Really? You Can't Be Serious. But He Is.

"Treat Hoes Like House Fires...Get What You Can...And Get Out" [w o w]

This image: courtesy of MediaTakeOut.com.

Though we do not advocate hoe-ism, or hoe activity...this is a lot and it says a lot about how some men, really feel in regards to hoes. If you fall in this category and care to end your hoeish ways after viewing this, I applaud you.

Good Day.

Image submitted to us courtesy of: Tasha "Mack" :)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

As individuals, as people, as a friend, as a lover, as a member of a clique, as a sister, as a brother, as a daughter, as a son, as a classmate, as a member of an organization, as a FB friend, as a follower on twitter, as a granddaughter, as a grandson, as a mother, as a father, as a girlfriend, as a boyfriend, as a best friend, as a worst enemy, as a roommate, as a guest in someone's house, as a HUMAN...

BE RESPECTABLE AND HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR YOURSELVES AND THOSE THAT YOU ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IN ANY ASPECT, REALM, GUISE, DEFINITION, PARTY and/or FORM.

Respectable by definition is an ADJECTIVE: adj. [ree-spek-te-bel]

"worthy of respect : estimable 2. decent or correct in conduct : proper 3. fair in size. quantity, or quality : moderate, tolerable 4. fit to be seen : presentable."

Some of your mothers would be ashamed. Some of your grandmothers would shed tears if they knew of the mental illnesses some of you have acquired over time.

It is a fucking shame how many of you (and even myself at times) lack RESPECT for one another in totality. This is not a post in regards to any other post, this is a post that is separate, and holds ground on its OWN MERIT.

With that said, get it together. Stop talking about people behind their backs, stop being phony and/or fake, if you can help it. IF not reassess yourself and call Dr. Phil because you have a real life problem, an illness, that is fatal.

If you don't like someone, and/or don't fu** with someone, that is FINE, but respect them. Respect yourself. Respect your character by doing us all a favor and being REAL, and no longer associating yourself with him/her/it, in ways/forms that make others feel there is no resentment or inner turmoil. It's falsifying, it's unbecoming, and it's wack, to say the very least.

No one cares about you not liking them. No one cares about me not liking them. No one cares about anyone not liking anyone (as they shouldn't), HOWEVER, EVERYONE --- should care about RESPECTing one another. All we have left sometimes is our RESPECT & know that there is no dignity without it. Without respect, your dignity is worthless and double sided like a penny, as a facebook fan page says so "eloquently."

Now, go forth, in respect & PEACE...burden-free because you're NOW phoni-less (unless you came here kewl already).

The air will feel better on your skin during the day. The sun will shine brighter and make you comfortable instead of irritable. The night time will be just that; night time, not a place of loneliness and worrisome mind games about those things and/or people that do NOT matter. Food will taste better. Your spouse will look better. The grass will look greener, you won't notice that it needs a cut, and you will appreciate it for what it is. Your headaches will subside, and you will be able to be productive because your mind will be free from one form of bullshit, which, is the definition of DISRESPECT.

More importantly, your relationships with your real friends-->...those who you have deemed worthy of your friendship...those that are left after you rid yourself of those you do NOT care for and who do NOT care for you and decide to GAIN some respect about yourselves and your endeavors with individuals,--> WILL BE BETTER, MORE FULFILLING, and EVER LASTING.

God's Swiftest Speed My Good People.

With Much Love & Respect,
Radio Raheem

Fresh cut

i fuck with this cut. good shit india.

As You Receive Your Degree, Don't Shit on Mine.

Rachel & Monica here!

First let us start by saying congratulations to all of the 2010 graduates! Your diligence has paid off and we are proud.

Now let's get right down to the topic at hand. As you receive your degree, acknowledging that you have fulfilled all requirements of your chosen major as set forth by Xavier University (or the university you attended if you're not a Xavierite), let us remember not to shit on others' degrees or chosen majors.

Everyone doesnt have the same dexterity or steady hand as art majors. Everyone was not born to be a pharmacist and everyone does not have the necessary skill set to be a writer. Everyone isn't cognizant of their own ability or inability to cleverly articulate their thoughts. I (we/us/you) have been shitted on far too often for my liking, by the very same individuals who will ask me or someone in my department to write a paper on a subject matter they cannot wrap their head around.

True, everyone at Xavier is required to take at least three English courses at some point in their college career. Please don't confuse the requirements of these basic, core courses with those of the courses required for someone who is an English major--they are not the same!

And please, please do not mistake your ability to write a 200-word essay for a Philosophy class, as evidence that you have the ability to write a properly formatted, publication-ready, article--they are not the same!

Xavier University of Louisiana is known to have one of the toughest science departments anywhere around. So we give all science majors, especially enrolled at Xavier University credit for that. Don't think this post is meant to take away any credibility from science majors. We get it. It's tough. Tough in the aspect of assigning busy work, and distributing tests covering material you may or may not have covered or understood while sitting in hour+ long classes.

As you're angered by this post please recall those instances where you sat in your BIO 1240 class and stared at test questions blankly, mouth agape. Please recall the instances in which you retook CHEM 1010, 1020, Organic I & II, two and three times, wasting $500 per course for the sake of both, Dr. Privett and Dr. Adams' salaries.

Salaries which parallel their concern or lack thereof for you, just another number, evident in their response if you have ever made attempts to contact them for help. Go to the CHEM Lab right? Right. Some of you may even recall Dr. Adams' response to your baffled rants in his office about your hard cheating -oops! I mean work, and politely asked you to change your major that you thought you were so passionate about.

As you continue to believe that because your degree is a B.S. and not a B.A. this makes you somewhat superior, please understand it does not. You are just like everyone else, human, capable, and talented in your chosen field of study (or so your employers would like to hope).

Biology and Chemistry both require a great memory. Many of us on the Liberal Arts side of things will be the first to tell you an awesome memory is not one of our most prized possessions. There are a great number of us, that if forced to memorize formulas, periodic tables, equations, and reactions in order to obtain a degree would never receive one or would take far more than 5 years to do so. Wait...some of you are taking that long anyway. Last I checked getting your undergrad wasn't a six, seven, or even eight-year plan. Some of you 2010 graduates, especially ones who have not changed their major, or had extenuating circumstances should be damn close to a PhD but are instead walking across the stage receiving the same degree as me. Sit down.

But to be real that is another post entirely. While many of us lack memorization skills many of you (science majors) lack critical thinking skills and will mistake this very paragraph for an insult implying you lack the ability to think, thereby attesting to your lack of reading comprehension skills as well.

