Buy an Excuse to Skip School/Work

I'm standing in at the Apple store FINALLY getting my dead iPod serviced. Unfortunate part is I find out I had to make a damn "appointment" to get service. In the meantime, I've been falling in LOVE with these Macs. They are lovely computers, but I really shouldn't buy one until my PC dies (like my iPod). Lets hope they can revive it. But anyway, while sitting here surfing the net I came across this article, and had to share - apparently you can buy an excuse to skip work. It's a must-read. Enjoy.....

*UPDATE* - Because I know you care, lol - They ended up replacing my iPod (for free) considering I'd only had it for a few months before it started giving me problems. So all is well in the world again. Downside is I no longer have the custom engraving and lost a lot of my music (but it's all good).

Rappers these Days....

Ok, first of all, I couldn't possibly care less that T.I. is out of jail after paying $3 mil for his bail. I mean really, what was he trying to do? Start an army?

Next, I thought Jay-Z retired? I guess I'll still download the new joint...but I'm just sayin' that was a short retirement.

Oh, and since when is Lil' Weezy the best rapper alive? Um......Really? I almost choked when I heard this (finally watched my two week old recording of the BET Hip Hop Awards), HILarious!

Btw, do you all know what "Superman Dat Hoe" REALLY means? Gross. I know I'm mad late (as always), but some people still don't know what they are dancing to....check out that link. What's even more embarassing is that my boss (who's not black) told me what this meant about a month ago...ouch.

Who are your favorite artists? And has your opinion of "good" music changed at all in the past 10 years? How so?

Listening to Genarlow Wilson (who was finally released, YAY!!!) on the radio now...I'll catch y'all later.....

G.I. City Statistics

Clearly I'm sure you all could tell that I have G.I. on the brain. I was just in town a week ago and was SHOCKED at what I saw. I didn't think the city could possibly get any worse, but it's looking pretty bad. So in my research, I've found some statistics from city-data.com. I'll continue to find more up-to-date stats because in my opinion, I really think it's gotten worse - especially with my generation of young adults - it's sad. Truth is I'm doing nothing to help, just like everyone else who moved away and now claim to be from "Chicago" come on now, I've got to do better.

Population (year 2000): 102,746
Population (year 2006): 97,715 (-4.9% change)

Median household income in Gary: $25,496 (was $27,195 in 2000)
Median household income in state of Indiana: $43,993

Median house/condo value in 2005 in Gary: $63,000
*note Gary, IN is about 30 miles (or less) from Chicago, IL
Median house/condo value in the state of Indiana: $114,400

Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2005: 34.2%

Races in Gary:
Black 84%
White (Non-Hispanic) 10.1%
Hispanic 4.9%
Other Race 2%
Two or more races 1.7%
American Indiana .7%

For population 25 years and over in Gary
High School or higher: 72.7%
Bachelors degree or higher: 10.1%
Graduate or professional degree: 4.0%
Unemployed: 14.9%
Mean travel time to work: 26.1 miles

Gary compared to Indiana state average:
Median house value below state average.
Unemployed percentage above state average.
Black race population percentage above state average.
Hispanic race population percentage above state average.
Foreign-born population percentage below state average.
Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average.

Can you interpret anything from these statistics? The goal is to translate these statistics into action. However, who knows where to even start? I've always thought that at the root of our problems is a lack of a solid educational foundation, not to mention lack of parental involvement for various reasons. However, it will take a huge effort to resurrect our school system. Students, parents, and faculty are all more than a bit disillusioned at this point. What can I possibly do to help?

Gary, IN (G.I.) Ghostown Documentary

Gary, Indiana - Forgotten City

Found this video on YouTube. You hate to see your hometown portrayed in such a negative light, but I must admit it's time for us to do something about it. How can we resurrect our city? Lets reflect. I'll include some city stats, that I'm sure mirror those in many ghetto's around the United States, in my next post...stay tuned.

"I am pleased now that I have lived in a gay as well as a religious ghetto, though it hasn't been very comfortable. Taken together, their limitations cancel each other out and I have seen the world more kindly and more honestly."
Lionel Blue

I Need HELP!

Hello all - I'm at work so I'll be quick (excuse the typos). I've been in the process of writing a proposal for a government grant for a non-profit organization I'd like to start. To be honest, I'm generally pretty private about my personal business, but I need HELP! So, I'll give a little bit of background information.

