This is my two cents. Not that anyone cares but none the less, I'm giving it. I've been opening emails this morning both MSN, Gmail, and checking out my Facebook page and I've gotten no less than 10 emails about parties to celebrate Obama's win. Most are free and offer the opportunity to'witness history' which is cool but they also include drink specials,(including drinks named after Obama) open buffet, (until 11pm) a fashion show, no less than 40 big screen TV's, host include special guest DJ's, political officials (I think O'Malley, Dixon, and Cummings are hosting an event at Bourbon Street) and other prominent Baltimore folks.
I know there is a buzz of excitement in the air I mean look, we ARE witnessing history. But do we really need drink specials, special guest DJ's etc. I love to party just as much as the next person but I think I'm having issues with Black Folks 'shaking that ass' at an Obama victory party. I mean, I'll be the first to pump my fist in the air....but do I really want to ' pump it like I just don't care'? Do any of us want to? Now I'm seriously considering going to one of these events but I have mixed emotions about what we're doing because I know fo sho...shits gonna get out of hand SOMEWHERE. Especially if Barack loses...a very real possibility knowing the history of this country. I don't know ya'll...so, what ever you choose to do, where ever you choose to go, do me and our ancestors a favor. Silently or aloud...grab a loved one and say or sing the following words...
Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty ;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the ro lling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that t he present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears have been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us fore v er in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee;
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand.
True to our GOD,
Tru e to our native land
James Weldon Johnson June 17, 1871 - June 26, 1938
My name is Eric Dodson, and I approve this message.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Minority women-owned firms show most growth among all U.S. businesses
Minority women-owned firms show most growth among all U.S. businesses
(October 14, 2008) According to recent data released by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), minority women are establishing their own businesses nearly twice as fast as male minority entrepreneurs and more than four times non-minority men and women. Between 1997 and 2002, the growth in number of minority women-owned firms was 57 percent, compared to 31 percent for minority male-owned firms.
Minority-owned firms play a critical role in generating jobs, creating wealth and introducing innovative products and services in local communities. Nearly 1.5 million minority women-owned firms generated approximately $111 billion in gross receipts in 2002. All women-owned businesses only grew 20 percent during the same time period and male-owned firms grew only 16 percent.
Out of the 57 percent growth for minority women-owned businesses, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander women-owned businesses grew the most at 84 percent; African-American women-owned firms grew at the second fastest rate of 75 percent; Hispanic women-owned businesses grew 60 percent; and Asian women-owned businesses grew at a rate of 40 percent.
'Women see entrepreneurship as the key to freedom -- providing flexibility and wealth creation,' said Ronald N. Langston, MBDA's National Director. 'Women are taking advantage of their talents and experience establishing businesses throughout our communities at astounding rates. Many choose entrepreneurship as a way to battle the glass ceiling that still, unfortunately, exists in corporate America.'
Though minority women-owned businesses are expanding more rapidly than other businesses, they still have not reached parity based on the population and they lag behind minority male-owned firms in gross receipts. Currently, only Asian male-owned businesses have reached parity in number of businesses, gross receipts and employees.
'Providing resources and support for minority women-owned businesses is important to the nation's economy. Finding better ways to access capital, increase financial literacy, and using technology to expand business opportunities are the keys to entrepreneurial success,' adds Langston.
Minority women-owned businesses span all industries, though the top industries include health care and social services; other services (see below for definition); retail trade; administrative and support, waste management, and remediation services; and professional, scientific and technical services.
[Other Services includes firms not provided for elsewhere in the classification system which are engaged in activities such as equipment and machinery repairing, promoting religious activities, grant-making, advocacy, providing dry-cleaning and laundry services, personal care services and dating services.]
For additional information visit The State of Female African American Business.
(October 14, 2008) According to recent data released by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), minority women are establishing their own businesses nearly twice as fast as male minority entrepreneurs and more than four times non-minority men and women. Between 1997 and 2002, the growth in number of minority women-owned firms was 57 percent, compared to 31 percent for minority male-owned firms.
