E:60 Liberian Amputee Soccer Tease feat. Nas from E60 on Vimeo.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Jay Electronica – The Ghost Of Christopher Wallace (feat. Diddy)
I can do without diddy on the track but this joint is still JAIL YARD HARD!!!!
Download: Jay Electronica – The Ghost Of Christopher Wallace (feat. Diddy)
Download: Jay Electronica – The Ghost Of Christopher Wallace (feat. Diddy)
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Her Name is Fiyah: Self Promotion
Sexual healing but of course!!!
words by kiki Fiyah
words by kiki Fiyah
One of my bff's Bella is a great writer and she's been so gracious to allow me to guest post on her blog. So check me(and her) out at bellavated.com. You're welcome, you're all welcome.
CERTIFIED Skateboards COMMERCIAL "Being The Best"
I honestly think i'd give up the pencil to do videos yo! But the image and message of this is very DOPE!
NIKE MUSIC SHOES
Nike always throw some hip ho related videos out. Can't knock the hustle at all fam!!
Everyday Creativity
Yo! Stop fronting and use your head
By Carlin Flora
We all marvel at other people's artistic achievements and ingenuity. But most of us fail to nurture our inner innovator. Start living creatively and reap the benefits—including fewer relationship headaches and more fulfilling workdays.
The tattoo artists throughout Russia's prison system have never had lessons in painting technique (nor, apparently, hygiene training). They don't have ink and tools at their disposal. And yet they create entire murals on one another's chests and backs: onion-domed cathedrals, intricate cobwebs, chilly grim reapers. And they're not just beautiful decorations—they are coded biographies, telling those in the know their bearer's history and affiliations.
One would be hard-pressed to find a tougher environment than the jails where these artists work. Their ink is made from soot shaved off their shoes and mixed with urine. It's injected via guitar strings attached to electric shavers. The tattoos are a brutal mafia ritual. But they're also a mark of determined resourcefulness and self-expression.
When we think of creativity, we think of Mozart, Picasso, Einstein—people with a seemingly fated convergence of talent and opportunity. It's too narrow a set of references, because the truth is that all sorts of people, possessing various levels of intelligence and natural ability, are capable of engaging in fulfilling creative processes. Just because you'll never be Brando or Balanchine doesn't mean that you can't harness your idea-generating powers and make your life your own masterpiece
Some do so every day. Pete Herzog noticed that his three kids rarely drove the expensive battery-powered toy car he had bought them for Christmas because it was always out of juice. One afternoon he spotted a broken solar-powered garden lamp rolling around and took off its panels. He hooked them to the toy-car battery, using parts he melted off the lamp's circuit board. Now the car, left to bake in the sun all day, is always ready for joyrides.
Herzog is director of the Institute for Security and Open Methodologies, a nonprofit dedicated to researching how security works in all aspects of our lives. His job requires him to think like a top-notch computer hacker. So it's not surprising that he can solve nagging problems in his own backyard. But he doesn't think of himself as a creative person! Buying into a limited definition of creativity prevents many from appreciating their own potential.
That would be a shame in any era, but in today's economic environment, no one can afford not to innovate, whether it's doing more with a shrinking budget (household, corporate, you name it, it's contracting), or positioning oneself to join a new industry. You may have to be creative to survive right now.
The good news is that you can build up your innovative abilities in many ways—by doing things (noticing details in your midst, wearing your hair in a new style) that don't sound intimidatingly ingenious. You can simply get to know your personal problem-solving style—everybody shines at different stages of the process; understanding where you fit in gives you a big advantage. And perhaps most important is adjusting your overall attitude toward life—approach your experiences with an open mind and cultivate the belief that possibilities and solutions are always within reach, and you'll be equipped to handle any challenge with flair.
I: What Is "Everyday" Creativity?
"Every day, we use language to speak sentences that have never been spoken before. We express thoughts that have never been expressed. All of this is so deeply ingrained that we don't notice how creative it is," says cognitive scientist Art Markman, co-editor of the book Tools for Innovation.
The concept of everyday creativity was defined, assessed, and validated in 1988 by Ruth Richards, Dennis Kinney, and colleagues at Harvard Medical School. They defined it as expressions of originality and meaningfulness. Rebecca Whitlinger, the executive director of the Cancer Caring Center in Pittsburgh, tapped both areas when surveying her voluminous and seemingly useless collection of bridesmaid gowns, in all their gold lamé and satiny peach splendor. The clichéd promise "You'll definitely wear this again!" swelled into an evil chorus each time she opened her closet. She resolved not only to wear them again, but to wear them everywhere. Whitlinger enlisted friends to take snapshots of her wearing her maiden gowns to construction sites, to passport photo sessions, to the voting booth, and even on a parasailing expedition.
Then it occurred to Whitlinger to translate the shenanigans into a fund-raising event for Cancer Caring Center. At "Ushers Unlimited and Bridesmaids Revisited," guests were encouraged to wear an outfit (such as a bridesmaid dress) that they would ordinarily be unable to wear again. "A couple got married at the event, making it the World's Largest Wedding Party," she says. Novel? Check. Meaningful? Well, the fund-raiser grossed $90,000 between 1998 and 2001.
"It's too bad that when considering what endeavors may be creative, people immediately think of the arts," laments Michele Root-Bernstein, co-author with Robert Root-Bernstein of Sparks of Genius. "It's the problem-solving processes they exhibit rather than the content or craft that make them so. Just about anything we do can be addressed in a creative manner, from housecleaning to personal hobbies to work."
Imagine you wake up one morning and put on electric-green eye shadow instead of your usual beige tint. Then you call a friend and invite her on a spontaneous road trip to a city you've never visited. While there, you order dessert for lunch at the local diner. Then on the way home you tell a long, hilarious anecdote that makes your friend laugh for two minutes straight. Would you call such a day merely interesting, or an expression of your creative self?
Zorana Ivcevic, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at Tufts University, is a scrupulous collector of everyday creativity. By quizzing college students about the frequency of hundreds of potentially creative acts from joke-telling to road-tripping, she was able to come up with a taxonomy of expressive behaviors anyone can easily try. Making wacky recipes and dying your hair an unusual color qualify, as does working on a scrapbook of memories for a friend or making oneself the center of attention.
I: What Is "Everyday" Creativity?
While some students fit into more traditional creative slots, as amateur dancers or musicians, or serious scholars and budding scientists who had already contributed to professional fields in some way, many others expressed themselves through more routine acts. About 30 percent weren't creative by any standard, which marked them as "conventionals."
Ivcevic found that students who practiced forms of everyday creativity share, on average, certain personality traits with their "officially" artistic classmates—qualities lost on the conventionals. They share a tendency toward open-mindedness and curiosity, they are persistent, and they are positive, energetic, and intrinsically motivated by their chosen activities. Whether engaging in everyday creativity could foster such personality traits in the conventionals remains a question, but other studies show that taking up creative pursuits actually makes people more flexible and less judgmental
Adaptability, in fact, is what Jennifer Schweikert considers the source of her own creativity. A Virginia-based interior "re-designer," Schweikert reinvents and reworks what a client already owns to make rooms functional and stylish. "I was a military brat and married a military man," she says. "I've moved 28 times in my life, so I have a tendency to accept what I'm given and to make it work."
When Schweikert encounters a new space, she quickly sizes up what needs to be done and then, in a serenity prayer of sorts to Ste. Martha Stewart, she determines what she can change and can't change about the space. Recently, at a temporary women's shelter apartment, the problem was a door with an uncovered window facing a common room, violating the tenant's privacy.
The most obvious solution—installing a curtain rod—was ruled out since she couldn't drill through the steel door. "I took a piece of Plexiglas, spray-painted it black, and cut it to the size of the window opening. Since it would be good for the residents to still be able to use the door window, I glued heavy-duty magnets to the four corners to make it removable," Schweikert says. The shelter's director reproduced her innovation in all of the building's apartments.
The first step to increasing your creativity quotient is believing you can. Even if no one has ever assigned the adjective "original" to anything you have ever done, you must acknowledge that you have inventive powers. Don't think about making something from nothing or exposing your deepest feelings—just acknowledge that you can solve problems better if you approach them with a different mind-set.
The Root-Bernsteins cite playful experimentation, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and persistence as keys to unlocking creativity. Laura Bergman, a mother who lives in rural Pennsylvanian Amish country, began an odyssey by picking up discarded glass she found when out running errands. She felt compelled to collect the shards and didn't censor her dumpster-diving impulse. One day she spread her shards across the dining room table and was taken aback by their sparkling beauty. "This old glass is as pretty as any gem," she thought.
I: What Is "Everyday" Creativity?
Bergman slowly taught herself how to cut, drill, and wrap glass. As she started to sell her pieces in town, she noticed that customers loved to hear the history behind the jewels, so she began including a "story of the glass" with each item. Eventually, she was able to leave her job of 15 years as an advertising manager to run a jewelry company.
When psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi studied eminent people, he found that they held almost contradictory impulses and qualities within: a desire for solitude but also a need for social stimulation; superior knowledge on a subject but also a childlike naïveté. These qualities seemed to fuel their ability to come up with great ideas and their ability to execute them—quite a combination. Exploring the less-prominent parts of your personality could activate the same yin-yang nature found in creative geniuses. If you're usually a busy bee, slow down and explore your lazy side. If you're very girly, dress like a tomboy.
Creativity coach Eric Maisel suggests that those who want to up their extracurricular creativity output figure out what really turns them on and cultivate the quality of creative desire. "You need to distinguish between interests and passion, because mere interest won't sustain you over the long haul," Maisel says. "People are convinced they need to become more disciplined, but when you are passionate, you don't need to cultivate discipline; it follows naturally."
Take the tiny town of Holguín, Cuba, where a hip-hop group dazzles audiences without the track-making and mixing software on which their American counterparts rely. Such programs are not commonly found on the island, and anyway an hour in a cybercafé costs as much as a month's worth of food. The group has devised a low-tech solution for creating melodic loops to rap over: They literally cut and paste together repeated sections of cassette tapes. The ultimate result is just as affecting and danceable to fans. The behind-the-scenes process is tedious, but for them, it's a small price to pay to do what they love.
