Princesses and Foundation

Do you ever wonder who does make-up for the Disney Princesses. Cinderella, Tiana, Jasmine and the globally famous Minnie Mouse count on Pat McGrath! 

Few makeup artists reach megastar status beyond the beauty world, but Pat McGrath can no longer board an airplane without being accosted by fans. “Once one of the flight attendants dumped out her whole makeup bag on the floor and went through each item. She wanted a full consultation,” McGrath says. P&G’s jet-setting global creative design director is responsible for creating makeup looks at more than 25 shows per ready-to-wear season, plus a handful at couture. She’s done Prada for years, Dior for over a decade, and Dolce & Gabbana more than 13 years—a testament to her devoted designer fans. The Northampton, UK, native got her start in the early 1990s working with singer Caron Wheeler of Soul II Soul fame; she went on to British indie mag i-D as perhaps the first and only hybrid of editorial beauty director and on-staff makeup artist.

1. I’ve just stepped off the airplane. What’s the quickest way to look presentable?

Obviously use a gorgeous face mask, a good moisturizer, and maybe an eye mask during the flight. Have a nice foundation with you, an eye pencil in either black or brown, a pretty eye shadow, and mascara. That’s quick, for a fast touch-up, mix a lipstick with a little bit of balm to create a stain. You can also use your foundation as a concealer. Let’s say you’re going to be papped when you land.

2. How to prep for HD Photos or Video?

Definitely use a matte foundation. You can’t do shiny skin for high-definition cameras without it looking awful. HD shows off all of your imperfections. Even selfies require a flawless finish.

3. What’s the secret to seamless foundation application?

I always apply with a brush, and I use my fingers to blend. When you put on foundation with a brush, it’s a heavy finish—but if you use a brush and then blend, it looks more like a moisturizer, and much prettier. Then add concealer—applied with a fine brush—to the problem areas afterward.

4. How about the perfect cat eye?

The fatter the eyeliner, the easier it is to use. With a pencil, just draw the shape you like and clean up the mistakes with a bit of cleanser.

5. Is there anything we wouldn’t expect in your make-up kit?

Advil and antihistamine creams. If someone has an allergy attack before a show, it’s good to be prepared. Also plasters and things for blisters.

6. What do you want to see more of?

More experimentation. In Manhattan, women love that clean, perfect look, which is amazing, chic, and gorgeous, but it’s nice to see people play more, like they do in other cities; they go a bit more crazy. And it does happen; maybe not on the Upper East Side, but you’ll see it on the Lower East Side.

7. Do fans ever give you tips?

Yes! I went to the dentist and this older woman came in and said, “Ah, Pat McGrath! I read about you all the time! Sit right here!” She gave me a good tip: “When mascara gets cakey, comb through clumps with flossing brushes.” Isn’t that the best idea?

Her work is brilliant! I hope you can use some of these tips to apply to your natural beauty.

-Joann Yoon 

A Princesses Story

The Life Of Dido Elizabeth Belle Inspires The Upcoming Film

A Princesses Diary 

On May 2 Fox Searchlight will celebrate the story of Admiral Sir John Lindsay’s daughter, Dido Elizabeth Belle, in the aptly titled motion picture, “Belle.”

Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Reid, Tom Wilkinson, and Emily Watson among others, the film is inspired by true events of Belle, the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of Admiral Lindsay, who was raised by her aristocratic great-uncle, Lord Mansfield. After meeting an idealistic young vicar’s son bent on changing society, he and Belle help shape Lord Mansfield’s role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.

The Beautiful Gugu Mbatha-Raw was born Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha in Oxford, England. Her name, "Gugulethu", is a contraction of igugu lethu, means "our pride" (depending on context) in Zulu, like the township of the same name. Her mother, Anne Raw, is an English nurse, and her father, Patrick Mbatha, is an African doctor, originally from the Republic of South Africa. Mbatha-Raw grew up in the small town of Witney in Oxfordshire, and attended The Henry Box School, before moving to London to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2001.

Mbatha-Raw played minor roles on television series such as Bad Girls (2006), Doctor Who (2007) and Marple (2007). One of her earliest breakthroughs in drama was in Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester in 2005. Mbatha-Raw was nominated for best actress in the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards for her portrayal of Juliet and also played Cleopatra in the Anthony and Cleopatra at the same theatre in 2005.

In September 2010, she starred in the J. J. Abrams TV series Undercovers, which was cancelled two months later.

In June 2011, Mbatha-Raw was cast as the female lead in the Fox pilot Touch opposite Kiefer Sutherland.

She had a supporting role in 2011 romantic comedy film Larry Crowne, written and directed by Tom Hanks who starred in the title role.

So look for her in the Motion Picture "Belle" in theaters May 2, 2014.

-Bj Jackson

Natural Hair should be tamed.

Hair is an Issue for Black Women in the Army. 

The women of the Congressional Black Caucus have sent a letter asking Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to reconsider new Army regulations that made headlines earlier this month.

AR 670-1, the revised regulations for grooming and appearance, has some black female enlistees in an uproar: it dictates that black women may wear their hair au naturelle in twists or braids if they choose, but they must be narrow twists or braids — no more than a quarter-inch in diameter. (The Army has forbidden twists and dreadlocks since 2005, but wasn't specific about size. And while thin twists are still allowed, dreadlocks remain prohibited.)

In the April 10 letter, Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, head of the Congressional Black Caucus, joined with more than a dozen other women Caucus members to tell Hagel, "African American women have often been required to meet unreasonable norms as it relates to acceptable standards of grooming in the workplace." The letter notes that such standards "should shift based on each community's unique and practical needs. New cultural norms and trends naturally change, ensuring that no person feels targeted or attacked based on his or her appearance."

