congressional district seat. In driving by, on that motel property was a rendition of how the new community center Brooks hope to build would look.

Then it also hit me, I wonder if Brooks might find a way to thrown in some health care services at his future community center. Indeed perhaps he could find a way to take over the Williams Clinic property which is currently a church.

I do wish to know what happened to Williams Clinic. My dad used to patronize their practice back in the day and continued to do so until it appears that the Williams family were no longer involved in that business. I'm not entirely certain when they closed but surely someone could fill in some details.

BTW, this post is going into some unfamiliar territory as far as a particular issue such as health care. Medical services are necessary no matter your income level and this area around the former clinic is considered a low-income area. The question to ask here is whether or not it's possible for an independent clinic such as this could exist today. Would the economics of health care today keep independent medical professionals from operating?

VIDEO: "Star Trek into Darkness" teaser preview

[VIDEO] Just got wind of this today, it seems to wet the appetite at least until the movie is released next year. I am only more curious who the new villian is. My gut tells me it isn't Khan but it's possible that we may see another villain from Star Trek canon. Although judging by the trailer is got to be a character who really does have an axe to grind with Earth.

Also I've heard Gary Mitchell, he's the villain from the 2nd original Star Trek pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before". In that episode the USS Enterprise under Capt. Kirk reaches the outer galactic barrier after finding a marker from a long lost starship and some of their crew including Mitchell recieved ESP powers. Mitchell begins to really feel the power and becomes a threat to the Enterprise crew.

Anyway, TrekMovie.com has seen the trailer even has bonus footage provided in a Japanese preview for the film. Also, a scene-by-scene analysis of this preview seen there as well.

VIDEO: Wide new Lincoln Park rowhomes under $1M

[VIDEO] I post the vid above for one main reason. Sometimes I wish I was an architect and most importantly wish I was a builder. If only these homes could be built in communities that needs them.

The design from the outside looks great, however, they're built in Lincoln Park for a reason. These homes are expensive, thus for a builder on the the south side depending on the neighborhood they have to find a way to scale down the price. It makes me wonder if the construction of the home ultimately helps determines the price when it's built and available for sale.

This only shows that I have an interest in real estate mainly the purchase of property and it's leasing. Of course the next step is to learn the economics of construction.

"Star Trek into Darkness" poster

Hmmmm, a poster is nice. And you can tell somewhat it's Star Trek. Too bad I'm in the mode of wanting to find out more about the movie before it's released. All the same for every Star Trek movie that is to be released I'm always optimistic. Very much looking forward to seeing the finished product and hopefully we will see this poster in a cinema near you.

BTW, according to TrekMovie this evokes the initial poster for The Dark Night Rises. Basically the bat symbol carved amongst some skyscrapers. In this case the Star Trek symbol carved into a building or a bulkhead with a man standing on some of the wreckage. Hopefully we'll find out what this all symbolizes although I recognize that this imagery we won't likely see in the movie.

ALSO, check out the official website for the new movie @ http://www.startrekmovie.com/

Capitalism, Part 3

I've been talking a lot about capitalism lately, but to be honest I haven't spent a lot of time reading up on the subject. There's one book that anyone should read up and that's Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and if you're lucky you can read that book for free thanks to the public domain! :P

Anyway it's one thing to philosophize about capitalism with all of it's benefits and faults, but it's absolutely another to actually practice it. That realization came to a eureka moment!

When I was in high school all the way through my college years there was one thing I failed to do, take a business course. In high school my counselor seemed interested in having me take another social studies my mistake was in rolling with it. It might have been in my best interest to take a bookkeeping/accounting class and it was something of interest, but it never happened for me for some reason.

I've spend a number of years in college starting off at a local community college and then of course attending Morehouse. During my time in college I never considered taking any business courses as my career goals still hadn't been determined and business struck me as very intimidating. When I was at Morehouse the least I did as far as a basic business course was in business law. It would've done me good to take an accounting course or two but I never did.

Now here's my eureka moment, would it do our young people a great service to require them to take some type of business class before they graduate high school. Just give them an intro course to business that teaches them all aspects of business especially accounting. That way, they will still have learned some business skills and hopefully it will serve them well when they start looking for a job which they will have to do at some point.

Perhaps there ought to be other classes before they leave high school if they want to take it further. Then of course there is college and they can take some basic courses electives permitting or they may choose to major in a business discipline. Hopefully if they excel in these endeavors the young people won't have a problem in their future careers.

Besides no matter where you go in your career - such as academia, church, science, government, politics, etc. - business skills are necessary. You must know where the money is going and how to manage resources. Also operations have to be able to continue operating and business skills could help that.

Capitalism, Part 2

Recently I watched this legendary movie entitled Wall Street. Story of a young stock broker who in the beginning of this film was struggling but got hooked up with the right connection and suddenly was rising high. It came at a cost however when he finds himself getting arrested for insider trading right after he pulled a fast one on his connection.

The message of this movie was regarding greed or at least the 1980s version of greedy excess. Charlie Sheen played Bud the young stock broker and Gordon was played by Michael Douglass who was Bud's connection into the higher echelons of the financial world. Bud had it all, but he decided to pull a fast one on Gordon when he found out what Gordon attempted to do!

