Quote Of The Day

"Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is the special occasion." -Author Unknown

Definitions Better Than Webster's: Part 22

TRUTH:
"Truth is 'that which is.' It is specific energy in the universe. It literally begs to be revealed, especially when hypocrisy and deceit- distorted statements of 'that which is' move toward domination." -From, "The Isis Papers" By: Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

Quote Of The Day

"The first need of a free people is to define their own terms." -Kwame Toure

Black History Fact Of The Day

Gordon Parks was a staff photographer and writer for Life Magazine for two decades. He shot a wide variety of photos for the magazine, including: sports pictures, pictures of poverty and segregation, a portraits of iconic activists like Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Toys R' Us Buys FAO Schwarz

Toys R' Us has reportedly purchased the famous toy retailer, FAO Schwarz.

FAO Schwarz is known for its high end toy stock. Its flagship store is in New York City. It also has a retail location at Caesar's Place in Las Vegas.

Toys R' Us' CEO has vowed to maintain the traditional branding of FAO Schwarz while seeking to expand the business' sales.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

Several cellphone service providers have been sued for their practice of charging customers early termination feed when they want to end their service contract. Consumer advocate groups have proclaimed that charging these types of fees is an illegal practice that gorges the customers and stifles fair business competition.

After being taken to court for billing their customers with these $100+ termination fees; AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint Nextel have implemented the practice of pro-rating their service cancellation charges.

T-Mobile is currently facing a class action lawsuit for charging their customers for early termination of their cellphone service. According to Information Week, the company is looking to settle the lawsuit. T-Mobile is proposing an agreement that will allow them to reimburse customers who paid the termination fees between July 1999 and February 2009. The compensation will come in the form of money, phone services, or a combination thereof.

Sunday's Friday's Op-Ed: Is America Really The Land Of Opportunity?

America has been marketed as “the land of opportunity” for quite some time now. America has an image of being the place to be if you want to “make something from nothing.” After all, what person on the planet doesn’t want to live “The American Dream?” America’s dreamy image neglects to acknowledge all of the societal ills that proliferate on its land.

America- being as slick as it is- has also packaged and promoted its ills as craftily as it has packaged its “you are sure to succeed here” mantras. Cigarettes, drugs, and destructive life habits are made to look enticingly fun via the monstrous mass media machine. All the while, the millennium version of America pretends that its -isms no longer reside within its borders. Who should dare to complain about racism when we have a Black president? How can racism exist when a woman came close to being president? How can classism be present when E-True Hollywood Stories shows that you can make something out of nothing?

The media’s window dressing is playing a hypnotic trick on people to make them ignore reality. After all, we are now encouraged to turn to the media to get our daily doses of reality, (“Reality Shows” are popping up on almost every television station).

The truth is that all of the -isms are alive and well. They may have shape-shifted a bit and become more covert; but they are still actively at work. With that being said, I question if America is really the land of opportunity.

If hard work = Success in America, then why is it that parents who work two jobs still can’t afford to send their child to college? If hard work = Success in America, then why is there a “working poor?” Why are there people who remain homeless despite having full time jobs?

America has historically purposely punished, abused, and killed certain groups of people. It still does.

This country was able to build its wealth off of the free labor of slaves for centuries [SIDEBAR: Slavery is still in effect via the prison system & other systems.] Audaciously without ever even truly contemplating compensating their “involuntary workers,” America now turns to the descendants of their “forced labor” and says you can build a fortune on this here land if you work hard. In the words of Biggie Smalls, “How preposterous is that?!” This is why I feel like my life is an experiment.

I am laboring to build an empire. It is definitely against a lot of odds. If I accomplish my goals will it be because of America or in spite of it? I shudder to ask the deeper question of whether a woman who is where I’m from, thinks like I think, acts like I act, believes what I believe will be able to peacefully amass a fortune in America? History is not on my side. I’m still moving forward though!

TODAY IS...

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:The 2008 not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell case evoked outrage, emotion, and debate. It is not an anomaly that the police officers involved in the Sean Bell slaying were acquitted of all charges on all counts in State Supreme Court. I could run out of ink printing the names of people who have been victimized by the inaptly named justice system.

The American justice system has been especially terroristic towards the African American community. Many community members can cite historic and personal accounts to prove this. Therefore, it would be foolhardy (at the least) to turn to a system that has methodically oppressed us, and request that they free us. We can only free ourselves through extreme discipline and intelligent planning.

As a community we have been too compliant with leaders who organize ineffective, delayed reactions. The only strategy that can save us in this last hour is one that calls for a collective code of conduct that will be conducive to improving the conditions of our community, and shifting the paradigm of how we are treated by outside entities. The first step of this code of conduct should be based on economics.

The old adage of “money talks,” still reigns true in the new millennium. Any political scientist worth his or her library card will tell you that: “Economic powerlessness equals political powerlessness,” and conversely “economic power equals political power.” This means that if we continue to allow our wealth to be extracted from our community, we will remain impotent.

The power of the collective “Black Dollar” is often discussed. However, that power has been left unchanneled. Today is the day to change that. A one-time boycott is not going to bring long-term change and respect to our community. Our community has launched boycotts before. Our success and ascension will be based on what we consistently do. For this reason, we should initiate “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS.”