US Army

A 'More Professional-Looking' Army

The revisions also include new rules on tattoos (which are allowed, but only certain kinds in certain places at certain sizes), mustaches (short and trim, no Ron Burgundy 'staches allowed) and sideburns. Mohawks are a no-go. So are is a partially-shaved style called the Horseshoe. But it's the revised women's hair regulations that have caused the biggest stir.

At a time when more and more African-American women are choosing to wear their hair natural, without being straightened by chemicals or heat, the Army has decreed that only certain natural coiffures are acceptable. Like the regulations for tattoos and mustaches, the Army says the hair regulations are part of a push to make the all-volunteer army uniform in aspect, and "more professional-looking." Many black servicewomen have complained that the new rules are biased. The ladies of the CBC agree.

"The lack of regard for ethnic hair is apparent," says the letter. "This policy needs to be reviewed prior to publishing to allow for neat and maintained natural hairstyles."

Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs of the Georgia National Guard says the definition of "professional-looking" needs some broadening. Twists, she told Army Times, are professional — they allow her and other black women who have kinky-curly hair to keep their natural hair neat and out-of-the-way on maneuvers. They say twists and large braids stay put in the field and are impervious to sweat or water immersion. While many of her white comrades have hair that can be pulled back and pinned into a bun (acceptable, but only if it's above the collar), Jacobs said her thick, curly hair can't be contained like that.

So she started a petition on the White House website asking the Obama administration to "reconsider changes to AR 670-1 to allow professional ethnic hairstyles."

Reaction To The Reaction

About 15,000 people have signed so far. Many believe it's unlikely that another revision will occur; the Army spent a couple years working on the current set. But the petition has been the catalyst for some fierce online debates, in addition to the letter from the women of the CBC. A sampling of opinion from the discussions reveals three broad categories:

It's the Army. And you volunteered for it. Armies usually demand a uniform appearance. This is what "uniform" means. Get over it.

You People are always asking for special treatment. This is just the latest example.

If they gave incoming women the same buzz-cut the men get, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Gender-blind buzz-cut mandates for basic training don't happen because the military doesn't want it do, says this fascinating little video from USA Today.

(Note the reporter explaining all this would not be able to keep her natural hairstyle!)

On social media sites, a number of black self-identified veterans of both genders voiced agreement with the new regs. ("It's the Army, not a fashion show," one Facebook comment pointed out.) Many others spoke against the regulations.

Lt. Col. Alayne P. Conway, spokeswoman for Army Headquarters at the Pentagon, told us that although the Army is insisting on uniformity, there is latitude, within reason. "Many hairstyles are acceptable, as long as they are neat and conservative," she emailed in a statement. And, she added, safe: "Headgear is expected to fit snugly and comfortably, without bulging or distortion from the intended shape of the headgear and without excessive gaps."

In other words, helmets must fit well enough to protect the wearer, and fatigue caps shouldn't have odd lumps from the hairstyles underneath. The point is to remain safe during maneuvers. And not just twists and dreads — long hair unpinned and long bangs are also non-regulation, for a reason: "Loading rounds into artillery tubes," Conway said by way of example, "you don't want hair getting into the way, obscuring your vision."

But retired Lt. Col. Patricia Jackson-Kelley, a member of the National Association of Black Military Women, told the Washington Post the new hair regulations mostly target black women. "I don't see how a woman wearing three braids in her hair, how that affects her ability to perform her duty in the military." (In the same interview, Kathaleen Harris, NABMW's current president, noted the Army is innately conservative in its standards, and said that while some women look "gorgeous" in their twists, "some people go overboard. The twists are not small twists but they're real large ones and it doesn't fit the cover, your hat.")

In a statement emailed to Stars & Stripes, Conway wrote:

African-American female soldiers were involved in the process of developing the new female hair standards. ... Not only were nearly 200 senior female leaders and soldiers (which included a representative sample of the Army's populations) part of the decision-making process on the female hair standards, but the group was also led by an African-American female.

The rules apply to non-black women, who are also forbidden to put their straight hair in large twists or braids, or to grow dreadlocks. But as Anatole France once dryly observed, "In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets, and steal loaves of bread." Black women who are upset with the new hair regulations feel that while the rules might apply to all Army women, they more acutely affect women who are African-American.

- Stephanie Tanne-Mansfield 

Cooking for Her Kisses

Southern Red Velvet Cake always hits the spot! 

Southern Red Velvet Cake 

Total Time: 1 hr

Prep: 30 min

Cook: 30 min

Yield: about 6 to 8 servings

 

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil for the pans

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Crushed pecans, for garnish

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. (Optional) Sprinkle the top with the pecans. 

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

Chef: Demontaye  Bennett 

Scandal

Is life imitating art! Did viewers watch Shonda Rhimes drop the ax on Columbus Short's charectoron the season finale of “Scandal”? That’s the question that’s being asked today after the show closed with what looked like the end of Harrison Wright.

Just before the closing credits, Olivia’s father, Rowan Pope, was seen facing off with Harrison who figured out his plan to become reinstated as the head of B-613. Secret Service agent Tom, an inside man for B-613 who killed President Grant’s son for Pope, then appears with a gun and a silencer and seemingly poised to kill Harrison.

And although Harrison’s actual death was never shown, viewers quickly hopped on Twitter to speculate that Rhimes and her writing team got rid of his character because of Short’s recent string of bad press.

According to Short himself the finale was taped within the last month. 

