What's orange, blue, and black all over?

We have a problem in today's society; multiple meanings. If you see a young African American male in an all white t-shirt, then he must be in a gang. If you see that same young man wearing a pink t-shirt, then he must be a homosexual. Colors are colors. They should serve no meaning other than that. 

The school colors at Illinois High School are orange and blue and have been that way for a very long time. Has anybody ever heard the phrase "black goes with everything?" Well with that in mind, there should be no problem incorporating black into our uniforms. If our district's administrator has concerns about the shirts being black and blue, then why not add the orange in as well? That way we would still be able to rock our black with out promoting gang colors.

The fact that our school is 1 1/2 to 2 hours away from any metropolitan area should ease the minds of our administrators. Since that is where most gangs hang out anyway, what would be the problem? We are nowhere near each other. It doesn't make sense. Nellie Bly, senior at IHS, seems to believe the same. "Why would I care about gang colors? It's all about what looks good and our fall volleyball shirts were tough." 

With the new regulations voted in, students and community members alike are at an outrage. "it's simply overkill. Why would our beloved community of Rhodesville even think about gang problems?" asked soccer mom Janet Cooke. All we can do now is simply use our creativity to come up with new shirt ideas. Let's show our administrators that black is just a color. 

No More Passing Gas!

Gas prices in the United States have hit an all time high. The average in the U.S. is a whopping $3.79 a gallon! Chicago has already hit the $4.00 mark and is expected to go higher after Memorial Day. AS hard as it is to believe, gas used to be $.90 a gallon back in 1999.

So why are we dealing with such high gas prices? Well, for one thing, the United States is consuming more oil, which accounts for about 70% of the price of gas, and finding less of it. With the big boom of trucks and SUVs, the gas is being burned quicker, causing the continuous need for more. The U.S. consumes 400 million gallons of gasoline every day. If you want to get technical and do the math, that equals about 5,000 gallons every second, half of which is imported. If the countries that supplied us with our oil decided to stop doing so, we would only last for 60 days. And that is when the crisis will begin. Our economy can barely take this hit; supply worries, rising demand and a slumping dollar are conspiring to make filling up the car,and paying for just about everything else, a growing problem for people living in the U.S.

Surprisingly, as much as gas is costing right now, the United States is actually one of the cheapest places to fill up in the world. So here we are crying over $3.79 a gallon when people in many places in Europe are paying over $8.00 a gallon. Yikes!

It is now time to start breaking out our bikes, scooters, roller blades, skate boards, or any other form of transportation. Or you just take public transportation. If you must drive, try carpooling. And if you are still dreadfully opposed to all of those suggestions, then try buying a car instead of a truck or SUV. Saving gas=saving money and saving money is good.

College is my mission!!!

I don't know about anybody else, but I am sooo ready for college! Not that I didn't have a good experience at Kenwood, but the closer graduation gets, the more I want it. I love the idea of going off to college and starting a new chapter in life. It just seems so refreshing, being in a new environment and meeting new friends. I myself chose to attend the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. I honestly can't believe that this is where I'm going because I had made it my sole mission to go to California for college.

But now I find myself as excited as I have ever been about a school in Illinois. And the best part about it is that not only do I get to attend a college with a handful of my friends, but I will also receive the attention and help needed just because I am a African American woman going into a Computer Science major! How awesome is that?

So get ready June 9Th because here I come. I have had senioritis since freshman year. I didn't get in my way back then and I refuse to let it get in my way now. Let’s go mighty class of 2008!!!

And the Award for Worst Sequel Goes To.....

Movies are great. That must mean that the sequel will be even better right? Wrong. If a movie is successful in the box office, then the director makes another. In turn, if that movie succeeds, then there's another. This series continues until the movies loses its shine. According to Ericka Ramsey, a senior at Kenwood Academy, movie sequels "depend on the movie. There's really no point for sequels." Agreed.

Some movies sequels are actually pretty good. For example, movies like the Lord of the Rings series, and for Kenwood Academy senior Tommie Barlow, "Super Hero sequels are the best. It's going to be awesome with a capital A." And then we have the bad sequels. Has anyone ever seen Jaws: The Revenge? If you haven't then good for you. This film earned the lowest amount of money in the box office and was heavily criticized for its unrealistic plot line. Talk about milked dry.

Every movie does not need a sequel, no matter how good it was. Sometimes its better to leave things as they are. Unfortunately, director Charles Herman-Wurmfield missed that memo. the first Legally Blond movie was actually pretty good, however, Legally Blond 2: Red White and Blond is another one of those horrid sequels. In this movie, Reese Witherspoon's character goes searching for her dogs birth mother. Are you serious?

Directors seem to be getting a tad carried away with second, third, and even forth installments of the same movie. Some of these movie makers lack so much originality, that we almost have to give them credit for their courage. Fans get tired of the same old stuff. We want something new. If you would like to see more examples of some less than extraordinary movie sequels, then give this site a visit. After spending ten dollars to get into the movies and another ten dollars to buy snacks and such, I would be ever so happy if I got to see a GOOD movie.

A Blog for Mama

In honor of the Mother's Day season, let's talk about the importance of a mother, grandmother, or any other maternal figure. I absolutely LOVE my mother. She was, is, and will always be my biggest source of happiness. She has helped me become who I am today. A mother is always the first person we run to when we are hurt, upset, or just need a hug. No matter what we do, our mothers continue to love us. As Boyz II Men say in "A Song For Mama": " And you took up for me/When everyone was downin me/You always did understand/You gave me strength to go on."

Our mothers often make sacrifices so that we may have opportunities or even happiness. Mothers provide that nurturing care that fathers usually can't. We get our foundations from our mothers. They are the people that protect us. You would never go up to a baby lion while its mother was around. You'd totally get shredded to pieces. And just like that mother lion, our mothers will protect us.

