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Sunday, September 25, 2011

Who Is Responsible for Bullying?




As an old person would say "ain't nothing new under the sun," and the same can be said about bullying. Bullying has been going on since the beginning of time. However, in recent history, as school aged children begin committing suicide as a result of bullying, it has gained national attention. National activist groups as well as celebrity figures like Lady Gaga have gotten involved in the anti-bullying campaign, there has been talk of getting a sort of anti-bullying law passed, and schools are getting fingers pointed at them regularly for failure to enforce punishment on bullies...but who is responsible for bullying?

The Role of the Victims Parents:

As I watched the sad faces of Jamey Rodemeyer's family on Anderson Cooper 360 relive the torment he went through when he came out as being bisexual at age 14 and later comitting suicide, I had to stop and think, what role did his parents and the parents of some of these bullies have in this? Let me be clear, I am in NO WAY shape or form saying Jamey's parents are responsible for his decision to take his life, but I wish I could be a fly on the wall at the dinner conversations that took place in which Jamey may have told them about his awful day at school. What was their advice to him? Turn the other cheek or go to war? Did they instill a fighters instinct in him? Do parents of bullied children do that?

The only person who should readily turn the other cheek is Jesus Christ (because he is the only person to have the Godly strength to take on everyone's burdens). While I have never raised any children I can only go off my own upbringing. I was raised with a fight instinct which meant the following:

1. Anyone who picked on me better be able to eat what they serve.
2. I was never to be the victim.

While my parents did not encourage bad behavior they also did not allow me to sulk and dwell in misery of anything anyone had done or said to me. They never told me to "ignore" being mistreated. They also told me that 50% of the people I was worried about at such a young age would mean nothing to me once I switched schools, graduated, or became an adult.

The Role of the Bully's Parents:

Do parents of bullies know their kid is a bully? I think they should be able to pick up on some sort of context clues that their child. Where is this random extra money and where are these extra items coming from? Why doesn't my kid get invited over to play often with other kids? Does my kid have a lot of disciplinary problems at school? Questions like this indicate your kid could be a bully and the answers to those questions are the writing on the wall. If a parent suspects their child is a bully, that too should be rectify at home as well.

The Role of the School:

Schools also need to step in and provide strict punishment on bullies as well as take reports of bullying very seriously. However I do not feel the school is solely responsible for the actions of the kids in the school. In additon cyber bullying takes place outside of school and the school can not be held responsible for that.

So it's hard to say who is responsible for bullying but like most things, it starts on the home front. Passing a law won't stop or cut down on bullying much like passing a law did not stop people from drinking during the prohibition era, stop people from doing crime, or drugs from being sold and used.
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Friday, September 23, 2011

Are We Troy Davis?



On September 21st at 11:08PM the United States justice system murdered a man. As stated in his ailing sister's heart felt speech, people all around the world were saying in languages Mr. Davis himself could not speak "I AM TROY DAVIS," a symbol of the realization that if he could be executed under such rickety circumstances (7 of 9 witnesses recanted their testimony and there was no DNA evidence) we all could. But are we really Troy Davis?

Are we Troy Davis? Are we Jena 6? Are we any of these things that we rally up against, pray about, and protest about? His murder should have been a message sent to all Americans, particular Blacks and minorities, that safety is a false veil and the same rules do not apply to everyone. The message his death should have sent is that there is not a standard in the justice system. That a man whose case had more holes in it than a piece of Swiss cheese could be murdered by our government in cold blood yet a woman like Casey Anthony could be freed by a rickety case.

...but once again Are we Troy Davis? I ask this question to the Black community. Quite often we rally with each other in times when we are being oppressed or when an injustice that is racially charged is being done to one of our own, but after the smoke clears will we still be united in the cause of standing up and for each other or will we go back to doing things that are more destructive to our community than even the worse things done by he highest levels of racism? Will we continue to let our Black men go to jail, sweep the broken Black family unit under the rug, Kanye shrug at the bad education programs in the hood, make and advertising "nigger music" that degrades and reinforces stereotypes that Black women are "Jezebels" while dissing Black conscious music, and berating the opposite sex by saying things like "men and women of other races are the "better" choice? Will we vote and research the politics we follow so that our best interest are being heard and so that miscarriages of the justice system such as the Troy Davis murder no longer occur?

...Or will we let this clear up like a case of herpes, because just like herpes...there may not be an outbreak or flare up...but it is always there. It honestly seems the only time Blacks ban together is when there is a fight to be fought...but wouldn't it be wonderful if this was done under ALL circumstances? Hopeful wishing I guess...

For statistical purposes... the United States has the HIGHEST incarceration rate in the world. While Americans only represent about 5 percent of the world's population, one-quarter of the entire world's inmates are incarcerated in the United States. In addition, 60% of the population in prisons is made up of minorities and mostly all of the persons on death row are minorities. To add insult to injury, we are on the same list as North Korea, Egypt and Iraq, a list of countries with the highest execution rate. Does that list sound like "the cool kids club"? Definitely not a list of countries we should want to share too many things in common with.