BUY BLACK FRIDAYS is a small step towards our community acquiring power via controlling our economics. Every Friday, people who acknowledge the injustice and oppression that the African American community has been consistently subjected to should do one of the following:

Option #1: Spend $0 on Friday
Option #2: Spend no more than $10 on Friday
Option #3: Only Shop at Black Businesses on Friday
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE OPTIONS CAN & SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON A DAILY BASIS. However, we can all at the very least focus on Fridays. This way we can take a collective stand and build our collective discipline. Please remember that this is only Phase 1!].

To the people who are tempted to label “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS” as racist, I say this: In the big scheme of things, this is about right & wrong, justice & injustice. The African American community is a strong, proud community that has endured the brunt of America’s iron fist. We must stop the pounding. I feel that any fair-minded individual will concur, and join in.

ANY business that is privileged to enjoy the support of the African American community MUST return that support.

I thank you in advance for your effort and dedication.

-Elsie Law AKA Starface

Quote Of The Day

"We cannot think of uniting with others, until after we have first united among ourselves. We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves." -Malcolm X

Black History Fact Of The Day

Judge Bruce Wright was a judge in New York's civil and criminal courts. In 1982, he was elected to the New York State Supreme Court. He retired 12 years later.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

Apple Inc.'s Ipod has been a stronghold in the MP3 player market. According to The Wall Street Journal, Zune players- which are manufactured by Microsoft- have garnered a single digit percentage of the MP3 player market share. Microsoft is seeking to increase its popularity with music-lovers by upgrading their Zune player with features that other devices don't offer.

Reportedly, the new Zune player (which is due to be released in the fall) will feature a high definition radio receiver. The "Zune HD" will also be equipped with a touch screen and a high definition video output.

While we will have to wait until fall to see how many units of the Zune HD Microsoft will move; it will be interesting to see how this announcement will affect Microsoft's stock (especially in light of their recent legal penalties.)

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

While a federal appeals court upheld a previous ruling that stated that the cigarette and tobacco industry violated federal racketeering laws by lying to the general public about the severe health risks associated with smoking, the 3-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia failed to order the pocket-heavy tobacco corporations to shell out any money for their life-debilitating schemes.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the judges turned down a proposal that would require the tobacco industry to fund a $10 billion national campaign to encourage people to stop smoking. The Wall Street Journal states that the judges "also affirmed an earlier ruling that the government could not force the industry to forfeit as much as $280 billion in profits."

Despite getting off without having to pay any additional penalties, at least one of the tobacco giants that were named as a defendant in this case has reportedly vowed to appeal the ruling. [SIDEBAR: The possible appeal of the appeal seems to display that not only does the tobacco companies want to get away with not being hit in their pockets; they also don't want to be labeled as the deceivers of the public that they have been proven to be.]

Quote Of The Day

"In the final analysis, behavior is not simply an individual affair, for when multiplied by thousands, it has profound effects on the life, future existence and well-being of the total people." -Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

Black History Fact Of The Day

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Charlayne Hunter-Gault is an "American newspaper reporter and broadcast journalist who covered current events, geopolitics, and issues of race. In 1961, Hunter became the first African American woman to enroll in the University of Georgia. She was also among the first African American women to graduate from the university, earning a degree in journalism in 1963."

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

Facebook was recently infused with $200 million from an investor. Digital Sky Technologies- a privately owned, global investment group that is based in Moscow and London- invested the money in the popular, online social networking site.

According to Information Week, DST's $200 million investment garnered them a 1.96% equity stake in Facebook through preferred stock. Information Week also states that DST "will not gain seats on Facebook's board or hold [any] special observer rights" in exchange for their investment.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: How Will GM's Financial Status Affect Pending Lawsuits

Several financial news outlets are forecasting that auto-maker General Motors will possibly declare bankruptcy before the week's end. The auto manufacturer has been the recipient of billions of dollars in bailout funds. However, they claim difficulty in keeping the company afloat.

The auto giant currently has several lawsuits concerning product liability pending. According to The New York Daily News: "An estimated 1,200 Americans are suing GM for product liability." The plaintiffs are contemplating how much settlement money they will be able to receive if they are victorious in their pending lawsuits, if the defendant- General Motors- declares that it is going belly up. One plaintiff is suing because he claims that a faulty seatbelt in a General Motor's manufactured vehicle contributed to his daughter becoming a quadriplegic. This particular plaintiff is worried about how he will cope with his daughter's approximately half-a-million dollar per year medical expenses.

The New York Daily News states that many of the plaintiffs with lawsuits files against General Motors "are debating the risk of settling their cases before the companies go under, including seven NYC Transit bus drivers and mechanics who allegedly contracted cancer and other illnesses from inhaling sickening diesel fumes from GM vehicles."

Quote Of The Day

"Industrial societies turn their citizens into image-junkies; it is the most irresistible form of mental pollution. Poignant longings for beauty, for an end to probing below the surface, for a redemption and celebration of the body of the world. Ultimately, having an experience becomes identical with taking a photograph of it." -Susan Sontag

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week

Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee

NYPD's Stop-and-Frisks At An All-Time High

The New York Police Department has stopped and frisked a record number of people in New York in the first quarter of 2009. According to The Gothamist, collected data has shown that: "The NYPD stopped and searched more innocent people during the first three months of 2009 than during any three month period since police began collecting data on the program."

