Black Out: Until Hip Hop Is A Phoenix

     I just watched this video, and the information in it is nothing new. This is the talk that has been discussed for years. Black people don't believe anything is handed to us; must be genetic. The topics in this video discussed by Black Dot, author of Hip Hop Decoded are so believable that I felt compelled to give you a backdrop. Otherwise, you'd think we're just conspiracy theorist, or even worst "haters".

     It's important for you to understand, that in the beginning there was a raw culture of hip hop. Black, Puerto Rican, and Dominican people united for many reasons behind it. It was our thing. Created in my home borough of The Bronx, we ran it, we staged it, we sold it. By selling of course, we could fill a party with it. Hip Hop.

     Eventually Hip Hop spread. It intrigued lower levels of businesses. It attracted the second levels of corporate America, and eventually it made its way to the top. Its rise seemed like progress. The people responsible for the rise, historically, are still considered as pioneers and credited with moving Black America. We give them a pass, but we despise those that follow.

     What do I mean by give them a pass? Well, back in 1991, hip hop introduced one of its greatest rappers, Tupac Shakur. Tupac was more keen to whitewashing. He was very aware of black people's place in America, and how we are viewed. Despite his career moves, Tupac did most things because of his talents, versus crossing over. He is an example of a pass. You can't deny his role in Juice, Poetic Justice, and Above The Rim. At that time, I lived in Bronxdale Housing, and he resembled the people from my neighborhood. Tupac was in no way, in my opinion, a corporate sell out.

     Jumping up a few years later, we are reacquainted with Jay Z. Now Jay didn't act. Yes he appeared in a few movies, but he didn't act to crossover. However, Jay's population regularly increased. This is my first experience with the hip hop speculation. When Biggie was killed, a void was left. Jay Z took his spot. They were partners, in the business; rumors have it that before Biggie's death, Jay Z and Biggie were working on their own label called The Commission. Remember the line from Man of the Night "Just like ya soul. The Commission remains".

     Jay Z's opportunity had come at the helm of his friends death. One person told me Jay killed Biggie for the lime light. This is how preposterous the speculation gets. But like every conspiracy, there are some stories that are true. This wasn't one of them. Jay Z capitalized on his new popularity. This caused the talks about him to intensify. He also gets a pass, however, because everything Jay did was business. But he is also the beginning of the end.

     Dame Dash discussed recently how Jay Z can't do a lot of things because he's corporate. This is why I say he's the beginning of the end. While we must always act accordingly, Hip Hop doesn't encourage that. Hip Hop expects you to express yourself. He is a person that can walk that fine line because, we understand the aspect of how to act. We know his real character though.

     If we skip into 2014 to Iggy Azaela's incident with Snoop Dogg, we begin to see those corporate situations controlling artists. We are very convinced that our music is controlled by corporate people. Our culture no longer belongs to us, yet it is constantly used against us. The youth is pretty much hypnotized, and just takes things as they are because their options are nonexistent. I'm pretty sure my grandparents said that about my generation.

      Your question now is probably, what do we do? Well Hip Hop is the example. Hip Hop is the first lesson in what is really happening. This is not a conspiracy. The reason Hip Hop can slip away so easily is because its not black owned. Gangsta rap was a category at one point. Now its the entire genre. We have to take control of the genre and control who comes in and who is put out. Control what they wear to the extent that its presentable and clean, but still a resemblance of what the streets wear.

     We can't just regulate everything done within the Hip Hop community. We have to focus everyone in fields outside of music. We have to send adults back to school for law, accountancy, health, engineering, fashion, communications, marketing, and more.We have to support them and ensure their commitment to education. When we take ownership, we run things our way.

     We are branding ourselves into a box, leaving us with no artistic freedom - or any other freedoms for that matter. Black Dot makes a point, the youth want to hear from the minds their age, that lived through what they lived through. We're grooming failures because they're chasing the almighty dollar. If a rapper like Young Thug can say what he said about the St. Louis, Missouri tragedy and still get airplay with Lifestyle, the youth don't have a chance at their representatives speaking up for anything.