A friend shared the film with me to show how it goes in corporate America. I really laughed when Bud was arrested in his office, the man who gave him the office went from "I knew you were something special" to "I always knew you were trouble". Turned his back on him just like that!

I don't necessarily look down on greed, but certainly we would look at a personally differently if they did whatever they could to get more. We could be talking about money and we could be talking about food. It could be anything that is very necessary.

My friend and I have talked about how today's titans take care of themselves and then forget about the people who toil under them. The titans may live in expensive pieces of real estate while the people under them may never get that luxury. Then the question comes up - How much is enough?

Everyone has an answer. We could talk about wealth and say you don't need two or more houses. We could also say you don't need all that money. The question is who are we to decide who has enough. The ones who are asking the questions about having enough wealth has very little themselves.

I could aspire to be a Mitt Romney although I have no idea if I'll ever get there. My aspirations isn't necessary regarding wealth, but certainly regarding attaining the middle-class lifestyle that I grew up in. To be comfortable enough to not be force to scrimp and save ever dime I earn. It seems easier said than done, I'm sure but it is what it is.

While it seems as if the past election was about the economy, the past election was about a rich man running for president. It wasn't Romney's time for that reason especially in an environment where we're asking the question about how much is enough. Obama had ads up about the rich paying their "fair share" of taxes and there are people out there who have buttons stating "tax the rich".

BTW, since I mentioned Wall Street there was a sequel release in 2010 called Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. An interesting update and certainly mentions today's young people's issues with regards to their debts. It could have been an update that addresses the real estate bubble but it doesn't appear to do that although it does touch upon some of the themes of the original.

It makes me wonder if there is a film today that could show the times we live in. One film comes to mind entitled The Company Men. People getting laid off so that the executives in the higher eschelons can think more about themselves than those under them. Surely there are other examples than that.

Still while I may continue to have faith in this system we call capitalism, sometimes we do have to take note of its various downsides.

Ward Room: The Party of Lincoln -- Again

In the wake of Mitt Romney's loss for the Presidency almost two weeks ago, we have heard or seen lots of analysis of why the Republican party didn't gain the White House. It involves the demographic changes this nation is seeing. In fact we can see evidence of this in the previous post as far as Illinois goes.

So here's the anaylsis (again) from Ed McClelland:

There’s an argument in the movie Lincoln about whether the Republican Party was intended to be a progressive or a conservative outfit. Francis Preston Blair, who boasts that he founded the party in his living room, insists that it’s conservative and anti-slavery, but shouldn’t be taken over by radical abolitionists. President Lincoln, who is trying to persuade Blair to support a constitutional amendment banning slavery, obviously wants it to be progressive.

For the first hundred years of the Republican Party’s existence, Lincoln’s vision was ascendant. Republicans were in the forefront of the great social issue of the 19th and 20th centuries: abolitionism, environmentalism, women’s suffrage, civil rights. The Democrats, a confederation of Southern whites and Northern Catholics, were the socially conservative party. William Jennings Bryan, who lost three presidential elections on the Democratic ticket, ended his career by defending creationism at the Scopes Monkey Trial. Even in the 1970s, most of the judges who signed on to Roe v. Wade were Republican appointees. And President Ford supported the Equal Rights Amendment.

By then, though, the Republican Party had begun to change, into a party of reaction, whose purpose was resisting the social movements of the 1960s: civil rights, feminism, pacifism, environmentalism. The Republicans basically switched bases with the Democrats, becoming the party of the South and Northern white ethnics -- a coalition assembled by Richard Nixon, whose “Southern Strategy” made the Republicans the dominant party of the 1970s and 1980s.

Mitt Romney’s defeat demonstrated that this iteration of the Republican Party has run its course. The changes that began in the 1960s have become ingrained in American life. Campaigning against them marks the Republicans as a party of memory, not a party of hope or progress. Even conservative commentator Wayne Allyn Root admitted, on the Fox News website, that the Republicans have lost the culture wars, and need to give up on a political solution to the abortion issue.

Seriously, the real answer is to run candidates who are fiscally conservative and principled, but socially moderate and modern. The GOP needs candidates that say “Roe v. Wade is the law of the land. I will uphold it, even though my personal views are pro-life. And I will ALWAYS support exceptions for rape, incest, and when a mother’s life is in danger. Period.” The issue is off the table -- forever. What's left? The economy and jobs -- winning issues for the GOP.

That explain why an image of the Lincoln movie poster is shown in this post. This analysis makes sense to me in fact.

I consider myself pro-life, but my position isn't exactly ban all abortions. Social issues don't matter to me at this point primarily because I have a different set of issues. Jobs being one of them. I may not be able to stake a solid claim on abortion primarily because I'm not going out of my way to have children and have never been in a situation where there had been an unwanted pregnancy. Though for abortion all I can say is that hey whether the child is unborn or not it's not THERE fault that they're in the situation their in. I try to remember that.

Another piece of analysis is that Republicans must find a way to attract people of other ethnicity into their party. It doesn't matter if they're Black, white, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Chinese or whatever. Also how do they attract more women to their party?

There is some soul searching to do there, where to start? Start with their history as the party of Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States?

Capitalism

Over four years ago I wrote a post about Karl Marx. That post proclaimed my faith in capitalism with the belief that the individual could succeed the best under such a system than Marx's capitalist system. It's still my belief although it's still easy to complain about the excesses and abuse that the practitioners of this system utilizes.

