Did I Say That Out Loud

No Thank You For Your Service

2025-08-24T17:57:00.002-05:00

Amerikkkaaa has gone a bridge too far now that the District of Columbia is occupied by thousands of armed militia. Many believe it’s a distraction from the President releasing the Epstein Files, and of course it is, but things just got hotter now that untrained military members will now have side arms and long guns in Chocolate City beginning today.

Many of these men and women come from states that bleed red; Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana. Arguably, these military men and woman may or may not have ever encountered blacks, browns, angry democratic brothers who are white, and all the multiracial people that make up the beautiful tapestry of DC. The military from these red states may believe erroneously it is their duty to tamper wilding black youths now that their mission has changed. The Felon-in-Chief Trump still believes the “Central Park Five” are still guilty of crimes they have been exonerated from years ago. I fear Kent State could unfold again, only to be explained away at future Congressional hearings that leave grieving families empty, all because we have a racist and Fascist in Chief laying his head at 1600 Pennsylvania.

Each morning, I wake in this New World Order, there is some novel and striking rush towards Authoritarianism. The state of Washington’s governor, Bob Ferguson, was threatened yesterday with imprisonment by the US Attorney General Pam Bondi if his state continues to follow the rule of law by giving due process to immigrants seeking asylum. Ferguson stood on business, his state’s Constitution, and the US Constitution, refusing to relent and welcoming Bondi’s next move.

We are all in danger when Trump calls the governor of Texas Greg Abbott and asks for 5 more republican seats in the House, out loud! When DJT called Georgia before and asked them to find more votes for his win, he was found guilty. It’s even worse when governor hot wheels ensures Trump gets what he wants. Governor Gavin Newsom of California is also standing tall for the whole of the United States. He and his constituents have signed a ballot measure to put before voters to redraw their voting districts to counter Texas redistricting. California’s redistricting will ensure 5 more democrats in Congress.

As I pen this, the White House said it is considering a full takeover of the District. Of course, trump failed to define what that means, because right now it is just an occupation, not a takeover at all because the Metropolitan Police are still in command; Congress by law must vote to give permission for the military beyond 30 days.

People of the US must understand that we are now at Civil War. Many laugh, giggle and dismiss my ascertain because it sounds insane. But by definition civil war is a war between organized groups within the same country. I have been insane since around 2002.

The first time my mother heard about Barack Hussein Obama she was in Kansas City. Senator Claire McCaskill introduced him well ahead of his speech in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention. Audrey M. Johnson was so moved that she called and said, “This is our man! He’s our next President.” Happy to hear such a revelation, my critical thinking quickly kicked in so I asked, “Mom, are you sure? This will lead us to a civil war because black bodies were the reason this nation almost tore itself apart at the seams the first time!” As usual my loving, politically astute mother borne of segregated Mississippi stood firm. I let it sit with me but since that time I have feared this day would come. Luckily, my dear mother is not here to see this unfold. One of her last comments about the precarious times we were seeing unfold on the news she asked, “Is this really happening?” I replied, “Yes Mama, it is not a drill.” She said she needed me to get a gun.

Each of us must get our guns. Serious times call for more serious measures. This administration is compromised, and led by the dumbest man ever to contaminate the Oval. Russian and Vladmir Putin bought and paid for him years ago.

We are far beyond a Constitutional Crisis, of which us present-day Americans have never known. We didn’t know the tensions that permeated the country during the days of Lincoln. We have only known Democratic hiccups that we believed were fixed. Many Americans believe this Democracy is guaranteed, but since I learned too much in Political Science Studies and Global Economic classes at university, I know there are no Democracies that are guaranteed. This American Democracy only exists because of hundreds of years of free black labor that still continues today under the 13^th Amendment. And the nerve of white supremacists to work to expel immigrants that are helping the machine of America run. White racists and MAGA erroneously believe they have done something to make this country great EVER. In truth, MAGA, their ancestors, friends and families have never done anything to make this country great.

Moreover, we must learn the Constitution, arm ourselves and shelter in place on our homesteads wait to see if this too shall pass. When the smoke clears, there may still be a semblance of a nation to rebuild from this Constitutional Crisis.

What Have You Done For Me Lately

2024-08-15T15:53:00.000-05:00

The price of freedom is on the line, and for the people in the back of the room, or the Republicans in the rafters of a Trump Rally, this election is far too important to just allow your candidate to slide back into that ratty tatty White House; Trumps words not mine.

Oh no no no my friends. Many supporters of the party of Trump often ask why should they vote for a person simply because of her skin color. This election is more about freedom and Democracy than if a female is colored, black, East Indian, from Oakland, or whatever silly moniker the rabid anti-democrat wants to hang on the team of Harris-Walz. This election is about the continuance of the party of Biden-Harris, and Obama-Biden before them. Shall we count the ways.

The Biden Harris Administration has forgiven more than 95 percent of my student loans, and loans of nearly 5 million fellow students. This single-handedly wiped out more than $167 billion dollars in debt, according to the Associated Press.

Imagine what a blessing this is for individuals, and families whose personal debt prevented them from buying homes, where they can now live with more monthly income. It is monumental for me and my family because homeownership is now closer than ever before. And the man called sleepy Joe by Trump, was not slow to implement this path to the restoration of the middle class by accelerating the program 6 months earlier than planned. The party of Trump called it "an unfair giveaway to Democratic voters."

To his credit Biden used a post 9/11 law that allows for the Executive branch to enact legislation that helps those impacted by natural disasters such as COVID-19. Way to go Biden Harris. Many Democratic candidates are too afraid to stand with the administration in battleground elections across the country, but I wanna shout this to the girders so voters can understand how well the current administration has helped them . But wait, I have more to shout about.