The released statistics state that New York police officers stopped and questioned 171,094 residents between January and March 2009. More than 151,000 of those stopped did not receive any charges. 145,000 of the New Yorkers who were stopped and questioned by the police were Black and Latino.

The NYPD is collecting personal data on everyone they stop. According to a New York Civil Liberties Union representative, this information is being compiled in a giant database.

Black History Fact Of The Day

Kareem Abdul-Jabar was a number one NBA draft pick, and a six-time NBA champion. He had a 20-year professional basketball career.

Kareem Abdul-Jabar is the author of several books. His books are written on various topics of African American history.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: The Growth of Twitter

Twitter's founders, Evan Williams and Biz Stone, are reportedly in a rush to keep up with their company's growth. According to The Wall Street Journal, the internet site's user numbers have increased from 1.6 million a year ago to its current status of approximately 32.1 million users. The Wall Street Journal states that Twitter currently employs 45 people; however, there is a dearth of people with sales or business experience in the mix.

Twitter is a free online "micro-blogging" service that allegedly doesn't sell advertising space or have a revenue stream. In my opinion, this indicates that the company may possibly be building its site up to sell it for a large price in the future. The Wall Street Journal opines that Twitter may be seeking partnerships with larger internet sites or advertising companies in the near future.

The Wall Street Journal reveals that Twitter raised $35 million from venture capitalists in February of this year; and in that same month received a valuation of $255 million. It should also be noted that one of Twitter's founders, Evan Williams, sold the Blogger site to Google in 2003.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Day

A federal jury in Texas ordered Microsoft to pay the Canadian Company, i4i, $200 million for patent infringement. The jury declared that Microsoft "willfully infringed" on i4i's patent by implementing the Canadian-based company's technology for controlling text formatting into their Word program. This case marks the second time in less than 2 months that the American internet giant has been ordered to make a multi-million dollar payout for the infringement of intellectual property.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft was "ordered by a federal court in Rhode Island to pay $388 million for violating anti-piracy patents held by Uniloc" in April 2009.

Microsoft is reportedly planning to appeal both of these cases.

Quote Of The Day

"Our children, our jobless men, our deprived, rejected, and starving fellow citizens must come first. For this reason, I intend to vote No on every money bill that comes to the floor of this House that provides any funds for the Department of Defense." -Shirley Chisholm

Quote Of The Day

"I think leadership comes from integrity- that you do whatever you ask others to do. I think there are non-obvious ways to lead. Just by providing a good example as a parent, a friend, a neighbor makes it possible for other people to see better ways to do things. Leadership does not need to be a dramatic, fist in the air and trumpets blaring, activity." -Scott Berkun

Quote Of The Day

"You don't lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case." -Ken Kesey

Quote Of The Day

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" -Mary Anne Radmacher

*Follow Up* Support The Men Wrongly Convicted In The Infamous Central Park Jogger Case...Their Plight Isn't Over

On Wednesday, May 20th, Brooklyn Councilman- Charles Barron- introduced Resolution 1976 to the New York City Council.

Resolution 1976 is a proposed resolution that is seeking to get compensation for the men who were falsely accused and incarcerated for the rape of a Central Park jogger in 1989. The wrongly convicted men were in their mere teens at the time of the unjust conviction and imprisonment.

The resolution was introduced in lieu of a court case that would name the City of New York as the defendant. New York City Council members will now vote on whether or not the young men will receive their just compensation (although their is no way to truly compensate these men for their ordeal).

As per protocol, the resolution has been assigned to a committee to set a hearing date. The Governmental Operation Committee chaired by Helen Sears will determine the hearing date, which will be announced in the near future. Once the hearing date is announced, community members should call their local council member to urge them to support the resolution. Stay tuned for more...

Related Posts:
CLICK HERE for, "Support The Men Wrongly Convicted In The Infamous Central Park Jogger Case...Their Plight Isn't Over"
CLICK HERE for, "The Five Men Who Were Erroneously Imprisoned In The 1989 Central Park Jogger Case..."
CLICK HERE for, "A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week"

Black History Fact Of The Day

The Wall Street Journal states that Ursula Burns, who will soon become the new CEO of Xerox Corporation, "will become the first African American woman to head a Fortune 500 company, according to research group Catalyst Inc."

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

With all of the mis-management of funds and "economic turmoil" going on, several CEOs are stepping down or being removed from their positions.

Xerox Corporation's Chief Executive Officer is reportedly taking early retirement- for reasons unstated. According to The Wall Street Journal, she is credited with reviving the company when it was near bankruptcy.

Luxury brand, Versace's, CEO is also reportedly resigning. The Wall Street Journal sites alleged clashes with the lead designer over how to cut costs for the company as the possible reason for the step down.

The New York Daily News is reporting that the CEO of the troubled American International Group will also step down as soon as the company finds an adequate replacement for him. The New York Daily News states that: "AIG has received $182.5 billion in financial support from the government since September. As part of the loan package, the government has also taken a roughly 80 percent stake in the huge insurance company."

