Does it take Thanksgiving to be Thankful?

by today’s Urban Chameleon contributor

Growing up my parents didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, yes, they did not believe in acknowledging what turned out to be a false symbol of cooperation from English Colonist before stripping the Native Americans of their land. (I got deep on you) Plus we were vegetarians that ate fish. So instead, by influence of my Jamaican father, we would head over to one of the many West Indian spots on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn and get down on some escovitch red snapper, rice and peas, sweet plantains, breadfruit and sorrel. It was our tradition of not commemorating another tradition.

Besides it wasn’t until junior high school where I was first introduced to chicken anyway and then turkey and then it was on. For the remainder of my junior high and high school career I was a closet meat eater hiding this disgraceful secret from my parents. In the meantime, I was creating deep bonds with friends just by the amount of flavored birds we went through together. Then when I began to be invited to their homes for thanksgiving dinner I was so excited to indulge in the festivities just by having meat to accompany what would have once been lonely side dishes. Hell! I had forgotten all about the Native Americans and the land.

It wasn’t until I got older (and came out of the kitchen closet) that I realized in all the Thanksgivings I spent with family and friends whether traditionally or nontraditionally the only thing that mattered was being together (the true marketed version of the holiday) and although some may say that it shouldn’t have to take Thanksgiving to remember to be thankful as busy as our modern lives are we sometimes need that reminder. (I mean I don’t know about you but I have an iPhone alarm set reminding me to pay bills.)

However, I sometimes wonder if the voice of Native American’s were more prominent if this holiday would exist. For had it been the day before where a Black leader was gunned down that was marked a holiday, people would be buck out here. How effective is the oppressed race you belong to? A tablespoon of truth and sarcasm is good for the soul.

How about I just say happy celebrating being with family and friends let’s try to do it more often, besides plantains go good with turkey.

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President Obama Hosts India's Singh for First State Visit

Urban Chameleon news

President Barack Obama says the U.S. partnership with India will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century. Mr. Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to reporters after a two-hour meeting.

President Barack Obama says the U.S. partnership with India will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century. The statement came as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made the first state visit of the Obama presidency. The leaders of the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest pledged to work together to strengthen the global economy, curb climate change, limit the spread of nuclear weapons and fight terrorism. After a two-hour meeting with Mr. Obama, Prime Minister Singh told reporters he has invited the president and his family to visit him in India next year. "I have invited President Obama to visit India. A very warm welcome awaits him, his gracious wife and his two daughters," said Mr. Singh. Mr. Obama praised his visitor as an honest and wise man, and accepted his offer. "I have happily accepted his gracious invitation to visit India next year," he said. After their meeting, Mr. Obama said he and the Indian leader had agreed to "work even closer" to share information between their law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the fight against terrorism. Mr. Singh promised to cooperate more closely with the U.S. to defeat terrorists. "The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world, and have to be defeated," he said. When questioned about the long-standing rivalry between India and Pakistan, Mr. Obama said it is not Washington's role to try to resolve the conflict from the outside. But he said the U.S. can find ways to help. "On the other hand, we want to be encouraging of ways in which both India and Pakistan can feel secure and focus on the development of their own countries and their people," Mr. Obama said. The U.S. is India's largest trading partner, and the president paid tribute to India's large and growing economic role in Asia and throughout the world. The United States and India have disagreed on their commitments to reducing greenhouse gases, with the climate change summit taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark next month. But Mr. Obama said the two leaders had moved a step closer to bridging the gap. The day ended with the Obama administration's first state dinner. The president honored Mr. Singh with a toast in which he celebrated a "great and growing partnership" between the two countries. "To the future that beckons all of us," he said. "Let us answer its call and let our two great nations realize all the triumphs and achievements that await us." Prime Minister Singh told the president he was overwhelmed by the Obamas' hospitality, and he called Mr. Obama an inspiration. "Mr. President, your journey to the White House has captured the imagination of millions and millions of people in India," he said. More than 330 guests attended the dinner, which was held in an elaborate tent on the White House lawn, instead of the usual location for such events, the much smaller State Dining Room. source from www1.voanews.com


In other news First Lady Michelle Obama looked smoking hot in a gleaming silver-sequined, cream-colored gown (last) night to the first state dinner held by her husband’s administration. She was tending to her hostess duties in a strapless silhouette with the beads forming an abstract floral pattern that was custom-made by (Indian designer) Naeem Khan.
source from apakistannews.com

Time for a Spliff Break

Urban Chameleon news

When life is just too rough

and the man has got his foot up ya' ass

it may be time for a SPLIFF BREAK.

Have you applied for you medical marijuana card today?

