DC VIDA

Education in the Stimulus Bill

2009-02-13T22:13:00.004-05:00

I sat on a conference call today with the new Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The conference call was supposed to give a little guidance on how education will benefit from the economic stimulus. Secretary Duncan said there are three areas of extreme importance to him and President Obama in terms of benefitting education. The first goal is to protect children, the second goal is to provide and protect jobs and the third goal is to push a reform agenda for education.

Here are a few numbers he spewed out and how this money will be allocated.

54 billion States stabilization and education fund

9 billion Capital needs

5 billion Race to the Top fund (overall drive to improve education)

32 billion College affordability

17 billion Pell grants

15 billion Tax Credits

12 billion IDA and Special Education

5 billion Early childhood education

200 million Pay for performance

And a few other things, I started zoning out after hearing millions. Secretary Duncan expressed their hope to get money to the states in order to help them finish the 2009 school year and include in their 2009-2010 school year budget. They expect to have the stimulus bill on President Obama's desk by Monday and you can see that looks realistic since the bill has breezed through the House and is moving through the Senate.

My only concern is the point where money goes to the states, this is when the ball of confusion starts spinning. Will the funds go to all schools in a blanket amount or to the schools with the most need? Will there be requirements for the money? Will pay for performance support teacher salaries along with union requirements? Does money for college affordability mean more scholarships, free books, free laptops??

There's still much unanswered at this point and Secretary Duncan didn't seem to have sufficient answers. When it comes to this stimulus the real question is, what happens when the rubber meets the road.

Move Slowly Folks, one @ a time

2008-12-15T22:57:00.003-05:00

Last week National Public Radio (NPR) announced lay offs and financial cuts due to the economy recession. Included in the cuts was the cancellation of two programs produced out of NPR West, Day to Day and News and Notes. Day to Day was NPR's attempt to create a program that was quicker in pace and fresher in sound than there primary shows (Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation). Day to Day also included more pop culture content and stories originating from the West Coast. Day to Day was an excellent direction for NPR and integrated easily into the NPR line-up.

News and Notes which is currently hosted by journalist Farai Chideya was another attempt for NPR to reach out to their chronically under served minority listening audience. The show began with former BET host Ed Gordon who left the program allegedly due to lack of support from NPR. Chideya stepped in upon his departure and brought more West Coast flavor and pop-culture content to the program. I don't feel Farai is the greatest radio anchor but I appreciate NPR continuing to air the program after the departure of the original host.

The challenges of News & Notes are similar to the challenges Tavis Smiley faced while hosting his popular but short-lived NPR program "The Tavis Smiley Show". Smiley's show was produced from NPR West and brought a more critical analysis of news of the day from a minority perspective. The program also brought black celebrities and comedians to an audience who may not otherwise hear their thoughts on political, social and economic issues.

When Tavis left the airwaves, NPR attempted to fill the new void with News & Notes with Ed Gordon which was soon followed by Tell Me More with Michel Martin. Neither show completely fills the void left by Tavis Smiley and leaves the network with one lone African-American show.

Martin is a well-trained journalist and the show's content is enlightening without being brash, harsh, loud or timid on racial subjects.

Although NPR has received large donations in recent years, interest in information programming is growing and the network is moving into larger digs in Washington, DC the company is still hitting brick walls when it comes to serving their minority audience and a growing younger audience. If the programming is right the potential audience gain for NPR is huge with the numbers of Hispanic, African-Americans, Asian listeners interested in information content.

Hopefully, after the dust settles NPR will realize they have to diversity their content and give new programs the same support which is given to their flagship programs. Currently they are moving at a snail's pace and one is not enough.

Cupcake Captain Strikes Again

2008-11-15T21:40:00.004-05:00

I whipped up a batch, well whipped is a serious understatement, I labored over a batch of cupcakes for my nephew's eighth birthday party. Not the stellar execution I'd prefer but for a first time try and an elementary birthday party--they were just fine. The bug cupcake recipe by Martha Stewart was the inspiration.

Mexican tonight??

2008-10-12T09:55:00.014-05:00

Let me tell you about a hole in the wall I visited last night--literally. A girlfriend and I went out for a late night bite in Silver Spring, MD. We decided to visit Matamoros, which means Moor slayer in Spanish and is the name of a famous Mexican priest and rebel soldier, this place appeared seriously jumping at 11pm while everything else around was a complete dead zone. After walking in we learned that the place was full because Guatemala was playing Trinidad & Tobago in a World Cup qualifying match. Anyway, the place was small and the main seating section was in front for those watching the football game. There was a small bar and a few tables for other folks who wanted to eat. When the guy asked where we wanted to sit he gave us two options--the table by the window with an intriguing view of the window unit fan or the table by the HOLE IN THE WALL. We picked the luxury window unit seat.

We ordered drinks and this was quite a delight, the menu listed Sangria for $5, Margaritas for $5.50 and Strawberry Daiquiris for $5.50. We ordered the strawberry daiquiris and although they looked a little more raspberry in color, I thought the drink was delicious. My friend thought it was too sweet and ordered a pina colada.

While we waited for our meal and continually discussed our country club view of the window fan and the hole in the wall I made another observation that is quite interesting. (Notice the hole in the wall to the left of me in my picture) The two tables next to us, which we're pushed together for a large party that had just left, have a clear identifying mark on them--Westfield Shoppingtown. Now for anyone familiar with the suburban mall scene has visited one of Westfield's shopping malls around the U.S. or even their global locations in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. If you've ever been in the mall and had a desire for bourbon chicken, Boardwalk Fries or a slice of pizza you've seen the Westfield Shoppingtown tables which have the mall logo on the corner of the tables in red and black. What makes this all the more funnier is that Wheaton Mall, a Westfield property, is no more than 2 traffic lights away from this restaurant. Somehow the owners of this restaurant hauled off two tables (we only saw two, there may have been more) from the nearby Wheaton Mall and set-up shop in their restaurant. I thought the sight of the two tables was just hilarious but my friend was in utter shock. It's similar to hotel towels. My mother would never give a guest of our home a towel that came from some hotel stay in the past but to me it's a wink and a smile kind of deal, I applaud people for being resourceful. A towel is a towel and in this case a table is a table.