So in light of Troy Davis' death...we should all ask ourselves, Are we really Troy Davis? If you said yes, what the hell are you personally going to do about it to make it better?

---T$

Sources: International Centre for Prison Studies, U.S Bureau of Justice Statistics
Should Troy Davis Have Been Executed
No
Yes
Do Away With the Death Penalty All Together
  
pollcode.com free polls 
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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Frank Ski's Restaurant and Lounge




In Today's version of "Where It's At Wednesday's" we bring you the newly opened restaurant of veteran Atlanta radio host for V103 and DJ, Frank Ski. Frank Ski's Restaurant and Lounge opened on Friday and is sure to be one of Atlanta's staple restaurants. Equipped with beige leather couches, private curtain enclosed rooms, wine cellar, and contemporary American food that will make your mouth water.










Some of the things on the menu include "Shrimp 3 Ways" (blackened/grilled/fried), creole Seafood, Key West Snapper, and mustard bourbon pork tenderloin.

...and of course there are signature adult beverages like the Buckhead Bloody Mary, and Georgia Iced Tea with bourbon-infused peach puree.


For More Information:


Frank Ski's Restaurant & Lounge

2110 Peachtree Road

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Shoegasm

These are the Christian Louboutin Daffodile Brodee pumps...they retail for about $2500 which is more than most peoples mortgage and car note put together! Despite this fact, there is a waiting list for these bad boys...



Would you wear them?
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Monday, September 19, 2011

Men: ATL Will Swallow You Whole


There are a lot of things that men hear about the City of Atlanta. Men often hear about the male favored ratio of women to men in Atlanta (it's rumored to be 20 women to 1 man), the tons of gorgeous women in Atlanta, and their wonderful qualifications of being successful and educated. Sometimes they are told about our magnificent strip clubs, and other times they are warned about groupies and boppers in our city as wealthy men and celebrity men are part of our scenery...but did they warn these men that Atlanta will swallow you up whole if you are not careful?

Many men come to the city viewing it as a never ending bachelor party, frat house situation, and a city where gorgeous women are so plentiful you can have a "play thing" for every day of the week. Forget settling down. However you don't want to end up like the guy I saw while eating at Twist on a Sunday afternoon.

Cue the image of the 52 year old single man, wearing an affliction t-shirt, K-Swiss, a belt with a buckle so large it could make the biggest cowboy or Guido jealous, true religion jeans, and a blue tooth earpiece...still clinging to his feeble attempts to be young and be cool.

See this man was the epitome of a man swallowed alive by Atlanta. One look at this man suggest that in his "glory days" he was an attractive lady killer. He probably spent his young years "wilding" and looked up and 10 years had passed and before he even realized it, Atlanta swallowed him whole.

This is what happens when you spend your young years hoeing around, partying, and keeping women on a rotation schedule like the tires of your car. One day you look up and instead of having a wife and a family that genuinely love you, you are alone.

See, you have become the "good time old man" the old man in the club surrounded by women young enough to be his daughter. Your "stylish" clothes are a little off and out of date. You are surrounded by young women whose interest in you only goes as far as knowing if you can provide her and her girlfriends with bottle service, take her on expensive vacations, pay her bills, and shower her with luxurious gifts and shopping sprees. There is no love to be found for the trick daddy except the love of his money and when the young women are done with this old man and his money they are off to young handsome men in their own age bracket. Women his age are often the women he once dissed and ran through. They are happily married and have been out of the dating scene for years, they are not checking for him. You are not up on how the game and how it works and can fall scheme to such adversities as unknowingly wifing a "beautiful" young tranny or two.

So men of Atlanta, have fun, live life, wild out...but know your limits, know when to stop, know when to settle down, and don't get swallowed whole by Atlanta and it's razor sharp teeth. Don't become another Atlanta casualty. A washed up "OG" of the game...it only works for Hugh Hefner...and even he seems to have a sad existance (think runaway young bride).
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

bar ONE


In another edition of "Where it's At Wednesday's"...



Looks like Peter from Real Housewives of Atlanta has gotten into a new business venture since the doors of Uptown have closed, gotten new owners and management, and reinvented themselves into Harlem Nights.In the Grant Park area Peter has opened a white and black colored themed lounge called bar ONE.










This bar has a homey feel...its like being in the tricked out basement bar or nicest living room loft in the city. The place is adorned with white leather couches, a huge photo of the beautiful Cynthia Bailey, and 3D murals.


The great part is the lounge offers a full bar and Caribbean influenced tapas that are 1/2 off 5-7pm everyday! We can't wait to get our hands on some half priced pecan crusted chicken fingers!