I'm originally from Gary, Indiana (seen above), and went to an HBCU to study Computer Science. Throughout my studies, I noticed that there is a large disparity of African Americans (particularly African American women) studying within the fields of the Sciences and Mathematics (when compared to other races). As a prior member of an existing organization (known as the Louis Stokes Association for Minority Participation) I realized how helpful the organization was for young adults such as myself. Therefore, I decided to start a non-profit in my hometown that will provide students (grades 5-12) with an outlet to reach their dreams as well. There is a desperate need to get students more involved in their own education - specifically in areas of mathematics, science, and technology.

Ok, moving on...I won't get into all of the specifics, but I could really use a mentor to help not only with my grant-writing process, but also with helping me to get the organization off the ground and running. I need an entire business plan, some commercial office space, a board, etc. I must admit that it's a lot of work for someone who works full-time and is in the process of pursuing a technical certification for work (sucks). But this IS my passion and I want to make sure that my ideas are translated into an AWESOME non-profit center that may make a difference in the lives of a few kids in my hometown. HELP!! If you know of anyone who may be of assistance please respond with any references you may have. Thanks in advance, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.

Peace.

Funny or Not?

There's a million of videos just like this on YouTube....what do you guys think? Can we really be upset? I mean really? - Not appropriate for work...

Oh wait, before you get too angry...check this out...

Tip of the Day - Dodge Speed Traps

Check out this website to find all speed traps in your area. Awesome site - I did some research and it looks pretty accurate. Safe travels....http://www.speedtrap.org/speedtraps/stetlist.asp

Hilary Clinton's Essence Mag Article

Hillary opens up on romance with Bill
Sen. Clinton said she is 'really happy' she made the decision to stay with husband Bill.
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton is quite the romantic husband, according to wife Hillary.
The Democratic presidential frontrunner discusses her relationship with her famous spouse in the latest issue of Essence Magazine, describing how the former president often showers her with gifts when returning from trips abroad.
"He's so romantic. He's always bringing me back things from his trips," the New York senator told the magazine. "He brought me a giant wooden giraffe from Africa. Oh, he bought me this watch…I had dental surgery, and he said it reminded him of teeth.”
Clinton adds she is "really happy" she decided to stay with her husband following the news of his affair in 1996 with then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
"Obviously we've had challenges as everybody in the world knows," she told the magazine. “But I never doubted that it was a marriage worth investing in even in the midst of those challenges and I'm really happy that I made that decision."
"Again, not a decision for everybody," she continued. "And I think it's so important for women to stand up for the right of women to make a decision that is best for them.”
Clinton also describes her first impressions of the future president when passing him by chance at Yale Law School in 1971.
"I thought he was very attractive. I mean, he was tall. At the time he had long hair and a red beard. His hair was much more red-gold, and it was curly, and he had a vikingesque beard."
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

SCREAM for Darfur!!!

Not many people will view the videos I've included in this post. It's hard for us to believe that something this horrible can be happening in the world we live in. But, I would like to ask you to do so. Then, I'd like to ask you to make a donation (no matter the amount) to SaveDarfur.org. This is real, this is happening NOW, we all have the ability to help in whatever way we can. Thanks for viewing.



Please watch....


"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

Cosby is Right and we KNOW it!!!

I know a lot of conversation is being had regarding Bill Cosby's appearance on Meet the Press this past weekend [and Oprah yesterday] and I'd like to state my opinion on the matter. First of all, I think - WAIT I KNOW - that it's ABOUT TIME someone said what's STRIKINGLY OBVIOUS! Just because we're afraid of white people hearing our dirty laundry doesn't mean that they are blind to what's going on in our own communities - and who cares? F*ck 'em. We need to worry about building and growing from here [or going from "Victims to Victors" as Cosby says it]! Come on People!!!!! I'll blog more on this later, but def. had to get my opinion out there. For those who disagree, I suspect you may be the people he's talking about. Check yourself.

I hope you all get upset, so upset that you read the book, so upset that you decide to do something to bring about change, so upset that we all stop b*tching and whining and start coming up with solutions like Mr. Cosby has done - he may not have all the answers, but what he HAS done is start to come up with solutions - and that is commendable.