II: Problem-Solving Styles
The real question isn't "How creative are you?" but rather "How are you creative?" Innovation is rarely a one-step deal; the trick is figuring out how you solve problems. That way, you can build on your strengths and team up with people who compensate for your weaknesses, says educational psychologist Donald Treffinger.
Brainstorming often launches the process, as does framing the dilemma at hand. We've all heard that there are no such things as bad ideas during initial brainstorming sessions. But during office meetings, barely- formed suggestions are often immediately shot down.
If you want to come up with truly original schemes, it's essential to separate idea generation from idea evaluation. Otherwise, you'll be too quick to dismiss seemingly implausible yet brilliant notions. Tina Seelig, executive director for the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and author of What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20, asks her students to come up with the best business idea they can muster and the most horrendous start-up idea imaginable. She then dramatically rips up the "good" ideas and redistributes the "losers" among the students, with instructions to turn them into viable proposals. One student's joke of a bikini shop located in Antarctica was morphed into a jet-set-friendly exercise camp called "Bikini or Die," designed to get clients in top form for the beach. A "cockroach sushi" pitch became an exotic restaurant featuring non-traditional foods: "La Cucaracha."
II: Problem-Solving Styles
Stumped? Get out the eraser board: Visual thinking can yield more initial ideas than written lists, says Markman. "It's often easier to sketch relationships between concepts than to describe them. You can use arrows and boxes to say things that would be difficult to put into words." And since many different areas of the brain are involved in vision, sketching essentially calls in more brainpower to fuel your abstract-thinking abilities.
Treffinger and colleagues at the Center for Creative Learning provide an online test to help their clients in the nonprofit world figure out their personal problem-solving styles. "Explorers," in their framework, are great at coming up with completely novel ideas but not as good as "Developers" at executing and making them work. "Developers may have gotten the idea that they are not creative," Treffinger says—think engineers—"but both groups are equally creative."
Another style point turns on whether you are "Internal"—meaning you like to gather and think about information quietly, by yourself—or "External," drawing energy from talking and sharing ideas with others. The final dimension to Treffinger's test gets at what you emphasize when making creative decisions—harmony among people or the demands of a task . Those who conform to the "Person" style seek decisions that all involved can comfortably buy into, whereas "Task"-oriented people base their decisions on facts and what makes logical sense. Work groups made up exclusively of developers (detail-oriented craftsmen with no architect to give a big-picture plan) or explorers (a film director and set designer without a producer to tell them what's possible and within budget) would both be at risk for total dysfunction, which is why a balance of styles yields the best collaborations.
III: Start Innovating
Even if your heart is fully in it, you still need to get into the habit of creating. Creativity coach Maisel believes that your waking hours are best since they enable you to apply your "sleep thinking" to glitches in your haiku-writing, furniture-designing, or quilting. (Studies confirm that "sleeping on it" indeed allows for stellar solutions to make their way to the forefront of your mind.) Furthermore, Maisel sees carving out morning time for a creative pursuit as a way to infuse the rest of your day with existential meaning. The boost you get from your 7 a.m. compositional breakthrough could propel you through a rote desk job.
If you take up a creative project you may soon fall prey to what Maisel calls unfriendly self-talk: "I'm not talented," or "Why should I bother with this—there is too much competition out there." First, listen to what you're saying to yourself, then dispute the utterances that don't serve you. Lastly, substitute more affirmative statements and get back to work.
III: Start Innovating .
The most important thing anyone can do to improve creativity is to find unsolved dilemmas to address, says Robert Root-Bernstein. He suggests starting today at work: Why not force yourself to come up with 10 ways for your office manager to save money, or take what your team is good at and think of 10 new ways to turn those skills into a new service you could sell.
We spend so much mental energy either avoiding or unproductively mulling over problems that the idea of chasing and embracing them seems strange, and yet it is a hallmark of the creative orientation to life. Seelig warms up her students by telling them to solve a problem they have with an object already in their homes. Last semester a young woman faced the headache of a looming moving date and no way to haul her boxes to her new digs. She sifted through her half-packed possessions and found an unopened case of wine, left over from a party. She put an ad on Craigslist—"Case of wine in exchange for a ride with my stuff across the Bay"—and quickly secured a willing man-with-van.
Just because a solution is orthodox doesn't mean it's not excellent. Take one of the winning teams in Seelig's challenge to earn cash over a weekend with just $5 of seed money: The students were told to make as much as they could and to report back to the class on Monday in a quick presentation. A sharp observation of their college town yielded one team's plan to make reservations at popular restaurants and later sell them to hungry parties waiting in lines. The enterprise raked in $200. (And it's perfectly legal.)
One team generated much more—$650—by turning the problem inside out. "Their insight was that their most precious resource was their three-minute presentation time on Monday," Seelig reports. "They decided to sell it to a company that wanted to recruit the students in the class. The team created a three-minute 'commercial' for the company and showed it to the rest of the students during their allotted three minutes. They recognized that they had a fabulously valuable asset just waiting to be mined."
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
Stumbling upon a way to eliminate a nagging concern or pushing your abilities to new heights is wonderful for its own sake. But living life imaginatively comes with additional benefits—and can even enhance your most important relationships.
"Personal problems usually result from people having mismatched expectations of each other," says Robert Root-Bernstein. "Imagine yourself in the shoes of the person with whom you are having problems. Try to imagine why they respond to you the way they do. Look for patterns of behavior that solve or avoid the problem you are having. Playact the new behaviors in your mind, and try to select the best ones." The attitude shift alone, from "Oh God, we're fighting about this again?" to "What's a new way to handle this argument that keeps being replayed?," is in itself calming and therapeutic.
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
Parenting can be the ultimate opportunity for exercising creativity. When Seelig's son was 15 years old, the avid athlete asked for an expensive bicycle. She was reluctant to shell out the cash and could have just said no. Or she could have said yes and then felt resentful about the purchase. Instead, she asked him to come up with a creative solution: "What do you think you could do for me to make this worthwhile?" she asked. He countered with an offer to do laundry and cook dinner three times a week for the rest of the year. They both felt very satisfied with the innovative arrangement.
The hectic routines facing parents of little children can sap any desire to do extra work. But Gretchen Rubin, author of the forthcoming TheHappinessProject, found that if she went to the trouble of getting up early on holidays, dying her children's food (black on Halloween, red on Valentine's Day), and spreading treats and decorations on the table, the girls' delighted reactions to their novel breakfasts actually energized her.
Ruth Richards, one of the researchers who coined the term "everyday creativity" and a psychology professor at Saybrook University and Harvard Medical School, has uncovered even more reasons to start innovating. Expressive writing has been shown to improve immune system functioning, for example, and older people who think more innovatively tend to cope better with aging and illness. Engaging in creative behaviors, Richards argues, makes us more dynamic, conscious, non-defensive, observant, collaborative, and brave.
Creativity provides opportunities for self-actualization. "It makes you more resilient, more vividly in the moment, and, at the same time, more connected to the world," Richards says.
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
Stumbling upon a way to eliminate a nagging concern or pushing your abilities to new heights is wonderful for its own sake. But living life imaginatively comes with additional benefits—and can even enhance your most important relationships.
"Personal problems usually result from people having mismatched expectations of each other," says Robert Root-Bernstein. "Imagine yourself in the shoes of the person with whom you are having problems. Try to imagine why they respond to you the way they do. Look for patterns of behavior that solve or avoid the problem you are having. Playact the new behaviors in your mind, and try to select the best ones." The attitude shift alone, from "Oh God, we're fighting about this again?" to "What's a new way to handle this argument that keeps being replayed?," is in itself calming and therapeutic.
Parenting can be the ultimate opportunity for exercising creativity. When Seelig's son was 15 years old, the avid athlete asked for an expensive bicycle. She was reluctant to shell out the cash and could have just said no. Or she could have said yes and then felt resentful about the purchase. Instead, she asked him to come up with a creative solution: "What do you think you could do for me to make this worthwhile?" she asked. He countered with an offer to do laundry and cook dinner three times a week for the rest of the year. They both felt very satisfied with the innovative arrangement.
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
The hectic routines facing parents of little children can sap any desire to do extra work. But Gretchen Rubin, author of the forthcoming TheHappinessProject, found that if she went to the trouble of getting up early on holidays, dying her children's food (black on Halloween, red on Valentine's Day), and spreading treats and decorations on the table, the girls' delighted reactions to their novel breakfasts actually energized her.
Ruth Richards, one of the researchers who coined the term "everyday creativity" and a psychology professor at Saybrook University and Harvard Medical School, has uncovered even more reasons to start innovating. Expressive writing has been shown to improve immune system functioning, for example, and older people who think more innovatively tend to cope better with aging and illness. Engaging in creative behaviors, Richards argues, makes us more dynamic, conscious, non-defensive, observant, collaborative, and brave.
Creativity provides opportunities for self-actualization. "It makes you more resilient, more vividly in the moment, and, at the same time, more connected to the world," Richards says.
Ivcevic's study supports Richards's idea: Students who were engaged in everyday creativity had a greater sense of well-being and personal growth than non-creative classmates.
One day last year, in another constrained prison environment, the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Phillippines, Warden Byron Garcia noticed a horde of orange-uniformed prisoners clustering in the yard and found the bright waves of colorful forms in motion intriguing. Since he wanted to start an hour-long exercise program anyway, he began leading the inmates, many of whom are accused of committing violent crimes, in group dance numbers set to disco and pop classics. The inmates' interpretation of Michael Jackson's Thriller leapt over the barbed wire and spread throughout the world via YouTube.
After Jackson's death last July, 1,500 inmates rehearsed a routine to the song "Dangerous" for nine straight hours, delivering exactly the kind of tribute that fans wanted—a sincere expression of joy and freedom. It didn't get them out of jail, but it got them somewhere.
One Bright Day
Here are some tested tips for injecting powers of innovation into your routine.
Wake 'n' Write: Creativity guru Julia Cameron swears by free writing (no self-censoring) until you fill three pages. Get intrusive worries out and productive ideas flowing.