     Watch Young Thug's video. When Jay Z and Tupac entered the rap music industry, they had something called Artist & Repertoire. This is an artist who said it, outright, "I leave that to the critics and lawmakers." That's what they are all doing. They do it because they cannot legally speak on anything that they're not under contract for. The corporate representatives coach them on these things, and they don't have A&R's to do that for them as a representative of where they come from.

     Some may consider this a satire piece, but there's a bigger picture. This is just the first part to our renovation as a people. While you wait for my next piece, Black Out: Branding Ourselves Into A Cage, read my first two answers to our problems, Investment Club Challenge, Take Ownership of Your Earnings and  Black Wall Street, Harlem Renaissance Reborn.

What Happened to Conservative Black Television?

Dr. Farrah Gray is wrong for making me do this. I hate myself for this.

The Question:

     What happened to this? He was asking why we have lost these shows and traded down for shows like Love & Hip Hop, Housewives, and Bad Girls Club. This was posted October 14th.

     Like I said, I will hate myself for this because I know we didn't lose black shows, people moved around, and we acquired new shows. In fact, we probably have more black shows now than ever.

     In the picture above, we adored these shows. We had a constant fixation on these shows. But not just these shows. There's Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters, That's So Raven, The Cosby Show, and A Different World. As time progressed, the sophistication of television dwindled, along with the audience's education or desire for progressive shows, or that's what we're led to believe.

     I'm not writing this to prove Dr Gray wrong, but I am writing this to insert a correction. Yes a lot of black people watch Love & Hip Hop series, and Real Housewives. But remember, that can be substituted for what our parents, grandparents, and older relatives used to watch. Soap Operas ruled the airwaves in the 80s and 90s. That stuff was just as foolish as these reality shows.

     One show - I can't remember the name - had a woman have a baby by an older gentleman, that baby grows up quick, gets married, and then her mom has a baby by her husband. Then she rekindles things with her original baby father who has an ulterior motive. Don't ask me what show. I watched it over a week with my late grandmother. It was ... stupid, for lack of a better word.

     We can't be so quick to judge something there's a market for. Drama was a huge market when I was a kid. Now, Tyler Perry has his own series that is a throwback of soap operas, and let me tell you, my news feed indicates all my old friends and family watch it.

     Now, as for this picture, Steve Harvey has 3 shows. He's a host on Family Feud, a show I rarely watched until he made it hilarious to viewers. He has his own talk show, I can't stand to watch - it makes him look old, which he is, but ... never mind. He also has a radio show. Martin has a show with Kelsey Grammar. Queen Latifah has her own show. Piggy aka Regina from The Steve Harvey Show is on The Game with Tia Mowery from Sister Sister. All of those shows have viewers.

     The Wire went off, but drew many viewers. At least three of the actors from The Wire are on America's biggest TV series, The Walking Dead. The only show watched by more black audiences than The Wire is the new Starz hit Power. It doesn't stop there, however. Like I said there are probably more black shows than before. There's Treme, starring Wendell Pierce and Clarke Peters, both from The Wire. House of Lies, my favorite show starring Don Cheadle aka The GOAT. How about Scandal? Scandal is huge. Scandal is everywhere. Its prime time, or the definition of it. Now Gotham is on, produced by Will Smith's Overbrook. Finally, you have How To Get Away With Murder. I can't go on. It becomes redundant after that.

     I'm not trying to prove any points. Its just not a real question to ask about classic shows like the ones above, when television is bigger than those shows now. I would just like to say, since Love and Hip Hop comes on Monday nights, I have truly found a reason to say, "I hate Mondays".

Investment Club Challenge, Take Ownership of Your Earnings

Please review the link below for reference.

http://blackbronx.blogspot.com/2014/10/black-wall-street-harlem-renaissance.html

     I want to challenge my readers to come together, and create an opportunity to earn wealth. Create an investment club. You may be wondering how, why, and who, so I'll give you a boost; some direction. I'll use my personal situations to help you overcome these questions. I will forewarn you, this is a difficult task, and even more difficult to manage. So when you approach this assignment, make sure everything is documented and orchestrated. Anything that is spur of the moment, will be catastrophic.