We tried to keep this post as clear and concise as possible, however we are certain someone will reply with a comment that starts with "well I'm a science major and I...." then we will have to remind that individual our argument is not a generalization but a blanket statement inspired by experiences of many non-science majors at Xavier University and beyond and that of course, there will be exceptions on all sides.

But you know what, most of y'all lazy mofos probably didn't get to the end of this post thoroughly anyway because it was too long, required too much reading, reading comprehension and critical thinking skills you don't even possess, or thought you possessed but realized you didn't during the consumption of this article.

Good Day.

XU's New Card System

None of us really check facebook all that often so unfortunately we're just seeing this. But we were tagged in a note regarding XU's new card system which tracks class attendance. Of course the joints have differing opinions about the new system. And as expected there has been much chatter amongst the student body regarding the demand to swipe your ID card to report for class, as if the FE policy for 1000 level courses wasn't bad enough.

There are a number of typos and falsities/inaccuracies in the note which takes away some of it's credibility to begin with. Nevertheless some of the authors concerns and claims are valid.

We noticed that no one had commented on the note, not even people tagged in it. Which raises the level of curiosity to find out what students are thinking.

Click HERE to check out the note that was posted on facebook regarding the strike. When you've done that. Express your thoughts.

XU Student Shot in Gert Town

The statement below was sent out today regarding the shooting of an XU student. Many have reported they heard about the incident from BET.com before hearing about it from Xavier. How tragic, but why am I not surprised?

Why is it that we, as XU students hear about incidents like this from other sources first? What about the young woman who was robbed at gunpoint? Did anyone get an official report from XU regarding that event?

Xavier was sure to mention that the shooting did not take place on campus and that campus security is not threatened because of this incident. But what about the young woman who was robbed? That took place on campus. What about Wasim, an XU student who was robbed at gunpoint in front of the UC several semesters ago?

What is really going on XU? Where is campus secu---Police when they are really needed? Stop patrolling the cafeteria, undressing female (and maybe male too??) students with your eyes and get on your job!

Violence has skyrocketed in the last few days alone. Fort Hood, Orlando, just to name a couple incidents. Are you all paying attention to the world around you? Can someone tell me what's really going on??

Statement re: Shooting 11-05-09 Involving XU Students
Shortly after midnight on the morning of Thursday, November 5, 2009, a
Xavier University student was shot in the leg and is in stable condition at a
local hospital. While initial reports indicated that paramedics retrieved the
student from a Xavier residence hall, the shooting took place off-campus in the
7700 block of Olive Street in Gert Town.

Details about the incident are still incomplete. Reports indicate that
three Xavier students were in a vehicle about six blocks from campus returning
from a nearby food establishment when unidentified individuals fired upon the
car. One student was hit but he is expected to make a full recovery.
The
University is working with local officials to verify other information but at no
time was it determined that this shooting compromised campus security. Xavier
University works diligently to ensure a safe and secure environment where
faculty, staff and students work, learn and live. We encourage all members of
the campus community to be mindful of their own safety and to follow the
guidance of campus and local police officers.
Campus residents are urged to
be cautious both when traveling off campus and not to walk alone at night.
Campus police are available to transport students after hours, and blue light
emergency phones are available in strategic locations across campus in the event
of an emergency. In addition, campus police routinely patrol all University
property.
The University community is reminded to contact XU campus police
at 520-7490 whenever anything suspicious or potentially threatening is noticed
on or near the Xavier campus. The cooperation with our security officers will
greatly enhance the safety of this university community.

--
NEWS
BUREAU
Xavier University of Louisiana
1 Drexel Drive - Box 75
N.O.
La 70125
#504-520-7568

Get it Together XU...

THIS IS BEYOND RIDICULOUS! For the few times we have done posts on anything greek related we get the same comments: that we have no life because we are focused on greek-life at Xavier and that we’re obsessed with greek-life. The truth of the matter is Xavier’s student body is obsessed, not us!  We have 115+ posts on this blog and less than 5 of them are focused on greek life!!!! So we ask, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!

The posts that always get the most comments from the students are the ones about greek life. We wrote an article regarding Xavierite Heather Ellis well over a week ago; that got approx 100 views & 2 comments. This post on Neophyte show is already well over 400 views and 25+ comments. You tell me who’s obsessed with Greek life! Because clearly it’s not the Joints!

Turning the comment section into a free-for-all to spat your disputes with individuals is not OK. No one has made a positive comment regarding Neophyte yet. In the initial post there was definitely more than a few positive things said about the event and the different organizations. But it’s just like Americans to focus on the negative.

I don’t know Rubiante from Eve, never met her, but the entire statement in which she was mentioned was childish and completely irrelevant. Whether the statement is true, made up, fact, or fiction it is IRRELEVANT! The same goes for the other comments regarding Jessica.

Greeks, if you have a problem with your organization, GO TO YOUR ORGANIZATION. Do not use PotHoles and Blue Poles as an opportunity to become an instant internet thug and call them out. If you can’t say something that personal to someone’s face PHBP is not the place for you.

This is not the Herald so everything does not have to be sugar coated, censored, or watered down. We want you to keep it real but most importantly you need to have at least a tad bit of maturity about the situation.

The Neophyte review was not an attack on any individual or any organization but merely a review from the perspective of one member of PHBP.  The reason the different issues regarding playing certain neos was mentioned was to point on some of the foolishness that occurs with greeks on this campus (not that it doesn’t happen other places, but we’re talking about XU.)

For all the “XU alum” who have a problem with this site, GOODBYE. Reading this site is an option. I can guarantee you will continue breathing if someone comes to you about this blog and you CHOOSE NOT to see it for yourself or if you tell the gossiper to STFU.

It’s a shame we have to moderate comments because there is no telling what unnecessary, evil, or vindictive things may be said.

Hopefully this is our last time addressing this issue. 

The Joints

Fall 2009 Neophyte Show

Neophyte weekend has come again. For this weekend only Xavier University looked like a real live HBCU, like it was Homecoming and not just Neophyte weekend! lol Let me stop playing.

What did yall think about Neophyte weekend '09? I know yall have some thoughts because y'all always do and plus I heard plenty of commentary over the weekend.

From the Alphas looking like they just started rehearsing for their show the day before, to the army of AKAs coming out throwing rulers, and the 'lone SGRho who stole the show with her tribute to the Kappas (It's the Indiana Love people), to the skyrocketing of egos ALREADY, Neophyte weekend '09 was very interesting to say the least.

The word circulating is that National Pan-Hellenic Council, the council comprised of all the Divine 9 organizations, sold over 1,000 pre-sale tickets to this year's Neophyte show. This number includes greeks, but not people who paid at the door. With ticket prices ranging from $5 for greeks to $10 at the door it's safe to say NPHC made some serious loot this year.