“It was [filmed] in the last month and what happened was is the producers came to me at the table read and said ‘You gotta work tomorrow and said ‘This is what you got to shoot’ and I was like ‘What?’,” the actor told “The Tom Joyner Morning Show.”

“But you know what? It’s a beautiful thing. That’s what makes a great actor from a good actor,” he added. “That’s the deciphering, the deciphering line.”

On April 7 Short’s wife Tanee McCall filed a restraining order against her husband and accused him of threatening to kill her and himself.

Before that Short was arrested in March for knocking a man unconscious during a bar fight. He also previously pleaded not guilty to spousal battery and child abuse after physically attacking his wife in front of their children. His wife, who has filed for divorce from him for a third time, previously asked a judge to grant her full custody of their daughter.

Time will tell if Rhimes will confirm or deny that Columbus Short’s scandalous life proved to be too much for Olivia Pope & Associates.

- Will T Barlow 

Teachings of life

Life's lessons are to build you up to create and perform you own life's work. 

Actor, Poet, and Former Professional Athlete Omari Latif Hardwick grew up in Decatur, Georgia. His parents gave him a name to set a precedent – “Omari” means “most high,” and “Latif” means “gentle.” “I, in no way, believe that I am the highest or most high, but I feel like my name gives me something to strive for,” says Omari.

Growing up, sports were everything to Hardwick, but he still had a passion for the arts. By the age of 14, Hardwick was writing poetry on a regular basis, a passion he would carry with him into adulthood. In high school, he excelled at basketball, baseball, and went on to play college football. Although a star on the field, Hardwick never gave up his passion for acting, and even minored in theater in college.

“I hugely attribute sports to my success in entertainment business,” says Omari. “Being on the field taught me dedication and discipline. I already came from a strict household when I was growing up, and sports just took that to another level. Whenever I approach a set, I always feel as though the cast, crew, director, are all part of a team. I have always married athletics and art, two huge parts of my life.” After graduating from college, Hardwick relocated to San Diego for a spot on the San Diego Chargers (NFL). However, a knee injury cut his football career short. Despite this setback in his sports career, his acting career continues to shine. Omari has been featured on numerous TV shows, including Saved and Dark Blue. He’s also appeared in several films, including Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna, The A-Team, Kick-Ass and other blockbuster films. Omari currently appears on the hit BET series, Being Mary Jane. He has also written over 4,000 poems and also a strong force in Atlanta metro area schools. 

Having a carefree conversation with Omari via FaceTime I lead up to asking a few more questions for the blog. I let him know immediately that it was strictly for social clarity and understanding of life situations. He then said will you pulled my arm, giver me the questions. I than began to ask, how many auditions did it take to land a role you truly wanted to play. His reply was countless, I had a vision in my mind that my art or work will be purposeful and meaningful in film. What's your favorite food I asked? Hardwick laughed and responded with the statement, "my fav foods are so bad for me" but he finally said baked macaroni. What life lessons can you give to help anyone who would need life guidance on the path of self clarity? 

Omari’s Life Lessons

Teamwork

Life requires a unique brand of teamwork. When you’re a part of a team, understanding your role and trusting your teammates to know their role is critical.

Perseverance

Life provides a variety of challenges that will test (and help to build) your perseverance. You will sometimes lose a battle, and you will sometimes have to deal with situations that will challenge you emotionally, physically and mentally.

Discipline

Life requires the player to discipline themselves and to work hard. There is also a beautiful life lesson in the scrutiny and evaluation process.

 

Author Bj Jackson

Cooking for Kisses!

  MEDITERRANEAN Chicken

Try this quick and easy chicken dinner recipe for two during the week when you’re too busy for a complicated meal but want to stay in for dinner. This recipe combines honey, sweet raisins, curry powder and chunky salsa for a little bit of sugar and a little bit of spice! This chicken dinner is sure to please even the most discriminating palates!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 jar (16 oz) Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa

½ cup sliced green olives

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup honey

1 deli rotisserie chicken (2 to 2 1/2 lb), cut into 6 to 8 pieces, skin removed if desired

Directions:

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in curry powder. Cook over medium heat 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining ingredients except chicken. Add chicken; turn to coat. Cover; cook over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes, turning chicken occasionally, until sauce is bubbly and chicken is thoroughly heated. Cooking the curry powder first gives an authentic taste, but if you’re short on time, just skip that step.

A great dish! Remember to shower up and a dash of cologne for good measure. 

Author James Williams 

To Sext or not to Sext!

There's a Word You Should Never Use In Sexting

Sexting comes with few complications: without the threat of STDs or pregnancy, college students assume that sexting is the safest bet when it comes to on-campus sexual interaction. However, there are some unspoken rules that are rarely addressed when it comes to sending steamy texts.

Julia Reinstein, a sex columnist at American University, claims that the word "pussy" is not a sexy term for a woman's lady-parts and that there is no socially comfortable word for "vagina" in sexting.

"I think the only reason we don't think 'vagina' is a sexy word is because we've been taught that 'vagina' isn't a sexy word," she said.

Laken Howard, sex columnist at Northwestern University, felt similarly, especially when it related to sexting.

"I never feel comfortable describing my vagina in a sexy way," Howard said.

When Reinstein was asked for a solution to this issue, she offered plenty of options for any willing sexting participant to address this societal problem.

"I really think we should just reclaim the word 'vagina' personally,'" she said. "Though I really think that there's something for everyone. For some people, 'pussy' works. For some people, other words are going to work, and for some people, they're just not going to get turned on by saying any words and that's okay.

"It's all about what makes you feel sexy and good and comfortable."