Relationship Shake-Up: Practice creative loving: If your partner annoys or upsets you, react the opposite way you usually do. You might be pleasantly surprised with the result.
Disrupt the Daily Grind: Jolt your brain out of automatic pilot by taking a new route to work.
Don't Compete, Collaborate: Team up with a coworker who has complementary skills: If you're a detail-oriented person, find a big-picture partner, or vice versa.
One Bright Day
Daydream in Long Distance: Psychologically distant thoughts spur creativity. Think about designing a new product in Bali and your perceptual abilities will soar.
Search for Inspiration: Go to a museum or sit for a few minutes in a beautiful building or park on your lunch break. Try to notice all of the aesthetically pleasing details surrounding you.
Get Ahead: Start tackling big projects now. Procrastination does not fuel creativity, despite what procrastinators tell themselves.
Hit a Blue Note: Decorate your cubicle or home office in blue, since a study showed that blue surroundings boost creativity.
Be an Aficionado: Creative people often have hobbies, and those who play musical instruments are better at associative thinking. So dust off your old guitar or stamp collection.
Sleep on It: Think about a thorny problem before you go to bed. REM enhances creative problem-solving and may even deliver the answer to you at dawn.
By Carlin Flora
We all marvel at other people's artistic achievements and ingenuity. But most of us fail to nurture our inner innovator. Start living creatively and reap the benefits—including fewer relationship headaches and more fulfilling workdays.
The tattoo artists throughout Russia's prison system have never had lessons in painting technique (nor, apparently, hygiene training). They don't have ink and tools at their disposal. And yet they create entire murals on one another's chests and backs: onion-domed cathedrals, intricate cobwebs, chilly grim reapers. And they're not just beautiful decorations—they are coded biographies, telling those in the know their bearer's history and affiliations.
One would be hard-pressed to find a tougher environment than the jails where these artists work. Their ink is made from soot shaved off their shoes and mixed with urine. It's injected via guitar strings attached to electric shavers. The tattoos are a brutal mafia ritual. But they're also a mark of determined resourcefulness and self-expression.
When we think of creativity, we think of Mozart, Picasso, Einstein—people with a seemingly fated convergence of talent and opportunity. It's too narrow a set of references, because the truth is that all sorts of people, possessing various levels of intelligence and natural ability, are capable of engaging in fulfilling creative processes. Just because you'll never be Brando or Balanchine doesn't mean that you can't harness your idea-generating powers and make your life your own masterpiece
Some do so every day. Pete Herzog noticed that his three kids rarely drove the expensive battery-powered toy car he had bought them for Christmas because it was always out of juice. One afternoon he spotted a broken solar-powered garden lamp rolling around and took off its panels. He hooked them to the toy-car battery, using parts he melted off the lamp's circuit board. Now the car, left to bake in the sun all day, is always ready for joyrides.
Herzog is director of the Institute for Security and Open Methodologies, a nonprofit dedicated to researching how security works in all aspects of our lives. His job requires him to think like a top-notch computer hacker. So it's not surprising that he can solve nagging problems in his own backyard. But he doesn't think of himself as a creative person! Buying into a limited definition of creativity prevents many from appreciating their own potential.
That would be a shame in any era, but in today's economic environment, no one can afford not to innovate, whether it's doing more with a shrinking budget (household, corporate, you name it, it's contracting), or positioning oneself to join a new industry. You may have to be creative to survive right now.
The good news is that you can build up your innovative abilities in many ways—by doing things (noticing details in your midst, wearing your hair in a new style) that don't sound intimidatingly ingenious. You can simply get to know your personal problem-solving style—everybody shines at different stages of the process; understanding where you fit in gives you a big advantage. And perhaps most important is adjusting your overall attitude toward life—approach your experiences with an open mind and cultivate the belief that possibilities and solutions are always within reach, and you'll be equipped to handle any challenge with flair.
I: What Is "Everyday" Creativity?
"Every day, we use language to speak sentences that have never been spoken before. We express thoughts that have never been expressed. All of this is so deeply ingrained that we don't notice how creative it is," says cognitive scientist Art Markman, co-editor of the book Tools for Innovation.
The concept of everyday creativity was defined, assessed, and validated in 1988 by Ruth Richards, Dennis Kinney, and colleagues at Harvard Medical School. They defined it as expressions of originality and meaningfulness. Rebecca Whitlinger, the executive director of the Cancer Caring Center in Pittsburgh, tapped both areas when surveying her voluminous and seemingly useless collection of bridesmaid gowns, in all their gold lamé and satiny peach splendor. The clichéd promise "You'll definitely wear this again!" swelled into an evil chorus each time she opened her closet. She resolved not only to wear them again, but to wear them everywhere. Whitlinger enlisted friends to take snapshots of her wearing her maiden gowns to construction sites, to passport photo sessions, to the voting booth, and even on a parasailing expedition.
Then it occurred to Whitlinger to translate the shenanigans into a fund-raising event for Cancer Caring Center. At "Ushers Unlimited and Bridesmaids Revisited," guests were encouraged to wear an outfit (such as a bridesmaid dress) that they would ordinarily be unable to wear again. "A couple got married at the event, making it the World's Largest Wedding Party," she says. Novel? Check. Meaningful? Well, the fund-raiser grossed $90,000 between 1998 and 2001.
"It's too bad that when considering what endeavors may be creative, people immediately think of the arts," laments Michele Root-Bernstein, co-author with Robert Root-Bernstein of Sparks of Genius. "It's the problem-solving processes they exhibit rather than the content or craft that make them so. Just about anything we do can be addressed in a creative manner, from housecleaning to personal hobbies to work."
Imagine you wake up one morning and put on electric-green eye shadow instead of your usual beige tint. Then you call a friend and invite her on a spontaneous road trip to a city you've never visited. While there, you order dessert for lunch at the local diner. Then on the way home you tell a long, hilarious anecdote that makes your friend laugh for two minutes straight. Would you call such a day merely interesting, or an expression of your creative self?
Zorana Ivcevic, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at Tufts University, is a scrupulous collector of everyday creativity. By quizzing college students about the frequency of hundreds of potentially creative acts from joke-telling to road-tripping, she was able to come up with a taxonomy of expressive behaviors anyone can easily try. Making wacky recipes and dying your hair an unusual color qualify, as does working on a scrapbook of memories for a friend or making oneself the center of attention.
I: What Is "Everyday" Creativity?
While some students fit into more traditional creative slots, as amateur dancers or musicians, or serious scholars and budding scientists who had already contributed to professional fields in some way, many others expressed themselves through more routine acts. About 30 percent weren't creative by any standard, which marked them as "conventionals."
Ivcevic found that students who practiced forms of everyday creativity share, on average, certain personality traits with their "officially" artistic classmates—qualities lost on the conventionals. They share a tendency toward open-mindedness and curiosity, they are persistent, and they are positive, energetic, and intrinsically motivated by their chosen activities. Whether engaging in everyday creativity could foster such personality traits in the conventionals remains a question, but other studies show that taking up creative pursuits actually makes people more flexible and less judgmental
Adaptability, in fact, is what Jennifer Schweikert considers the source of her own creativity. A Virginia-based interior "re-designer," Schweikert reinvents and reworks what a client already owns to make rooms functional and stylish. "I was a military brat and married a military man," she says. "I've moved 28 times in my life, so I have a tendency to accept what I'm given and to make it work."
When Schweikert encounters a new space, she quickly sizes up what needs to be done and then, in a serenity prayer of sorts to Ste. Martha Stewart, she determines what she can change and can't change about the space. Recently, at a temporary women's shelter apartment, the problem was a door with an uncovered window facing a common room, violating the tenant's privacy.
The most obvious solution—installing a curtain rod—was ruled out since she couldn't drill through the steel door. "I took a piece of Plexiglas, spray-painted it black, and cut it to the size of the window opening. Since it would be good for the residents to still be able to use the door window, I glued heavy-duty magnets to the four corners to make it removable," Schweikert says. The shelter's director reproduced her innovation in all of the building's apartments.
The first step to increasing your creativity quotient is believing you can. Even if no one has ever assigned the adjective "original" to anything you have ever done, you must acknowledge that you have inventive powers. Don't think about making something from nothing or exposing your deepest feelings—just acknowledge that you can solve problems better if you approach them with a different mind-set.
The Root-Bernsteins cite playful experimentation, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and persistence as keys to unlocking creativity. Laura Bergman, a mother who lives in rural Pennsylvanian Amish country, began an odyssey by picking up discarded glass she found when out running errands. She felt compelled to collect the shards and didn't censor her dumpster-diving impulse. One day she spread her shards across the dining room table and was taken aback by their sparkling beauty. "This old glass is as pretty as any gem," she thought.
I: What Is "Everyday" Creativity?
Bergman slowly taught herself how to cut, drill, and wrap glass. As she started to sell her pieces in town, she noticed that customers loved to hear the history behind the jewels, so she began including a "story of the glass" with each item. Eventually, she was able to leave her job of 15 years as an advertising manager to run a jewelry company.
When psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi studied eminent people, he found that they held almost contradictory impulses and qualities within: a desire for solitude but also a need for social stimulation; superior knowledge on a subject but also a childlike naïveté. These qualities seemed to fuel their ability to come up with great ideas and their ability to execute them—quite a combination. Exploring the less-prominent parts of your personality could activate the same yin-yang nature found in creative geniuses. If you're usually a busy bee, slow down and explore your lazy side. If you're very girly, dress like a tomboy.
Creativity coach Eric Maisel suggests that those who want to up their extracurricular creativity output figure out what really turns them on and cultivate the quality of creative desire. "You need to distinguish between interests and passion, because mere interest won't sustain you over the long haul," Maisel says. "People are convinced they need to become more disciplined, but when you are passionate, you don't need to cultivate discipline; it follows naturally."