Plan

     Start your investment club by writing down your plan. You want to document your plan, then you want to hold everyone else accountable for documenting their plan. You may not be the head, the president, or chairman of your investment group. Someone may approach you, and invite you into their group. If you have your plan already laid out, then you set that expectation and your standards.

     Not everyone's plans, goals, and ideals will align. Have you ever said, "if I won a million dollars, I'd invest some of it". What would you invest in? Who would you invest with? How much would you invest? You're just a ribbon in the sky, going wherever the wind takes you at that point. The sad part is, if you did win a million dollars, you would spend it on things you thought were investments, and get nothing out of those "investments", which boils your purchases down to consumption. See why you need a plan?

   Like I mentioned, you want to align your plan with others. Plan alignment, will make voting on investments an easier or smooth task. Diversity is important, but you really want like-minded individuals working with you. I'm not saying, don't work with people whose plan isn't like yours. What I'm mean, and I must be clear on it is, if they're a more risk oriented group, and you believe in studying before making investment decisions, then that may not be the group for you. Some groups will want to buy every penny stock or short, while others will look buy long or look for investments that pay consistent dividends.

     With a plan, you set your boundaries. Its your way in, its your way out. I have studied currency trades and every trader says have a plan, exit strategy, or something to that nature. Make it as long or as short as you want. The longer the more defined it should be.

Meet and gather

     Person to person contact is motivating, inspiring, and comforting. When you start your investment club, make sure your partners are comfortable. Don't set up your meeting once a month in the beginning. Team build with your partners for the benefit of loyalty and consistency. Team building gets people comfortable with you, and prevents them from misinterpreting something you say or do. When collecting money, someone is trusting collections will be on time, and someone is trusting money will be safe. Establishing a relationship is part of building an investment club, you do that by meeting and gathering.

     Ideas for meeting and gathering are:

1. Food - Everyone loves eating. There's no better way to build a bond, than breaking bread. Maybe have a beer, or other type of drink. You may not be looking for a friend, but inviting a partner for a Auntie Anne's pretzel and lemonade establishes small talk. Small talk puts both of your minds on the same page.

2. Recreational Activity - I visited a Park in Richmond, VA. Forgive me for forgetting the name. Anyway, this park inspired me, wanting to host competitive activities like baseball, football, and basketball games for team building. Bowling is another fun filled activity for team building, and carries a food benefit as well.

3. Other Activities - If you're religious, church is a great option. This isn't an ideal because not everyone has the same religious beliefs, but it is an option. Group activities if you're interested in the same movie is an idea. Also, Amusement parks, casino trips, the list goes on.

     Take the time to know who you're working with, how they think, and their fears. When investing, some risks are always involved, and you don't want panic or uncertainty spreading through the group. Those are things that can be a distraction and poison a group. That leads me into the next step.

Create a Board

     While politics can be frustrating, and most people dislike politics with a passion, it will always rise in group functions. Whether you are a fan of politics or not, to create a successful group, you have to place accountability, responsibility, and governance in the hands of certain individuals. By setting up a board of directors and a chairman, you establish your groups structure. Do not underestimate the effect this has, especially if you're going to recruit new members.

     Procedures for placing members on the board can be done by vote. This is where the politics get frustrating. This is also where your plan and gathering come together as an effective tool. Remember you're not running for the board to give only your ideas and run the group. Don't try to turn people one each other. Explain why you'd like to be voted as a board member. If you're not interested in that responsibility, be careful of those who attempt to do such things. I'll reiterate that you do not want your group to be overrun by confusion, distractions, and taking sides.

     Task the board of directors with various responsibilities, including in depth research on investment opportunities, networking, and group organization. The Board should not allow the members of the group to become dependent on their information solely. The Board needs to govern meetings as well. They should be reliable in taking notes, making decisions, and settling disagreements. They must know when a vote is needed, and a decision is required. The group should establish how often voting is done, and write it into your bylaws.

Raise Money, Purchase a place to host meetings

     I'm trying to get my investment group to 100 members. My idea on raising money is the more people you have, the less you have to ask for. It is underestimated how quickly you can raise money. Since its an investment group, people should come with the expectation of giving money.