However amongst Women of color the term "pussy" is used durning sexual pleasure as well as "dick".  Sexual turn ons are a new wave of understanding the body and talking dirty is the in thing.

Author Trevor Taylor 

Is Kobe talking Smack or Truth?

Kobe Bryant Stirs Social Media Firestorm With Controversial Comments!

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has found himself in the middle of a social media firestorm after he ruffled feathers with comments he made about the Trayvon Martin case.

During an interview for a profile of the basketball star featured in the April 4th issue of the New Yorker, Bryant had some interesting thoughts on the events surrounding the case that captured national attention. According to Colorlines, he specifically criticized Lebron James and the Miami Heat for posting a photo wearing hoodies in solidarity with the teen's family.

"I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American,” he said. “That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society? Well, we’ve progressed as a society, then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American. You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself."

But people weren't happy about Bryant's sentiments, and they took to Twitter to voice their opinions. News correspondent Roland Martin was among the many critics of the athlete's comments.

The New Yorker profile mentions the Jim Brown incident Martin referred to. In December 2013, the former NFL running back said Bryant was "somewhat confused about culture, because he was brought up in another country."

Bryant didn't let Brown's comments go without a response then, and he didn't ignore critiques this time around either. He took to Twitter to defend himself against accusations that he ignored the tragedy of Martin's death and was ignorant about the case.

Author Eric Walters

South Africa, a Joy!

South Africa, a Journey 

Please take a moment, close your eyes and repeat the words “South Africa” three or four times. The goal of this short exercise is to see exactly what pops into your head upon hearing the name of this country because, after all, everybody has their own idea of what a trip to South Africa would entail.

Then, once you have a handful of ideas of what you think South Africa is like, kindly gather almost all of those ideas, wander over to the nearest trash bin and toss them inside.

You see, I’m willing to bet that your view of South Africa is so utterly different from reality that if you travel here and find that I’m the one who is in fact wrong, I’ll personally cook up a braai in your backyard and send you over some of the best springbok biltong along with a case of Castle Lager.

How can I be so sure? Well, even after 12 years of travel, I still came to this country myself a couple of weeks ago with a few strongly held ideas of my own, ideas that I was certain would prove to be true. Yet, I was indeed so very wrong.

It turns out that South Africa has surprised me, not once or even twice, but several times, every single day of my trip. In the end, this will perhaps rank up there as the destination with the widest gap between what I assumed to be true about a country and what turned out to be the actual situation once I arrived.

Before I made my way here, I simply thought a trip to South Africa involved an encounter with significant crime everywhere you go, shockingly expensive safaris, maybe a little natural beauty and some cities that I would be afraid to walk around, even at noon. That was the idea I had.

Of course, just like any country on the planet South Africa has its issues and there are always places in every city that are best avoided, but the truth is, that is not something that I have spent even one minute thinking about. And if you were to visit, you too would spend all of your time having a safe and intensely rewarding experience that will simply amaze and impress you with every new activity, sight and interaction.

My current trip has taken me from Capetown to Franchhoek to Hermanus to the Garden Route to Durban and to St. Lucia so far, and I have really encountered nothing but undeniably genuine hospitality in every location.

In fact, far from having to constantly worry about my safety, the biggest thing I’ve had to worry about are the hippopotamuses that wander around the town of St. Lucia at night, looking for grass to eat. Yes, every night there are actually 2500 kg hippos grazing in front of the hotel where I’m staying and this has now become so normal, that I didn’t even go outside to look at them last night because I was too busy painting my toenails in my room.

The point is, traveling to South Africa is not what you think. Instead of wandering around in fear the entire time, you’ll instead be enjoying absolutely beautiful and vibrant cities, encounters with penguins, baboons and ostriches, wine regions that will blow you away in terms of the scenery as well as the quality of the wines, lush jungle-filled mountains that lead straight up to a coast lined with some of the highest quality beaches in the world, a diversity of cultures that creates a wildly unique and energetic atmosphere, opportunities for adventure everywhere you go, a cuisine that is guaranteed to suit your tastes (especially those who love a little Indian-influence in their food) and, perhaps most surprisingly, game reserves that are full of zebras, giraffes, rhinoceros, hippos, hyenas, wildebeest and more, that a traveler can visit for less than $50 USD per day. 

I don’t know about you but I always thought safaris were out of reach for the average traveler who wasn’t interested in paying for a giant splurge. But that simply isn’t true, at all. (We did a full day game drive in the iSimangaliso Game Reserve that cost only 395 Rand, including lunch.)

And so, if an extensive game safari is within reach for even the most budget of travelers, then the entire idea of traveling to South Africa should not only seem infinitely more appealing, but suddenly, much more accessible as well.

I’ve really been sitting here the past two weeks thinking about why I’ve never traveled to this country before. Sadly, however, I know perfectly well why this has been the case. And it all comes back to the idea I had that traveling to South Africa would be extremely difficult, expensive and quite dangerous.

Now I feel a bit silly that I once thought all of that because, again, I am honestly thrilled to report that my assumptions could not have been farther from the truth. As a result, I will be recommending this country as a destination as often as possible, especially to any person whose goal it is to experience first-hand the best of what this world, and the people and animals who inhabit it, have to offer.

A beautiful trip for a relaxing moment for a girl on the go! 

Author Waffie Nakkuory 

49ers take a Timeout!

The 49ers have decided to call a timeout on extension talks with quarterback Colin Kaepernick. 