Take the tiny town of Holguín, Cuba, where a hip-hop group dazzles audiences without the track-making and mixing software on which their American counterparts rely. Such programs are not commonly found on the island, and anyway an hour in a cybercafé costs as much as a month's worth of food. The group has devised a low-tech solution for creating melodic loops to rap over: They literally cut and paste together repeated sections of cassette tapes. The ultimate result is just as affecting and danceable to fans. The behind-the-scenes process is tedious, but for them, it's a small price to pay to do what they love.
II: Problem-Solving Styles
The real question isn't "How creative are you?" but rather "How are you creative?" Innovation is rarely a one-step deal; the trick is figuring out how you solve problems. That way, you can build on your strengths and team up with people who compensate for your weaknesses, says educational psychologist Donald Treffinger.
Brainstorming often launches the process, as does framing the dilemma at hand. We've all heard that there are no such things as bad ideas during initial brainstorming sessions. But during office meetings, barely- formed suggestions are often immediately shot down.
If you want to come up with truly original schemes, it's essential to separate idea generation from idea evaluation. Otherwise, you'll be too quick to dismiss seemingly implausible yet brilliant notions. Tina Seelig, executive director for the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and author of What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20, asks her students to come up with the best business idea they can muster and the most horrendous start-up idea imaginable. She then dramatically rips up the "good" ideas and redistributes the "losers" among the students, with instructions to turn them into viable proposals. One student's joke of a bikini shop located in Antarctica was morphed into a jet-set-friendly exercise camp called "Bikini or Die," designed to get clients in top form for the beach. A "cockroach sushi" pitch became an exotic restaurant featuring non-traditional foods: "La Cucaracha."
II: Problem-Solving Styles
Stumped? Get out the eraser board: Visual thinking can yield more initial ideas than written lists, says Markman. "It's often easier to sketch relationships between concepts than to describe them. You can use arrows and boxes to say things that would be difficult to put into words." And since many different areas of the brain are involved in vision, sketching essentially calls in more brainpower to fuel your abstract-thinking abilities.
Treffinger and colleagues at the Center for Creative Learning provide an online test to help their clients in the nonprofit world figure out their personal problem-solving styles. "Explorers," in their framework, are great at coming up with completely novel ideas but not as good as "Developers" at executing and making them work. "Developers may have gotten the idea that they are not creative," Treffinger says—think engineers—"but both groups are equally creative."
Another style point turns on whether you are "Internal"—meaning you like to gather and think about information quietly, by yourself—or "External," drawing energy from talking and sharing ideas with others. The final dimension to Treffinger's test gets at what you emphasize when making creative decisions—harmony among people or the demands of a task . Those who conform to the "Person" style seek decisions that all involved can comfortably buy into, whereas "Task"-oriented people base their decisions on facts and what makes logical sense. Work groups made up exclusively of developers (detail-oriented craftsmen with no architect to give a big-picture plan) or explorers (a film director and set designer without a producer to tell them what's possible and within budget) would both be at risk for total dysfunction, which is why a balance of styles yields the best collaborations.
III: Start Innovating
Even if your heart is fully in it, you still need to get into the habit of creating. Creativity coach Maisel believes that your waking hours are best since they enable you to apply your "sleep thinking" to glitches in your haiku-writing, furniture-designing, or quilting. (Studies confirm that "sleeping on it" indeed allows for stellar solutions to make their way to the forefront of your mind.) Furthermore, Maisel sees carving out morning time for a creative pursuit as a way to infuse the rest of your day with existential meaning. The boost you get from your 7 a.m. compositional breakthrough could propel you through a rote desk job.
If you take up a creative project you may soon fall prey to what Maisel calls unfriendly self-talk: "I'm not talented," or "Why should I bother with this—there is too much competition out there." First, listen to what you're saying to yourself, then dispute the utterances that don't serve you. Lastly, substitute more affirmative statements and get back to work.
III: Start Innovating .
The most important thing anyone can do to improve creativity is to find unsolved dilemmas to address, says Robert Root-Bernstein. He suggests starting today at work: Why not force yourself to come up with 10 ways for your office manager to save money, or take what your team is good at and think of 10 new ways to turn those skills into a new service you could sell.
We spend so much mental energy either avoiding or unproductively mulling over problems that the idea of chasing and embracing them seems strange, and yet it is a hallmark of the creative orientation to life. Seelig warms up her students by telling them to solve a problem they have with an object already in their homes. Last semester a young woman faced the headache of a looming moving date and no way to haul her boxes to her new digs. She sifted through her half-packed possessions and found an unopened case of wine, left over from a party. She put an ad on Craigslist—"Case of wine in exchange for a ride with my stuff across the Bay"—and quickly secured a willing man-with-van.
Just because a solution is orthodox doesn't mean it's not excellent. Take one of the winning teams in Seelig's challenge to earn cash over a weekend with just $5 of seed money: The students were told to make as much as they could and to report back to the class on Monday in a quick presentation. A sharp observation of their college town yielded one team's plan to make reservations at popular restaurants and later sell them to hungry parties waiting in lines. The enterprise raked in $200. (And it's perfectly legal.)
One team generated much more—$650—by turning the problem inside out. "Their insight was that their most precious resource was their three-minute presentation time on Monday," Seelig reports. "They decided to sell it to a company that wanted to recruit the students in the class. The team created a three-minute 'commercial' for the company and showed it to the rest of the students during their allotted three minutes. They recognized that they had a fabulously valuable asset just waiting to be mined."
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
Stumbling upon a way to eliminate a nagging concern or pushing your abilities to new heights is wonderful for its own sake. But living life imaginatively comes with additional benefits—and can even enhance your most important relationships.
"Personal problems usually result from people having mismatched expectations of each other," says Robert Root-Bernstein. "Imagine yourself in the shoes of the person with whom you are having problems. Try to imagine why they respond to you the way they do. Look for patterns of behavior that solve or avoid the problem you are having. Playact the new behaviors in your mind, and try to select the best ones." The attitude shift alone, from "Oh God, we're fighting about this again?" to "What's a new way to handle this argument that keeps being replayed?," is in itself calming and therapeutic.
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
Parenting can be the ultimate opportunity for exercising creativity. When Seelig's son was 15 years old, the avid athlete asked for an expensive bicycle. She was reluctant to shell out the cash and could have just said no. Or she could have said yes and then felt resentful about the purchase. Instead, she asked him to come up with a creative solution: "What do you think you could do for me to make this worthwhile?" she asked. He countered with an offer to do laundry and cook dinner three times a week for the rest of the year. They both felt very satisfied with the innovative arrangement.
The hectic routines facing parents of little children can sap any desire to do extra work. But Gretchen Rubin, author of the forthcoming TheHappinessProject, found that if she went to the trouble of getting up early on holidays, dying her children's food (black on Halloween, red on Valentine's Day), and spreading treats and decorations on the table, the girls' delighted reactions to their novel breakfasts actually energized her.
Ruth Richards, one of the researchers who coined the term "everyday creativity" and a psychology professor at Saybrook University and Harvard Medical School, has uncovered even more reasons to start innovating. Expressive writing has been shown to improve immune system functioning, for example, and older people who think more innovatively tend to cope better with aging and illness. Engaging in creative behaviors, Richards argues, makes us more dynamic, conscious, non-defensive, observant, collaborative, and brave.
Creativity provides opportunities for self-actualization. "It makes you more resilient, more vividly in the moment, and, at the same time, more connected to the world," Richards says.
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
Stumbling upon a way to eliminate a nagging concern or pushing your abilities to new heights is wonderful for its own sake. But living life imaginatively comes with additional benefits—and can even enhance your most important relationships.
"Personal problems usually result from people having mismatched expectations of each other," says Robert Root-Bernstein. "Imagine yourself in the shoes of the person with whom you are having problems. Try to imagine why they respond to you the way they do. Look for patterns of behavior that solve or avoid the problem you are having. Playact the new behaviors in your mind, and try to select the best ones." The attitude shift alone, from "Oh God, we're fighting about this again?" to "What's a new way to handle this argument that keeps being replayed?," is in itself calming and therapeutic.
Parenting can be the ultimate opportunity for exercising creativity. When Seelig's son was 15 years old, the avid athlete asked for an expensive bicycle. She was reluctant to shell out the cash and could have just said no. Or she could have said yes and then felt resentful about the purchase. Instead, she asked him to come up with a creative solution: "What do you think you could do for me to make this worthwhile?" she asked. He countered with an offer to do laundry and cook dinner three times a week for the rest of the year. They both felt very satisfied with the innovative arrangement.
IV: More Benefits of Creativity
The hectic routines facing parents of little children can sap any desire to do extra work. But Gretchen Rubin, author of the forthcoming TheHappinessProject, found that if she went to the trouble of getting up early on holidays, dying her children's food (black on Halloween, red on Valentine's Day), and spreading treats and decorations on the table, the girls' delighted reactions to their novel breakfasts actually energized her.
Ruth Richards, one of the researchers who coined the term "everyday creativity" and a psychology professor at Saybrook University and Harvard Medical School, has uncovered even more reasons to start innovating. Expressive writing has been shown to improve immune system functioning, for example, and older people who think more innovatively tend to cope better with aging and illness. Engaging in creative behaviors, Richards argues, makes us more dynamic, conscious, non-defensive, observant, collaborative, and brave.
Creativity provides opportunities for self-actualization. "It makes you more resilient, more vividly in the moment, and, at the same time, more connected to the world," Richards says.
Ivcevic's study supports Richards's idea: Students who were engaged in everyday creativity had a greater sense of well-being and personal growth than non-creative classmates.
One day last year, in another constrained prison environment, the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Phillippines, Warden Byron Garcia noticed a horde of orange-uniformed prisoners clustering in the yard and found the bright waves of colorful forms in motion intriguing. Since he wanted to start an hour-long exercise program anyway, he began leading the inmates, many of whom are accused of committing violent crimes, in group dance numbers set to disco and pop classics. The inmates' interpretation of Michael Jackson's Thriller leapt over the barbed wire and spread throughout the world via YouTube.
After Jackson's death last July, 1,500 inmates rehearsed a routine to the song "Dangerous" for nine straight hours, delivering exactly the kind of tribute that fans wanted—a sincere expression of joy and freedom. It didn't get them out of jail, but it got them somewhere.