The Barn was beyond packed. I know for sure that had to be a fire hazard or in violation of some kind of code or regulation. ...now if only we could get class attendance, church attendance, etc. like that the world may be a better place for it. LOL

The show started off great with the Deltas (as usual...anybody else notice that?? (by usual I mean they always come out first!)). They crossed 21 girls this year, a number up from last year but still lower than their previous line in Fall 2007. 21 seems to be about the average mark for Gamma Alpha. The show was pretty consistent overall, I didn't spot any major mess ups this year and all of the young ladies seemed to be on their ish. Props!

With the Zetas up next I must say I was a bit surprised by their number of girls. Bringing out three ladies, far less than the Deltas, the Zetas still held it down this year--or so I was told, I was actually out of the room during part of their show--my bad.

But I definitely didn't miss the SGRho's performance. Hi-5 to the solo soror of Sigma Gamma Rho who held it down. I was worried when she came out, revealed, and proceeded to do her show....alone. She still stepped and moved with a surplus of confidence, like she was the shit all by herself LOL. She then got her cane, and I got nervous all over again. But by the end of her tribute to the Kappas I can say that I was more than impressed. I was howling and cheering like I knew her. Good job SGRhos.

Last but not least the AKAs came out 46 deep (I could be off by a girl or two)! This number didn't surprise me for a couple reasons, one they were coming off suspension from last year, and two, I'd already heard the number LOL. Still, they came out with a vengeance as they always do, throwing masks and rulers this year, I witnessed a couple of the Neo Deltas' foreheads collide with the ricocheted rulers of the newest members of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

I'll give them some slack due to the large number of girls, but their show could have been a bit neater. It was a lil sloppy and perhaps some of the girls could have practiced their lines/info a bit more so they didn't have to look to their line sisters for confirmation during the show. *pauses to wait for someone to call me a hater*

Still, I liked their outfits this year. And the confidence many of the other girls had, like the Ace who held it down for sure, makes up for the ones who seemed unsure.

The show seemed to be getting a little long at this point when the lights went dim. We all know what that means. It's time for the Alphas. I hesitantly admit I was excited and highly anticipatory of the Alphas show. Beta Tau usually has one of the best shows during neophyte. This year, unfortunately they were at the dead bottom of the list. Not only are their shows getting increasingly predictable, this year's was beyond sloppy.

They started off good, kudos to them for the introduction, but the show went downhill from there, ending with Sean Haron, a prophyte, jumping in front of the Ace during the ending stroll considering the ace looked like he was just seeing the stroll for the first time. Did anyone see their snake during the show? Nevermind, I'm just going to stop there. Shout out to their tail with the dreads, he held it down!

Now to the Sigmas...o wait nevermind--sorry.

OK so the Omegas this year----wait hold on...my bad. Nevermind again.

The Kappas closed the show out this year. Clearly coming out on top for the Fraternities at least. I can appreciate the tribute to the "randomly" chosen audience members. I really loved the outfits as well, they came with something fresh this year. Each of the Kappas was on point, I saw no major slip-ups and aside from the tribute that was a tad-bit drawn out I truly enjoyed their show. And thank you, thank you Nupes for using a mic during your speaking parts.

One thing the Kappas show cemented for me was the repeated displays of--hell I don't even know what you'd call it. Some of these Neos got played! Basically, did anyone else notice not all of these lines were in height order?! Or was that just me?!

Monika A., the Ace for the AKA fall 09 line, stands a good 2/3 inches taller than her deuce and #7 on the Kappa line was not only not introduced as the Tail, but also apparently missed the wardrobe memo for Neo day on the yard--as well as the memo about which after party his LBs and prophytes were going to. And did anyone else get the same message I got from the AKA prophytes who sported the SMH (Shakin My Head) polos with the phrase "last of a dying breed" on the back?

Geez I thought this shit was all about sisterhood and brotherhood? Guess not so much ehh.

Overall the Neophyte show was great in my opinion. I think you learn some things about people during neophyte. From the thirsty "G.D.I.s" to the new greeks you'd never think would pledge. Hmm, *deep breath* smell that? It's the smell of brand new egos in the air. Not all egos are bad so chill out before you say I'm hating. Becoming a member of a greek organization can boost your confidence and self-esteem for the better, one of the benefits of greek life. I'm just wondering who will let these letters and colors go to their head and who will remain humble.

I have high hopes for Fall 2009. So let's just wait and see. :)

Xavierite Heather Ellis faces 15 years in prison

If you haven't already heard about this case, well this is what we are here for. Last week sometime a link began circulating around Twitter: saveheatherellis.com. While the name only sounded mildy familiar what drew me to tweet was the fact that Fellow Xavierite was mentioned. I clicked the linked and my jaw dropped. I remembered Heather Ellis. I never knew her personally but do remember her around campus. The first memory of her that popped into my head was that she was loud. I then proceeded to read the article and shake my head. I Tweeted and ReTweeted about her situation. And for those of you who aren't familiar with it, read this:

"Heather Ellis, a young, college student from the racially tense Kennett, MO is facing up to 15 years in prison for an unfortunate incident that occurred at a local Wal-Mart 3 years ago.

It occurred when Ellis and her cousin walked into a very busy Wal-Mart to pick up a few items for Ellis’s mom and (as many of us have done before) decided to split up to see which line moved quicker. When it became apparent that the cousin’s line was moving quicker, Ellis moved over to join him. That’s when a customer started to argue with Ellis and the cashier at that register chimed in to accuse Ellis of cutting in front of the other customers. The argument drew the attention of the Manager and eventually, security and even the police.

The incident left Ellis, an honor student on her way to medical school, charged with disturbing the peace, trespassing, and two counts of assaulting a police officer. After Heather refused to sign a plea agreement, Stephen Sokoloff, the town’s prosecutor, filed felony charges against Heather.

Although Ellis’s father has demanded that the surveillance tapes be released to clear his daughter’s name, Wal-mart has not done anything yet.

On a recent CNN interview, Heather’s dad Rev. Nathaniel Ellis stated;

“It’s a lie being told. My daughter was sent there to get a few items for my wife. The actual arrest said that she was cursing. She knowingly disturbed the peace of Kay McDaniel (ph), who was the night manager. It was not about an issue of cutting in line.
First of all, my daughter is not known to be a curser. And previously, she had accepted Christ as her savior, and she had been raised in a Christian home and that’s simply not true”.

On November 15th Ellis goes on trial and may face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges against her. This has really angered the community and has prompted many rallies and protests that have led to threats by the Ku Klux Klan. A police officer delivered a card to the family from the Klan and Heather’s father believes that the officer’s delivery of the card was part of a broader plot to intimidate the family.

