Katrina, Rich Men North Of Richmond, And The Persistent Hatred of Poor People | Black Agenda Report
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Hurricane Idalia and Other News
The Hurricane of Idalia is about to make landfall in Florida. Right now, it's a category four storm with a wind speed of 130 mph and wind gusts up to 160 mph. The movement is NNE at 17 mph. There have been mandatory evacuations for many residents in various cities and towns. The Governor of Florida is currently having a news conference, and many people have been preparing for this storm for many days. There are concerns for pets, so shelters are being opened for pets and people. We live in a highly technological time, so information about the hurricane is spreading very rapidly. As the eye wall moves on in, there is likely a high storm surge bringing about flooding. The storm is moving quickly going into Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina before going into the Atlantic Ocean. A storm surge warning has existed in places at Savannah and in Charleston. There has been winds, lightning, and storm surge at Crystal River, Florida which is a low-lying area. Many authorities have responded to southwest Florida.
There is the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department resuming shutoffs. This comes after a three-year pause. The temporary moratorium on the shutoffs was enacted in March 2020 as a response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The moratorium was allowed to expire on December 31, 2022, based on the false claim made by many Democrats and Republicans that the pandemic is "over." This will be done by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). The DWSD said that the shutoffs will start with residents who owe the most and how-to live-in areas where middle and high-income earners live based on the U.S. Census data. That means that over 700 households could risk losing water. Shutoffs will cause health threats to families like dehydration, infectious diseases, and the inability to provide medically necessary meals or infant formula. The ACLU wants an injunction to stop the shutoff, and Brown, the DWSD director scapegoated the households behind on bills. Getting water is a human right, and tons of alternatives can be enacted to help society without massive water shutoffs.
A lot has changed since August 28, 1963, when the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom began. Technology has massively evolved to include iPhones, Netflix, Meta, and artificial intelligence. Yet, victory for liberty and justice is not a reality yet. When voting rights are less now in 2023 than in 1965, then we have a serious problem. Our outrage at the status quo is justified. Many human beings today face police brutality, poverty, sexism, poverty (and other forms of economic oppression), xenophobia, and other forms of bigotry. The 1963 March on Washington and the overall civil rights movement was about bringing diverse people together in order to bring the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities to the people. The federal government has the responsibility to ensure the general welfare and promote justice for all in an indivisible fashion. That is not our reality now when states ban books, restrict voting rights, and seek to harm the free speech rights of peaceful protesters.
The criminal justice system, the wealth gap, and health care disparities will not be solved by moderate prescriptions or MAGA rhetoric. These evils can only be solved by structural and revolutionary change among all levels of government. The deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the 3 black people in Jacksonville, Florida show the epidemic of hate crimes in America. It shows that racism is a reality that seeks to destroy black lives literally. It's our just right to stand up for black lives from the poor and the homeless to others of every background. It is important to realize that the 1963 March on Washington (which was organized by tons of people like John Lewis, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cleveland Robinson, Bayard Rusin, Daisy Bates, Ann Arnold Hedgeman, A. Philip Randolph, etc.) wasn't just about the fight to end legalized Jim Crow apartheid. The march was about ending poverty, advancing a living wage, developing workers' rights, having fair education, developing housing, ending police brutality, and desiring full citizenship among black people.
Grassroots organizing is one major avenue where solutions are enacted, and the black freedom struggle overall has been always inspirational. Reactionary politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (who advanced a shoot-on-sight policy against undocumented immigrants which is abhorrent) and four times indictment Donald Trump may want to have a vendetta against progressives, but we seek the opposite in promoting progressive values. It is not enough to end Jim Crow apartheid which should be gone. We have to also promote egalitarianism in making sure that economic and racial equality is real via a radical redistribution of economic and political power. It's the reality that when Dr. King promoted these aims including opposing imperialism (and the Vietnam War) via his Poor People's Campaign, that he would be assassinated in 1968. So, we have to be clear to unite with like-minded people to defend democratic freedoms wholeheartedly.
By Timothy
Monday, August 28, 2023
Late August 2023 Commentaries.
In our generation, we have to realize how serious the Trump indictments are in American history and world history. There has been no President and no elected official in American history that has been accused of anything close to the scale that Donald Trump has been charged with. If Biden wins re-election in 2024, then there is a higher than 70 percent chance of Trump being convicted in just one federal case. Trump faced four indictments (3 federal indictments and one state indictment) along with being charged with 91 counts. This reality is unprecedented. Regardless of what far-right people say, this prosecution is not a "witch hunt" but a defense of our democracy. Biden didn't indict Trump. Trump and others were indicted by the American grand jury system after seeing conclusive evidence of corruption by Trump and his allies. This is because Trump knew the election was not a fraud, and he used illegal tactics including using fake electors in trying to steal the 2020 election. He criticized Mike Pence for refusing to cover up for Trump involving the 2020 election. Donald Trump has been treated with kid gloves and special privileges that other defendants have never been given. He only has one mug shot being publicly released. Trump has threatened witnesses and was in legal trouble for decades from his Trump University scandals to allegations of housing discrimination. We reject the 2021 insurrection against the U.S. Capitol. The reality is that the resentments of the working class have nothing to do with wokeism. Being woke is the belief that every human born on this Earth deserves freedom, justice, and equality without exception. It has to do with the massive economic inequality of income and wealth and other systems of oppression harming human beings. The myth by the moderates and MAGA extremists is that the left and the right have gotten more extreme. The reality is that progressives have hardly moved and the far right is more far right now than even during the days of the Reagan Presidency. There was a time of liberal Republicans during the 1960's. That day is over. For example, thirty years ago, Bill Clinton was a centrist as he passed welfare reform, promoted being tough on crime policies, and compromised with Republicans on many issues. Trump moved the GOP even further right by inciting an insurrection, promoting a Muslim travel ban, and denying that he lost the 2020 election (when Trump knows that view is a total lie). Many people who claim to be left are really center-left or centrists. Even the 1956 Republican Platform (which wanted to protect Social Security, provide asylum for refugees, extend the minimum wage, promote union, have equal pay for equal work regardless of sex, provide federal assistance to low-income communities, etc.) is much more progressive than the 2020 Republican Platform. We should remind people that liberals and progressives caused the Voting Rights Act to pass, created Social Security (that lifted millions of elderly Americans out of poverty), created the Civil Rights Act, gave women the right to vote, promoted environmental laws, created Medicare, helped to end legal segregation, and advanced the movement against police brutality. Far-right conservatives opposed these blessings for decades. Reagan called Medicare a socialist plot to ruin seniors, and JFK gave a speech at Madison Square Garden to support Medicare legislation.
There is much news about our time. The NLRB issued a ruling that will force employers to recognize unions in the workplace if bosses commit unfair labor practices during a union election. The myth promoted is that no one wants to work anymore. The reality is that people don't want to be paid unlivable wages. If we want more jobs to exist in a moral society, people should be paid livable wages with benefits. Wealth inequality is real, and it's a global crisis. People worth less than $10,000 or 53% of the world's adult population hold 1.2% of the world's assets. People worth over $1 million or 1.1% of the world's adult population have 46% of the world's wealth. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is reportedly concerned that if they give a fair deal to writers and actions in America, then that will set a precedent for writers/actors in other territories to ask for fair deals. In 2022 alone, Lowe's spent over $14 billion on stock buybacks. That is enough money to give one of its 301,000 U.S. employees a $47,000 bonus. These buybacks don't create jobs, they don't increase wages, they don't grow the economy, and they make corporate executives richer. People want fairness in society which is why autoworkers have voted to strike if the Big Three carmakers don't agree with a fair deal. We see a resurrection of labor rights strikes in America. They are striking for economic justice while CEOs have record payments. Actors, writers, nurses, hotel housekeepers, journalists, teachers, machinists, and other workers have left their jobs in the past few months. These strikes have to do with everybody, regardless if someone works or not. These striking workers are fighting for more economic fairness and justice in American society. What they do will benefit us in the future, so we have to show solidarity with these courageous heroes. What we learned from Nixon and Trump is that the executive branch of government can never have omnipotent powers. There are checks and balances for a reason as we desire democracy and the rule of law to be superior to authoritarianism and fascism. The GOP Party has been in chaos in them supporting Trump unconditionally in the majority. The recent GOP 2023 Debate mentioned Trump tons of times, but they mention nothing on lowering drug prices and health care costs for Americans.
An important message in closing is that unity in the Black African Diaspora is important. That means that we have the same African roots regardless if we are African American, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-European, Afro-Latino, etc. We have the same worth and value as any other human being. When you honor and love what God made you to be, treat people right, and support righteousness (in word and indeed), then blessings come about. I am a Black American, and I decided not to identify as FBA, Freedmen, Aboriginals, or ADOS for many reasons because I don't make an idol of America and my ancestors were victims of slavery from Africa not born slaves (there is a difference). My people came from Africa being descendants of the first humans on Earth, being black people. We have to confront evil. Recently, a white cowardly racist murdered three innocent black people (who are 2 black men and one black woman) in Jacksonville, Florida. That murderer is evil and hate crimes have increased in America in the past 10+ years. We have to promote our unity as Brothers and Sisters. There are tons of places now where African Americans, Africans, Jamaicans, Haitians, Afro-Latinos, etc. celebrate black culture with love and mutual appreciation. One example of this unity is when Sha'carri Richardson and Shericka Jackson congratulated each other when they won their respective races of the 100m and the 200m during the 2023 World Track and Field Championship. Many ADOS and FBA members, who spew xenophobic rhetoric, ally with Donald Trump (because they share Trump's views on isolationism, xenophobia, and bigotry). Afrophobia must be rejected as Africa has diverse, beautiful cultures that have inspired the world for millennia. Therefore, it is important to advance black unity globally as we are a great people.