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: Shield Laws & Bloggers

New York's "shield law" allows news reporters and journalists the right to refuse to testify in a court in law about any information that they received via their journalistic duties. A New York State Senator and an Assembly Woman want to extend this right to "journalist bloggers." According to The New York Times, they have introduced a bill that will protect bloggers "from being compelled to disclose confidential information or sources in state court.

The New York Times states that: "The current shield law protects professional journalists involved with newspapers, magazines, news agencies, press associations, wire services, radio and television. The bill under consideration would expand the scope of the law to include 'journalist bloggers,' with a blog defined as 'a web site or web page that contains an online journal containing news, comments and offers hyperlinks provided by the writer.'"

TODAY IS...

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:The 2008 not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell case evoked outrage, emotion, and debate. It is not an anomaly that the police officers involved in the Sean Bell slaying were acquitted of all charges on all counts in State Supreme Court. I could run out of ink printing the names of people who have been victimized by the inaptly named justice system.

The American justice system has been especially terroristic towards the African American community. Many community members can cite historic and personal accounts to prove this. Therefore, it would be foolhardy (at the least) to turn to a system that has methodically oppressed us, and request that they free us. We can only free ourselves through extreme discipline and intelligent planning.

As a community we have been too compliant with leaders who organize ineffective, delayed reactions. The only strategy that can save us in this last hour is one that calls for a collective code of conduct that will be conducive to improving the conditions of our community, and shifting the paradigm of how we are treated by outside entities. The first step of this code of conduct should be based on economics.

The old adage of “money talks,” still reigns true in the new millennium. Any political scientist worth his or her library card will tell you that: “Economic powerlessness equals political powerlessness,” and conversely “economic power equals political power.” This means that if we continue to allow our wealth to be extracted from our community, we will remain impotent.

The power of the collective “Black Dollar” is often discussed. However, that power has been left unchanneled. Today is the day to change that. A one-time boycott is not going to bring long-term change and respect to our community. Our community has launched boycotts before. Our success and ascension will be based on what we consistently do. For this reason, we should initiate “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS.”

BUY BLACK FRIDAYS is a small step towards our community acquiring power via controlling our economics. Every Friday, people who acknowledge the injustice and oppression that the African American community has been consistently subjected to should do one of the following:

Option #1: Spend $0 on Friday
Option #2: Spend no more than $10 on Friday
Option #3: Only Shop at Black Businesses on Friday
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE OPTIONS CAN & SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON A DAILY BASIS. However, we can all at the very least focus on Fridays. This way we can take a collective stand and build our collective discipline. Please remember that this is only Phase 1!].

To the people who are tempted to label “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS” as racist, I say this: In the big scheme of things, this is about right & wrong, justice & injustice. The African American community is a strong, proud community that has endured the brunt of America’s iron fist. We must stop the pounding. I feel that any fair-minded individual will concur, and join in.

ANY business that is privileged to enjoy the support of the African American community MUST return that support.

I thank you in advance for your effort and dedication.

-Elsie Law AKA Starface

Quote Of The Day

"There is a higher law than the law of government. That's the law of conscience." -Stokely Carmichael

Quote Of The Day

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" -Muhammad Ali

Black History Fact Of The Day

On this day in 1743, Touissant L'Ouverture was born. L'Ouverture is a historical revolutionary who is known as the leader of the "Great Haitian Slave Revolt."

The Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Bank Of America Is On A Paper Chase

The Bank of America has maneuvered to bring in some cash to their reportedly troubled corporation.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the financial corporation was infused with $13.5 billion yesterday via a common-stock sale of 1.25 billion shares.

The Wall Street Journal also states that the bank sold some of its stake in China Construction Bank for $7.3 billion.

The alleged reason for the financial corporation's paper chase is to avoid any further government investment in the company, and to avoid a governmental takeover.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

You know those annoying phone calls you get with the weird area codes, and the robotic voice that tells you your car warranty is about to expire; a federal judge is reportedly attempting to end them.

According to The New York Daily News: "A federal judge has issued two temporary restraining orders designed to stop what officials describe as a wave of deceptive 'robo-calls' warning people their auto warranties are expiring and offering to sell them new service plans."

The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against two companies that are culprits of the car warranty phone calls. The FTC states that the companies have randomly called citizens regardless of whether or not they were car owners or not, or had their names listed on the "Do Not Call" Registry.

In addition to putting a temporary stop to the robo-calls, the judge's order also froze the assets of the companies involved.

Quote Of The Day

"Don't be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn't do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn't know what you know today." -Malcolm X

Malcolm X's "The Ballot Or The Bullet" Speech

Listen & Watch As Malcolm X Speaks...

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week

Quote Of The Day

"The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses." -Malcolm X

Happy Birthday To Malcolm X!

Support The Men Wrongly Convicted In The Infamous Central Park Jogger Case...Their Plight Isn't Over

The Central Park jogger case is one of the most infamous cases in New York City history.