A friend of mine and myself talked about why some of the rich here in this nation owns and they complain about being forced to provide health care to their workers in their companies. That is often a complain about many who aren't in the higher echelons of our economic brackets. Do they need to own big houses or serveral houses or even several cars or even their net worth?

My only answer to that is to say that is not for us to decide. In my case, I can only dream of having those luxuries. That's not to say I would want to buy so much stuff because I have the money. Whether my earnings are middle-class or wealthy, my goal is only to live simply and that I could live without having a big house or anything else the wealthy could want.

As I've stated capitalism is hard and it's doubtful anyone can truly succeed under Marxism because it's hard for me to see how better off the individual will be. Under capitalism at least the individual can find their worth as a worker or entrepreneur. Besides capitalism is all about what you put into the system you can't get a lot if you have very little to offer.


While I may have great faith in the capitalist system, this is not to say that capitalism doesn't have its faults. We're seeing some of it's faults come out into the light. Even when times are good, surely we've seen some of it's faults during those times as well.

Still there is one question that must be answered. How does an individual make out under a socialist system? At this moment I'm having a hard time seeing that.

Silver!

I have an interest and have a lot to learn about buying silver. It's an easy investment to make, but it's something that one must do their homework on. Besides my concern when it comes to buying this precious metal is whether or not one finds themselves buying a fake from an unscrupulous seller.

Another concern I have is getting the best deal in purchasing silver. I don't make enough money as it is anyway and that means making my money count on such investments. Is it important to own silver and pay more than necessary to own such a precious metal.

In looking up any advice on this subject the main suggestion anyone has on buying this precious metal is to shop around for the best deals. As stated earlier do some homework! That's my current plan so far and just as everyone else hopefully I can find the best deals for me!

BTW, I got to get a handle on silver as a hedge against inflation. Besides the economy isn't doing so great right now and items do cost money. Still it's great to know that money is held up in something and the longer you hold that silver hopefully the more value it had when it's time to have to exchange it for cash money.

VIDEO: "I Wanna Be Rich"

[VIDEO] You know this song just popped into my head at random today. Right now it's my current aspiration although well one needs a plan to get rich or maybe one doesn't have no idea. All the same it would be nice to make more money than I currently do now.

 BTW, this song is just indicative of my 80s experience. I was a child of the 80s, but by the time I became aware of the period it was about to be over and then started the 90s a time where I came of age!

Anyway enjoy Calloway's I Wanna Be Rich. :)

Yeah, so the song was released in 1989 and reached #2 on record charts in 1990. So it's still a 1980s song. :P

CNet: What we don't know about the iPad mini...

Well at this point I know that there will be a smaller version of the iPad coming at some point in the near future it's been rumored for a long time. It would be a cool thing carry around and probably easier if you're carrying it in a bag.

With my iPad my fantasy was to bring it with me while out and about. This contraption might make that much easier. Still I find myself wondering what's the point of a smaller iPad? Could this thing instead be an early version of the iPad 4?

I'm fan of the form function of the iPad 2 and 3. I can put it away in a bag just as easily while out and about. Surely it would make for the perfect travel companion as well. If you have wifi you can surf the internet on it much easier than using the iPhone. Of course one doesn't need an iPod if you have a nice hard drive size iPad with you as well.

Anyway for a different reason I won't be falling all over the "iPad mini". It's just not worth it for me at this point. Especially if there is a larger iPad (that is the one I currently own) being sold along with the mini. There has to be a purpose to it.

When it is finally unveiled, I hope to learn more about it's purpose.

Black college graduates may find more success in self-employment

Well I hope they have skill which could ensure  success. I imagine it's easier to be an entrepreneur if you had a law degree or a business degree. It's just one start among others.

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that black self-employment has been on the rise. The number of self-employed blacks grew by 5.7% from 2007 through 2009, in contrast to the 3.4% experienced by self-employed whites. Some minority entrepreneurs have found a substantial amount of success using social media. Twenty-four year old minority alum of the  University of California at Berkeley alum, Charlie Fyffe, started his dessert business, Charlie’s Brownies, on Facebook. “I started my business initially on Facebook, marketing through a fan page for four years before getting a real Web site,” he said in an interview. “As social media has become a societal norm, the popularity of my brand naturally grew with it.”

You know that just means I need to find a way to start my own business. Should've started in high school because if I had more interest, who knows where things would be today!

Three frames from the next "Star Trek" movie...

[VIDEO] You know this does seem like a gag Conan O'Brien would engage in, but recently on his show Star Trek director JJ Abrams brought a three frame clip from the new movie onto the show with him. I don't want to spoil it so you got to watch the video to understand what you're very briefly seeing.

We can spoil the title of the new Star Trek 2 entitled Star Trek into Darkness. I can only wonder what that is indicative of.

Stupidity on Twitter...

Actress Tamera Mowry says one thing about the debate on her Twitter account. She states that she hated that the candidates over talk each other during the course of the debate. She made no apparent mention of who she supports in this election.

Then after that comment she gets jumped on as a Romney supporter. Not long after that she gets jumped on for her interracial marriage to a FOX News reporter. He jumps into the fray himself.

