GET FLY!...GET OFF MY WINGS!

GREAT NEWS...

2011-11-30T02:32:00.005-05:00

This blog is moving to a new address!! Join me at the new Get Off My Wings Blog...Same entertaining and informative posts, new domain name: www.GetOffMyWings.com

I will be posting my very first post on the new blog today. Be sure to check it out.

Thank you for the continued love & support!

Love Always,

Elsie "Starface" Law

My Life...My Flight: Still #1 11-11-11

2011-10-28T13:27:00.000-04:00

I'm going into a self-imposed, semi-exile for exactly 2 weeks.

When I re-emerge, there will be new blogs, a revamped website, and new music- GOD WILLING!

See you in 14 days!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Nineteen Ninety Fly™ Video Of The Week

2011-10-25T00:10:00.002-04:00

"Woo Ha" (Remix) ODB & Busta [SIDEBAR: I couldn't find the clean version to post. Sorry, a few explitives fly in this one.]

Today Is: Tuesday, October 25, 2011

2011-10-25T00:07:00.000-04:00

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” -Anne Frank

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, October 24, 2011

2011-10-24T11:36:00.000-04:00

“All that we call human history- money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery- is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." -C.S. Lewis

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, October 21, 2011

2011-10-21T00:04:00.000-04:00

"Habit is second nature, or rather, ten times nature." -William James

Be sure to develop good habits.

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, October 20, 2011

2011-10-20T15:31:00.000-04:00

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” -Abraham Lincoln

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, October 18, 2011

2011-10-18T13:59:00.000-04:00

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” -Albert Camus

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, October 17, 2011

2011-10-17T07:51:00.000-04:00

“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” -Maya Angelou

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Sunday, October 16, 2011

2011-10-16T21:10:00.000-04:00

“Mediocricy will never do. You are capable of something better.” -Gordon B. Hinckley

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Saturday, October 15, 2011

2011-10-15T16:33:00.000-04:00

“With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.” -Mark Twain

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, October 14, 2011

2011-10-14T12:08:00.000-04:00

“An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.” -Oscar Wilde

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, October 13, 2011

2011-10-13T15:30:00.000-04:00

"Be grateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble, be prayerful." -Gordon B. Hinckley

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, October 12, 2011

2011-10-12T03:15:00.000-04:00

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” -Albert Einstein

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, October 11, 2011

2011-10-11T13:02:00.000-04:00

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” -Thomas Jefferson

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Currently Reading...

2011-10-10T09:58:00.001-04:00

"Virtually You: The Dangerous Powers Of The E-Personality" By: Elias Aboujaoude

Today Is: Monday, October 10, 2011

2011-10-10T09:46:00.000-04:00

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." -Albert Einstein

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Currently Reading...

2011-10-07T17:22:00.000-04:00

"One Day It'll All Make Sense" By: Common

Today Is: Friday, October 7, 2011

2011-10-07T02:26:00.000-04:00

“Never confuse movement with action.” -Ernest Hemingway

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

The Nineteen Ninety Fly™ Video Of The Week

2011-10-05T11:17:00.002-04:00

See any familar faces?...Tia and Tamara.

Today Is: Wednesday, October 5, 2011

2011-10-05T10:31:00.000-04:00

"'What day is it?'
'It's today,' squeaked Piglet.
My favorite day," said Pooh.” -A.A. Milne

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

My Life...My Flight: Big Hair Issues

2011-10-03T17:35:00.002-04:00

I really relate to Marge Simpson in this photo. Lol.

Currently Reading...

2011-10-03T13:11:00.002-04:00

"Next Stop: Growing Up Wild-Style In The Bronx" By: Ivan Sanchez

Today Is: Monday, October 3, 2011

2011-10-03T09:57:00.000-04:00

"Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others." -Unknown

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Saturday, October 1, 2011

2011-10-01T14:21:00.000-04:00

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” -Malcolm X

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, September 30, 2011

2011-09-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

"Good habits are as easy to form as bad ones." -Tim McCarver

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, September 29, 2011

2011-09-29T13:08:00.000-04:00

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” -Confucius

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, September 28, 2011

2011-09-28T10:29:00.000-04:00

“All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” -Samuel Beckett
Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Fly Flicks/ Happy Birthday: The Ray Charles Edition

2011-09-23T12:05:00.002-04:00

Today Is: Friday, September 23, 2011

2011-09-23T07:58:00.000-04:00

“No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow.” -Alice Walker

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, September 22, 2011

2011-09-22T13:11:00.000-04:00

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” -John Wooden

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, September 21, 2011

2011-09-21T02:15:00.000-04:00

"May you never forget what is worth remembering, or remember what is worth forgetting."

