Taking A Brief Hiatus...

I'll be back with new updates on Monday, September 21, 2009. Please feel free to enjoy and revisit old posts. Thanks.

Lots of Love,

Elsie Law aka Starface

Definitions Better Than Webster's: Part 25

LOVE:
"Love is contraband in hell,
Cause love is an acid
That eats away bars." -Assata Shakur

Riddle Me This

If society is moving towards being "cashless," how is the illegal drug industry going to operate? Let's be honest (and obvious), right now society is pretty narcotic-riddled (so to speak). Does this mean that in a cashless society, drugs will be "legal." Is this premise related to the push to make certain illegal drugs legal?

Quote Of The Day

"In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place." -Mahatma Gandhi

Quote Of The Day

"A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer." -Bruce Lee

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

"Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. Don't worry whether or not they finally understand you. Love them and release them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time." -Sara Paddison

Black History Fact Of The Day

Gabriel Prosser, was a literate enslaved blacksmith who planned and led a large slave rebellion in the Richmond area in the summer of 1800. Governor James Monroe and the state militia suppressed the rebellion. Gabriel and 26 other enslaved people who participated were hanged. In reaction, the Virginia and other legislatures passed restrictions on free blacks, as well as the education, movement and hiring out of the enslaved.

In 2002 the City of Richmond passed a resolution in honor of Gabriel on the 202nd anniversary of the rebellion.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

First it was the multi-billion dollar "cash for clunkers" program, now the government is funding another multi-billion dollar program.

States in America are applying to get funds from a new government stimulus program that has been set up to start the creation of a new high-speed rail system. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Federal Railroad Administration grants will be awarded beginning in late September or early October." The FRA Administrator has been quoted as saying that the new rapid rail system is being constructed with the intention to "transform the way Americans travel."

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: Common Law Defined

According to Barron's Law Dictionary common law is: "The system of jurisprudence, which originated in England and was later applied in the United States, which is based on judicial precedent rather than statutory laws, which are legislative enactments: it is to be contrasted with civil law (the descendant of Roman Law prevalent in other western countries). Originally based on the unwritten laws of England, the common law is 'generally derived from principles rather than rules; it does not consist of absolute, fixed, and inflexible rules, but rather of broad and comprehensive principles based on justice, reason, and common sense. It is of judicial origin and promulgation. Its principles have been determined by the social needs of the community and have changed with changes in such needs. These principles are susceptible of adaptation to new conditions, interests, relations, and usages as the progress of society may require.'"

Quote Of The Day

"It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more 'manhood' to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind." -Alex Karras

Quote Of The Day

"Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking." -Mahatma Gandhi

Is Soy Safe To Eat?

This video discusses the side effects of eating soy. It also brings to light the Tuskegee experiment-like soy diet that is allegedly in effect in Illinois prisons.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: How Valid Is The UCC & Common Law

Quote Of The Day

"There is no surer sign that a crusade has had it than when its targets decide that being attacked is good for business." -From, "The Creation Of The Media" By: Paul Starr

Anecdote Of The Week

"How long? Not long. Martin and Malcolm knew they didn't have much time. In Benjamin Mays' famous poem he illuminates how time is fleeting: '60 seconds in a minute, a lifetime depends on it.' In the average lifespan of 70 years, people will spend 23 years sleeping, e16 years working, 8 years watching television, 6 years eating, 6 years commuting, 4 1/2 years for leisure, 4 years ill, 2 years dressing, and 6 months involved in religion.

Martin and Malcolm knew they wouldn't have 70 years. They were hoping they could get more than 60 seconds in a minute. Malcolm spent from 1925 to 1938 being a good student. From 1938 to 1946, he was separated from his family and became a hustler. He was incarcerated from 1946 to 1952 and became Malcolm X. He only had 13 years from 1952 to 1965 to share his brilliance with his people.

How long? Not long. Sixty seconds in a minute Martin Luther King knew he didn't have much time. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School at 15, Morehouse College at 19, Crozier with a master degree at 22, Boston University with a doctorate at 26, and died at 39. Thirteen years to try to save the world. It is not how long you live, but what you do while you are alive." -From, "Sankofa: Stories of Power, Hope, and Joy" By: Jawanza Kunjufu

Black History Fact Of The Day

Queen Nzingha "was Queen and General of Angola. She was a military genius." -From, "Sankofa: Stories of Power, Hope, and Joy" By: Jawanza Kunjufu

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

Next week, Nokia will allegedly introduce its mini-laptop. The computer will reportedly implement Window's software.

