The Week before your event
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11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Want To Go Natural?
To contact us Click HERE Were you inspired by the Chris Rock comedy/documentary, Good Hair to get off the chemical hair relaxer treatment train?
Do you want to show everyone how God made your hair perfectly for you in his infinite wisdom?
Do you want to dispel the prevalent myth in the African American community that "good hair" is only like Caucasian hair?
Like so many black women, do you want to go natural, liberate your hair and remove yourself from the shackles of routinely suffering the pain, inconvenience, and cost of chemically processing your hair?
If you are, I say it's about time and visit the Carol's Daughter's hair transition website at www.transitioningmovement.com to join the transition to natural hair movement.
Halt The Unregulated Spread of Weapons Worldwide!
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Arms Trade Treaty negotiations started Monday in New York but procedural matters have stalled talks and created considerable tension among the delegates. It's more important than ever to tell the U.S. delegation that we need a firm commitment to a strong arms treaty.
We're just 500 signatures away from our goal of 5,000. We need your help to halt the unregulated spread of weapons worldwide.
This treaty will stop the irresponsible transfer of ammunition and arms to nations that support terrorists and to countries where there is a high risk of weapons being used to violate human rights, like in Syria and Bahrain. The ATT is a common-sense measure that would make it more difficult for weapons to be sold on the black market and halt the flow of weapons to dangerous regimes.
But in order for the treaty to have teeth, the United States needs to support stopping arms transfers to countries at high risk of using them to violate human rights; include all conventional weapons in the treaty like tanks, parts and bullets; and ensure that the treaty is enforceable, transparent and effective.
Without these elements, the treaty will be as effective as trying to drive a car without wheels. Sign the petition for a strong Arms Trade Treaty and join the Global Solutions.org movement, started for Americans like you, who want the United States to take a responsible and cooperative role in the world.
Thanks for all that you do,
Citizens for Global Solutions
Secretary Of Defense Require Military To Register As Sex Offenders!
To contact us Click HERE I joined the military because I wanted to protect my country. It never occurred to me to ask who would protect me from my fellow soldiers. I served as a Lance Corporal in the Marines for over three years. During that time, I was raped twice and sexually assaulted twice more. It happened so often that I assumed it must be normal.
After I left the Marines, I learned that some studies estimate that more than half of all women who serve in the US military are raped during their service. But according to current military law, military rapists are not required to list their crimes on their discharge papers or to register as sex offenders.
I don't think it's right that convicted sex offenders get to wipe their records clean when they leave the military. That's why I started a petition on Change.org demanding that the Department of Defense require convicted sex offenders to register on a national database, as well as disclose this information on their discharge papers -- will you sign it? Click here to add your name.
When I tried to find out why military sex offenders don't have to disclose their crimes on their discharge papers, I was told it would take too long to create a national database, and even that the military is trying to "go green," and it takes too much paper to add an extra checkbox to discharge papers.
The truth is that most military sex offenders never have to pay for their crimes. Studies say that only 14% of rapes in the military are reported, and only 8% result in a court martial. And those who do get convicted get to wipe their records clean as soon as they leave the military.
When I tried to report what happened to me, I was led through a maze of questions and excuses. It felt like no one wanted to hear what happened to me. Instead of getting justice, I was ostracized and humiliated. But I'm not going to stand by in silence anymore. I know that if enough people sign my petition, the Department of Defense will be forced to address this issue.
Click here to sign my petition demanding that the Department of Defense register soldiers convicted of sexual assault in military courts in a national database, as well as disclose this information on their discharge papers.
Thanks for being an awesome change maker!,
Change.org
Register now for the Second Annual Race to Representation!
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It's that time again! Help close the gender gap in political leadership and join the Women & Politics Institute for the Second Annual 5K Race to Representation.
Location:Click here to register online to walk or run.
American University
Friedheim Quadrangle
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Date and Time:
Saturday, October 6, 2012 at 8:30 AM
Course Map
Ages:All ages are welcome
Start Times:
Registration begins at 7:30 AM and race begins at 8:30 AM
Entry Fees:
Advance Registration: $30
Day of Race Registration: $40
Team Registration: Teams must be at least 5 people. Please indicate on the registration form your new team name, or, if your team has already been created, select the team you wish to join from the "drop-down" list. Prizes will be awarded to the team with the most runners. For more information, please call My-Lien at 202-885-3103.
Be one of the first 100 people to register and receive a $5 discount!!!
Call 202-885-3103 with questions.
About: Women & Politics: The mission of the Women & Politics Institute is to close the gender gap in political leadership. We provide young women with academic and practical training that encourages them to become involved in the political process, and we facilitate research that enhances our understanding of the challenges women face in the political arena.
Did The Airline Loose Your Luggage?
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Did the airline lose your luggage? Well it’s probably in the land of lost luggage called the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama where luggage contents are sold to the public at prices that are 20/80 of their value. The facility stocks five thousand items daily. They include clothes, musical equipment, sporting gear, computers, jewelry and electronics. By law the airlines have 90 days to reunite owners and misplaced luggage and 99% of the time they are successful, but sometimes they are not and the facility buys the 1% which is actually loads of lost luggage by weight and “sight unseen.” They then open the baggage, go through them, throw some things away, donate some and sell the rest. The store is a top tourist attraction for people from all around the world.
To avoid your baggage being misplaced, do the following:
1. Buy brightly colored luggage in wierd colors which make them easier to see. There are too many black ones and people innocently pick the wrong one.
2. Put a name tag with your current name, phone number and address on each baggage.
3. After each trip, remove all airline information on your luggage.
4. Lock your baggage.
5. Don't put expensive jewelry in your baggage.
6. On a sheet of white paper write your name, phone number and email address and adhere it to the top part inside of your luggage.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Gay Revelations!