The 60th anniversary of the March on Washington took place in Washington, D.C. Organizers of the march included Martin Luther King III, his wife and Drum Major Institue President Arndrea Waters King, daughter Yolanda (or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s granddaughter), and National Action Network leader Rev. Al Sharpton. We see a right-wing backlash so vicious that far-right MAGA extremists want to revert to the 1950's instead of going forward in the 21st century. Jealous people in Georgia desire to target Fulton DA Fani Willis because she is fulfilling her duty to make sure that Trump and 18 other indicted people face accountability. The 60th anniversary is a continuation, not a commemoration. Many of the speakers in the rally spoke up for justice and equality for all people in the human race. They spoke out against gun violence, against racism, against sexism, and against anti-Semitsm. It's our duty to not only speak up against evil. We have to be active in constructive actions in helping society to grow. We have to expose liars like Ramaswamy who called Presley and Kendi as the "Modern KKK." The KKK murdered people, raped people, and burned down black churches to the ground. This stuff from Ramaswamy shows his racism and ignorance of history. Constructive actions must be done by us. These actions can be going on in city councils, working in the school system, registering people to vote, running for office, volunteering, mentoring kids, defending democratic rights, building up communities, working in STEM to help humanity, and being a light of wisdom for people. Each of us has a gift, and it is very important to be inspired by our audacious ancestors in making sure that the Dream in the future will develop into total fruition.
The 2023 World Track and Field Championship has been historic in many ways. In the men's 800m, Marco Arop of Canada won, Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya won silver, and Ben Pattison won bronze from the UK. In the men's 4 X 100m relay, America won gold with Christain Coleman, Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes, Noah Lyles, and J.T. Smith, Italy won silver, and Jamaica won bronze. As for the men's pole vault, Armand Duplantis won gold from Sweden, Ej Obiena won silver from the Philippines, and bronze was given to Kurtis Marschall from Australia and Chris Nilsen from America. The men's triple jump was won gold by Hugues Fabrice Zango from Burkina Faso, Lazaro Martinez from Cuba for silver, and the bronze medal was given to Cristian Napoles from Cuba. The men's decathlon was won by Pierce LePage from Canada, silver was given to Damian Warner from Canada, and bronze was given to Lindon Victor from Grenada. The women's 400m hurdles were won by Femke Bol of the Netherlands in gold, Shamier Little won silver from America, and Rushell Clayton won bronze from Jamaica. The women's triple jump was won by Yulimar Rojas from Venezuela, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuck won silver from Ukraine, and Leyanis Perez-Hernandez won bronze from Cuba. In the 800m race, Mary Moraa of Kenya won gold, Keely Hodgkinson of the UK won silver, and Athing Mu won bronze. In the 4 X 100m historic women's race, America won gold with Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, Gabrielle Thomas, Sha'Carri Rihcardson, Tamara Clark, and Melissa Jefferson. Their time was among the top 4 fastest times in 4 X 100m relay history. Jamaica won silver, and Great Britain won bronze. In the women's 4 X 400m relay race, the Netherlands won gold with Eveline Saalberg, Lieke Klaver, Cathelijhn Peeters, Femke Bol, and Lisanne de Witte. Jamaica won silver, and Great Britain won bronze. In the 4 X 400m relay men's team, America won gold with Quincy Hall, Vernon Norwood, Justin Robinson, Rai Benjamin, Trevor Bassitt, Matthew Bolling, and Christopher Bailey. France won silver, and Great Britain won bronze.
My 2nd cousin Elise Odell Peeples Watson Whitehead is a descendant of Charles and Fannie Peeples. Her parents were Vernell Franklin Peeples (1912-1987) and Bettie Wilkerson (1918-2003). Elsie's children with Eddie Morris Watson (b. 1945) are Eddie Morris Watson Jr. (b. 1966) and Patrina Evette Watson (b. 1967). Patrina Evette Watson's children are DeAndre Watson (b. 1985), Shamika Latrice Watson (b. 1986. She has many children like Victory, etc.), and Quita Watson. My 3rd cousin Eddie Morris Watson Jr. married Mary Elizabeth Harrell on December 7, 1960, in Portsmouth, Virginia. Their marriage ended on February 16, 2010, in Suffolk, Virginia.
By Timothy
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Friday, August 25, 2023
Trump's Mug shot (A Historic Time).
Now, Donald Trump has been arrested, booked, and his mug shot has been taken in Atlanta, Georgia. This reality of the test of our democracy. His inmate No. is P01135809. Trump was taken into the Fulton County Jail via motorcade. For generations now, Trump has shown bigotry, arrogance, and stubbornness that caught up with him. There is no excuse for Trump to ask Georgia political leaders to steal the 2020 election in Georgia. The case now is being debated, and some Georgia state Republicans want to strip Fani Willis of her power for political, racial, and sexist reasons. Fani Willis has been very forthright in holding criminals accountable for many years, and she has the courage to earnestly bring accountability to those who break the law. Trump obviously did anti-democratic actions which is why he was impeached twice when he was President. Autocratic policies from the Muslim ban to desiring to demonize the press represent his personality. Trump is the first former President to have a mug shot and be fingerprinted in a federal trial.
The recent news of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin being presumed dead after a plane crash leads people to many questions. Immediately, some blame Putin for his death. We don't know the answer to how the plane crashed. Putin said that Prigozhin was talented but made many mistakes in his life. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine had nothing to do with the crash. U.S. President Joe Biden suggested that Putin may have been behind it. Now, the Ukrainian war continues, and Ukrainian forces carried out what seemed to be one of Kyiv's most complex and ambitious operations to date against Russian military facilities on the Crimean Peninsula. Zelensky marked Ukraine's Independence Day exactly 18 months after Russians launched its illegal invasion of Ukraine by honoring the country's war dead. The plane crash also killed allies of Prigozhin too. Other people on the plane are Sergey Propustin, Evgeniy Makaryan, Aleksandr Totmin, Valeriy Chekalov, Nikolay Mtuseev, and Dmitriy Utkin. So far, we don't know how the plane crashed, but Ukraine deserves its own independence without Russian invasion indeed.
The GOP Debate which was the first GOP Debate of the 2024 Presidential election confirmed what we all knew. Every candidate on the stage (except for Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson to an extent) didn't have the courage to unconditionally criticize Trump for his corruption, for his disrespect and violation of democratic principles, for his racism, for his xenophobia, and for his hatred of human beings who disagree with his authoritarian, reactionary agenda. While this was going on, Trump skipped the debate to talk with fellow racist and xenophobe Tucker Carlson. Luttig made the legal argument that Trump is excluded from the Presidency in the future because the 14th Amendment, Section 3 barred those from federal office who have violated oaths sworn to the Constitution. The GOP candidates hypocritically blame Democrats and liberals for trying to create a bigger government, but they advocate big government in promoting school bans, dictating social issues, and desiring limits to voting rights plus protesting. DeSantis and Ramaswamy (who is a close friend of Jared Kushner) advocate allowing Ukraine to just be conquered by Russia which is a nation controlled by the dictator, war criminal Vladimir Putin. Christie and Ramaswamy debated each other on Trump and climate change. At times, the GOP was heated. Many candidates went after Ramaswamy because he is increasing his popularity in the polls. Even Nikki Haley criticized Ramaswamy on foreign policy issues. DeSantis talked about wanting Joe Biden to go to his basement and other platitudes.
There are more results from Thursday's 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. For the men's 400 m race, Antonio Watson of Jamaica won gold, Matthew Hudson-Smith won silver, and Quincy Hall of America won bronze. For the 400m hurdles, Karsten Warholm of Norway won gold, Kyrion McMaster of the British Virgin Islands won silver, and Rai Benjamin of America won bronze. For the men's long jump, Miltiadis Tentoglou won gold from Greece, Wayne Pinnock won silver from Jamaica, and Tajay Gayle won bronze from Jamaica. For the 400m women's race, Marileidy Paulino won gold from the Dominican Republic, Natali Kaczmarek from Poland won silver, and Sada Williams from Barbados won bronze. For the 100m hurdles of women, Danielle Williams of Jamaica won gold, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico won silver, and the American Kendra Harrison won bronze. For the 400m hurdles for women, Femke Bol of the Netherlands won gold, Shamier Little from America won silver, and Rushell Clayton from Jamaica won bronze. From the women's hammer throw, Camyrn Rogers from Canada won gold, Janee' Kassanvoid from America won silver, and DeAnna Price from America won bronze.