Nokia's move into the laptop market is likely an attempt to bolster its declining popularity with cellphone users. Although, according to The Wall Street Journal, Nokia still has a dominant 38% share of the global cellphone market; Nokia phones have seen a decrease in consumer enthusiasm as cellphone users have begun to increasingly gravitate to using iPhones and Blackberrys.

We will see if Nokia will be able to carve out a presence in the laptop industry amongst strongholds like the Mac,Toshiba, Dell, etc.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: The Pure Food and Drug Act Defined

According to Wikipedia: "The Pure Food and Drug Act of June 30, 1906 is a United States federal law that provided federal inspection of meat products and forbade the manufacture, sale, or transportation of adulterated food products and poisonous patent medicines.

The 1906 Act paved the way for the eventual creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is generally considered to be that agency's founding date, though the agency existed before the law was passed and was not named FDA until later. The law itself was largely replaced by the much more comprehensive Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938."

Video Of The Week

Bobby Seale talking about The Black Panther Party's 10-Point Program

Quote Of The Day

"One man may hit the mark, another blunder; but heed not these distinctions. Only from the alliance of the one, working with and through the other, are great things born." -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Riddle Me This

There is enough collective wealth in the community to AT LEAST fund our partial independence, so why do we spend our money to help fund our oppression?

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 10- Assassinations

ASSASSINATIONS

"The Bureau has been implicated as cooperating in the outright physical elimination- assassination- of selected political leaders, either for 'exemplary' reasons or after other attempts at destroying their effectiveness had failed. The Bureau almost always used surrogates to perform such functions, but can repeatedly be demonstrated as having provided the basic intelligence, logistics or other ingredients requisite to 'successful' operations in this regard.

Understandably, this is the murkiest of all COINTELPRO areas, and the one from which congressional investigators have shied most consistently and sharply. However, certain COINTELPRO techniques already discussed- and acknowledged ny Congress_ had the effect of generating de facto Bureau-fostered assassinations. Others such as the Hampton-Clark murders...are even clearer." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 9- Fabrication of Evidence

FABRICATION OF EVIDENCE

"A widely used FBI tactic has been the fabrication of evidence for criminal prosecution of key individuals, and the withholding of exculpatory evidence which might serve to block conviction of these individuals. This includes the intimidation of witnesses and use of coercion to obtain false testimony." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Quote Of The Day

"The walls, the bars, the guns and the guards can never encircle or hold down the idea of the people." -Huey Newton

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 8- Bad-Jacketing

BAD-JACKETING

"'Snitch-jacketing' or 'bad-jacketing' refers to the practice of creating suspicion- through the spread of rumors, manufacture of evidence, etc.- that bona fide organizational members, usually in key positions, are FBI/police informers, guilty of such offenses as skimming organizational funds and the like. The purpose of this tactic was to 'isolate and eliminate' organizational leadership; such efforts were continued- and in some cases accelerated- when it became known that the likely outcome would be extreme physical violence visited upon the 'jacketed' individual(s). Bad-jacketing was a very commonly used technique." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Quote Of The Day

"I am learning to understand rather than immediately judge or to be judged. I cannot blindly follow the crowd and accept their approach. I will not allow myself to indulge in the usual manipulating game of role creation. Fortunately for me, my self-knowledge has transcended that and I have come to understand that life is best to be lived and not to be conceptualized. I am happy because I am growing daily and I am honestly not knowing where the limit lies. To be certain, every day there can be a revelation or a new discovery. I treasure the memory of the past misfortunes. It has added more to my bank of fortitude." -Bruce Lee

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 7- "Pseudo Gangs"

"PSEUDO-GANGS"

"There is some indication that the Bureau had begun to spawn 'pseudo-gangs,' phony organizations designed to 'confuse, divide and undermine' as well as do outright battle with authentic dissident groups." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Black History Fact Of The Day

"The two principal New York penny papers of the 1830s, The Sun and The Herald, found readers among artisans and other workers, while The Herald also drew businessmen. The did not show the same interest, however, in broadening their audience across racial lines; indeed, it was The Sun's refusal to publish a letter from a Black writer named Willis Hodges, protesting the paper's campaign to retain property qualifications for Black voters alone, that led Hodges to establish one of America's first Black newspapers." -From, "The Creation Of The Media: Political Origins of Modern Communications" By: Paul Starr

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

The Google Inc. owned company, You Tube, has recently reached a deal with Time Warner [SIDEBAR: Google reportedly purchased You Tube in 2006 for $1.7 billion.]

