Education: The New Sexy

What if Education was the new sexy? What if the smartest women in the world were on the cover of Maxim Magazine? Would this change the attitude of the youth and their willingness to accept the fact that an education is what separates the “haves” and the “have-nots”? But that is not the case. Most young men and women would rather worry about their appearance and how popular they are instead of their GPA.

America, we have a huge problem in education. We are falling behind and the statistics are mind-blowing. I understand that there is a huge gap between young black males that are graduating compared to their white counterparts. I wanted to discuss just that issue alone, but I think it is deeper than that. I think that we now live in a society that is dependent on the lack of an education to separate individuals. America’s educational structure is archaic and can not meet the demands of the global marketplace.

Education should be the new sexy. Education needs to be more important than your friend count on Facebook. With our advances in technology you would imagine a country that would have some of the smartest students in the world. You would image a country with the fastest internet in the world. But this is not the case.

The funny thing is, this is all part of the plan. A capitalistic society is not fair- it is dependent on the weak and the uneducated in order to keep the power in the hands that be. And it’s not easy to keep up.

Two weeks ago the wife and I purchased enough materials to educate a small village in Africa. And most of these materials will not be used by my children, but others in the class as well. I never knew of a child that went through 8 bottles of glue in a year, and that is per child- which means we bought 16 bottles! Not only am I paying taxes yearly for the school but I am supposed to be involved in fundraisers and a whole host of other activities. I know that some teachers work their tails off to educate their students, and some even spend their own money to purchase class materials.

There needs to be a change in the systems. Tax dollars need to be distributed evenly throughout the state. Every child should have access to an outstanding education no matter if they live in the ghetto or the suburbs. The standards should be the same, the teachers should have the same drive, and the curriculum should meet the needs of today’s world- not the 50’s.

Parents, both black and white, need to play a role in the education of their children. It is a shame when an athlete is praised in the community with greater exuberance than an honor roll student. There should be a parade for the smart kids; they should be introduced during half-time at the homecoming game. But instead they are often the brunt of jokes and made fun of in movies. The importance of an education is often overlooked by plastic upgrades and the newest digital device and often overshadowed by how fast a child can run, or how cute they look with pom-poms.

Let us as parents and grandparents make education the new sport, the new popularity contest. Let us make being smart the new sexy. There is nothing sexier than spending time with the wife, and a nightcap of intellectual conversation.

Help Wanted

Since when is it the responsibility of the government to create jobs? There needs to be some accountability by the people to accept that we are falling behind. Our lifestyle has started to exceed the amount of money that we are bringing in. The economy is a complicated machine that has been fed a virus led by the people, the government, and big business. Those that have lost jobs need to re-examine their skill set and create a job for themselves or take a pay cut and get used to the new style of living in America.

There are always opportunities in America and around the world, but our need for goods at a lower price, shareholders demanding huge profits, and people buying what they cannot afford has placed a strain on those that have made proper financial decisions. The president is not responsible for creating jobs. We the people need to create jobs, support American companies, and educate ourselves so that we can compete with the global markets.

Call center jobs have been lost to companies in India, manufacturing jobs have been lost to sweatshops in China, and it is easy to see what is happening when you stand in line for one of those new shinny phones- we are supporting everyone but ourselves.

Some people laugh and say that America will always be a superpower, but that is a theory that is slowly crumbling. America is an Empire and our walls are starting to burn, and our weaknesses are being shown across the world. The time of American exploitation is coming to an end. This is not a “the end of the world” conspiracy theory, but this is the end of the world as we knew it. This is reality. America has no natural resources that other countries are dependent on. America has depleted all creativity and has subjected itself to a state of vegetation.

This vegetation, or coma, is reversible- we can demand for companies to bring jobs back to America. We can increase the amount of tax on imported items. We can fix health care so that it is affordable for companies to offer their employees health care and compete with companies around the world. Capitalism is a system that is dependent on the citizens to spend money and government to regulate and protect the people. The more that we depend on the government to fix the economy, the larger the government becomes. The more government jobs that are created equal more taxes we are forced to pay.