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Currently Reading...

2011-09-20T14:38:00.001-04:00

"Assassins" By: LaHaye & Jenkins

Today Is: Tuesday, September 20, 2011

2011-09-20T10:54:00.000-04:00

“The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue.” -Dorothy Parker Lol.

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, September 19, 2011

2011-09-19T12:16:00.000-04:00

“I know because I read...Your mind is not a cage. It's a garden. And it requires cultivating.” -Libba Bray

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Saturday, September 17, 2011

2011-09-17T22:03:00.000-04:00

"Love and work are the only two real things in our lives. They belong together, otherwise it is off. Work is in itself a form of love." -Marilyn Monroe

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, September 16, 2011

2011-09-16T12:43:00.000-04:00

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” -Marie Curie

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, September 15, 2011

2011-09-15T11:45:00.000-04:00

“In a time of destruction, create something.” -Maxine Hong Kingston

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, September 14, 2011

2011-09-14T13:22:00.000-04:00

"Time is an illusion." -Albert Einstein

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Fly Flicks: A Young Tupac

2011-09-13T11:26:00.002-04:00

R.I.P. Tupac Shakur [SIDEBAR: R.I.P. even though so many of us are secretly hoping that you are still amongst the living.]

Today Is: Tuesday, September 13, 2011

2011-09-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

"Do something useful and you will have everything you want." -Jose Marti

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, September 12, 2011

2011-09-12T10:10:00.001-04:00

"To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, September 9, 2011

2011-09-09T01:22:00.000-04:00

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." -Nelson Mandela

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, September 7, 2011

2011-09-07T10:16:00.000-04:00

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." -Corrie Ten Boom

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, September 6, 2011

2011-09-06T11:05:00.000-04:00

"Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more than others think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible." -Claude Bissell

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, September 2, 2011

2011-09-02T13:01:00.000-04:00

"God did not create evil. Just as darkness is the absence of light, evil is the absence of God." -Albert Einstein

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, September 1, 2011

2011-09-01T17:20:00.000-04:00

"Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood." -Marie Curie

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, August 31, 2011

2011-08-31T16:12:00.000-04:00

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Grandmaster Flash Speaks On The Impact Of Eric B & Rakim

2011-08-30T14:01:00.002-04:00

“I’d heard there was another group from Long Island- this one DJ and this one rapper- and they were supposed to be good...really good. ‘Eric B and Rakim’s the best I ever heard,’ said my nephew, Ramel, after hearing their song at a party, but I didn’t believe him until I heard them for myself.

Ramel wasn’t exaggerating.

I would listen to ‘Eric B Is President’ a thousand times before I fully absorbed it, but it only took one play and I was sold.

First off, Eric B was a powerhouse DJ. He could scratch, his production value and bag of DJ tricks were off the hook, and his music selections were as good as if I’d made them myself; Eric B loved James Brown. Most important, he set up a rock solid beat foundation for his rapper.

His rapper was Rakim. And Rakim was the best I ever heard.

Rakim brought so much new thought and technique to the game when he rhymed, it was like he singlehandedly reinvented the art form of being an MC. When it came to verbal acrobatics, no other MC came close. If everybody else’s raps were like nursery rhymes, Rakim’s were like Shakespeare.

Before Rakim, Mcs would rhyme ‘cat’ with ‘bat,’ or maybe ‘pretty’ and ‘witty’ if they wanted to get cute. Rakim rhymed polysyllabic words like ‘residence’ and ‘presidents.’ Before Rakim, people started and ended verses in complete thoughts. Rakim would leave you hanging with an idea, just to make it rhyme, but finish the thought in the next sentence. Before Rakim, most rappers would set up one rhyme per line. Rakim would load up entire verses with so many continuous rhymes, I’d have to listen to them three to four times just to catch everything, marveling at how every phrase was a hook, every verse a complicated play on words.