The You Tube/Time Warner deal will allegedly allow the online video site to feature short video clips from the media conglomerate's television stations. You Tube has been negotiating similar licensing deals with music, movie, and tv stations over the past several months. The Wall Street Journal reports that You Tube has already struck deals with ESPN and ABC so far this year.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: Shepardizing A Case

In the land of legal research there is a process called "Shepardizing A Case." "Legal Research" By Elias & Levinkind describes shepardizing a case as: "The process of identifying all published cases that have referred to (cited) an earlier case. The process helps to garner information about why the earlier case was cited by the later cases...You can use this list to: (1) See if the case was affirmed, modified, or reversed by a higher court. (2) See if other cases affect the value of the case as precedent or persuasive authority. (3) Find other cases that may help your argument or give you better answers to your question."

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

"If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." -Bruce Lee

Quote Of The Day

"All virtue is summed up in dealing justly." -Aristotle

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 6- Infiltrators & Agents Provocateurs

INFILTRATORS & AGENTS PROVOCATEURS

"This widely used tactic involved the infiltration of targeted organizations with informer and agent provocateurs, the latter expressly for the purpose of fomenting or engaging in illegal activities which could then be attributed to key organizational members and/or the organization as a whole. Agents provocateurs were also routinely assigned to disrupt the internal functioning of targeted groups and to assist in the spread of disinformation." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Anecdote Of The Week

"When the great library of Alexandria was burned, one book was saved. But it was not a valuable book; and so a poor man, who could read a little, brought it for a few coppers. It was not very interesting; yet there was a most interesting thing in it! It was a thin strip of vellum on which was written the secret of the "Touchstone."

The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any common metal into pure gold. The writing explained that it was on the shores of the Black Sea, lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles which looked exactly like it. But the secret was this. The real stone would feel warm, while ordinary pebbles are cold. So the man sold his few belongings, brought some simple supplies, camped on the seashore, and began testing pebbles. This was his plan.

He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw them down again because they were cold, he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times. So, when he felt one that was cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole day doing this and there were none of them the touchstone. Then he spent a week, a month, a year, three years; but he did not find the touchstone. Yet he went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. It's cold. Throw it into the sea. And so on and on.

But one morning he picked up a pebble and it was warm...He threw it into the sea. He had formed the 'habit' of throwing them into the sea. He had gotten so into the habit of throwing them into the sea, that when the one he wanted came along...He still threw it away." From, "Your Greatest Power"

Riddle Me This

Referring to 17th century England, a passage in the book "The Creation Of The Media" By: Paul Starr, states: "The English elite believed that educating the great mass of the population would only unfit them for the drudgery they needed to perform, mislead them about their expectations in life, and thereby increase discontent."

How does this relate to the world and the educational system and the availability of information today?

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

According to Nolo's glossary, diversity jurisdiction is: "The power of the federal courts to decide cases between two citizens of different states, provided the amount the plaintiff seeks in damage exceeds $75,000."

Quote Of The Day/A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week

[SIDEBAR: I found some of the following interesting definitions for demagogue online: "A politician who arouses fervor by appealing to the lowest emotions of a mass audience, such as fear, hatred and greed." "A political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices." "Charismatic leaders willing to use emotionally-manipulative appeals coupled with simplistic and subjective explanations to mobilize constituencies."]

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 5- Harassment Arrests

HARASSMENT ARRESTS

"The repeated arrest of targeted individuals and organization members on spurious charges was carried out, not with any real hope of obtaining convictions (although there was always that possibility, assuming public sentiment had been sufficiently inflamed), but to simply harass, increase paranoia, tie up activists in a series of pre-arraignment incarcerations and preliminary courtroom procedures, and deplete their resources through the postings of numerous bail bonds (as well as the retention of attorneys)." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Black History Fact Of The Day

Steve Biko was an anti-apartheid activist. His slogan was "Black is Beautiful." He was killed while in police custody, when he was under arrest for his activist activities.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: The Tappan Zee Bridge Edition

Repairs to New York's Tappan Zee Bridge, which began in 2007, are now reportedly $24 million over budget. The total price tag of the repairs has now allegedly reached $171 million. I wonder how this factors in to the balancing of the city's budget.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

According to Nolo's glossary: "In federal court and in some states the name of the main trial court is [district court]. Thus, if you file suit in federal court, your case will normally be heard in federal district court. States may also group their appellate courts into districts- for example, the First District Court of Appeal."