New discoveries about my family tree happen constantly. On Ancestry.com, a talented young woman matched me genetically, and she is my 3rd maternal cousin. Her name is Xylia Adell Abiola Ye Ajose, and she was born in 1997. Her parents are David O. Ajose (b. 1972) and Aricia M. Cottman (b. 1973). Aylia Ajose and I are descendants of Charles and Fannie Peeples. Aricia M. Cottman's parents are Randolph E. Cottman (b. 1954) and Arvenia Viola Brittingham Saunders (b. 1954). Arvenia's sister was Randolynn Pleshette Cottman, who earned a Master's Degree in Education Guidance and Counseling from Wilmington University in 2012. She lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Arvenia Saunders's parents are Richard Thomas Brittingham Sr. 1929-2007) and Fannie B. Moses Brittingham (1928-2004). Fannie B. Moses Brittingham's parents were Levin A. Moses Jr. (1905-1986) and Viola Emily Jones (1909-1958). Viola Emily Jones's parents were Jessie Jones (1887-1951) and Lizzie Peeples Jones Spady (1887-1964). Lizze Peeples Jones Spady's parents were Charles Peeples (1855-1922) and Fannie Fronianna Susanna Virginia Brown (Peeples) (1857-1946). Christy Nicole Williams Godwin (b. 1983) is related to me via our ancestor of Zilphy Claud. She is married to Javon Godwin. She is my 4th maternal cousin. Her parents are Payton Joyner Williams (b. 1955) and Sharon Lynicia Graves (b. 1957). Payton Joyner Williams's parents are Payton John Williams Sr. (1922-2002) and Ethel Redell Wright Whitfield (1925-1991). Payton John Williams Sr.'s parents are Peter Percy Williams (1880-1949) and Hattie E. Joyner (1881-1959). Peter Percy Williams's parents were John Henry Williams (1857-1921) and Adaline Hill (1862-1930). Adaline Hill's parents were the freeman Tom Hill (1838-1915) and Sarah Claud (1842-1892). Sarah's Claud's mother was Zilphy Claud (1820-1893).
By Timothy
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Nearing the Debate.
Trump lawyer John Eastman surrendered to authorities in the Georgia election case. Eastman faces serious criminal time. He can either cooperate with the authorities or face long years in prison. So, far two Trump co-defendants have surrendered in Fulton County, Georgia. Trump said that he will surrender on Thursday for the Georgia RICO case. Rudy Giuliani still hasn't found a Georgia-based lawyer needed to negotiate his surrender. Then, Guiliani expects to be arraigned today. Mark Meadows is so desperate to escape accountability that he is asking for a court order to avoid arrest in Georgia. Mark Meadows attended a December 2020 White House meeting when Trump considered using the military to seize voting machines. Trump's proposal is treason. Meadows wanted the Justice Department to investigate fraud allegations. The situation is that Trump and his allies worked together in trying to overthrow democracy in America. The indicted Trump aide now complains that Trump is not funding her defense. The Georgia co-defendant blamed Trump for the elector fraud scheme.
Trump's team agree to a $200,000 bond involving the Georgia election case. There are also other release conditions too. Trump and the 18 co-defendants have until noon ET on Friday to voluntarily surrender to Georgia authorities after being criminally charged in the state's 2020 election subversion case. Trump is expected to turn himself in the Fulton County jail on Thursday or Friday, according to a senior law enforcement official. MAGA extremists are still defending Trump, and some believe in the 2020 election lies. Tennessee Legislature Republican members held a special session on "public safety" to limit protests which is a violation of free speech. The legislature bans showing papers to protest.
Involving the 2023 World Track and Field Championships in Budapest, Hungary, new developments are here. Soufiane El Bakkali won gold in the 3000 m men's steeplechase from Morocco, Lamecha Girma from Ethiopia won silver, and Abraham Kibiwot won bronze in Kenya. Part of the men's high jump, Gianmarco Tamberi won gold from Italy, JuVaughn Harrison won silver from America, and Mutaz Essa Barshim won bronze from Qatar. As for the women's 1500 meters, Faith Kipyegon won gold from Kenya, Diribe Welteji from Ethiopia won silver, and Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands won bronze. As for the women's discus throw, Laulauga Tausaga-Collins won gold from America, Valerie Allman won silver from America, and Feng Bin from China won bronze.
Some great news is that Sha'Cari Richardson won the 2023 World Track and Championships today. We knew it was coming. We knew when she would get the torch, and she got it by her own merit. She refuted the haters, overcame obstacles, and is now the fastest woman this year. She won in a record time of 10.65 seconds. She knew that she had to run the race of her life, and she did just that. She won against the greatest competition of women's track and field 100m athletes in human history. It's that important. Sha'Cari Richardson gave an interview after the victory outlining the point that hard work does pay off. Sha'Cari Richardson won gold, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica won silver, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won bronze from Jamaica. In the 100m hurdles of men, Grant Holloway won gold from America with a time of 12.96 seconds, Hansle Parchment from Jamaica won silver with a time of 13.07, and Daniel Roberts of America won bronze with a time of 13.07.
Soon, the Presidential debate will exist among the Republican Party. Many legal scholars believe that Trump should be barred from the Presidency over the January 6th attack. The debate will signify the future of the Republican Party. Either the Republican candidates will ally with Trumpism or not. There is no ambiguity. Many candidates are qualified for the upcoming debate or the debate coming up afterward. So far, Trump has been very popular in the GOP with a large percentage of the GOP voters agreeing with the Trump agenda disgracefully. We live in a crossroads in American society. In the political arena, you have to display the courage to say that Trump makes a mockery of our morality, and we deserve better. Trump has violated democratic laws, bashed peaceful protesters, lied about elected officials including judges, and has cult-like supporters who unconditionally agree with his every word. America deserves better than this, and when 2024 comes up, I will vote for democracy, not Donald Trump.
By Timothy
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Monday, August 21, 2023
Cultural Information in Late August 2023.
The 1990's was the time when most of my childhood existed. I witness shows like A Different World and Batman: The Animated series during that time period. It was a time of massive cultural explosion international. We saw the end of the Cold War back then along with musical and technological development from the cloning of sheep, the Human Genome Project, gene therapy trials, lithium-ion batteries, and to the expansion of the Internet. This post-Cold War decade saw music that was lively and diverse. Music dealt with the individual, honest, and complex human experience. From Gangsta's Paradise from Coolio ft. LV to Baby from Mariah Carey, human emotions were shown in a raw fashion. The youth worldwide loved to listen to grunge, hip hop, Eurodance, rock, country, gospel, funk, jazz and house music. Teen R&B and pop cultural musicians expanded with artists like Aaliyah, Brandy, Monica, Britney Spears, 98 Degrees, etc. Grunge acts like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilot were very popular along with alternative rock acts like R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Creed, Everclear, Bush, etc. The 1990's saw hip hop be more resilient, debated, and grown to the next level with Salt-n-Pepa, Dr. Dre, Snoop, Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, The Fugees, etc. Punk Rock saw a resurgence with Blink-182, Green Day, No Doubt, Goldfinger, etc. We saw rave and EDM with Moby and Bjork. Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, etc. represented country music. By the end of the decades, groups like Spice Girls, Destiny's Child, Christina Aguilera, En Vogue, Dru Hill, Mya, Whitney Houston, etc. were on the top of their games expressing lyrics about the value of love. Sorrow in music existed in the 1990's with very talented artists passing away like Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, Selena, Eazy-E, Tupac Shakur, and the Notorious B.I.G. The strength of the 1990's was that it focused on excellence, individuality, and a carefree attitude about unapologetic self-expression. The 1990's wasn't all roses as hurricanes, racial tensions, mass shootings, and other terrible occurrences did exist back then. Yet, the 1990's did have many positive joys like fair representation of black Americans on TV shows, diverse musical genres being respected, and a sense of optimism about the future. Later, we saw see the music of the 21st century on an in-depth level.
Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Early devoted her post war life to community service. She served on the Board of Directors of Dayton Power and Light, the Dayton Metro Housing Authority, the Dayton Opera Company, the Board of Governors of the American Red Cross, and the Board of Trustees of Sinclair Community College. Adams volunteered for United Way, the United Negro College Fund, the Urban League, and the YWCA. She also co-directed the Black Leadership Development Program. Adams earned many honors and awards. Adams earned the Woman of the Year award from the National Council of Negro Women in 1946, the Top Ten Women of the Miami Valley Dayton Daily News award in 1965, and the Service to the Community Award from the Ohio State Senate in 1989. In 1987, she received the Senior Citizens Gold Watch Award. Adams was listed on the Smithsonian Institution's 110 most important historical Black Women, Black Women Against the Odds award, in 1982. She was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 1993. She was also inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame and named Citizen of the Year by The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners in 1991. In 1997, Adams was included in the BellSouth African-American History Calendar. She also received honorary doctorates from Wilberforce University and the University of Dayton in 1991. Dayton Public Schools named one of their all-girls elementary schools in her honor (the "Charity Adams Earley Girls Academy"). In 1949, Adams married Stanley A. Earley, Jr. They moved to Switzerland for a time while Stanley completed medical school. They returned to the U.S. in 1952 and settled in Dayton, Ohio where they had two children, Stanley III and Judith Earley. Adams died at age 83 on January 13, 2002, in Dayton, Ohio.
On August 8, 2022, The Naming Commission of the US Department of Defense made recommendations for US Army post name changes for facilities named after Confederate soldiers. Among them was that Fort Lee, Virginia be redesignated Fort Gregg-Adams, after Lieutenant General Arthur J. Gregg and Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley. On October 6, 2022, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin accepted the recommendation and directed that the name change occur no later than January 1, 2024. The name change officially occurred on April 27, 2023.