To contact us Click HERE I'm always surprised when people come out in the media that they are gay. I'm even more surprised when it becomes big news like the recent hoopla about Anderson Cooper revealing that he's gay. It was amazing how that topic superceeded other news topics for that day. But who really cares who's gay or not at this point. That's only between them and their maker because we human beings are not called to judge others. We are called to love them.
The only people I believe who need to know if a person's gay are the person's family and close friends who may may be wondering why they don't see that person with someone of the opposite sex or feel deprived by the person not having a partner of a certain gender for them to interact with or having kids that they've been waiting for to add to the family. Other than that it's nobody's business, especially when one doesn't have a direct connection to the person.
For someone like me, Anderson's revelation makes no difference. As long as he keeps doing his job as a journalist, author and television personality as he has been, I could care less if he's gay or not. Now if he has a drinking problem that stops showing up for work when his shows are taped and I can't watch him on CNN or on Anderson, then I might have to report to Houston that we have a problem. Other than that, I don't care because it's none of my business...
U.S. Olympic soccer player Megan Rapinoe has also come out. Girlfriend that's your business. The Olympics are so close, how you holding up for it? That's what I'm concerned about so you can win some medals for team USA. Let's not waste valuable time and energy on anything other than that. Let's conserve your energy for the games because there are medals to be won. You know the US isn't a sure win for all sports, especially not soccer, so let's keep our focus...
Singer, Frank Ocean too. Ok. Let's focus on creating more hits, the British are really invading the music charts and we can't just stand by and watch...
And life goes on...
Change Your Life Not Your Spouse!
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Some people place so much emphasis on being successful in their careers and forget that they must work on balance in their relationships including marriage. High achievers AKA Power failures often place their careers above their personal relationships. It can happen to anyone who demonstrates traits which undermine relationships including marriages. Licensed psychologist, Dr. Tony Ferretti, PHD with Peter J. Weiss, MD wrote the book, Change Your Life Not Your Wife: Marriage Saving Advice for Success Driven People.
I see people with Power Failure Syndrome in my practice daily. They are intellectually over developed and emotionally under developed. So they neglect their relationships with people but focus solely on success because they believe it is all they need. They are often lone ranger, self reliant, and self sufficient types and sharing with people, being emotion and intuitive ins't what they think about. They thrive on their independence, but people should be interdependent not independent or dependent, which are also extremes. However, they are often drawn to dependent types and end up in codependent relationships.
Marriage essentials for a strong marriage:
1. Taking personal responsibility for the marriage. Identify what you're doing wrong and decide to make a change. Don't blame others or be defensive or blame others. If you do, you will remain stuck where you are. It's takes two to make a relationship. Blaming others isn't effective. Look at yourself and resolve your own problems and your roles in the relationship conflicts. Neglect is a big issue in marriages and 25% of my practice caters to high achieving physicians who are failing in their marriages because they are driven, have to keep up with new medical techniques and technologies and work too long hours, and when they are in the work environment, it's about their sense of self importance as they are admired by the medical community and the nursing staff, but when they get home, their title and sense of self is lost. Their entire identity is tied to the title and they don't know how to relate outside of that and subliminally they think their family will respond to them the same way their medical community does.
Therefore, the wives feel neglected because they believe they are not getting enough attention and husbands becomes irritated and the relationship unravels. Frustration develops, leads to anger over time and turns to resentment. Then they detach, disengage and exhibit self destructive behaviors like having affairs with people who treat them like they feel they deserve to be treated because they have the "grass is greener on the other side," mentality but they are not greening and watering their own grass. A fulfilling marriage takes work from both partners and if a partner is not part of the solution, he or she is part of problem.
The five essentials of good marriages:
1. A partnership of equals.
2. Effective communication and conflict resolution.
3. The marriage must be a priority.
4. Forgiveness
5. Intimacy
Personality is important because certain of aspects of it such as being intense, driven, competitive, and perfectionistic are good in one environment like the work environments, but not at home which should be a loving and nurturing environment.
Marriage killing traits include:
1. Emotional unawareness: Is prevalent in men because they are raised to be non-emotional analytical problem solvers, but emotions are what connect people, you can't be sensitive to others and you'll miss things you should be aware of till its too late They suppress negative emotions like fear and sadness but they focus on anger. But this suppresses the positive emotions as well.
2. Perfectionism
3. Criticizing
4. Controlling
5. Submissive/ allow being controlled
Caller: Due to economics and psychological realities is it good to be driven to be part of the American dream? Many of us grew up in families where we were taught we must get ahead with parents saying, "You must have more that what they have." Even our education is pushed towards us being successful. Is it wrong and how do you balance it?
Guest/Host: For a parent to say, "You should be driven is wrong," but to say you should be hardworking, educated and focussed is good. Being successful or competitive has it's place and there's nothing wrong with it, as long as you don't carry it into your relationships. These same traits are good and applicable in school when trying to get an A or when you are trying to get or stay in a job. However, with your friends and family it doesn't work but people have problems transitioning from work to home. Many people put too much time and effort into their work and not into the home. They become strangers in their homes. If you find someone like you who's so driven, you will have double the problems. You have to have balance. It would be great if growing up you see the importance of relationships. It's learned behavior. It's about awareness when your relationships aren't working out. Driven people think money brings happiness, but it's the opposite that happens. America is a driven society and in particular areas it's worse. I come from a little town and when I came to DC I was amazed at how people work and I still struggle to maintain the little town girl I am. Work towards learning how to balance your life. It's possible to do that.
Wanna get ahead with balance in your career and relationships? If your answer is yes, keep reading...