In 1989, a woman was found in Central Park raped and gravely beaten. She was reportedly attacked while out jogging. As a result of the brutal attack, the NYPD went on a hunt for suspects. They rounded up a group of Black and Latino teenage boys, and accused them of being the culprits of the crime. Confessions were coerced from the teenagers. It was these false confessions that were used to convict the young teens for rape and assault. DNA evidence collected from the scene of the crime didn't match that of any of the suspects. This was a dead giveaway of the young boys' innocence. However, they were still hit with heavy prison sentences.

In 2002, it was revealed that a convicted rapist and murderer- who was serving a life sentence in prison- was the true culprit of the Central Park jogger's rape. Not only did the imprisoned rapist adamantly admit to being the sole perpetrator of the crime, but the DNA evidence that was collected from the crime scene was a match with his confirming that he was indeed the rapist. Despite this confirmation the damage was already done. The falsely accused young teens had been crucified in the press. They were also tragically doomed to grow up in the prison system; losing pivotal developmental years of their lifespan to incarceration for a crime they did not commit.

The young men who were falsely accused and unjustly railroaded by the court system eventually had their convictions vacated by the New York Supreme Court. However, they had already served their prison sentences in full at the time of the order to have their convictions vacated.

Right now the men who were wrongly imprisoned in the Central Park jogger case, are attempting to petition the New York City Council in order to receive just compensation for losing more than a decade out of their lives due to their false convictions.

It is imperative that New York City acknowledge the pain and unjust treatment that these men and their families have endured- and continue to endure. The city's judicial and political system must be held accountable. [SIDEBAR: City officials should be tripping over each other in a rush to right this wrong!] The United African Movement (led by Alton Maddox) has created a petition to help in the plight of of these young men to receive the compensation that they deserve from the city. The petition, along with a resolution concerning the matter will be submitted by Councilman Charles Barron to the New York City Council at NEW YORK'S CITY HALL ON MAY 20th AT 2PM.

ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE BEING ASKED TO COME OUT TO CITY HALL ON MAY 20TH AT 2PM TO ATTEND THE ASSEMBLY WHERE THE PETITION AND THE RESOLUTION WILL BE PRESENTED.

Please show your solidarity for these falsely convicted men and their families. They are us! What happened to them could happen to us easily (or already has)! Let's show that we support our community members, and will no longer stand for our loved ones being railroaded by the system.

Related Posts:
CLICK HERE for, "The Five Men Who Were Erroneously Imprisoned In The 1989 Central Park Jogger Case..."
CLICK HERE for, "A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week"

Black History Fact Of The Day

In addition to being an acclaimed singer, Marian Anderson was also a delegate to The United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

According to The Wall Street Journal, India's stock market (Sensex) is expected to rise by 9% today. The increase is reportedly due to a recent election that will put The United Progressive Alliance into office.

The Wall Street Journal states that, "The Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensitive Index could rise 1,000-plus points when trading [begins] Monday." We will soon see how global investors respond to this prediction.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

"QUESTION: Is DNA evidence routinely admissible at trial?

ANSWER: Yes. Most judges today accept expert evidence based on DNA analysis. The universally-accepted theory underlying DNA analysis is that every person (except an identical twin) has a unique molecular makeup. Different methodologies allow experts to identify the portions of DNA molecules that establish a person's uniqueness. The most common of these methodologies is RFLP, or the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Technique. By comparing an individual's known DNA with a sample of DNA from a crime scene (for example, in a droplet of blood or a strand of hair), an expert can give an opinion concerning the likelihood that both samples came from the same individual." -From, "The Criminal Law Handbook" By: Bergman & Berman-Barrett

Quote Of The Day

"Time will explain it all. He is a talker, and needs no questioning before he speaks." -Euripides

Video Of The Week

This is an interview that Muhammad Ali gave 34 years ago today, the morning after a championship fight. He discusses truth, friendship, and other topics in his usual profound manner.

Quote Of The Day

"Our grandfathers had to run, run, run. My generation's out of breath. We ain't running no more." -Stokely Carmichael

[SIDEBAR: Think about this quote literally and figuratively. What are you running from. Is it justifiable?]

Newsletter News Brief: Cigarette Addiction

According to Wikipedia, on this day in 1988: "A report by United States' Surgeon General C. Everett Koop states that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine."

Quote Of The Day

"Men who are in earnest are not afraid of consequences." -Marcus Garvey

Black History Fact Of The Day

Robert Abbott founded the Chicago Defender, which was the only African-American owned daily newspaper in Chicago. He is quoted saying the following about his journey to established his periodical: "My friends made fun of me...They thought it was foolish of me to anticipate success in a field in which so many men before me had failed...But I went on fighting the opposition of my adversaries and the indifference of my friends; I emerged victorious but battle-scarred."

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

Two bills have recently passed through the House of Representatives that will designate billions of dollars in a couple of ways.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the House passed legislation (in a 368-60 vote) that will allocate $96.7 billion "to pay for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and other foreign-assistance operations."

According to CNN, the House approved a bill (in a 275-155 vote) to allocate $6.4 billion to make American schools "greener." This money will reportedly be used to make school buildings more "energy efficient."