Quote Of The Day

"Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." -Helen Keller

Swine Flu Or Pigs Flying Revisited: The Dick Gregory Edition

Dick Gregory talks about the swine flu farce. He discusses: (1) The Tamaflu/Donald Rumsfield Connection. (2) Swine flu and the effect on insurance companies. (3) Anti-Bacterial soap.





[SIDEBAR: I thought this was relevant to post because a lot of news outlets are hinting that "swine flu talk" is likely to increase as we enter into the fall season. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.]

CLICK HERE for related article: "Newsletter News Brief: Swine Flu or Pigs Flying?"

Newsletter News Brief: The How Informative Is Twitter Edition

The internet and social networking sites can be a double edged sword. It can be a distraction, or an alternative source of great information. With that being said, a study conducted by Pear Analytics (an American marketing research firm) found that overall the tweets on twitter lack informational substance.

According to The BBC, the research firm concluded that: 40.5% of the tweets on twitter could be considered "pointless babble," 37.5% was open conversation between twitter users who used the site like an instant messaging service, 3.75% was spam, 5.85% was "self-promotion," and 8.7% of tweets had information value.

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 4- Disinformation or "Grey Propaganda"

DISINFORMATION OR "GREY PROPAGANDA"

"The FBI systematically released disinformation to the press and electronic media concerning groups and individuals, designed to discredit them and foster tensions. This was also seen as an expedient means of conditioning public sentiment to accept Bureau/police/vigilante 'excesses' aimed at targeted organizations/individuals, and to facilitate the conviction of those brought to trial, even on conspicuously flimsy evidence." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Black History Fact Of The Day

Happy Birthday to Marcus Garvey. The activist, author, orator, organizer, and motivator was born on this date in 1887.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

Volkswagen reportedly plans to purchase a substantial stake in Porsche before the year ends. The price tag of the transaction is allegedly $5.7 billion.

Porsche has been reported to be deep in debt.

Although the aforementioned merger is tentative, a basic agreement to integrate Porsche into VW is said to have been reached.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: Rogatory Letters Defined

The letter of the law states that rogatory letters are: "A formal communication from a court in which an action is pending, to a foreign court, requesting that the testimony of a witness residing in such foreign jurisdiction be taken under the direction of the court addressed and transmitted to the court making the request." These letters are used in international, as well as interstate, situations.

Quote Of The Day

"God and nature first made us what we are, and then out of our own created genius we make ourselves what we want to be. Follow always that great law. Let the sky and God be our limit and eternity our measurement." -Marcus Garvey

Cops Gone Wild Part 33: The Body Slam An Octogenarian Edition

(WARNING: This video contains some profanity).

The following video clip of an Ohio police officer body slamming an 80-something year old woman has been circulating the blog-o-sphere. The woman, who was walking with a cane, was allegedly wielding a knife in one hand. However in the video, the woman does not seem to be postured in a threatening manner. Despite this, a police woman slams the senior citizen (who is allegedly an Alzheimer's patient) to the ground, busting her head open.

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 3- "Black Propaganda" Operations

"BLACK PROPAGANDA" OPERATIONS

"'Black Propaganda' refers to the fabrication and distribution of publications (leaflets, broadsides, etc) 'in belief of' targeted organizations/individuals designed to misrepresent their positions, goals or objectives in such a way as to publicly discredit them and foster intra/inter-group tensions. A classic case of this is Congress' The FBI's Covert Action Program to Destroy the Black Panther Party, under the heading 'The Effort to Promote Violence Between the Black Panther Party and Other Well-Armed, Potentially Violent Organizations.' Among the methods employed was the production and distribution of a series of cartoons attributed to the Black Panther Party (BPP) and Ron Karenga's United Slaves Organization (US), with each side supposedly caricaturing the other in extremely negative fashion. This was part of an overall Bureau effort undertaken, as explained by Hoover in a Memorandum to Baltimore and thirteen other field offices, dated November 25, 1968, 'In order to fully capitalize upon BPP and US differences as well as to exploit all avenues of creating further dissension within the ranks of the BPP.' Hoover also noted that 'recipient offices are instructed to submit imaginative and hard-hitting counter-intelligence measures aimed at crippling the BPP' within what he described as a context of 'gang warfare' and 'attendant threats of murder and reprisal' associated with BPP-US dispute.