Noone wants to hear this ish - especially from Grandpa Cosby all over Meet the Press, but lets change it up. Lets be that younger voice - instead of Jay-Z and Nelly doing it for us [clearly we need help when THEY are our voice]. But don't fault the man for really "keepin it real." I'm just sayin...

National Black Out Day!!! 11/2

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2007, please mark your calendar!!!!!

Please spread to at least five other people and make sure you inform them to send the info to five other people, to spread the word.

National Black Out Day on November 2….Do not make any purchases on this day AND please do not make any major $ amount purchases, the day before or the day after because then the Black Out will be of no effect. This is from 102.5 radio station ( Atlanta ); they are asking their listeners to spread the word for those who may not listen to the station. This is the second phase from theJena 6 and many other cities and people of color are facing similar situation like the Jena 6.

NO PURCHASES… NO PURCHASES… NO PURCHASES… NO PURCHASES

NO PURCHASES NOV. 1, NOV. 2 OR NOV. 3

Drill Instructors go free in Martin Lee Anderson case

A few of my former classmates brought this case to my attention today and I must say I'm ENRAGED. Apparently so were a large number of college students from FAMU, FSU, and TCC in Tallahassee, Florida who marched in protest [seen above] after hearing this shocking verdict.

If you haven't heard about this case, like myself, here's the gist of it:

Eight drill instructors at a Florida [Bay County] bootcamp [the instructors' names are Henry Dickens, Charles Enfinger, Patrick Garrett, Raymond Hauck, Charles Helms Jr., Henry McFadden Jr., Joseph Walsh II and camp nurse Kristin Schmidt] were arrested in the murder of Martin Lee Anderson, a 14 year old boy. The murder of 14 year old Martin Lee Anderson was all caught on video survellience tape. However, recently [Friday] all 8 were set free after 90 minutes of deliberations by Judge Michael Overstreet and an all-white jury.

I don't know about you, but I don't think cases like this are getting the press they deserve. We have a huge problem with people in positions of "authority" who let that little bit of "power" get to their head and decide to play God. Let's call it what it is -- racist, unjust, cruel.... This needs to stop. This is a huge INJUSTICE and the word needs to be spread. To read more on this story please visit this link. Get the word out....

"We, unlike Nazi Germany or Mussolini's Italy, have never stopped being a nation of laws, not of men. But witness how men with motives and a majority can manipulate law to cruel and unjust ends." Robert Byrd

Caught up!!! - Well Maybe...

Jacked this article from mediatakeout.com....

"October 15, 2007. Tyler Perry's movie Why Did I Get Married was the weekend's biggest grossing movie. But it now looks like one of the actors, Michael Jai White, may be asking himself why he got married - in real life. That's because according to one of MediaTakeOut.com's faithful readers, Michael may be having an affair on his wife.

Here's what our reader had to say:

Before the release or even press about Tyler Perry's movie "Why did I get Married?", I was working as a waitress in an Atlanta restaurant; Michael Jai White was pretty much a regular, coming in 2-3 times a month at that time, and almost each time he came in, he was with a different woman on a date. This was apparent by the interaction he had with each woman.

The only time he was not with a different woman was one time he came in with Richard T. Jones, who is also in the movie. On one particular visit, Michael came in and had a romantic dinner with Tasha Smith, she is also in Tyler Perry's new film. They were kissing across the table, looking into each other's eyes, damn near making love. They looked like they had already, or were ready to devour one another, although she seemed much more into him than he was her. I walked by the table one time and heard her say to him "I love the way your lips feel." They were mad into each other, like they were the only ones there.

This would all be cool if Michael Jai White was not a married man. His wife is a doctor, an attractive, light skinned woman, and she was one of the women he came into the restaurant with; I held her credit card in my hand, which read her first name (which I don't remember, last name (White, MD). The nerve to bring your wife to a place where you've brought at least 3 other women in what were obviously romantic dates.

Michael, we really hope that you were just having innocent dinners with all those women...."

Daaaaaaaaaaang, let's hope this is NOT true. I'm actually a bit shocked that he was caught "with WOMEN." I always thought he was a bit "suspect." But for all we know they were just his "girlfriends" and not the way it's being reported. I'm just sayin...

Peep it! -- Why Did I Get Married?