Just when we think things are improving for minorities in this country, with the recent historic election we’ve experienced, yet again, our rejoicing is cut short by such a racially charged incident as this one. Nonetheless, we most hold on to the famous words of Martin Luther King Jr. when he says, “Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to this family." (SOURCE: 5portals.com)

My first thought was damn that's ridiculous! Typical racist rednecks. Then I paused. I thought about the whole situation and remembered something my mother always said: "There's three sides to every story." One side, the other side, and the truth.

I did a little research on the situation and realize some prominent Black leaders are ready to go to war for Ellis, as they should be in any case where an injustice is occuring. But during my research I came across this anonymous comment on a blog:

"If she didn't want to go to jail, she could have left the cashier's line when asked to do so, she could have left Walmart when the manager asked her to do so, she could have left Walmart when the police told her to leave or she could have acted in an orderly manner when, after refusing to follow the police's orders, she was arrested. Instead, she chose to resist arrest and fought the police.

Guess what? Assaulting an officer is a serious charge. She isn't facing prison time for cutting in line, so don't trivialize her actions. She is facing prison time for failing to control herself and committing a serious crime!

SHE made the choices which led to her arrest, and we wouldn't even be hearing about this case if she were WHITE! This is a case of a young woman playing the race card because she doesn't want to accept responsibility for HER actions. By jumping to this woman's defense, you are doing a grave disservice to those who actually ARE being discriminated against! Every time race is used to defend those who have no real defense, it desensitizes Americans to cases where race really IS the motivating factor for inappropriate behavior on the part of the police.

This case is not about racism, it's about a young woman with an attitude and an overinflated sense of self, who doesn't think rules apply to her." (SOURCE: http://saveheatherellis.com)

DAMN! This anonymous commenter might have a point. Was this a race issue to begin with? Did it become a race issue later? Often times we are quick to yell racism without looking at other possibilities for the actions of others, including our own actions. For instance Ellis' father says Ellis isn't "is not known to be a curser." Well, sir, let's just say I remember otherwise.

The article starts off saying Ellis was in a racially tense town. If there's one thing I've learned, it's not to f**k with red-necks, racists, etc. Especially if you live in a town where you are largely the minority. Call me a coward, say what you want, but the moment things got tense is when I would have walked away. There is a time and a place for everything.

I've dealt with cops before. Been pulled over, asked to step out of my car, and searched without proper cause. But me going on about my rights and repeatedly telling the officer I didn't do anything wrong wasn't going to help my situation at that moment. Leaving that situation unharmed and filing a report later if I felt like I had been done wrong is a much better route, in my opinion.

Please don't take this as a slight against Heather Ellis! She is a fellow Xavierite and for that she automatically has my prayers and deepest concern. I am not saying she deserves what is happening to her or that she brought this on herself. Because at the end of the day even if she cursed out the officer's grandkids, 15 years in prison is ridiculous!

What I am saying is that we can't just jump on a bandwagon just because everyone else on the wagon looks like us. We have to fight for what is right and we won't know what right is until we ask questions; until we play devil's advocate. Much like preparing for a debate. You ask questions of yourself and your own team that you think your opponent might ask. It better prepares you for the battle.

I will be following this case and searching for more information. We here at PHNBP have Heather in our prayers! Do a bit of research on the subject and come back and let us know your thoughts!

Twitter: Hate it or Love it

At the end of the day Twitter is just another social networking site. Or is it? The thing about Twitter is that you either hate it or love it. Perhaps hate is a strong word so let’s re-word that. You either don’t care for it or you’re addicted to it. I can say with unabashed pride that I am addicted to Twitter. There’s really no in between, at least not for most.

If you are getting the most out of Twitter you cannot help but to be addicted. There are several reasons that would explain why you have a Twitter account but are not addicted.

1. You aren’t following the right or enough people. - Twitter is like your own little online chat room. You can choose whom you want to let in and whom you talk to. If there's no one in the chat room then it's boring! 
2. No one is following you. – If you don’t have any followers it can feel like you’re talking to yourself. And Twitter is not your online diary so blabbing off about random very personal things is not looked upon highly on Twitter.
3. User Error. - You simply don’t know how to use Twitter. #Hashtags, RTs (ReTweets), Trending Topics, Direct Messages, & Short Codes all combine to make Twitter fun…. and dangerous sometimes. :) Sure everyone has a different Tweeting style but I am going to be audacious and say that there is a correct way to use Twitter. Some RT too much while others never RT and responded to others’ tweets hours later leaving the original Tweeter lost. (Did you catch all that?)

If you’re a twitter addict like I am, then more than likely you caught that. For those who didn’t let me break some of that down for you.

Hashtags are created by putting # in front of any word or phrase. The word or phrase is automatically turned into a link, which can be clicked on by other Twitter users. You can then see what other people are saying about that same topic. If I said “The #XavierHerald sucks.” and another Twitter user who I may not even be following said “What is the #XavierHerald? I didn’t know we had a school newspaper.” I could click on the hashtag and see all comments regarding the Xavier Herald, whether I’m following the authors of those tweets or not.

ReTweets or RTs is just what it sounds like. It’s like quoting someone on Twitter & sometimes adding a message to or responding to the original tweet. For example, if I see a someone tweet: @XUStudent1925: The #XavierHerald sucks I can quote that on Twitter like this, @PHNBP RT @XUStudent1925: The #XavierHerald sucks.

Trending Topics. Self-explanatory as well. Topics that a high percentage of users on Twitter are talking about at any given time. Just the other day RIP Kanye West was a trending topic when someone started a rumor that spread like wildfire about a fatal car accident West was involved in. Another recent, more fun TT was #hescutebut or #shescutebut. Users can then finish the sentence: “#hescutebut he lives at home with his mother” or “#shescutebut She got 5 kids and 3 babies daddies.”

Direct Messages are private messages you can send to any user who is following you.

Short Codes are often necessary considering you are only allowed 140 characters max in each Tweet. New short codes are created almost daily it seems to cope with this restriction. LMBO, STFU=Shut The F Up, STFD=Sit The F Down, GOH, GTFOH=Get The F Outta Here, SMH= Shaking My Head, FTW=For The Win, FTR=For The Record, etc.

Overall Twitter is very fun but can also be very time consuming. It can be used for great causes like the recent #BEATCancer fundraising Twitter Campaign but can also get you in trouble if you get too comfortable & start saying things forgetting who’s following you.