According to those engaged in the flame war Mowry is denying her black half. The FOX News reporter is funny looking and not hot enough to cross over to the dark side. Marrying a black woman is the perfect cover up.

WOW!!!! I hate talk like that from anyone. And I had little idea about Mowry's marriage and sorry she does go by Tamera Mowry Housley now.

Anyway who she marries is only her business and should have little to do with whether or not she denies her heritage. There are quite a few inter-ethnic marriages out there and well I wonder if in these relationships does either spouse deny their backgrounds. Let's hope now.

Also what does that have to do with their political stances. Mowry said very little about her politics just made a statement about the interruptions or overtalk of the candidates during last night's debate. It was innocent but she gets attacked because her white husband just so happens to work at FOX News.

Well they called out for what they are racist. Denigrate the both of them for their respective races was wrong and absolutely shameful! And at that attempt to intertwine that with politics.

For their parts I could just as easily call them Obama supporters. It doesn't matter to me if they are Obama supporters but this sheer vitriol may make his campaign look worse. Besides, I'm there are those who believe just because you're black you should support Obama. That's just dumb to me!

Hat-tip Instapundit!

Today is now October 11, 2012

That is Thursday is now 10/11/12 or ten, eleven, twelve. Another set of sequential numbers for dates. That is all! Make it good Thursday!

So should states be able to create their own gold & silver based currencies?

An old friend talked about this frequently since he's a proponent of using primarily precious metals as currency and not merely fiat currency. It looks like some states are considering his advice at least. This article is from February 2012 but might as well share it on this Sunday:

Worried that the Federal Reserve and the U.S. dollar are on the brink of collapse, lawmakers from 13 states, including Minnesota, Tennessee, Iowa, South Carolina and Georgia, are seeking approval from their state governments to either issue their own alternative currency or explore it as an option. Just three years ago, only three states had similar proposals in place.

"In the event of hyperinflation, depression, or other economic calamity related to the breakdown of the Federal Reserve System ... the State's governmental finances and private economy will be thrown into chaos," said North Carolina Republican Representative Glen Bradley in a currency bill he introduced last year.

Unlike individual communities, which are allowed to create their own currency -- as long as it is easily distinguishable from U.S. dollars -- the Constitution bans states from printing their own paper money or issuing their own currency. But it allows the states to make "gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts."

To the state legislators who are proposing state-issued currencies, that means gold and silver are fair game, said Edwin Vieira, an alternative currency proponent and attorney specializing in Constitutional law. And since gold has grown exponentially more valuable, while the U.S. dollar continues to lose ground, the notion has become increasingly appealing to state lawmakers, he said.

If it happens in Illinois, my friend may not like the fact that Illinois could use on their precious metal based currency Abraham Lincoln. He's not a fan although I'm sure there are other state figures that my state could put onto such currency. Although granted I'm not sure this state would adopt their own currency.

Here's the section of the constitution which concerned money in this nation. Article 1, Section 8 among the powers of the United States Congress: "To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures"

What if Big Bird was a right winger?

[VIDEO] This video had to have come from Conan O'Brien's tenure as host of Tonight on NBC. This clip seems like a hilarious counterpoint to the debate on Wednesday where Mitt Romney indicated that he would like to cut funding for public broadcasting. Even mentioned that he loved Big Bird.

With this video and mind, I'm sure Big Bird is rethinking what he said to the First Lady and even his right winged beliefs. LOL

Bought another Otter Box case

Yesterday I went to Best Buy to check out Otter Box cases. I already owned a commuter case and I decided I want to buy another one.

If you look at the picture above the case on the right was the one I already had. The plastic somehow got warped even after I rarely used it. Probably stepped on it or maybe I brought it with me and never used it and got warped by all the stuff I carry around with me. Whatever the case may be I decided that it was time for another even if at Best Buy they charge $5 for a case than would be charged at the Otter Box website.

The case on the left was the one purchase. I'm pretty sure it had to have been a return and would be very surprised Otter Box shipped this product to a store. Also it had two screen protectors with it as well although I already have my own screen protector so that's not an issue. In any case when this one caught my eye it was worth buying.

Hopefully the white silicone would rarely be used even though I had two events to attend that very night so white on black would be the case of choice. Otherwise it would be black on black especially since a good black piece of plastic is now in my possession.

You know, with the old black piece of plastic it would be cool to play with. Just to possibly experiment with say painting it in the coloring of my choice and possibly drawing a design onto it. It might just be cool to play with some ideas!

Chick-fil-A

In the past especially over at my other blog - The Sixth Ward - I've discussed this issue. On the north side an Alderman wanted to block the construction of a franchise over what he believed was discriminatory and/or hateful activities against gay marriage. This turned into an issue of not only tolerance, but also an issue of free speech or the free exercise of religion.

The reports over the past week seemed to reflect the belief that Chick-fil-A ultimately capitulated. At the same time Chick-fil-A attempts to explain their stance in a statement (hat-tip Illinois Review). They indicate that 1st Ward Alderman Joe didn't exactly score a victory on Chick-fil-A.

In finding this out I wonder how the Chicago GOP who jumped on this issue last summer will respond to Chick-fil-A's statement? We saw how they responded to the capitulation.