Our food came to the table, my order of two chicken enchiladas with ranchero sauce and my friend's order of chicken enchiladas with two tacos. I enjoyed my food and actually thought it was delicious (the fact that I'm on a Slim Fast diet could be a major factor in that). My friend really believes she's a serious food critic and thought the chicken could have more flavor, the taco was better than the enchilada and the rice was good because it was not Spanish rice. They really cut corners on the rice, it wasn't Spanish or Mexican rice and really tasted like warmed up Minute Rice or Rice-A-Roni.

Overall, I'd say the place was fine for a late night bite considering the food and drinks were good enough and there was excitement from the patrons watching the game. The restaurant exploded when Guatemala made a goal. (A flag was called on the goal so the celebration was short-lived)

I'd say always take the time to try a new place and never underestimate a hole in the wall.

Real Housewives???

2008-10-09T21:27:00.003-05:00

Man, she had me fooled. Watching the new season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Bravo we met five new women with "glamorous" lives. Sherree Whitfield, former wife of NFL player Bob Whitfield; DeShaun Snow, wife of NBA player Eric Snow; Nene Leakes, wife of a real estate investor; Kim Zolciak, a budding country singer and Lisa Wu Hartwell, wife of NFL player Ed Hartwell. From watching the first show everyone makes their personal judgements on who's classy, who's new money, who's tacky, who's a golddigger, who's living in a bubble. Personally, I thought Mrs. Leakes, Mrs. Whitfield and Ms. Zolciak exhibited new money and golddiggeritis (if that's a word). Mrs. Snow appeared slightly more grounded with young children in the home and a husband who expressed a need to show financial restraint and management. Mrs. Hartwell gave the impression of a sweet, adorable and ambitious business woman who happened to meet an NFL player.

Wrong

Known on the Bravo TV series as Lisa Wu Hartwell, she is the former wife of R& B singer and producer Keith Sweat and mother of two children with him, ages 13 and 11. In the past Ms. Hartwell has also gone by the name Sharon Lisa Sweat, Lisa Wu Sweat and Sharon Millette Wu as specified in this legal document where Keith Sweat sued her in 2007 for misusing his name on a movie production he financed.

http://www.ganb.uscourts.gov/judges/opn/opn_view.php?Id=855

Man, she's old hat at this. She's probably in some of those videos from back in the day like Make it Last Forever or Don't Stop Your Love. Chatrooms also suggest that the Hartwell romance and marriage was very quick and what you see on television is not always what it seems.

Interesting!!

Obama Biden Rally in Fredericksburg, VA

2008-09-28T14:13:00.009-05:00

Yesterday I attended an Obama/Biden rally in Fredericksburg, VA on the campus of the University of Mary Washington. I figured it wasn't that far and it would be my first time seeing the two candidates together; I also wanted to see how the crowds were reacting to Joe Biden.

On the main road that takes you into downtown Fredericksburg there's a huge sign that reads "McCain/Palin country"?!?!?!?!

Found a good space in a local business area and walked down to the rally area in Ball Circle. There were tons of people in line to get into the rally and right outside the campus on College Avenue was a house with a huge, wooden McCain/Palin sign. So back to the line, there were tons of people winding around the campus into the Ball Circle area. I thought the line would never end. It was quite chaotic finding the press check-in but once I got in I saw that there was hardly any press there. I'm wondering why they weren't trying to get more folks in.

So of course, they have the oh-so glorious tented section for the traveling press and everyone else is relegated to the elements. Anywho, the section set-up for attendees was very small. There was an area around the primary viewing section for people who got it but there was a large amount of people who didn't get in but still had a great view of the stage.

The rally was supposed to begin around 6:30pm but around 6:00pm the rains came down. Serious rain. Lightening and everything. Nobody left, people looked for shelter if that was possible but nobody left. Rain was in the forecast and some people came prepared but most just didn't care. At this time they're telling people you have to leave from under the tented traveling press area repeating the lie that "they're on their way". After about 30 or 40 minutes the rain let up and everyone soaked up the few minutes of sun to get ready for the main event.

Around 7pm Joe Biden and Barack Obama appeared on stage, no opening acts, straight to the main event. Joe Biden went straight to the mic and his first line of attack was John McCain's comments at the preceding nights debate. He attacked his foreign policy angles on Iraq, Afghanistan and Russia. He primarily questioned his judgement and attempted to prove that this characteristic is what defines Senator Obama's ability to be President not John McCain. The audience appeared very lukewarm to Senator Biden's comments, I'm not sure if it was the foreign policy topic or just the general response to Biden.

Obama then took the stage and immediately discuss the need to turn Virginia blue. He started with the economy and addressed some of McCain's comments from the debate at Ole Miss on September 26th. About 20 minutes into Obama's comments the rain starts up again and people started leaving at this point. I guess they figured they couldn't take anymore rain and since they'd gotten a taste of Obama in person it was OK to leave.

The Senator continued to attack McCain as it relates to the financial bailout and commented that "American people should not pay for the bailout" and that these big money CEO's "shouldn't even think about cashing in" and that there will be "no welfare for wall street".

The biggest zinger of the night immediately followed when he alluded to the misperception that McCain is for regulation, he said "if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you in Alaska" referring to Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's now infamous government project "The Bridge to Nowhere".

The rain kept coming down but all Obama did was take-off his jacket and roll-up his sleeves half-way (the signature look he wears now when trying to look casually dressed). Since this setting was a college campus he hit on financial aid problems and his proposed idea for absolving financial costs, he also took a hit at No Child Left Behind (NCLB) saying he will support teachers so they won't have to only teach to the test.

The crowd was completely riled up and Obama closed it down, the two men waved to the audience, shook hands while their usual campaign song played "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder.

