Archive | November, 2007

For Those of Us Who Remember R & B Worth Listening To

By on November 21, 2007 in Music

After all the ruckus in recent months over the b-word, the n-word and the f-word being used to distressing levels in the rap industry aren’t you guys ready for something soothing to the ear drum? Yeah, me too.

No sound clips or downloads available for this audio-sensory experience. You must use your mind and create your own music. That’s right people, we’re implementing old fashioned imagination and it’ll feel so much better that way. Just wait and see.

Let’s play favorite jams from the past. You know, when the artists played actual instruments in the studio and most of them could actually read music? Yeah, yeah and they used real hand claps instead of automated ones. And a drum machine? R U kidding? Every group had a one man drum line.

Well this one is for you funky folk who still know how to use your imagination. No un-funky-people need read futher. Alright, to the beat yall! It’s 1970 something. You can throw your hands in the air and shake ‘em like you just don’t care or flip on your cigarette lighter and wave it around (Those of you who were doing unhealthy things with your lighters just cut it out already). Turn on the AM in your minds but think FM style.

Are you feeling a Brothers Johnson vibe in your brain? (Alright funk-and-groove fans, control yourselves now). Time to groove to “Stomp”. You know the beat. Match the lyrics and jam out at your computer karaoke style and learn those 5-10 words from those verses you never really picked up from the radio…

——————————————

Steppin’ out, the weekends open wide
Fill it up let’s blast the jams and ride
While we’re cruisin’ around in the street
Listen up for the partyin’ feet
Slap me five
That’s the place we’ve arrived
It’s alive

Ev’rybody take it to the top
We’re gonna stomp
All night
In the neighborhood
Don’t it feel alright
Gonna stomp
All night
Wanna party
‘Til the morning light

Ummm, runnin’ runnin’ runnin’

The set is hot
There’s people wall to wall
Old ones, young things
Short ones standing tall
Grab the one with the smile on her face
And hit the floor and stay right on the case
The heat is on
And the funk just won’t leave us alone

Ev’rybody take it to the top
We’re gonna Stomp
All night
In the neighborhood
Don’t it feel all right
Gonna stomp
All night
Wanna party
‘Til the morning light

Gonna Stomp
All night
In the neighborhood
Don’t it feel all right
Gonna stomp
All night
Wanna party
‘Til the morning light

STOMP

Stomp, step down in it
Put your foot where you feel the fit
Stomp you don’t want to quit
Put your heels where you’re feelin’ it

Stomp, step down in it
Put your foot where you feel the fit
Stomp you don’t want to quit
Put your heels where you’re feelin’ it

Stomp, step down in it
Put your foot where you feel the fit
Stomp you don’t want to quit
Put your heels where you’re feelin’ it

[Instrumental Interlude]

Stomp
All night
In the neighborhood
Don’t it feel all right
Gonna stomp
All night
Wanna party
‘Til the morning light

Stomp
All night
In the neighborhood
Don’t it feel all right
Gonna stomp
All night
Wanna party
‘Til the morning light…..

Comments { 6 }

NPR Bloggers’ Roundtable: What is a ‘Black Leader’?

By on November 17, 2007 in Politics

Congrats to LaShawn Barber of LaShawn Barber’s Corner, Wayne Hicks, a.k.a. “Villager” of the Electronic Village and Yobachi Boswell of Black Perspective fame. They were the guests of National Public Radio’s News and Notes last Wednesday.

Check on the ‘Listen Now’ link and hear the voices behind three of your favorite bloggers as they give their views on Black Leadership definitions and relevant social issues that touch our lives today.

Media acknowledgement of Afrosphere bloggers is growing and can only lead to better and greater things. That’s actionism at it’s best. As always, support your favorite bloggers. They’re waiting to engage you in the comment realm so chime in early and often.

Comments { 4 }

Barak, Don’t Fumble the Moral Football!!!

By on November 12, 2007 in Politics

You know I’m down for making a historic move for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., but I don’t want my guy losing the keys to the door over an issue and a demographic that will prove to be a campaign killer. No, I haven’t given my endorsement too soon but I do need to give some corrective suggestions to my candidate before his campaign really falters. As critical as I’ve been of the Black Establishment not supporting you Barak, there may be one reason that’s really holding them back that hasn’t been expressed too loudly – YET.

Barak, you’re going to lose the Black vote, the biggest swing vote, along with the general Christian swing vote if you continue on this gay rights representation kick. How can I put this? We don’t swing that way. Black people love Donnie McClurkin and Christians love the fact that he not only confessed to a sinful lifestyle but actually changed it. He is what you’re supposed to be – a change agent. Don’t fall for the tricks of political correctness Senator Obama or you can just pack your bags and go home because you don’t have a snowball’s chance pursuing this track.