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

"Criminal law was the master class' tool. Thus, in the first case recorded in Virginia (1729) in which a jury convicted an overseer for the murder of a slave, the colonial governor commuted the death sentence, reasoning that 'executing him for this offense may make the slaves very insolent, and give them occasion to contemn their masters and overseers, which may be of dangerous consequences in a country where the Negroes are so numerous and make the most valuable part of the people's estates.' For a similar reason the bodies of slaves convicted and executed for crimes were allowed to hang in in public until they rotted, or pieces of the body were impaled on stakes and displayed, for the express purpose of making all slaves stand in fear of the power of their masters' government. Visibility was all-important: on one occasion the chimney of a colonial Virginia courthouse served as the display case for the severed heads of four slaves convicted of plotting the murder of their master.

Behind the gory display of body parts lay the masters' pervasive fear of slave conspiracies. Only by grisly deterrence, the master class reasoned, would slaves be dissuaded from rebelling against their condition. The obsessive concern with conspiracy, a striking feature of the Barbados code, would find its way into the law of almost all the colonies." -From, The Great New York Conspiracy of 1741: Slavery, Crime, and Colonial Law" By: Peter Hoffer

TODAY IS...

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:The 2008 not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell case evoked outrage, emotion, and debate. It is not an anomaly that the police officers involved in the Sean Bell slaying were acquitted of all charges on all counts in State Supreme Court. I could run out of ink printing the names of people who have been victimized by the inaptly named justice system.

The American justice system has been especially terroristic towards the African American community. Many community members can cite historic and personal accounts to prove this. Therefore, it would be foolhardy (at the least) to turn to a system that has methodically oppressed us, and request that they free us. We can only free ourselves through extreme discipline and intelligent planning.

As a community we have been too compliant with leaders who organize ineffective, delayed reactions. The only strategy that can save us in this last hour is one that calls for a collective code of conduct that will be conducive to improving the conditions of our community, and shifting the paradigm of how we are treated by outside entities. The first step of this code of conduct should be based on economics.

The old adage of “money talks,” still reigns true in the new millennium. Any political scientist worth his or her library card will tell you that: “Economic powerlessness equals political powerlessness,” and conversely “economic power equals political power.” This means that if we continue to allow our wealth to be extracted from our community, we will remain impotent.

The power of the collective “Black Dollar” is often discussed. However, that power has been left unchanneled. Today is the day to change that. A one-time boycott is not going to bring long-term change and respect to our community. Our community has launched boycotts before. Our success and ascension will be based on what we consistently do. For this reason, we should initiate “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS.”

BUY BLACK FRIDAYS is a small step towards our community acquiring power via controlling our economics. Every Friday, people who acknowledge the injustice and oppression that the African American community has been consistently subjected to should do one of the following:

Option #1: Spend $0 on Friday
Option #2: Spend no more than $10 on Friday
Option #3: Only Shop at Black Businesses on Friday
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE OPTIONS CAN & SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON A DAILY BASIS. However, we can all at the very least focus on Fridays. This way we can take a collective stand and build our collective discipline. Please remember that this is only Phase 1!].

To the people who are tempted to label “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS” as racist, I say this: In the big scheme of things, this is about right & wrong, justice & injustice. The African American community is a strong, proud community that has endured the brunt of America’s iron fist. We must stop the pounding. I feel that any fair-minded individual will concur, and join in.

ANY business that is privileged to enjoy the support of the African American community MUST return that support.

I thank you in advance for your effort and dedication.

-Elsie Law AKA Starface

Quote Of The Day

"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." -Cyril Connolly

Black History Fact Of The Day

Carter G. Woodson is known as the "Father of Black History." He was a historian and writer. He founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

Carter G. Woodson wrote several books. He was also a columnist for Marcus Garvey's weekly newspaper.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Intel's $1.45 Billion Fine

U.S. computer chip manufacturer, Intel, has reportedly been hit with the biggest antitrust fine ever given to a company by the European Union.

European Union officials have stated that Intel has engaged in illegal business practices in order to sabotage fellow chip-maker and business competitor, AMD.

According to Information Week: "The EU executive said U.S. based Intel paid computer makers to postpone or cancel plans to launch products that used AMD chips, paid illegal, secret rebates so computer makers would use mostly or entirely Intel chips, and paid a major retailer to stock only computers with its chips." For these violations, Intel has been fined $1.45 billion by the European Commisison. They have also been order to cease these types of shady dealings.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

"How To Find Pending State Legislation: In most states, you can use the internet (www.FindLaw.com) to read the text of pending state legislation and check on its status.

However, if for some reason, you want to find hardcopy text of pending state legislation, here are some tips.

If you want to examine a piece of legislation that is currently before your state legislature, probably the best way is to call your local elected representative’s office and ask for a copy of the bill. If you know what the bill concerns and, if possible, who is sponsoring it, you probably won’t need to know the number of the bill.