Using that same Executive Power the Biden Harris Administration will forgive $4 Billion in loans for socially disadvantaged farmers including black, Native American, Asian American, Alaskan native, and Pacific Islander. In response, a group of midwestern famers sued the Executive Branch citing overreach. The conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed the action on behalf of white farmers in federal court in Green Bay, Wisconsin and is seeking damages from the US Department of Agriculture. Six states lead by GOP candidates sued the Biden Administration for the loan forgiveness bill citing Executive overreach. The evil 6 include my former states of residency Missouri and Kansas; no surprise there, and Iowa, Arkansas, and South Carolina.

In other USDA news, Biden-Harris appropriated $1 billion to food banks across the country during COVID-19 in the administration's Build Back Better initiative.

Biden-Harris worked to lower the costs of insulin which some were paying upwards of $600 per prescription. As a Medicare Insurance Broker, I have had clients die because they couldn't get the necessary dosages of insulin to remain out of hospital. As of this writing, the administration announced an effort to lower the cost of all drugs for all patients, according to the Associated Press.

In contrast, the Trump Administration in 2017 took $17 million dollars from Missouri Medicaid with the help of then governor Eric Greitens. Later Greitens would resign in 2018 around allegations of sexual assault and campaign finance crimes. Trumps wealthy supporters enjoyed a huge tax cut, while Missourians endured the loss of the Missouri Rx Discount program that helped seniors reduce their drug costs by 50%. Missouri was not alone, every governor throughout the US also donated to the Trump White House Tax Cut, while hurting their voters. Trump touted his tax cut as a result of his own efforts, when in fact the money came from some of the most needy and vulnerable voters in the form of state Medicaid. Medicaid is one of those programs that inherently allows for such flexibility that the Federal government gives the states the money, and states can give the money right back. Thank goodness programs like Social Security do not function with such elasticity. Republicans are always using the scare tactic that their Social Security will be cut if they vote for Democrats, but they lie. Since I have been serving the senior population, every year I have had to assure seniors that their money is safe, with the caveat that I may not have Social Security when the time comes.

In short, when elected Harris will inherit a country in good standing. Citizens are better off than they were under the Trump Administration. And likely Madame President-Elect will continue to Build Back a Better Nation. We want her in that White House, we need her to in that White House. As we move through these next 11 weeks 4 days 8 hours and 40 minutes as of this writing remain steadfast. Reject all the foolishness that means nothing to your pockets. Instead donate to a better tomorrow.

Don't Just Speak It, Get Paid For Your Say

2024-08-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

For year and years, I have been giving my opinion, of course nobody really wanted it, but hey it was free! Now finally, I get paid to hear myself speak.

Seriously, I found a way to give my two cents and make hundreds of dollars! With Paid for Your Say I actually opine, and they pay me. Side Money | Paid For Your Say

This sharp-minded woman, Kimberly Dooley, actually took her 30 years of experience in marketing research, created her own company, and now she empowers anybody who will listen and take action to earn money for completing surveys, participating in mock court trials, and clinical studies.

I was watching one of my favorite YouTube Stars, Grammy and Emmy award winner TS Madison, and her co-host Craig Stewart. Craig mentioned this fantastic opportunity. His story was so touching and organic when he first spoke about Paid for Your Say, that I hung on every word.

Always the loving soul, Craig got to know one of his followers who was essentially homeless. He was going to give her $100, but he thought better. He wanted her to have more than just what he could donate. Craig paid for her to get access to Paid for Your Say. That lady ended up earning enough to get her own apartment and back on her feet. Craig gave her love. Finally, he convinced Madison to use her platform to share more love. Then he showed my other favorite YouTuber Funky Dineva how he too could mention it on his platform and help his followers. Craig's goal is for self-employment and self-empowerment in our community, and now I do too.

With a discount code from Madison, I signed up for $100 to access Teachable videos hosted by the creator, and the list of surveys, and instantly started being compensated for my opinion and time.

Now you might be wondering how you too can turn words into dollars. Great question. I just spent 10 minutes completing a clinical trial survey, hit the send button, received an email to call to begin the telephone screening, and set an appointment to start tomorrow for $100 for 10 visits for the next few months. In the past, clinics have given me a loadable VISA, and I use it at the store, or online to pay bills. Ms. Dooley encourages us to complete 10 quick surveys a day to keep the money flowing and to commit to it over time. She is right.

Moreover, as a black female I want my voice to ring out. I want to tell companies what I do and do not like about products that I may buy one day, food I may eat, or medicines that may save a life. Me, my kindergartner, and my mother were Neilsen Participates many moons ago, and we all three were paid. I was proud of my little Taylor because she never took that pager from around her neck, even when she was at school on the playground; she is pretty cool like that.

In today's new gig economy, it is pretty neat to change it up and spend a few hours a day online making fairly easy money. And this coin is tax free, unless you get a gig like Kimberly when she was flown out to Beverly Hills from a survey, cast in a commercial, and was given spending money. She made so much that she did have to tell the I-R-S. Imagine having those problems.

For the most part, you make as much as you want, when you want. I encourage everyone to do it. For her part, she supports you through the process, and has a back-office team to ensure success, and we have a Facebook Community where we encourage one another to go for it.

Ms. Dooley has started an affiliate program to further help people like me make money by sharing the word. Trust and believe, I have been spreading the word for months anyway. Now I'm proud to be a PFYS affiliate, and I may earn commissions on purchases made through my referral links."

https://paidforyoursay.teachable.com/a/aff_s6m3wrmw/external?affcode=437565_etpf2r1w

WILLOW: She's A Vibe Realistically

2024-07-24T16:35:00.000-05:00

Willow Camille Reign Smith is truly a vibe for me. She is talented beyond her earthly years, and she proudly tells listeners she is transcended from the 6th dimension; this I believe. For her being so young she is definitely other worldly. Her music does not beg to be heard, but rather insists we acknowledge her on her terms. I have accepted the mission Willow.

