My AACA Gear - yes, it's old like me

"Creating Postive Human Billboards in a Hood Near You!" - Founded May 14, 1991








1st pic is the abused front of the MSU Tee, 2nd pic is the sleeve, 3rd pic is the back and sleeve again. Only one sleeve had the logo.

4th pic is the hoodie with left of hood logo showing and then the last pic is right of hood with logo showing. 2 different Morgan stitching's. Can't wait to find some other stuff around these parts.

AACA - African American College Alliance

I love educating the youth of today in any manner possible - no matter the subject. So when Jervis tweeted "For Us By Us", I re-tweeted back of course because I own 1 item of the FUBU line, at least. He then asked in tweet, "u remember FUBU?" and of course I had to go all in with AACA - what do YOU know and here's where his education began of the 90's Collegiate gear that ALL HBCU's linked to just because. While educating Jervis, I also educated myself, again, to find out that AACA - African American College Alliance (<-Facebook link - click thru) is at it in 2009 with FULL SWANG!!



They've already done an Inaugural event around the President's changing of and are in the backgrounds acquiring more HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities - for those who don't know) rights... once again. DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMN... where have I been since January '09 on this. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Anyhow, I'm going to look for my 90's gear and take pics to add to this post. Some are in storage like the creme colored 'Frankenstein' brown stitched zip vest along with my AACA caps. Hey, I still have them and that's what counts. My main attraction was all things Morgan State University and... still is.

"'BLACKSummers'night" DiGiPak

The LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG awaited album is here and not only is it music but video too. "Video?!?!" you question. Yes, not only is the CD and vinyl available for purchase but there's also a 'DiGiPak'. What is it you ask? It's a 2 CD pack which contains the actual 9 track CD as well as a DVD chocked with videos. It looks JUST like the original CD but is in a thicker packaging. There's a nice fat booklet in it that has some very dark artist photos in it which make him look chocolate when he truly isn't. I'm sure there's a whole music creative ploy for this but I don't like it. Anyhow, 'DiGiPaks' are not new but they are scarce. See BestBuy.com's advertisement of it here.



I've only skimmed through one video so far and it's coming off as a "making of..." type deal. I love Maxwell and this was a far better purchase for only two bucks more. Why? Because there's only NINE (9) songs on the entire CD. Rare for artist today as most of them try (and sometimes FAIL) to pull off music they think is great with 15 to 20 songs. I'd rather have NINE great songs of 9 than 2 to 5 of 15 tracks of ?!?!?!

So, if you picked up this DiGiPak or even Maxwell's newest release on CD, let me know. Want to read some thoughts about all things Maxwell. Let's go.

Added note - Somewhere around July 15th, 'BLACKsummers'night" ranked #1 on Billboard.com's Top 200. No easy feat in today's eclectic music world.

Go and hug your "Michael" by Dr. Maya Angelou

Yesterday I cried watching the Michael Jackson memorial. I cried for a
little black boy who felt the world didn't understand him. I cried for
a little black boy who spent his adulthood chasing his childhood. And I
thought about all the young black boys out there who may too feel that the world doesn't understand them. The ones who feel that the world does not
understand their baggy jeans, their swagger, their music, their anger, their struggles, their fears or the chip on their shoulder. I worry that my son, may too, one day will feel lonely in a wide, wide world.

I cried for the young children of all colors who may live their life
feeling like a misfit, feeling like no one understands their perspective, or
their soul. What a burden to carry. As a mother, I cried for Katherine Jackson because no mother should ever bury a child. Period. And I think about all the pain, tears and sleepless nights that she must have endured seeing her baby boy in inner pain, seeing him struggle with his self-esteem, and his insecurities and to know he often felt unloved even while the world loved him deeply. How does it feel to think that the unconditional love we give as mothers just isn't
enough to make our children feel whole? I wonder if she still suffers thinking, "what more could I have done?" Even moms of music legends aren't immune to mommy guilt, I suppose.

When Rev. Al Sharpton ("who always delivers one" awesome "funeral
speech") said to Michael's children, "Your daddy was not strange... It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with," I thought of all the "strange"
things of the world that my children will have to deal with.
Better yet, the things I hope they won't ever have to deal with anymore. And as a mother raising a young black boy, I feel recommitted and yet a little confused as to how to make sure my son is sure enough within himself to take on the world. Especially a "strange" one. To love himself enough to know that even when the world doesn't understand you, tries to force you into its mold or treats you unkindly, you are still beautiful, strong and Black. How do I do that?