To know about hip hop fashion is to know about hip hop culture. No one can understand fully about hip hop without understanding its fashion. Back in the 1970's, hip hop artists wrote styles of hats, shirts, and diverse shows. By the late 1970's and early 1980's, fashion evolved into the more b-boy style. DJs, breakdancers, and graffiti artists in hip hop during that time had Kangol bucket hats, large gold chains, nameplate necklaces, shell-toe trainers with aces, and black and leather tracksuit tops. Leather jackets were in vogue back in the 1980's, and I wore leather jackets back in the late 1980's when I was a little child. Back then, people embraced the sportswear shown by companies like Le Coq, Sportif, Adidas, etc. Run D.M.C. rapped about Adidas shoes constantly. Other groups and hip hop artists like Big Daddy Kane, Ultramagnetic MCs, Scholly D, The Fat Boys, LL Cool J, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and human beings of the 1980's rocked those fashion styles. By the late 1980's and early 1990's, black consciousness spirit spread across Black America and throughout the world. This was reflected in newer hip-hop fashion too. By this time, many artists wore paramilitary fatigues. Some people had the black empowerment colors of red, black, and green medallions on. Some like Salt-N-Pepa had gold door knocker earrings connected to Africa. During the 1990's, many artists wore Malcolm X T-Shirts and Hats especially after the movie of Malcolm X came out in 1992. Afrocentric fashion styles were shown by Queen Latifah during the late 1980's and early 1990's. From the early to late 1990's, baggy pants and sports jerseys were commonplace in hip hop fashion. Also, more black fashion designers grew their power from Jane Ambrose to Dapper Dan. With more wealth existing in hip hop, artists like Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Diddy, Snoop, Wu-Tang, etc. wore diamond rings, crosses on their necks (regardless of if they were Christian or not), tailor made suits, and specialized shirts. Women like Lil Kim, Da Brat, Lisa Left Eyes Lopes wore suits, dresses, diamond earrings, and shoes. By this time, black owned companies like Fubu dominated the fashion world along with Tommy Hilfiger with sportswear (worn by Aaliyah, etc.). Aaliyah showing the Tommy Hilfiger fashion with the baggy tomboy style was ahead of its style on July 9, 1998. Do-rag, basketball tops, sports caps, and baggy jeans would influence late 1990's and early 2000's hip hop fashion. The shinny suit style of diverse colors and other styles existed by the late 1990's with Jane Ambrose and Diddy. Jay Z promoted Rocawear clothing (like sunglasses, socks, sandals, suede, fur outerwear, jewelry, etc.), and Jay Z had the baggy style back then until he used the grown-up suit and tie motif. By the early 2000's, an increased amount of people in the world wore tattoos. That is reflected in hip hop fashion. Also, a more sophisticated preppy look was shown by Kanye West, Pharrell, and other people. Tattoos being shown were done by Souja Boi, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, Tyga, Gucci Mane, Chief Keef, etc. Hoodies, trainers, large basketball jerseys, baseball caps, etc. were common in 2000's fashion. By 2009, Nicki Mainj had multicolored wigs, colorful clothes, and set the foundation for the fashion of future artists from Coi Leray to Ice Spice. You also saw Foxy Brown and others wearing skintight clothes, shorts, and other accessories. By the 2010's, hip hop artists like tattoos, tight jeans, streetwear, snapbacks, kilts, etc. In the modern age of the 2020s, tight jeans remain, Gucci is promoted, expensive bags are common, and international fashion shows from New York City to Paris encourage hip-hop fashion. Hip Hop fashion also involve hair expression from bald heads, dreads, braids, pixies, and to short haircuts.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx wants to celebrate and preserve hip-hop culture that is global. The museum was a product of a lot of hard work by the efforts of famous and unsung human beings who have a love for the culture. The work was invested by Rocky Bucano, Kurtis Blow, Ice T, LL Cool J, Nas, Melle Mel, Grandwizzard Thedore, Shawn LG Thomas, and so many people. Rocky Bucano worked with many investors to get the project commencing. The museum has a turntable platter logo design that represents the DJ culture and global representation of the museum. By 2014, the Universal Hip Hop Museum's first public event was called The Living Legends. It had hip-hop legends like Melle Mel, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Caz, The Soul Sonic Force, Grandwizzard Theodore, and Ice T. The museum also celebrates the Women of Hip Hop as without women, we weren't be born on this Earth literally. The Universal Hip Hop Museum is a new member of the Association of African American Museums and is among the group of title sponsors of the 42nd annual AAM conference on August 5, 2020.
By Timothy
Friday, August 18, 2023
Late August 2023 News.
Trump potentially risked more legal charges by his planned press conference on Monday where he will lie and claim that the Georgia election in 2020 was a fraud. Then, he canceled it because he believes he has facts on his side which isn't the case. Also, many evil people listed the names of many of the jurors involved in the Georgia election RICO case. We have one woman in Texas being arrested for sending death threats to Judge Chautkin. Therefore, Trumpism and MAGA culture are parts of cults. Any person who has unconditional allegiance to Donald Trump is a cultist period. I don't care who it is. I will debate Trump cultists here all day and refute them because I refuted racists and xenophobes for almost 20 years now. Rudy Giuliani wants to move the case to federal court like Mark Meadows. On August 28, 2023, Meadows will have his hearing on whether his case will go to federal court or not. This era of our history is very important because we are watching our democracy in its greatest test since the American Civil War. This is not fearmongering or hyperbole, because, on January 6, 2021, our nation experienced almost the end of democracy when terrorists invaded the U.S. Capitol building.
Many of my distant paternal cousins do live in Brooklyn, New York City. My 2nd paternal cousin is Bishop Rothel Highsmith (who was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and now he lives in Jamaica, Queens, NYC). He was born on May 12, 1961, in New York City. His first wife is Jeanette Terry (b. 1962), and they married in 1983 in New York City. Their 2 daughters are Rotanetta M. Highsmith (b. 1984) and Jeathel J. Highsmith (b. 1990). These daughters are my 3rd cousins who are from Brooklyn. Bishop Rothel Highsmith's 2nd wife was Tawanda L. Wright being married on September 26, 1998, in New York City. His third wife was Vivian Nesbitt being married on January 22, 2005, in New York City. Their son is my 3rd cousin Jallen C. Highsmith (b. 2005). His current wife is Yolanda Shantell Taliaferro, and the couple married on October 24, 2014, in New York City. Bishop Rothel Highsmith's parents are Herbert Reed Highsmith (1930-1992) and Thelma Lee Whitehead (1933-2014). Bishop Rothel Highsmith's siblings are Herbert Reed High Smith Jr. (1951-1993), Eugene Highsmith (1954-2003), Leatha Highsmith (1956-1991), Reginald Highsmith (b. 1957), and Rhoda L. Highsmith Alexander (b. 1974). My late 2nd cousin Eugene L. Highsmith was married to Wylina G. Cooks in 1981 at Manhattan, New York City. Their children are: Justine Malika Highsmith Luis (b. 1980. She is married to Troy Antonie Luis since February 14, 2009, at Brooklyn, New York City), Gavin E. Highsmith (b. 1989. he is married to Shardae B. Hall since December 12, 2016, at Queens, New York City), and Janeice G. Highsmith (b. 1991). The parents of Thelma Lee Whitehead are Gustave Whitehead (b. 1892) and Penora D. (b. 1895). This is proven by the state of North Carolina marriage record of Thelma Whitehead and Hebert R. Highsmith being married on August 30, 1950, in Martin, North Carolina. The record showed her parents are my great-grandaunt Penora Whitehead and Gustave Whitehead. My great grand aunt Penora D. Whithead's parents are my 2nd great grandparents Adam D. (1862) and Georgianna Tillery (1868-1954).
The Special Counsel sought Trump's tweets and direct messages in the search warrant. So far, we have Trump being desperate to justify his actions, but there is no justification for Trump to lie about the 2020 election and to work in a plot to try to steal the 2020 election using fake electors, violating many laws, and using intimidation tactics against innocent human beings. These prosecutors involved in four trials are professionals who worked long months to gather evidence from various witnesses, electronic devices, and from Trump's own statements about what he did. Now, the state of Arkansas has banned AP African American history studies. This is a direct war against black people period. There is no other way to put it. It's a shame that kids today learn less history in school than in my generation. I was in high school from 1997 to 2001. This reality of Jim Crow tactics is antithetical to Blackness and human justice. We live in serious times. In recent years (not in the 1960's), we see black people murdered in Buffalo and Charleston, Jewish people murdered in Pittsburgh at a synagogue, and constant threats against people (from jurors to judges just doing their jobs) by MAGA extremists and terrorists.
Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Maysa Leak, and she is 57 years old. In our generation, she is one of the most talented singers of jazz, R&B, and soul music. She is a songwriter, singer, and producer. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Milford Mill High School in western Baltimore County. After high school, she studied music at Morgan State University in Baltimore and graduated with a degree in classical performance. She performed as a member of the world-famous Morgan State University Choir under the direction of the late Nathan Carter. She met the performer Stevie Wonder during a college performance too. Maysa went to Southern California to perform with Stevie Wonder's women's backup group called Wonderlove. Maysa sang on The Arsenio Hall Show, Oprah, and The Tonight Show. By the early 1990's, Maysa became a member of the British jazz/funk/R&B band Incognito. She recorded the album of Tribes, Vibes, and Scribes with the hit of Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing. Maysa appeared on over seven Incognito recoding. Maysa's self-titled album was in 1995. She made more albums like All My Life in 2000 and Feel the Fire in 2007. She collaborated with jazz performers from Gerald Veasley to Will Downing. In 2009, she won the first Soul Train Award named for the brand's new owners, Centric. The award is The Centric Award: Soul Approved/Underground. Maysa is a spokesperson for RSV or respiratory syncytial virus (which can be fatal to premature babies). She loves her son Jazz and lives in Baltimore. I wish Sister Maysa Leak more Blessings.
By Timothy
The FBA and ADOS Movements Critiqued.
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Hip Hop Fashion.
Illustrated evolution of hip-hop and rap fashion *list* (redbull.com)
Hip Hop | Official Record of Hip Hop Culture | UHHM
The Evolution of Hip-Hop Fashion: Origins to Now - He Spoke Style
6 Hip Hop Fashion Trend Ideas to Try in 2023 - FotoLog
Hip Hop Fashion From 2000 to 2020 // ONE37pm
History of Hip-Hop Fashion timeline | Timetoast timelines
Hip-Hop’s Biggest Fashion Moments, From Run-DMC to Kanye - WSJ
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Donald Trump's Fourth Indictment and Other News.
Fulton County DA Fani Willis did the heroic act of causing the fourth indictment to exist against Donald Trump. This historic act outlines the principle that accountability and adherence to legitimate election laws matter. This seeping indictment alleges that the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise. This is a serious charge accusing 19 people of working in a plan to overthrow the election results in the state of Georgia using multiple illegal means from threatening voting workers to other crimes against Georgia state law. This is beyond politics. This is about protecting our democratic institutions. Many of the people charged are Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Mark Roman, etc. DA Fani Willis gave a chronological look at the conspiracy to try to harm the Georgia election results in mighty detail. The charges include violations of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree, conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer, etc. DA Fani Willis wants a trial to exist in a span of six months (which many scholars believe might to be too soon as Mark Meadows already wants the trial to move into federal court). She wants all those indicted to have their arrangements by August 25, 2023.
District Attorney Fani Willis is presenting her case against Donald Trump. The grand jury heard evidence from many witnesses about how Trump tried to use a plot to steal the election in Georgia. The case is moving faster. The presentation from District Attorney from Fulton County, Georgia Fani Willis, and her team acted rapidly. She caused many indictments in the case. The Trump team like usual has denied all charges against Donald Trump. Former Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan entered the grand jury room to testify in the Fulton County probe. Since day one, Raffensperger said that the audit in Cobb County found no evidence of fraudulent mail-in voting by December 29, 2020. Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney has presided over key parts of the Trump probe so far. We know about the phone call from Donald Trump desiring a certain number of votes to steal the Georgia 2020 election. It is obvious that what Trump and some of his acolytes did has been illegal.
The number of people who passed away from the Maui wildfire natural disaster is up to 99 being the deadliest fire disaster in America in over 100 years. Authorities now are searching for and identifying the people who passed away. The town of Lahaina has been destroyed by fire. Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said that cadaver dogs have covered just 3 percent of the area. The death toll is likely to grow. DNA testing will have to be used to identify people as many of the bodies fall apart after being found. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said that 2,2000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, 86 percent of them being residential structures. Fires continue to burn in south Maui's Kihei area and in the mountainous communities. Some of the burning footage has been described by some as the firebombing of German cities in February 1945 at Dresden, etc. Climate scientists and environmentalists have warned about a fire with such devastation for two decades like Elizabeth Pickett (co-executive director of the nonprofit Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization and co-author of a Maui wildfire plan made in 2014). There are questions about when the warnings took place and the question of infrastructure development in preventing the massive scale of wildfires.
People are rightfully angry at the response to the wildfire disaster in Hawaii. U-Haul trucks and other supplies are used to go about to try to recover things. Some human lives are saved, but tons of more lives could be lost as a product of the heinous natural disaster. Relief systems are spread all over the region. Lifeguards, carpenters, and bartenders have used relief centers to save lives. Destruction is widespread, and there should be a stronger response from all levels of the American government to help improve the conditions of this historic disaster. President Biden saying "no comment" is not going to cut it. About 1,300 people are missing in Hawaii now. Mainstream capitalism is cutthroat. It is indifferent to morality and justice. That is why it is necessary to show compassion and advocate solutions to the problems of our age like the wildfires, poverty, racism, bigotry in general, and other important subjects in our time.
Some recent sad news is that Magoo (Melvin Barcliff) passed away at 50 years old. He was born in Virginia from the 757 where I'm from. He was a hip-hop artist who worked with Timbaland, Missy Elliot, Aaliyah, and other legends of music. He contributed to bringing the 757 of Virginia into the next level of hip-hop culture by the mid to the late 1990's and beyond. His creative voice, a down to Earth personality, and outlining love for his family and friend characterize his life. Back on July 11, 1997, the song of Up Jumps da Boogie was released. It featured Magoo, Timbaland, Missy Elliot, and Aaliyah. That song was an anthem for us being from Hampton Roads, Virginia. Aaliyah joined with Virginia musicians because real recognize real to be honest. Aaliyah was a great artist ahead of her time, and she was friends with Magoo, Timbaland, Missy, and other Virginian musicians ahead of their time too. Timbaland, Missy, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Magoo, 702, Playa, etc. made timeless music. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and traveled the world to be an ambassador of what Virginian musical culture was all about. This tragic news is shocking. I send condolences to his family and friends.
Rest in Power Brother Magoo.
By Timothy
Monday, August 14, 2023
Cultural History in Early August 2023.
This year saw Disney see 100 years of its existence. A lot has changed in the span of 100 years. Disney is an institution that has been through ups and downs. It has the paradox of having a large involvement in outlining some of the greatest amination television shows, shorts, and movies in all of human history along with many controversies (during the past and present). Disney has been an entertainment hub for men, women, and children who seek joy along with an entity being criticized by Ron DeSantis for bigoted, reactionary reasons (hiding behind religion when most religious people don't believe that certain people should have 2nd class citizenship in contradiction of treating your neighbor as yourself. We have to fight to maintain and strengthen our democracy as democracy is readily fragile). I imagined writing on Disney for a long time. Now, it's time to show a fair portrait of the history, legacy, and culture of Disney. It is true that tons of workers in Disney locations are filled with grace and character and Walt Disney is a controversial person (with debates on his ideologies and his legacy as a man). Likewise, it is truly right to show it all about Disney and I do mean all. The only way to evaluate history is to see it with a clear picture filled with context, sources, and information that drive curiosity and understanding in a cogent fashion. Minnie Mouse, The Lion King, Mickey Mouse, and other characters are part of the world lexicon, and Disney will continue to exist in a changing 21st-century era indeed.
To start, in the time of October of 1923, Walt and Roy Disney worked together to open their studio together. This was in the early stage of Hollywood and the modern-day entertainment industry. Years ago, from 1921 to 2922, Walt and Ub Iwerks worked at Gray Advertising Company. Both had a studio called Laugh-o-gram Films Inc. from 1921 to 1922. Roy introduced Walt to the Gray Advertising Company. The studio became bankrupt. Walt Disney moved to Los Angeles in August 1923 to promote his new series of The Alice Comedies. Winkler Pictures gave him a contract for 12 Alice cartoons, and it was time for Walt and Roy to make a name for themselves. Walt handled the creative side. Walt Disney came to LA in Hollywood with 40 dollars in his pocket according to him. During the 1920s, the animation studio had more content like Alice, Oswald, Mickey Mouse, and the Silly Symphonies. The Alice Comedies was inspired by a little girl named Virginia Davis being contacted to play Alice. Alice's Wonderland was part of the films as well. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was born being a cross between Felix the Cat and Disney's Julius the Cat. Winkler Pictures gave him a contract for 12 Alice cartoons, and it was time for Walt and Roy to make a name for themselves. Walt handled the creative side. The first Silly Symphony was called The Skeleton Dance in August 1929. The Silly Symphonies cartoons lasted from 1929 to 1939. By the 1930's, Disney shifted to using more experimentation, showing new characters, and having feature-length movies with animation. Flowers and Trees was part of the Silly Symphony series and was number 29, to be released on July 23, 1932. Technicolor technology was used for future films by 1935. Flowers and Trees won the first ever Best Cartoon Short Subject at the 5th Academy Awards in 1932. It was also the first of the series to be distributed by United Artists when Disney made the switch from Columbia Pictures.
