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I’m definitely a believer in higher education which is exemplified in the fact that I have a bachelors degree in marketing. So this isn’t a post on whether or not I think people should go to college or explaining how I think college is a farce (@ least not totally). It’s just that the current job market brings so close to home the realization of what a college education really means to each of us individuals who have dedicated time, money and energy into obtaining a degree. Based on the various conversations I’ve held with college students, I think it’s pretty safe to say that we don’t come to the same conclusion on this particular subject. This is due to the differences in people, opinions, experiences, cultures, ect. As of this moment I’m uncertain as to whether my opinion has been fully obtained and set, but I have and do give thought of weather college is truly the best or the only (yes some people believe it is) option.
It seems as if it’s getting closer and closer to college becoming one of very options available to the high school graduate when considering their life’s path. But is that true or are the other opportunities just becoming less and less publicized or promoted? Vocational and trade school still exist but they’re not promoted very well in my opinion. In today’s get more, make more, want more society, it seems as if having aspirations of being able to pay your bills and live within the means of a middle class citizen is now a laughable aspiration; a less than appealing goal. The reality that everyone knows, but not many acknowledge, is that we’re not all going to be rich or even close to rich, but it doesn’t stop people from trying to achieve more than they have and more than their parents have. We all think we’re going to the exception, the break out hard-working stars among the average. It seems as if this is almost what drives the country as we know it. Each person is awaiting their golden opportunity to become “successful”, the word used but never specifically defined. So does this dream come through college? Does college equal success? Is the middle class citizen who can pay his/her bills and maintain a decent life style on their skills and no degree less than successful? Seems we would all chime in saying no, of course not, because success means different things to different people. But is that what students or kid in general are fed? What are we saying about success and what are kids getting from what they see and hear?
What do people go to college for? No, the better question is what are we really paying for when we pay for college? The truth is we pay to acquire knowledge about specific subjects, directly and indirectly related to the career of our interest, from people who should have experience in these areas. It doesn’t mean we’ll get all of the knowledge that will be required of us in these careers. It doesn’t mean we will get a job in these fields. It doesn’t mean we’ll make more money than if we never had a degree. It doesn’t guarantee anything at all. All we know for sure is that we will have obtained information about a subject that may or may not be helpful in the workplace by then end of each class session. Regardless of your set goal, when you decide to go to college, that’s the most you can really ask for. No matter which way success has been directly or indirectly explained to you; whether you believe college is the way or just having enough money to live your life the way you see fit is right for you, the bottom line is you.
People who are currently unemployed with and without degrees should be thinking, now more than ever, that everyone has some sort of knowledge, skill or advantage, no matter which path you chose to take. Success isn’t in necessarily a classroom or in how much money you make; it’s about using what you have in a way that only you can in order to achieve the kind of satisfaction that can’t be paid for……happiness and contentment with self and God (view of self is dependent on your connection with God). Finding your way to peace with God, therefore self and all those around you, is where your success ultimately lies and you may very well get to there through college, as long as you understand the real goal.
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.
Check out the story here.
@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.
@MsShill In queens. Smells like hot dog water.
@JohnnyCupcakes Is it me? Or does everyone use the word ‘debauchery’ when they’re referring to a night out drinking?
@peeweeherman SO EXCITED! The Pee-wee Herman Show LIVE – Official Announcement & Details! http://bit.ly/19v7oI
@DeeandRicky meeting with CONVERSE™ today… Dee&Ricky™ & CONVERSE™…. booyah!
@Skighwalker “The Dream looks like the hamburgular with no mask on” (via @cthagod) …ahahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahaha!!!
Mutilated Barbie Jewelery by Margaux Lange
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
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.
Calvin of BKc San Fransisco
Don Lemon of CNN
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 Street Etiquette guys. For a descriptions click here.
Jason Pollock. He’s the director of the documentary, The Youngest Candidate, which I posted about a while back. His tweets are actually really interesting.
There’s probably more but this will do for now.
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.
Source: City of Dreams
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.”
By Jack Kim
Source: Reuters
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.