For More Information:


bar ONE

687 Memorial Drive

404.522.0999
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Monday, September 12, 2011

TMI: Giving Too Much Information in Your Relationship



While the core and foundation of every relationship is trust and trust is built upon truth, some people get the idea that truth means volunteering information. At what point should you keep your mouth shut? How much information about your past does you mate deserve to know? The answer is...not everything.


A wise woman my mother is. She has a told me and my sister a great quote "A fish with a closed mouth can't get caught." Translation: talking to much will get you caught up. The same goes for volunteering intricate details of your past to your current flame.


Information That Does Not Directly Effect Your Current Relationship:


The past is water under the bridge. Scrambled eggs (once you scramble eggs they can not be unscrambled). Therefore information that will make your mate insecure and does not directly effect anything going on in your current relationship should not be volunteered


Examples:


A. Your Whore Stage in College at The Tender Age of 18...(you are now 28):


If you did not catch a permanent venereal disease from your "sexcapades" then your current partner does not need this information.


B. That "Bi curious" Stint You Went Through in Your Early 20s:


Hell it was a little fun and games. If you hooked up with a girl from time to time and it was purely sexual why volunteer this information? Some men take this info with a grain of salt, while others get insecure and begin feeling as though your ability to hook up with another woman increases your opportunities to cheat. However, if you are STILL bi curious and have not figured out if you want to be with a man or a woman (information that directly effects your relationship) this information should be shared.


C. The Number of Sexual Partners Your Had:


Honestly unless you contracted a permanent STD this information is irrelevant. Especially since most men can only guesstimate the amount of partners they have been with in the time frame of one year...ask him how many women he has been with in a lifetime? Probably has no clue.


D. Who You Had Sex With:


Divulging information about all the sex you and an ex had, or volunteering information on all the people you had sex with that your partner may possibly know is also pointless and will only lead to insecurity, tons of questions, a lot of awkwardness at functions, and serious suspicion anytime you speak to a member of the opposite sex when you are out. No one wants to really put a name and face to all of your exes.


In conclusion, while telling your partner the truth builds trust, volunteering unnecessary information can truthfully be too much for them to handle. How much information is too much information? At what stage in the relationship should everything be put out on the table? Is some stuff never supposed to be put out on the table? Let us know!
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Diamonds of Atlanta: ATL's New Gem

So occasionally we bring you places to frequent in Atlanta....we are going to call it "Where It's At Wednesday's"...we are gonna try to make this a weekly thing. If you aren't in ATL, just be jealous of all the hot places we have to go and choose some to visit when you are in town!



As you all know, Atlanta is known for it's superior strip clubs. Low and behold, there is a new kid on the block and it's name ensures all the sparkle, glitz, and glamour that is intended to be expected of Atlanta strip clubs. Diamonds of Atlanta is definitely going to be a new ATL gemstone.










Diamonds of Atlanta, known as DOA for short, is a top of the line all inclusive strip club. It comes equipped with steel rings for naked aerialist, stages sporting lit poles, VIP sections with see-though walkways, see-through shower rooms, numerous flat screens, a kitchen that puts out amazing food, and even a barbershop where you can get lined up while watching big booty cuties do their thing.


For more information:


Diamonds of Atlanta

1271 Marietta Blvd.
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Friday, September 2, 2011

Why "No Homo" is Lame

Lil' Wayne or Cam'ron said the phrase first and now men everywhere are using it. It comes up in daily regular unsexually related conversation, it's all over your twitter timeline, it's all over your facebook news feed.
"No Homo"
However we think it's lame and speaks volumes of the mentally ingrained homophobia in today's society which drives people to live in the closet or on the DL instead of being themselves. What makes it worse is people use it out of context when it doesn't even make sense!

We just hate how grown men feel the need to give a disclaimer about any statement they make that they feel may cause them to be perceived in a homosexual light. I mean if you are straight you are straight right? Gay people don't make disclaimers after statements like "no hetero" because they know they are gay and they are comfortable with it. I personally would be beyond pissed if a white person said something like "I love Popeye's chicken...no negro."...we know you aren't black! No need for the disclaimer!

Wack examples of the use of "no homo" (these are taken from real life):

Example 1:

Guy: I meet D.Wade before, that dude was tall as hell [in reference to NBA player]...no homo

What the hell is homosexual about stating the obvious?! Everyone knows NBA players are 6'6"+

Example 2:

Me: Have you seen (insert name) lately? He got all cut up!

Guy: Yeah he's been hitting the gym all hard...he's all swole...no homo

What the hell? So now saying that someone gains weight or loses weight means that you could possibly be homosexual?

Example 3:

Waiter: How do you want your burger cooked?

Guy: Well done. I don't like pink meat...no homo.

WTF??? We are talking about a burger here! No one is thinking about sex...the waiter definitely isn't. He is just trying to get your order bruh.

Bottom line, if you are comfortable with your sexuality, then you should not have to look over your shoulder after every statement you make about members of the same sex because you are horrified that your seemingly straight ass would be considered homosexual.
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