#ImagineMorehouse: Video coverage of forum

[VIDEO] Having subscribed to the Morehouse Nation FB page I became aware of not only photos, also this video recording embed above on the day of the on campus forum that had been advertised here. There is just over an hour worth of footage to watch. Eventually when I've watched the vid, my thoughts will be shared.

Chicagoist: Columbia College Student PWNS Fox & Friends Host

I need to see this but I don't have time, but when I read the write-up at Chicagoist it just seemed so worthwhile to check out! The awesomeness will be known to me later!

#ImagineMorehouse: An on-campus forum

Well if I had still been a student at Morehouse I probably could make this event on campus. Of course there are others who have responded to this drive for the college to be a "Thought Leader". I will have to support this in spirit, even if Imar Hutchins wrote a comment in one of my Morehouse posts encouraging me to attend. If you're on FB, then you can certainly RSVP if you would like to attend.

#ImagineMorehouse: Imagining a new Morehouse

Sorry about the redundancy in the title above. I wanted to include the hashtag so that this post could have a much larger audience. The essay that the above title refers to one written on the site Morehouse Nation (formerly known as Morehouse Old School).

I've been following the activism over the summer that not only included a letter to the Morehouse College Board of Trustees and a collective statement that has been signed by Morehouse alumni, current students, faculty, and supporters. I'd really be curious as to what the primary author of the Morehouse Nation website Imar L. Hutchins sees that he's making such a push for some changes at Morehouse. He does outline some of what he sees in the original letter to the board of trustees.

In any case, again these are my thoughts on this subject that were written earlier this summer. Perhaps I will add more in the near future. As always feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Here comes the iPhone 5

[VIDEO] When I bought the iPhone 4S this spring, my first concern was whether or not I should be concerned about the new iPhone coming out in the near future. Ultimately, I decided that it wasn't necessary to chase the latest thing it was OK if something new came out later this year.

Today the iPhone 5 was unveiled by Apple. It is billed as slimmer, taller, and faster than the 4S. The video above is from AP and the excerpt below is from Reuters:

The phone, which will run on higher speed LTE networks, is made entirely out of glass and aluminum. It will have a larger, 4-inch screen, showing five rows of icons, with a "retina" display.

The iPhone 5 comes with Apple's newest “A6” processor, which executives claimed runs twice as fast as the previous generation. It will have three microphones and a better 8 megapixel camera that can take pictures on higher resolutions.

"It's an absolute jewel. It's the most beautiful product we've ever made," said Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told the crowd at the Yerba Buena Centre in San Francisco.

Apple has also improved the device's battery life and updated both of its cameras, giving its front camera 720p HD video. The company also announced a smaller dock connector and a new cable charger named Lightning that is 80 percent smaller than its predecessor.

Siri got a makeover as well, and can now tell users the scores of sports games and post status updates to Facebook.Apple will begin taking orders for the iPhone 5 on Friday, costing $199 for the cheapest 16 gigabyte version to $399 at the top end. Shipments begin on Sept. 21, and the smartphone will be sold in 100 countries by the end of the year.

This time around at least, I won't have to stand in line early in the morning trying to get the latest iPhone. That'll only happen in the next couple of years!

Took this shot of a teacher's strike march near Clark/Jackson

UPDATE 4:12 PM Newsalert linked to this post and also shares this Chicago Mag article from Feb. 2012 about TIFs.

I wonder if the above display at the head of a parade yesterday during day two of the Chicago Teacher's Union (CTU) strike in downtown Chicago detracts from the last two issues that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the CTU are at loggerheads on. Should they really have signs taking on the 1%?

At large rallies such as these, there are bound to be those who have various agendas. Different messages certainly different from what these rallies are really all about. Instead of thinking about our young people who need to be in class, we have signs at these events talking about the 1%.

BTW, if you're not sure what are TIFs they are Tax Increment Financing districts which have long been a controversial issue in Chicago. As a matter of fact one issue with TIFs is that they take money away from the schools for the purposes of redeveloping impoverished neighborhoods. And protest TIFs when talking about our students who needs extra resources especially if they are of a low income background is more than appropriate.

But, why the reference to the 1%? While I'm very sure this isn't part of the overall message, this could've lost me. I want very much to support the sincere efforts of Chicago's teachers to educate our young people in difficult circumstances whether from their life out of school or even in the classrooms. My hope is that they stay focus on that very important issue as they continue to negotiate with CPS.

VIDEO: Batman - Schumacher vs Nolan

[VIDEO] I just watched Batman Begins again this weekend. So in keeping with that theme we see a mash-up of scenes from Batman & Robin (1997) directed by Joel Schumacher and scenes from the first two films of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy (Batman Begins & The Dark Knight). Some of the comments for this video says this is an unfair fight as no scenes from Batman Forever has been included. It was also directed by Schumacher and some will contend was a superior movie to Batman & Robin.

Watching the juxtaposition of Batman & Robin and the first two Nolan directed Batman films makes the Schumacher film look awful in more ways than one!

You know one day, I should just pop in the first three Batman films in the old VCR. Yes I do mean Batman, Batman Returns, & Batman Forever. They weren't too bad and yes what this means is that I'm not interested in ever buying Batman & Robin!

Neil Armstrong, 1st man to land on the moon passes away

[VIDEO] Posting that 9 minute video above that showed highlights of the Apollo 11 mission. This was the mission that saw Neil Armstrong who was mission commander land on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Armstrong died today at the age of 82:

Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who became first to walk on the moon as commander of Apollo 11, has died. He was 82 years old.

