Joshua Kissi from Street Etiquette put me up on this video, while having a discussion on what people from the “hood” used to wear back in the 90’s: Nautica, Polo, Perry Ellis, Timberland, Eddie Bauer and Tommy Hilfiger. I remember Wallabee’s and when Helly Hanson came on the scene, which seemed to be short lived. I can’t help but to think that the executives of Ralph Lauren, as well as the other mentioned brands, had to know about the subcultures created buy their brands. It’s pretty much their job to know these things, yet it is something that is almost never mentioned or acknowledged. Aside from Tommy Hilfiger, is seems that brands felt and still feel that embracing this particular demographic (inner city or urban youth) would diminish the prestige of their brand image. This isn’t a totally false concept, as Tommy Hilfiger had to revamp their brand image in the new millenium to pull themselves away from being considered a fad brand of pop culture’s urban scene. This video is about a whole underground culture that was built around the Polo brand, which is refered to as ‘Lo’ throughout the video. It’s very interesting and thought provoking to know that a brand that doesn’t acknowledge your existence can become your existence.
@Ugomozie This man is telling me a story about how he dated a gorgeous blind girl in college…. I pitty the poor girl. Smh.
@deadstockric ladies, time for a new cologne..any ideas ?
@philfromreason “Don’t bet the farm, ’cause the guy who wins it from you’ll starve your favorite cow”
@TruthWasHere Put a gun to my head and paint the walls with my brains.
@thinkBIG_blog My 4-year-old son has a new motto: “It’s not time for chillin’, it’s time for killin’!” Usually says it when I say, “Daddy wants to relax.”
@bobbyhundreds Whenever I’m on the phone driving and a cop pulls up behind me, I hurl my Blackberry on the floor like it’s got AIDS all over it.
@OnAwardTour Everytime I leave a class dealing with the studies of past generations I am reminded of how completely awful our own is. We suck.
There are very many people who I find fascinating online. However, my BFF says I stalk people online. I’m willing to accept that (only on certain days though), but in my defense (as I stated in a previous post) these networking sites have made it appealing to know about what’s going on with people and lets not even get started on blogs. Twitter in particular has taken it to a whole new level and I think I like it. So with that being said, I would like to introduce you to a few people I “follow”, because stalk is such an ugly word.
Ebenezer – This dude had a very interesting story about how he got his dream job from this pic, but I’ve yet to get the whole story.
Va$htie (I don’t feel like naming all the crap she does)
Andrea Lewis & Shannon Boodram of Those Girls are Wild. I just discovered these two. I really can’t say I know their purpose, but the blog is great. I go for goofy any day.
The Brooklyn Circus just recently posted that they were looking for an “Urban Hunter Gatherer”. They describe this as one who obtains style by hunting, experiencing, and foraging. They want Illustrators, painters, photographers, graphic designers and writers with a special interest in American History, African Studies, period clothing, art, travel and culture. A love and attraction to subcultures, collecting and researching the lost or unknown.
I do everything listed, except photography. If only I lived in NYC. Maybe they’ll wait till I graduate. Eh.
This is cute and funny….I absolutely love it when people you don’t know want to be your best friend. It’s so creepy and flattering, all at the same time. It’s like kind of how it feels when when strangers walk up to you and touch your hair. I know that sounds like a joke, but people really do that to me.
BTW….This is the entire reson myspace was invented. Excuse me….I have to go look for people to put on my top friends list.
I have been wanting cars to fly since I was born (yes, I remember back that far). The fact that almost nothing from the Jetsons, a cartoon from the 70’s, is a reality in 2009 makes me pretty upset. The Skycar Expedition 2009 is attempting to make at least one of my Jetson’s dreams come true. This car completed the journey from London to Tombouctou, that started in January and ended in March. They’re pretty close to making the Skycar the worlds first, practical, road going, flying car.
Why Tombouctou? It is steeped in mystery and has been a prized destination for travelers and explorers for many years, and for good reason: it’s not easy to get to.
In “fly mode” the car will have:
a take-off speed of 60 kmph
a top speed of 110 kmph
a range of 300 km.
a cruising altitude of 2000 – 3000 ft
a maximum altitude of 15,000 ft.
In “road mode” the car will have:
independent 4 wheel suspension
rear wheel drive
acceleration from 0-100 kmph in 4.5 seconds
a top speed of 180 kmph
a range of 400 km.