Her smooth rhythmic falsetto voice lends itself to alternative, rock, new age, and smooth R&B. She is all the thangs.

I am glad to be old enough to remember her predecessors Tracy Chapman, Alanis Morrisette and Erykah Badu. To my sheroes of musical past, Willow has surpassed each of you with love and grace in her heart. She is now because you were then. She is bold, and confident in her music and risk-taking. For this I love her spirit.

We are not even going to speak the names of her famous parents, because this young lady stands in her own space of quantum charm, talent, peace, and song. She has a voice we need to hear that is all her own. She is deconstructed and true to her soul, not ours, her parents' or the music industry.

Alone Willow sings, writes, plays drums, bass guitar, piano, and keyboards. She paints the pictures of her talent, and soul that she wants to share with us in her video artwork. Her video artistry stirs the musical tapestry into a perfect fabric that brings the music to perfection in a way only she can deliver it to her fans; Willow patented and approved. Watching her videos is as mesmerizing as listening to her vocals in the dark of the night when one is licking their wounds of sadness, celebrating joys of triumphs, or just grooving as you clean on a sunny Saturday morning.

Just when I thought the 2018 hit Whip My Hair was just a fluke, and construct of the media machine that created her unnamed-Grammy-Winning relative, Willow creates her own path in my musical heart that speaks her voice singularly and unimitated during this time of cut-and-bake female rap artists who give away too much to the imagination. In reality, Willow is always naked in her musical unwrapping that she invites hugs to everyone who listens and love to all who hear.

I love Willow Smith.

∴ W ∴ (@willowsmith) • Instagram photos and videos

https://youtu.be/sSVdGh3iylc?si=IZZvf_2YlqLOlEBW

https://youtu.be/DmC2QQESN6E?si=WJzqZcbImOtlRzsI

You Are a Hero, And Don't Even Know It

2024-07-19T17:58:00.002-05:00

The Year of the Lord 2024 is more than halfway through, and as I check my rearview mirror, I see a reality that is moving faster and faster. Admittedly, I live and drive in the DMV, and drive like Miss Daisy so I get lots of dirty looks, horn honking, and number three fingers, but I digress. 2024 has shown me fast approaching wrecks, near misses, and easing out of tough situations with a smile. I grew so much growth financially, personally and professionally as a business owner, Mom, and daughter. The bumps and successes have been both exciting and eye opening for me. I am a changed woman. As I write this, I wonder how many eyes will enjoy the lilt of my written voice because videos have overtaken the written word. I suspect few will see these words, so I write this diary for myself first and foremost.

Having said that, now it is time for me to go back to my roots as a professionally trained media journalist and immerse myself into the world of YouTube. The New World Order for me is the YouTube, TikTok, Instagram stratosphere. For far too long I have resisted video creation because I did not have anything interesting to say in my opinion. I shuddered to think about making videos about my growing daughter learning to walk, eat, or play. I hated to think I might drink too much one late night, post a rant about my insignificant views on politics or the latest gossip, all the while embarrassing myself, driving clients away, and losing contracts with the big companies I work with. I dare not try to twerk into the annals of video. I resisted such foolishness by making late night phone calls to friends, sending long texts to lovers and besties, and writing in my personal diary. But now I know the world that my 15-year-old daughter is growing up in would rather see and hear my chat, than to read my beloved blog. I am a convert and intend to get with the program and go full media maven.

I have pinpointed a practical niche to occupy which personally affects me daily. As the sole caregiver of my 76-year-old mother, I have been learning best practices since 2008, so I would consider that a hard-earned street PhD. I am thrilled to share how to best serve the "Baby Boomers" by showing their children how to do it spectacularly. It is not easy, and I intend to share the blueprint for success.

My situation is doubly valuable to explore because I also care for my growing teenage daughter, while taking care of a Boomer. And I don't stand alone in this endeavor. My married best friend also cares for a teenage son, and both of her 80-something year old parents. She has a particularly special role because she is a heart transplant patient living between two-multimillion dollar homes in Seattle and Los Angeles. Together we intend to open our lives to social media with the goal of reaching out to a community juxtaposed between two generations, sandwiched between two worlds that we struggle to serve and help transition. The transition is growth into an ever-changing world of political confusion and comfortably moving into the world beyond life. She and I have come to remind ourselves that "A Hero is not just a sandwich." In fact, all of us to care for our parents and kids are Heros.

The video channel will remind us that we are each Heros even when we are overwhelmed, overworked, driven to tears, feel like we cannot go own, scared about a hospital stay from an illness we may not even be able to pronounce, coupled with medications that baffle our souls to contemplate taking because of the myriad of side effects, one of which could lead to death.

This matters to everyone living in the US today. According the 2020 U.S. Census, "Baby Boomers have changed the face of the U.S. population for more than 70 years and continue to do so as more enter their senior years, a demographic shift often referred to as a "gray tsunami." The most up-to-date count of the baby boom generation is now estimated at about 73 million. As I write this, I see about 50 seniors in the restaurant.

It takes a village and I intend to build the village. I am excited about this new venture and look forward to encouraging and communing with others in the fight for our survival, while having fun. The video program will share best practices on healthcare, medicines, emotional support for parents and caregivers, managing hard-earned inheritances of parents, and transitioning those inheritances to our teens. There are unlimited topics to help the greatest generation, and I cannot wait to engage with you.

For now, my website focuses on Medicare and links to reach me personally to discuss how I can help each family. TAG Business Enterprises, LLC is the site you can reach me at as I get started producing our first video for YouTube. I invite all to reach out to me to just chat, ask questions, and to explore the best options for their Medicare eligible family members. Trust me, we have lots to discuss and I welcome all callers. Let me fill the gap until we chat live. Do not hesitate because we are going into the Medicare Open Enrollment Season for the year of our Lord 2025, and I cost you nothing.