Teachers, police officers, public officials, fire fighters, military personal, and a wide range of other jobs are all dependent on taxes for salaries. This money does not come out of thin air. So when people express their concern about the government fixing the economy it has to be understood that the only way to fix a capitalistic economy is by spending. Small business is the only way that we will escape this horrible economy. The corporations only care about the shareholders not the employees. The President is a man, a mortal, not a job making cybernetic machine. Americans have always found a way to forge forward. That is how our country was built. It is not the responsibility of the president to find citizens a job but rather the citizens to create jobs and opportunities for each other.

We have become lazy and dependent on government. We should not always look for someone else to blame, but rather find solutions ourselves. We can not continue to fight amongst each other and be divided by political agendas and religious ideology. Change within America has never been easy- there has always been bloodshed, riots, and causalities, but this is a revolution that many do not want to face.

Be a Mentor: Because Kids Need More Thank Just Milk and Cookies

Everyone needs someone in their life to help them reach their goals and often find those hidden skills that are tucked away deep down inside. A mentor is something that all of us can be, no matter what we do for a living. There is always someone out there that needs a little guidance and help. I have spent years helping people around me. I had a mentor that showed me the importance of music and also how damaging some negative music can be to our society. This individual was a father figure to me and unfortunately, is no longer here to see me showcase my skills to the rest of the world.

Becoming a mentor is one thing that we can do to make this a better world. There are always Big Brother and Big Sister programs that are searching for individuals that have the time to spend with the youth. This is a great program but some individuals do not have the time to attend this type of structured mentoring program. Some churches also have mentoring programs that can be helpful, but issues that I have with programs that are dependent on a belief structure is that those views are often forced fed to the individual that is being mentored.

Why is mentoring so important? We live in a world that is dependent on a particular skill set to earn a living. We live in a country that has lost control of our media, the same media that bombards our children with their agendas 24 hours a day. It is important for us to share the stories and experiences that we have been through so that our children do not make the same mistakes we might have made in the past. Helping someone achieve their goals is the best feeling in the world. It is important for us to help create a country that is filled with individuals that are bright and can avoid the mistakes of the past.

The youth look to adults to figure out how they should react in certain situations and they depend on us to teach them how to survive in a world that is forever changing. We all have something to share with another individual. Our educational structure is failing our children and it is up to the parents and the citizens of America to educate our children. There are children that are just roaming the streets while their parents are working two jobs and do not have the time to raise them anymore. Parents are sometimes consumed by the materialism themselves and have often allowed the glowing box to be a mentor for their children.

I am not suggesting that you gather up the little children in your neighborhood and feed them cookies and milk, but rather engage in conversation that will help them make the right decisions. The youth in America are asking for help. You can tell by the music that they listen to, the televisions shows that they enjoy and the increase in teen-pregnancies. We all complain about the world and how it is failing apart, but what are we doing to make it better?

Become a mentor to a person at work and show them how the business works. Mentor a family member that may be dealing with issues and needs another perspective on life. All of our experiences are only random acts if we do not learn from them and share them with others.

Simpler, Quicker, Dumber: The American Zombie

Is it me, or is everything too easy? With just a few keystrokes you can find just about anything. No longer do you have to search for material at a library, read a book, or even write you own paper in college (as long as you have some left over money from binge drinking). Even commercials express the ease of life with their easy button.

This new easy lifestyle has even been forced upon my favorite game of all time- Madden NFL. I should have known when the back of the case stated that the new Madden 2011 is “Simpler. Quicker. Deeper.” I use to like searching for the next play that I was going to use to exploit my opponent. But now they have this option to let the computer pick your play. WOW- never mind actually playing the game, just drop your money off at the store, unwrap the game, and watch the pretty graphics unfold. On the outside of the box it should say “No Skill Needed Just an HD TV”. I understand that this is some new option and that I can still pick my play, but did the public really want this?

What ever happen to the good old American way? Does anyone still believe in working hard for something? After all, it is the only true way to appreciate what you have. Life has become too easy and our children will fall victim to it. We are breeding the new American Zombies. Traveling in packs- snatching up the latest products that feed us radioactive rays that are eating away at our brains. That’s right, some sort of Zombie creation that is product driven, without the capacity to do the simple tasks in life.