One Bright Day
Here are some tested tips for injecting powers of innovation into your routine.
Wake 'n' Write: Creativity guru Julia Cameron swears by free writing (no self-censoring) until you fill three pages. Get intrusive worries out and productive ideas flowing.
Relationship Shake-Up: Practice creative loving: If your partner annoys or upsets you, react the opposite way you usually do. You might be pleasantly surprised with the result.
Disrupt the Daily Grind: Jolt your brain out of automatic pilot by taking a new route to work.
Don't Compete, Collaborate: Team up with a coworker who has complementary skills: If you're a detail-oriented person, find a big-picture partner, or vice versa.
One Bright Day
Daydream in Long Distance: Psychologically distant thoughts spur creativity. Think about designing a new product in Bali and your perceptual abilities will soar.
Search for Inspiration: Go to a museum or sit for a few minutes in a beautiful building or park on your lunch break. Try to notice all of the aesthetically pleasing details surrounding you.
Get Ahead: Start tackling big projects now. Procrastination does not fuel creativity, despite what procrastinators tell themselves.
Hit a Blue Note: Decorate your cubicle or home office in blue, since a study showed that blue surroundings boost creativity.
Be an Aficionado: Creative people often have hobbies, and those who play musical instruments are better at associative thinking. So dust off your old guitar or stamp collection.
Sleep on It: Think about a thorny problem before you go to bed. REM enhances creative problem-solving and may even deliver the answer to you at dawn.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
84 AREA 5 with Goldi Gold
Rocking my power to the people skull cap son!!!!
Who? Is one of your favorite artists of all time?
I have plenty in all fields but it got to be Frank Miller. I think his style of artwork kinda influence my style because his artwork is so raw and his usage of contour space and simple shapes are crazy. Plus he wrote a lot of the content he was drawing so he was more than just an artist. He wore a couple of hats. Doesn’t that sound familiar? Hahaha. READ
Who? Is one of your favorite artists of all time?
I have plenty in all fields but it got to be Frank Miller. I think his style of artwork kinda influence my style because his artwork is so raw and his usage of contour space and simple shapes are crazy. Plus he wrote a lot of the content he was drawing so he was more than just an artist. He wore a couple of hats. Doesn’t that sound familiar? Hahaha. READ
CURRENCY PILOT TALK Listening Party
Don't sleep. Damon Dash do have a game plan!!! and it's working very well if your observant
6 Rules: How to Eat Right on the Job
The Vending machine is the devil. and I know. hahaha!!!!
By Gail Belsky for CBS MoneyWatch.com
Other than getting a good night’s sleep, there’s probably no other thing that impacts your productivity and mood at work more than what you eat. Yet you probably give little thought to what you consume before and during work, defaulting instead to what’s convenient, cheap, and tasty. And when you do think twice about what you eat, it’s usually in the context of a diet that’s focused on losing weight rather than improving your cognitive functioning and energy levels. Fortunately, there are a few basic food rules that go a long way towards achieving these latter goals. Here are the best of them.
Things you will need:
A new food attitude: Carbs are not the enemy. Neither is fat. Eliminating certain food groups may help your waistline, but it will hurt your brain functioning.
A stash of snacks: To keep your brain well fueled, you can’t let yourself get too hungry. Have a ready supply of trail mix, peanut-butter crackers, or Snickers bars at work. The combination of carbs and protein in these snacks will stabilize your blood sugar, fill you up, and keep you energized.
Some willpower: Big meals actually reduce the supply of energy to your brain and leave you feeling sleepy for hours. Eat half of what you order, and take the rest home.
1. Balance What You Eat, Whenever You Eat
In 1956, the United States Department of Agriculture produced its “Basic Four” guide promoting the daily consumption of foods from four main groups — meat, dairy, grains, and vegetables. But today, nutritionists talk about a different set of food groups —proteins, carbohydrates (which produce glucose), fats, and fiber — and a different way to combine them. Instead of having a few helpings from each group every day, they recommend having something from each of the four groups every time you sit down to eat. And, yes, that includes carbs, which certain popular diets restrict. Why? Because the combination of carbs and protein (and to a lesser extent, fats and fiber) regulates your glucose levels and keeps your mood and mental ability on an even keel.
Moreover, each food group brings unique brain-boosting benefits to the table. “Research suggests that meals with more protein and fats are associated with better-sustained attention, focus, and concentration,” says Tufts research psychologist Kristen D’Anci. “Meals that have a higher carbohydrate content seem to be more calming and have fairly consistent positive effects with memory.” Cut back on either group and you’re missing half the benefits that food can offer.
2. Neglect Carbs at Your Own Peril
The research here is clear: Cutting carbs may shrink your waistline, but doing so will shrink your brainpower, too. “The popular low-carb and no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition,” says Tufts psychology professor Holly A. Taylor. In a 2008 study Taylor conducted, dieters who lowered their blood-sugar levels by cutting carbohydrates from their meals immediately performed worse on memory-based tasks than those who simply reduced total calories by the same amount. When they started eating carbs again, their memory skills quickly rebounded.
Brain cells require twice the amount of energy needed by other cells in your body because they never rest. And high-carb foods like pasta, bread, fruit, and rice produce the brain’s favorite fuel — glucose. “Your brain only wants to burn glucose,” says Shawn Talbott, a nutritional biochemist and author of A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements: Magic Bullets or Modern Snake Oil. It can burn protein if it has to, Talbott adds, “but it’s like trying to run a gasoline engine on diesel.”
If you are on a low-carb diet, we’re not suggesting you go out and eat a loaf of Wonder Bread. There are plenty of “good” carbs (such as fruit, vegetables, and brown rice) that will supply your brain with all the fuel it needs.
3. Pack in the Protein
Proteins such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, and nuts slow the absorption of glucose so your brain gets a long and steady flow of fuel, rather than the brief blast you get from eating carbs and sugary foods (fats and fiber also help with this). And protein also brings its own set of brain boosters to the party. The amino acids found in meats, poultry, fish, and eggs help produce the neurotransmitters — serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine — that keep us focused, energetic, and upbeat.
Studies also suggest that certain minerals typically found in high-protein foods also enhance memory. A 2005 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that adding zinc — found in meat, seafood, eggs, and milk — to the diets of middle-school kids improved their memories and attention spans. After receiving 20 milligrams of zinc a day, five days a week, for 10 to 12 weeks, their reaction time decreased by 12 percent, their word recognition rose 9 percent, and their ability to sustain attention on a task increased 6 percent.
4. Eat Smaller Amounts, and Eat More Frequently
If you want to keep up your energy and performance levels, the last thing you need is a three-course lunch (or a three-egg cheese omelet for breakfast). The same thing goes for big dinners if you’re working late. Too much food — even if it’s well balanced — is going to make you drowsy because it introduces too much glucose for your body to handle at one time. When that happens, your liver reacts by storing the glucose, and your brain actually gets less fuel than it needs. “If you eat too much, you’re going to get sleepy, and there’s really no way to recover from that,” says Talbott. “Five to six small meals tend to make people perform much better than three squares.”
5. Fat Is Beautiful ... for Your Brain
You probably know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart. But they’re great brain food, too. The fats found in salmon, walnuts, and kiwi improve learning and memory and help fight against mental disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and dementia, according to a 2008 report from the Brain Research Institute at UCLA. The fats support the synapses in the brain where much of our cognitive functioning occurs.
6. How to Keep Things in Proportion
In addition to controlling your carb intake, portion and proportion play a big role in regulating glucose. Talbott recommends a highly sophisticated tool for measuring food amounts — your hand. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, he says the portions are the same: “Your fist is the size of the carbs; your palm is the size of the protein. Make an OK sign with your thumb and index finger, and that’s how much fat you should have. Open your hand as wide as it can go; that’s the amount of fruits and vegetables. That’s going to be a well-balanced mix.”
By Gail Belsky for CBS MoneyWatch.com
Other than getting a good night’s sleep, there’s probably no other thing that impacts your productivity and mood at work more than what you eat. Yet you probably give little thought to what you consume before and during work, defaulting instead to what’s convenient, cheap, and tasty. And when you do think twice about what you eat, it’s usually in the context of a diet that’s focused on losing weight rather than improving your cognitive functioning and energy levels. Fortunately, there are a few basic food rules that go a long way towards achieving these latter goals. Here are the best of them.
Things you will need:
A new food attitude: Carbs are not the enemy. Neither is fat. Eliminating certain food groups may help your waistline, but it will hurt your brain functioning.
A stash of snacks: To keep your brain well fueled, you can’t let yourself get too hungry. Have a ready supply of trail mix, peanut-butter crackers, or Snickers bars at work. The combination of carbs and protein in these snacks will stabilize your blood sugar, fill you up, and keep you energized.
Some willpower: Big meals actually reduce the supply of energy to your brain and leave you feeling sleepy for hours. Eat half of what you order, and take the rest home.
1. Balance What You Eat, Whenever You Eat
In 1956, the United States Department of Agriculture produced its “Basic Four” guide promoting the daily consumption of foods from four main groups — meat, dairy, grains, and vegetables. But today, nutritionists talk about a different set of food groups —proteins, carbohydrates (which produce glucose), fats, and fiber — and a different way to combine them. Instead of having a few helpings from each group every day, they recommend having something from each of the four groups every time you sit down to eat. And, yes, that includes carbs, which certain popular diets restrict. Why? Because the combination of carbs and protein (and to a lesser extent, fats and fiber) regulates your glucose levels and keeps your mood and mental ability on an even keel.
Moreover, each food group brings unique brain-boosting benefits to the table. “Research suggests that meals with more protein and fats are associated with better-sustained attention, focus, and concentration,” says Tufts research psychologist Kristen D’Anci. “Meals that have a higher carbohydrate content seem to be more calming and have fairly consistent positive effects with memory.” Cut back on either group and you’re missing half the benefits that food can offer.