More on relationship killing traits:
Perfectionism is good and necessary for a surgeon or air an traffic controller because they have to be precise if not it will result in loss of lives. However, if you have the same expectations for your partner and children to be perfect, have everything in order and in place, this creates conflict in the relationship because it makes them anxious, unstable, fearful, and neurotic because they are trying to get their partner's or parent's approval by not making a mistake which isn't healthy. For example, my 18 year old straight A student daughter when she was 13 or 14 got her first B and when she showed it to me, I said, "I'm so happy you got your first B!" She thought I was being sarcastic or funny. But I told her, "I'm happy because you can put it behind you and you know we still love you anyway."
Critical People: These people have nothing to positive to say about anyone and anything. Anything you do is never good enough. No matter what you do they focus on the negative. If you are close to them, you are walking on eggshells waiting for them to find fault with you and you might just think that you should go and find someone who thinks you're wonderful instead.
Attempting to control partners: It's the number one relationship killer. It's instinctual for some people and they control through anger or manipulation or passive aggression, and the people who you want to control will resist change and it's least likely that you will get what you want and you will have unhappy people around you. There's a paradox of control, relinquish control and you'll have more of it. Fear and insecurity makes people controlling. These are traits everyone one has but it's how you manage it that's important. Some manage them by trying to control everyone around them and that's close to them. If you have to control to an extreme, you render yourself out of control. How do you feel when you are controlled? You don't like it. So don't do it others.
Control is an illusion; influence is what matters. Whether it’s with your kids, your employees, your peers, or even your boss, the more you seek to exert control (or expand the level of your control), the less you’ll actually have. Why? Because free agency is an inalienable right. The more you seek to contain it, the less successful you’ll be. Those who don’t understand this attempt to accomplish their dreams and vision through control. They inevitably find themselves unsuccessful. But those who understand that control is not really theirs to have, seek rather to shape the course of events through influence, find themselves far more successful at accomplishing their objectives, and far less negatively affected when they don’t. It’s ironic really. The more you seek control, the less of it you have. The more you give up control, and seek only to influence, the more of it you experience. The next paradox is that of the desired outcome. You want others to be a certain way because they are a reflection on you."
--Culled from Life Engineering.com
Caller: I was raised to be driven and perfectionistic including making a certain amount of money by my mother and because of this I've been through many relationships that didn't last. My mother has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia and her siblings are unstable too. Now I'm in a relationship with a man who has shown me how to love and I have a son. She has been admitted a psychiatric center because she had an episode. I have to go next week for the family session. They want me to quit my job, move into a home and have her live with us because she would go to them when she was released and they didn't want that, so they are trying to put me in a guilt trip. Things happened like I'd get home and she's be yelling I didn't know she had a mental disorder and I do have resentment towards her and her family. They are overbearing because it's how they were raised by my grand parents in an abusive home and I always used to defer to my family but now I'm in my 30s, how do I explain to them. I am passive and I become angry. How do I maintain and support my mother from afar. It's taking a toll on my family.
Guest/Host: You learned to internalize and avoid confrontation as a child but as an adult that coping mechanism is dysfunctional. It's a complicated situation and it's gone on for a long time. There's dysfunction and they're toxic people. Boundaries are important to establish. You can say that you will not be the caretaker for my mother at this time because you have to maintain your own family and career, but indicate what you are willing to do. You've been mothering her when you were younger. You can't make them hear it, but you can say it and you don't change the fact that you have boundaries. Write a letter to your mom. Don't mail it because it's for you to talk about the emotions of childhood to get in touch with the fear, shame hurt, resentment and guilt you endured. At the end of the letter come to the place where you can forgive her, release the negative emotions and set boundaries so you are be able to say no with the residual emotions not affecting you.
Are you a success driven person? If you are, you are probably having a lot of problems in your relationships. So, keep reading...
Chapter 6 talks about how we got this way. How you got your personality issues. Some of the most successful people have the most dysfunctional upbringing and performance, productivity, and academics that they have control over is what they focused on instead of people in their families they don't have control over. Also, loss, conditional love (performance and productive based), and abuse (physically, emotionally, sexually) all play a role in how your personality develops.
Caller: What if you have a partner that's more driven than you but you are changing but they are not because they don't believe there's anything wrong with them?
Guest/Host: Embrace the reality that the only person you can change is you. When you start to change, your partner will change either for the better or worse and that will force a decision from you such leaving or getting counseling together etc.
Caller: My father left when I was 12. I became the man of the house. I started businesses at an early age. I got married and I ran my wife off. I realized I had to change me. Controlling an adult will run them off. I changed and she changed too. She left but she came back. Consequences are what people suffer for their own actions. Men need to humble themselves and look at how they are controlling others. My marriage is not successful and the businesses I have now will be successful. Accept the fact that you can't control anyone.
Guest/Host: He was put in that position at such an early age. It's daunting and you learn to micromanage everyone's life because you believe that's the only way the family can function, but when you grow up and you are in a different situation the methods you used then are no longer necessary and if you continue using them you become dysfunctional. It's ironic but that's how it goes.
Caller: We give people with titles a leeway without them earning it. We are so thrilled by being with them. So we must let them know that you still have to earn being in a relationship. They have to show stuff like that. You've gotta show me you want to be in a relationship with me.
Source: The Audrey Chapman Show
Host: Audrey Chapman
Guest: Dr. Tony Ferretti, PHD
Sunday Sermon: And The Word (The Lord Jesus) Was Made Flesh
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John 1:14 (KJV): And the Word (the Lord Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1 John 5:7 (KJV): For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (the Lord Jesus), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Kingdom Race - Run the Race! Run Well! Run to Win!
It's All Gone Pete Tong
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I recently got around to posting a few more galleries on my site and wanted to share with you this collection from a night with Pete Tong at Glow.For those not familiar with Tong, his work transcends many years of dance music artists and styles. As a DJ, Pete has graced the decks of the best clubs and festivals worldwide. As a producer he's assembled the music for many different soundtracks and was the inspiration behind the hit film "It's All Gone Pete Tong."