     Use those funds for purchasing or investing. An investment group can start in a home, but retail property should be a goal. Investment groups become very powerful. Board Members can invite speakers, that costs money, but its beneficial. The more informed the group becomes, the more members will want to join. Host your meetings with an inviting setting. Have coffee, cookies, donuts, and tea available.

     Try to change the culture of group members, but don't try to change them. In my opinion, investing starts with perception. Sell a prosperous lifestyle, and they'll buy into it.

Below is a Microsoft Word version of bylaws on an investment club:

INVESTMENT CLUB
BYLAWS

Provisions of the Bylaws shall not be in conflict with the Partnership Agreement.

Article I. Purpose

To invest the assets of the Partnership in stocks, bonds, and securities for the financial and educational benefit of the Partners, while employing fundamental principles and techniques of sound investment practices.

Article II. Meetings (Regular, Special, Quorum)

§  Meetings will be held the third of each month and at other times as deemed necessary. Meetings may be canceled or rescheduled by a majority vote of all Partners present in a quorum at a given meeting.

§  Time of meeting shall be from to .

§  In the month of , the Annual Meeting shall be held in conjunction with the regular business meeting, at which time new officers will be elected and a full and complete Annual Accounting of the financial condition of the Partnership shall be made to the Partners.

§  Special meetings may be called at any time by the Presiding Partner. Also, any Partners may request a special meeting through the Presiding Partner, in writing. In all cases, special meetings shall be limited to the stated purpose, which must be communicated in advance to all Partners.

§  A quorum of Partners shall be present at any regular or special meeting in order for Partnership business to be conducted, e.g., buy or sell orders. A majority vote of the Partners present is needed to approve any Partnership business not otherwise specified in the Bylaws herein.

§  A majority of Partners shall be present at any regular, special, or Annual Meeting before the election of officers or amendments to the Partnership Agreement or Partnership Bylaws can commence. A majority vote of the Partners present is needed to approve amendments to the Partnership Agreement or Bylaws, or to elect officers.

§  Each Partner shall have one vote in all matters regardless of his capital account balance.

§  Any Partner who fails to attend consecutive regular meetings without being excused by the Presiding Partner from attending, or who fails to attend in any twelve (12) month period, will be considered for termination.

§  The use of written proxies is hereby permitted for those Partners unable to attend any regular, special, or Annual Meeting. A proxy vote will be counted when it pertains to a specific issue previously discussed by the Partners, not to issues brought up and decided at the missed monthly meeting.

Article III. Partner Positions and Duties

Initially on the meeting date when the Partnership Agreement is signed, and thereafter annually at the meeting to be known as the Annual Meeting, or as needed to fill any vacancy, Partners shall be elected by a majority vote of the Partners present, or by appropriate proxy, to the following positions and duties:

§  Presiding Partner:  Sets meeting dates and locations, appoints committees, presides over meetings, sees that the resolutions passed by the Partnership are carried out, and develops the educational program for the Partners.

§  Assistant Presiding Partner:  Takes the place of the Presiding Partner when he is absent or incapacitated.

§  Recording Partner:  Keeps a record of the actions authorized by the Partners, and notifies members of meetings and activities.

§  Financial Partner:  Keeps a record of the Partnership's receipts and disbursements and of the members’ interests in the Partnership. Places the authorized Partnership buy and sell orders with the Partnership's broker or transfer agent, or directly through a company, and prepares the Partnership's monthly Liquidation Value Statement.

§  Partner: Has signed the Partnership Agreement, been voted into the Club, and signed a statement agreeing to abide by the Partnership Agreement and Bylaws of the Partnership, or is a minor child family member who has a custodial account being managed by a Partner over the age of 21.

Nominations for officer positions will take place in of each year. If absence from the Annual Meeting is unavoidable, appropriate proxies may be submitted before the Annual Meeting to elect Partners to serve in officer positions.

Article IV. Removal of an Officer

If an officer of the Partnership (Presiding Partner, Assistant Presiding Partner, Recording Partner, or Financial Partner) does not fulfill duties required as described in Article III, that Partner will be notified in writing of the meeting at which removal from office will be discussed and voted upon. At that meeting, the Partner may present statements to the Partnership in an effort to retain the position.