2. Neglect Carbs at Your Own Peril
The research here is clear: Cutting carbs may shrink your waistline, but doing so will shrink your brainpower, too. “The popular low-carb and no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition,” says Tufts psychology professor Holly A. Taylor. In a 2008 study Taylor conducted, dieters who lowered their blood-sugar levels by cutting carbohydrates from their meals immediately performed worse on memory-based tasks than those who simply reduced total calories by the same amount. When they started eating carbs again, their memory skills quickly rebounded.
Brain cells require twice the amount of energy needed by other cells in your body because they never rest. And high-carb foods like pasta, bread, fruit, and rice produce the brain’s favorite fuel — glucose. “Your brain only wants to burn glucose,” says Shawn Talbott, a nutritional biochemist and author of A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements: Magic Bullets or Modern Snake Oil. It can burn protein if it has to, Talbott adds, “but it’s like trying to run a gasoline engine on diesel.”
If you are on a low-carb diet, we’re not suggesting you go out and eat a loaf of Wonder Bread. There are plenty of “good” carbs (such as fruit, vegetables, and brown rice) that will supply your brain with all the fuel it needs.
3. Pack in the Protein
Proteins such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, and nuts slow the absorption of glucose so your brain gets a long and steady flow of fuel, rather than the brief blast you get from eating carbs and sugary foods (fats and fiber also help with this). And protein also brings its own set of brain boosters to the party. The amino acids found in meats, poultry, fish, and eggs help produce the neurotransmitters — serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine — that keep us focused, energetic, and upbeat.
Studies also suggest that certain minerals typically found in high-protein foods also enhance memory. A 2005 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that adding zinc — found in meat, seafood, eggs, and milk — to the diets of middle-school kids improved their memories and attention spans. After receiving 20 milligrams of zinc a day, five days a week, for 10 to 12 weeks, their reaction time decreased by 12 percent, their word recognition rose 9 percent, and their ability to sustain attention on a task increased 6 percent.
4. Eat Smaller Amounts, and Eat More Frequently
If you want to keep up your energy and performance levels, the last thing you need is a three-course lunch (or a three-egg cheese omelet for breakfast). The same thing goes for big dinners if you’re working late. Too much food — even if it’s well balanced — is going to make you drowsy because it introduces too much glucose for your body to handle at one time. When that happens, your liver reacts by storing the glucose, and your brain actually gets less fuel than it needs. “If you eat too much, you’re going to get sleepy, and there’s really no way to recover from that,” says Talbott. “Five to six small meals tend to make people perform much better than three squares.”
5. Fat Is Beautiful ... for Your Brain
You probably know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart. But they’re great brain food, too. The fats found in salmon, walnuts, and kiwi improve learning and memory and help fight against mental disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and dementia, according to a 2008 report from the Brain Research Institute at UCLA. The fats support the synapses in the brain where much of our cognitive functioning occurs.
6. How to Keep Things in Proportion
In addition to controlling your carb intake, portion and proportion play a big role in regulating glucose. Talbott recommends a highly sophisticated tool for measuring food amounts — your hand. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, he says the portions are the same: “Your fist is the size of the carbs; your palm is the size of the protein. Make an OK sign with your thumb and index finger, and that’s how much fat you should have. Open your hand as wide as it can go; that’s the amount of fruits and vegetables. That’s going to be a well-balanced mix.”
VIDEO SHOOT "The Way That I Rhyme" VIDEO SHOOT
If you haven't heard J-Live's new single "The Way That I Rhyme" go listen and download at Okayplayer here http://tinyurl.com/28mbew7
Thursday, April 29th, before the Do For Self show that night, we'll be shooting the VIDEO for "THE WAY THAT I RHYME"
The song has two basic ideas
1 REAL DJs DONT' TAKE REQUESTS
2 Contrary to popular belief WOMEN LOVE REAL HIP HOP
All are welcome between 3-7 but ladies are expected to represent strong to show and prove this FACT
SEE YOU @ Lenny's
Date:
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Time:
3:00pm - 7:00pm
Location:
Lenny's Bar
Street:
486 Decatur Street Southeast, Atlanta, GA 30312
City/Town:
Atlanta, GA
View Map
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
THE BIG BAND BLUE PRINT by Jay-Z & Ritchcraft
Aight, this joint is pretty dope. Ritchcraft got the Blueprint tracks remixed to that old school live Big Band music! NICCCCCEE!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Video: Live from Headqcourterz’ Guru Salute
A visual treat of premo and fam getting down during the GURU salute friday
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Jay Electronica - A Million In The Morning (Inspired by the Original Motion Picture)
It's 2 in the morning and change I'm posting a song by Jay he for a movie about a lack of sleep.smh
DOWNLOAD: Jay Electronica - A Million In The Morning (Inspired by the Original Motion Picture)
DOWNLOAD: Jay Electronica - A Million In The Morning (Inspired by the Original Motion Picture)
DJ Jamad: Afromentals “Fro Powah Hour” #6 Listen Now
Click the link and take your booty to frolab and listen to some fly joints to help you start your week right!!
THE AFROMENTALS MIXSHOW: FRO-POWAH HOUR #6
1. Krts – Whatever
2. Chris Prolific feat. Ursula Rucker – Music
3. Little Brother – Before The Night Is Over
4. Musiq – Buddy (Jazzy Jeff Remix)
5. Eric Lau ft. Rahel – Let It Out
6. Teisha Marie – Unscripted
7. Rhianna – Rude Boy (Emynd Blend)
8. Nas & Bob Marley – We & Dem World Remix
9. The Strange Fruit Project feat. Thesis – Crash
10. Shad – Yaa I Get It
11. Onra feat T3 – The One
12. D.Black Feat Vitamin D – Keep It Going
13. Ty feat. Erik Rico – Me
14. Drake feat. Colin Munroe – Where Were You
15. Maceo – Words & Verbs
16. Sauce Money – I Ain’t No Joke
Gang Starr Tribute: Keith “Guru” Elam
17. Gang Starr – You Know My Steez
18. Gang Starr – Full Clip
19. Gang Starr – Words I Manifest
20. Gang Starr – B.Y.S.
21. Gang Starr feat. Greg Nice & Smooth B – Dwyck
22. Gang Starr – Check The Technique
23. Gang Starr – Take It Personal
24. Gang Starr – The ? Remains
25. Gang Starr feat. Big Shug & Freddie Foxxiltia
26. Gang Starr – No More Mr Nice Guy
27. Gang Starr feat. M.O.P. – 1/2 & 1/2
28. Gang Starr – Ex Girl To Next Girl
29. Gang Starr – All 4 The Ca$h
30. Onra – L.I.A.B.
CHECK IT: DJ Jamad: Afromentals “Fro Powah Hour” #6 Listen Now
THE AFROMENTALS MIXSHOW: FRO-POWAH HOUR #6
1. Krts – Whatever
2. Chris Prolific feat. Ursula Rucker – Music
3. Little Brother – Before The Night Is Over
4. Musiq – Buddy (Jazzy Jeff Remix)
5. Eric Lau ft. Rahel – Let It Out
6. Teisha Marie – Unscripted
7. Rhianna – Rude Boy (Emynd Blend)
8. Nas & Bob Marley – We & Dem World Remix
9. The Strange Fruit Project feat. Thesis – Crash
10. Shad – Yaa I Get It
11. Onra feat T3 – The One
12. D.Black Feat Vitamin D – Keep It Going
13. Ty feat. Erik Rico – Me
14. Drake feat. Colin Munroe – Where Were You
15. Maceo – Words & Verbs
16. Sauce Money – I Ain’t No Joke
Gang Starr Tribute: Keith “Guru” Elam
17. Gang Starr – You Know My Steez
18. Gang Starr – Full Clip
19. Gang Starr – Words I Manifest
20. Gang Starr – B.Y.S.
21. Gang Starr feat. Greg Nice & Smooth B – Dwyck
22. Gang Starr – Check The Technique
23. Gang Starr – Take It Personal
24. Gang Starr – The ? Remains
25. Gang Starr feat. Big Shug & Freddie Foxxiltia
26. Gang Starr – No More Mr Nice Guy
27. Gang Starr feat. M.O.P. – 1/2 & 1/2
28. Gang Starr – Ex Girl To Next Girl
29. Gang Starr – All 4 The Ca$h
30. Onra – L.I.A.B.
CHECK IT: DJ Jamad: Afromentals “Fro Powah Hour” #6 Listen Now
The League and Clan Destined present: André Vs. Danté, by DJ AmDex aka Yamin Semali
Andre 3000 vs M0s def mixcd. Need i say more!!
VIDEO: Actual Proof: Genius [prod by 9th Wonder]
These cats get mad props alone for basing this video around 1 of my top favorite films .Good will hunting. Genius!!!
ACTUAL PROOF - GENIUS from Pricefilms on Vimeo.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
THE KUMITE'(ATLANTA POSSE GANGSTARR SALUTE) METHUZULAH & DJ SYNTHESIS FEAT. 4-IZE , CLAN DESTINED , DILLON , SENOR KAOS
The ATL massive get's busy on a classic Gang Starr track. I mean real busy!!!!!!!
THE KUMITE - METHUZULAH & DJ SYNTHESIS FEAT. 4-IZE , CLAN DESTINED , DILLON , SENOR KAOS
MELAPHYRE , ROCKMOST , TOMMY LEE SOUL , THE NICE GUISE , JARREN BENTON , AAROPHAT , ARABLAK , G.R.E.A.T SCOTT ,
DOWNLOAD:THE KUMITE'(ATLANTA POSSE GANGSTARR SALUTE)
THE KUMITE - METHUZULAH & DJ SYNTHESIS FEAT. 4-IZE , CLAN DESTINED , DILLON , SENOR KAOS
MELAPHYRE , ROCKMOST , TOMMY LEE SOUL , THE NICE GUISE , JARREN BENTON , AAROPHAT , ARABLAK , G.R.E.A.T SCOTT ,
DOWNLOAD:THE KUMITE'(ATLANTA POSSE GANGSTARR SALUTE)
VIDEO:Rita J. & J-Live The Cut
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Sway Interviews Solar
Sway asking this dude questions like you suspect son but peep the video and let the video ride out, you can also catch more segments of the joint.