Let us explore some of these recent trends. GPS applications. No need to know how to read a map or know what street you are on, just follow the blue dot. Can’t follow the dot? That’s OK, just listen to the computer voice! Then when you arrive at your destination and find the only parking left is the dreaded parallel spots, no worry! Your car will park itself perfectly for you! Now you need to find a place to catch a good meal, well there's an application for that as well! It can even count the calories! Forget about finding that cool hidden hole-in-the-wall. Just pull up your friend’s reviews on Yelp! or Foursquare! Don't know how much to tip? There is an application for that too! Now who will join you at this fine dining establishment? Can’t find your friends? That’s ok, you don’t need to actually call them anymore, just check out their new GPS enabled Twitter Feed! Oh- there they are!

It is too easy to get married, then divorced, to have kids- or eliminate them. It is too easy to fail high school and get a G.E.D. It is too easy to sue anyone for anything. It is too easy to become a left or right wing nutcase without examining the issues with any critical thinking skills. It is too easy to access credit, create debt, and then wipe it away for seven years. There is no accountability in a majority of the things that we do in life and it only seems to be getting worse. Is it because we have decided to push the easy button too many times?

So the next time you plan a trip maybe investing in an actual map might be a good purchase. Besides, this may help for streets and neighborhoods that may not be on MapQuest yet. Try reading a book from cover to cover and those college credits might really be earned. Life is getting easier and the damage to the human brain is not yet understood. Will our brains start to shrink? Will we become more dependent on collective thought rather than our own? I see a future that includes a nation of American Zombies with nothing but barcodes because reaching for our wallets takes too much effort.

No Mosque in My Hood

You are kidding me right? People all across America have decided that it is not in good taste to place a Mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero. Some say that it is some sort of sacred ground; well I think that the ground we walk on is sacred. Or is the elimination of the Native Americans not included in this sacred conversation? But once again the American citizens have showed the world what they do best- and that is to discriminate.

A land that was built on the concept of Freedom of Religion has decided that it wants to restrict the location of a religious facility. I wonder if the strippers that are also located two blocks down the street from Ground Zero have any issue with taking money from these future tourists that want to see the forbidden Mosque. But the strippers support the model of the new America, more money and more taxes- that is how we roll. I guess taxi drivers will not take paying customers to this new Mosque at all.

I have seen Mega churches take over farmland, while rich Christians make their Sunday trip to church to only forget the teachings from the ministers. I see news reports of Christians and Catholics that have molested children and pillaged money from the congregation to support their ultra-elite, ultra-holly lifestyles. So if you ask me America has a problem with religion as a whole and not just a Mosque being built in New York City next to Ground Zero.

Some argue that this mosque only acts as a tribute to the portrayers of 9/11. That is only if you have been feed all the lies by the media and think that all Muslims are some evil terrorist waiting to blow your silly ass up while sipping on a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Americans pay tribute to the terrorist act all the time. We have used drones to kill more innocent people than 10 times the amount of people killed on 9/11. We have fought wars that have been created by lies; we have propped up evil men across the world and put them in control to do the evil that we wanted but never would admit to.

But Americans, please think about the situation for what it is and not for what the media wants you to believe. They want to build a recreation center, and a mosque, they want a place to worship. This should be something that we all support no matter what type of religion is being worshipped in the building.

Like I always say, if you want to believe in a talking snake, and that all of the animals in the world could fit on one boat with out slaughtering each other then that is your business. But do not deny another individual to believe in what they want and hinder the development of productive members of society.

The Top Five Tips to Keep Your Ass Alive

The Top Five Tips to Keep Your Ass Alive

1. Question Everything

No matter what the subject or the issue may be, ask yourself questions. What is in this for them? How will this change my life? Not all events, friendships, or relationships are bad, but often the ones that act is they perfectly fine are nothing but scams.

2. Stay On Your Hustle and Keep Cash

I told you I would keep it real and I am true to my word. It is important to always stay on your hustle and think about making money and not always spending your money. There is no reason that you shouldn’t be thinking of a way to make more money. We all are born with a set of skills that offer us a world of opportunity. C.R.E.A.M. Yes- Cash Rules Everything Around Me. The world of hip-hop (not rap) has a huge amount of information to offer to the people. If the banking systems fails, or your identity is stolen, you will need to rely on cash. And no, I am not getting a micro-chip planted in my arm.

3. Learn To Shoot

Yes that is right. One of the most important rights in our country has been put in a place to protect us. With the increase in police officers being let go, a bad economy, and just stupidity it is important to learn how to protect yourself. Yes our tax dollars and local taxes are responsible for hiring individuals that are supposed to protect us, but while they are breaking down the doors of a pot farm they have no time to react to your break-in. It is up to us to protect ourselves.