See, I'm not the type who says support a black movie BECAUSE it's a black movie [yes I am]- BUT I must say this movie it's REALLY GOOD. It's the best movie I've seen in a while. If you're anything like me, you don't like to see too many trailers because it ruins the surprise....but if you want to see what you're getting into hit that play button.

If you haven't seen it yet, where in the HELL have you been???? Can't wait til it's out on DVD, it's definitely gonna be a classic. Well done Tyler, I'm def impressed. But on the real, Jill Scott KILLED it...she made the movie. Angela and Marcus were also HILarious. Too much...

Rapper T.I. arrested on machine gun charges, misses BET show

Check the article here. Forget the article though....I didn't realize his name was Clifford? LOL...don't drop the soap...you know what it issssssssss... Just found out Tiny is expecting their second child though...this is the wrong time to be caught up on some b.s. charges like this. damn, Damn, DAMN CLIFFORD!!!

Priest 'only pretending to be gay'

Is this dude serious? I mean really? Found this article on cnn....

"VATICAN CITY (AP) -- A Vatican official suspended after being caught on hidden camera making advances to a young man said in an interview published Sunday that he is not gay and was only pretending to be gay as part of his work.

Stenico was suspended by the Vatican after he was caught on tape making sexual advances at a young man.

In an interview with La Repubblica newspaper, Monsignor Tommaso Stenico said he frequented online gay chat rooms and met with gay men as part of his work as a psychoanalyst.
He said that he pretended to be gay in order to gather information about "those who damage the image of the Church with homosexual activity."

Vatican teaching holds that homosexual activity is a sin.

"It's all false; it was a trap. I was a victim of my own attempts to contribute to cleaning up the Church with my psychoanalyst work," La Repubblica quoted Stenico as saying.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Saturday that the monsignor had been suspended pending a Vatican investigation.

Stenico is a top official in the Vatican's Congregation of the Clergy. The Vatican acted after officials recognized Stenico's office in the background of a television program on gay priests that was broadcast on Oct. 1 on La7, a private Italian TV network.

Stenico was secretly filmed making advances to a young man and asserting that gay sex was not sinful. In the Repubblica interview, Stenico said he had met with the young man and pretended to talk about homosexuality "to better understand this mysterious and faraway world which, by the fault of a few people -- among them some priests -- is doing so much harm to the Church."
He said he had never been gay and was heterosexual, but remained faithful to his vow of celibacy.

Italy's Sky TG24 said Stenico had written a letter to his superiors with a similar defense. Calls to Stenico's home and Vatican office went unanswered Sunday. "

Talib Kweli feat. Kanye West - In the Mood

Loved this beat, and of course Talib and thought I'd share. Tell me what you think:

Why I LOVE the Washington Post

Here's this week's "Post Points Tip of the Week":

"When shopping for collard greens, the color of the leaves is a good indicator of how much flavor they will have. Deep-green leaves, usually the older, larger ones, will have a stronger flavor. With long cooking, they will become tender and succulent. Bunches of leaves that are small and tender are better for recipes with a quicker cooking time. Avoid leaves that have coarse stems or yellowing leaves; those can be signs of lost flavor and nutrients.

Keep in mind that the greens will be trimmed and will shrink during cooking, so buy at least a half-pound per person. Two large bunches should serve as a side dish for four people.
Collard greens are often cooked with fatback or other meat flavorings, but the recipes you'll find in the Oct. 10 issue of Food are lighter and meatless.

Check out Collards With a Dash of Soul and Collard Green Won Tons -- both are available online at www.washingtonpost.com/recipes."

HA, they said fatback, gotta love it, lol. The Post is definitely Boughetto just like me, isn't it grand? Check out this vegan soul spot when you're in town --> Vita's Eatery

My Steve Jobs Beef

My damn iPod is dead. I gave Apple the benefit of the doubt because it hadn't been charged in a while, but nope. The shit has been charging from my laptop since Sunday - and it's still not working. I refuse to go and buy a charger. I'm charging it via the USB port on my personal PC NONSTOP. I've tried several of my different USB ports - no luck. Not to mention, I was charging it in my car for several days prior to no avail.

So what did I do next?

I surfed the net and got the grand idea to reset it (by pressing the Menu and Select buttons). Still - no luck. For something that costs $300, it seems like it should have some more "advanced" reset functions, but nope.

