The King of Pop's Progressive Impact

"Music has long been a vehicle for social change and a bridge across the racial divide. Jackson's ability to reach the masses was uncanny, only rivaling that of international icons such as Jamaica's Bob Marley and Nigeria's Fela Kuti. As a child he brought African-American soul music to the mainstream and in his adulthood revolutionized pop music with an array of global influences in music and dance . Songs such as 'Man in the Mirror,' 'Black or White,' 'Earth Song,' and 'We are the World,' spawned many movements through its choruses and catchy hooks. Few artists mastered his ability to deliver a message and marketability."

Read the rest. Thoughts? (Post comments here but cc them on the site too!)

The Good Ol' Days: Life before FB

Lately, the subject of facebook* and relationships has been popping up a lot - "'such and such deleted me as a friend', 'Dang, they deleted me too'" "I'm talking to this new guy/girl. Should I add him/her as a friend on facebook?" and "whatchamajig changes her relationship status every other day." With all this drama going on, I can't help but reminisce on days when friendships and relationships were not dependent on a facebook status. It makes me sad that my little cousins might find out that their boyfriends have broken with them in a facebook update or feel that a relationship isn't real unless it's on facebook or something like this happens to them -

Today, my boyfriend of 4 years proposed to me. I wasn't expecting anything too romantic, but I would have liked something more than an email from facebook requesting my confirmation that we were engaged. FML

or something like this might happen to one of us-

Today, I checked my facebook, and my wife of 5 years was listed as single. I then write on her wall that it is ok to announce to be married. She writes back saying that we have to talk and to come to the kitchen. My wife divorced me over facebook. FML

Now there are some pros to having a public source of information about someone you're dating and don't know very well, initially. However, when you're basing your feelings off (or expressing your deepest feelings via) status updates and newsfeeds, it can become problematic. Then, if things don't work out as planned, you're left with the drama of reading about their new life everyday (or several times a day) or you avoid facebook altoghether for fear you'll come across their page. OR you are faced with the dreaded deletion and all of it's connotations and drama.

So, what are your thoughts? Do you facebook all your new boos, beaus, and friends of friends? Or has facebook become the new build-a-bear**?

*I say facebook because that's the only one I use but this could apply to myspace, tagged, twitter, blackplanet, ning, flickr, or any other site where people put too much of their business out into the world.

**Remember freshman year, "build-a-bear, destroy-a-relationship"?

Fallen Princesses

It is like we are psychic:

These works place Fairy Tale characters in modern day scenarios. In all of the images the Princess is placed in an environment that articulates her conflict. The '...happily ever after' is replaced with a realistic outcome and addresses current issues.

The project was inspired by my observation of three-year-old girls, who were developing an interest in Disney's Fairy tales. As a new mother I have been able to get a close up look at the phenomenon of young girls fascinated with Princesses and their desire to dress up like them. The Disney versions almost always have sad beginning, with an overbearing female villain, and the end is predictably a happy one. The Prince usually saves the day and makes the victimized young beauty into a Princess.

Read the rest and browse the gallery: click above.

Delicious

Kinda quiet here in the Common Room.

Here's your regular dose of J Smoothie the Race Literate Cutie:



And some Music You Can't Get Out of Your Head:



(can you name all the supers in the video?)

peace