Behind a heavy locked door, Oregon’s newest cannabis café, run by Oregon NORML, prepared to begin its first day of service for medical marijuana patients. Perhaps unsurprisingly on the first day, things started slowly, with a press conference that started 30 minutes late.

NORML executive director Madeline Martinez called marijuana “the safest medicine known to mankind” and said she expected up to 300 people until 10pm tonight. Seven people will be checking the doors to make sure all patrons are Oregon NORML and Oregon Medical Marijuana Program cardholders. Café workers also hold cards.

“We’re never going to stop,” Martinez said. She says the Rumpspanker’s space has surrendered its liquor license to avoid problems with the OLCC. Rumpspankers will keep conjuring cookies and scones. But now mostly volcanoes, a vaporization method of marijuana intake, adorn the flat surfaces of the cafe.

Martinez also spoke of “harnessing the black market” and using it to help the economy. Oregon NORML founder Anna Diaz said in the six years the organization has been meeting, there has never been an incident with the police, and that they are “hoping to be respectful” to their neighbors.

Elizabeth, who had two spinal surgeries in the past three years, just received her medical marijuana card and hopes to convene with other marijuana users on how to deal with pain. “They’ll know my name here,” she said, as the scent of fresh weed wafted by.

The rest, to be honest, is a little hazy
source blogweek.com

The Sexual Power of Beyonce: Video Phone

by today's Urban Chameleon contributor

With the success of Single Ladies, the question that has crossed many people’s minds is, “How will Beyonce top herself?” The answer for most pop artist is usually with more sex and as a friend of mine put it how far will Beyonce go before like Brittney Spears she is naked with a towel covering her nipple?

In watching Beyonce’s new video, Video Phone, which is by no means a great song or great video she still manages to pull out a performance that is arguable the most provocative yet. I’ve even found myself randomly humming this mediocre tune and have had images from the video of Beyonce undulating on my mind. Another friend of mine said that I was not alone, as she too has been bitten by the Beyonce bug and for the first time realized how effective this lady is. Part of the humor in even bringing this up as a topic of discussion is that I consider both my friend and I to be progressive intellectuals who have no time to be thinking about Beyonce (nose in the air) and even further see the matrix of the industry machine but then why has this lady entered our subconscious and if she could do this to us, two approaching 30ty sumptin’ year olds, what affect is she having on young girls?

The biggest problem with Beyonce is that given her massive success she doesn’t seem to offer anything deeper than girlie sing-a-longs that just encourages one to booty pop, which may be harmless to the 30ty sumptin’ woman but to these young girls, still carving out their sexual identities it may be crossing into dangerous territory even for Beyonce…for how far will she go to maintain sexual power.



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Its Official, After 25yrs Oprah Ends Her Show and Tells Us Why

Urban Chameleon news

Oprah Explains Exit: It Feels Right In My Bones


Holding back tears, Oprah Winfrey told her studio audience Friday that she would end her show in 2011 after a quarter-century on the air, saying "prayer and careful thought" led her to her decision.

TRANSCRIPT: In Oprah's own words

VIDEO: Fans equally emotional about end of show

"I love this show. This show has been my life," she told viewers. "And I love it enough to know when it's time to say good-bye. Twenty-five years feels right in my bones and it feels right in my spirit. It's the perfect number—the exact right time. So I hope that you will take this 18-month ride with me right through to the final show."

Winfrey, the queen of daytime talk, will refocus her efforts on cable, where a new network, a joint venture with Discovery Networks, is now set to launch in January 2011, after several delays. "After production wraps on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey plans to appear and participate in new programming for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a 24-hour cable network that reflects her vision, values and interests," her company said in a statement Friday.

Winfrey, 55, is not expected to host a talk show for that network, but is developing several lifestyle programs and will appear on a somewhat regular basis. But Winfrey is giving up a major platform on syndicated television and analysts say it's highly unlikely she'll match her current audience of more than 7 million viewers, up slightly this season thanks to high-profile interviews with Sarah Palin, Whitney Houston and others.

Analysts say other talk shows hosted by Ellen DeGeneres or any of Winfrey's protégés — Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray— won't come close to filling the void or matching her hold on daytime viewers.

"I don't think any talk show will have the influence that she had," says Bill Carroll, an analyst at Katz TV Group, which advises local stations. "Her talk show happened in a different time, in a different media landscape."

Winfrey has uniquely been able to turn endorsements from her Oprah's Book Club into instant bestsellers, and provide a huge platform for authors to hawk their books.

"What a loss for publishing," says Carol Fitzgerald, president of BookReporter.com, a popular website for book discussions. "Oprah brings attention to books and authors with passion and focus. Whether or not readers agreed with her choices for her book club, she always drove sales and got people into stores or online to buy." And while other hosts promote gadgets, when "she does her favorite things, they fly off the shelves," Carroll says. "I don't think anyone on broadcast or cable has that kind of appeal."