Don’t cave in to the homosexual, “We’re like everybody else”, movement. Crapola my friend and you made a major slip up adding the gay minister to the gospel lineup in your recent South Carolina program. There was nothing Biblical about it Barak. In fact the mere phrase “homosexual minister” is antiscriptural. Since you’ve been getting your spiritual advice from politicos instead of the “called out of the faith” let me share what the Bible actually says on the matter just so you don’t think it’s my personal politically incorrect opinion. I don’t want you to loose your character perception over a group of people who aren’t worth the trouble to you in moral or practical terms.

For my readers and your supporters here are the basics on the subject. References from Old and New Testaments reinforce each other. Six key scriptures are Leviticus 18, Leviticus 20, Deuteronomy 22, Colossians 3:5-7, Romans 1: 24-32 and I Corinthians 6:9, 12-20.

The country doesn’t want or need its moral standards or family definitions redefined. It will destroy us. It is already destroying thousands of children by the day. It’s playing on their young minds in the wrong way. Instead of having the Adam and Eve standard that God himself initiated, it’s the Adam and Steve & Eve and Eva playing house modus operandi that’s being forced upon us. Kids have to live in these situations and see it on T.V. practically everywhere without warning. Its corruptible and despicable.

Senator, do you not see the backwards type of degenerate behavior you are encouraging by falling for this as some false sense of “rights” instead of insisting on what is actually “right”? Don’t finish us off Senator. I’m still stumping for you but I’m counterpunching at the same time to convince you to change your position on this one. You have no chance at the brass ring if you don’t.

Comments { 6 }

Times of Plenty and Famine

By on November 11, 2007 in Faith

Who’s ready for some spiritual actionism? We’ve been studying the story of Joseph from the Old Testament in Sunday School the last couple of weeks. Today’s lesson was, among other things, a great lesson in planning ahead and managing resources. The text was Genesis 41:1-7 and the lesson emphasized saving up when times are good to sustain you during those times when things aren’t going so great. You’ll want to read chapters 39, 40 and 41 in their entirety to get proper context and background but here’s the gist of it.

After having been betrayed by his jealous stepbrothers and sold into slavery, Joseph landed in prison, after a series of events including being put in charge of the home of the captain of the king’s guard. He was falsely accused of a sexual crime by that man’s wife. The accusation led to his being imprisoned and to the opportunity to witness to his fellow prisoners by interpreting their dreams. Joseph eventually found himself in the court of the Pharaoh of that time (scholars aren’t definite on his identity) because of this God given gift of dream interpretation. How did he go from jail cell to throne room?

Pharaoh had two bad dreams which had awakened him and his court wize men and magicians couldn’t interpret what troubled him. Joseph’s reputation for handling such situations got him released from prison and ushered into the ruler’s presence. After Joseph told him the meaning of and impending manifestation of the dreams – seven years of “plenty” followed by seven years of “famine” – the king realized that Joseph was just the guy to handle getting Egypt thru this period.

After being place second in command of the country, subordinate to Pharaoh only, Joseph had the country save 20% of grain resources during each of the seven bountiful years. This would serve to cushion the blow of seven years of famine that would follow.

It’s an easy lesson to apply to our lives. Are you living in financially blissful ignorance or are you preparing for the tough times that will come from time to time? The Egyptian Pharaoh was fortunate enough to have fair warning and a specific 14 year timeline to follow. He was smart enough to acknowledge it and save his country from ruin. We’re typically not going to get such a direct word from God but we have great scriptural examples like this and others to guide us and it behooves us to follow them.

Tomorrow I’ll share the perfect sermon follow up to Sunday school. Our pastor preached on “The Gambling Craze”. In the mean time though, how’s your pre-emptive planning coming along?

Comments { 2 }

Changing A WordPress Theme

By on November 10, 2007 in WordPress Tips

I finally figured out how to do it! Man, it only took forever. Who else has been struggling with this platform? Fear not, Marty’s giving a tutorial, right here, right now.

O.K. First you have to find your WordPress files on your host server. Specifically, you’ll need to locate the folder listed as wp-content/themes. If you use Godaddy like me here’s how you get to it.

(1) Log in to your account.
(2) Click on Hosting and Servers on the menu bar.
(3) Click on My Hosting Account in the drop down.
(4) Click the Control Center link. If you have more than
one URL account click on the one where your blog
resides.
(5) Click on the Content bar.
(6) Click the File Manager icon.
(7) In the “html” file folder click on “wp-content”.
(8) Finally click on “themes” to find your blog theme file folder by name.