Minority-owned firms play a critical role in generating jobs, creating wealth and introducing innovative products and services in local communities. Nearly 1.5 million minority women-owned firms generated approximately $111 billion in gross receipts in 2002. All women-owned businesses only grew 20 percent during the same time period and male-owned firms grew only 16 percent.
Out of the 57 percent growth for minority women-owned businesses, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander women-owned businesses grew the most at 84 percent; African-American women-owned firms grew at the second fastest rate of 75 percent; Hispanic women-owned businesses grew 60 percent; and Asian women-owned businesses grew at a rate of 40 percent.
'Women see entrepreneurship as the key to freedom -- providing flexibility and wealth creation,' said Ronald N. Langston, MBDA's National Director. 'Women are taking advantage of their talents and experience establishing businesses throughout our communities at astounding rates. Many choose entrepreneurship as a way to battle the glass ceiling that still, unfortunately, exists in corporate America.'
Though minority women-owned businesses are expanding more rapidly than other businesses, they still have not reached parity based on the population and they lag behind minority male-owned firms in gross receipts. Currently, only Asian male-owned businesses have reached parity in number of businesses, gross receipts and employees.
'Providing resources and support for minority women-owned businesses is important to the nation's economy. Finding better ways to access capital, increase financial literacy, and using technology to expand business opportunities are the keys to entrepreneurial success,' adds Langston.
Minority women-owned businesses span all industries, though the top industries include health care and social services; other services (see below for definition); retail trade; administrative and support, waste management, and remediation services; and professional, scientific and technical services.
[Other Services includes firms not provided for elsewhere in the classification system which are engaged in activities such as equipment and machinery repairing, promoting religious activities, grant-making, advocacy, providing dry-cleaning and laundry services, personal care services and dating services.]
For additional information visit The State of Female African American Business.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
NIGGER!
So I had this conversation the other day with a brother and I said the word NIGGER. WOW, this dude blew up at me about my use of the word. So I asked, "what should I have said"? I mean, how should we identify ourselves? You know...what are we? Who are we? This is an argument that many of us struggle internally with. I mean. I'm just as confused as the next man. But why? NIGGER doesn't offend me because I won't let it. I won't give IT that kind of power. African American...nope! The word American offends me more than NIGGER! BLACK...OK, I dig that. Now, nobody WHITE better NOT call me a NIGGER, I've heard that said. But what if I change its meaning, I give it MY own power. Make NIGGER like SUPERMAN to me? Let NIGGER empower me.
Now know and understand that I know the history of that word and how it stung when it came out off the mouths of our oppressors. But didn't Martin Luther King through his preaching of non-violent tactics teach us to ignore the word and all other derogatory names and prejudices because we were MEN and that as MEN we were bigger than those words? Didn't we take the sting out of the word NIGGER by our actions? So whats with all the sensitivity?
You can't be my NIGGER no more or is it NIGGA? Ain't it all the same? My NIGGERS is my NIGGAS like my DOGS is my DAWGS...synonyms. Get it?
I heard Jesse Jackson call Obama a NIGGA or was it NIGGER. Oh and by the way...Why do you NIGGERS, NEGROES, BLACKS, AFRICAN AMERICANS, and COLOREDS whisper the word WHITE when you are talking about WHITE FOLKS....even in a room full of NIGGAS? Don't you know that they know they are WHITE?
Now know and understand that I know the history of that word and how it stung when it came out off the mouths of our oppressors. But didn't Martin Luther King through his preaching of non-violent tactics teach us to ignore the word and all other derogatory names and prejudices because we were MEN and that as MEN we were bigger than those words? Didn't we take the sting out of the word NIGGER by our actions? So whats with all the sensitivity?
You can't be my NIGGER no more or is it NIGGA? Ain't it all the same? My NIGGERS is my NIGGAS like my DOGS is my DAWGS...synonyms. Get it?
I heard Jesse Jackson call Obama a NIGGA or was it NIGGER. Oh and by the way...Why do you NIGGERS, NEGROES, BLACKS, AFRICAN AMERICANS, and COLOREDS whisper the word WHITE when you are talking about WHITE FOLKS....even in a room full of NIGGAS? Don't you know that they know they are WHITE?