Give Twitter a try before you knock it. Every person I know of, including me, has thought Twitter was lame—in the beginning. You may sign up give it a try for a few days and still not understand it. You may even want to deactivate your account –until one day you realize…you’re addicted to Twitter. That’s when I’ll say: Welcome to the club. :)

So if you’re on Twitter or just want some twitter tips then come check me out. Follow me at http://www.twitter.com/…. haha psych! Now did you really think I was going to give you my personal twitter information? But you can talk to any of the Joints at twitter.com/PHNBP


Twitter Tips:
If you begin your tweet with an @Reply only the person you have @Replied and people who are following both you and that person will see that tweet.

If your Twitter page is locked and you tweet someone who is following you, that person will not be able to see your tweet, even if you included the @reply in the tweet.

RTing is often much easier from a Twitter application then from the web on your computer.

You can tweet from your cell after setting Twitter up on the web by texting your tweets to 40404. But if your tweet is to a specific person don’t forget to add their @TwitterName.

Top 20 prime-time programs in the Nielsen ratings

Below is the official list for the top 20 prime-time TV shows according to the Nielsen ratings. I must admit I'm a bit surprised by some of these.

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by The Nielsen Co. for Oct. 5-11. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X'' in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (1) "NCIS," CBS, 20.7 million viewers.

2. (5) "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 16.35 million viewers.

3. (3) "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 16.31 million viewers.

4. (2) "Sunday Night Football: Indianapolis at Tennessee," NBC, 16.02 million viewers.

5. (7) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 14.9 million viewers.

6. (8) "The Mentalist," CBS, 14.7 million viewers.

7. (14) "60 Minutes," CBS, 14.54 million viewers.

8. (4) "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 14.13 million viewers.

9. (9) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 14.05 million viewers.

10. (5) "House," Fox, 13.74 million viewers.

11. (14) "The Good Wife," CBS, 13.69 million viewers.

12. (12) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 13.43 million viewers.

13. (12) "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 13.42 million viewers.

14. (14) "Two And a Half Men," CBS, 13.3 million viewers.

15. (18) "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 12.52 million viewers.

16. (17) "CSI: New York," CBS, 12.43 million viewers.

17. (19) "Dancing With the Stars Results," ABC, 12.42 million viewers.

18. (9) "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 12.32 million viewers.

19. (20) "Survivor: Samoa," CBS, 11.69 million viewers.

20. (24) "The Amazing Race 15," CBS, 10.52 million viewers.

___

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Pictures We Know You'll Love

Out of Sight, Out of Mind...

It's easy to forget about the mess Bush engulfed us in overseas in Iraq when none of your family members or close friends or anyone you know for that matter is directly affected by the war.

I too, readily admit I forget we're at war. Do you even know how long we've been fighting? How long we've had our military troops deployed in Iraq? Since most of use were in middle school or junior high!

As of Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, at least 4,349 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

The figure includes nine military civilians killed in action. At least 3,474 military personnel died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

The AP count is three fewer than the Defense Department's tally, last updated Tuesday at 10 a.m. EDT.

The British military has reported 179 deaths; Italy, 33; Ukraine, 18; Poland, 21; Bulgaria, 13; Spain, 11; Denmark, seven; El Salvador, five; Slovakia, four; Latvia and Georgia, three each; Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand and Romania, two each; and Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan and South Korea, one death each.

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 31,527 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department's weekly tally.

On the Net:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/

Black Baby Doll Labeled Lil' Monkey

WOW! REALLY?!?

I can't even articulate my thoughts at the moment after seeing this! I will be back later to discuss it but at this point I just wanted to make sure y'all saw this. Take some time like me, form your thoughts and be sure to mosey on back. We will be discussing this later!

Was Obama Snubbed?

President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

If you didn't already know this, please exit stage left. Many people woke up to text messages, tweets, mobile alerts, & other notifications that Obama, our beloved Black president won the Nobel Peace Prize! This is great news!!....right?

There seems to be a bit of controversy behind this win. Roland Martin's Facebook Page is being hit up heavy with differing views, opinions, and feelings about this win for Obama. Some don't think he deserve it, many think he does,  and others are don't really care if he deserves it as long as their "beloved Obama" is winning awards.

Take a moment to read a few quotes below regarding Obama's win then tell us what you think. I know we have at least a few educated Xavierites left!

Kelsey Lasers Riley *twinkles* All these newsppl r analyzin Obama's award EVRY time a person of COLOR is on the "come-up"/"crashing down" every1 got somethin 2 say smh

I don't know who Jordan Lanfair is, but I agree with him. I also agree with Kelsey to the extent that race is a factor. But race will always be a factor because Obama is Black. He is the first Black president and no matter how much we try to remove race from the equation the history of this country prohibits us from doing so.

Still, race is not the reason Obama's win is being criticized (at least not the only or main reason). 

Kelsey Lasers Riley So we get Obama in the White House and he wins the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE???????? Who would hav thought???? Go ahead President!!! Not even a full year in office!!

Thank you for proving my point Ms. Riley. Obama as not even been in office a full year. What great humanitarian work has he accomplished in this short period of time as president. Whatever the reason he is continuing some of Bush's old policies, including the wars overseas. 

It may very well be too soon to pull troops out, or end the war immediately. I believe that the war will end during Obama's presidency. 

The deadline for nomination for this year's Nobel Peace Prize was February 1, 2009. This is less than two weeks into his term as President! Did he do a lot of work for the community as Senator and even before? Absolutely. But if that's why he won there are a lot of names that need to be added to the nominations and win list!

I also have faith that Obama will accomplish great things including Great humanitarian efforts during his time in office. But award him then, not now; not for what he might do, can do, or will probably do.

Please do not take this as me "knocking" our President. I campaigned hard for Obama and continue to defend him and fight for him whenever the time is right. This is not a slight against Pres. Obama. Surely he didn't nominate himself.

There's my take on it. What's yours?

Who is Marguerite Giguette

Yea, apparently not too many people know who Marguerite Giguette is. Between the six of us here at PHNBP we couldn't even tell you who she is or what she does. All we knew is that we get emails from her... a lot of emails. I asked my roommate, "who is Marguerite Giguette?" Their response: "somebody in an office." Thanks so much!

However a fellow Xavierite did some hard work and research to tell us a little about Ms. Giguette--ok in actuality she just sent us the link to Ms. Giguette's mini-bio on XU's official website, XULA.edu. We figured we'd at least share this info with you as a step in the right direction of uncovering the mystery of Marguerite Giguette. (How do you pronounce her name??)

If any of the other students out there have info on Xavier's mystery email sender please do share!

Marguerite S. Giguette, Ph.D
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Giguette earned her PhD in Computer Science from Tulane University and has worked at Xavier since 1990. Before coming to the Academic Affairs Office, Dr. Giguette served as Chair of the Computer Science Department for 11 years. She was instrumental in the implementation of the Xavier SOAR 3 Program for prospective Computer Science students and has published a number of articles. She has served on numerous university committees, including Rank and Tenure, Chair of the Arts and Sciences Coordinating Committee, and the University Planning Council. She has also participated in a number of SACS reviews.