Overall, it was another good campaign event, not great. The weather and predictions for rain definitely hurt the event. The space designated for people to get in was just way too small. There was no build up of local politicians and supporters to help get the audience ready. In late night television and comedy shows they always use people to warm-up the audience and this event could have definitely benefited from that. Biden and Obama did a great job of addressing McCain's points on the economy and foreign policy but foreign policy topics are hard for crowds to get a handle on and for politicians to get strong crowd response. I've been to better campaign events indoors and outdoors and this was pretty much a six on the scale of one to ten.

I did however get some cool pics of the different Obama T-shirts. Check it out http://www.slide.com/r/QOmWBKK2oD8VseRQJesTaaCsBQt13xPY?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

R.I.P. Council Member Ken Harris

2008-09-28T13:49:00.003-05:00

Amidst the craziness of last week, covering the Congressional Black Caucus and McCain deciding he was temporarily suspending his presidential campaign, came the funeral of a former co-worker and all-around great guy-- Baltimore City Council Member Kenneth Harris. Ken Harris served Baltimore City as Counci lMember for nearly 10 years and also hosted a show on WEAA-FM called "City Talk" which is how I came to know him. In the wee hours of Sunday morning on September 20th Ken was shot in a robbery attempt (in his own district where he lived and served) and was pronounced dead at 2am at John Hopkins Hospital.

Ken was 45 years old, married for years to his wife Annette, had two children and his daughter was recently married. He was a strong advocate for tougher crime laws and the irony of his death is all too surreal.

The funeral was held at the Murphy Fine Arts Center at Morgan State University where Ken was an alumni and soon-to-be employee as he was recently pegged to be a lobbyist for the historically black college. Murphy was filled with family and friends of Ken and his family and there was abounding love for him in the auditorium. In the service everyone could feel the magnitude of his absence from the Northeast Baltimore community and the city at-large.

It's a shame to lose such a great person in a city who truly needs "community organizers" (Sarah Palin) and I hope with the example of his life people will follow in his footsteps and spend time caring for and serving their communities.

Pazo in Baltimore

2008-09-21T22:04:00.004-05:00

Last night I joined a friend for a birthday dinner for her cousin. The time: 10pm. The place: Pazo in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood. The restaurant is refreshingn and different for the Baltimore scene and I heard it was impossible to get in when it opened four years ago. The place has valet which is $25 without validation (note to self: be sure to see the waiter before leaving). The restaurant is very big compared to other places in Fells Point. The aesthetic inside is a combination of a warehouse, loft style building with a Middle Eastern, North African flair with ornate designs, candle light and tented dining booths. In the middle of the restaurant is a lounge/bar area with low-sofas, pillows and tons of seating for group parties. A DJ was spinning live music which was a combination of light hip hop, soul and dance music. The vibe was very young, fresh, eclectic (which is perfect for me) and enlightening. A breath of fresh air from the tired scene in Washington, DC with crowded "it" clubs and so-called lounges that are standing room only with loud ass music. I'm so over that!!! Hated it!!. The menu is tapas and has a wide variety of selections especially for people like me who don't eat a lot of regular menu items. The tapas had selections such as lamb, calamari, eggplant caviar, grilled shrimp, fried mashed potato puffs, soup and salad. There's also a varied wine list for the enthusiasts. Overall, an enjoyable experience and if you're ever in Baltimore be sure to stop by.

New Dolls-Forget Barbie & Ken

2008-09-17T07:12:00.007-05:00

Forget Barbie and Ken, we need Will & Jada dolls. They are perfection. Black perfection might I also say.

Big Red

2008-09-11T21:45:00.008-05:00

I attended the McCain-Palin rally in Fairfax, Virginia on Wednesday. Had to get up much earlier than normal since it was on the total opposite side of the beltway. When I got there I saw plenty of people lining the sidewalks, walking up to Van Dike Park. The parking was kinda crazy but lo and behold I found a free parking deck. How great is that! I thought it was very interesting that the park was next to a gated community with gigantic homes--the perfect setting for a Republican event. Anywho, walking down Old Lee Highway I'm the only green jacket in an enormous sea of red. The Virginia Republican Party asked attendees to wear red as a reminder to "keep Virginia red" this November. Red was everywhere; red hats, red sun visors, children wearing red, even babies wearing red onesies. There were a few Obama supporters outside the park, police kept them at bay on the opposite side of the street. I heard one exchange between the McCain and Obama supporters. One McCain supporter yelled to the Obama supporters "You're losers!" to which an Obama supporter replied "If we lose, you lose"! (Well, I thought that was funny).

The security process was simple enough, no big deal there for a change. Once inside I headed straight for the media risers and plugged in, no big deal there for a change. And so we wait.... While I wait I'm observing the signs in the audience. One says "Our prayers have been answered, vote for McCain and Palin". Another sign reads "Drill baby drill". Another says "Lipstick on a pitbull". One woman is in the audience holding up a purse with big, red lips on the outside. Very interesting....

The local politicians open the event, a Congressman or something. The first two not elected speakers were former Democratic candidate supporters. A woman who owned a business with her husband was first to speak and she explained how three months ago she was an Obama supporter but is now supporting McCain because of his plans for business owners (ie, tax cuts for business owners). The next speaker was a Clinton supporter who is now supporting McCain because she feels her party, the Democratic Party, didn't recognize the need to put a woman on the ticket. She also addressed Obama's comment about "lipstick on a pig" and inferred that he was addressing Sarah Palin. Then she said "that was a comment a fifth grader would make and I don't want a fifth grader as President of the United States". Very interesting... She also said that she is going to call a different person everyday to get them to vote for John McCain, her new slogan is " a call a day keeps Obama away". Very interesting....

So the opening act for this extravaganza was Senator Fred Thompson and the audience ate him up from the second he appeared on the grassy knoll. The crowd was very revved up and Fred Thompson was in great form when he hit the stage. I've never seen him speak live before a crowd, he was very charming and very down home. He remarked to the audience that he "lives right down the road, I can talk to ya'll, ya'll are my kinda people". After Fred Thompson finished his audition for CSI: Capitol Hill the main act was ready to show up.