Saturday, June 14, 2008
EDOTS presents... Hip Hop's hottest collaborations you probably slept on, as voted on by me! In no particular order.
1. Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, and Method Man, 'Yolanda's House' (Big Doe Rehab)
2. The Roots, Dice Raw, and Beanie Sigel, 'Adrenaline' (The Roots, Home Grown)
3. Slum Village (the original group w/ J Dilla) and Common, 'Thelonius' (Fantastic Vol 2 and Like Water for Chocolate)
4. Outkast, Lil Wayne, Snoop, 'Hollywood Divorce' (Idlewild)
5. De La Soul, Mos Def, 'Big Brother Beat' (Stakes Is High)
6. XClan, Christian Scott (Jazz trumpeter) 'Prison' (Return From Mecca)
7. KRS-One, Nas, Kanye West, Rakim, 'Better Than I've Ever Been' (DJ Premier Remix Project)
8. The Talking Heads, Trick Daddy, Ludacris, Cee-Lo Green, 'Sugar on my Tongue' (Arthur King's Pop Shit)
9. Talib Kweli, Norah Jones (Jazz Vocalist) 'Soon the New Day' (Eardrum)
10. The Roots, Big Daddy Kane, 'BOOM' (The Tippin Point)
NOW, THE HOTTEST HIP HOP COLLABORATION THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY SLEPT ON....
...YOU BETTER GO OUT AND GET THIS ONE....
....DON'T BOOTLEG IT!!!!!!
9th Wonder, Jean Grae, Mos Def, Memphis Bleek, 'Crooklyn Dodgers 3' (Dream Merchants Vol 2)
BONUS!!!!!!!!
Common, featuring...Omar, Cee Lo, Bilal, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu and Lonnie "Pops" Lynn "Heaven Somewhere" - ("Electric Circus")
EDOTS!
2. The Roots, Dice Raw, and Beanie Sigel, 'Adrenaline' (The Roots, Home Grown)
3. Slum Village (the original group w/ J Dilla) and Common, 'Thelonius' (Fantastic Vol 2 and Like Water for Chocolate)
4. Outkast, Lil Wayne, Snoop, 'Hollywood Divorce' (Idlewild)
5. De La Soul, Mos Def, 'Big Brother Beat' (Stakes Is High)
6. XClan, Christian Scott (Jazz trumpeter) 'Prison' (Return From Mecca)
7. KRS-One, Nas, Kanye West, Rakim, 'Better Than I've Ever Been' (DJ Premier Remix Project)
8. The Talking Heads, Trick Daddy, Ludacris, Cee-Lo Green, 'Sugar on my Tongue' (Arthur King's Pop Shit)
9. Talib Kweli, Norah Jones (Jazz Vocalist) 'Soon the New Day' (Eardrum)
10. The Roots, Big Daddy Kane, 'BOOM' (The Tippin Point)
NOW, THE HOTTEST HIP HOP COLLABORATION THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY SLEPT ON....
...YOU BETTER GO OUT AND GET THIS ONE....
....DON'T BOOTLEG IT!!!!!!
9th Wonder, Jean Grae, Mos Def, Memphis Bleek, 'Crooklyn Dodgers 3' (Dream Merchants Vol 2)
BONUS!!!!!!!!
Common, featuring...Omar, Cee Lo, Bilal, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu and Lonnie "Pops" Lynn "Heaven Somewhere" - ("Electric Circus")
EDOTS!
Two Words...OK, one letter / one word
R. Kelly,
In case you were under a rock you missed one of the most significant stories in our community...other than the untimely passing of one of this countries greatest political journalist, Tim Russert, anything relevant to Barack Obama, the continued senseless murders of young black men in Baltimore and DC, or the fact that oil is still trading high and now Exxon wants to get out of the retail business.