I want to ensure the sandwich generation, you and me, have what we need to make the most out of what is a chaotic time in history. Won't you join me and make our lives better.

TAG Business Enterprises, LLC
kimberley_johnson@tagbusinessenterprises.com

seeyalater1999@gmail.com

Amerikkka! Amerikkka! God Shed His Grace on Thee

2015-06-23T03:01:00.000-05:00

It's been 7 days since nine African-American church worshippers were gunned down after having shared prayer with the alleged gunman, 21 year-old Dylann Roof. As predicted, the media has fully disappointed. First, they couldn't stop calling this alleged enemy of the state a "Kid." Really? Trayvon Benjamin Martin was never known as a kid, though he was a mere 17-years old when renegade neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman took his life. Zimmerman would later be freed by a jury of his peers, only to be arrested 7 more times for assault crimes. I heard a TV expert dissecting Roof's background that would be appalling to most, and he couldn't help call him a kid. The adjective denotes innocence. Many whites in America want to find out what demon took this child's innocence that would cause him to do such dastardly things. Black America wants justice for the crimes.

The night before Roof's arrest I found myself in a Twitter debate with Nick Searcy who plays Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Art Mullen endearingly one of my favorite shows, FX's Justified. Nick was quick to call out the liberal media, and me, for jumping to conclusions about who the shooter might be, and labeling him a criminal terrorist before his capture. I debated him for hours about how unfair his liberal whining's were.

I was so bold as to Tweet CNN's Jake Taper, and ask him how he would characterize the alleged shooter on his afternoon show. Taper was gracious enough to respond, saying he wouldn't ever use the word thug, but somewhat tepidly agreed with me that it was an act of terrorism at best. I was happy to see his newscast when he didn't mince words to describe the shooter, though he stopped short of calling him a terrorist.

As many African-American's know for sure, there will be no justice in this America even for 9 innocent, church-going folk in Charleston, South Carolina. Our community will carry on as we always have, and deal with the pain and hurt after so many hundreds of years of cruelty and inhuman suffering at the hands of American brothers and sisters. There are no martyrs amongst us, we are rather a remarkable people of enduring faith in God and strength. We will survive and be the last ones standing in the end. God bless America, and the children who made her so great. Good night Moon, Good night black people, Good night America.

No Justice No Peace

2015-06-18T05:02:00.000-05:00

When I woke this morning the world was whole, but now as I lay my head down to sleep under the blanket of freedom we are all supposed to be afforded in America I realize our nation is shattered in a million pieces. Nine black people lay dead in an AME church in Charleston, South Carolina after a single, white, gunman entered the sanctuary and opened fire. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/17/charleston-south-carolina-shooting/28902017/

I have more questions than answers. Why does this keep happening in our country, and how could someone commit such a heartless crime against humanity, in a church of all places. What should our response be? Can this gunman be forgiven his sins against our community?

I was just extolling the virtues of the human race since Adam ate that apple, and now it appears the sins of man just keep growing more and more insidious and malicious.

As I scan my Twitter timeline, my emotions run high. Black twitter is urging our community to stop praying, and take up arms NOW. Conservatives are calling for calm. Media is loath to call the alleged gunman a "terrorist" or "thug," monikers they effortlessly slapped on young, black protesters in Baltimore. But what is the right direction for America at this time in our history, do we pray or do we protest.

As the mother of a precious, 6-year old black girl I say the right response must be prayer and protest. I cannot in good conscious close my eyes and rest, when this is the world that awaits her outside the safety of our home. I rage against elected officials who ride the money train into office on the dime of the National Rifle Association, and legislate to keep the NRA strong. I rail against American's that ask for an in-depth investigation before we cast aspersions and judgments. I bristle at my own belief that we are all redeemable and deserve forgiveness for sins against our fellow man.

The burning question is how will America wake up tomorrow, and what justice will she mete out for such an unspeakable event.

A Path of Least Resistance

2014-09-02T12:27:00.002-05:00

Taking the path that one's heart desires is what I must give myself permission to do. What am I afraid of? Why would I be afraid? Don't I have the faith of a tiny mustard seed? This is what I have always told myself. But it is now that I intend to step out on faith and pursue my heart's desire to study law.

I must quiet the noise that says it is not the best to do because legal jobs are scarce. I must know that this desire that has been planted in my heart was placed there for a reason.

Here I go, me and my 5-year old kindergarten, we are going to law school.

Now back to the LSAT I return..........

Brains Trump Everything

2012-04-02T14:29:00.003-05:00

By Taylor's Mommy

I saw some wretchedness at the KC Zoo this past weekend that rises to the level of child-abuse, in my opinion; a mother with her 6-year old daughter in tow wearing a full-head of weave. It was half-way down her tiny back, shiny, and super black. The sun was beaming, and the temperature was 80-degrees. It may even have been a lace front -weave, but the po' child had it in her face and was struggling with it while I watched. All I could do to remain cool was to pin up my own shoulder-length hair. If this is what you are putting ON their heads, what the devil are you putting IN their heads!

This is wrong on so many levels. In the iconic words of Marvin Gaye, “What is Going On?” The black community is suffering more than ever with the senseless death of Trayvon Martin as proof of what ails us. Obesity hampers us and our babies, diabetes is killing us quietly, and public education is an instrument devised AGAINST not FOR our children, and yet some of us are wasting hours and money required to weave a child’s head instead of spending that precious childhood time and resources to educate our babies. We should not devote the time it takes to put Indian-hair in our babies’ heads, when we should be imparting reading, writing, and arithmetic. A nappy-head filled with knowledge, is a head that can go anywhere and create ANYTHING.