Today, I am taking back "childhood" as an inalienable right for every
brown little one. In a world, that makes children into booty-shaking,
mini-adults long before their time, I'm reclaiming the playful, innocent,
run-around-outside, childhood as the key ingredient in raising confident adults. Second, I will not rest until my little black boy, MY Michael, knows that his broad nose is beautiful, his chocolately brown skin is beautiful, and his thick hair
is beautiful. And nothing or no one can ever take that away from him.

"Now ain't we bad? And ain't we black? And ain't we fine?"

Maya Angelou

Still Enthused With G1

And here's why:

Google Releases Small System Software Update for the T-Mobile G1
BY: Ed Hardy, Brighthand.com Editor
PUBLISHED: 7/19/2009

Many T-Mobile G1 owners received an update to the system software on their smartphone this weekend. According to Google, Android Update 1.5 contains a "security fix", but no other details are available at this time.

Installing it is an easy and quick process, taking just a few minutes. It has no effect on the data installed on the G1.

Those who haven't had it pushed to their phones yet will have to be patient, as it will appear in the coming days.

One of Many
This small update is one of several in the pipeline, all more significant than this one.

Google is hard at work on Android 2.0 -- code-named Donut. This is expected to be released in relatively near future, and it will be at the heart of a number of smartphones released this fall.

The Android versions coming after that will be code-named Eclair and Flan. When they will be released is not yet known.

Original Article Found Here

Katt's iPhone App Goes UNCENSORED

That's right, the original iPhone app is now full of explicit language as you've heard from Katt in his many routines, live and/or DVD. iPhone users complained loudly under the original app's comment section and Apple/Katt listened. So far, 4 people rated the new version 'excellent' and 1 person 'good'. I don't know if I can link to it since the app is proprietary but if you are a REAL, TRUE Katt fan then you should know how and/or where to find this app. HintHint - iTunes!!!!




This info courtesy of a Pimp(News)Letter sent out from Katt Williams' website. Thank you very much!!

'Honey I'm Home' - Al B Sure!

In today's music, you'd be hard pressed to find a vocal artist of the R&B genre who's album you can play from start to finish with out skippage. Al B Sure's latest release does just that, for me. Although I am forever stuck on the last track, I can listen to each track and go back to days long gone. To purchase an album for my grown up self with no cursing and definitely no disrespecting is a true rarity. Also not found on this CD is the materialistic mentale, again another rarity. It's all about the romance, something very lost in the music scene today. I can see the videos off this album be moooshy, loving, warm, sensual, sexy and definitely HOT!!

I could not wait to hear the entire CD after hearing it in it's entirety while patiently waiting *cough* for Al to arrive at Kemp Mill Records on his DMV visit. (see prior post) I really wanted to tell Terrance (KMR employee) to turn the volume up... especially on my favorite track. Per his Official site, the new release went up to #16 but dropped to #49. People just have no clue what they are missing if they sleep on this album. Al said in an interview, "this is 'In Effect Mode' 2009 on steroids". Now Al, this is 'Honey I'm Home' what the music business has seriously been suffering from.

QMM put a comma in between the 2 M's. SMILES!!

I recommend picking the CD up from Hidden Beach.com as I used this service and they are QUICK with the SHIP. Plus I used a code ABSLOVE-REAL to get a discount too. Hope it still works.

Added thought... I told Al when I saw him that he was my QMM. Little did I know that the CD art work has the Q word in the siding of the case. (WINK)

The DMV gets Sure with Al B!!

I received a tweet around 6AM yesterday letting me know Mr. Al B Sure! was in the DMV, the same day. Stunned... as I had JUST put a message under one of this twitpics requesting him to come here, I am HYPED!! Around 5 PM I head on over to Kemp Mill Music, an Ooooooold music source for the Iverson Mall area, and peep to see if he REALLY is going to be there. Knowledge of his appearance straight, I head into the Mall to see how different it looked since I left 26+ years ago. Wow, has it changed. Anyhow, after a shopping spree of Bubble Gum, I head on back to the store for a 6:30 guest appearance by one of my favorite men in R&B ever. 7:00 I put a tweet up wondering if they had got LOST. 7:30ish, in rolls in rolls Mr Sure and crew. A mini crowd is there but I was graced with the FIRST hug to which I near fainted. He is STILL ever gorgeous and gracious as I don't know what. You could feel the appreciation and the love.

