Lessons learned...

I've reached a bit of a milestone that I never really thought about. January would've represented 10 years ago since I started attending classes at Morehouse College. That year - as it turned out - that semester was my last for one year and a half at that time.

Money was an issue back then. I had a mother who insisted on not finding herself in the black with loans and she was already flatlining about the costs. These days it's certainly understandable but I wanted to go.

I had gotten accepted the year before in June of 2001 and well I wasn't able to do new student orientation. I had heard so much about it but never had the chance to experience it. That's one of my disappointments with this process but as life goes on there were/will be more!

Anyway it was a rough semester as it was a shock both culturally and academically. I didn't finish that term out very well at all! But it wasn't the grades that kept me out it was money although hey they grades should've kept me out anyway. If one doesn't do that great why spend a lot of money to continue struggle, but I only consider that now.

Well anyway that year and a half out was a bit rough. My mother decided that I'd have to be on my own for this, which meant I had to find a job. She hounded me and unfortunately that was a tough year to be hounded. There were jobs out there but as is the case now (since we're in a recession) , there were probably more applicants than jobs.

In her willingness to see me graduate with something, she decided that I needed to go back to the community college I had attended and get my associate's. Consider this a youthful decision, I had left Harold Washington College to get a baccalaureate degree and didn't really see the point of an associate's. Perhaps this was a case of putting all eggs in one basket but the goal for me was always a bachelor's degree. Still she didn't see that happening soon and she was eager to see something happen NOW!!!!

Still to this day even after that disappointment, I still have at least one credit to go before I got an associate's degree. And my mom did see me get a degree from Morehouse although it didn't happen too soon as we both hoped it would. I'm still very grateful for that event even after  heading towards three years since graduating!

Some needs some convincing of this...

Found this on FB, it was very interesting to see this. A positive message too bad so many won't even get beyond either "won't do it" or "can't do it". You don't go anywhere that way!

Gold....

I feel awkward attempting to explain some rough understanding of economics but luckily my mother is a banker so therefore there were some rough concepts that she could corroborate. If you are even more of an economics geek feel free to challenger my conclusions!

So I was watching this episode of Pawn Stars ("Buy the Book" aired on June 6, 2011) recently where an older gentleman was looking to sell a 1930s Lincoln automobile. The Harrisons and this man just weren't coming together on a price until Rick Harrison just outright asked what this gentleman wanted to make a deal. What he wanted was some gold.

They made a deal for the right price but with gold as part of the deal. So Rick Harrison explains that he can't exchange gold for the car. What he did offer was cash for the car and then gold for the cash.

It wasn't explained during the course of the episode why Rick Harrison arranged the deal in that fashion. Although I do figure that this may have been a tax issue for his pawn shop at the very least. There are probably some business things going on there too but with all that gold basically all Eagles and Krugerrands gold coins, the old gentleman trading his antique car made out quite well.

Then it brought back some history I've learned over the past few years. Once upon a time America was on the gold standard and that determined the value of the dollar. In the Great Depression, the Roosevelt administration wanted to buy/confiscate all gold in order to devalue the dollar. I suppose in this way they wanted to stop people from trading gold/silver and affect the value of the dollar. In any case by the 1970s, America was no longer on the gold standard and the dollar is currently a fiat currency. The value of the dollar is according to the interest rates set by the Federal Reserve.

I also thought about an executive order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1933 this executive order criminalized the possession of gold by individuals, corporations, associations or partnerships. This executive order was replaced by the Gold Reserve Act in 1934. That legislation effect made gold clauses in private contracts illegal and they were necessary in order to protect against he US Government devaluing the currency. Although now it's legal to possess, purchase, and trade for gold.

Also, I look forward to the day when I can purchase gold so that I can use it to trade or sell. Gold is a good investment in these uncertain times. Even better it would be nice to store them in a safe deposit box at a bank for safe keeping.

Lumière and Company - Spike Lee

[VIDEO] Back in 1995, Spike Lee took part in a project entitled Lumière and Company where filmmakers such as Lee were to use the cinematograph camera - invented by the Lumière brothers - with these three rules in mind:

1. A short may be no longer than 52 seconds
2. No synchronized sound
3. No more than three takes

I just found out that Lee will be in The Sixth Ward for an event at Chicago State University. Thinking about going but just haven't decided yet!

Stuff Spelmanites Say Part 2

[VIDEO] Basically I presented part 1 to you, so here's part two. A satire of the adventures of the women of Spelman College. Hopefully this will give you a good laugh, the theme is basically leading up to graduation!