Pete's success as a broadcaster, clubland DJ and music industry maven is his ability to create a balance between credibility and commerciality and is not afraid to drop the hits on the decks. "People forget it's entertainment," Pete explains. "I wouldn't be doing this if I couldn't champion new music, but a mix is the key. And it's supposed to be fun."
I was pretty excited to see Pete for the first time because he's a name I've become familiar with through the BBC-One essential mixes. I can't even begin to tell you how many DJ mixes I've listened to with the BBC (Radio)-One call sign announced. You almost begin to expect to hear it while listening to any dance music mix.
I wish I could say I was as excited about the images I captured from the evening. I like some of the color in these shots, but I was very disappointed with the clarity and sharpness of the photos. I've been over-thinking my nightlife photography, trying to use different techniques to pull out more color and style in my shots. What's happened is that I'm getting vibrant the color but losing some of the crisp and clean, noise-free shots I've captured on recent outings.
The following are some of the better images from the gallery. To be perfectly honest with you, the best shot came during the opening DJ set. I had everything set correctly and just got a little happy with my exposure settings throughout the night. I really can't wait to get back out and continue to refine my nightlife style and try to correct some of my mistakes in these shots. In the meantime, enjoy these photos and please let me know what you think.
What's Your Point of View?
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Have you ever gone into a bar or club and had just a horrible night, only to return a few months later and have a completely different experience? Or what if your original experience wasn't terrible, but it wasn't worth another visit for...oh, a few months. Well this is what happened to me this past week in DC.If you recall from early last summer, I checked out the newly opened W Hotel and POV Lounge. My experience wasn't horrible. But there were some bumps and bruises from that visit and I frankly haven't had any real reason to return. Granted, Dan K. and I have made stops in the W Hotel lobby for a drink or two. But it wasn't until last Thursday that we returned to the rooftop terrace and lounge of this swanky DC hotel. My impressions have changed.
The first notable element of change is that the obnoxious lines trying to gain entry to the elevator upstairs are gone. This was a Thursday night, so it's possible you could find a line on Friday or Saturday night. But remember, it was a Wednesday night when I encountered close to 50 people dressed to impress waiting for their chance to experience the ultimate DC point of view. The next element of improvement was a staff prepared for anything. We were escorted upstairs, taken to the terrace, offered a place to sit and even offered drinks before I could take off my coat. This was a major change from the first week where POV couldn't decide if they wanted to be a velvet rope club or a tapas restaurant. Clearly, POV has accepted its role as a smooth character on the DC lounge circuit and the composed attitude reflects that.
Another stand-out element from last Thursday was one of the best Bailey's and coffee I've ever had. Dan K. asked me, "how could they mess that up?" I replied..."simple, bad coffee." This particular drink is made with a very smooth bean and brewed at what had to be the perfect temperature. I know it was late, but I ordered two.
POV has also added great music. DJ 2-Tone was spinning a groovy down-tempo hip hop that fit perfectly with the lounge mood. Honestly folks, sitting there sipping my coffee with soulful hip-hop feeding my ears while the Washington Monument stood brightly out the window next to me was a nocturnal dream come true. It was like taking a vacation from the usual high-energy K Street rat race and finding yourself at a rooftop oasis surrounded by history. Is there a better setting for this stuff or what?
The two photos in this post reflect what I saw that night. They reflect what POV has become since opening and what POV was destined to be. They reflect a beautiful rooftop lounge in a beautiful hotel with the best point of view in our city.
Photos by Doug Van Sant
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Something Blue
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We all know how when we were little kids and believed in fairy tales, we often daydreamed of what our lives would be like. These day dreams often centered around ones fairy tale wedding. The white dress, prince charming and of course ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.’ Eventually we all grew up and that fairy tale for the most part disappeared. However the old something blue adage is something many brides still try to incorporate into their wedding day- whether it be for luck, in honor of a family tradition, or sometimes to simply please ones mother! Upon closer examination it turns out there is a lot of history to back up this adage. “In ancient Rome brides wore blue to symbolize love, fidelity, and modesty. Christianity has historically dressed the Virgin Mary in blue as a symbol of purity, and before the late 19th century blue was a popular wedding gown color because wearing blue on your wedding day was thought to bring your good luck.” Today the possibilities are endless; there truly are so many ways to incorporate something blue into your wedding day. It is just a matter of adding that something blue that suits your personal style. Whether it is hiding from view or seen boldly by others- the secret is you will know that you are wearing your blue for good luck!
Julie Pike
*Historical references from Kate Spade Occasions and MSW
*Images from Manolo Blahnik and MSW
Be Our Guest
To contact us Click HERE To promote our planners’ effectiveness and necessity in helping plan and produce special events, we often say that our staff will be on site to ensure that our clients are guests at their own parties. It’s not something that all people immediately understand when they are considering whether or not to hire a planner for their event. Without professional help on site, hosts are often presented with issues or difficulties as they arise throughout the duration of their event. Dealing with or worrying about problems during such important affairs can sap the enjoyment and fun out of any occasion.
I was witness to a small example of this effect this past weekend. I attended the wedding of two dear friends that was sure to be a wonderful time for all involved. The bride and groom had staff from the venue to help them facilitate the proceedings. It was a beautiful wedding and all joy abounded. When I spoke to the bride the following day at brunch, she mentioned that her only regret was having to worry and deal with a few electrical shortage issues. It was nothing major, but lights and music went out several times during the cocktail hour and then other house lights failed during the dancing. None of the guests minded and most probably didn’t notice (I can’t help but see these things at events I attend, due to the nature of my job), but that was the one low point of an otherwise dream wedding. And it was something that could have been avoided with an on-site, dedicated day-of wedding planner.