Added Discovery CEO David Zaslav: "There is no bigger brand in media than Oprah Winfrey. She has changed the broadcast landscape and how people consume television."

On Friday's show, Winfrey talked about being nervous when the program began in 1986, and thanked audiences who had invited her into their homes over the past two decades.

"I certainly never could have imagined the yellow brick road of blessings that would have led me to this moment," she said.

Winfrey said she and her staff were going to brainstorm ideas for the final season of her show and she hoped viewers would take "this 18-month ride with me. We are going to knock your socks off," she said. "The countdown to the end of The Oprah Winfrey Show starts now."

The countdown also starts for CBS, which has made hundreds of millions of dollars distributing her show to more than 200 local stations.

And for ABC, which depends on Winfrey for sturdy ratings that in many markets lead into crucial evening newscasts. In nine of the top 10 cities, ABC-owned or affiliated stations carry Winfrey's show, so its loss could hurt both local newscasts that follow it and ABC's World News, which Diane Sawyer is joining at year's end.

Carroll speculates that ABC may decide to expand its local newscasts to replace Winfrey's show, which airs live in Chicago each morning but is delayed in most other cities.

Winfrey has vowed to end her show twice before. But there's no reason to doubt her now: Last week, she moved co-executive producer Lisa Erspamer to Los Angeles as chief creative officer of OWN, a signal that Winfrey would play a more direct role.

Discovery has been scarce on details of Oprah's involvemement in OWN. But Lawrence Kirschbaum, former CEO of Warner Books, says Winfrey's move to cable "could actually be a boon for books. She won't have just one show but an entire network. Sure, her audience will be smaller, but it will be more intense and passionate about books," Kirschbaum says. "In a way, this could be a blessing for publishing."

After reporting stints in Baltimore and Nashville, Winfrey, hosted AM Chicago starting in 1984, which was rebranded two years later and began airing nationally. Its audience is nearly twice as large as the top competing talk shows. And Winfrey, while producing movies, starting a successful magazine with Hearst and building Harpo Productions, has spread her influence throughout daytime, spinning off shows starring frequent guests Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Ray and decorator Nate Berkus, who's developing a show planned for fall.

source usatoday.com

Oprah Winfrey: Ending Her Show?

Urban Chameleon news

For those of us up and coming hustlers on our daily grind towards fame and fortune it's headline news like this that stresses us out, "WHAT IF I DON'T MAKE IT TO OPRAH'S COUCH BEFORE SHE RETIRES!"

The most successful daytime talk show of all time has TV stations, syndication distributors and several conglomerations in a bind: Will Oprah Winfrey keep her show on the air past the 2011 contract date?

The decision will have major ramifications for multiple industries, no less for ABC-owned and Hearst-owned outlets where the talk show queen has dominated the ratings since the 1980s.

If Oprah does decide to keep going, she will face three major dilemmas: revenue, ratings and relocation.

Revenue: Television stations revenues are down 40–50 percent across the board. Therefore, Oprah faces the very real prospect of stations offering significantly reduced licensing fees to air her show, says Variety.

Ratings: It’s no secret that "The Oprah Show’s" ratings have decreased in recent years, particularly since she publicly backed Barack Obama as a presidential candidate — no doubt upsetting her conservative fans. And while she is still considered the queen, stations are not willing to pay the same price for smaller viewership, especially in these harsh economic times.

Still, even though the ratings are down from the previous decade, Oprah has regained some of her swag. Her audience is now 7.2 million strong compared to 6.8 million last year in the important 18–49 demographic. And there is no other talk show franchise that even comes close to those numbers.

Relocation: There is also the very real possibility that Oprah could decide to move her operations to OWN, her network partnership with the Discovery channel. She could also move from ABC to Sony, pundits hypothesize, which would give her additional creative freedom.

If Oprah decides to quit altogether, a mad scramble may ensue to find an heir apparent. Ellen DeGeneres is seen as a likely successor. Oprah even put DeGeneres on the cover of her magazine, O, which illustrates Oprah’s fondness for her only real ratings rival. Longtime friend Gayle King is not an option, for she tried and failed to start a show of her own.

Pundits do not believe Oprah is yet willing to forgo her coveted and enormous international pulpit to push issues, agendas and personalities very dear to her heart. Industry insiders point to Howard Stern as an example of a major national personality who went from self-proclaimed “King of all Media” to near-complete irrelevance since his nasty divorce from broadcast television and hook up with satellite radio.
–terry shropshire /source from rollingout.com

Urban Chameleon Question of the Day

Given the deeply rooted issues and enslaved relationship that Black women have with their hair, will we ever have a Black female Olympic swimmer?

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