Jay-Z BP3 [review]

Jay Z's ground-breaking 11th album, The Blueprint 3 dropped on September 11, 2009, placing Jay ahead of Elvis Presley as the solo artist with the most number top albums. Within its first week in stores it sold estimated 476,000 copies despite the fact that it was leaked a week and a half earlier.

Many people had their own set of expectations for the Blue Print 3, especially those who are fans of the Blueprint trilogy however, with exec production by both Jay and Kanye, along with others such as, Timbaland, Swizz Beats, The Neptunes, and The Inkredibles to name a few, the BP3 was set up for success and proved to be an awesome album in its own right.

With just the right amount of commercial tracks like "Empire State of Mind" and "Run This Town", many hip-hop heads believe that Jay Z could have "come harder" than he did on the album. Others say that he "owed more" to his fans....personally I give the entire album *** 1/2 (out of 5 stars)

The PHNBP City-Wide Calendar!

We hear it all the time. People are tired of the same club events, at the same venues, with the same DJs, same club-heads, promoted by the same individuals flooding your Facebook inbox with the same messages written in ALL CAPS. What most people don't know is that New Orleans is curently ranked #1 in LIVE entertainment. This means that you can be sure on any given weekend there are some live entertainment events popping off SOMEWHERE. The people just DON'T KNOW where.

Frenchman is a popular area for live entertainment. But the whole city is home to some of the best live performers, from Spoken Word Artists to MCs, to live painters, brass and jazz musicians, and beyond! We here at PHNBP are going to do our best to give you a complete list of all events taking place in this city. We will include club events and other events that might not include live entertainment. Because every now and then you just want to go out and shake your ass... right? :) And for your cultured readers we'll include museum events and other refined things of that nature ;)

For a while now we've been talking about launching this calendar, so it's finally here! If you want your event included in the calendar email us at potholesandbluepoles@gmail.com.

Every week we will feature an event of our choice. An event that we think is worth your time and money. Events that we would spend our money on and time attending!

Do It Now!

"Procrastination is like masturbation.  At first it feels good, but in the end you're only screwing yourself." --Author Unknown

I'm warning you now, my fellow Xavierites don't procrastinate! And if you already are, put a stop to it now before it's too late. It's only the beginning of the year, stay on top of your work now instead of letting it pile up--you'll be happy you did later.

Facebook is nice and twitter is awesome but neither social networking site will earn your degree for you, nor ensure your spot into medical/professional/graduate school. In fact the abuse or careless use of these sites could very easily do just the opposite!

Just wanted to share some mid-week-wisdom with you all today. :)

Carry on!

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

A new rumor has come to our attention; Manchu's Chicken located on Claibourne & Esplanade has FAILED their health inspection not once but TWICE. Dead rats have been found in the chicken grease and food stored on the floor. If you are a lover of Manchu's chicken, it might be wise to wonder if that deliciously crunchy chicken has a little extra flavor for a reason. Food for thought... As we get more info we'll update you on the situation, but for now I suggest you exercise EXTREME caution if not, at least be prepared to spend a few hours on the toilet...your choice!

XU's OFFICIAL Top 25 List

We just realized we never posted the top 25 list from last school year. Big Fail on our parts. It was stuck in our drafts section. hahaha oops. Well here it is ladies & gentlemen. XU's Top 25 Men from the 2008-2009 school year. Chosen by YOU the students who voted right here at PHNBP.

1. Darren Wallace

2. Devin Sasser

3. Jonathan Moh

4. Averis Anderson

5. Ryan DeRouselle

6. Russell Fertitta

7. Sean Haron

8. LeLann Evans

9. Cedric Henderson

10.  Marshall Collins

11. Justin Frederick

12. Joel Hitchock-Tilton

13. Gabe Thompson

14. David Lawson

15. Kennedy Iheanacho

16. Lee Gibbs

17. Jeremy Branch

18. Gbenga Onayiga

19. Patrick Jackson

20. Donald Brown

21. Brett McCarty

22. Josh Hill

23. Lance Jordan

24. Jamon Kenner

25. Adam Allen

THANKS TO ALL WHO VOTED, COMMENTED, EMAILED, OR VOICED THEIR OPINION IN ANY WAY. YOU MADE THIS LIST! If you did not vote, do not complain. 

There are still a few gentlemen I would definitely not have on this list, but the list you all made is ten times better than the original list so I can definitely live with it. Congratulations to all the gentlemen who made the list! Kudos!

Kanye X VMAs X Taylor Swift X Beyonce X Racists

 

Really I don't know where to start. As soon as I saw it happen I knew it needed to be a post or a topic we addressed here at PHBP. Problem is the situation escalated so quickly. Before i could get write the article he had apologized, celebrities had started bashing him, and all kinds of other events occured. The next morning I woke up and the KKK was calling for him to be lynched. Good God people! Lynched?! So a better way to approach this is find out what you guys think.

Were you pissed at Kanye? Indifferent? Glad he did it? Think Beyonce deserved the award? Think Taylor Swift or someone else deserved it? What about Beyonce's decision to let Taylor Swift have her moment at the end of the show? Was it suggested by Beyonce's publicist or Daddy? or does Beyonce just have that big of a heart added to brains to think to save her career from Looney Bin West?

Some people say he's flipping out because he hasn't properly grieved from his mother's passing. While others remind those people that Kanye pulled stunts like this before plastic surgery slip-ups took Donda's life. Still some Kanye supporters are blaming his behavior this year on the bottle of hennessy he carried with him on the red carpet that evening.

Not to mention the Kanye fiasco overshadowed the Janet Jackson-Michael Jackson tribute. ....Forgot about that didn't you. Yea I almost did too. SMH

If you are on twitter you know people are still talking about it. So it's clearly not over. What are your thoughts. The Joints are dying to know because even we have differing thoughts/opinions!

*Oh and if you have not seen it yet. Please go get your life together and begin your Youtube search now!

An Open Letter to Manic Freshmen Interested in Greek Life

Dear Manic Freshmen Interested in Greek Life, 

            Welcome to Xavier. We here at PHBP, hope your move-in process and settling in period was pleasant.  Spike Lee’s Joints are known for being rather observant, and observing your interaction with Greeks on Xavier’s campus, we definitely have!  We have a few bits of advice and questions for you. As the resident Greek here at PHBP I have been charged with the task of speaking to you all about this somewhat important topic, and since I’m not one for beating around the bush, I’ll get right to my first question: What the hell is wrong with yall?!