Disney came about to promote new characters in the 1930's like Pluto, Goofy, and Donald Duck. Pluto was Minnie's dog originally. Clarence Nash was the voice behind Donald Duck. Donald Duck made his first appearance in The Wise Little Hen on June 9th, 1934. Donald appeared in 10 more shorts from 1934 to 1936 before his appearance changed to the anthropomorphic duck in the short Moving Day. 1937 is notoriously linked with the release of the world’s very first animated feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It premiered on December 21, 1937, at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, California. It was a film that won 8 honorary Academy Awards in 1938. The Animator's strike came about in 1940's. People wanted to have better working conditions and just payments. The strike kicked off after Art Babbitt and Walt Disney’s relationship was strained due to Babbitt’s agreement to have a union set in place for the employees falling through. A Federal mediator was brought in after 5 weeks and agreed that a union would solve many of its problems. Ever since this 1941 strike, Disney has been part of a union. Labor strikes existed nationwide in America during the 1930's and the 1940's. Walt Disney worked in WWI as an ambulance driver. He was part of wartime propaganda films during WWII. They produced propaganda films featuring popular Disney characters, educational videos, training videos, and more. These ranged from Why We Fight, which catered to soldiers, Victory Through Air Power, an educational film for a broader audience, and Der Fuehrer’s Face, a way to expose the Axis Powers. Films like Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, and Dumbo. Shorter films existed like Saludos Amigos (1942), The Three Caballeros (1944), Make Mine Music (1946), Fun and Fancy Free (1947), Melody Time (1948), and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mister Toad (1949). One of the most controversial films of Disney was Song of the South in 1946. The movie shows a child listening to the story of Uncle Remus (during the time of Reconstruction) about B'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'eear. Many people criticized the film as promoting racist stereotypes about African Americans and glorifying plantation life as not a joyful occasion. As a result of the film's controversial legacy, Disney has not released Song of the South in any home video format in the United States, and the film has never been available on its streaming platform Disney+.
Racist imagery in Disney's early cartoons and films (and in movies plus cartoons in general not just in Disney back in the day) aren't new. Other characters that have been called racist are Sunflower, a black centaurette who serves a white centaurette in Fantasia; the Siamese cats in Lady and the Tramp, who are considered to be over-exaggerated as Asians, stereotypes of Native Americans in Peter Pan, and crows in Dumbo, who are depicted as African Americans who use stereotypical "slang" talk. Their leader being named Jim Crow, which is considered to be a reference to racial segregation laws in the U.S. When watching a film on Disney+ considered to have wrongful racist stereotypes, Disney added a disclaimer before the film starts to help avoid controversies.
The 1950's saw the Silver Age or a return to the fairytale princess image with Cinderella and Alice and Wonderland. Ilene Woods played these roles. Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, and the Jungle Book used diverse amination. Disneyland was opened on July 17, 1955, in Anaheim, California. It was a theme, entertainment park. The plans for the locations were formed by Harriet Burns, Fred Joerger, and Wathel Rogers. Walter Elias Disney Enterprises or WED Enterprises was founded by Walt Disney in December 1952. WED Enterprises owned property in Glendale. It still exists today. It is now Walt Disney Imagineering in 1986 being used to improve Disney parks. This was the original park, so it acted as the trailblazer for the other Disneyland parks that were to come later on, including Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Shanghai, and Disneyland Hong Kong. During the 1960's, there was the experimentation of with audio-animatronics. There were more films like the Enchanted Tiki Room (1963), Greatest Moments with Mr. Lincoln (1964), It's a small world (1964), and Pirates of the Caribbean (1967). Mary Poppins was one of Disney's most successful projects. At its release in 1964, it was a huge success. At the 1965 Oscars, the film cleaned up, with Julie Andrews winning Best Actress in a Leading Role, Cotton Warburton winning Best Film Editing, Peter Ellenshaw, Hamilton Luske, and Eustace Lycett taking home Best Special Visual Effects, and the Sherman Brothers winning Best Music Original Song for “Chim Chim Cheree.” The film has won 13 other awards since then, many recognizing Julie Andrews as a top-up-and-coming lead film star. The controversial Jungle Book film was released on October 18th, 1967. Walt Disney passed away from lung cancer on December 15, 1966.
The 1970's saw the 50th year anniversary of Walt Disney. Disney started to collect historical artifacts, original amination cells, photos, and more. These Walt Disney Achieves were created by Dave Smith. Walt Disney, before his passing wanted Walt Disney World to exist in Florida. His older brother, Roy, knew of his plans. Roy would use this information moving forward and the plans already set in motion for the newest park to lead the team to the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. 10,000 people gathered to experience the Magic Kingdom and its 19 opening-day attractions, some of which were the Skyway, the Country Bear Jamboree, and the Grand Prix Raceway. 3 more parks would be added over the next 2 decades, including EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Roy O. Disney would pass away in December of 1971 after leading the charge of this massive project. More parks existed like Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain to celebrate nature. There was the Walt Disney Home Video collection. First, there was the Laserdisc system and then VHS tapes existed by 1980. Some of the first films to be released in Walt Disney Home Video were Pete’s Dragon, The Black Hole, The Love Bug, and Escape to Witch Mountain. They expanded the program by adding rentals and releasing Black Diamond editions of their films. As an expansion of Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center opened on October 1, 1982. This was one of Walt’s biggest personal dreams, something he wanted to invest in with the profits made from his theme parks. EPCOT celebrates the different world cultures. Disney’s Hollywood Studios, originally called Disney-MGM studios due to a marketing contract Disney had with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, would open on May 1, 1989. By the 1980s, there was the Disneyland Fantasyland with a Renaissance Fair theme. There were many rides started in the 1980's.
By the 1990's, new styles of animation existed in Disney. Pixar worked with Disney to make many advanced aminated films. High-resolution 3D images were part of this movement in Pixar. In 1982, The Adventures of Andre & Wally B. is shown at a conference, and it is the first short film to be created by the Pixar department. Following shortly after, they produced Luxo Jr. and Knick Knack. In 1989, they signed on for a 3-movie deal with Disney, which commenced in 1990. On June 15, 1994, The Lion King was released and was a massive success, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of all time behind Jurassic Park and the highest-grossing animated film of all time, with a gross total of $968.5 million. It was critically praised and garnered two Academy Awards—Best Score and Best Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Soon after its release, Katzenberg left the company after Eisner refused to promote him to president. After leaving, he co-founded film studio DreamWorks SKG.
In 1995, Toy Story was released and was the first ever computer-animated feature-length film. Disney then signed off on a 10-year, 5-movie deal, which included A Bug’s Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), and Monsters Inc. (2001). Disney's Animal Kingdom was opened on Earth Day 1998. Many animal species were there and it was inspired by the jungles of Africa and Asia. Disney began releasing DVDs of some of their live-action movies in 1998 and created a plan for some of their animated features for the year after. They chose a selection of just a few of their classic animated films for their first release, including Pinocchio, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, and more. During the late 1990's, popular Disney films would be Mulan, A Bug's Life, Hercules, and Tarzan.
By the 2000's, Disney expanded into Japan with Toyko DisneySea and Anaheim with California Adventure. By 2004, nearing the end of Michael Eisner’s reign as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, the momentum of acquiring other entertainment companies was picking up. The franchise The Muppets, originally founded by Jim Henson in 1955, was officially trademarked and owned by Disney in 2004. In 2006 with the transition from Eisner to Iger, Iger was able to repair relationships that had been broken during the Eisner era, specifically with Steve Jobs at Pixar. Iger made a point to meet with Jobs to discuss the potential of Disney purchasing Pixar, and after Jobs convinced Pixar’s board of directors, Disney acquired Pixar in January 2006 for $7.4 billion. Disney's 2006 live-action film of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was a popular film making over $1 billion at the box office. The Disney Channel released High School Musical 2 by 2007.
After just a few short years as CEO, Bob Iger then made the remarkable decision to purchase Marvel Entertainment with cash and stocks. In August 2009, Disney purchased Marvel for $4 billion. Marvel had films like Blade in 1998, and Iron Man in 2008 to start the MCU movement that continues to this day. The MCU movie culture expressed movies from The Avengers: Endgame to the historic film of Black Panther. Hong Kong Disneyland opened on September 12, 2005. It is the second most recent Disney theme park to ever open. It is one of the smaller parks in comparison to those in North America but has seen many expansions over the years with plans to expand even further.
By the 2010's, Bob Iger and Tom Staggs approached James Cameron, the world-famous filmmaker and mind behind The Terminator, Titanic, and Avatar. After the major success of Titanic, Cameron began work on Avatar, a sci-fi film based in the fictional land of Pandora. It would be another decade until the film could be released as they adapted the film to new technologies. Avatar took $237 million to make, which was nothing in comparison to what it made at the box office, $2.923 billion. It reached the $1 billion mark after just 19 days of being released worldwide. Instead of simply building an attraction based on Avatar, Disney created the world of Pandora, set in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Pandora - The World of Avatar, officially opened on May 27, 2017. Disney programs continue to exist. Disney once again started to relapse in the early 2000s with some of their films such as Fantasia 2000, Dinosaur, Treasure Planet, Brother Bear, and Home on the Range. In 2010, the Revival Era began for the studio, seeing more wins than ever. The Revival Era began with Princess and the Frog, followed by Tangled, Wreck-It-Ralph, and Frozen. Frozen was a very popular film. It has since received two Academy Awards, a Bafta, and a Golden Globe, and has been turned into a Broadway musical. Its sequel, Frozen II, has surpassed its successes and is the #1 highest-grossing animated film of all time until 2019 (when the remake of The Lion King took place in 2019).