However, if you want to use your local law library (or your public library if it is large enough to carry state legislative materials), follow these steps:
(1) Determine the number of the bill.
(2) If you don’t know the bill’s number, find out whether the legislature prints a subject index to current legislation. If so, use the index. If not, call your elected representative’s office and ask for the number.
(3) Ask the reference librarian whether your legislature publishes a daily or weekly journal summarizing current legislative activity. If it does, locate the listing for the bill by its number and determine its status. (For instance, is it still in committee, or has it passed both houses?) If there is no journal, ask your elected representative or the bill’s sponsor to find out the bill’s status.
(4) Find our whether your local law library receives copies of the bills (called “slip laws” as they are produced and amended. If so, locate the latest version of the bill and read it." -From, "Legal Research: How To Find & Understand The Law" By: Elias & Levinkind

Quote Of The Day

"People do not wish to appear foolish; to avoid the appearance of foolishness, they are willing to remain actually fools." -Alice Walker

Black History Fact Of The Day

Today is Stevie Wonder's birthday. Stevie Wonder has accumulated album sales that total more than 100 million albums sold.

According to Wikipedia, Mr. Wonder plays several instruments, including the: "piano, synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums, bass guitar, bongos, organ, melodica, and clarinet.

CLICK HERE to go to my other blog (www.GetOffMyWings.Blogspot.com), and view my "Music With A Message" post that I posted in celebration of Stevie Wonder's birthday.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Leveraged Buyouts Defined

According to Wikipedia: "A leveraged buyout (or LBO, or highly-leveraged transaction (HLT), or "bootstrap" transaction) occurs when a financial sponsor acquires a controlling interest in a company's equity and where a significant percentage of the purchase price is financed through leverage (borrowing). The assets of the acquired company are used as collateral for the borrowed capital, sometimes with assets of the acquiring company. The bonds or other paper issued for leveraged buyouts are commonly considered not to be investment grade because of the significant risks involved."

According to the Stock Jargon website: "Leveraged buyouts are essentially takeovers that involve using lots of borrowed money. 

These were made famous in the 1980's when corporate raiders would issue junk bonds, buy a conglomerate that was mismanaged, and sell of its parts. LBO's can make money in two ways:

(1) Buy the company and sell off its pieces, then repay the debts. If the value of the pieces is greater than the business as a whole, the buyer makes a profit.

(2) Buy the company and manage it more efficiently. As long as the company can be managed so that it generates enough cash flow to pay the interest on bonds, the buyer will profit."

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

An online legal dictionary defines Black Codes as: "Statutes passed by pro-slavery, southern states of the USA before and after the civil war, to limit the civil rights of slaves or freed slaves...The pre-civil war black codes of Indiana and Illinois prohibited any "Negro" person from moving to those states. Other black codes prohibited interracial marriages. After the civil war, all former slaves states enacted black codes."

Quote Of The Day

"There is a higher law than the law of government. That's the law of conscience." -Stokely Carmichael

Black History Fact Of The Day

According to the book, "The Great New York Conspiracy of 1741" By: Peter Hoffer, "Slaves constitut[ed] 20% of New York City's population in 1740."

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: The Cablevision Edition

Despite rumors that have been proclaimed in various financial news outlets, Cablevision denies that it is considering selling Madison Square Garden.

According to Newsday, Cablevision representatives have stated that they are merely considering "spinning off" its MSG holdings. Newsday states, "that would mean Madison Square Garden and its related operations- including the New York Knicks basketball team, the New York Rangers hockey team, Radio City Music Hall and The Beacon Theatre- could become a separate company, possibly one with shares traded on the stock exchange."

Cablevision also owns The Sundance Channel and Newsday.

[SIDEBAR: Cablevision has been able to build their empire predominantly by selling cable tv service to the New York metropolitan are.]

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

A NYPD officer reportedly told a lie that cost an innocent cab driver 9 months of his life, and the city $1.5 million.

In 2002, an undercover cop falsely accused a cab driver of selling him 100 ecstasy pills. The results of the accusation was that the cab driver was jailed for 9 months, for a crime he didn't commit.

Attorneys were recently able to prove the taxi driver's innocence in a lawsuit that was filed against the city. The driver was awarded $1.5 million by the court system when evidence revealed that not only didn't he fit the description of the presumed drug seller; but that the police officer who declared he was the culprit wasn't even on duty the day he claimed he was brought drugs from the innocent cab driver. [SIDEBAR: It took more than 7 years, and an undeserved jail sentence for this innocent man to clear his name.]

According to The New York Daily News, the officer involved in this incident was never disciplined for his actions. The officer remains on full duty.

Quote Of The Day

"The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus." -Bruce Lee

Newsletter News Brief: The War Is Still On...

According to The UK news source, The Independent, a United States soldier who was visiting a counseling clinic in Baghdad- presumably in search of treatment- opened fire inside the clinic (which is also known as "The Stress Center"). The soldier killed five fellow military people, and wounded three others.

The Independent states that: "The shocking attack made yesterday one of the deadliest days for the U.S. military in Iraq in more than a year."

[SIDEBAR: How can war ever be beneficial?]

Black History Fact Of The Day

Coretta Scott King was a talented musician. She attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. She also earned a degree in voice and violin.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Yahoo & New York

New York's government officials are reportedly trying to woo internet corporation, Yahoo Inc., into creating a $100 million data center within the confines of the state. The data center, which could possibly be located in Buffalo, New York; would mainly be a warehouse for the company's computer systems.