Oh and I got adware on my machine when I tried downloading a program that would save all my files from my iPod to my computer (similar to Senuti but for PC's ) and the ish didn't work anyway cuz my damn iPod is DEAD!!!! [ok breathing, 3, 2, 1....1, 2, 3....Nam Nyoho Renge Kyooooooooooo]

On the bright side, it didn't catch on fire. But at least then I'd get on the news for my 15 seconds of flame....

Also, do those ipod headphones fit in your ears? I mean are my ears deformed or something? How can people walk around with them without them falling out? For the price we pay for it, we should get headphones that are worth more than 50 cents [they are cute and trendy though]. I can take a $150 flight (half the price of my iPod) and get better headphones for free.

I've officially changed my mind - I'm boycotting the iPhone....not only because I'm cheap and can't afford it, lol...nope, but because if it's anything like my iPod, I can't rely on it as my primary phone.

Anyway - hit me up if you know how to revive the damn thing. I could really use my music during my horrible daily commute [DC area traffic is the WORST]. I have the same WHACK mix cds on rotation and if I hear "Umb-ur-ella ella ella ay ay ay ay" one more TIME!!!!! I don't have time for this STEVE. *Sigh* Peace....

Tadaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Thanks to Brett Farve's (one of America's Favorite All-American QB's) CRITICAL second-half interceptions, the Bears were victorious yesterday against their biggest all-time rival: the Green Bay Packers. The Bears have won the past three [or is it four? - losing count] visits to Green Bay, by a combined 71-27. Greise is already outshining Sexy Rex and I think the Bears have a great shot at having a great season. Haters, get on your job.....

Who's John Mellancamp?

I don't know who the dude is, but I think like him. Impressive. A lot of his "suppossed" fans are now planning to boycott his music - while non-fans like myself may actually pick up the single. Ok, I'm lying [just not my type of music]....but good looking out nonetheless. It was definitely gangsta of him to take a stand on this considering his fan base.

While searching for the vid on YouTube, of course there was a lot of racist comments on there. Check it out if you want, but I'd recommend not doing that. Some people are just plain off-the-charts IGNORANT, and def not worth getting all upset about. Oh, but if you want to see the vid....click the play button below:

Police: Black student marked with 'KKK' at deaf school

Ok, what the HELL is going on with all these racial incidents taking over the news - can we get back to Britney and OJ? Ok, ok at some point we are going to have to address the issue of racism HEAD-ON in this country. We need to throw political correctness out the door [or is it the window? whatever...] and start getting real.

But come on, I'm shocked this happened in Chocolate City of all places AND at the school for the deaf...are you serious? What in the world....

Click HERE for more information.

Update on Teen Shot in Head by DC Police

Apparently the autopsy of 14 year old DeOnté Rawlings shows more unexplained injuries as a result of the confrontation with police that took place last month. Not only was he shot point blank in the back of his head, he also suffered "injuries including abrasions, contusions and lacerations and a single perforating gunshot wound," wrote A. Wayne Williams, a pathologist with the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The FBI is now investigating this case. Read more HERE.

Jena 6 Update - Mychal Bell Released!!!

I know I'm a little late but - Mychal Bell, seen to the right with his parents leaving the courtroom, was finally released after a 10-month stint in jail on September 27th. The release on $45,000 bail came shortly after the district attorney in Jena, Reed Walters, announced that he would not seek to maintain adult charges against the teenager for participating in the beating of another white teen. [After ten's of thousands of people protested in Jena, LA it seems like the DA finally got a little sense.]

However, the DA's comments regarding the protesters in Jena, LA have made racial matters worse. [Yep, I spoke too soon.] Attorney Reed Walters stated that Jesus saved the town from protestors. "Had it not been for the direct intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ last Thursday [September 20th], a disaster would have happened," District Attorney Reed Walters said. "You can quote me on that." [Craziness]

A black pastor, the Rev. Donald Sibley of Jena's New Evergreen Baptist Church, suggested it was a "shame" not to give some credit to the tens of thousands of people who pulled off a peaceful mass demonstration, but Walters just shrugged. "What I'm saying is that the Lord Jesus Christ put his influence on those people [ok ok, am I trippin? but who are THOSE PEOPLE?] and they responded accordingly," he told Sibley.