I was appalled, and really saddened, the first time one of my daughter’s three-year old playmates showed up with long, fake hair extensions weighing down her thin, delicate “baby hair.” The extensions, with beads, were just tearing at her tender scalp. Her young mother is a hair braider that never misses the opportunity to inflict pain on her daughter weekly with an elaborate hairstyle. The baby never enjoys the relief of “natural” on her head. It has to hurt. But some might say she’s cute and that’s what matters. This same child’s father said no when I suggested joining my daughter at the Nelson Art Gallery summer program at no cost in order to engage in his multi-level marketing business. He said he would be too busy. The opportunity is FREE, and still out of reach of this black child. This is also the parent of an estranged teenage son. The dad remarked recently, to check on the welfare of his son he turns on the local news. If he’s not a victim of homicide or the perpetrator he’s a relieved parent.

ATTENTION BLACK COMMUNITY: It’s not Zimmerman, it’s us. Responsibility lies with us, at home. Our power cannot be subverted by the "bogey man" if we stand our ground. If colored folk on the flip-side of US Slavery had left the monumental responsibility of self-esteem, education, and the development of our community to this government, or outsiders, we would not have come as far as we have today.

The parents of old required excellence, nothing less. My parents were born and raised in segregated Mississippi, and their people required the best out of them despite what awaited them in the world. They were required to be appropriately dressed and pressed despite what was in their pockets. They were taught to address elders respectfully. They held their head high because their people told them they mattered. And they did.

If I were an alien from another planet, and observing black folk today, compared to having seen them in the distant past, I would believe the community had regressed instead of progressed. I would see little black girls in fake hair, young black men with sagging pants, and I would hear poor grammar and desecrated English flowing from teenagers’ mouths. Then I would know. I would know that the plan to keep these people down had worked. They would appear to have given up the fight of those freedom fighters of the past.

I would think that these people had never even read their OWN history. I would be saddened and moved to tears because James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner would have died in vain. I would believe that they’d never heard of Martin Luther King, Jr., female pilot Bessie Coleman, or Garrett Morgan. I would believe that someone had just made up that American History stuff about black folks inventing revolutionary things still used worldwide today. Naw, these could NOT be descendants of those men and women who valued education, and died for the privilege to read a book. Couldn’t be.

It is all very simple to me. We have to educate our babies, no matter what. We have to place brains over beauty. Like Oprah has said, “I was never pretty, but I had brains!” We have to reject the sub-standards put in place by school systems that pander to the lowest denominator. Instead, we must go above and beyond and be our children’s toughest educators. If the assignment is to read two books, our kids must read six. If the science project requires just the minimum to compete with classmates, our babies need to reach for MIT-caliber projects for kids. If normal homework takes 2 hours a night, our homework must require twice that. EXCELLENCE is the goal. Nothing less! Educating our kids is our responsibility, not to be left to chance. Just being mediocre is never enough. It was never enough for our fore parents and should never be acceptable today. Brains over beauty every day of the week.

Equal Opportunity Testing is in Order

2011-05-23T20:54:00.000-05:00

Since when did needing temporary help to feed your children make you less worthy of protection under the law. Well Missouri lawmakers have recently passed legislation requiring people that receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, to take random drug tests to stay on the “roll.” Republican lawmakers across the country are lobbying to enact similar laws. I believe the Constitution says a little something about Americans being protected against unlawful search and seizure. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_953196cf-8104-5758-8198-60e151debe90.html

Republicans continually insist they are the party of smaller government, but here again we have another crystal clear example of Republicans helping to create a cottage industry of privately-operated drug labs for welfare families. The details of how the law will work is further proof that this is just a way to help republican business “friends” make money.

The cost of testing can be upwards of $75, done randomly throughout the year, as many times as the system pulls that particular recipients’ name from a database. This means a company can charge the government $75 for a yet undetermined number of times in a year. The American Civil Liberties Union estimates that for every found to be using, it will cost the state $20,000 or more. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125387528

The first year the program is projected to cost Missouri taxpayers more than $1 million, and more every year thereafter. Since laws rarely if ever expire, you do the math over fifty years. When will voters see this party’s slight of hand and stop voting them into office.

This law assumes the worst of people needing help in one of the darkest economic seasons of my life. It criminalizes people receiving a meager subsidy from a government that easily wastes money subsidizing the oil industry to the tune of $4 BIILLION. The US government has given Wal-Mart over $1 billion in welfare to transform them into the “entrepreneurial success” they claim to be. Give me a billion dollars and I will show the government how much a female, minority, single mother can succeed! http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/24/news/fortune500/walmart_subsidies/

For those who say the law is about helping addicted people on welfare, I say liar liar pants on fire. If a welfare recipient is found to be using drugs, they are referred to a rehab facility that they will have to pay for. Then they will lose the benefits if a third party cannot be found to accept funds on their behalf. The notion that someone on public assistance can pay for rehab is insane. And will the “third party” be tested? Moreover, addiction is a disease that should be recognized as such, and since America seems to have lost the war on drugs I say treatment at the state’s expense is in order.

Lawmakers say this law will further help welfare recipients become ready for work. If true, then why fixate on drug testing, and not literacy. What better way to get people from welfare to work than to ensure they can read and write. A 1996 study in the American Journal of Public Health looked at the assumption that people on public assistance are drug addicted. In short, the study found people on welfare drink and use drugs at around the same rates as the national average. http://www.ndsn.org/DEC96/WELFARE.html

Politicians from the great state of Arizona had the audacity to say such a law will help them save $1.7 million a year after kicking families off welfare.

Laws such as this one are just a smoke screen for the building of another layer of bureaucracy created to mire our government in true mismanagement, and produce more businesses. Don’t misconstrue its false attempt to help people in our community that need the most help in these trying times. Children are the largest beneficiaries of programs such as Women Infants and Children and food stamps. To kick their parents off of welfare will leave our children to suffer. Because of this law, one more child will go to bed hungry tonight because Republicans have been mean-spirited enough to attack their families instead of lifting them up.