Removal will occur if so voted by majority of the Partners present at the meeting or voting by appropriate proxy.

Article V. Guests

Partners may invite guests to any meeting of the Club.

Article VI. Contributions

Partners will make a minimum monthly investment of at the regular monthly meeting. Partners may also make optional additional contributions in any increment(s). Regular monthly contributions normally collected at meetings are due prior to the scheduled meeting for any planned absence, or by the end of the third day after the meeting from anyone who was unable to attend that monthly meeting due to an emergency or illness. No Partner's capital account shall exceed twenty percent (20%) of the capital accounts of all Partners.

Article VII. Standing Partners’ Administrative Costs

Each Partner will contribute yearly (at the Club's anniversary month meeting) to cover administrative costs of the Club. Any Partner maintaining a custodial account will pay yearly to cover administrative costs for the minor Partner.

Article VIII. New Partners’ Administrative Costs

New Partners must pay yearly administrative costs at the time of joining if membership occurs within six months of the Club’s latest anniversary month meeting; otherwise, they must pay .

Article IX. Transactions and Valuation Statement

§  Transactions:  Buy or sell actions shall be made by majority vote of the Partners present at the meeting. Any vote for such transactions will be put in the form of a motion after membership discussion at a regular meeting. Transactions between meetings cannot be made by polling Partners. If a vote is necessary prior to the regularly scheduled meeting, the Presiding Partner will call a special meeting of the membership.

§  Valuation Statement:  The Financial Partner shall prepare a monthly statement of liquidation value, effective the before the regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

Article X. Book of Account

The Book of Account shall be a complete set of accounts, consisting of assets, liabilities, individual Partnership accounts, and appropriate revenue and expense accounts. It shall use the double-entry accounting system.

Article XI. Annual Accounting

§  Each calendar year, a full and complete account of the condition of the Partnership shall be made to the Partners. The annual accounting shall take place at the Annual Meeting for the preceding year.

§  All financial transactions shall be reviewed semi-annually by a Partnership Audit Committee.

Article XII. Bank Account

The Partnership may select a bank for the purpose of opening a bank account. Funds in the bank account shall be withdrawn by checks signed by any Partner designated by the Partnership.

Article XIII. Broker Account

§  All securities shall be purchased in the name of the Partnership.

§  All securities shall be kept in the Partnership safe deposit box or with the broker.

§  The Presiding Partner and the Assistant Presiding Partner shall be the custodians of all securities.

In Witness thereof, the Partners have set their hands, the year, and the date below:

Partner (Printed Name)	Partner Signature	Date Signed

Why Is It Important For You To Vote

     Let's skip over all the injustices committed against native americans, blacks, latinos, and asians, because clearly that's not important to some of you. You don't live in the past right? Let's talk now and the future, which affects you and only you.

     If you're receiving food stamps you probably don't have the time to vote. You probably have children, and no one to watch them. If you're a hardworking independent woman, you probably don't have time to vote. You have to show your dedication. If you're a hard labor working male, the politicians don't understand you, and you're not going to favor neither liar. Here's the thing to all of these excuses: they are all perpetual to the cycle you're trapped in.

     The mom who needs assistance, you need to vote. They called Barack Obama the "Food Stamp" president. Why would they call him that? America had food stamps before him. By voting, mentally, you're taking responsibility. Imagine taking control of who gets voted into office. Imagine the person you vote for gets voted into office. Even if the person you vote for loses, your vote is a voice. 

     When they count the votes, and they here the people chose someone someone that favors people like you, that gives the base more encouragement to keep pushing. So imagine that kid of yours watches you vote. That kid says, "Mom, I'm going to be a politician so you can vote for me." That one kid goes on to perform well in school, so that he can learn law and politics. Multiply that kid times 20 of his classmates. They begin a chain of behaviors that lead them into health, finance, economics, science, and more. They create a network, and they build their own political party. Just imagine.

     How about the hard workers out there. They commit more to their jobs than to their votes, rights, and self. You miss out on opportunities that favor you. Healthcare Reform helped 10 million Americans get health insurance. How many of those 10 million Americans voted? How many of them voted for Barack Obama? How many supported his law after a slight derailment likely caused by Republicans?