Armstrong had heart surgery several weeks ago, and a statement from his family said he died following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

"Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job," his family said. "He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. ... He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits."

On July 20, 1969, half a billion people -- a sixth of the world's population at the time -- watched a ghostly black-and-white television image as Armstrong backed down the ladder of the lunar landing ship Eagle, planted his left foot on the moon's surface, and said, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

Box office update: Anti-Obama doc '2016: Obama's America' headed for mainstream success

[VIDEO] What you see is a trailer for 2016: Obama's America billed as an anti-Obama documentary directed by conservative writer Dinesh D'Souza. You can read more about this film over at Wikipedia.

In any case over at Newsalert, there is an article about how well it's doing so far:

A politically charged documentary called 2016: Obama’s America turned heads last weekend when it grossed a whopping $1.24 million out of just 169 theaters.

The $2.5 million independent film, which is being distributed by Utah-based Rocky Mountain Pictures, premiered in Houston six weeks ago and has recently enjoyed some extremely uncharacteristic box office behavior.

You see, normally, when a film’s theater count increases, the amount of money it’s earning in each theater decreases. This is the standard performance pattern for a limited release and follows common supply/demand logic.

Here’s how things have gone for 2016: Obama’s America, though: Three weekends ago, 2016 earned $34,133 out of 10 theaters, which gave it a per theater average of $3,413 — not all that remarkable for a limited release. When it expanded into 61 theaters the next weekend, its per theater average did a funny thing: it jumped up to $5,202. Last weekend, the film experienced an even bigger expansion, into 169 theaters, and again, its per theater average substantially leapt up to $7,365.

Let’s be clear: this almost never happens.

You know I would be curious about this movie now. Though many surely would reject this film because obviously this maligns President Obama. Then again this movie asks questions that were already asked about him by many conservatives. Although to me sure, hopefully they don't touch the issues of whether or not he was actually born in the US or if he's a Muslim. As for who influenced the President in his more formative years, that's as much fair game as any!

AJC: With foreclosure looming Morris Brown College on the brink

Morris Brown College has been chronicled here on this blog in the past. It looks like their struggles are getting much much worse!

For more than a decade, Morris Brown College has clung to life as it struggled academically and financially in the face of growing debt and dwindling support.

Now, one of the country's oldest black colleges, which at times boasted an enrollment of more than 3,000 student, is now down to about 50, and all but dead.

Morris Brown is facing foreclosure next month, after investors called $13 million worth of bonds tied to the college. An auction of assets, including the administration building, is scheduled for Sept. 4.

"This is heartbreaking and not only a sad day in the life of Morris Brown, but in black academia," said former Atlanta City Councilman Derrick Boazman, a 1990 graduate of Morris Brown. "The school is needed now more than ever."

The school is planning to have a prayer vigil on Saturday, where they will 0ffer a plan to move the school forward.

While not going into specifics, Benjamin Harrison, a spokesman for the 6th District African Methodist Episcopal Church, which oversees the school, said officials will talk about reorganizing and restructuring as well as finances.

Calls to Morris Brown President Stanley J. Pritchett were not returned Wednesday, but Harrison acknowledged that while efforts are being made to find money to settle the debt the going is tough.

"There is the need to raise millions of dollars to counteract that deficit," Harrison said. "But if that money is not raised, the school is in jeopardy."

Here's hoping Morris Brown gets their funds to stave off foreclosure!

Amtrak: Losing Money on the $10 Hamburger

I post this because I generally support passenger trains. It's my preferred mode of travel to either the bus or the airplane. In fact my goal is to take a long-distance train to California in the near future. Perhaps do it in style the way this guy did in a [VIDEO] on YouTube.

I found this article via Instapundit that took a shot at meals on Amtrak:

Only a government subsidized operation could sell hamburgers for $10 each and lose money. People who use Amtrak know that the food is overpriced and not very good. But, hey, it’s a captive dining audience, right? The dining car should be a way for Amtrak to recoup some of its losses from running its expensive trains. Instead, the food system is so badly managed that somehow it also loses a lot of money, apparently because of theft, bad management, high labor costs, and other problems.

All the same, to be honest I don't have a lot of experience with the Amtrak dining car meals. Usually I travel with my mother and she doesn't want to bother with them primarily because of cost. Also she doesn't make a habit of going from car to car even for food.

Furthermore I generally don't like what's available in the lounge car. If it requires heating it's done so in a microwave and the results aren't that great. Otherwise you probably could just buy a danish or some potato chips or what not in addition to candy or be sure to bring your own food.

Well when it's time for that vacation similar to the one I took in 2005 to LA, we shall see how the food is then!

I long for the return of Marshall Field's

The former Chicago department store has essentially been defunct since 2006. I have shopped there many times since it went defunct, even bought some Frango candy from there recently. Still I have come to one conclusion fairly recently, I'm still not feeling Macy's.

I used to keep track of this website http://www.fieldsfanschicago.org/ that is promoting a boycott of Macy's in hopes that this will force a return of the Marshall Field's name. In recent years it looks like Macy's will stay the course and seemingly there may not be so much outcry for a return of that erstwhile name. Still I'm of that age where I remember the green bags my mother would bring home after shopping there.