To be truly fair, all corporate executives that represent companies that get welfare from the government should be required to get drug tested randomly. Welfare is “free money” no matter who is getting it. Test one, test them all.

Righteous Indignation at the Lack of Indignation

2011-04-15T13:35:00.000-05:00

As the parent of a precocious two-year-old, public school education has never meant so much to me as it does now. I was blessed to have had parents with the means, and the wherewithal, to send me to a private, all-girl, college Prep school called Notre Dame de Sion. When you say it put some French on it! Now my little one is participating in public education. But at this rate she won't be for long because I cannot afford to fail her by sending her through public school.

This week the Hickman Mills School Board voted to cut the Parents As Teacher Program (PAT) budget by 50 percent http://www.kctv5.com/education/27528532/detail.html. PAT works with parents to teach them how to teach their children from birth to kindergarten. http://www.parentsasteachers.org/about/what-we-do They aren't building weapons of mass destruction, they are educating OUR children who might otherwise not have access to one-on-one tutoring. They work with special-needs students. They are educators with years of experience and the certifications to back it up. These are the teachers that all students and parents want teaching them. Yet when lawmakers look at ways to curb spending, such programs are the first to suffer.

This is devastating because jobs will be lost, and children between the ages of 1 and 5 will lose out on valuable pre-school learning that is essential for future educational success. We as a society know that if we set our children up early they will be successful later in school. But why do lawmakers keep failing our children?

More importantly, all of OUR children must be educated. Not just those whose parents can pay for school or relocate away from blacks and browns to send their kids to public schools so homogonous, and white washed as to be just like private schools. We are all connected on this planet, yet we act as if we are separate. If one of our children are suffering in ignorance then we all suffer. Case in point, when children are failing in school they often are distracting and act out which takes away from the others who want to learn. Our kids pay the price. Then without the foundation for career success, kids who drop out of school often times end up on welfare or in prison, where they ARE society's responsibility.

PAT is truly a gift for me and my family because my two-year old now possesses a 150-word vocabulary, and it's ever expanding. Its due to the twice-monthly visits at our home with her parent-educator, Karen, who teaches me how to teach. It's the books we receive monthly, and the baby- sing-and-sign classes that have clearly given my little one a leg up on her age mates. Gymboree two times a month has taught her countless physical developmental skills. Because of PAT she is prepared for school NOW. When I talk about the priceless gifts imparted by PAT I cry. Tears roll from my eyes because this child is but six generations from slavery. I boo hoo because of the opportunities that will be afforded her because of her knowledge. Joy fills my heart and tears tumble from my eyes in a dichotomy of emotions that overtake me at times. I have a purpose.

I also shed tears when I work with her three-year-old playmate who cannot decipher numbers or words at all. She is in a daycare where they are "teaching" her. I cry because her parents don't know how to access the assessments and tools that will give her a 150-word vocabulary. I despair because her parents were educated in public schools, and they do not know how to be outraged because of her delays. I cry because there is a school system waiting for this child that is comfortable with cutting much needed funds for her, and her schoolmates. I cry because lawmakers trade our children for the blood money of big corporate interests. I cry because the likes of many businesses like H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt Tax Preparers market to uneducated and impoverished consumers helping earn them $4 billion in a four-month tax season. http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/gary-rivlin-tax-prep-refund-anticipation-loan I cry for this country.

Education cuts have caused many an Englishman to rise up and strike a blow to the rich and wealthy Royal Family http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/09/world/main7134510.shtml . The French know how to pick a fight with their president when their children are being short-changed, yet Americans do nothing as our future is slowly being imprisoned by but a few rich and powerful like the Koch Brothers whose goal is to keep the working man a captive-consumer http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/13/koch-industries-price-gouging/ . Where is our American fight? Where is our American outrage? Where is our indignation!

We must ask ourselves who does it serve if an individual possesses a quality-education that empowers them to take care of themselves and their families.

To Twitter or Facebook, That Is The Question

2011-03-11T20:57:00.000-06:00

I have a confession to make---I really don't like Facebook or the chatter that goes on in that vortex, and I don't really get the appeal. Millions of people on Facebook, a movie, and I'm sure a book will be forthcoming, but what is the BFD. Yes, I'm on Facebook, but never ever check my account anymore. I figure if someone said something days ago, it CAN'T be relevant anymore. I think all conversations should be limited to Twitter's 140 characters, or less. In person, on the phone, at the office, in the classroom, all communication. I shouldn't have to use more than 140 characters to get my 2-year old to behave properly, or sit on the potty.

Unfortunately, I cannot convince my dearest besties of the point of Twitter . They just don't get it. They fail to see the blast that one can have just reading the limited rantings of their favorite NFL player, or the musings of a mother clear across the globe about how potty training is practically killing her spirit one day at time.

Maybe it's Twitter's simplicity that confuses people. Twitter's world begins with the @ sign and once you get an account, which is your name or any silly name you create, then you just start talking, using just 140 characters or less. You say things and others see your comments and they hit you back, or better yet follow back. Once they are followers of you then they see everything you say. Goal: get as many followers as possible so cleverness and a message are key! What about this is so hard that my best friend "just can't get into it." My other bestie just flat out refuses to leave the garden and cafe of Facebook and join the real world of Twitter.

Twitter has gotten a bad reputation for being all about randomness, when in fact it's specific, personal and much more intimate than Facebook. The immediacy is one reason for this. I can instantly reach out to celebs, and get an instant response. On many of occasions Chad Ochocinco has invited 100 of his closest friends to dinner in one hour, and had I been in Los Angeles, or Miami at those moments well let's just say I would be eating good. This is only possible with Twitter.

One night I found myself sitting at home on a lonely Saturday when HBO was premiering "The Hangover." With a simple swipe of my iPhone I soon realized that thousands were at home just like me watching. Celebs and just regular folk. Everybody was commenting about almost every scene, and I nearly busted a gut laughing. I ended up having a blast watching one of the funniest movies with a few thousand friends. I soon started following Mike Tyson, though he has yet to tweet back.