According to NFL.com, the team has decided to put contract negotiations on hold while Miami police investigate an incident that Kaepernick was involved in on April 1. Kaepernick, Quinton Patton and Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette were all named in an incident report that was filed by an unnamed woman on April 3 and released to the public on April 10.

The incident report doesn't make any accusations against anyone, but the woman did say that she got naked in front of Kaepernick, who left the room after the woman took her clothes off. On the morning of April 2, the woman woke up in a hospital room and didn't "remember how she got there or who transported her to the hospital."

The woman also mentioned alcohol and marijuana in the incident report.

According to a separate police report, Lockette called 911 twice after the woman refused to leave his apartment. The Seahawks receiver called police at 12:03 a.m. and 12:20 a.m. on April 2 because the woman was lying naked on Kaepernick's bed and refused to leave. Miami Fire Rescue was eventually dispatched to the apartment and the woman was taken to the hospital around 12:32 a.m.In a series of tweets sent out on April 11, Kaepernick maintained that he did nothing wrong.

The charges made in the TMZ story and other stories I've seen are completely wrong. They make things up about me that never happened. I take great pride in who I am and what I do, but I guess sometimes you have to deal with someone who makes things up. I want to thank all of the people who have shared their encouraging sentiments. I assure you that your faith is not misplaced.

CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora doesn't believe the incident will affect Kaepernick's asking price. La Canfora expects the quarterback to still be seeking about $20 million a year.

From La Canfora: 

Kaepernick believes he belongs in the class of $20M-per-season quarterbacks. And nothing has changed that, certainly not the "incident report" and murky allegations against him recently. Kaepernick has been charged with nothing, police eventually were in that apartment on the night in question to restrain the female and forcibly remove her from the suite, according to sources. Kaepernick did not invite her to the room and, from what I am hearing, Kaepernick was not even in that hotel for most of the night in question.

The two sides originally began negotiations in February and talks were believed to have started off well. However, according to NFL.com, the two sides had recently been pretty far apart on numbers.  Should social media play such a huge part in your career in whatever industry you work hard in. Accountability is one thing but a witch hunt is another concern that should be explored and dismissed.  

Author Eric Walters

Almonds the New Milk!

One of our life sources maybe what grows from the ground after all. 

While we've been conditioned to believe milk is the epitome of healthy drinking, it's really a gamble. It can be highly beneficial or highly detrimental. Physicians emphasize the importance of plenty of milk for young bodies, and dairy products have long been a part of the standard food pyramid (taught to our children and therefore, perpetuated). Shoppers have options, and now need to be educated and picky about their daily moo juice.

Milk from many animals, particularly cows, has long been a regular food staple for many, but not all, cultures. It provides other food sources such as cheese, yogurt, butter and kefir and is a source of protein, vitamin D and calcium. On the flip side, it's also a trigger for lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar usually digested in the intestinal tract. Many people lack or lose the ability to digest lactose and will suffer from significant bowel cramping, bloating or even loose bowels upon consuming dairy products. This problem can be overcome to some degree by replacing the lost enzyme as an oral supplement.

Dairy is one of the most commonly reported food allergies [Source: Rona, Nowak-Wegrzyn. Even when not seen as a specific allergy, milk is frequently not tolerated by the gastrointestinal tract. This is a problem that can extend beyond lactose intolerance. 

For many, milk can cause bloating, constipation and even reflux. Clinically, milk may also be linked to increased eczema, worsening sinus problems, migraine headaches and joint pain. Milk is considered a mucus-producing food and is clinically thought to aggravate congestion. One Johns Hopkins physician, Dr. Frank Oski, has even written a book that shares his experiences of decreased rates of strep throat infection once children removed milk from their diets. Often, these conditions resolve or improve when milk is removed or eliminated from the diet. 

For those who wish to keep dairy in their diet, know that much of the “regular” milk on store shelves is far from healthy. Milk cows are given growth hormones to increase their milk production and antibiotics to decrease infections. These materials become contaminants in the milk and their impact on the human body is not entirely known. Look for containers that clearly state that the cows used to produce the milk were not given any hormones or antibiotics. The term “organic”  can be misleading. Organic milk may mean no hormones in one case and no antibiotics in another, or that the cows were fed organic grain. Even large consumer companies such as Kroger and Starbucks are offering hormone-free dairy products. You should also choose milk from grass-fed cows. While most cows will graze on grass at some point in their lifetime, many will be shifted to some other feed source to increase their size and milk production. Cattle rely on an internal system that is uniquely adapted to the processing of grasses as their major food source. Other types of food, such as corn, will fatten up the cow and make them less healthy. This carries over to both the meat and the milk. Cows fed exclusively grass will themselves be healthier and produce healthier milk.

Another growing trend in nutrition is a return to raw milk, which has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk at very high temperatures to destroy bacteria. Many argue that this exposure to high heat also damages the natural structures of the proteins in the milk, making them harder to digest. A study focusing on children raised on a farm showed decreased allergies due to exposure to high levels of bacteria in addition, data suggests a protective effect of raw milk in regards to allergie. Raw milk is a source of propionibacterium, a group of bacteria that is thought to help benefit the health of the intestinal tract. Clearly, the source of any raw milk product will have a direct effect on its quality. Take the time to understand what safeguards have been made at that particular dairy to keep the facility clean and the cows as healthy as possible. States vary on the legality of raw milk products, and those interested should investigate what is available in their state. Listen to what your body is telling you about milk consumption, and always respect the answer that is given. 

Now available I suggest to try almond milk as a replacement if no allergies will prevent consumption. Live natural and your life will be organic. 

Author Vauree Augustine

What happens when he becomes a Man ?