Small wonder that, when Los Angeles Panther leaders Jon Huggins and Alprentice 'Bunchy' Carter were killed by US gunmen in UCLA's Campbell Hall on January 17, 1969, the Bureau assigned itself a good measure of 'credit' and recommended a new round of cartoons designed to 'indicate to the BPP that the US organization feels they are ineffectual, inadequate, and riddled with graft and corruption.'" -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 2- Bogus Mail

BOGUS MAIL

"Fabrication of correspondence between members of targeted groups, or between groups, was designed to foster 'splits' within or between organizations; these efforts were continued- and in many cases intensified- when it became apparent that the resulting tension was sufficient to cause physical violence among group members...

The [U.S. Senate] Select Committee [to Study Government Operations] report recounts the systematic fabrication and transmittal of letters and other documents expressly intended to push ideological disagreements between Party leaders Huey P. Newton and Elridge Cleaver into the realm of open hostility." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Quote Of The Day

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." -Jimi Hendrix

Quote Of The Day

"When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis'; is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." -John F. Kennedy.

Black History Fact Of The Day

On this day in 1883, pioneering biologist Ernest Just was born. He improved the way that cells were studied by scientists.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

The United States has decided to freeze the assets of KKBC (Korea Kwangson Banking Corporation), a North Korean bank that has been accused of giving financial assistance to companies that are allegedly involved in missile programs.

The United States' blocking order on KKBC means that Americans are banned from doing business with the financial firm. Also the bank will not have access to any of their financial assets that are found in America.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: The Major Crimes Act

According to Wikipedia: "The Major Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 1153) is a law passed by the United States Congress in 1885. It places 15 major crimes under federal jurisdiction if they are committed by a Native American against another Native American in Native territory...

The Major Crimes Act reduced the internal sovereignty of native tribes by removing their ability to try and to punish serious offenders in Indian country."

[SIDEBAR: This law robbed Native Americans of their rights by placing them under the legal jurisdiction of the United States- the very entity that murdered them in order to rob them of their land.]

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

"Starting something from scratch takes guts, faith, and a healthy dose of stubborn optimism." -I.J. Schecter

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: Yellow Dog Contract Defined

According to Barron's Law Dictionary, a "Yellow Dog Contract" is defined as follows: "An employment contract expressly prohibiting the named employee from joining labor unions under pain of dismissal. Typically, a yellow dog contract will contain the following three provisions:

(1) A representation by the employee that he or she is not a member of a labor union;

(2) A promise by the employee not to join a labor union;

(3) A promise by the employee to quit his or her job upon joining a labor union.

Yellow dog contracts are not enforceable in federal courts, and are prohibited under the laws or constitutions of most states.

Quote Of The Day

"A Wise Man can see more from the bottom of a well than a Fool can see from the top of a mountain." -A Proverb

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: Dram Shop Act Defined

According to Barron's Law Dictionary the Dram Shop Act is defined as: "A legislative enactment imposing strict liability upon the seller of intoxicating beverages when a sale results in harm to a third party's person, property, or means of support."

Quote Of The Day

"In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first." -Jimi Hendrix

Cointelpro Tactics: Part 1- Eavesdropping

EAVESDROPPING

"A massive program of surveillance was carried out against organizations and individuals via wiretaps, surreptitious entries and burglaries, electronic devices, live 'tails' and mail tampering. The purpose of such activities was never intelligence gathering per se, but rather the inducement of 'paranoia' among those targeted by making them aware they'd been selected for special treatment and that there was 'an FBI agent behind every mailbox.'" -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill and Wall

Video Of The Week

Dick Gregory gives great business & life advice to Black America:

Black History Fact Of The Day

Maurice Ashley, America's first African American Chess Grandmaster, has invented a new board game called "Pawn Mower."