He spoke about having re-done 'Lady in My Life" (originally done by MJ) and it being released the day before The Gloved One's untimely passing. Sadly, he never got to hear the tune. Al also vibed on where he's been, what he's been doing and what his next projects are. Looking very good at 6 feet tall and with his customary black shades, he greeted each and every person there. Gave time to talk TO them, sign anything they had while showing appreciation for vinyl & whole catalog owners and even a lady who had on a 15+ year old button. He was not about the "fan" thing as he said and he truly lived it. KMM people snuck their cameras in and posters to sign as well. I allowed all the people to go ahead of me while chatting with the 2 ladies who have his back entertained me with conversation. You can tell they too appreciate Al's supporters as they engaged in direct conversation too. I was glad to meet them and hope to keep in touch for whenever Al B comes back in the area.

So I look up and realize that I let stack #2 of the posters get away from me for Al to autograph. He looks me in the face and says "you don't need me to autograph a poster, you family now". I was floored. Sadly, he was due at club Love in DC and had to move on. I was tooo tired to even think about it as I'd been up since 4AM that morning. I thank him immensely for the time he took to come and bring 2 fabulous women with him as well. Hope he does not take so long to get back but... I do know how to find him and call him out... AGAIN!! *laughs* I did take a pic with him but I'm really shy about putting it or any other pics of me online. Terribly shy about that. Know this though... it was a awesome 2 hour visit that made my weekend. Much hugs to Terrance of KMM who kept me laughing, talking and walking while he worked. SMILES!!

More pics here


ENJOY!!

My CD is in route and I can't wait to get it. KMM has me anxious enough to stalk one Post Office person. *laughs* Get to Al's Official site and pick a copy as well.

Pro's & Cons About The G1

Pros

Menu/sub-menus are WONDERFUL

Ease of use is great

UI is AWESOME

MicroSD card is easy to retrieve (better than the Behold)

Control buttons on main face are comfortable and flush

On board system tutorial for the keyboard was brief and to the point. Keyboard only?? (That's it?!?!)


Cons


a little big and clunky but not so bad as I have the enV99000

backlighting on keyboard not bright enough (for me), esp on the right side in numbers are moreso Had Slate color front/ gray slide out keyboard, now have Black and it looks WAY better with black slide out keyboard that I never use.

TeleNav didn't work any better on this Works fine after newest update

No flash or user controls on camera

Track ball is too sensitive, actually annoying but am trying... and am succeeding. Starting to like it more now.

Pattern password for phone lock vs numeric is kinda strange NEAT!!

No font style nor size option

Battery life too short for such a powerful phone


Pros (cont'd)


Sound quality is sweet

Volume was loud enough for me music wise

Notifications (WICKED)

3 panel main screen display (WICKED)

Drag n Drop apps/icons/widgets (SWEET)

Neatness of icons

Flush operation buttons on front of phone

Near flush camera button & volume rocker

The included adapter for the proprietary headset

1 gig MicroSD included (no adapter - boo)

USB cord included

Short getting started booklet included

Downloadable user manual. (phone plus it's user manual IN the box - would have weighed a ton.

Android start-up a wee faster after Cupcake update.

Ugly android gone at start-up after Cupcake update

Shuts down FAST

Headset dual middle cord with adjuster. (NIIICE)


Cons (cont'd)


Volume a wee low with Plantronics Bluetooth headset

Back of phone has a weird feel that my Tendinitis does not like.

Keyboard you have to slide open to use. (since getting the Cupcake update, never use it... ever)

Bulky b/c of slide keyboard

Double confirmation for shut down

Gear for the G1

As with any new phone purchased now, one stand out concern is what comes in the box with said phone as well as what's available for purchase. In the box with the G1 is a 3.5 mm mini buds headset with converter for the phone, a pouch (still in plastic), wall charger (of course), a 1 gig microSD memory card and a USB cord. I read that the MyTouch, next generation of the G1, is coming with a 4 gig card. Now you say 'well what else could you possibly want?". Well in today's gadget consumed world we've become, there's LOTS more. Batteries on these micro processors are atrocious if used for ANY THING other than talking. Here's where the "gear" shop comes in. I look around T-Mo and juuuuuuuuust so happen one day prior to a B1G1 sale ending, I land on some nifty items. There's Bluetooth headsets from the top manufacturers, combo wall/usb as well as car chargers, phone cases/covers/clips/pouches/jackets/shirts/ties/pants... oh wait... Then there's clear protectors for your (finger) touch screen which I quickly decide against. For the B1G1 to be equivalent, I need to pick 2 items of nearby pricing. So I pick Bluetooth headset and car charger for the win. YAY ME!!