     Friday, Real Time with Bill Maher had guest David Frum. He made statements, likely promoted by Republican politics and not his own research, about Healthcare Reform that he got completely wrong. He had to admit to that. What is an admission, when you've already influenced millions of Americans, who still believe your wrong words? If he got it wrong, then why are politicians still running on the same propaganda?

     Hardworking Americans need to vote. Your company threatens you all the time, in all sorts of ways. That's an example of what they're trying to do politically. They're stripping you of your rights. This past summer, corporations wanted to have unlimited spending on elections. The Supreme Court supported that effort. They are not favoring the people. Corporations are exploiting a loophole that corporations are people, when really, they are wealthy stakeholders and some people.

     We have to be smarter. Set the example for the children that come behind us, and align politician's goals with those of the people. "We the People" is what it's about. Go out there and vote.

Black Wall Street, Harlem Renaissance Reborn

     I am not a person that comes from a prestigious background. I'm from the Bronx. I lived in Bronxdale Housing as a kid. I feel like my epiphanic moment was delivered over years of influences and imagination. A puzzle assembled over time and experience, through creativity. So when I explain this idea to you, take it in pieces and look it up for yourself. Anyone can do it, not just people of my race or background.

     I have spent many years trying to obtain wealth. I still try too. However, one day I was encourage to bank with Black Owned Banks, which led me to decide we need more black banks.

http://urbanintellectuals.com/2013/10/03/did-you-know-there-were-21-african-american-owned-banks-in-the-country/ 

     The link above provided me information on black owned banks. I couldn't understand why I didn't know this before. Is it because I'm from New York? Because I live in big cities? How come I'm 32, and black owned banks were only something I've heard of in history books? My conclusion was performance, distribution, and advertisement.

     Without a full investigation into each bank, I cannot condemn them to any verdict. I can only theorize, and use that as my approach when considering opening my own. I decided to look up how to open my own bank.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/banking_12779.htm

     I learned about contacting the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the differences between the types of banks, and the procedures - step by step.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title12-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title12-vol1-part5.xml

     With all of that information, I realized, "man, you need money and a lot of it". The best type of bank to have is a bank holding company. A bank holding company is a company that owns and/or controls one or more U.S. banks or one that owns, or has controlling interest in, one or more banks. A bank holding company may also own another bank holding company, which in turn owns or controls a bank; the company at the top of the ownership chain is called the top holder. The Board of Governors is responsible for regulating and supervising bank holding companies, even if the bank owned by the holding company is under the primary supervision of a different federal agency (OCC or FDIC). I felt compelled to see what bank holding companies are out there. http://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/content/help/institution%20type%20description.htm 

http://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/nicweb/top50form.aspx

     I found some of our favorite businesses are bank holding companies. That explains their success, and why they're so successful. The worlds best investor, Warren Buffet was able to transform his company into a bank holding company.

     So with that, why aren't there more black owned bank holding companies? For a long time, we've watched rappers, movie stars, and black executives make a lot of money. We also watched them spend a lot of money. Will Smith made me proud when he started Overbrook. http://www.overbrookent.com/ To me, that's kind of a big deal.

     Black Owned Businesses are a huge start into making powerful moves and helping us out. However, we have to take that money we make and put to use and not wear, drive, or eat it. Anyone who makes more than $10 million a year is capable of being a major shareholder in a bank. Anyone with $1 million can work with others to influence. Everyone below those thresholds are contributors that can make a difference. As a result, black owned businesses can assemble and control their communities.

     Like I said, I'm from New York. When I would step out of my home, I had a independently owned grocery store. The surrounding businesses were minority owned small businesses. You know what I didn't see much of? Banks. While you would see a Bank of America every few blocks, there weren't a lot of other types of banks. If these minority owned businesses came together, they can offer loans at better rates. They know the purchase habits of their people. They can finance their own people.

     Some may see this as a transfer of wealth. However, we have been transferring our wealth to the 1% for decades. This was being done without a cause. They don't need our money as much as we need our money. If we can build our own, like they did in Oklahoma and Harlem, we can do so much more. It doesn't stop there, that's just the beginning.