            Surely you’ve noticed Xavier is a small school, with a small population of students, women out-numbering men substantially. Everything you do at this lovely science/pre-med centered institution is under a microscope (pun intended). So be mindful of what you do, how you do it, and who you do it with and around.

The Greeks on Xavier’s campus are—let me not go there right now. Let me approach this differently. Xavier doesn’t have a football team, no marching band, no dance line, no flag girls, none of the other staples larger HBCUs have that make certain people more “popular.” If you hadn’t noticed any of that yet, I need you to stop reading this, pack up your shit, call a parent and have them pick you up immediately. XU is not the place for your slow ass. :)  Because of this all, we, most, some, a lot of members of Greek organizations here on Xavier’s campus have this notion that they are special, “Popular,” important, or somehow just a little better than the average student who is not a member of a Greek organization. *Pauses to wait for Greeks to get upset, insist that this isn’t true, and that some Greeks are like this but not them.*

The worst part of this whole thing is that Greeks continue to think this and behave accordingly because “average” non-Greek students play into it, and allow them to. Because I don’t see the Greeks changing anytime soon, this means you need to be mindful of your behavior around and towards them, us, Greeks.

First of all if you attended “Meet the Greeks” FAIL! Go to your dorm room crack open a book and stay your ass there for a while! Who the hell are the Greeks that they have a whole session called “Meet the Greeks” like Obama came to campus? I just have one question, did you get any autographs while you were there? OK, maybe that was a little harsh. Maybe you were as clueless about Greek life coming in to college as I was and you just wanted a little information. Fine, that mistake was forgivable.

What is not forgivable is approaching your RA in the lobby of your resident hall after finding out she is a Delta and telling her you “love deltas too and can’t wait until you are one.” FAIL! 

Also unforgivable is walking up to a Kappa in the cafeteria and loudly telling him you always wanted to be a Kappa because your daddy is a Kappa.

Wearing Red & White to the Phirst Klass on-campus party, probably not so smart either.

Attending E V E R Y single Delta event is lame. Let me tell you why. GA Deltas are always having events. Which is fine, but if you are present at every single one, well either you manage your time EXCEPTIONALLY well or you have no life. Get involved in something other than your school work & the Greeks.

Please don’t think dating or messing with an Alpha gives you brownie points for AKA. Just like going to every Que party and making sure you’re seen won’t help you into Delta.

Please, Please, Please do your research before you “express” your interest in an organization to a member of that organization. Each chapter and each organization has different protocol for handling “interestees” so observe and do your research before you make that leap. If you tell somebody you are interested, they ask you why, and you get stuck. FAIL.  Some ask you questions to see what you know, some eff with your head, some say that’s great and walk away, some tell you to check their website, some say come to events, some run & tell all their frat brothers, some run & tell every other Greek on campus.

This might be the most important DO: DO STFU (Shut The F Up)!! Just because your roommate has instantly become your new BFF and you all are both interested in AKA does not mean she will be your BFF or even your friend by the time you get your GPA high enough to apply and fixed from effing it up Freshman year partying with the Alphas every weekend.

That leads me to my next DO. Actually maybe this is the most important do. DO take

care of your business first! Make sure your ish is together. There’s nothing like kissing Kappa ass for a year or two and going to every party, maxing out your mama’s credit card to make sure you look good trying to keep up with the million dollar NUPEs only for their Fall informational to come around and you realize you don’t have a 2.75 to even apply. GTFOH!

Don’t mess around and eff up your reputation. Ladies stay yo ass at KD and fellas stay yo ass at St. Mike’s. You can have fun without engaging in negative activities that will follow you until you graduate and terminate your chances of being accepted into the organization of your choice.

At the end of the day most people are going to know who is at least interested. Why? Cause like I said it’s a small school and most people have nothing better to do than to mind other people’s business.

I said all of this to say just be cool. Fall back with all the Greek business right now. You’re freshmen. Mind your business. Take care of your school work first. DO YOU! What’s meant to be will be.  We just wanted to make sure you don’t completely ruin your chances before the opportunity to apply presents itself.

Sincerely,

Half.Pint

If you have any questions feel free to email half.pint @ half.pinthalfbaked@gmail.com

The Why Generation

There are many of us who grew up at the tail end of the “X” generation. We spent early afternoons with the Power Rangers and Sailor Moon, Ninja Turtles and Transformers.

We ran up and down the street playing with friends, but only until the streetlights came on (if you were out after that, you KNEW your butt was in trouble). Those were the days.

Listening to TLC, En Vogue, MC Lyte, L.L. Cool J and others. “This Is How We Do It” kicked off every weekend right.

Chores were a pain in the ass, but if we didn’t work we didn’t play. When it came to respecting our parents, elders and others it was expected at all times and eventually became a habit. But what happened to the “Y” generation? The ‘why should I have to do it?’ The ‘this is all about me and what I want’ generation. The ‘You don’t know me or what it’s like to be me’ generation. The ‘why can’t you just do it for me generation’

The babies of 1988 thru 1999 expect to be given everything just because they exist. A selfishness persists that can be seen in their actions, heard in their words and perpetuated among them, until all that is left is the “Me, Myself and I” factor.

Sitting in a lower level class I heard a freshman complain that her teacher gave her a bad grade for turning in an assignment late. The freshman girl said ‘She should’ve been happy I even turned that sh*t in.”

Another girl was complaining about what a b**** her mother is for telling her that she needed to start taking more responsibility. She said, “If that’s the case why the hell do we have parents. I’m a college student not an adult.” Please tell ME how a college student is NOT an adult. A parent’s job is to help you become an adult not continue to be the banker, maid, cook, taxi or anything else you need/what at that moment.

How did this “Y” generation stray so far from the values taught to those in the “X” generation. Were there not enough butt whoopins in their upbringing? Maybe they had a broken home? But I know plenty of single mothers who knew how to set their children right. So why is “Y” so self-centered on the “I”? Someone please shed some light.

Let the Filling Begin!

XAVIERITES!!!!

Construction around campus has commenced but all of the potholes have not been filled! So, no worries, Pot Holes & Blue Poles will be returning for the 2009-2010 school year! Spike Lee’s joints had very eventful summers and now that we are all settled into the new school year we are ready to get right back into the swing of things! Did ya miss us? I’m sure you did! :D

We will be re-launching 9-14-2009!! Very soon so stay tuned!! In the meantime keep reading as we welcome everyone back to campus.