Rakim was doing for rapping what I had done for DJing; he saw the limits of what was out there and figured he could do more. I could see him down in his own basement with a pen and a pad and a head so full of ideas, he couldn’t write them all down fast enough.” -From, “The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash” By: Grandmaster Flash

Today Is: Tuesday, August 30, 2011

2011-08-30T09:14:00.000-04:00

"About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for what you can do for them, and some won't like you at all." -Rita Mae Brown

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, August 29, 2011

2011-08-29T08:52:00.000-04:00

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." -Proverb

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, August 26, 2011

2011-08-26T12:06:00.000-04:00

"Creativity takes courage. " -Henri Matisse

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, August 25, 2011

2011-08-25T14:53:00.000-04:00

"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith. For to have faith is to have wings." -J.M. Barrie

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, August 19, 2011

2011-08-19T00:13:00.000-04:00

"Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between." -Maya Angelou

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starfac

Cocoa Butter For My Soul

2011-08-18T17:27:00.002-04:00

A throwback from my 2007 EP, "Get Off My Wings."
Cocoa Butter For My Soul by ElsieLaw

Michael Jackson and His Publishing

2011-08-18T16:58:00.001-04:00

“Finally in 1995, at Sony and John Branca’s urging, Michael merged ATV publishing with Sony’s music publishing division. Sony became half owners of Michael’s valuable catalog, and in exchange Michael was paid $95 million and retained half ownership. This not only meant that Michael would share in the label’s profits, but that he also had to approve any moves the label wanted to make regarding the catalog. This power division soon became problematic because Michael was an artist first, and a businessman second. So, unlike his new partners, he was not motivated by an insatiable quest for profits. Often the decision that would have brought in the most money was not the one that Michael agreed with personally, so he didn’t allow it. For example, when Sony wanted to license Beatles songs for use in iTunes and other commercial ventures, Michael declined because he didn’t think John Lennon would have approved, after he spoke to Yoko Ono about it.

All of these deals should have put Michael in an exceptionally strong position, professionally and financially. But Sony had played Micheal. Branca, who by this point had been brought back in by Bert Fields, had not been clear with Michael about several alarming details of the contract. Only after he signed did Michael learn that the contract granted Sony the rights to his masters for much longer than he had thought. These masters would not revert to him until 2009. Did he get them back, or did Sony keep them? Who knows?...

Being an international pop star with a recording contract with one of the world’s biggest labels, Michael decided to turn his fortunes around by releasing a new album, Invincible, in October 2001. Only, just before the album dropped, Michael became suspicious of Sony. He began to fear that Sony purposely didn’t promote his album because they wanted him to be so in debt to them that he would have to sell them his share of their collective publishing venture. He became so angry that he told Sony head Tommy Mottola that he wanted an early exit from his record deal with Sony.

Soon after that, Michael’s album Invincible came out, and something strange happened. Those loyal fans that went to purchase Invincible found that it wasn’t available in stores. The promotion and distribution of Michael’s albums was the responsibility of just one entity, Sony. Here was one of the industry’s most successful labels, which had ushered Michael’s past albums into the world with fanfare. It was impossible to believe that they suddenly lost their ability to promote and distribute an album, especially one for an artist as famous and as adored as Michael Jackson. There could be just one explanation. At first, Michael didn’t want to believe it. But he told me he’d ultimately concluded that Sony had purposely sabotaged his album so it would not sell. By doing so, they hoped to make Michael so financially desperate that he would be forced to sell his controlling half of the catalog to Sony, which was what they had wanted all along...

Michael was raised to be extremely meek and religious. He disliked confrontation and preached a message of love. He would rather experience hardship than react negatively, even to a person who was harming him. Yet, here he was speaking out against Sony in the most aggressive way possible and organizing boycotts of their products, which led to a dip in their sales that quarter. I watched on TV as Michael held a press conference in which he told his fans, and the world at large, just what Sony was doing to him. He was so frightened that he was going to be killed throughout his press conference that he wore a bulletproof vest.” -From, Starting Over By: LaToya Jackson

Currently Reading...

2011-08-18T16:55:00.002-04:00

"The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash" By: Grandmaster Flash

Today Is: Thursday, August 18, 2011

2011-08-18T12:35:00.000-04:00

"No matter what the lips may be saying, the inner thought outspeaks them, and the unspoken word often carries more weight than the spoken." -Ernest Holmes

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, August 17, 2011

2011-08-17T08:11:00.001-04:00

"Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those who we cannot resemble." -Samuel Johnson [SIDEBAR: Imitators and biters can not build a true legacy, they only build a reputation of dishonor. -Starface]

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, August 15, 2011

2011-08-15T14:54:00.000-04:00

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Dionne Warwick Talks About Sam Cooke Part 2

2011-08-14T15:19:00.002-04:00

“Sam Cooke was a real cutie. He was a kind, gentle, and caring man who always had something nice to say to and about people. When I learned that Sam was having a party in his hotel suite one evening, I knocked on his door. When he saw it was me, he said, ‘I know your mother, and you can’t come in here.’ He then walked me back to my room. I was upset at being excluded, but I knew that Sam meant well; he was very protective of me, like a father. I first met him on the gospel circuit while he was with the Soul Stirrers, whom the Drinkards would occasionally tour with. I loved being around him because he always had a smile on his face and was always humming either one of the gospel songs he used to sing or someone else’s song that he loved...