On March 20, 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox's assets for $71.3 billion from Rupert Murdoch, making it the biggest acquisition in Disney's history. After the purchase, The New York Times described Disney as "an entertainment colossus the size of which the world has never seen." Through the acquisition, Disney gained 20th Century Fox; 20th Century Fox Television; Fox Searchlight Pictures; National Geographic Partners; Fox Networks Group; Indian television broadcaster Star India; streaming service Hotstar; and a 30% stake in Hulu, bringing its ownership on Hulu to 60%. Fox Corporation and its assets were excluded from the deal because of antitrust laws. Disney also became the first film studio to have seven films gross $1 billion: Marvel's Captain Marvel, the live-action Aladdin, Pixar's Toy Story 4, the CGI remake of The Lion King, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and the highest-grossing film of all time up to that point at $2.797 billion Avengers: Endgame. On November 12, Disney's subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service Disney+, which had 500 movies and 7,500 episodes of television shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and other brands, was launched in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands. Within the first day, the streaming platform had over 10 million subscriptions; and by 2022 it had over 135 million subscribers and was available in over 190 countries. At the beginning of 2020, Disney removed the Fox name from its assets, rebranding them as 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures
The new attraction of Avengers Campus existed on June 4th , 2021. In the last week of April 2023, Disney will implement the second and largest wave of job cuts, affecting Disney Parks, Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and the Experiences and Product division. This move is part of the company's plan to cut costs by $5.5 billion. In 2023, Disney began its "100 Years of Wonder" campaign in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the company's founding. This included a new animated centennial logo intro for the Walt Disney Pictures division, a touring exhibition, special events at the parks, and a well-received commemorative commercial that aired during Super Bowl LVII. In 2023, there was The Little Mermaid 2023 film which was history casting a young black woman Halle Berry as the Little Mermaid character. The film was an American musical romantic fantasy movie directed by Rob Marshall from a screenplay written by David Magee. It was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, and Marc Platt Productions. It came after the 1989 animated film of the same name. The 2023's The Little Mermaid was about mermaid princess Airel (played by Halle Berry) who trades her voice for human legs to impress Prince Eric after making a deal with sea witch Ursula. The film also starred Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Art Malik, Awkwafina, Melissa McCarthy, etc. The film grossed over $556 million worldwide. Let's talk about the elephant in the room. The same racist ones who object to the casting of Ariel as a black woman need to realize that this is a fictional story. A black woman has the right to achieve her own sense of creativity or destiny just like anyone else. Brand Norwood was the first black human being to play Cinderella in the 1997 Disney television film of the same name and Anika Noni Rose was Disney's first African American Princess as Tiana. Both Brandy Norwood and Anika Noni Rose praise the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel.
1999 was the end of the 1990's filled with music influenced by techno, hip hop, electronic, R&B, soul, neo-soul, jazz, gospel, rock fusion, and other genres. By January 1999, the London, England DJ and producer Fatboy Slim (a.k.a. Norman Cook) has his first #1 UK solo single with "Praise You." The hit video for the single features guerilla-style videography of flash mob dancers outside a theatre. The song is from Slim's second album You've Come A Long Way, Baby #1 UK. At the same time, the Swedish singer Eagle-Eye Cherry has a hit with his single "Save Tonight" reaching #5 US and #6 UK more than a year and a half after its initial release. Cherry is the son of jazz trumpeter Don Cherry and the half-brother of singer Neneh Cherry. In 1998 and in early 1999, Britney Spears was a superstar in the pop industry. The McComb, Mississippi actor, and singer Britney Spears, a former cast member of The Mickey Mouse Club, hit's #1 in the US and UK with her debut single "...Baby One More Time." The song is the title track from her debut album which hits #1 US, #2 UK and sells 25 million copies worldwide. The Orange County, California alternative rock band Lit found success with their second album A Place in the Sun which goes platinum in America. By February 1999, the rapper Eminem (Marshall Mathers) had his major label debut album The Slim Shady LP #2 US, #10 UK. Produced by Dr. Dre and others, the album goes 4X Platinum in the US and multi- Platinum UK. The album's lead single "My Name Is" hits #36 US and #2 UK. In February 1999, there was the third album from Silkk The Shocker (Vyshonn Miller) a New Orleans, Louisiana rapper debuts at US #1. The single "It Ain't My Fault Pt. 2", featuring labelmate Mystikal, reach #18 US Hot 100 and #1 US Rap. The album is the second in a row to reach US Platinum for The Shocker. Blondie and NYSNC released music. By April 1999, after declaring bankruptcy at the height of their success in 1995, Atlanta R&B/hip hop group TLC are back with their third album Fanmail #1 US, #7 UK. The album produces two US #1 singles "No Scrubs" #3 UK and "Unpretty" #6 UK. The album goes 6X US Platinum and sells 14 million copies worldwide. Sugar Ray has the song Every Morning, Buckcherry had its debut album and the Dublin, Ireland woman band of B*Witched had the hit "C'est La Vie." By May 1999, Kiss was the song from the Christian Rock band Sixpence None the Richer from New Braunfels, Texas. The group breaks into the US Top 100 at #2 with their single "Kiss Me" #4 UK. The song is from the group's self-titled third album which goes US Platinum. The group's cover of The La's song "There She Goes" hits #32 US, #14 UK.
Latin music star Ricky Martin, who began his music career at age 12 in the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, hits #1 in both the US and UK with the single "Livin' La Vida Loca". The song is from Martin's self-titled fifth studio album which charts at #1 US, #2 UK and sells 15 million copies worldwide. Ricky Martin's music was shown everywhere. By May of 1999, Backstreet Boys released the Millennium album. It would be 13 X platinum in America and sells over 24 million copies worldwide. Jacksonville, Florida nu metal, rap rock band Limp Bizkit hit #1 US with their second album Significant Other #10 UK. The album features two of the band's biggest hits "Nookie" #3 US Alternative and "Re-Arranged" #1 US Alternative. The album goes 7X Platinum in the US. By June 1999, the Pioneering digital peer-to-peer file sharing application Napster debuts. The software allowed users to easily share MP3 audio files across the internet. The company ran into legal issues related to copyright infringement initiated by major record labels and were later forced into bankruptcy. Napster was gone, but Napster gave birth to future streaming services (after CD sales drop in the 21st century) like Spotify. Other services like Limewire and Gnutella followed too. Bronx, New York City singer and actor Jennifer Lopez hits #1 US, #4 UK with her first single "If You Had My Love." The song is from her debut album On The 6 which charts at #8 US, #14 UK and goes US Triple Platinum. The second single "Waiting For Tonight" also goes Top Ten in both the US and UK. Canadian country singer Shania Twain has another crossover pop hit with her single "That Don't Impress Me Much" #7 US, #3 UK. It is the third US/UK Top Ten hit from her third album Come On Over which goes 2X Diamond in the US and sells over 23 million copies worldwide. 98 Degrees, from Los Angeles, released their song of The Hardest Thing. Groups like Slipknot and Pearl Jam released music and albums. Blink 182 had music. By July 1999, the Houston, Texas girl group Destiny's Child have their first US #1 hit with the single "Bills, Bills, Bills" #6 UK. The song is the lead single from the group's second album The Writing's On The Wall #5 US, #10 UK. The album's third single "Say My Name" also hits #1 US in early 2000. The album goes 8X Platinum in the US. Destiny's Child by the end of the 1990's were already iconic and outstanding with their impact on R&B culture. Macy Gray had the song of I Try and Christina Aguilera had the song of Genie in a Bottle. By July of 1999, there was the Woodstock '99 is held in Rome, New York 100 miles away from the original site. MTV provided live coverage and headliners included Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit, Metallica, DMX, and many others. 400,000 attended, but the festival is marred by vandalism and violence. LFO had the single Summer Girls and Smash Mouth had the song All Star.
In August 1999, Las Vegas, Nevada R&B girl group 702, named after the Vegas area code, hit #4 US, #22 UK with their single "Where My Girls At?". The song is from the group's self titled second album on the Motown label which charts at #34 US and goes Platinum. Canadian singer-songwriter Tal Bachman has a hit with his debut single "She's So High" charting at #14 US, #30 UK. Bachman is the son of former Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive co-founder Randy Bachman. The single is from Bachman's self-titled debut album #124 US. David Bowie had the album of Hours. Ben Harper, Enrique Iglesias, and Eiffel 65 had hit songs. On October 1999, New York singer Mariah Carey has her 14th US #1 single with "Heartbreaker" #5 UK which features Brooklyn rapper Jay Z (Shawn Carter). The track is from Carey's seventh album Rainbow which charts at #2 US, #8 UK, and sells eight million copies worldwide. The first Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival is held in Indio, California over two days. The event featured almost 80 acts with headliners Beck, Tool, and Rage Against The Machine. Attendance was well below expectations at 20,000 per day, causing the concert promoters to take an $850,000 loss on the event. This was in October of 1999. Scar Tissue was a hit song from LA band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smooth was a song by Santana and Rob Thomas. P Diddy had the song of Satisfy You with R. Kelly. The song is from Combs' second album Forever which charts at #2 US and #9 UK. The album goes Platinum in the US. The hit song of Mambo No. 5 came from Munich, West Germany singer Lou Bega. Marc Anthony had the song of I Need to Know and Jessica Simpson had the song of I Wanna Love You Forever. Signed to New Orleans label Cash Money Records at the age of 12, Lil Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) releases his solo debut album Tha Block Is Hot at age 17 and charts at #3 US. The album's title track charts at #24 US Rap and the album goes Platinum in the US. This was in November of 1999.