Dear 21 Century Mom

Well I read the parenting post on the blog, and I do like you guys blog! Bars and Warfare is one of my favorites, I check it every day! I have a 19 year old son that attends AIU and he doesn't call everyday like he use too! So what should I do? Asking I.C. Jackson? 

Linda Moss, Woodstock Ga 

Hi AIU Mom in Woodstock!!! It's time to start TEXTING!!! That's the "in" thing for college aged children now. Life sure does change when they leave home. It's amazing how quickly they will respond to a text. Hey....as long as they are texting you....you're good. It gives satisfaction on both ends. Especially your end!! Hit them up with the texting language too!!! You will be the coolest mom in your sons circle. He has entered a new world. You've got to fit in with him now. That's one reason I write. It's such a great connection with my oldest. I often have to remember that my 3 Guyfriends and my BFF still want me around......but  in a 21st century manner. :)

Author I.C. Jackson

Power of the Actress

Love Lupita, Can't Forget Gabourey

Like most people who have souls, I teared up listening to Lupita Nyong’o's acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress during the 2014 Oscar telecast. I admire Lupita not only for her obvious talent, but for her honesty and willingness to defend black beauty. Her inspirational speech on the intersection of race and beauty at Essence‘s Black Women in Hollywood luncheon reminded me of a time when schoolyard taunts made me insecure about my own complexion, and I had to smile at the thought of Nyong’o emboldening young girls just as dark-skinned supermodel Alek Wek had emboldened her.

As elated as I was for Nyong’o's Oscar win for 12 Years a Slave and her democratization of beauty, I was unable to ignore the stark contrast between her and another actor who, despite her talent, receives only a fraction of Nyong’o's fanfare.

When Gabourey Sibide first gained acclaim (and an Oscar nomination) for her role in Precious, she generated buzz in Hollywood for her acting chops, but never became the woman that paparazzi were angling for on the red carpet. Nyong’o, on the other hand, instantly became a media darling. It seemed like I couldn’t go a day without seeing her, draped in designer gowns, and it wasn’t long before Vogue—which never invited Sidibe to grace its pages—named Nyong’o to its 10 Rising Style Stars of 2014. The media was quick to bestow on Nyong’o the story of the underdog, the dreamer who made it despite all the odds, and though these compliments ring true, they were also true for Sidibe. But obviously there’s a marked difference between who is allowed to represent “black beauty” and who isn’t. It’s apparently become okay to have black features like Nyong’o, but you still have to come in the right shape. You still have to be able to squeeze into sample sizes and look at home in a magazine photo shoot. You need to be dainty and petite, soft and feminine. Though Nyong’o's ubiquity will do much for elevating the acceptance of black women, it’s difficult to imagine Sidibe would ever have been put in the same position.

A vicious undertone of fat phobia shadows pop culture conversations about Sidibe. Whenever she appears at an awards ceremony, the emphasis seems to be on her weight and rarely on the acting accomplishments that got her there. While she looked radiant in a magenta gown at the Oscars Sunday, the vast majority of tweets and comments were jokes about her size, and the same thing happened after her Golden Globes appearance a few weeks ago. Not that any of that seems to slow down Sidibe, though. She constantly brims with self-confidence and should have been given a Golden Globe for her Twitter retort alone:

It’s also possible that the disparity in Sidibe’s and Nyong’o's reception was partially due to the roles they played. Nyong’o was essentially rewarded by the Academy for playing a long-ago slave, which Hollywood always recognizes. America seems to be galvanized by slave narratives, since they portray racism as something unfortunate that happened centuries ago, while narratives of present-day oppression, like the one in Precious, are deemed too unsettling to watch. I can’t count how many friends balked at seeing Precious a few years ago, but then practically sprinted to the theater to see 12 Years a Slave.

Celebrating black women who are only a certain size and only portray a certain narrative is problematic. Though I’m glad that there are black women and girls who now will walk a little bit taller because of what Nyong’o's talent has done for them, Sidibe has been doing the same thing and is still deserving of her own pedestal.

Author Joann Yoon

Young King

The Young King Drizzy Has Spoken

4:34 am my cell phone rings, on the other end Drizzy himself. Not surprised at the late phone call, his schedule is pretty crazy. We only have friendly convos every blue moon due to his grind, the young Grammy Award Winner has to hustle to continue his constant release of new material and art. Drake the Rapper and Actor are a totally different persona from Aubrey Drake Graham the man. He's balanced, not as sensitive as people may think and super private. Which I can respect, the more mystery the better in hip hop. He politely asked me "what I do now, you said you had some questions for me". I laughed and replied I wanted to interview you for the "Bars and Warfare Blog". His reaction was of silence. I then said no worries, no gossip or foolishness, most dependently no rumors. He then gave a sigh of relief, as I began to ask him is it okay to do this interview? Drizzy said shoot mane! I was automatically game and ready to put my journalism skills to use. Although I haven't used them since my college years I jumped right into the questions I felt were what people would want to know about him. 

I asked graham is film or acting more of a challenge for you over music. He replied that music is an art that is constantly evolving where as current time changes with hours in a day a phrase or a visual look can be lame extremely fast. So as an actor a role is pretty consistent you know the layers of that character and being filmed is easy when you execute the dialogue appropriately. Music has an expression that is more personal and creative because it's all on you as an artist. The challenge comes when you question your heart as well as your art, music is the challenge but a good one.