Twitter's celebrity factor was the original reason I opened an account. Ochocinco is his name, and he's still my favorite tweeter because nothing about his life is off limits. He wakes up and tweets, he eats and tweets, he tweets to his friends that eventually become my friends. And on occasion he's even tweeted me. The day he followed me was the pinnacle. I will forever be his biggest fan for that one.

Beyond the celebrity factor Twitter has brought me into contact with very dear, ordinary people doing interesting things all over the world. I found myself tweeting with a lad from England and we talked about the old neighborhood I used to live in there. No barriers between me and a young, white, male Brit just 140 characters. I love it. I remember at the beginning of the personal computing and Internet revolution that it was said that this medium will remove all barriers of race and gender, and in many ways it has. Twitter is proof.

2010-04-13T03:30:00.001-05:00

The name Peter Connelly is a name I never want to ever forget. I never wish to forget his beautiful, angelic face with shining blue eyes beaming out into the world. The day I learned of his story it leapt out to me from YouTube. I cried for hours following his visit.

and his extistence was never relevant until the end. At the end many people stood in awe of how things could go so terribly wrong while we went about living our lives

It’s Not Your Brain, It’s Just the Flame

2010-01-06T20:47:00.004-06:00

The reason black people could care less about the latest Tiger Woods Scandal, one word: Cabalasian. This is the clever amalgam he made up to describe his Caucasian, Asian, and African-American heritage. At the time he said it I was aghast. He had done what no other competitor in the sport of golf had ever done, black, blue or white. He conquered the greens and beat the ‘man’ at his beloved and sacred, exclusionary sport. The field had been leveled and the landscaper was black. With Woods' declaration he crushed all that. He made it clear he was not black, but brown. I immediately became as dispassionate on his success as he was about his African-American legacy.

As he is dogged by the rabid American media, I still could care less. The lack of public support by black people for Woods is clear that I am not alone. He is paying the price of his fame, the way he made it. He took the money, kept quiet when he could have spoken out against injustices that impact black people everywhere, and took care of himself. He was selfish to his wife, his children, and our community. It’s the price he paid for fame.

Despite all the truths told about fame for countless years by those who’ve tasted it, there are still millions of Americans who would gladly give their right kidney for a sliver of this intoxicant. One friend, who can’t walk in public without people recognizing him, said his position has weighed heavy on him costing him far too much to calculate. I witnessed the finale of VH1's "I Want To Work For Diddy," were two people were willing to run thirty New York City blocks carrying flowers requested by Bad Boy Records founder Sean "Diddy" Combs, just to become his assistant. Reports have surfaced that the winner, a former teacher who holds a master's degree, lost her job for appearing on the show, and has yet to be hired by Combs. Imagine that!

For the time being the media should leave Woods' carcass alone and focus their attention on the real atrocities going on in our own backyard. In the end, he'll be get a mulligan, be foregiven his sins, defy Warhol's prediction of just fifteen minutes, and be back on top. The Fourth Estate should perform the public service they were created to do, and tell the stories that people need to hear about to protect themselves, their families and get jobs. The country is at war on several continents, taxes are steadily rising, home values plummeting, children are being killed by the very individuals charged with their protection, and 38 million Americans are hungry as I write this. There's more important stories to be told.

Woods' current predicament is only surprising because of the shroud of secrecy he built around himself, but was inevitable because it’s the nature of the fame game. You get it, it detonates in fifteen minutes, and people make merry in your demise. Charles Barkley’s sentiments ring true once again, Barkley, Woods, nor anyone like them, should stand as role models.

Spare me the "Happy New" blah, blah, blah

2010-01-04T23:36:00.000-06:00

Many of my well wishing friends and family who rushed to send messages at the stroke of midnight will be shocked to hear me say this, but I don't like the "Happy New Year" greetings, and salutations. Even more, I detest the amount of time it's used into the New Year; a day, two weeks, the whole of January? It is just another day, a new day, if you insist, but just another day on the calendar. This year let’s dispense with the greetings and get truly serious about starting anew.

This New Year let’s not make the mistake of focusing on what’s on the outside of ourselves, but rather what could be happening on the inside. We American’s are killing ourselves to be beautiful by any means necessary. In the old year, we witnessed the public death of Brittany Murphy. Here was a woman living in LA LA Land who had became so concerned about her external appearance that she starved herself to death, no matter what the coroner’s report reveals we all know the truth of it. When she landed on the big screen in the movie Clueless she was a healthy, normal sized, awkward teenager. When she left this planet she was a shell of herself, literally. But many of us aspire to this definition of beauty. Let’s not do it in the New Year.

The disease of skinny rarely kills east of the Rocky Mountains. In America, obesity is the second leading cause of death in America, and yet as I write this all of us, me included, are allowing this silent killer to live as we live, walk as we walk, and eventually kill without judgment or execution. I have to ask, how can something so preventable be such a killer? Time Magazine and ABC News called it a crisis.

To be fair I will use myself as the best example. I am 5 foot 9 inches, and without revealing too much, I admit I am more than 200 pounds and overweight. According to the Centers for Disease Control I am the picture of obesity. At my best I was 18 percent body fat. Translation: I was fit and fine. Not anymore. Today at 40, I have to get real and fight this killer as if it had harmed my child. If I don’t fight it like it stole something, it will inevitably steal me away from my one-year old’s future. If I lose this fight I risk heart disease, diabetes, cancers, high blood pressure, and ultimately DEATH. I cannot lose this fight.

Around the New Year we are inundated with tons of gym commercials, quick weight-loss products and gimmicks. But it’s simple, fewer calories in and more calories out. When I was fine that was my mantra. It’s not new, not sexy, it’s truth; can’t package that into a 2 minute commercial starring an unhealthy, skinny actress. I must get moving and get this monkey off my back like my life depends on it, because it does.