A good wedding planner anticipates those types of issues before they crop up, bringing in the extra generator, for example, and knows how to deal with them before the host or hostess is even aware of a problem. Having a professional guide the event from start to finish should be a very comforting feeling for a host. We will allow you to be a guest and fully enjoy the experience from beginning to end. It’s something you may not have considered before, but we always do.
Tree Tables
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Once again we have managed to outdo ourselves with our latest and greatest decor; our tree tables. These are an original creation we made for an "Enchanted Forest" event and look absolutely amazing-not to mention incredibly realistic! The tables have hand wrapped and painted tree trunk bases topped with giant 5 foot round high-gloss top that looks like you took a slice out of an enormous tree. Come in to our Special Events Design Center in Rockville to see them in person!
Fashion's Night Out
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When asked how we should help stimulate our economy you might answer with more jobs, tax cuts or increased aid to struggling localities. Well, how about with events?
Fashion's Night Out is a worldwide event that strives to boost the global economy through the fashion industry. U.S. and International editors of Vogue coordinated celebrations in their respective fashion capitals in hopes to aid customers lacking confidence in the fashion and retail industries. On September 10th, over 700 retailers and designers across the five boroughs of New York City participated in the event. Neither tickets nor invitations were required to attend any of the Fashion's Night Out activities. Retailers implemented creative ideas in order to promote the fun in shopping once again. For example, shops in Brooklyn surprised customers with a pop-up block party and cook-off. Celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Blake Lively, and Victoria Beckham made guest appearances at stores throughout Manhattan. In addition to encouraging retail shopping, proceeds from Fashion's Night Out t-shirt and tote bag sales went to a charity benefiting a 9/11 rehabilitation project.
Hopefully worldwide events like Fashion’s Night Out will become a means of breaking out of our current economic recession, while having a lot of fun at the same time!
by Jessica Marzelli
It's SNO big deal!
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It’s beginning to feel a bit like spring but it was just a few weeks ago we were buried up to our knees in snow! The weekend of February 6, 2010 is not one anyone at Gala will soon forget. With record breaking amounts of snow, closed roads, freezing temperatures and some fabulous vendors we all survived the ‘snowpocalypse’ of 2010 and our bride and groom JoAnn and Daniel were still able to have their wedding. Knowing early in the week what Mother Nature might have in store, we set off for Annapolis not knowing quite what to expect except that the show must go on!
Despite the harsh reality check we all awoke to on Saturday morning JoAnn and Daniel proved to everyone that there was nothing that could stand in the way of their wedding. We were having a wedding, minus about 300 guests. What we faced that weekend is truly a testament to who we are in this business and what we can do when faced with adversity- even if a tree falls through the roof of the tent! When you have a team of exceptional vendors who all are truly invested in making this the best event possible-regardless of the conditions. We definitely gave this couple an experience they will never forget.
Special thanks to all of the vendors who helped us all keep everything together-
Blue Sky Films, Occasions Caterers, MBK and Associates, Frost Lighting, and Crow Entertainment DJs.
*Special thanks to Blue Sky films for the above video.
4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
Fall Events
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Fall is my absolute favorite season. Autumn colors and the season's overall crispness inspire me to redecorate my home each October. I pull out my favorite spice scented candle, my wool pillow shams, and my fluffy down throws. I head to the basement to bring up my boxes of pine cones, faux cranberries, autumnal wreathes, and my favorite fall inspired table runners. I unwrap each piece lovingly while becoming increasingly excited about the arrival of three months of cooler days, leaf filled sidewalks, and wreath strewn doors. This fall, I am especially excited because I am planning my first autumn inspired wedding. The inspiration for my design is organic and will feature brightly colored leaves, wheat, berries, sunflowers, and pops of brilliant persimmon. I hope that the design will inspire the guests and get them as excited as I am about this special season.
by Laura Miller
Say Cheese, Please!
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Who doesn’t have fond memories of those black and white photo strips that we posed for in booths at fairs, on boardwalks, and in malls? Maybe you were being silly with your best friends or smooching with your ‘honey.’ You might still have one of those strips (faded and yellowed, no doubt) tucked into the corner of your bedroom mirror. Well… those ‘old fashioned’ booths have become popular at parties of all kinds, of recent.
Take a look at the very modern and eye catching photo booth pictured above. This is sure to wow any and all of your guests at the next party you throw. This very high tech, digital, partially inflatable, and artistic version of the old boardwalk push button model, was designed by two Melbourne- based photographers. Why not invite your guests to document your event with fun photos that they can either leave behind in a guest book for the host, or to take with them to remember all the fun they had? Grab your fifteen minutes (or seconds!) of fame and say cheese, please!
Julie Pike
(photo via photobooth.com.au)
Fashion's Night Out
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When asked how we should help stimulate our economy you might answer with more jobs, tax cuts or increased aid to struggling localities. Well, how about with events?
Fashion's Night Out is a worldwide event that strives to boost the global economy through the fashion industry. U.S. and International editors of Vogue coordinated celebrations in their respective fashion capitals in hopes to aid customers lacking confidence in the fashion and retail industries. On September 10th, over 700 retailers and designers across the five boroughs of New York City participated in the event. Neither tickets nor invitations were required to attend any of the Fashion's Night Out activities. Retailers implemented creative ideas in order to promote the fun in shopping once again. For example, shops in Brooklyn surprised customers with a pop-up block party and cook-off. Celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Blake Lively, and Victoria Beckham made guest appearances at stores throughout Manhattan. In addition to encouraging retail shopping, proceeds from Fashion's Night Out t-shirt and tote bag sales went to a charity benefiting a 9/11 rehabilitation project.