While I can accept that Field's is never coming back, I don't view Macy's as a viable alternative.  I do browse there every once in a while even though I rarely buy anything. Before the conversion to Macy's, Field's had stopped carrying some products such as Tommy Hilfiger. That was probably enough to keep me away and Macy's brought them back.

Field's as a name has disappeared from the Chicago landscape for close to 6 years and still if I go to any stores of the former chain wherever they are my first instinct is to call them Field's. Perhaps it still my way of rejecting Macy's. As it seems in a survey from the Field's Fans website there are others who feel the same way.

Well if you're looking for a simple explanation, I simply can't easily provide one. Perhaps I've seen the tail end of a great institution and I've seen what Macy's has brought to Chicago with them. I would personally like to see a return to the green shopping bags and the name and hopefully products that fit the Field's name. Also Field's is something that is distinctively Chicago perhaps tourist need a place or two to visit when they're in town and be sure to bring something back that show's that they've been around town.

Negroes with Guns - A documentary

[VIDEO] I tweeted about being at ICE Theaters when I saw The Dark Knight Rises one night. Early next month well August 1st at their Lawndale cineplex and then August 2nd at their Chatham location they will show a documentary about Robert F. Williams entitled Negroes with Guns: Rob Williams and Black Power as part of their monthly Black World Cinema series.

While in general the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s were often portrayed as non-violent - even when they were attacked by a power structure that sought to keep the movement from succeeding - there are those activists who were at odds with the movement. It seems people like J. Edgar Hoover back then wanted to talk Williams in the same vein as Malcolm X or even Dr. King. Now I wonder how many people know who Williams is.

This ought to be something worth watching and it was also noted at the blog Concerned Citizens of Chatham.

BTW, Jack Hunter - aka The Southern Avenger - had done a commentary on Williams back in May 2008 you may watch below. It was posted here on this blog at that time [VIDEO]

What's a liberal arts degree worth nowadays?

I went to a liberal arts college - Morehouse College - and well I hear a lot about those students who graduated and are doing very well in their lives. What most students who attend and eventually graduate may not hear the reality. That is how to many of them start off before they do very well? 

Doomsayers be damned: America’s higher-education model, and its price tag, ain’t broke. So says Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro. In a recent op-ed for the L.A. Times, Schapiro and Lewis & Clark College President Barry Glassner argue that the college premium — the ratio of college earning to high school earnings — justifies the investment in higher education. Individuals with a college degree now make almost 85 percent more over a lifetime than those with only a high school diploma.

But statistics are tricky — while one economist opts to focus on the long-term returns, another is focused on the immediate future, which, for many recent college graduates, is bleak. More than 50 percent of bachelor’s degree-holders under the age of 25 were jobless or underemployed in the last year. So if and when a college graduate gets a job, he’s likely to earn, on average, $20,000 more annually than a person with a high school diploma. But when the average student is graduating with $25,000 in student-loan debt, he or she might be a bit more focused on getting a paycheck, any paycheck.

This might explain why, as Ohio University economics professor Richard Vedder is quick to point out, there are 80,000 bartenders and 115,000 janitors with bachelor’s degrees.

Looking at a graphic at the WBEZ article, I chose the wrong major. Should've majored in a science or engineering related field. If only I hadn't been so intimidated by science and math when I was in school!

BTW, to be fair I wasn't as aggressive as other graduating seniors when it came to looking for the next step in their futures. I never thought seriously about law school or graduate school in any way. It was more important to me to find a job, however, my search didn't really start until I finally graduated. Safe to say the ball was dropped and the situation today is what it is. 

Via Newsalert!

In honor of Sherman Hemsley

[VIDEO] I had little idea that he had an album Dance back in the early 90s. We mostly know him as George Jefferson from the sitcom The Jeffersons and another sitcom Amen. Since both of those series are no longer in production whenever we see Hemsley make an appearance his characters weren't much different that the personas he had been most famous for.

In the video above he performed one of the songs for his album on Soul Train in 1992. Ya know I wonder how many albums he sold at that time.

I'm doing all this to note that Hemsley died yesterday, he was 74.

Should I shoot for a million hits here?

In 2010 I was the recipient of an Instalanche. In fact it was in May 2010, this blog got more hits over the course of two or so days than it ever had in its history. The only time that could've come close was when Rich Miller linked to here from the Capitol Fax.

I even wrote a post about the Instalanche the next day and shared some links about how it can happen to you. Then I realized another popular blogger Stacy McCain of The Other McCain had written about about now to get a million hits on your blog in less than a year. It makes me wonder if that goal is achievable not only for this blog, but on The Sixth Ward as well.

To be sure, I consider this blog nothing more than a hobby. This is my own piece of real-estate on the World Wide Web and while I do have to find an audience this is for me to do with as I please although it has to be done with the audience in mind. The Sixth Ward on the other hand is more serious and not just a hobby, but not quite a business or whatever as there is certainly a specific audience for that blog which covers a specific City of Chicago ward and other communities around it.

Now the question here in noting the million hits plan is, whether or not it's doable. And what steps must I take to make that happen. Also is it necessary to follow "The Other McCain's" steps?

Kotkin: Are Millennials the Screwed Generation?