The Nicene Council story is one of the most important stories in Christianity and in spirituality in general. It is about a heroic young bishop against heretics like Arius and Constantine who wanted control and power. The lie is that the Nicene Council invented the Trinity, but the Trinity doctrine existed in the early church centuries before the Nicene Council. Jehovah's Witnesses, Gnostics, and other people in various faiths are anti-Trinitarian, but I do believe in the Trinity. Constantine was once a pagan, and he never invented the doctrine of the Trinity. The term Trinitas was used by Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch in ca. 180 A.D. The term of Trinity was also used by Tertullian almost 100 years before the Nicene council. Athenagoras said the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit simultaneously exist as one God. Praxeas promoted the heresy of Monarchianism or that the Father became the Son, and the Son became the Spirit. This is modalism or what the Oneness teaches now. The Trinity was resisted by Gnostics and Arians. Modalism was promoted in Rome. Roman Catholicism as we know it today never existed in the early church as the early church never embraced purgatory, Mary being the Ever Virgin, or the Pope being the head of the church. Even the apostle Peter was married and had children. The early church had bishops and institutions functioning in equal space as Cyprian said no man is a bishop among bishops. It would be after the 300's A.D. when the Catholic Church formed claiming falsely that the Bishop of Rome has primacy over all churches of the world. By 312 A.D., Emperor Constantine of Rome claimed to have witnessed a vision of God of seeing the shape of a cross in front of the sun. Then, he saw the Greek words of toutoi nika or in this sign conquer. Constantine then put his soldiers with the X on their shields to defeat his enemies. He told his friend Eusebius this story. Constantine allowed the end of the persecution of Christians that existed since the edict of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Constantine unified church and state which is against what Yeshua said of renders things to God things belong to God and render things to Caesar separately. Then, we saw a paganism infiltrate certain churches. Soon, icon, relics, veneration of images, and other heresies came into the apostate church (not the true church). Constantine didn't care about theological issues that much. Many future popes called themselves the Vicar of Church is blasphemous as God needs no representative on Earth. Arius was a bishop who opposed the bishop Alexander. Bishop Alexander of Alexandria, Egypt believed in the Trinity, but Arius was a heretic who thought that Jesus Christ was a created being. Bishop Alexander had a synod and denounced Arius's views. Arius forgets that Jesus in the NT is called the only Begotten Son of God and other views show Jesus Christ's existence before Creation. Arius believed that Yeshua was a created being not the eternal God in the flesh. Arius's friend Eusebius knew of Constantine and his family, so Constantine wanted this piece. Constantine convened the Nicene Council to deal with theological questions. It ended by Juen of 325 A.D. Arius debated Alexander. Alexander believed that Jesus Christ was the of the same substance (or homoousia) being God. Bishop Alexander and the young deacon Athanasius worked hard to debate and defend the Trinity. Athanasius said that the Scriptures prove that Jesus Christ was the same substance of nature as God. Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia believed that Christ was a created being. At first, Constantine banished Arius. By 333 A.D., Constantine agreed with Arius not being banished with the help of his friend Eusebius. Constantine was baptized on his death bed in 337 A.D. Arius suddenly died on his way to visit Constantinople where his friend Eusebius lived at. Constantine's son Constantius was a total Arian. He bashed Athanasius from Alexandria. Athanasius was attacked during his church service by Arians who brought 5,000 Roman soldiers with them in 353 A.D. Other creeds like in Constantinople would disavow the term substance. This would change after Constantius death in 361. Arians split apart. Athanasius passed away in 373 A.D. after writing books to refute the Arian heresy. His other important works include his Letters to Serapion, which defends the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, you know the truth.
By Timothy
Friday, August 11, 2023
Studies on Health
Turns Out There Is Something Special About 10,000 Steps a Day (webmd.com)
Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission - PMC (nih.gov)
Strength training: Get stronger, leaner, healthier - Mayo Clinic
How physical exercise prevents dementia -- ScienceDaily
Can Alzheimer's Be Prevented? | Alzheimer's Association
Can Alzheimer's Be Prevented? | Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimer's prevention: Does it exist? - Mayo Clinic
Combining Strength-Training Workouts With Cardio Key to Longevity (everydayhealth.com)
Strength training builds more than muscles - Harvard Health
The One Strength-Building Exercise Most People Get Wrong (And How You Can Get It Right) (yahoo.com)
Top 11 Benefits of Strength Training – Center for Healthy Eating and Activity Research (ucsd.edu)
10,000 steps? No need. Researchers say this many steps a day can lower risk of death. (msn.com)
5 Studies on the Mediterranean Diet — Does It Really Work? (healthline.com)
New Study Reveals Eccentric Exercise Can Build Muscle in Just Nine Seconds (yahoo.com)
Isometric Exercises Could Help Lower Your Blood Pressure (msn.com)
Heavy Weight or High Reps? New Study Ends Debate (msn.com)
Mediterranean diet and life expectancy; beyond olive oil, fruits and vegetables - PMC (nih.gov)
10,000 steps a day — or fewer? - Harvard Health
A practical guide to the Mediterranean diet - Harvard Health
The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview - PubMed (nih.gov)
Early August 2023 News on Friday.
Donald Trump has run a TV ad in Atlanta that attacked Fani Willis ahead of his possible 4th criminal indictment involving the Georgia election. Trump is desperate for attention and his corruption has been long documented by people from across the political spectrum. Trump's lust for vengeance is repugnant. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to seek more than a dozen indictments when she presents her case before a grand jury next week regarding the efforts of Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 Presidential election results in the state. The Atlanta, Georgia courthouse and Fani Willis (plus her aides) have received increased security because of the racists using threats against Willis plus her aides. The FBI had to kill one man in Utah for threatening Biden and Alvin. Nauta and De Oliveira appeared in court on new document charges.
Recently, the Trump supporter DJ Akademiks cursed out Erykah Badu and SZA in offensive terms. For years, I never respected DJ Akademiks, because he exploited the violence in Chicago for profit, he disrespects women, he has great arrogance, and he continues to lie about Megan The Stallion (even Tory Lanez gave a statement saying that he admitted responsibility for the wrong things that took place. So, Lanez should face accountability for shooting Megan Thee Stallion). The reactionary person DJ Akademiks acts like this since he believes that since he has some money, that he can say what he wants. No, you can't say what you want in America. We have laws forbidding defamation and verbal threats against human beings, so free speech is never absolute (even the Supreme Court admits to that reality). We have a new generation of Internet frauds who love to advance hatred, bigotry, and gender war nonsense that distracts from real issues like voting rights, economics, health care, and our democracy in general.
There is the growth of the transhumanism movement. It has been researched by large corporations and various foundations. New technology from DARPA and other agencies has advanced so much in the past few decades. Transhumanism is the Utopian ideal that in the future, its proponents want humans and technology to merge to increase life expectancy and possibly live years and centuries beyond 125 (which is the highest age that humans live in this generation). Transhumanists dreams of placing brain waves on computer systems, replace organs, and other bold plans. This movement has been around for years, and scientists have done experiments on mice that reverses aging. For example, researchers at Harvard University are investigating whether human genes could reverse the effects of aging. Dr. Akshay Syal had reported on their lab on plans on trying to defy aging. In the next 2 to 3 decades, many scientists want to create pills that can reverse aging on human beings. In our time, people have reduced aging involving brain cells in new experiments. There are ethical questions about transhumanism like is it moral to have controversial means to use brainwaves on humans, are fully merged humans and computerized machines truly human, there are privacy issues, and what are the social implications of such actions. This is beyond a new frontier. This is another era of time that we have to reckon with along with the advances of A.I. technology.
The breaking news is that there are massive wildfires in Hawaii, especially in Maui. There are massive evacuations in the area too. This natural disaster is unprecedented in Hawaii's history. At least 56 people have passed away from the wildfires. There are damaging houses, and people jumping into the ocean to escape the fires too. According to Hawaii Governor Josh Green, much of the town of Lahaina is destroyed (with hundreds of families being displaced). There is no 911 service on Maui's west side, with resorts, visitors, and commercial districts losing communication due to downed cell towers, according to an emergency official. Hurricane Dora is moving in the region too. The Baldwin House or a historic building and the oldest house on Maui burned down in the wildfire. Many people were riding in bicycles telling people to leave because of the danger. President Joe Biden has declared Hawaii a national emergency designation which means that federal agencies and the National Guard will help the victims of the wildfire disaster.
Some space news is that Richard Branson's space tourism company of Virgin Galactic, has successfully launched its tourism mission on space. The space trip was a success. The space plane is the VSS Unity that took off at 8:30 am. MT from a New Mexico spaceport attached to a massive twin fuselage mothership. It carried 3 people who are entrepreneur and health and wellness coach Keisha Schahaff and her daughter Anastatia Mayers (the first space travelers from Antigua in the Caribbean. Mayers is 18th years old being the 2nd youngest person in space, and she is studying philosophy and physics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland) and former Olympian Jon Goodwin (who was a canoeist in the 1972 Munch Summer Games). Goodwin is the 2nd person with Parkinson's disease to travel into space. The mothership is called VMS Eve. It traveled upward to more than 40,000 feet. It traveled more than 50 miles above the Earth's surface. The space fan traveled in supersonic speeds. This is the start of a new era of space tourism, and in the future humans may make colonies in the Moon and Mars in the years and decades to come. It's an exciting time to be alive.
By Timothy
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