Talib Kweli & DJ Chaps – Early Mourning Signs [Mixtape]
A likkle bit of the new and old on this one. But a greta way to jump start that weekend
Tracklist
—————————————-
1. Talib Kweli – Early Mourning Signs Intro
2. Reflection Eternal – Midnight Hour (feat. Estelle)
3. Asher Roth – Sour Patch Kids (Remix) (feat. Talib Kweli & Blu)
4. Gorillaz – Stylo (feat. Mos Def & Bobby Womack)
4. Talib Kweli – Music Ain’t Business (feat. Jean Grae & Wale) (Produced by Zeferiah)
5. Talib Kweli – Get On Your Job (feat. Krondon & Phil the Agony) (Produced by Madlib)
6. Bad Seed – Yankee Fitted (feat. Talib Kweli & Mims) (Produced by Kleph Dollaz)
7. Talib Kweli – Slow Down Son freestyle
8. Reflection Eternal – Nothing Less Than
9. Strong Arm Steady – Pressure (feat. Sick Jacken)
10. Fashawn – Life’s A Bitch (feat. Talib Kweli)
11. Ski Beatz – Prowler Part 2 (feat. Jean Grae, Jay Electronica, Joell Ortiz, Mos Def)
12. Talib Kweli – Astro Turf (feat. Oh No)
13. Strong Arm Steady – Chitlins and Pepsi (feat. Planet Asia)
14. Jean Grae – Stick Up Dance (Produced by Nottz)
15. Strong Arm Steady – Trunk Music (feat. The Game)
16. Idle Warship – Bedroom Lights (Remix) (feat. Kardinal Offishall)
17. Reflection Eternal – Strangers (Paranoid) (feat. Bun B)
DOWNLOAD: Talib Kweli & DJ Chaps – Early Mourning Signs [Mixtape]
Tracklist
—————————————-
1. Talib Kweli – Early Mourning Signs Intro
2. Reflection Eternal – Midnight Hour (feat. Estelle)
3. Asher Roth – Sour Patch Kids (Remix) (feat. Talib Kweli & Blu)
4. Gorillaz – Stylo (feat. Mos Def & Bobby Womack)
4. Talib Kweli – Music Ain’t Business (feat. Jean Grae & Wale) (Produced by Zeferiah)
5. Talib Kweli – Get On Your Job (feat. Krondon & Phil the Agony) (Produced by Madlib)
6. Bad Seed – Yankee Fitted (feat. Talib Kweli & Mims) (Produced by Kleph Dollaz)
7. Talib Kweli – Slow Down Son freestyle
8. Reflection Eternal – Nothing Less Than
9. Strong Arm Steady – Pressure (feat. Sick Jacken)
10. Fashawn – Life’s A Bitch (feat. Talib Kweli)
11. Ski Beatz – Prowler Part 2 (feat. Jean Grae, Jay Electronica, Joell Ortiz, Mos Def)
12. Talib Kweli – Astro Turf (feat. Oh No)
13. Strong Arm Steady – Chitlins and Pepsi (feat. Planet Asia)
14. Jean Grae – Stick Up Dance (Produced by Nottz)
15. Strong Arm Steady – Trunk Music (feat. The Game)
16. Idle Warship – Bedroom Lights (Remix) (feat. Kardinal Offishall)
17. Reflection Eternal – Strangers (Paranoid) (feat. Bun B)
DOWNLOAD: Talib Kweli & DJ Chaps – Early Mourning Signs [Mixtape]
Sean Price & Jay Electronica Talk Band Of Ballers Tournament 2010
The rap ringers!! Hahahaha. Make me want to go ball some. I got a wicked fade away. Don't sleep!!
Earth Day deals
By Lori Bongiorno
Earth Day is turning 40 this year. To celebrate, many businesses are offering consumers free stuff, chances to win valuable prizes, and some good deals.
Here's a sampling of Earth Day freebies:
Gain free admission into all 392 U.S. national parks now through Sunday, April 25.
Trade in six plastic bottles or soda cans for a free hat made from recycled bottles at the Disney Store on April 22.
Babies R Us will give you a free reusable tote bag if you bring a valid coupon (PDF) into its stores through April 22. Plus, you'll get a 25% discount off all the clothing and shoes you can fit into the bag.
Evos is giving away free organic milkshakes served in biodegradable cups on Earth Day. The healthy fast-food chain has locations in California, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Origins is offering a trade-in program on Earth Day only. Bring one of your current skin-care product bottles -- empty or full, from any brand -- to an Origins counter and receive a free full-size cleanser. Choose from Checks and Balances Frothy face wash or Perfect World antioxidant cleanser with white tea.
Get a chance to win a $20,000 green home makeover by registering on the Purex website by April 30.
Enter a sweepstakes to win 1 of 10 smart fortwo vehicles by making a pledge to help protect the environment on Safeway's website through April 27.
Sign up for the Drive Home Green sweepstakes on Target's website through the end of the month. The grand prize is a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. You could also win bicycles, electric scooters, a national park trip, and other prizes.
Add a green pledge to the Sierra Club's Earth Day map for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii.
There are also plenty of opportunities for Earth Day discounts. Here are few:
Travelocity is offering up to 40% off prices at 40 green hotels across the globe.
Travelzoo is giving discounts on U.S.-based, LEED-certified hotels.
Walgreens will refill your printer cartridge for $1 instead of its usual $12 on April 22 only. It's also offering a 22 percent discount on its green products through April 30.
Amazon is offering up to 34% off some of its Earth Day reads.
Drugstore.com is offering up to 40% off products from its "green and natural" store through April 23.
Numi Organic Teas is giving a 20% discount on April 22 -- just enter Eday40 at checkout.
Search for more Earth Day discounts, freebies, and deals. Have you heard of other great Earth Day offers?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
dark orange magazine interviews Poodie
Dope read about a fly likkle lady!!!!
Why Poodie?
Well shortly? My cousin ChaChi gave it to me because out of everyone in our ‘crew’, I had no nickname, plus she said I was gassy.. [excuse me].. But the reason it stuck is a little deeper.. As a youth I was definitely the skinny, awkward, brown girl with the dust-brown colored spongy hair & exaggerated facial features.. Due to this I was teased & disregarded like a lot of kids I’m sure. But I had such a big personality at home that it was a task to shy away from being publicly social much like putting a lid on a boiling pot. I figure fading into the background would avoid scrutiny as much as possible. I wished that someone would’ve took a chance to get to know me and maybe find that Im not as unattractive as I may appear.
Ok, so fast forwarding READ
Why Poodie?
Well shortly? My cousin ChaChi gave it to me because out of everyone in our ‘crew’, I had no nickname, plus she said I was gassy.. [excuse me].. But the reason it stuck is a little deeper.. As a youth I was definitely the skinny, awkward, brown girl with the dust-brown colored spongy hair & exaggerated facial features.. Due to this I was teased & disregarded like a lot of kids I’m sure. But I had such a big personality at home that it was a task to shy away from being publicly social much like putting a lid on a boiling pot. I figure fading into the background would avoid scrutiny as much as possible. I wished that someone would’ve took a chance to get to know me and maybe find that Im not as unattractive as I may appear.
Ok, so fast forwarding READ
Gang Starr Rapper Guru aka Keith Alam Dies at 43
Damn, this is ill news to wake up too
Keith Elam aka Rapper Guru, who was born in the neighborhood of Roxbury and member of the group Gang Starr has died. Guru was one of the greatest musicians in hip-hop/jazz crossover. He was 43.
Reports say that the Rapper passed away yesterday and was suffering from a grave malicious illness from over a year. With even the best treatments it sadly failed. Guru had kept his cancer sickness a secret from everyone but in January this year he had to be admitted in the city hospital, since he was suffered from some serious after effects.
Only when in the hospital, with the treatment for his terminal cancer, Guru wrote a letter to his fans and his family about his condition.
News from a press release in US said that he had recovered by waking up from his coma but on 19th he passed away.
Rapper Guru was an inspiration to musicians and fans across the world and he will surely be missed.
news: Rapper Guru Dead – Gang Starr Rapper Guru aka Keith Alam Dies at 43
Keith Elam aka Rapper Guru, who was born in the neighborhood of Roxbury and member of the group Gang Starr has died. Guru was one of the greatest musicians in hip-hop/jazz crossover. He was 43.
Reports say that the Rapper passed away yesterday and was suffering from a grave malicious illness from over a year. With even the best treatments it sadly failed. Guru had kept his cancer sickness a secret from everyone but in January this year he had to be admitted in the city hospital, since he was suffered from some serious after effects.
Only when in the hospital, with the treatment for his terminal cancer, Guru wrote a letter to his fans and his family about his condition.
News from a press release in US said that he had recovered by waking up from his coma but on 19th he passed away.
Rapper Guru was an inspiration to musicians and fans across the world and he will surely be missed.
news: Rapper Guru Dead – Gang Starr Rapper Guru aka Keith Alam Dies at 43
Monday, April 19, 2010
Inside The Craft - "Inside A Change: BAM Cinematek Screening"
The concept and idea of this movie. I just copped this dvd. We got to support the independent film makers www.three21media.com/insideachange/
Peep the trailer
Peep the trailer
Sunday, April 18, 2010
TDJ Jamad: Afromentals x Frolab “FRO-POWAH HOUR” #5 Listen Now!
Lawd, this should get you through the rest of the week!!!
CHECK IT: DJ Jamad: Afromentals x Frolab “FRO-POWAH HOUR” #5 Listen Now!
CHECK IT: DJ Jamad: Afromentals x Frolab “FRO-POWAH HOUR” #5 Listen Now!
I Am HipHop: Reflections on Coming of Age During HipHop's Golden Era Pt. 1(I Fall In Love))
words by Kiki Fiyah
In 1981, eight years after DJ Kool Herc dj'ed a block party for his sister's birthday and Kevin Donovan changes his name to Afrika Bambaataa Aasim in honor of a Zulu chief and seven years after Grandmaster Caz, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa start playing at parties in the Bronx and DJ/MC Lovebug Starski starts referring to the emerging culture surrounding this new music as "hip-hop", I was born in the birthplace of Blues(the Mississippi Delta to be exact).