The self proclaimed "King of R&B"...lets see what Bobby Brown has to say about that, was acquitted on all 14 charges of child pornography. Now, let's see. R. Kelly. Ya'll remember the tape right? I mean, ya'll saw it right? OK. The jury said the believed it was in fact R .Kelly on the tape but could not be sure if it was the young lady who the prosecution said it was, and since the young lady refused to testify, the jury had no victim. WOW! But the jury BELIEVED it was him according to Nancy Grace (CNN Reporter who has made a career prosecuting and now reporting on such cases) who is PISSED. OK, ya'll saw the tape right????? Reminder, this is my opinion. Feel free to comment. WHAT THE FCUK!!!!!!!! Now the law is the law and it had to be proven beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty of the charges...but c'mon. What about personal responsibility, child endangerment, or just plain...child pornography charges. If it WAS him...he was with SOMEBODY'S CHILD!!!!!! How stupid was the prosecution or the grand jury not to have considered charges that DID NOT involve that young lady on the tape? We all knew he had the ability to make it "disappear". Plus, he was being prosecuted in Illinois. Surprised, no. Did you see the people outside of the court house? They love Kelly. Its like the neighborhood drug dealer. The one that has poisoned someone from everybody's family on the block. But has employed many others, given away free turkeys at Thanksgiving, and even sponsors the youth football and basketball teams...sh!#, he might be the coach. They all love him and Kels...go figure. Holla Back!!!!!!!
In case you were under a rock you missed one of the most significant stories in our community...other than the untimely passing of one of this countries greatest political journalist, Tim Russert, anything relevant to Barack Obama, the continued senseless murders of young black men in Baltimore and DC, or the fact that oil is still trading high and now Exxon wants to get out of the retail business.
The self proclaimed "King of R&B"...lets see what Bobby Brown has to say about that, was acquitted on all 14 charges of child pornography. Now, let's see. R. Kelly. Ya'll remember the tape right? I mean, ya'll saw it right? OK. The jury said the believed it was in fact R .Kelly on the tape but could not be sure if it was the young lady who the prosecution said it was, and since the young lady refused to testify, the jury had no victim. WOW! But the jury BELIEVED it was him according to Nancy Grace (CNN Reporter who has made a career prosecuting and now reporting on such cases) who is PISSED. OK, ya'll saw the tape right????? Reminder, this is my opinion. Feel free to comment. WHAT THE FCUK!!!!!!!! Now the law is the law and it had to be proven beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty of the charges...but c'mon. What about personal responsibility, child endangerment, or just plain...child pornography charges. If it WAS him...he was with SOMEBODY'S CHILD!!!!!! How stupid was the prosecution or the grand jury not to have considered charges that DID NOT involve that young lady on the tape? We all knew he had the ability to make it "disappear". Plus, he was being prosecuted in Illinois. Surprised, no. Did you see the people outside of the court house? They love Kelly. Its like the neighborhood drug dealer. The one that has poisoned someone from everybody's family on the block. But has employed many others, given away free turkeys at Thanksgiving, and even sponsors the youth football and basketball teams...sh!#, he might be the coach. They all love him and Kels...go figure. Holla Back!!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Nuff Said
Two words and then nothing else needs to be said...but Imma say it anyway...Keith Olberman. Talk about a political assassination...DAMN! Then on Monday, FOX News had the nerve to try to "spin" the HRC's comment. They said her comment was blown out of proportion. She suffers from fatigue. If you fall for that...well, you know the rest. "Black people unite or we'll all go down" that's my own quote. "People, people, we gotta get over before we go under" James Brown, Funky President. Look, If you still can't see it..."You're blind baby, you're blind to the fact of who you are cause you're watching that garbage" The Late Great Flav said that...not the clown prince of VH1. Wake UP!!!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hello
This is my blog. This is a very dangerous tool for someone like me. Someone who has been quiet too long and now has something to say...too much to say. I've decided to share my thoughts, opinions etc, with the hopes of generating conversation, creating dialogue, debate, what have you.
I might offend you, sorry up front, but I expect you to fire back, be bold, be brave...but respectful. We can agree to disagree...thats cool.
I might offend you, sorry up front, but I expect you to fire back, be bold, be brave...but respectful. We can agree to disagree...thats cool.
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