This is where you’ll transfer new theme files whenever the feeling hits you. Here’s how you do that on a Mac. You’ll have to figure out the equivalents on a PC.

(1) In the theme viewer click thru the list of selections that you prefer and download the theme(s) of your choice. Yes, you can store as many as you like which allows you to change your template at will in the future.
(2) The file will download to your desktop. I moved the file to my Applications folder because the ftp client couldn’t detect my Desktop folder.
(3) I used Godaddy’s ftp client to transfer the file into the wp-content/themes directory.
(4) Go back to your blog site and click on the Site Admin link.
(5) Click the Presentation option on your administrative menu bar and that will take you to the screen that shows all the themes that you’ve saved onto your server.
(6) Click on the theme of your choice and that will make it active.

Voila, you’re in business with a new theme. My next challenge is to figure out which file contains the code to add widgets, buttons and any custom code I might like to include. Hopefully I’ll be throwing in some new stuff soon. I’m really proud of myself! Major hurdle finally lept.

If you guys have any other helpfull hints that might be unique to a PC platform go ahead and comment here. I’m sure all tips will be appreciated by everyone with the many assorted systems out there. Don’t be shocked by any changes over the next few days. I’m going to play around now that I know what I’m doing. Later.

Comments { 2 }

The Great Debaters

By on November 9, 2007 in General Interest, Society

The current rave is about Denzell’s recently released “American Gangster” but I’m giving an early pitch for his upcoming December release. Check out the Youtube preview with the great old school/new school cast on one screen.

I’m saving up a few dollars to see this one and I think you should too.

Comments { 2 }

West African Nations Try to Get it Together

By on November 6, 2007 in General Interest

Encouraging news from the most war wracked continent on the planet. Here’s an AP story about security talks for Western African nations. It’s subtitled “West African military chiefs talk regional security”. Thanks to my brother MSG Pleasant Lindsey for the e-mail.

MONROVIA, Nov 5, 2007 (AFP) – West African armed forces chiefs on Monday started three days of talks in Liberia’s capital aimed at stepping up security in the region, the regional economic bloc said Monday.

The military chiefs from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) gathered to review “the security situation in West Africa and recommend means for improving peace and stability” in the unrest-prone region.

The defence chiefs are examining progress in preparations for the creation of a 6,500-strong ECOWAS standby force, “to address such deficiencies as evident during its deployments in the 1990s in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and more recently, in Cote dIvoire,” it said in a statement.

ECOWAS troops deployed in three trouble spots in the region — Liberia, Sierra Leone and most recently Ivory Coast — under its armed wing known as ECOMOG.

The countries’ army chiefs agreed in June 2004 to create a permanent 6,500-strong ECOWAS force, including a 1,500-strong rapid reaction unit for troubleshooting missions.
The standby brigade should be fully in place by 2010.

Sierra Leone has offered to host the regional peacekeeping operations at its coastal military facility which once served as an important base for ECOMOG and the UN peacekeeping forces during that country’s 10-year civil war which ended in 2001.
An inland military depot is to be set up in Mali.

Liberia’s Deputy Defence Minister Dionysius Sebwe said this is the first time such a meeting takes place in the war-scarred country to which the regional bloc’s peacekeepers briefly deployed during the 14-year civil war that ended in 2003.

Based in Abuja, ECOWAS includes eight French-speaking nations — Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo — five English-speaking — Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone — and two Portuguese-speaking ones — Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau.

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HTML, XHTML & CSS Refresher Actionist Style!

By on November 2, 2007 in Programming/Coding

I’m finally getting my web programming legs back under me, ladies and gentlemen. I recently checked out this cool book from Auburn’s campus library that covers the HTML, XHTML and CSS basics in seventeen chapters.

The meat is in the first thirteen. I did a quick read of the last four which are a summary of advanced web techniques and resources of different types.

I’m taking the next week and a half to cover one to two chapters a day to knock out those first thirteen. I’m up to chapter 3 tonight. I’ll share some good info from the back of the book today though.

I just found out how you add web pages to mobile devices – cell phones, PDA’s and whatever else is out there or in development. There is a language called WML or Wireless Markup Language which is the actual coding language analagous to HTML. The other is WAP, aka Wireless Application Protocol analagous to HTTP. It ensures that the devices and servers can communicate with each other.

Find more info on these formats at Open Mobile Alliance which has lots of good info and specs on the site. The other is Waptastic.com, a discussion forum and resource site for WAP/WML developers.

For all you coders looking for new areas to increase your skill portfolio and expand your income opportunities these are a couple of good ones to check out.

One last link for the day is Search Engine Watch which will help you gage the latest in popular search terms for blog rankings.

Take these tips and do great things fellow actionists and have a great weekend.

Comments { 0 }