I noticed a passion in his voice while talking about his music and of course his acting chops. I asked him my next question which was who influenced him musically. Drake laughed, and then stated that Kanye West, Jay-Z, Aaliyah and his mentor Lil Wayne are his biggest influences. His respect for Beyonce is at an all time high, Her work ethic is an amazing experience, she's like a queen in many ways, very strong on what she wants from you as a creative vessel, not a writer, not a singer, not a rapper, nor a producer but an artist. Drizzy then refered to Kanye West as one of his idols and favorite rappers in hip hop. He expanded on this by commenting in an interview with MTV: "I can never sit here and tell you that's not one of my idols, that's not one of my favorite rappers. Whatever energy I've ever felt is irrelevant. When you ask me, 'What do I think of Kanye West,' I'mma always have something positive to say." Graham then expressed that media can over dramatize someone's character and sell it as the truth, Kanye is one of the greatest artist of our time. It's hard for me to say I'm the Best in this game and not acknowledge the talent that inspired me. Drake's musical abilities have often been compared to West. He commented on this by saying, "It's an honor, when I was a kid trying to figure out what I liked, it was 'Ye who I related to the most. He was an artist, in every sense, from his cover art to his music. Now, I would say, he is really great, competitor...and friend, at the same time. My goal is to surpass everything he's accomplished. I don't want to be as good as Kanye, I want to be better." 

The 27 year old Star grew up between Vancouver, Canada and Memphis, Tennessee, which explains the southern drawl in most of his music.  His mother is Jewish and his father a southern Black American, putting him squarely in Baptist country also considered the Bible Belt. In Judaism, religious heritage is passed down through the mother and Drake has claimed being Jewish, he's even had a Bar Mitzvah and celebrates most major Jewish holidays with his mother. The Hip Hop star is giving in all circumstances, in Atlanta Ga December 2013 Drizzy sent several hundred copies of his Album as a donation to a nonprofit that catered to children during the Holiaday season. "Giving is in his system he stated, the man upstairs knows your heart if nobody else gets you at all!" The donation made close to 1,000 teen boys very happy to receive his music as a gift within a giving season. 

 I asked him do you see yourself as a father? Graham replied can you see me as a father? I laughed and then stated of course! I believe you will be an awesome dad. I have to admit my journalism skill need some fine tuning. Drizzy laughed uncontrollably and said I think every man wants to be a father on the inside and at certain points in his life, but right now I'm having so much fun with my life and art. I'm absolutely excited for things to come in the future. 

I then asked how did hosting the Espy Awards come about? The rapper replied in a tone of excitement that I've always loved sports I rarely miss a game, and that's all sports. The opportunity was there and I was more than happy I was asked. What people may not know is On September 30, 2013, Drake was announced as the new "global ambassador" for the Toronto Raptors, thereby joining the executive committee of his hometown's National Basketball Association (NBA) team. In this role, he will help promote and serve as a host of festivities for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, to be held in Toronto, as well as provide consulting services to rebrand the team and redesign its image and clothing line, in honor of its upcoming 20th anniversary, in the 2014–15 season. The job includes his own staff, located in an office next to that of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke. In announcing the position, Drake noted that, "obviously, I won't be able to be in the building every day but I am extremely dedicated to it...I do take it very seriously as a new job and a new chapter in my life." 

With 4 albums, 3 headlined tours, 10 BET Hip Hop Awards, over 130 episodes of television filmed and other countless accolades. Aubrey Drake Graham is more balanced than you think as well as distinguished in his own right as an actor and hip hop star. His advice to new artist and actors is simply to grind. Working your craft of creativity is the only way to succeed in what ever you want to do. The Grammy Winner stated that I was in the studio everyday, 2 Chainz was too! The work paid off tremendously. I am grateful for all my gifts in this life and humbled within it, that's all me for real. 

Author Bj Jackson

 

 

 

Conversation with an Authentic Author

                      Omar Tyree

                  New York Times

                Best Selling Author

                            by

                     Darrell Reid

 

It’s not every day that you get to talk with one of the greatest authors of our generation. This guy is not only an author but a poet, educator, lecturer and a journalist. He is a New York Times best seller, who has sold over 2 million books worldwide, an NAACP Image Award Winner, a Phyllis Wheatley Literacy Prize Winner and the Founder of the Urban Literacy Project(ULP).

He is the only, and only OMAR TYREE and is as normal as they come. I really mean that.  His enthusiasm and energy made the conversation with him feel like I was hanging out with oneof my good friends at Taco Mac, while watching the game. During the conversation, Mr. Tyree gave me so much information and insight into his world of writing and publishing that I found it impossible to write everything down. Just minutes leading up to our phone conversation I was nervous as hell, and he gave me plenty of time to remain nervous. The conversation started about ten minutes to nine, while originally scheduled for 8pm, while he dealt with a last-minute business call. And as I was watched the time, I kept saying to myself, “I cannot believe in just a few a minutes, I will be interviewing Omar Tyree.” So I went through my questions over and over again.  

I had everything outlined and was thinking about how I would approach the questions, all while watching the time like a countdown to the NFL Draft. And as soon as I said, “Yeah, this is Omar Tyree” on the line, I had to keep my fanatic energy on chill mode and ask the man some major questions.

I had explained to Mr. Tyree that this particular interview would be featured on my cousin’s blog “Bars And Warfare.” Mr. Tyree then informed me that he wasn’t really a big fan of blogs. He stated that it was nothing personal but he found blogs to have shortened articles. He said he was from the old school of extensive articles that could reach 2,000-3,000 words and deep introspection. And he was not satisfied with reading the incomplete meals of short blogs. So he joked with me about the articles and posts being of short content and possibly chopping up his interview into a hundred "Bars and Warfare" blog features.