Stay tuned for my post on trade, GDP, and exports/imports.

Online Voting: When Will The Future Get Here

     As we approach another election, and the supreme court has shown support in favor of Texas Republicans, I ask this one question; When will we be the future and start relying on technological advances and start voting online?

     Last year I forwarded a powerpoint to an old high school classmate of mine. I explained that for about 6 months, I was thinking and documenting this idea of voting online. Why can't we do it? We speak our minds through Twitter, Facebook, and endless blog sites. Yet, the internet is still not secure enough to allow us to vote for congressmen and women, senators, and the president.

     Why can't we vote online, where we conduct banking transactions, IRS transactions, pay our mortgage, rent, and all other sorts of business online; including requesting a Tax ID for a business. I'm pretty sure we can put in place a few steps to make it happen. Do you think your elected officials would support it? Imagine they instantly received our feedback on how we wanted them to vote. Imagine while voting for them, we can review what we're voting for. Imagine when they polled us, we can give a 97% reflection of how we feel about a law. 

     I came up with idea, and I'm hoping it catches on. 

Online Voting will without a doubt change America. However, it will receive a lot of apprehension before it is accepted.

There is a need for online voting whether politicians like it or not. In fact, we'd progress faster with online voting. Barack Obama would have to deal with less false opposition if it were to happen in his presidency.

Take away long lines, see more people voting in polls, main elections, midterm elections, and special elections. 

We can make online voting the most secure process. We can make information hard to duplicate. 

We do so much online already. Traditions can fade. This will be very rewarding.

With so many steps incorporated, hackers will have a series of problems to work through.

We try to make online voting easy for everyone. 

The best part is, its easy for the country to raise a substantial amount of money.

I'm pretty sure there are gaps in the powerpoint. you get the drift though. This can be the next big thing. Don't sit on it.

A Child Apart

     Sitting here thinking. Damn. When I was a kid, I was amongst other kids. None of us had hope. We were living in the projects. Our only understanding of life was; there are drug dealers, hard workers, and white people.

     We educated each other because like Will Smith said, parents just don't understand. How could they though? Our parents went through their own struggle when they were kids. Their struggle was different, but they didn't have much either.

     As kids we went to school and learned about our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents struggle in history books. Usually, this information was taught by teachers that didn't look like us. Not that we were racially informed, but when you learn white people were slave masters, and you look up and see this white teacher chastising you constantly...it makes you feel like damn. Most of them didn't really care for us either. So to us, we subconsciously felt that cycle starting all over again.

     When you learn about slavery, you start associating things with the feeling of slavery. It gives us a feeling of hopelessness. Think about it. Your parents tower over you saying, do good in school and you can do anything. In our minds - in a child's mind - your parents did well in school. So why aren't we rich, in a big house. If your parents are struggling, you feel like you'll end up the same as them. That feeling of hopelessness settles in. So you try to be smarter than them. Some kids start doing things that ain't right. Because now, you building standards.

     Then you get disciplined when you do something "wrong". I use that term loosely, because as adults we know the first thing a black person does wrong is be born black. Kids do bad things to test boundaries. I'll admit sometimes a child will go too far. In this case, child criminals are punished by the law. All of this creates storyline in a child's mind. And that story, doesn't end well. When you're 8 you look up to a 10 year old. When you're 12, a 16 year old is an O.G. When you're 16, you think, I'll be dead by 22, I'm lucky if I make it to 17/18.

     For young females, its different. Being that I'm a male, I can't make sense of their actions. I can only say, they weren't in any better position. My assumption is every little girl likes a bad boy. If their father is not in their life, things are bad for them, and if they're abused its worst. At some point, these young females are willing to participate in our struggle, and join us.

     So we believe we'll be dead before we can smoke cigarettes. We try to make babies to get the feeling of being a parent. And even if we have guidance, we feel hopeless in achieving anything because all of the people who are successful don't look like us. All of this in the mind of a child, who possess a bit of rebellion. Then cops (once again, adults who don't understand children) attempt to harass us. It starts early.