The pastor later said Walters had deepened Jena's divisions. "He's separating Christ once again: his Christ and our Christ," Sibley told CNN. "For him [to say] that because his Christ, his Jesus, because he prayed, because of his police, that everything was peaceful and was decent and in order - that's not the truth."

But moving on, to recap, Mychal was originally convicted of aggravated second-degree battery as an adult, but that conviction was thrown out by a state appeals court, which said he should have been tried as a juvenile. [um...duh] Although he still faces the same charges in juvenile court, instead of a possible sentence of 15 years in prison as an adult, he can now be held only until he is 21 by the juvenile courts.

Others involved in the December schoolyard beef of Justin Barker [the white kid] also still face charges. Apparently the kid, knocked unconscious in the beating, has $14,000 in medical bills, [my question is how do you accumulate 14k in medical bills but still get well enough to go partying that night? - but that's just me].

But ultimately, I'd just like to congratulate all who were active members in ensuring Mychal Bell was tried fairly by our justice system. Those who wrote letters, forwarded emails, shared the story with a friend, and followed the case - thank you!! I'm very optimistic that this small victory has enlightened several people of the injustices that are faced by a large number of young black men [and women] in this country. Lets keep up the fight. Now, onto this Reed Walters guy...

Parting Quote: “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.”

Hit Me Baby One More Time???

POOR BRITNEY!!! Can the chick get a break already? First she gets played by K-Fed, battles depression, becomes addicted to alcohol and unnamed drugs, shows her va-jay-jay, shaves her head, wears horrible wigs, flops at the VMA's, and now she loses custody of her kids - all while still wearing horrible weaves!! The chick needs some help and the media is not helping at all. But um....why is this whole thing HILarious?!!! Ok ok, that was wrong. What I mean is it's just one thing after another! The media cannot get enough, and she keeps them Fed. Murphy's Law in full effect. Honestly, I really do hope she gets it together. Most importantly, I hope she's able to rebuild her relationship with her family. It must be hard to maintain any sanity in Hollywood without your family to keep you grounded. I'm all for the underdog, so I'm rooting for her to come back at full-speed and prove all the haters wrong. I miss that world-class lip syncing and those Janet-jacking dance routines... More on the custody story here....

Paris Hilton to go to Rwanda

I'm Baaaaaaack [and of course we won for the 6th straight time]. But anyway, I'm heading back yesterday and heard this story on the news and thought this it was a joke, but it's TRUE.

Paris Hilton plans to visit Rwanda in November, as part of her "commitment-to-use-her-fame-to-bring-attention-to-social-causes" ish. [Not sure if she's doing it to bring attention to the causes, or to bring positive attention to herself, but lets move on.]

Paris Hilton says, "There's so much need in that area, and I feel like if I go, it will bring more attention to what people can do to help."

The 26 yr. old socialite has vowed to use her fame to bring attention to social causes after serving a 23-day jail sentence earlier this year for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

"I want to visit more countries where poverty and children's issues are a big concern," she says. "I know there's a lot of good I can do just by getting involved and bringing attention to these issues." [Very admirable.]

As many of you remember, Rwanda experienced a mass genocide in 1994 which accounted for hundreds of thousands of deaths across the country. This genocide was mostly carried out by two extremist Hutu militia groups, the Interahamwe and the Impuzamugambi, during about 100 days from April 6 through mid-July, 1994. At least 500,000 Tutsis and thousands of moderate Hutus died in the genocide. Wikipedia has estimated that the death toll is somewhere between 800,000 and 1,000,000. Although the movie "Hotel Rwanda" has brought a lot more attention to the area, they still need additional support to rebuid - and we all need to do what we can.

In the wake of the Rwandan Genocide, the international community, and the United Nations in particular, drew severe criticism for its inaction [sounds very similar to what's going on in Darfur NOW]. Despite international news coverage of the violence as it unfolded, most countries, including France, Belgium, and the United States, declined to prevent OR stop the massacres. Canada continued to lead the UN peacekeeping force in Rwanda, United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). Despite specific warnings and requests from UNAMIR's commanding officers in Rwanda, before and during the genocide, the UN Security Council refused to send additional support, declined UNAMIR's request for authorization to intervene, and even scaled back UNAMIR's forces and authority.

So, I cannot see any negative in Paris Hilton going to bring attention to such an important cause despite her motives. What do you all think?

Parting Quote: “Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.”