I spent a majority of my childhood in Ft. Riley, KS listening to one radio station and it most definatly wasn't a "black(I think the politicaly correct term is 'urban')radio station. Hence, my love of 80s rock and pop. By the time I was 11 I knew every song that came on the R'n'B oldies channel thanks to my dad, because in the late 80s and early 90s he classified most mainstream pop music and the emerging sounds of new jack swing and pretty much all hiphop as "mess" and "noise". So, while we rode around Post basking in the immaculate harmonies of the Impressions and Dellfonics and funk of George Clinton, I was secretly changing his station READ
Saturday, April 17, 2010
UP THERE FILM: NEW YORK ADVERTISING
Man, these some dedicated artist in this short film. Check it out it'll be worth your time for real
Friday, April 16, 2010
Carlie Bravo – Cool Shit x Carlie Bravo feat. Flash E. Williams – Ray Charles
Niccccceeee!!!!
words by Sheldon Havoc
Salute to all
With 4.20 coming up 84area and the Mile High Club have a mixtape coming out for all you guys to listen to and smoke to. This the video we shot for it:
words by Sheldon Havoc
Salute to all
With 4.20 coming up 84area and the Mile High Club have a mixtape coming out for all you guys to listen to and smoke to. This the video we shot for it:
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Miya Bailey... Life Outside of a Tattoo Artist!
If you some kind of artist in any shape or form. you'll love this video!!!
Life Outside of a Tattoo Artist. We knew the brother Miya for at least 16 years now and it is inspiring to witness his growth. This is an award to him and all the things that helped him develop into the person he is today. SuperPeople, SuperMinds. Directed, shot and edited by Goldi Gold and yours truly... C.Flux.Sing! Appreciate you boss! FANGGGGGG!
Life Outside of a Tattoo Artist. We knew the brother Miya for at least 16 years now and it is inspiring to witness his growth. This is an award to him and all the things that helped him develop into the person he is today. SuperPeople, SuperMinds. Directed, shot and edited by Goldi Gold and yours truly... C.Flux.Sing! Appreciate you boss! FANGGGGGG!
Video: U-N-I - Desha Dayana
Damn, the visuals match the song which happen be dope also. well done!!!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Video: Homeboy Sandman’s Off The Wall Session
This a wild dude. But he's dope!!!
Off The Wall (Midnight) Sessions - Ep. 11 HomeBoy Sandman from OFF THE WALL SESSIONS on Vimeo.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
KOBE “ONLY THE KINGS HAVE RINGS” TEE
GEZZZUSSS!!! This shirt is HOT!!!! This limited edition tee is available now at Tradition. Phone Orders are available (805)497-4717
Malcolm X's daughter to add to father's autobiography
Niiiccceee!!!!
Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcolm X's daughter, has agreed to write the foreword to three chapters omitted from the original "Autobiography of Malcolm X." Released in 1965, the classic returned to No. 1 on the best-seller list 30 years later. The "lost" chapters were recently discovered by Detroit attorney Gregory Reed who acquired them, at auction, from the estate of Alex Haley, who co-wrote the book with Malcolm. Shabazz, author of "Growing Up X," says she believes "the chapters were omitted because they showed too much of my father's humanity." Reed plans to release them during a commemorative celebration of what would have been Malcolm's 85th birthday on May 19 at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Education Center, the former Audubon Ballroom in Harlem where he was assassinated in February 1965.
original article:Malcolm X's daughter to add to father's autobiography
Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcolm X's daughter, has agreed to write the foreword to three chapters omitted from the original "Autobiography of Malcolm X." Released in 1965, the classic returned to No. 1 on the best-seller list 30 years later. The "lost" chapters were recently discovered by Detroit attorney Gregory Reed who acquired them, at auction, from the estate of Alex Haley, who co-wrote the book with Malcolm. Shabazz, author of "Growing Up X," says she believes "the chapters were omitted because they showed too much of my father's humanity." Reed plans to release them during a commemorative celebration of what would have been Malcolm's 85th birthday on May 19 at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Education Center, the former Audubon Ballroom in Harlem where he was assassinated in February 1965.
original article:Malcolm X's daughter to add to father's autobiography
Monday, April 12, 2010
Video: Ice Cube Talks ESPN Documentary Straight Outta LA
I know the documentary gonna be dope
HardKnock.TV caught up with Ice Cube at Paid Dues to talk about Straight Outta LA a Documentary Ice Cube is directing for ESPN. Cube also shares his thoughts about his recent interview with Raiders owner Al Davis. Ice Cube ends the interview by telling Hard Knock TV that he was burnt out on music for a while but that he was re-energies by Laugh Now, Cry Later. Cubes new album I am the West is coming soon
HardKnock.TV caught up with Ice Cube at Paid Dues to talk about Straight Outta LA a Documentary Ice Cube is directing for ESPN. Cube also shares his thoughts about his recent interview with Raiders owner Al Davis. Ice Cube ends the interview by telling Hard Knock TV that he was burnt out on music for a while but that he was re-energies by Laugh Now, Cry Later. Cubes new album I am the West is coming soon
Mike Flo – Chi75
Mike flo getting it in with the videos. Word money. Digging the concept of this tough!!!
Mike Flo - Chi75 from Davy Greenberg on Vimeo.
HER NAME IS KIKI FIYAH BLOGSPOT
This sister got something to say. Weather you can relate or not. But I promise you it'll come in a good read. HER NAME IS KIKI FIYAH
45 King on Big Turntables but little records 1
you can blast this video while you getting ready for the day. EASSSYYY!!!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
How To Tell When The Recession Is Really Over
a real breakdown
by Rick Newman,
by Rick Newman,
There are two kinds of recessions: the one that economists measure, and the one that ordinary people feel.
The official recession is over. That's because the economy is growing again after a sharp decline, with GDP back to the levels of mid-2008. For people who have kept their jobs, suffered no loss of income and enjoyed a rebound in their investments thanks to the year-long stock market rally, things are pretty good.
[See how to tell if you're keeping up with the middle class.]
Then there's the unofficial recession, which clearly persists. More than 8 million people have lost their jobs over the past two years, and the economy has barely started to add those back. Many others have had their pay or hours cut. The housing bust, in its fourth year, still isn't over. Foreclosures continue to mount, businesses and consumers remain gloomy, and many families are struggling to get by on reduced income. "It's a recovery, but it sure doesn't feel like it," says Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for forecasting firm IHS Global Insight. Here are five things that still must happen for a robust recovery to kick in.
Banks need to lend more. The government's emergency measures helped stabilize the financial system, but banks haven't taken the next step and increased lending. With trillions in bad loans still on their books, many banks continue to hoard cash and turn down loan applications. That depresses the market for homes, cars, appliances and other costly items that many consumers can't pay for in cash. It also squeezes small businesses, which often rely on credit to meet payroll, order supplies, invest and grow. Behravesh predicts that lending could bottom out and start to pick up by late this year or early next year--although that would probably be the point at which the
Incomes need to rise. Median income was stagnant for about a decade leading up to the recession, and it probably fell 5 percent or more over the past couple of years. Some economists worry that reduced incomes could indefinitely curtail consumer spending, which has long fueled the U.S. economy. A glut of unemployed workers will keep wages low in many industries for years. And since many families have lost wealth because of falling home values or declining investment portfolios, or both, they need to save more to prepare for retirement. That leaves less money to buy stuff. The good news is that inflation is low and energy prices are stable, which helps stretch a dollar.
[See how one family is rebuilding after losing their fortune.]
Housing needs to stabilize. Most of the pain is probably in the past, but home values continue to erode in many regions. Moody's Economy.com predicts that house prices, which have fallen more than 30 percent from their 2006 peaks, could still fall another 5 to 10 percent through the end of this year. Since many families still have the majority of their wealth invested in their homes, the economy can't really get healthy again as long as such a huge asset is falling in value. The end of the federal home-buyer tax credit and other government programs throughout the year will test whether the housing market can stand on its own. If it can't, the government could step back in, but that would only signal further weakness in a sector that accounts for more than 15 percent of the economy. The silver lining is that falling prices make it a great time to buy, for those with enough cash or the ability to get a mortgage.
Confidence needs to rebound. Americans remain gloomy, with most consumer-confidence surveys showing only modest improvements from the low points hit during the recession. The most obvious reasons are the weak job market and a sense that the recovery will be weak at best. Businesses are downbeat too, with CEOs worried that strapped consumers will put their wallets away. That makes them reluctant to hire, which perpetuates the malaise. Confidence is a perplexing psychological phenomenon, and economists aren't sure what it will take to make consumers upbeat enough to propel a robust recovery. But once home prices stop falling, jobs seem more secure, and people feel like the bloodletting is over, that will certainly help.
[See 21 things we're learning to live without.]
Jobs need to return. The availability--or lack--of jobs is the single biggest factor in the economy, and unfortunately, a pickup in hiring is likely to be painfully slow. Many of the 8 million lost jobs are probably gone forever, as manufacturers downsize their operations and many companies substitute technology or cheaper foreign labor for American workers. The unemployment rate, which is 9.7 percent now, might even rise throughout the year, as workers who gave up looking for jobs try again and the labor force swells.
Still, economists recognize some familiar patterns in the job market that suggest things are finally getting better instead of worse. Corporate profits are strong, thanks to aggressive cost-cutting over the past two years. That means companies can afford to hire workers, if they decide to. And productivity gains have hit record levels recently, which means companies are extremely efficient; if demand picks up, they may only be able to meet it through increased staffing. A good indicator of real improvement would be several consecutive months of six-figure job gains, due to permanent hiring and not temporary factors like the census or weather-related events. "The recent resumption of employment growth will be sustained and gather strength over time," insists T. Rowe Price chief economist Alan Levenson. That's not the kind of roaring endorsement most Americans want to hear, but it suggests that sooner or later, the recovery in your neighborhood will catch up with the one that economists see in the data.
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