Hopefully worldwide events like Fashion’s Night Out will become a means of breaking out of our current economic recession, while having a lot of fun at the same time!
by Jessica Marzelli
Acrylic Mandap
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A MUST HAVE for your next event is our Acrylic Mandap. It is a 10ft x 10ft clear Lucite structure and can really be used for any occasion. It was last used for an Indian wedding where it was adorned with hanging orchids and votive candles. It also can be used in a club decor design and really for most any theme you can think of. It will be set up in the Gala Events Design Center throughout October so come in today and work with one of our event planners to see how it can be worked into your next event.
by Tom Kemp
It's SNO big deal!
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It’s beginning to feel a bit like spring but it was just a few weeks ago we were buried up to our knees in snow! The weekend of February 6, 2010 is not one anyone at Gala will soon forget. With record breaking amounts of snow, closed roads, freezing temperatures and some fabulous vendors we all survived the ‘snowpocalypse’ of 2010 and our bride and groom JoAnn and Daniel were still able to have their wedding. Knowing early in the week what Mother Nature might have in store, we set off for Annapolis not knowing quite what to expect except that the show must go on!
Despite the harsh reality check we all awoke to on Saturday morning JoAnn and Daniel proved to everyone that there was nothing that could stand in the way of their wedding. We were having a wedding, minus about 300 guests. What we faced that weekend is truly a testament to who we are in this business and what we can do when faced with adversity- even if a tree falls through the roof of the tent! When you have a team of exceptional vendors who all are truly invested in making this the best event possible-regardless of the conditions. We definitely gave this couple an experience they will never forget.
Special thanks to all of the vendors who helped us all keep everything together-
Blue Sky Films, Occasions Caterers, MBK and Associates, Frost Lighting, and Crow Entertainment DJs.
*Special thanks to Blue Sky films for the above video.
2 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Sunday Sermon: Let This Mind Be In You!
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Philipians 2:5-7 (KJV): Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (the Father): But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Col. 1:14-17 (KJV): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God (The Father)….For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible….all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Kingdom Race - Run the Race! Run Well! Run to Win!
Happy 10th Birthday ICC!
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Today marks the International Criminal Court's 10th birthday. Since 2002, 121 nations have joined together to create the only permanent international court capable of trying individuals accused of genocide war crimes and crimes against humanity where there is no other recourse for justice.
For the first time in the history of humanity, the international community is able to hold tyrants and human rights abusers accountable, while providing a fair system of justice, even for the most heinous crimes. This is how we build a safer, more secure world.
Click here to sign a birthday card supporting the International Criminal Court!
Between the Rome Statute's 10th Anniversary on July 1 and July 17, which celebrates International Justice Day, we are holding a series of events celebrating the ICC. Send your messages of support for the ICC to U.S. Ambassador Stephen Rapp, the head of the State Department's Office of Global Criminal Justice. Click here to sign our 10th Birthday Card to the ICC with your personal message.
On July 14, join us for a webinar featuring Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former ICC Chief Prosecutor and Ben Ferencz, Professor of International Law and former Nuremberg Prosecutor entitled, "A Giant Step Towards 'Never Again:' 10 Years of International Justice.'" Stay tuned for more information about the webinar.
For supporters in the D.C. area, Global Solutions.org will be taking a giant birthday card for the ICC to the National Mall to get signatures and raise awareness about the important work of the Court on July 17.
GlobalSolutions.org is building a national online movement for Americans who want the United States to take a responsible and cooperative role in the world. By showing support for international justice, you become part of this important online movement.
Thanks for all that you do,
Amanda B.
Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Age Falsification Scandal!
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The magazine caption read, "25 Year Old Isabella Ayukwins the 2012 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Title in Benin." When I readit, I was neither happy nor sad for the girl, I just thought to myself,"Oh well, another pretty face in the lime light. We will see how her reignturns out..." I actually didn't give her or her win much more thought tillanother caption in the same magazine read, "MBGN 2012 Winner Isabella Ayuk Dethroned! Beauty Queen “Lied About Her Age” | Runner-Up DamieteCharles-Granville Takes Over." At first I was first surprised that shewould lie about her age. However, after more thought, I asked myself,"What would make this beautiful girl lie about her age?" Then it cameto me and I must say I now appreciate her plight and her reason for lying,which goes back to a woman's worth being tied to her age and beauty in the eyesof men who practically run the world even though Beyonce said the contrary.I have never competedin a beauty pageant. However, I understand the thought process behind it, whichis women competing against each other for what should be their most prizedpossessions, which are their youth and beauty, which unfortunately, a woman's worth is directlytied to. All things being equal, this is what determines her market value inthe world. Many times it will be based on her beauty that people including men andwomen will want to help her or do things for her or even hire her for a job. Her youth and beauty is whatwill make the "right" or "desireable" man marry her over a less attractive or older female withequally good character. Her youthand beauty is what will make prospective employers choose her over anotherperson with the same qualifications. Although hard work and a solid educationhave their place, a woman's youth and beauty are indeed a big part of who sheis, will become and how far she will go thanks to men usually being in charge in decision making roles. People can point at unattractive women who are successful, but for every one I am shown, I will show you two who are attractive.When I was younger, Iloved beauty pageants, but this was based on pure ignorance. When I realized thethought process behind them, I began to dislike them, especially the ones thatparade women in bathing suits because it's like women are like meat in a marketwith prospective buyers inspecting them for their worth and the "best" being selected based on their looks and ability to answer questions intelligently all in a moment in time. This further engrains the demeaning way womenviewed and valued based on just their looks and youth, which is wrong. What about when they loosethat beauty and youth by aging or having babies and becoming overweight? Are they then worth less? Unfortunately, directly or indirectly that's how many women are made to feel.