This column - via Instapundit! - by Joel Kotkin is very depressing when you continue to read the whole thing. I'm a long way from saying the "millennials" are screwed, but certainly things aren't looking good for them right now as many of them graduate college. There are a lot of issues worth tackling here, but let's just show a quote from this piece first:

Today’s youth, both here and abroad, have been screwed by their parents’ fiscal profligacy and economic mismanagement. Neil Howe, a leading generational theorist, cites the “greed, shortsightedness, and blind partisanship” of the boomers, of whom he is one, for having “brought the global economy to its knees.”

How has this generation been screwed? Let’s count the ways, starting with the economy. No generation has suffered more from the Great Recession than the young. Median net worth of people under 35, according to the U.S. Census, fell 37 percent between 2005 and 2010; those over 65 took only a 13 percent hit.

The wealth gap today between younger and older Americans now stands as the widest on record. The median net worth of households headed by someone 65 or older is $170,494, 42 percent higher than in 1984, while the median net worth for younger-age households is $3,662, down 68 percent from a quarter century ago, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center.

The older generation, notes Pew, were “the beneficiaries of good timing” in everything from a strong economy to a long rise in housing prices. In contrast, quick prospects for improvement are dismal for the younger generation.

One key reason: their indebted parents are not leaving their jobs, forcing younger people to put careers on hold. Since 2008 the percentage of the workforce under 25 has dropped 13.2 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while that of people over 55 has risen by 7.6 percent.

“Employers are often replacing entry-level positions meant for graduates with people who have more experience because the pool of applicants is so much larger. Basically when unemployment goes up, it disenfranchises the younger generation because they are the least qualified,” observes Kyle Storms, a recent graduate from Chapman University in California.

Consider me one of those who graduated from college within the last three years who hasn't found the job necessary to comfortably pay off those student loans I took during my time in school. It's frustrating although hey I chose to do those loans, no one else forced me and still I'm very appreciative of my degree. Still I consider myself underemployed and it's not for lack of trying. The jobs aren't out there and there are plenty of people who are looking. At that it's certainly an employers market as they have a tough job of picking and choosing who they want to work for them and they also know there are many looking for work so they look for an excuse to get rid of one a worker and then add someone else. It's tough out there!

Read the whole thing!

The Board of Trustees response to the #MorehouseLetter

Well actually the response of Morehouse College Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Davidson to attorney Imar Hutchins to his original letter and his collective statement. Mr. Hutchins isn't going to get his audience with the Trustees, but at least the concerns of the Morehouse community are being heard. Also check out Hutchins response to Davidson's letter. Perhaps the talk needs to only continue!

Previous posts

• #MorehouseLetter: Morehouse in a downward trajectory?
• Remember that #MorehouseLetter...

Chatham from the Red Line

Sometimes on the train I snap photos on my iPhone. Post them either to my Twitter or instagram. For today a pic of Chicago's Chatham neighborhood along the Dan Ryan expressway. Chatham has historically been a bastion of Chicago's Black middle-class.

VIDEO Julius Rosenwald: A Force for Change

[VIDEO] I'm watching this video about Julius Rosenwald who was an executive at Sears in its early days. What's highlighted here was his philanthropy not just towards people of his Jewish faith, but also towards Black Americans. In fact I found this documentary in a post over at Chicagoist that talked about attempts to restore this development known as the Rosenwald Apartments in the Bronzeville neighborhood on 47th Street.

He has used his wealth to help building not only high schools for Blacks throughout the south, but also sent some money to Tuskegee Institute. They also mentioned Booker T. Washington's book Up from Slavery also. And that may well have inspired him to help Tuskegee which is a school founded by Booker T. Washington.

 This documentary is a great story!

Some student loans to become more expensive despite deal

Washington Post has the story about student loans:

College students are facing a roughly $20 billion increase in the cost of their federal loans, despite a much-heralded deal in Washington to contain the expense of higher education.

Starting Sunday, students hoping to earn the graduate degrees that have become mandatory for many white-collar jobs will become responsible for paying the interest on their federal loans while they are in school and immediately after they graduate. That means they’ll have to pay an extra $18 billion out of pocket over the next decade.

Meanwhile, the government will no longer cover the interest on undergraduate loans during the six months after students finish school. That’s expected to cost them more than $2 billion.

These changes have received little attention as lawmakers instead focus on preventing a spike in interest rates on federal student loans. They are the fallout of earlier political battles and compromises over broader issues such as the federal budget and the national debt ceiling. And they are forcing students such as Clarise McCants to make tough choices about how to pursue academic goals without jeopardizing financial security.

At least for college I hope that students going to school in the near future are much smarter about how to pay for it. Save some money at the very least!

'Hooray for Captain Streeter!'

'Hooray for Captain Streeter!'

I'm up in this neighborhood call Streeterville all the time. In this posts by John Schmidt, we find out the story behind this Chicago neighborhood located north of the Loop. It's the location of some of Chicago's most expensive real estate!

When you read it, it's seems like a really fun story although Capt. Streeter doesn't get to keep his land. Just one of the many colorful characters in Chicago history.

Remember that #MorehouseLetter...

That I posted on June 20th. Now the author of that letter wants Morehouse alumni, students, and other supporters to add their names to a collective statement to be sent to the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. 134 names totals have signed onto this letter so far! Sooner or later my name will be on it!