Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret." -Ambrose Bierce

Friday, May 27, 2011

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

"Unshared joy is an unlit candle." -Spanish Proverb

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"Today the greatest single source of wealth is between your ears." -Brain Tracy

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Anecdote Of The Week: What Effects One Effects All

“Through the crack in the wall the little mouse watched, curious, as the farmer and his wife opened a strange package. Hoping the package might contain food, the mouse was shocked to discover it was instead a mouse trap!

Fleeing the farmhouse, the mouse rushed out into the farmyard intent on warning the farmer’s other animals: a chicken, a fat pig, and a big bull.

‘There’s a mousetrap in the house! There’s a mousetrap in the house!’

The chicken just stared at the little mouse and clucked, ‘Why should I care about a mousetrap? Its’s no danger to me. I’m a chicken!’

Quickly the little mouse ran over to the fat pig with the news. But the fat pig was likewise unconcerned, squealing, ‘It’s only a mousetrap. Why should I care about a mousetrap? I’m a fat pig!’

Finally the little mouse ran up to the big bull, his last hope. After hearing what the little mouse had to say, the big bull contentedly chewed his cud and mooed, ‘I’m sorry little mouse. But it is only a mousetrap. And I am a big bull. I don’t see how this possibly be my problem.’

Defeated, alone, slowly the little mouse made his way back into the farmhouse, resigned to his fate.

Later that night, the farmer’s wife was awakened by the clear and certain sound of the mousetrap snapping shut.

Rushing to verify her kill, the farmer’s wife realized- too late- that her mousetrap had not caught the little mouse, instead it had trapped a venomous snake by the tail! The snake bit the farmer’s wife. Hearing his wife scream, the farmer rushed to his wife’s side, quickly killing the snake.

The farmer cleaned and dressed his wife’s wound and put her to bed but, despite his best efforts, she began to develop a dangerous fever.

Now every farmer knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup. So the farmer killed the chicken.

But his wife’s health continued to deteriorate. Soon friends and neighbors came to sit a vigil for her around the clock. And, as is only neighborly, the farmer butchered the fat pig to feed his friends.

But despite everyone’s help and prayers, the farmer’s wife died. A much-loved woman, people came from miles around to attend her funeral. In fact so many people came for her funeral that the farmer slaughtered the big bull in order to provide enough meat for all the mourners. Through the crack in the wall, the little mouse watched it all.”

Quote Of The Day

"If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place." -Nora Roberts

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"It is always the false that makes you suffer, the false desires and fears, the false values and ideas, the false relationships between people. Abandon the false and you are free of pain; truth makes happy, truth liberates." -Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Monday, May 23, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." -Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were big things." -Kurt Vonnegut

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." -Albert Einstein

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind." -George Orwell

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding." -Albert Einstein

Monday, May 16, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"They say I'm old-fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast!" -Dr. Seuss

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others...By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves." -Gordon B. Hinckley

Friday, May 13, 2011

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

"Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others...By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves." -Gordon B. Hinckley

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." -Paulo Coelho

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Video Of The Week

Quote Of The Day

"1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret." -Miguel Ruiz

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Shirley Chisholm On The Vietnam War

“You can’t argue with someone whose premises are completely different from yours, where there is not even an inch of common ground. What I wanted was perfectly plain. It was not to deny support to servicemen in Vietnam, for heaven’s sake, but to bring them home at once, to stop forcing them to risk death or disfigurement in the defense of a corrupt puppet dictatorship. What I saw was this country at war with itself, and no one in a position of power paying any attention, our lives deteriorating around us and scarcely anyone trying to find out why and stop it.” -Shirley Chisholm

Quote Of The Day

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." -Maya Angelou

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Quote Of The Day

"We crucify ourselves between two thieves:  regret for yesterday and fear of tomorrow." -Fulton Oursler