The McCains walked on-stage looking wealthy like Mr. and Mrs. Howell from Gilligan's Island. Sarah and Todd Palin walked on-stage looking like The Clampetts 2008, new found fame and fortune.

And the crowd went wild and all I could think about was "how much was Cindy McCain's money green outfit"?

Mrs. McCain spoke very briefly and introduced Sarah Palin. Sarah introduced her husband and then went into to her stump speech. At one point a French journalist remarked that Palin was giving the same stump speech she had given the prior day in Lebanon, Ohio. The audience ate it up; "I opposed the bridge to nowhere", "we'll reform Washington", "change is coming", "we're the maverick team", "I stood up to the old boys network", etc, etc, etc.

Then old man McCain came on stage. He shared all his policy information, war experience, Senate experience, energy independence crap and that's usually when people in the audience start to catch their afternoon nap. Just to keep everyone awake he kept referring to Sarah Palin saying "my running mate did this".

That was about it, NOTHING NEW, pretty much the exact same script and language from the Republican National Convention. The other problem with this event is that the Republicans kept trying to inflate the numbers. At the beginning they kept saying "we have about 12-15,000 people out here" and one of the cameramen remarked "somebody can't count". The crowd assembled looked more like 5,000. At the close of the event a women from the Republican Party came over and said the official event count was 23,000 and the reporter from the local NBC Affiliate immediately replied "who's official count". THERE WAS NOTHING CLOSE TO 23,000 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS EVENT. The Democratic National Convention at the Pepsi Center had around 30,000 in attendance and this crowd was no where near that size. The crowd there probably had 5,000-8,000. The nerve of them to say it was 23,000, as I just heard on Robot Chicken, that is lame.

I just wanted to see, in person, how the Republicans are responding to Sarah Palin. Is it legitimate or is the media just building hype around an interesting story? People are genuinely excited about Sarah Palin, she's clearly the draw on the ticket. Republicans were going to vote for McCain anyway but the addition of Sarah Palin has truly energized the party. Now for Sarah Palin, she's not very solid with facts or experience, but she's selling this bad girl, shooting guns, hunting moose and taking on the big guys persona. She puts a lot of sass in her speeches and with any public speaking event. ]Her style may work in a state of less than 700,000 people who may be intimidated by her personality or think its charming but that act will wear very thin very soon on this world stage. Alaska was the Bush Leagues Governor, you're in the Majors now.

I must say overall, I felt a little uncomfortable out there in McPalin land. Bob Herbert wrote a column in the New York Times this week emphasizing how the Democrats have been the party of change and progress over the years. Democrats pushed through civil rights for African Americans, voting rights for African Americans and women, gay rights, social security, medicare, etc. Republicans and conservatives have always been the party of keeping things the same. They were wholeheartedly opposed to equal rights for women and African-Americans, gay rights and any social program that helps people. To see all these people in red, with their children in red, wearing McPalin stickers rooting for a party who, as an African-American and woman, never wanted me to have anything was very unsettling to me. Not everyone felt that way or still feels that way but the fact remains that they're rooting for the party that doesn't want America to change. Lame!!

Oohhh Weeeee

2008-09-08T22:42:00.009-05:00

I just made my first batch of cutesy fadutesy cupcakes. They were absolutely adorable! I loved making them and I think my friends enjoyed them. I'm ready to get in full swing now!!

I made them for an all-girl kickball game (and I am talking about ADULTS). Not to overload on the nostalgia angle with cupcakes (cue Playground by Another Bad Creation) but the kickball game was held at my Maryland elementary school Rose Valley--oh the days of recess and scoring chocolate milk in the cafeteria---good times, good times. But, I digress, back to the present. I decided not to play since I'm just getting over a cold. I brought snacks for everyone and they nicknamed me TEAM MOM.

That's just fine since, come to find out, we were on teams and my team won.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy!!!!

BTW, the score was 14-8, did the other team even play?!?!?!?

Random Thoughts

2008-09-06T22:37:00.006-05:00

Everytime I write "Random Thoughts" I think of the old Saturday Night Live skit "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy". The thoughts were so corny and so unusable but I remember them very vividly.

Anywho..

While Hurricane Hannah was storming up the East Coast I was preparing for my Wilton's cupcake class at A.C. Moore. I thought a two-hour class for $15 on cupcake decorating basics shouldn't be too bad. I'm thinking about going into the cupcake craze as a side hustle. The only difference between selling cakes on the side and cupcakes is that cakes just have to taste good. But, as the cupcake game has seriously elevated, the main draw has become the taste but also the decor. When I discovered Bakerella blogs I learned that cupcakes have come a long way baby. And more specifically, when I saw her Care Bear cupcake made out of fondant, I realized that we weren't in Kansas anymore Toto. So I figured a cupcake class would be a good springboard.

Now granted, I was running to get my class materials together and it was, as I would say, raining pots and pans outside, I realized I still needed a few items. So I tried to

get on the road to pick-up wax paper and Wilton's decorators icing before class. Mission not accomplished. I got there about five minutes late without icing in hand (Drat!) I asked the instructor, Tina, if anymore icing was left on the shelf. The other two class participants, who were on time, said they had snagged the last two jars (Double Drat!) Tina said "Oh but there's chocolate back there" and I thought that was excellent since I love anything chocolate. And it was also appropriate since I was the only chocolate person in the class. (More on this interesting parallel later).

Learning how to thin the icing was the first step in class, which became a disaster because chocolate melts at a faster clip than vanilla. Tina went on to show us how to ice, how to do stars and extended stars, rosettes, leaves, dots, swirls and lettering.

The class was cool because it was a refresher course for some techniques I'd learned when I was younger. Also, seeing all the new tools and cupcakes ideas was a great inspiration for my future plans.