4. Educate yourself

I am not talking about a College Education but rather what is going on around you. Take a trip to your local bookstore and search for something factual. I often think of our mind as a hard drive. If you fill it with nothing but porn eventually you will get a virus and your hard drive is toast. Materialism is a form of porn, it gets you excited for a moment, and then it passes right by. Educate yourself and you will make better decisions and not fall for the traps out there.

5. Learn to eat properly

After you feed your mind, it is important to feed your body properly. The only way that this can be done is by educating yourself. It is important to understand the source of the food that you are eating. Ask questions like has this fish been imported or raised in a fishery? By educating yourself you will notice the chemicals that should not be included in food. You will understand that cows do not eat corn and that it is important to purchase free range poultry.

These tips will keep you alive in this country that is often too late to respond to emergences. Katrina is a great example of how important it is to be prepared for anything. There are dangers in every part of the United States. Staying on your hustle, stacking money and not material, and reading a book for a change will open up your world. Stop worrying about teenage high school vampires and picking sides, when there are laws that are being created to enslave the citizens of America.

A Message to Fathers Raising Daughters

Raising a daughter is a task like no other. Fathers always hear that their little daughters will have them wrapped around their finger. You will do anything for them.

I am very lucky because I was able to watch my mother and father raise two girls. They raised their daughters to be strong and stand up for what they believed in. They made sure to never break their sprits. It is very important to make sure that a child’s spirit is never broken. Parents play a huge role in the mental developmental process of children.

As a stay at home father I have spent long periods of time with my children alone and have had to deal with all types of situations. When I was left alone with my daughter for the first time, I was in shock. I spent 14 months alone with my son, but all of the sudden I was afraid to change a diaper. I didn’t want to do it, but there was no way that I was going to allow her to walk around the house with a saggy diaper. After overcoming my fear of the little girl zone there emerged several new obstacles that were different from raising a son. These are my tips based on what I have learned so far:

1) Treat your children fairly

My son was rather easy and very calm. My daughter was always very excited and full of energy. She was always trying to keep up with her brother. Since she is younger than her brother she is always in a competitive mode. No matter what the situation is even to this day my daughter is always trying to get praise and beat out her brother in any situation. After hearing all of the comments of how she was going to control my feelings and that I was going to treat her differently then her brother, I made a conscious decision to make sure that I raised them fair and treated them the same way.

2) Give them the attention they need

Children need a father’s attention, but especially daughters. As fathers, our job is to raise children that are productive and can offer something to society. As a father raising a daughter I have taken the approach to show my daughter what it is like to be around a man that treats women with respect. I hope that this will show her how she should be treated by any other man that may enter her life.

3) Treat your wife with respect

This may sound rather simple but this approach is very important. I make sure that I treat my wife with respect in front of both my son and daughter so that my son knows how important it is to respect woman, this also demonstrates to my daughter how a man should treat her in the future. Our current society is still disrespectful to women. It is shown in our movies, music, advertisements, and many other aspects of our society. It is important to offer our children, especially daughters, positive images of women in society.

4) Find role models

My daughter is lucky that she has the opportunity to see such a positive woman like her mother in her life. My wife is a breadwinner, a scholar, a nurse, and to most a feminist. All of these traits have helped my daughter develop into a strong little girl due to roles being reversed in a household. But it is also important for the negative images of women to be counteracted by positive images of women. For example most men enjoy watching sports, if your daughter is in the room and the opportunity is available let your daughter watch women playing sports. My daughter enjoys watching women playing soccer with me. The first time she watched women playing she was happy and sat down on the couch and watched the whole game. This was one of the best moments that I have experienced this summer with my daughter.

5) Teach your daughter to respect herself

Do not force her to become a sex object by letting her run around town in her two-piece bikini, and cover her face in make-up in the early stages of her life. This only helps promote the sex image that the media is dependent on. Fathers, we are raising the women of the future and it is important that they have the tools necessary to find men that will respect them and love them.

So in short fathers- treat your daughter like she is the love of your life. Cherish her and allow her to be who she is. If we love them like they should be loved then we can help them grow into the strong women we know they can be.