Sam was also a smart man who saw the importance of owning his songs. He took steps to copyright and publish them himself and owned his catalog- an unusual thing for an artist during this time in the music industry. Most would sell their writing rights to a publishing company.

The news of his death on December 11, 1964, a day before my twenty-fourth birthday, was devastating. I was going to Los Angeles for the first time, at his expense, to celebrate my birthday with him and some friends.” -From, “My Life, As I See It” By: Dionne Warwick

Today Is: Sunday, August 14, 2011

2011-08-14T14:40:00.000-04:00

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!" -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Dionne Warwick Talks About Sam Cooke Part 1

2011-08-13T15:27:00.001-04:00

“Our tour bus was parked at the stage of the coliseum right by a little restaurant called the Toodle House. Sam asked us to go and get all of us something to eat. La La Brooks, the lead singer of the Crystals, wrote down what everybody on the bus wanted, then we went into the restaurant to get the sandwiches. There happened to be only two other people in the restaurant, and they were sitting in a booth. So La La and I sat at the counter, where we noticed a handsome African American man was the cook.

Well, this white waitress came rushing over, ordering us to get up for the counter. We thought she had lost her mind and quickly stood up. She ordered us to go to an area off to the side. When we got to where she told us to go, we figured that this was where she took her breaks because there was an ashtray with cigarette butts, a half cup of coffee, and a couple of aprons hanging on the wall. With that, I asked, ‘Can we get a menu?’ The waitress snapped, ‘You will just shut up and wait until I get to you.’

Being all of twenty-three years old and not used to being yelled at- especially by someone like this woman- I responded, ‘Hell no, we won’t wait, and you can take the menus and shove them as far up your butt as you can get them!’ La La and I then left and got back on the bus.

Less than five minutes later, a sheriff’s car came to a screeching halt at the front of the bus. An officer stepped onto the bus demanding to see the two ‘colored girls’ who were just in the Toodle House. Sam Cooke said to the officer, ‘There are no ‘girls’ on this bus, just young ladies. And what do you want with them?’

The officer said that the two young ladies had insulted the waitress, and he wanted them to apologize to her. Sam laughingly but politely asked the officer to leave the bus since it was private property and he had not been invited on. The unspoken message was that no one on the bus would be giving an apology to anyone. The officer left in a huff. Sam said to La La and me, ‘I should have let him have you two. Just think of all the publicity we would have gotten for this tour.’ The bus rocked with laughter.” -From, “My Life, As I See It” By: Dionne Warwick

Currently Reading...

2011-08-13T15:18:00.003-04:00

"Starting Over" By: LaToya Jackson

Today Is: Saturday, August 13, 2011

2011-08-13T10:20:00.000-04:00

"Do, or do not. There is no 'try.'" -Yoda

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

The Nineteen Ninety Fly™ Video Of The Week

2011-08-12T11:34:00.002-04:00

"You Will Know" By: Black Men United (From the Jason's Lyric Sountrack). A collaborative effort that includes Tevin Campbell, Boyz II Men, Keith Sweat, Christopher Williams, Raphael Sadiq, Aaron Hall, and more.

Today Is: Friday, August 12, 2011

2011-08-12T08:58:00.000-04:00

"More than land and money and power, men around the globe were fighting over the meaning of life, the meaning of love, and the way we each should be living from day to day. The money and the power was just a method to control the meaning." From, "Midnight and the Meaning of Love" By: Sister Souljah

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, August 11, 2011

2011-08-11T13:34:00.000-04:00

“The success of love is in the loving- it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done.” -Mother Teresa

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

NEW MUSIC: Old School Honor's Class (Final Mix)

2011-08-10T14:30:00.001-04:00

Old School Honor's Class by ElsieLaw

Today Is: Tuesday, August 9, 2011

2011-08-09T08:55:00.000-04:00

"Who, being loved, is poor?" -Oscar Wilde

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, August 8, 2011

2011-08-08T00:16:00.000-04:00

"People who love are different from everybody else. People who feel are more fortunate than all. Rich men who buy and grab up things are just moving them around. They have brought these things with money, which they can never own. A mother with life in her womb is the one who is truly wealthy. A newborn in the arms is beyond oil in one palm and pure gold in the other." -From, "Midnight and the Meaning of Love" By: Sister Souljah

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Saturday, August 6, 2011

2011-08-06T12:17:00.000-04:00

Lol quote from Red Foxx on "The Royal Family": "Life is hard, but it's even harder when you're stupid." [SIDEBAR: This has nothing to do with degrees or formal education. Use your natural intelligence, and God-given common sense.]