On the other hand, the class was geared towards the everyday homemaker or mom who bakes cupcakes for their children, their parties and for small religious or social functions. At one point the instructor Tina emphasized how "cupcakes are really big now, even at weddings". And I'm thinking to myself yeah, everybody knows that. Then she goes on "there are even cupcake cafes now like in Seattle and New York" and I said "yeah, they have one in Dupont Circle and two in Georgetown" to which she responded "yeah, well I don't go that way". At this point I'm thinking she can't be serious. Well, I say all that to say , I'm more interested in the contemporary, creative and chic cupcake style. I mean if I get a gig to make 30 cupcakes for a back-to-school kindergarten class then the multicolored caterpillar will work just fine. But, if I'm trying to sell my goods to adults and children for other things I want a more chic look which would include clear sprinkles, monograms from powdered sugar or sifted cocoa, cursive letter toppers, you get the idea.

At one point in the class, Tina was discussing how to get different colors for icing and more specifically black. She told us that the best way to get black is not by adding black dye to white icing but by making chocolate icing darker. She said if you use black dye in white icing it's hard to get a true black and you will most likely end up with a shade of gray. Then she said "just use chocolate because it's the closest thing to black, it's right next to black, it's the closest thing since I mean it's almost black, it's the closest thing to black , it's right there". I was the only black person in the class and the only one using chocolate icing. I felt slightly uncomfortable when they said brown is almost black, its the closest thing to black. I was thinking yeah brown is closer to black than most other colors when using icing but it's not right next to black, there are still a few variations until you get to black.

So I came home with knowledge about decorating techniques but practice surely makes perfect because my extended stars and leaves were pitiful. It's going to take a little longer than I thought to master the decorations. Using the basic flat style to cover the cupcake before putting on a decorative topping shouldn't be a problem. But, as far as anything that has dimension or height its going to be a problem.

The next thing I'll probably do is visit the cupcakes shops intown and sample their icing styles. Granted there are several ways to do it but the key will be the icing consistency and the style of decorating. Personally I like my entire cupcake top covered by icing, I feel as if something's missing when parts of the cupcake top are exposed. I feel like I'm getting robbed and instead of covering the face of the cupcake they just pile the icing to the sky. Icing is not all that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want more substance less fluff. Get the cupcake right, don't disguise it with a mountain of icing.

For me the joy of a cupcake is the perfect intersection of a moist cupcake and a complementary icing. Not just the cupcake itself and not just the icing. I like to take my first bit so I get the heavenly intersection of cake and icing. Additionally, I eat the entire cupcake so every bite provides me with this heavenly intersection. I get upset, or a little disappointed, when I have miscalculated my bites and I end up with an all-cake bite or an all-icing bite. Not cool, not having it.

Anyway, those are my random thoughts. Be sure to tip your waiter, thank you Denver. I'll be here all weekend.

Random Thoughts on a Monday

2008-08-11T21:07:00.008-05:00

This weekend two primary contributors to African-American and mainstream culture died. Comedian Bernie Mac passed on Saturday at age 50 due to complications of pneumonia and/or sarcoidosis (The jury is still out on that) and musician Isaac Hayes passed on Sunday at age 65 after exercising. It's very difficult to look at persons in pop culture who bring life, creativity and innovation to your life and watch them pass. You know how you can remember a certain song, a certain part in the bridge or remember the first time you heard a joke and you can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you heard it. To remember these moments in our everyday lives and to think that maybe if we never got to know Bernie or Isaac how we wouldn't have these memorable times is sad indeed.

I remember when I was first introduced to the Shaft series--Richard Roundtree in all his coolness, all his glory, all his suave and sexy persona. The way he wore his afro and black leather coat, it was like you'd never seen an afro or black leather coat before. No one could carry it the way Richard Roundtree or John Shaft carried it. But what told more of the story than John Shaft in his afro and leather coat was the music, how could we forget the music.Everyone wanted the theme to Shaft to be their personal theme music. We wanted the music to play when we walked into the club, walking through the halls at work, walking to the grocery store, when we got out of the car for a special event. Everywhere we went there was a red carpet in our mind and the theme to Shaft was our personal soundtrack. I don't mean to brag but how could we not know about that coolmutha---shut yo mouth--John Shaft. (I don't know about you but "we can dig it").

Speaking of cool muthas, how can we not remember the first time we heard Bernie Mac say "I ain't scared of you m*th@f$uck@s" in his distinctive voice with that signature Bernie Mac smile. Bernie Mac's comedic style made you feel comfortable like when you're with your family; within his first minute onstage you felt like you already knew him. Mac's presence onstage felt like an uncle or next-door neighbor with whom you loved to sit around and joke with about everything and nothing. Remember the Kings of Comedy and how Bernie Mac had to be the last act on the show because his jokes were coming from so far left field the house would literally come down by the time he was finished. There would be nothing left after Bernie finished with the audience. You can't forget about his trials and tribulations of watching his nieces and nephews which ultimately led to his television show "The Bernie Mac Show".

It's sad to know there won't be any new Isaac Hayes creations as he was in the studio working on a new album for Stax Records. It's sad to know we won't see another Percy Jones (Guess Who, 2005) or Dolla Bill(The Players Club,1998) performed the way Bernie Mac did. My condolences go to the families of Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes.

RIP Bernie Mac (1957-2008) RIP Isaac Hayes (1942-2008)

Random Thoughts

2008-07-31T22:58:00.002-05:00

The Boogie Bots just got booted off ABDC, I mean they were kind of mediocre for the level of talent on the show. But man, I was excited because folks out of DC hardly ever get prime-time status. Lil Mama was pretty harsh with the comments but bless their hearts, they're out of DC and they made it to the top 4.