Although opening the data center will allegedly provide only a miniscule number of jobs, New York politicians say that luring the company to set up shop in the state could help boost the economy in peripheral ways.

News outlets are reporting that New York is trying to bait Yahoo by offering the corporation large discounts on the high cost of power & electricity that it will take to run the center.

[SIDEBAR: Corporate welfare seems to out-pace "regular" welfare on any given day.]

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

"The U.S. inherited its jury system from England, and in England juries have consisted of 12 people since the fourteenth century, for reasons nobody quite sure of...But a jury can constitutionally consist of as few as six persons. The size of juries tends to vary depending on the state and the seriousness of the charge. For example, California requires 12-person juries for both felony and misdemeanor trials, except that the state and the defendant may agree to less than 12-person juries in misdemeanors. Florida law provides for six-person juries on non-capital cases and 12-person juries in capital cases." -From, "The Criminal Law Handbook" By: Bergman & Barrett

Quote Of The Day

"A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience." -Oliver Wendell Holmes

Quote Of The Day

"It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to make sure you haven't lost the things that money can't buy." -George Horace Lorimer

[SIDEBAR: Happy Mother's Day To: All the mothers, caregivers, and everyone who plays a role in raising the next generation.]

Quote Of The Day

"Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks." -Phillips Brooks

Black History Fact Of The Day

Phillis Wheatley is considered the first published African American poet. Despite being made a slave at 7 years old, she published a book of poems on various topics in 1773.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Certificates of Deposit

According to Wikipedia: "A certificate of deposit or CD is a time deposit, a financial product commonly offered to consumers by banks, thrift institutions, and credit unions.

CDs are similar to savings accounts in that they are insured and thus virtually risk-free; they are "money in the bank" (CDs are insured by the FDIC for banks or by the NCUA for credit unions). They are different from savings accounts in that the CD has a specific, fixed term (often three months, six months, or one to five years), and, usually, a fixed interest rate. It is intended that the CD be held until maturity, at which time the money may be withdrawn together with the accrued interest."

[SIDEBAR: With the recent failure of so many financial institutions, I'm not sure how "risk free" even CDs are these days. You should consult a certified financial advisor on this.]

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

"QUESTION: Can my lawyer repeat what I say to anyone without my permission?

ANSWER: No, with one important exception...Clients' statements to lawyers concerning an intention to commit a crime or a fraud in the future are usually not confidential. Judges can compel lawyers to testify to such statements...

The most basic principle underlying the lawyer-client relationship is that lawyer-client communications are privileged, or confidential. This means that lawyers can't reveal clients' oral or written statements (nor lawyers' own statements to clients) to anyone, including prosecutors, employers, friends, or family members, without their clients' consent. It matters not whether defendants confess their guilt or insist on their innocence- attorney-client communications are confidential." -From, "The Criminal Law Handbook" By: Bergman & Barrett

TODAY IS...

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:The 2008 not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell case evoked outrage, emotion, and debate. It is not an anomaly that the police officers involved in the Sean Bell slaying were acquitted of all charges on all counts in State Supreme Court. I could run out of ink printing the names of people who have been victimized by the inaptly named justice system.

The American justice system has been especially terroristic towards the African American community. Many community members can cite historic and personal accounts to prove this. Therefore, it would be foolhardy (at the least) to turn to a system that has methodically oppressed us, and request that they free us. We can only free ourselves through extreme discipline and intelligent planning.

As a community we have been too compliant with leaders who organize ineffective, delayed reactions. The only strategy that can save us in this last hour is one that calls for a collective code of conduct that will be conducive to improving the conditions of our community, and shifting the paradigm of how we are treated by outside entities. The first step of this code of conduct should be based on economics.

The old adage of “money talks,” still reigns true in the new millennium. Any political scientist worth his or her library card will tell you that: “Economic powerlessness equals political powerlessness,” and conversely “economic power equals political power.” This means that if we continue to allow our wealth to be extracted from our community, we will remain impotent.

The power of the collective “Black Dollar” is often discussed. However, that power has been left unchanneled. Today is the day to change that. A one-time boycott is not going to bring long-term change and respect to our community. Our community has launched boycotts before. Our success and ascension will be based on what we consistently do. For this reason, we should initiate “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS.”

BUY BLACK FRIDAYS is a small step towards our community acquiring power via controlling our economics. Every Friday, people who acknowledge the injustice and oppression that the African American community has been consistently subjected to should do one of the following:

Option #1: Spend $0 on Friday
Option #2: Spend no more than $10 on Friday
Option #3: Only Shop at Black Businesses on Friday
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE OPTIONS CAN & SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON A DAILY BASIS. However, we can all at the very least focus on Fridays. This way we can take a collective stand and build our collective discipline. Please remember that this is only Phase 1!].

To the people who are tempted to label “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS” as racist, I say this: In the big scheme of things, this is about right & wrong, justice & injustice. The African American community is a strong, proud community that has endured the brunt of America’s iron fist. We must stop the pounding. I feel that any fair-minded individual will concur, and join in.

ANY business that is privileged to enjoy the support of the African American community MUST return that support.

I thank you in advance for your effort and dedication.

-Elsie Law AKA Starface