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, August 5, 2011

2011-08-05T14:47:00.000-04:00

"To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with." -Mark Twain

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, August 2, 2011

2011-08-02T08:42:00.000-04:00

"If more of us valued food and cheer above hoarded gold, it would be a much merrier world." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Saturday, July 30, 2011

2011-07-30T16:08:00.000-04:00

"Monitor and restrict the use of television. It is not a baby-sitter and should not play a critical role in the lives of children or adults." -Anthony Browder

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Currently Reading...

2011-07-29T20:21:00.001-04:00

"My Life, As I See It" By: Dionne Warrick

Today Is: Friday, July 29, 2011

2011-07-29T15:49:00.000-04:00

"Learn to bring out the best with yourself so that you will be capable of bringing out the best in others. Value your history and culture, and keep your focus on education instead of entertainment." -Anthony Browder

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, July 28, 2011

2011-07-28T08:01:00.000-04:00

"We must understand that every thought, every word, and every action that emanates from us will have an effect on the next seven generations- 150 years into the future. Thoughts and words are more than a mere process of communication; they have the ability to manipulate consciousness and influence future events. What you say and do frames the consciousness of your children and directs them to use those same thoughts and ideas to frame the consciousness of their children." -Anthony Browder

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Just Because...

2011-07-27T23:14:00.002-04:00

...This is my new favorite song. "Oh Me Oh My." Aretha Franklin is "The Voice!" Here's a live version of "Oh Me Oh My," even though I love the studio version just as much.

Today Is: Wednesday, July 27, 2011

2011-07-27T13:37:00.000-04:00

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, July 26, 2011

2011-07-26T13:10:00.000-04:00

"Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman." -Maya Angelou

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Music, Sports, Melanin & Overall Excellence

2011-07-25T11:26:00.002-04:00

“This relationship between melanin and musicians recalled to mind an experience I had at Howard University twenty-five years ago. In the summer of 1971, I enrolled in a class entitled “The History of Jazz,” which was taught by Donald Byrd, the jazz trumpeter. Occasionally Mr. Byrd would invite other musicians to give the lecture. One evening, jazz guitarist George Benson met with our group and discussed his experiences in the music industry. He shared a story with the class which explained the concept of the blue note.

Most jazz aficionados are familiar with Blue Note Records, one of the most popular recording labels. R&B fans associate the word with the Philadelphia-based singing group, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Blue Note was a term popularized by African American musicians, but most people outside their circle were unfamiliar with its meaning.

Benson told the story of a discussion which took place between several African American jazz musicians during a gig in France. One of the musicians said he was approached by an aspiring French musician after the completion of a set. The Frenchman confided to the brother that he had listened to his performance over several evenings and took copious notes of the music that he heard.

The Frenchman stated that when he returned home to play the music he had jotted down on pieces of paper, the music sounded strangely different. The jazz musician let out a hardy laugh and told the Frenchman, ‘the problem, my brother, is that you can’t hear the blue note.’ Benson went on to explain that during the 1930s and 1940s, African American jazz musicians referred to the blue note as a range of musical notes that only African people were capable of hearing and feeling.

The various forms of musical expressions created by Africans in America (Spirituals, Blues, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Rock ‘n Roll, Rap, and Hip Hop) have sustained the recording industry. The music of African Americans has given America a sense of soul music and dance that has influenced musical traditions throughout the world. This represents just one aspect of how melanin systems function in the bodies of African people.

Similar achievements have been made by African American football, baseball, and basketball players. The very nature of professional sports was transformed when teams became integrated in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Historically, African Americans were excluded from sports because of the racist, white supremacist feelings exhibited by team owners, players, and fans alike. Jackie Robinson transformed the soul of baseball and opened the door for the giants who followed. Muhammad Ali brought a flair to boxing which had not existed since the days of Jack Johnson. His talent and outspokenness made him the most recognized human being on earth. Throughout the entire history of the game of basketball, there has never been a player like Michael Jordan.