Other note of randomness: I'm having the girly girls over next weekend and I'm thinking about recipes for the night. I've thought about these salsa cups, fruity drinks, mini salmon cakes, quick desserts. The one thing I thought about is mini turkey burgers like turkey puffs on a stick. You can have little serving trays with ketchup, mustard, onions, diced tomatoes, honey mustard, mayonnaise---absolutely adorable. I'm also thinking about my banana pudding or maybe strawberries in grand marnier. Yummy

Make it Plain goes dark for a moment

2008-07-04T11:08:00.006-05:00

This week started off with a very interesting turn of events. During the first hour of broadcast on our program I noticed that Mark seemed very disinterested in the callers and the topic. I mentioned to him through the microphone "Don't seem so excited"! He then made the motion, which he always does to remind me to check our googletalk screen for comments, of typing on an invisible keyboard or playing keystrokes like a mad pianist on an imaginary piano. I read the message screen which read "not feeling very well". He then followed the message with "I hope I'm not having a heart attack", and I replied "prolly not" just thinking that Mark was exaggerating. I looked at him through the glass pane of the studio and his face had a slightly stressed appearance. I then hurried into the studio and asked what's wrong, "are you dizzy, nauseous, is your breathing shallow"? He responded, "very much so, I think I need to go the hospital". I immediately returned to the producer's suite, called Sirius in New York and asked that they takeover the program remotely. I alerted our engineer, Tom, of Mark's status and his plans to end the show immediately. Mark was in the middle of talking to a caller and said, "hold on a minute, we have to take care of something". Tom put on some music and that was the end of our live broadcast.

Mark and I left WAMU studios, hopped into my car and headed South on Wisconsin Avenue to the Georgetown University Hospital Emergency Room. While riding in the car I wanted to continue to ask Mark questions so he would stay conscious for the entire car ride. Conversely, he was short of breath and I didn't want to put any further strain on his breathing. I ask a couple questions that required brief, concise answers such as "how long have you felt weak, what did you eat today, which way is the hospital"? Last thing we needed was to be in this emergency, Mark goes unconscious and I don't know where the hospital is located. The ride was brief but scary since I had no concept of how far the hospital was. I dropped Mark off and drove through the maze of parking to find a space. Ten dollars per hour, I know health care costs are expanding but expanding to the parking fees is just outrageous. When I entered the emergency room there were only about three people waiting so we were very fortunate to get immediate service.

I waited for about an hour, waiting for Mark's wife to arrive so she could take over the reigns. I waited inside and watched the nightly news, I waited outside and contemplated on baking the chicken I'd prepared earlier in the day. I waited and waited some more, I finally got called in and the diagnosis was a high blood pressure reading 183 over 56. The count then dropped to 178 over 56. Then down to 153 over 50; significantly lower but still high nonetheless.

After the last drop in blood pressure I left and his wife, Nicole, soon arrived to sit there with him. On the ride home, I was grateful Mark had the foresight to go to the hospital instead of trying to stick it out. Mark said the one thought that keep crossing his mind was the recent death of Tim Russert. Russert was the NBC News Washington, DC Bureau chief who died of a heart attack in June. Heart attacks don't always have noticeable symptoms and one could be in grave danger.

From this occurrence, I think we've all learned to be more vigilant of our health and diet. We shared the information with our listeners and many had personal experiences to share of their health struggles. Yes we want to be successful, have safe and enriching families, give to our community, help those in need and do our part to elevate the global society. But, the one important and most significant piece of the puzzle is our health. If we are not healthy, live and working in healthy environments, taking the strides to ensure we have optimal health, we have nothing at all.

HOFE Clothing Line Special Event

2007-08-17T16:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry but I'm a little late posting this one. I dun got caught with a summer cold. (a-choo!)

The guys of H.O.F.E. (Hand Over Fist Entertainment) held an event on Sunday, August 12 at Ben's Chili Bowl to introduce the first T-shirt in their signature collection. Their first signature T-shirt was a collaboration with W. Ellington Felton, a local performance artist and son of recently deceased jazz pianist Hilton Felton. In addition to showcasing the new signature T-shirt, the fellas also had their current line for sale which included a couple of adorable new additions. They also had a spread of Ben's vittles which included hot dogs, chili, fries and chips. The vibe in the room was hot with young creative people who support entrepreneurship, innovative T's and hot sneaks.

Visit http://www.iamhofe.com/ or www.myspace/hofex for more info.

Vida Stars

2007-08-17T13:58:00.001-05:00

Here's my first installment of Vida Stars, a piece where I highlight dynamic young people.

Name: Keith Reed
Age: 30
City: Boston, Mass
Primary Gig: Business Writer for the Boston Globe
Secondary Gig: Freelance Writer
Tertiary Gig: Blogger-Blackpeoplesmoney.com
Married: No
Kids: Yes

You can see a sample of Keith's work in this month's Ebony Magazine. He has a piece titled "The Fickle Business of Fashion" where he interviewed fashion icons Tyra Banks, Iman, Kimora Lee Simmons and Alek Wek.

Did u go to school? If so, where and what was your major?
I went to Coppin State in Baltimore and graduated with a B.A. in English and a minor in communication management.

What r u most passionate about?
That's a tough question to answer because I'm passionate about so many things. I love writing, really communicating and the power of having a voice that reaches masses of people. I've also always been fascinated by politics -- how ideologies are harnessed through the art of compromise to bring about policy -- and by business and money. I guess you could say I'm passionate about all the vehicles through which people exercise power and influence.

What kind of business/opportunities/activities were u involved with when u were younger?
Man, when I was younger I did all kinds of stuff. In high school I worked at a McDonald's for two weeks and worked in a stockroom at a Victoria's Secret for a month. In high school I had all kinda hustles -- signing up people for credit cards, working at a rental car joint, writing papers for people, helping promote parties and concerts. Whatever way I could get a lil money.

How did you come into your current opportunity(s)?
Well, I got my current job four years ago through a recruiter for the Wall Street Journal. Iinterviewed there and they liked me, but then 9/11 happened and they stopped hiring, so she passed me on to her friend who was coming to be the business editor at the Globe. Freelancing is all a hustle. Writing small stuff, taking little assignments, building relationships with editors and getting in everybody's mix until people recognize your name and take your calls and pitches. My blogs, those things I pretty much created on my own. You don't have to knock on anyone's door anymore to put your ideas in front of the world.

What were u doing 5 years ago?
I was in my first job as an editor, running the web site at my old paper, the Baltimore Business Journal.

Where do you see urself in five years ?
I want to still be writing, about all kinds of subjects but especially business, style and big pieces about things that affect life in black communities. There will always be room for more and more nuanced perspectives on those things. The big thing is I want to have a higher profile and develop content based on what I write, so instead of being just a staff writer or freelancer, I might add editor or executive producer to my repertoire.