Let’s turn those annual resolutions into life commitments. My commitment is to revive my mantra that made me fine before, do the necessary exercise, and blog about my life-change that will ultimately lead to weight loss, and life gain. I will tell the truth and only the truth about my experience of taking back my life. I welcome your thoughts and support during this time. I also implore everyone who hears my rantings to join me and get the weight off, and live to tell about it.

Happy New You!

Let Your Word Be Your Bond

2009-09-27T15:08:00.000-05:00

In an economic and political period such as this in America, it is vital that your word be your bond.

Where has integrity fallen on people’s list of values? Who are we as a country if lying is part of everyday living and interacting with people? I pose these questions after reading the Washington Post to discover that a former colleague, and someone I called a friend, was recently arrested and indicted on Federal bribery charges. Graham Aide's Arrest Rooted in Probe of D.C. Taxi Industry - washingtonpost.com I ask myself, who is this person to put his family, friends, and co-workers in such a perilous position. We are all now under suspicion for work we did for the people of the District of Columbia. Though I did not always agree with him, and openly told him so, I trusted him with everything but my ATM PIN. I interacted with his beautiful family, would always answer his calls no matter what time of night, and would stand up for him when community members trashed talked about his political style. He would call a spade a spade without hesitation. He kept it real and called matters of gentrification what they were. Newcomers clearly believed wiping out longstanding DC traditions was about change, when most of the time it was about race. My colleague called it what it was to their faces.

Upon hearing the news my mind quickly raced back to all the times we were planning meetings and trips for the Council member, and community events, meeting with community members. Where shady things going on right under my nose in 2004, and I didn’t know it, or might I have made a simple phone call for an appointment that could have lead up to the bribery charges. Might I have taken a lunch or dinner meeting involving my friend, and co-worker that helped to line his pockets, and undermine the honest work of the Office of the Council member. Or did he mastermind this whole tragedy alone, making sure to leave us all out of his misdealings. Could he have thought to be at least that unselfish?

Now that salaries have fallen off and material things are going the way of the repo man, we all have to realize that integrity is the most valuable thing we have to bolster our family names and reputation. We can no longer hide behind career titles, high salaries, overmortgaged homes, and shiny little things. We have to face the world totally raw and with the only thing we truly own, a soul untouched by dishonesty. That is truthfully the way to keep it real. When it’s all said and done, and our lives are over in this earthly experience we will have to account for our actions. This accounting my not come before a Biblical panel chaired by Jesus Christ, but it may be our lives flashing before our eyes. However it comes, let’s come to it with light hearts and honest minds. Let’s make lying so 1980’s, and so over.

Senator McCaskill Can't Spell and Shouldn't Be in Congress

2008-08-13T16:32:00.000-05:00

I should have known it would not be good calling my local Senator, Claire McCaskill, who has a prominent role alongside Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, when I noticed on the opening page of her website she spelled traveling incorrectly-- travelling! Now when we supported her to go to DC, we thought she was competent enough to know how to spell and use punctuation. But her voters were wrong, she cannot spell. And nor do her staffers know how to talk to constituents when they call.

I live in her district in Missouri and called to get help when I found myself calling Sallie Mae to find that they have moved their operations to India. When I called I was told by her staffer "Michael" that as a policy of her office, they only give first names to constituents.

I proceeded to get a senior staffer on the line who might be able to tell me when the US allowed Sallie Mae to be bought by a private company. He rudely told me that I could not talk to a senior staffer and that if I would hold he would get the information for me. This was progress because when I called Senator Kit Bond's office the person who answered said he didn't know what Sallie Mae even was. So I held for this rude staffer, and he responded that last year Sallie Mae was bought by the JC Flowers and Friedman Fleischer & Lowe. He incorrectly stated that the company was acquired for $3billion, but according to the U.K. Guardian the price was $25 billion. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/apr/16/privateequity

I ask why are we allowing people such as McCaskill to represent our interests in a forum as large and as important as the US Senate? My family will no longer support her or her interests as our own because she can't spell for starters and her staffer "Michael" was rude and refused to help when a constituent in need called for intervention. We wrapped up our conversation when he transferred me to Detective Zimmerman of the Capitol Police about the "threat" I made to him. Thanks to Congress on behalf of a voting member of McCaskill's constituency. From now I will make certain my vote is cast for someone working for the real people who make this America blue and true.

Lies and More Lies from Ma Bell

2008-07-23T14:11:00.001-05:00

My family signed up for AT& T's phone and DSL service in January 2008, mostly because of the $100 rebate that was dangled in our faces. Instead of that simple, little, email voucher that would get us an easy-to-use VISA, all we've gotten for the past 7 months is the run around.

After paying the bill recently, I got upset and called AT & T to complain about the error and tell them we were switching to our cable provider. A manager, going by the moniker Jennifer, responded and promised to email the voucher to my personal email address so we could finally get the VISA for $100. For several days she did her due diligence by calling to check to see if I received it, but after about a week she stopped calling and I still had no voucher to get the damned VISA that has been promised since January 2008!

My mother called AT & T once again and was told by a rebate representative that she had no record of the request made by me, or calls from this Jennifer person, but she would send a voucher for $50 to my email. Knowing that this was again several minutes of my life I would never be able to get back, and that AT & T was lying, I said ok and hung.

It's been several weeks since that last call and I want to put AT & T on blast about this rebate scam here on my newly created blog. After watching ABC News last night and hearing about how companies pay people to what this phenomenal invention called Twitter, I signed up.

Well AT & T if you are out there and reading this you are about to lose a lifelong family as a customer with this scam about the rebate. We are appalled and dismayed by the lies coming from your customer service and rebate departments, and we are fed up and will take our business to the local cable provider if we do not get our promised rebate of $100.