First, we want to welcome the new freshman, the class of 20—uhh, damn where are we now? Oh yes, the class of 2013! Congratulations on making it to college and becoming a Xavierite, trust us when we say there is nothing like it (take that how you want to)! The HBCU experience is incomparable to any other college experience. Some of you may be happy to be at XU some of you may have been forced by parents, financial situations, or other circumstances; whatever the case, you’re here now so make the very best of it! You only live once! Learn the XU Dance (I saw some of yall getting it during Freshman Orientation lol), stay away from the whoadies, study hard, play hard, & most importantly GRADUATE! We will definitely have some more words of advice, as the school year progresses so stay tuned!

Where are all my sophomores at?! How does it feel to no longer be freshmen? Out of the freshman dorms? For my fellas, kicking it in Deporres with the big dogs now huh? Extended curfew! Uh Oh, Sophomores doing big things! Lol Hope your summers were swell and we’re happy to have some of, most of, you back on campus!

Juniors!! All I can say is, almost—almost!

WHERE THE SEN10RS AT?! (Not super seniors—you had your chance.) Class of 2010, Graduation and the real world is only several months, a few thousand dollars, and approx 28-33 credits away! CONGRATS! Y’all ready?! If not, get ready! For those of you not heading straight to graduate programs start trying to lock down jobs NOW we are still in a recession people, and the job hunt is no joke. If you are heading to grad/prof/med school make sure you have everything taken care of! If you plan on graduating in the spring stay on top of EVERYTHING at ALL times. Please don’t forget you attend an HBCU, and for those of you who are not freshman and/or know others at HBCUs, you know what that means. Tell the receptionist in the registrar’s office to get off the phone with her aint-tee, step away from the food, and check on yo ish!

To the administration in the Liberal Arts College, all we can say is get it together and keep it together so you can keep your job, ‘cause uhh, 3 words: College of Pharmacy. You better ask somebody!

What’s to come in future articles:

• Manic Freshman & XU’s Greek Life
  
• Campus Police #FAIL | Student Robbed at Gunpoint
  
• 2009 Hurrication?
  
• NOLA Events Calendar
  
• College of Pharmacy Cleans up Probation Mess
  
• Who is Marguerite Giguette
  
• Freshman Dos & Don'ts

Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50

Michael Jackson has been pronounced dead at age 50. Jackson was found in his home this afternoon after suffering from cardiac arrest. Paramedics claim that he was unresponsive and without a pulse upon their arrival. Unfortunately they were unable to revive him.

The news of Michael Jackson's death shook the entire nation and world. Fans from all over the world are expressing their love, gratitude and sympathy for a man who they came to know through his music, manner, and talent. The admired and often times controversial Michael Jackson was a major icon for our generation and generations before us. His music mastered the 70's and conquered the 80's. Without a doubt he was one of the greatest recording artists of all time.

His music, talent, and ability to penetrate and break through musically on an international level across color lines and country sides will never be forgotten.

To many, Michael was more than an artist, he was an inspiration and incredible to say the very least. His music is, and forever will be, a timeless symbol of his love, respect and admiration for a craft he so ostentatiously mastered.

He is survived by his 3 children, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.

The boy band (& biological brothers), The Jackson 5, signed to Motown in 1968. "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There" all hit number one in 1970, making them the first group in pop history to have their first four singles top the charts (SOURCE).

In 1972 he had his first number one solo single "Ben," which earned an Oscar nomination.

From 1977 to 1983 Jackson volubly stamped himself as an entertainer of all time. Jackson gained a star role in the all black musical The Wiz, met Quincy Jones, and recorded his first solo album as an adult producing top singles that many of us will never forget. Some of which include but are not limited to, "Dont Stop Til You Get Enough," "Rock With You," "Billie Jean," "The Girl Is Mine," "Thriller," and "Beat It."

Rest In Peace Michael J. Jackson.

(August 29, 1958-June 25, 2009)

Respectfully,

Radio Raheem

Facebook Changes (We were just talking about this)

You should all be getting notified shortly that Facebook is making some changes. This time changes for the better. Some friends and I were just talking about how great this would be. I've often had conversations with people I may be networking with and one of us usually asks: Are you on Facebook? The answer has always been yes so that's not the problem.

The problem is how am I going to find you? So we switch full names, go home and begin the search for each other. This can be a bit time consuming if the person has a pretty common name like John Smith then you have to sift through a million profiles. Or if they have a super complicated spelling of their name and you didn't write it down. So then you might try searching through mutual friends but of course your only mutual friends have like 800 facebook friends!

Facebook is solving that on June 12th. Now, like myspace, you will be able to choose your own URL to send people directly to your page. For example facebook.com/MonicaWright504 or whatever ghetto creation people come up with.

Here's exactly what Facebook said:

From the beginning of Facebook, people have used their real names to share and connect with the people they know. This authenticity helps to create a trusted environment because you know the identity of the people and things on Facebook. The one place, though, where your identity wasn't reflected was in the Web address for your profile or the Facebook Pages you administer. The URL was just a randomly assigned number like "id=592952074." That soon will change.

We're planning to offer Facebook usernames to make it easier for people to find and connect with you. When your friends, family members or co-workers visit your profile or Pages on Facebook, they will be able to enter your username as part of the URL in their browser. This way people will have an easy-to-remember way to find you. We expect to offer even more ways to use your Facebook username in the future.



Your new Facebook URL is like your personal destination, or home, on the Web. People can enter a Facebook username as a search term on Facebook or a popular search engine like Google, for example, which will make it much easier for people to find friends with common names. Your username will have the same privacy setting as your profile name in Search, and you can always edit your search privacy settings here.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Saturday, June 13, you'll be able to choose a username on a first-come, first-serve basis for your profile and the Facebook Pages that you administer by visiting www.facebook.com/username/. You'll also see a notice on your home page with instructions for obtaining your username at that time.


Facebook usernames will be available in basic text forms, and you can only choose a single username for your profile and for each of the Pages that you administer. Your username must be at least five characters in length and only include alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9), or a period or full stop ("."). While usernames are currently available only for Romanized text, we're looking at how we might support non-Romanized characters in the future.

Think carefully about the username you choose. Once it's been selected, you won't be able to change or transfer it. If you signed up for a Facebook Page after May 31 or a user profile after today at 3 p.m. EDT, you may not be able to sign up for a username immediately because of steps we've taken to prevent abuse or "squatting" on names.

What do you all think about this new change?

G-Eazy Feat. Cypher - Freshaholic

PLEASE!! I GOTS TA KNOW What you all think about the song and the video. When you comment seperate the two. Unless you love them BOTH or hate them BOTH. I personally like MUCH better than the other, but I shall reveal my opinion on the media in due time. I really am interested in what you all think about this particular song and this particular feeling, nevermind how you may feel about the artist overall body of work. Get it? Got it? GOOD! Peep:

My Favorite Lebron/Kobe Puppet Commercial

ENJOY!