Who have u patterned your work/strategy/development/professional style after?
I have tons of mentors who I call on all the time for advice. I've always respected Earl Graves. Love Bob Johnson for his understanding of the business world. Roland Martin for being a journalist who mastered the art of self-promotion and building a personal brand without compromising his ethics in this business.

How do u balance ur schedule?
I haven't really figured out the balance part just yet. I mean, honestly, it's just in the last few months that I've figured out that the job, the gig, the hustle isn't everything. When you know you have all this energy and enthusiasm to put into what you do that makes you impatient. But when you knock on that glass ceiling for the first time that impatience can turn into frustration that'll kill you if you don't find other things that are more important.

How do you feel right now?
Grateful -- that I've been blessed with the opportunities that I have, that I have two lil reasons named Malik and Elijah that motivate me to take advantage of those opportunities and that I have the ideas and energy to keep opening more doors.

Who are you supporting in '08?
Ha. I'm a journalist, so I couldn't even answer that if I knew at this point. I have a good idea, but I'm not entirely sure yet.

Scene & Heard

2007-08-12T21:48:00.000-05:00

Bobby Valentino was in town performing at Six Flags for the Starburst Thursday Night Concert Series. The opening act Paula DeAnda finished her set at about 6:55PM. Mr. Valentino was supposed to begin at 7PM but at that time he was just leaving Reagan National Airport. Bobby V didn't begin his performance until 8PM (and FYI the park closes at 8PM) but when he finally came out the kids in the audience went wild. He performed a mix of sings which included "Tell Me" and his latest single "Anonymous". During one lively set he played the song "Georgia" and did all the latest dances with mostly originate from his native Atlanta such as the motorbike, walking it out, and the superman. And if you don't know what the superman is you're not a true ATLien. For those of us who need a quick dance update, Click here to see kids doing the Superman.

After the show and after the park closed Six Flags staff members personally ushered Bobby V. and his entourage around the park to get on a few rides. Although it was drizzling and humid, his entourage had a ball getting on the rides in the dark. A fun time was had by all.

And FYI, Bobby V. is a CAU graduate, Go Panthers!!

Upcoming performances

2007-08-07T21:10:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd update everyone on artists coming to town.

August 17-Angie Stone Carter Barron $20+

August 19-Teena Marie, Lyfe Jennings and Kindred the Family Soul Constitution Hall $75

August 21-Dwele Birchmere $25

August 25-Chrisette Michelle Black Cat $18

September 6-Musiq Soulchild Warner Theater $39.50

September 14-Macy Gray and the Brand New Heavies

Constitution Hall $53

September 17-Ben Harper and

the Innocent Criminals

Warner Theater $40-50

Hit in Jet Magazine

2007-08-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

Well, apparently I have made it to the big time. A pic I took for the station made it into this week's edition of Jet Magazine. We are working on an initiative to expose more minorities to NASCAR in the sports section is a pic of WHUR FM General Manager Jim Watkins and 17-year-old NASCAR Busch East driver Marc Davis (Silver Spring, MD native). WHUR is breaking new ground by being the first urban radio station to sponsor a NASCAR drive. But hey, don't believe my hype, just read it.

This Jet edition has Tracey Edmonds on the cover and the pic is on page 52. I didn't get my photo credit but hey man, that's my work. Check it out if you get a chance.

Check out Ebony/Jet Magazine here: http://www.johnsonpublishing.com/graphics/content/jetCover.jpg

NASCAR and opportunities

2007-08-06T21:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday with the station we attended the Pennsylvania 500 at the Pocono Raceway. I spoke with Chase Mattioli, grandson of Doc. Mattioli who owns the Pocono Raceway and soon-to-be pro racer. He emphasized the need for NASCAR sportcasters since the sport has gotten so popular. He said in the past NASCAR was not popular but since its rise to popularity in recent years there's an extreme need for sportscasters in the sport. This is a tremendous opportunity for any up and coming broadcasters or current journalists looking for a niche.

Also, we met with three of the five minority pit crew members working on Sunday. NASCAR has a long way to go with their diversity initiative but this is another area where minorities can get involved with the racing industry. Working behind the scenes, getting the car in tip-top shape, changing tires, fixing the car after wrecks; it's very cool.

Visit http://www.nascar.com/ for more information. And remember, I drive faster than boys.

Por Que!!!!!!

2007-07-13T21:26:00.000-05:00

The very popular Peruvian restaurant El Pollo Rico is in a heap of trouble. El Pollo Rico, the popular chicken restaurant, has locations in Arlington and Wheaton and is well known for their delicious rotisserie chicken prepared with a special seasoning and the most perfect french fries you will ever eat. Anyone who's eaten there knows you can just follow your nose and the smoke to get to the restaurant.

EPR's owners, The Solano family include patriarch Francisco, his wife Ines Solano, sister Consuelo and brother Juan Faustino were taken into custody and charged with knowingly employing illegal aliens and money laundering. Authorities confiscated over $2 million dollars in money and jewelry in the Solano family residences. WOWEE, cheddar and more cheddar.

The FBI shut the Wheaton location down to the dismay and rage of many Up South residents in Montgomery County.

Well, I went on ahead and made a special trip out there today after work. I had to indulge because this location will probably shut down faster than you can say "a quarter white please".

I advise you all do the same because this is a local landmark which may be gone soon.

Scene & Heard

2007-07-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

I'm back--sorry for the delay.

Rapper and Mobile, Alabama native

Rich Boy was seen traveling on American Airlines on July 4th from Miami to Washington, DC. And he's keeping it

real trill because he was flying in Coach with all the regular people. He had the sunglasses onand everything but man that boy has a set of choppers on him.

Scene & Heard

2007-04-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

B-List Celebrity Fonzworth Bentley (and as his Wiki bio says formerly known as Farnsworth Bentley?!?!?!) was seen downtown near the Hard Rock Cafe looking not-over-the-top for a change. No sunglasses, no long trench coat and no umbrella. He looked surprisingly normal wearing a red members only/polo windbreaker style jacket. Hey man, life comes at you fast.