Going back to Isabella, I am led to believe that this lady who is said tobe an "experienced" beauty pageant contenster as she previouslycontested in several pageants over several years must really believe that's what she needs to be successful. I say this because others would haveused that time to focus on achieving more serious successes. If it's glamor she is seeking like many whoparticipate in such contests, she could have used that time to emerge in a"glamorous" field such as acting or singing, or becoming an entreprenuer creating beauty products and services. However, she focused for so long on winning the coveted 2012 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria crown, which has now been takenaway from her. The question she will now ask herself repeatedly is was it worth it? That's the danger of wanting something so bad that you focus solely on it and doanything to get it. Even the bible in Philipians 4:6 states, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
I think it's just another hurdle used to weed some women out of
many who are willing to out do each other for the lime light. However, as we can see, not everyone will accept that they a
are too old and find something else to do with their lives. Some like Isabella will buck the system. As much as I can appreciate a contest having guidelines because if not everyone and
their mother and grandmother will show up, I dislike the age criteria because this kind of age elimination criteria isn't exclusive to just beauty pageants. The same thing occurs frequently in dating relationships where men, especially African men ask a woman's age to categorize based on stereotypes. If she's in her late teens, she's an inexperienced toy to be played with. If she's in her twenties, she is on the prowl for a husband to be toyed with or taken seriously depending on if the man is ready to settle down. If she's in her early 30s, she must be desperate for a husband, so she can be toyed with and if she's in her late thirties or plus, she's too old to have kids, has acquired too much materially and intellectually to be controlled, so she is to be used for the time being till a younger girl who can be manipulated and controlled is found for marriage. This kind of thing also happens in work environments. An aunt who is a nurse lied about her age to work for many years after she should have retired. She was totally competent to work and her age, which is nothing but a number shouldn't have stopped her. Many recording artists lie about their age because the perception is that it's young people that buy the most music because they have nothing better to do with their time or money in comparison to older people with more pressing issues to attend to. Athletes also lie about their ages so they aren't stopped from playing when they feel they can continue, especially if it is their sole source of livelihood. So again, Isabella wouldn't be the first or last to lie about her age. Actually, in some circles it is said that a lady never tells her age. I guess it makes sense not to tell one 's age so one can avoid all the negative consequences. However I don't know her, but I wonder why she was so gung-ho to win. Being a serial beauty pageant contestant is not a resume builder. Yes, it is a launching pad for many beautiful faces, but it comes with its own challenges as well. The beautiful face and body she already possesses with brains will take her as far as God wants her to go with or without winning a beauty contest. However, somewhere along the line she must have been incorrectly made to believe a Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria crown is her winning lottery ticket to the big time, that's why she did is why she competed serially and went as far as to lie about her age. After thinking about what she did and the myriad of reasons of why she did it, I would like people to be compassionate to her as we should be more concerned with eradicating what makes women lie about their age to get things they want that should be available to the them with no age restrictions anyway.
Isabella who probably isn't having the best time right now should know that what has happened to her is not the end of the world. Vanessa Williams picked herself up after lesbian themed pictures dethroned her from being the first African American Miss America and she is doing far better than many beauty queens who won and kept their crowns for their full reign. Even till today, she is going on strong. As the saying goes, "He who gets the laugh last, laughs the longest and Vanessa is still smiling all the way to the bank.
To Isabella, your success is your come back ticket. Take this time to think of how you got your self into this unfortunate predicament in the first place, apologize for your actions, get right back up, dust yourself off and find ways to become the true person you are supposed to be which will include being proud of yourself and your age.
GW Student, Jamie Bright's Exemplary Service To The Aged
To contact us Click HERE Last year, George Washington University student, Jamie Bright organized a Mardi Gras Luncheon funded by The Public Grant Commission for the residents of St. Mary’s Court to encourage student interactions with residents. Over 75 people attended the lunch and contributed 100 service hours to First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama’s Service Challenge.
Congratulations to Ms. Bright for her exemplary service to the aged.
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
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If you don’t know your history, you might have an incomplete and incorrect image of who you are, where you come from and where you are heading. So if you have are black or have a black child in the
In the Gambia, West Africa in 1750, Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton) is born to Muslim Mandinka warrior Omoro Kinte (Thalmus Rasulala) and his wife Binta (Cicely Tyson). When their son reaches the age of 15, he and a group of other adolescent males take part in a tribal "coming of manhood" ceremony, after which they officially become Mandinka warriors. When given a task to find a goose, Kunta spots a white man, carrying a firearm. Later, trying to find wood outside his village to make a drum for his brother, Kunta is captured by contentious tribe members and sold to slave traders of the infamous Atlantic Slave Trade and put on a slave ship commanded by Captain Davies (Edward Asner) for a three-month journey to Colonial America. During the course of their forced journey, a group of African rebels try, but fail to take over the ship.
The ship lands months later in Annapolis, Maryland, where the captured Africans are sold at auction as slaves. Kunta Kinte is sold to plantation owner John Reynolds (Lorne Greene) and is given the slave name of "Toby." An older slave named Fiddler (Louis Gossett Jr) is charged with teaching Kunta the ways of being a chattel slave, including learning English. In a desperate struggle to be free and to preserve his Mandinka heritage, he makes several unsuccessful attempts to escape. Kunta doesn't want to give up his Mandinka roots and is reluctant to change his name to "Toby" and give up his Muslim faith. An overseer named Ames (Vic Morrow) has Kunta Kinte severely whipped, until he submits to his slave name.
The adult Kunta Kinte (John Amos) eventually learns what it means to be a chattel slave but is haunted by his Mandinka roots and his memories of being free. He submits to the harsh life, but only after having half of his (right) foot severed to keep him from attempting further escapes. He is sold to John Reynolds' brother Dr. William (Robert Reed), eventually marrying another slave named Belle (Madge Sinclair), who treats his severed foot. Kunta and Belle have a daughter named Kizzy (Leslie Uggams). Kizzy is secretly taught to read and write by Missy Anne (Sandy Duncan), the product of an adulterous affair between John Reynold's wife and Dr. Reynolds. When Kizzy is in her late teens, she is caught writing a fake travel pass for a boy she is in love with, Noah (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs). Missy Anne turns her back on Kizzy when Kizzy needs her the most, which makes Kizzy think white people aren't to be trusted. She is then sold away to Tom Moore (Chuck Connors) in North Carolina. Kizzy is raped by Moore when she arrives at his plantation and, as a result, gives birth to a son named George.