You can put a down payment on your SkyCar today for $16,338 or reserve one for $81, 700.
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea ordered the release of two jailed American journalists on Tuesday after former U.S. President Bill Clinton held talks with Kim Jong-il and the reclusive and ailing leader issued what North Korea’s KCNA news agency said was a “special pardon” for the pair.
The talks in Pyongyang were the highest-level contact between the United States and North Korea since Clinton was in office nearly a decade ago.
KCNA said Clinton left North Korea shortly after news of the imminent release of the two journalists, Euna Lee, 36, and Laura Ling, 32, who work for Current TV, an American TV outlet co-founded by Clinton’s vice president, Al Gore. The agency did not mention the journalists.
The pair were arrested on the North Korea-China border in March while reporting on the trafficking of women and accused of illegal entry.
A North Korean court sentenced them last month to 12 years of hard labor for what it called grave crimes.
“The families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee are overjoyed by the news of their pardon,” said a statement posted on a website created to support the two journalists.
The statement expressed gratitude to President Barack Obama and several high officials of his administration as well as thanking Clinton “for taking on such an arduous mission.”
But there were immediate questions about what Clinton had discussed with Kim beyond the fate of the two reporters during a visit that gave Kim what he craved — direct U.S. attention and a visit from a highly placed emissary.
The North Korean news agency insisted Clinton had “courteously conveyed a verbal message of U.S. President Barack Obama expressing profound thanks for this and reflecting views on ways of improving the relations between the two countries.”
The White House denied Clinton carried any sort of message from Obama.
David Axelrod, a senior adviser to Obama, told MSNBC television that Clinton was on a “private humanitarian mission” and that “I don’t think it’s related to other issues.”
Clinton, husband of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was the highest-level American to visit the reclusive communist state since his secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, went there in 2000.
He was received warmly and had what KCNA described as an “exhaustive conversation” over dinner with Kim and his top aides.
The North Koreans immediately sought to put their stamp on the visit.
“Clinton expressed words of sincere apology to Kim Jong Il for the hostile acts committed by the two American journalists against the DPRK after illegally intruding into it. Clinton courteously conveyed to Kim Jong Il an earnest request of the U.S. government to leniently pardon them and send them back home from a humanitarian point of view,” KCNA said.
It said the visit would “contribute to deepening the understanding between the DPRK (North Korea), and the U.S. and building the bilateral confidence.”
If your not watching Black in America 2, you need to start. It’s part two of a CNN special that aired for the first time last year. It got such huge ratings and great feedback that it’s back this year and it’s just as good, if not better than, last year. The host Soledad O’Brien interviews African Americans from all different walks of life; from the affluent and well connected to the struggling high school student. Through these people’s experiences, the show examines situations and conditions that millions of black people face everyday. I absolutely love the show and I hate it if I miss an episode. It’s a very interesting, informative and inspiring program that you should definitely tune into.
If you hadn’t noticed, I follow the blog of Vashtie Kola, a.k.a. Downtowns Sweetheart. She’s probably the person who inspired me to blog. She’s a director, having shot an independent music video for the song “Us Placers” off of a Kanye West mixtape, which features child versions of Kanye and featured artists Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams. The personal project was commissioned entirely by Vashtie and was a huge success, reaching a million hits via YouTube in less than a day. Soon after, she was once again back in the director’s seat creating music videos for Solange (“T.O.N.Y.”), Kid Cudi (“Heaven At Night”), Jadakiss featuring Faith Evans (“Letter to B.I.G.”), Justin Bieber (“One Love”) and more. She also has a clothing line called Violette and she’s invited to all the best parties in NY (and they’re like every week, when does she work?). I personally have added her to the list of people I stalk….I mean, follow online and you should as well. Her new and improved site is up and I’m loving the animation.
Mutilated Barbie Jewelery by 
The Burger King dude
Nick and Mariah
Girls shaving their heads.
Madea
Leashes for kids
Karl Lagerfield and his mini me
Celebrities adopting kids from Africa
Two in one: Russell Brand (who is he?) and skinny jeans on guys
The Adams Family
The need to know what celebrities are doing every two minutes. Who cares!?
Porcelain dolls
Calvin of BKc San Fransisco
Ebenezer – This dude had a very interesting story about how he got his dream job from this pic, but I’ve yet to get the whole story.
Andrea Lewis & Shannon Boodram of 
The