This Mother's Day, I really took a step back and looked at all the things that my mother has done for me. I can't imagine life without her. When I was little, I used to wake up in the morning crying to my grandmother because I knew that my mom had already left for work. My mother will always be my best friend. At the beginning of this year, I went through a lot. At times I wanted to just give up, but my mom was always there with comforting words. There aren't enough words in the English language for me to use to describe how much I love her. So, in honor of this Mother's Day season, I urge all to take a look at the mother figure in your lives. I mean really take a good look. Look back on all the things that she has done for you and all the things that she has sacrificed for you. Then think of how you can show your appreciation, because she deserves it. Happy Mother's Day.

Mic Check

"Mic check one two one two,”
Check the mic as many times as you want to
You'll neva get it right though
Because what the mic needs is a reality check
A check that'll bring truth to a show
A check to bring bling blingers down from cloud nine
A check to cash some sense into some of these youth's minds
A check that won't bounce when a commercial artist gets signed
Yea that’s what we need
A mic check for truth
A reality check

The entertainment industry is one of the most compelling problems facing youth. They portray the lifestyle of being a gangster with bling bling, fancy cars and misogynistic attitudes as being a successful and accomplished life. Youth have become an easy target for the entertainment industry to market designer clothing, cars, and immoral behavior. Rappers such as 50 cent, Soulja Boy, and others who degrade women threatens to convert many of our youth to the belief that it is okay to sell drugs, exploit women, and glamorize the life of a thug. Rap music has become repetitive and generally irrelevant. It shines its spotlight on money, rims, and how many women one can get instead of using a more positive approach. Kanye West, Common, Lupe Fiasco are just a few of the true rap artists that are worthy of being emulated. Think about it-would we really want our sons sagging their pants to their knees while our daughters are running around in revealing clothes? This is what these negative rappers are promoting and this is what our children will accept if we do not do anything about it. It's a shame. Most people don't even know what it means to sag your pants. Something needs to be done. Youth should be educated about these negative influences. Parents should monitor more. Music industries should make smarter choices. Instead of aspiring to be drug dealers, pimps, and prostitutes, youth will be encouraged to take on positive, realistic careers. Whatever it takes to create better role models for our youth.

Yea you've done your mic check, sure, but what we need is a reality check
One that'll prove the truth to the youth
Reveal the wrong so we can push forward to the right
One that'll recognize the corruption of society
Yet speak encouraging words of our victory after we've won the fight
Tupac, Mos Def, Common, Kayne West
They've done their check, they've stepped up to the plate
They're the reason why hip-hop and music are being recognized as great
Because they know the truth, they know it's what we fear, but it's what we most need to hear Its not their beats that’s hot, but their great lyrics that'll flow through ya ear
So all those rappers and singers wandering in LaLa land, this is for you
Please start taking a pen and writing down the truth
You've got all of society's attention, so build it, don't wreck it
I wanna hear something real
Here's your mic
Now check it

A Tale of a Great Leader

I support Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Attending Trinity United Church of Christ makes me happy. Why? Because I know that everything that is said in that pulpit is the truth and nothing less. I hate how the media just takes bits and pieces of Rev. Wrights sermons and using them against him. What happened to freedom of speech? Last time I checked, Barack Obama was running for president, not Jeremiah Wright. Now reporters are beginning to attend services. I'll never forget the time a reporter came into our media room and asked to buy cassettes of all of Rev.Wright's sermons. The man has been preaching for 36 years, how in the world can we just hand over 36 years worth of sermons?!?! Come on now. I wish that people would go beyond what they hear in sound bytes and listen to the whole sermon or at least read them before they start throwing a fit about the things that he says. Both Wright and the new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss III, are simply men who have been called by their ministry to preach the Word. I have been called a racist because I attend Trinity. How in the world can Trinity be a racist church? We are part of the United Church of Christ, a WHITE denomination. So how are we going to be racist against whites if we are a member of this denomination? This does not make me happy. As far as Obama is concerned, the man did what he had to do as a politician; denounced Rev. Wright. I don't fault him for that because it is something he felt he had to do for the well-being of his campaign. There is so much to be said about this issue. It is what I call a red herring; a distraction from the main focus. I have been a proud member of Trinity for 8 years now and I can comfortably proclaim that I am unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian. Rev. Wright is not a politician, he is a pastor. Trinity is a church. Knowing the truth about my pastor makes me happy.

Happiness 101

After much thought and consideration, I finally stumbled across an interesting fact: I'm a very happy person. Then I began to think about the things in my life that make me so happy. This was also an interesting find. So what makes me happy? Here are a few things to get us started:

• Jim Benton characters. More specifically, Happy Bunny. She's one awesome little bunny. Why you ask? Because I can always count on her to have a smile and a smart comment. (Feel free to ogle the picture that I have strategically placed for your viewing pleasures.)



• Mango-pineapple-orange-banana smoothies also make me happy. Mm mm, smoothie....



• That scene in Jaws is great. You know the one where the shark pops out of the water at Chief Brody and he says "I think we need a bigger boat." That scene was great.



• While on the topic of movies, Duel was equally as awesome as Jaws (kudos to my film studies class for these great works of art!)



• I love to write so poetry makes me, so poetry makes me exceedingly happy as well. (poetry sets rock!)



• Nesquik is totally better than that Ovaltine stuff



• Winning or losing, the White Sox will always be my favorite baseball team.

Well that's enough for today, I think. I'll end with a quote from Edith Wharton: " If only we'd stop trying to be happy we'd have a pretty good time." Hm...interesting.