The adult George (Ben Vereen) becomes an expert in cockfighting, earning him the moniker "Chicken George", which eventually gives him the opportunity in the 1840s to be sent into servitude in England. He returns to America a free man 14 years later in 1861. George's son Tom Harvey (Georg Stanford Brown) becomes a blacksmith—and a slave for George Harvey - whose slave labor is used by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. After the war, white men led by Evan Brent (Lloyd Bridges) give birth to an early form of the Ku Klux Klan, and begin to frequently harass Tom, his family and other blacks — exploiting them economically by day and terrorizing them by night wearing the infamous white hoods. The problem escalates when Tom reports the issues to authorities and Brent finds out about it. However, Chicken George returns after the news of blacks being freed, and tells his family of land he bought that they may live in. Afraid of the Ku Klux Klan, especially after receiving a whipping from one of them, Tom and his family move to George's land in Tennessee to begin a new life. And as the series ends in 1870, Chicken George tells his grandson about his grandfather, the African who went to find some wood for a drum, and was captured by the slave traders in 1767.
Alex Haley narrates the last few minutes of the miniseries: a montage of photos of family members connecting Tom's daughter Cynthia, the great-great-granddaughter of Kunta Kinte, to Haley himself.
Roots: The Next GenerationThe story resumes in 1882 where Tom Harvey (Georg Stanford Brown), the great-grandson of Kunta Kinte, has become a prominent leader of the black community in Henning, Tennessee. Although he has established a working relationship with the town's white leader, Colonel Warner (Henry Fonda), race relations in the community are still strained. Jim Crow laws, literacy tests, and later the Ku Klux Klan increase the tensions.
A sub plot involves Colonel Warner's youngest son, Jim (Richard Thomas) falling in love with African American school teacher, Carrie Barden (Fay Hauser). Colonel Warner disapproves of this and gets Tom to let her go or close down the school. After having an argument with Tom's oldest daughter, Elizabeth (Debbi Morgan), who had not accepted a boy that she fell in love with, based on the fact that he was half white, Tom decides to let her stay. Jim and Carrie get married in Memphis, and Col. Warner disowns his son by cutting him out of his will, but will ensure that no harm comes to them.
Tom's youngest daughter Cynthia (Bever-Leigh Banfield) falls in love and marries hard-working Will Palmer (Stan Shaw). Despite the racial oppression, Will wins the trust of the local business leaders and is allowed to take over the local lumberyard after its previous owner Bob Campbell (Harry Morgan) ran it into the ground.
As both the town and the lumber business grows, Will and Cynthia are able to send their daughter Bertha (Irene Cara) to Lane College in September 1914, by which time both Tom and his wife Irene (Lynne Moody) have died. There, Bertha meets and falls in love with classmate Simon Haley (Dorian Harewood), the son of a sharecropper. With an insufficient amount of money to attend A&T College, Simon gets a summer job as a porter for the Pullman Company. He meets a passenger who later identifies himself as R. S. M. Boyce (James Daly), an executive of the Curtis Publishing Company, and offers to help pay Simon's tuition and board.
Soon after he graduates from A&T, Simon enlists in the military to fight in World War I and is deployed to France with a segregated, all-black unit. He returns to America after the war and, despite the problems associated with the 1918 flu pandemic and the Red Summer of 1919, reunites with and marries Bertha. Simon then gets a job as a professor of agriculture at the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical Institute. Soon Simon and Bertha have their first child: Alex. During the New Deal era, Simon tries to organize the local farmers, much to the resistance of the local white cotton landowners. Some time later, Bertha dies from internal bleeding, and Alex (Kristoff St. John) and his younger brothers are reared in part by their grandmother Cynthia (now portrayed by Beah Richards) and great-aunt Elizabeth. Cynthia shows him a tree limb that Will had been working on before he died which shows historical dates and the names of their alleged ancestors dating back to Kunta Kinte.
As World War II approaches, Simon convinces his seventeen-year-old son Alex (now portrayed by Damon Evans) to enlist in the military. Alex joins the U.S. Coast Guard. During his service in the Pacific theater of operations, he teaches himself how to write stories, also gaining help from a officer (Andy Griffith). After the war, he successfully petitions the Coast Guard for permission to transfer into the field of journalism, but his career ambitions end up costing him his marriage to his first wife Nan (Debbie Allen).
Entering his 40s, Alex (now played by James Earl Jones) has become an established journalist in the 1960s, drawing high-profile interviews with such figures as George Lincoln Rockwell (Marlon Brando) and Malcolm X (Al Freeman, Jr.), and collaborating with the latter to write The Autobiography of Malcolm X. A visit to his relatives in Henning then sparks his desire to research the rest of his family history. Eventually, Alex travels to the African nation of Gambia and listens to a griot (tribal historian) in Jufureh.
Bağlantılar
Önceki Kayıtlar
- Just Be Good To Me AKA Exception to the Rule Syndrome
- It's all about the details
- Fall '09 Open House
- Fashion's Night Out
- It's SNO big deal!
- What's Your Point of View?
- Kohl's Cares About Cancer
- Beyonce's "Mrs. Carter" World Tour 2013
- 3rd Annual Griot's Eye Youth Film & Culture Festival
- Lady Gaga's Hip Problem!
Arşivler
- Mayıs 2012
- Haziran 2012
- Temmuz 2012
- Ağustos 2012
- Eylül 2012
- Ekim 2012
- Kasım 2012
- Aralık 2012
- Ocak 2013
- Şubat 2013
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