PJ Morton Live at the Black Cat

2007-04-16T20:33:00.000-05:00

PJ Morton, an outstanding and upcoming singer/songwriter will perform Friday, April 20th at the Black Cat on 14th Street. Morton is a former Morehouse man and son of Bishop Paul Morton of Greater St. Stephen Ministry in New Orleans. Anywho, PJ is opening for Teedra Moses at the Black Cat but you DO NOT want to miss this guy. He does a lively stage show and writes songs with profound lyrics. Last time I saw him, he was performing at Union Temple with his ex-girlfriend, Lilly, who is also the youngest daughter of Reverend Willie Wilson. His songs varied from slow ballads where members of the audience put their cell phones in the air to upbeat tempos which had the audience jumpin. Treat yourself this Friday and check out PJ Morton, after seeing him one time, you will most certainly become a fan.

(I especially like the song called Blah Blah Blah-you have to here it to appreciate it).

Check out his myspace page http://www.myspace.com/pjmorton

Scene & Heard

2007-04-12T21:05:00.000-05:00

Hey There,

A source spotted R & B Singer Kelis at Tony & Joe's on the Georgetown waterfront wearing white rubber boots and an asymetric hair cut. I assume she's in town with her husband, Nas, who is peforming at LOVE on Friday, April 13th.

Quick Hits-HSAN and DJ Drama

2007-04-12T20:07:00.000-05:00

Hey There,

My girl Valeisha who runs the Hip Hop Summit Action Network just returned from Darfur, Sudan on a fact-finding mission to get more depth on the tragedy going on in the region. Much love to them and the organization for even understanding the need to go to the area and the need to address the issue. I can't wait to see what they do with that.

Also, my good friend--wassup to CAU-DJ Drama is bouncing back from all his

DRAMA earlier this year and is about to drop his latest Gangsta Grillz Mixtape. VIBE did a quick hit with him, check it out now--
DJ Drama Interview with Vibe.

Aphiliates you *******!!(I'm a good girl, I can't say this)

New Black-Owned Art Gallery

2007-04-12T19:36:00.000-05:00

Hey There,

Shout to Cheryl and Karen, owners of H & F Fine Arts, a new black-owned art gallery in Mount Rainier, Maryland. The gallery has beautiful pieces in a variety of media including sculptures and paintings. Cheryl also does framing if you have a piece that could use a boost of new energy with a new frame. The open house for H &F is Saturday, April 14th, 12-6pm. You can meet some of the artists who are featured from 2-6pm. For more details on the gallery hit them up at www.hffinearts.com.

Scene and Heard

2007-04-12T19:23:00.000-05:00

Hey There,

I'm real late on this but Saturday night a source spotted Santana Moss, Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins), Edgerrin Jones (Arizona Cardinals) and Chad Johnson--Mr. Ocho Cinco himself--(Cincinatti Bengals) at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Vienna, Virginia. Apparently the guys got their party bus together on the way to a comedy show/party in Silver Spring and Chad Johnson broke out into a stand-up routine right on the bus. Word is, he could possibly have a second career in comedy if the football gig doesn't work out. Also at the comedy show/party was LeVar Arington (NY Giants), Shawne Merriman (San Diego Chargers) and Reggie Wayne (Indiannapolis Colts)--and yes he had that big "A" championship ring on!!

My favorite restaurant

2007-04-10T19:00:00.000-05:00

This happened about two weeks about my co-workers and myself went to yours, mine and everybody's favorite spot Lauriol Plaza. When we first came in I noticed, on the whiteboard where they write all the specials, a COCKROACH was sliding down the board. I was so disgusted and they didn't do anything. The workers just looked at it and kept on going. Im gonna have to bump this restaurant down on my favorites list a few spots--just for that one incident.

Be Safe

2007-04-09T22:17:00.000-05:00

I was recently pumping gas at a gas station on South Dakota Avenue. An officer was circling the station and rolled pass me and told me to secure my valuables whenever I'm pumping gas. He said the purse snatching while women are at the gas station are getting bad and some stations are getting 10 to 12 hits a day. He also said the most hits are during the evening--during rush hour people are in a hurry and talking on their cells.

Please be careful out there ya'll.

Ciao Bella!!

Steve Harvey National Mall Event

2007-04-09T22:13:00.000-05:00

This weekend Steve Harvey and a host of celebrity friends were in town for the 50 million pound challenge. Stars such as Yolanda Adams, Omarion, Kimberly Locke, Jackee Harry and several others were in town to kick-off the national effort hosted by Dr. Ian Smith from VH1's celebrity fit club. The event would have been nice but Saturday morning snow hit the DC area and made for a cold day on the mall. The event went over well although the planners were expecting thousands of people--only about 1,000 showed up. Singer Kelly Price and Kimberly Locke were there and both have lost significant amounts of weight. Word is these, now, little mamas are looking real good.Quick FYI: Radio One has launched an FM gospel station in this town and people are already catching wind of the station. If this station does anything like their FM gospel station in Atlanta, it's really going to do well.Ciao Bella!!

Weekend haps

2007-04-09T21:55:00.000-05:00

I was very startled to see that the festivities I enjoyed on Saturday were spied on by The Going-Out Gurus of the Washington Post. Everything we did was covered in his column this morning. Myself and a friend of mine were hoping to go to the Hotel Helix Saturday night only to find out it's closed for renovation. We then went on to Firefly where my girlfriend had the Cherry Blossom Mojito that the waitress said is usually kind of strong for the ladies but the fellas really like. My friend assumes the guys who enter the restaurant must be weak because the drink was nice and lightweight for her. Now, I had the blue thing, something Azul, it was pretty much just straight up liquor-dead on. It was pretty and blue with salt around the edge. I recommend this drink for anyone stopping by the Firefly anytime soon. The Cherry Blossom mojito is only there for a short time so get it while its hot.