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

Facebook has reportedly purchased the internet site, FriendFeed. FriendFeed is a social networking site that allows its users to exchange status updates and links. it was founded in 2007 by four Google software engineers, and has a dozen employees.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the purchase price was "roughly $15 million in cash [combined] with...Facebook stock that vests over several years ans would be worth roughly $32.5 million based on the $6.5 billion common valuation an investor recently placed on the company.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The "micro-blogging" website, Twitter, is being sued by a technology company that claims that the site is violating their patents. The Texas-based company (TechRadium) is reportedly suing for licensing fees and unspecified damages in federal court.

According to Wired, TechRadium alleges that they own the patents for the "mass notification" system that Twitter utilizes.

This case will set a precedent regarding the guidelines of what techniques will be considered patent-protected in cyber-space.

Quote Of The Day

"Greed has driven the world crazy." -Nina Simone

Black History Fact Of The Day

Musician and activist, Nina Simone, reportedly received two honorary degrees in music and humanities. The learning institutions that awarded her with this honor were: The University of Massachusetts and The Malcolm X college.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) has reportedly agreed to purchase SPSS Incorporated for $1.2 billion. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. According to The Wall Street Journal, the purchase is an "all-cash offer [at] $50 a share.

SPSS is a Chicago-based company that develops software that manages statistics for a variety of purposes including: Governmental, scientific, and marketing.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The mother of a teenage son who was beaten to death while he was incarcerated at Rikers Island has brought a lawsuit against the New York City Department of Correction.

When this tragedy first hit the media several months ago, news sources revealed that the 18-year old was allegedly killed by fellow inmates who were encouraged by correction officers to beat the young man.

The prosecutors assigned to this recently filed lawsuit claim that at least three correction officers created a "Lord Of The Flies"-like gang to enforce a twisted form of discipline at the adolescent prison.

Book Review: "Amusing Ourselves To Death" By: Neil Postman

Written almost two and a half decades ago, “Amusing Ourselves To Death” is a thought provoking analysis of how our advancement of technological devices that facilitate communication has affected our relationships and our ability to think. Although the author penned this book before the popularization of the internet, the points he makes are very relevant to today’s computer-saturated world.

One of the oft-repeated ideas of the book is the observation that the media has created a population that desires constant entertainment and showmanship. Neil Postman states: “It does everything possible to encourage us to watch continuously. But what we watch is a medium which presents information in a form that renders it simplistic, nonsubstantive, nonhistorical and noncontextual; that is to say, information packaged as entertainment.” The author perceptively opines that television broadcasts of the news are packaged like an entertainment show: The newscasters are required to have a certain glamorous look; News reports of serious incidents are insensitively sped through in a manner that allows the severity of the event to be ignored; Music is played before and after news show intermissions; and commercials interrupt what is supposed to be an important relaying of news. This set up trains human beings to emotionally and mentally dull weighty events. It also robs us of our empathy.

In “Amusing Ourselves To Death,” Neil Postman also brings up ponderings of how different and cohesive family and community life would be if the automobile, aircraft, mail system, and telephone was never invented. This is definitely worth contemplating.

As our communication devices increases the feasibility of long-distance communication, we are becoming more distant in our personal dealings with each other in a bevy of ways. We must consider if we will let modern day inventions become the instruments of “family suicide.” What we latch on to out of convenience may actually become an enemy of basic human bonding. This book is definitely a catalysis for the reader to think about this premise.

Quote Of The Day

"If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." -Lila Watson (Aboriginal Activist)

Sunday's Op-Ed

The more I learn, the more I discover that there’s so much more to learn. I appreciate that premise because it ensures that I’ll be hard pressed to ever have a boring moment in my life.

This summer, I’ve been learning a lot about how certain factions of the world operates; and it’s not pretty. It’s not shocking either. However, it does explain a lot. With so much confusion running rampant in the minds of some people, it’s easy for some to be lured into chaos and deceived into happily volunteering to be a slave to all the wrong causes. Although it’s easy to blame the “ignorance” of the victim for the aforementioned predicament, I think that it is important to dig deeper.

I came across a quote by Carl Saga, in which he stated: “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. The bamboozle has captured us. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”

The questions that I think we are responsible for answering if we are to escape the bamboozle (because we have definitely been bamboozled) are the following: Who has been bamboozling us and why? How long have we been bamboozled? What have we been bamboozled about? How important is it to us to be relieved from the clouds of illusions that have hovered over us due to the bamboozle? How can we ensure that we won’t be bamboozled again?