Our conversation began with how the celebrated author caught the writing bug I the first place. Tyree explained that he caught on to the passion of writing in his freshmen year ofcollege at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was actually studying to become a pharmacist, with dreams of walking on to the football team. He then realized that other students were interested in what he wrote, which was amazing to him.  The young author’s eye for detail would unknowingly become the core of his further career. The University of Pittsburgh conselors even advised him to publish "Diary of a Freshman” in a student news letter, all about the details of college life from the eyes of a student in his first year. 

Those early writings laid the foundation for what was to come. But it wasn’t as a pharmacist. I cannot picture Omar Tyree confined behind a desk, counting prescription medication for patients. With his excitable personality and entrepreneurial spirit, I could not create a visual image of the dynamic writer tied down to one occupation.  And indeed, people questioned his transition from pharmacy to journalism. As Tyree put it, “There is a scientific method to approaching your writing too.”  

When not at speaking engagements or writing new best-sellers, the author says he loves sports and going to movies. He was planning to see the new Captain America film that same weekend as our interview. Tyree also listed Fabulous, Jay-Z and old-school rap artists as his music of choice. He said he loves Jay-Z’s way of reinventing himself professionally and musically.  Tyree even released his own rap and spoken wordalbum, Rising Up as The Urban Griot some years back in 2002.Yeah a rap album!!!

I almost asked him to give us a freestyle over the phone, but I didn’t want to put him a famous author on the spot. I mean, it was a dozen years ago. I could only imagine how many new words and poems he had written since then. But he confessed that he would never do another rap album or music projects, with a lot of time and money lost. He called recording music an addictive process that needs the right support of the people behind you who buy your music in order to succeed. But he also stated that he liked the old school of music business where anyone had a chance to gain a loyal audience with pure skills and diversity, where in the new market, the flavor of the monthis all about social media numbers or old school artists, who already control all methods of publicity.  

I asked Tyree what he would be doing if he was not an accomplished author. Tyree said that he would have always had a business or some sort. In his college years, he even thought of owning a franchise of barbershops or even a limo transportation business. Tyree called himself a natural-born entrepreneur from the hardcore city of Philadelphia, where he learned to work hard and hustle at an early age. And instead of punching in on someone else’s clock, he started MARS Productions and published his own books at age 23 to start making his own money on his own terms. How that for a pharmacist?

But Mr. Tyree explained a catch-22 on ownership. He said, “You can own a hundred percent of your art, but if it’s not being marketed to give a return on your investment, you are just holding onto to it. So you work out a percentage deal with a company that can push it out in the market and make it mean something. But you never want to give anything away for free, that’s the catch-22 of the business/art situation. Tyree added that getting published has definitely become harder because the marketplace is now overly saturated, where publishing companies are now only willing to push those who will bring the most revenue. And Tyree said that social media is definitely the wave of the future to get notice in a growing market of attention-seekers. He said that many Americans will now go to extreme measures to get attention for anything.  “So it’s harder for an author to maintain a large number of followers, including their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.” And he definitely wants to see social media followers embrace authors more for their maturity and intelligence rather than just entertainment and drama issues.

“Bar and Warfare” readers, I was trying to capture everything in our conversation, It really was a (LOL) session too! Y’all know how I feel about education and being entrepreneur. Well, Omar Tyree feels the same way and he spoke about his literacy efforts with the Urban Literacy Project(ULP) which focuses on instructing students, teachers and parents to utilize a clear and repetitious method of strengthening the literacy rates, capabilities, confidence of students from levels K through 12. He said his “5 Key Components of Literacy” are: 

1. Reading to process and consume information.

2. Writing as the process of communication. 

3. Thinking as the process of focused movement, emotions, desire and intellect.

4. Visualization as the process of understanding the past, present and future through words images and ideas.   

 5.  Application as the process of executing learned knowledge.

I then took an opportunity to talk with Mr. Tyree about his latest book series “The Traveler.” Tyree explained that this particular series was all about wanting readers to do more than just read the story. He wants the readers to feel as if they are IN the story. Tyree said his whole purpose is to involve his readers in the political and cultural issues of his stories. The first fullbook in “The Traveler” series takes place in the Middle East in “Welcome to Dubai” and will definitely take you on a journey.  Tyree said that there are plans to for “The Traveler” seriesstories set in Shanghai, Cape Town and Rio de Janiero just to name a few of the next locations.

In conclusion, I asked Mr. Tyree what advice he would give to an aspiring writer.  And one thing I can say about my conversation with Mr. Tyree is that he is straight forward andvery honest. He was just an all-out cool dude. So his advice was for writers is simply to WRITE.  “Don’t be afraid to write your thoughts down.” He said to execute your thoughts with a certain fearlessness, where there is no longer a thing called “writer’s block” of internal fear. “Too many aspiring writers edit themselves before they write, therefore ‘blocking’ their own creativity. But real writers know that it’s all about bravery. So be brave and write what you really think.”

And yes, we are all still waiting on a movie deal based on some of Omar Tyree’s legendary books, including “Flyy Girl,” “Leslie” and Just Say No!”  But Tyree informed me that he and his film partner at Global Renaissance Entertainment are waiting a green light through Lions Gate Films productions and other Hollywood distributors to make it happen very shortly. He said, “It’s just a process that takes patience and the understanding regarding the politics of the film industry.”

So I made it through the full interview and I kept my cool as a huge Omar Tyree fan. And after we were done, I realized that this will definitely go down as one of my most memorable moments I the writing business!!!

** For more information about Urban Literacy Project(ULP) and other Omar Tyree Inc. books and properties go to www.omartyree.com