You would think this was over and done right? NOOOPE. I get it all home and then start thinking about the battery lasting one day with all the things but talking I'm doing on it. Yes, I am training it to cook. So, what next...?? I am not sure how I stumbled upon the Backup Pocket Charger but I am in LURVE with it. Pssst - please don't tell G1, he might get jealous. So back to T-Mo I go with the Bluetooth headset for a even exchange as it turns out. Back home with BCP and charging it up commences. As with most now-a-days gadgets, this lil thing is chargeable with the USB cord or to the wall with the adapter that came with the phone. I'll post more on this later as well as add pics of what it looks like. Let me just say this, it's like having another battery but just a little bit larger. Charge it fully, take it and the phone out for double the battery life. A MUST HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HTC's 'Dream' aka Google Phone aka G1 aka...

While visiting my Aunt (who WAS here in MD), I met the Activities Director Lisa who is very spritey, young and up with her knowledge on many things. She's very good with passing on the information just as she is with the elders in the Assisted Living facilities she's employed by. Thanks to her, I was referred to T-Mobile as a service to possibly think about. And here we are...

Now, even if the service from T-Mo sucks, the phone I'm playing with is AWESOME. It has made me have a whole new appreciation for iPhone. Ok, so I lied. JUST because iPhone is on AT&T makes the whole idea of owning one a long passed by thought. Now, don't get it misconstrued. I am aware that "unlocked" iPhones exist but at what cost? No phone on this globe is worth THAT much in terms of meeting my functional needs which are, in order:

A) I need to be able to hear it ring and out
B) I need to be able to hear in and out
C) I need to be able to text in and out
D) I need to be able to navigate to and fro



And there we have it. Now, if for some lovely reason it decides to cook me a meal, oh well... money MIGHT not be an option. But I'll be a monkey's... (well you get my point) if I am going to pay nearly a mortgage payment for the aforementioned A thru D needs to be met by a PHONE. Anyhow, the Google laced Android known as 'G1' makes me feel like I own Air Force One... sneakers or something. I've been out and not seen too many in the hands of browner skinned folks like myself. Yes, I pay attention to those things but it does not impact my decision if I REALLY want said item. It has turned heads as the "Google phone" with ooooohs and aaaaaaahhhh in tow. My nephew has one which peaked my interest back a few months when he was over for a visit.

So what makes this 'G1' so special you ask? It's onboard applications for one and for two - ?? it has crystal clear video viewing, awesome sounds, flush mounted front screen keypad controls, a smallish trackball (that does not have backlighting - booo), the 3 screen wallpaper, the animated menus and heaps of application options to install. A huge plus OVER iPhone is that the phone is not proprietary in apps. 'Market' has so much stuff for free and/or for fee, it's dizzying. I am treating this like a mini computer with download and installs to be later sometimes followed by download and uninstall. And yes, I am concerned about getting a virus, therefore I have installed protection for that. BACK VIRUS BACK I SAY!!!!!!!!!!

I do have a pro's and cons list started that I'll post here soon. The one HUGE downfall is there is ONE (1) plug for everything - 3.5mm headphones, Backup Battery Charger (get to this in next post), charging, etc. Ironically, as I post this NOW... the newer version of this phone is on pre-order ONLY today. My Touch is the slide out keyboardLESS update to this phone I rave about. See you soon with more gushing... Sad, I know.

T-Mobile, I Mean T-Mo

I've never used this communications service before until recently. Started off very mixed and then turned upward... good for them. I know, that in any business corresponding relationship, it all depends on WHOM you speak to and their knowledge on what they are presenting and/or asked to present. Patience is always top of my list but as my old GM in a reputable and very well known cosmetic retailer's distribution site said "you only get one chance to make or break an impression". So, we shall see. Anyone have some pro's and/or cons about 'T-Mo' as they are "affectionately" known by me (and others as I read), do let me know.