With so much of history having been strategically forged, we face a Herculean task of getting to the truth. Our present proximity to the truth has a great effect on how we mold our futures. Any life decision made is best made from a vantage point of the largest most accurate picture of all of the factions involved. If we have a tainted version of the details, our decisions will consequently be off-target. This scenario is akin to running in circles in the dark with no flashlight and no map.
Our confusion has been extremely profitable to some, and detrimental to us [SIDEBAR: Us being the masses of people.] However, all is not doom and gloom.

I’ve recently been seeing an emergence of information that was previously hidden. People are informed now, more than ever. In the midst of this information discovery, I hope that people will keep in mind that knowledge is power and with power comes much responsibility. Being knowledgeable is a gift. However, we must never lose our principles in the midst of gaining knowledge.

Lots of Love Always,

Elsie Law

Riddle Me This: The Powerful Edition

How do you squander your power? Do you recognize the power you have?

Was This Supposed To Be The Real Rainbow Coalition?...

Jesse Jackson founded a civil rights organization called "The Rainbow Coalition." However, I came across the following excerpt in a book which made me question was there another "Rainbow Coalition" that was in the works:

"With the Panthers effectively isolated from their preferred powerbase in the ghetto, the Bureau [i.e. The FBI] went to work undermining the BPP's [The Black Panther Party] ties to other radical organizations in the city. In late March 1969, Johnson, Piper and Mitchell explicitly instructed O'Neal to 'create a rift' between the Party and SDS [Students for a Democratic Society], whose national office was located at 1608 West Madison, just down the street from BPP's Chicago headquarters. They followed up by releasing a batch of racist cartoons in the Panthers' name intended to alienate White activists and, in mid-April, launched yet another disinformational COINTELPRO in an attempt to forestall the actualization of a 'Rainbow Coalition' in the city composed of the BPP, SDS, the Young Lords (a Puerto Rican organization) and the Young Patriots (a White group)." -From, "Agents Of Repression" By: Churchill & Wall

Quote Of The Day

"It is one thing to decry the rat race...that is the good and honorable work of moralists. It is quite another thing to quit the rat race, to drop out, to refuse to run any further- that is the work of the individualist. It is offensive because it is impolite; it makes the rebuke personal; the individualist calls not his or her behavior into question, but mine." -Paul Gruchow

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

"I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -Stephen Jay Gould

Video Of The Week: Part 2

Posted below is he full movie: "The Obama Deception."

In my opinion, this movie is not a bash-Obama film. Although Obama is obviously not praised in this documentary, this movie mostly focuses on highlighting the power/masterminds behind the Presidential seat. It also alerts the viewer of the proposed plans for America's future.

Riddle Me This

First the library made it "optional" for patrons to pay their library fines at a kiosk. Then they made it mandatory. Now, computerized "self-checkout" consoles are popping up at various branches. Exactly how obsolete is society trying to make living, breathing & thinking human beings?

Quote Of The Day

"As long as people believe in absurdities, they will continue to commit atrocities." -Voltaire

Quote Of The Day

"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of the day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers too plainly proves a deliberate, systematical plan of reducing us to slavery." -Thomas Jefferson

Video Of The Week: Part 1

Quote Of The Day

"We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge." -John Naisbitt

Black History Fact Of The Day

On this day in 1960, the African nation of Niger reportedly got its independence from France.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report

Sprint Nextel will allegedly expand their foothold in the telecommunications market. Reportedly the company has reached an agreement to acquire Virgin Mobile USA via a stock deal valued at close to half-a-billion dollars.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law: Adverse Possession/Squatters' Rights Defined

According to Wikipedia, adverse possession also known as "Sqautters' Rights" is defined as follows:

"In common law, adverse possession is the process by which title to another's real property is acquired without compensation, by holding the property in a manner that conflicts with the true owner's rights for a specified period. Circumstances of the adverse possession determine the type of title acquired by the disseisor (the one who obtains the title as a result of the adverse possession action), which may be fee simple title, mineral rights, or other interest in real property.

Adverse possession's origins are based both in statutory actions and in common law precepts, so the details concerning adverse possession actions vary by jurisdiction. The required period of uninterrupted possession is governed by the statute of limitations. Other elements of adverse possession are judicial constructs."

Quote Of The Day

"For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time for war, and a time for peace." -Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Quote Of The Day

"As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand." -Josh Billings

Quote Of The Day

"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. The bamboozle has captured us. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." -Carl Sagan