The historical record will show that African American athletes have added an element of excitement to their games which has revolutionized professional athletics throughout the world. However, one should not think that exceptional performances by Africans is limited to the stage and the sports arena. When given an opportunity to compete on a level-playing field, Africans generally excel. In light of this fact, one has to be truthful and admit that there is something unique about African people. Melanin can help explain that uniqueness.” -From, “Survival Strategies for Africans In America” By: Anthony T. Browder

Today Is: Monday, July 25, 2011

2011-07-25T07:23:00.000-04:00

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." -Albert Einstein

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Sunday, July 24, 2011

2011-07-24T15:18:00.000-04:00

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser men so full of doubts." -Bertrand Russell

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Saturday, July 23, 2011

2011-07-23T01:26:00.001-04:00

"The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing." -Oscar Wilde

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Gap Band's Name Honors Black Wall Street

2011-07-22T20:41:00.002-04:00

“In the early 1900s, the African American business district in Tulsa, Oklahoma was deemed the most prosperous in all America and was commonly referred to as ‘Black Wall Street.’ The many banks, theaters, doctor’s offices, and other African American owned business were a source of pride for African Americans in the community and throughout the nation.

The economic stability of ‘Black Wall Street’ was shattered in May 1921 during one of the worst pogroms in American history when Tulsa became the first city ever ti be bombed from the air. Irving Wallace described the wreckage of the black community in an article on March 13, 1993:

‘Whites invaded the black district, burning, looting and killing. To break up the riot, the police commandeered private planes and dropped dynamite. The police arrested more than 4,000 blacks and interned them in three camps. All blacks were forced to carry green ID cards. And when Tulsa was zoned for a new railroad station, the tracks were routed through the black business district, thus destroying it.’

There are numerous articles and publications that discuss this sad chapter of American history and they are well worth reading. The GAP Band, a R & B musical group that hails from Tulsa, has kept the memory of this tragic event live. The letters G, A, and P are the initials of the streets of Greenwood, Archer, and Pine that were in the heart of the black business district destroyed during the ‘Tulsa Race Riot.’” -From, “Survival Strategies For Africans In America” By: Anthony Browder

Today Is: Friday, July 22, 2011

2011-07-22T07:11:00.000-04:00

"Achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success." -Helen Hayes

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, July 19, 2011

2011-07-19T07:58:00.000-04:00

"A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." -Ayn Rand

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Monday, July 18, 2011

2011-07-18T13:06:00.000-04:00

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." -E.E. Cummings

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Saturday, July 16, 2011

2011-07-16T18:05:00.000-04:00

"In reality, television, film, and radio are powerful electronic forces that saturate the mind and body with sights and sounds that influence psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It, therefore, becomes extremely important that we balance our viewing and listening habits with sounds, words, and images with soothe our souls and add to our collective worth." -Anthony Browder

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, July 15, 2011

2011-07-15T16:09:00.000-04:00

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -Walt Disney

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today is: Thursday, July 14, 2011

2011-07-14T13:46:00.000-04:00

"A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." -Ronald Dahl

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Wednesday, July 13, 2011

2011-07-13T09:56:00.000-04:00

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is." -Yogi Berra

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, July 12, 2011

2011-07-12T09:54:00.000-04:00

People who claim God, need to show and prove and align themselves with Godly things.

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface

Currently Reading...

2011-07-11T23:07:00.002-04:00

"Survival Strategies For Africans In America" By: Anthony T. Browder

Today Is: Monday, July 11, 2011

2011-07-11T16:11:00.000-04:00

"Do stuff. Be clenched, curious; not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It's all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager." -Susan Sontag

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Sunday, July 10, 2011

2011-07-10T11:52:00.000-04:00

"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." -Mahatma Gandhi [SIDEBAR: Remember this quote when you feel the temptation to skip over the "small things" like they don't matter.]

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Friday, July 8, 2011

2011-07-08T13:49:00.000-04:00

"Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts." -Albert Einstein

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Thursday, July 7, 2011

2011-07-07T07:21:00.001-04:00

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." -Winston S. Churchill

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Lots of Love,

Starface

Today Is: Tuesday, July 5, 2011

2011-07-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

"If you spent your life concentrating on what everyone else thought of you, would you forget who you really were?" -Jodi Picoult

Have a fly day!

Lots of Love,

Starface