The Poet Laureate of Soul
The Poet Laureate of Soul celebrates 50 years of music
Words have always come easy for William "Smokey" Robinson. As a singer, songwriter, and producer, his career has spanned some five decades with a catalog of 4,000 tunes and 36 top-ten songs.
"When I sit down to write a song, I'm trying to write a song where if I wrote it 50 years before then it would have meant something and it's going to mean something today and 50 years from now it's going to mean something," said Robinson, who also brought Diana Ross and the Supremes to the label.
Robinson has a voice like butter, but don't let the smooth taste fool you. He always has something profound to sing and say. Recently the award winning performer made it no secret that he wasn't pleased with the film "Dreamgirls". He publicly expressed his disapproval of the film's inaccurate portrayal of Gordy, his best friend of 50 years.
"Motown is my heritage. It's my life. If I didn't speak out, I would be letting them step on my life," Robinson said. "The young people who don't really know the real story will look at this as being what really went on at Motown...I don't want that picture to be painted to young people about Motown and Berry Gordy. People should be proud of Berry Gordy. He bridged some gaps, broke down some racial barriers, some ethnic barriers, some intercontinental barriers, and all that with music. All over the world Motown music is loved and respected."
For Jesse Owens
For Jesse Owens
By:Lamont. B. Steptoe
Like some dark comet
You streaked across the sky of the
worldLeaving nations to wonder
For generations.
Magic
African shamanBolting from the blocks
Faster than a slave
From a hound dog
Running North to freedom.
Run so fast that
Der FurherWas in fervor
And Jack booted nazis
Couldn't believe their eyes!
Blew Deutschland's mind
Years before the allies pounded
Berlin to rubble.
Didn't they know
That your
ancestors used to chase
gazelleFor fun?
They say you died but naw
You just movin' so fast
They can't see you no mo'
Do dat
Jesse !
Answers To MySpace Survey
1. Do you have a MySpace, if so how long have you been a member?
Answer-Yes I have a MySpace, I have been a member since the begining of October.
2. Do you feel the need to get on MySpace everyday, if so why?
Answer-No I do not feel the need to get on MySpace everyday, because its never nothing new on MySpace.
3. How many friends do you have on MySpace?
Answer- I have about 154 friends on MySpace.
4. Do you know most of your friends on MySpace personally?
Answer-Yes I know just about all of my friends on MySpace.
5. How do your parents feel about having a MySpace?
Answer-My mother is fine with the fact that I have a MySpace as long as I don't post any personal information about myself and the people that I encounter with.
6. When did you first hear about MySpace?
Answer-I first heard about MySpace in the 8th grade through a close friend of mine.
7. Do you feel that MySpace has had an impact on your academics, in what way?
Answer-I dont think MySpace has had an impact on my academics, because I get on MySpace in my free time.
8. Do you fell that MySpace is dangerous, why or why not?
Answer-I don't feel MySpace is dangerous, because I am not harmed in any way anybody that I talk to on MySpace is either a friend of mine or a family member that I haven't spoken to in a long time.
9. What advice would you give someone who is a first timer on MySpace?
Answer-I would tell them to just be safe and don't give out any personal information.
10. If there were no MySpace how would you react?
Answer-I would be fine, probably spend more time with my family and friends.
Answers To Kiri Davis Test
1. Who is Kiri Davis?
Answer-Kiri Davis is a 17 year old filmmaker.
2. What is the title of Kiri Davis's film?
Answer-A girl like me.
3. What was the inspiration of Kiri's film?
Answer-By the "Famous Doll Test" that was originally conducted by Dr. Kenneth Clark in the 1930's.
4. What was the purpose of the "Famous Doll Test"?
Answer-To convince the Supreme Court to strike down segreation in the Brown vs. Board of Education.
5. How many children were asked to take the Famous Doll Test?
Answer-21.
6. How manychildren picked the white doll?
Answer-15.
7. How do you feel about viewing the segment about Kiri Davis and the test?
Answer-(My answer) I feel that the situation is sad to see young black children pick a race other than their own.
8. If you were one of the children that had to take the test what doll would you pick, and why?
Answer-(My answer) I would pick the black doll, because when I was younger that was all I had to play with because the black doll looks closer to me than the white doll.
9. Would you be interested in doing a doll test or something similar to this?
Answer-(My answer) Yes I would be interested in doing a test similar to this.
10. How old was Kiri Davis when she made her film?
Answer-16.
The Blog Watch Show
Hello my name is Danyel Branch. I am a 9th grade student at New Media Technology Charter School. Today I will be hosting a blog watch show where I will be tracking three New Media students blog pages to see all the work that they complete in class. A blog means to write entries in, add material to, or maintain a weblog. I will be tacking down the blogs of Asley Allen, Dione Cruse, and Oyekanmi Falode.
The first blog to visit is Asley Allen's. Ashley has made 23 posts. Her blog is very upkept. Her first post was on September 7,2006. Her last post was on January 9,2006. Good Job Ashley.
Next we will be looking at Dione Cruse's. Dione has made 13 posts. Her blog is not up to date what so ever. Her first post was on September 12,2006. Her last post was on November 27,2006. Better luck next time Dione.
And last we have Oyekanmi Falode. Oyekanmi has made 30 posts. His blog is very upkept. His first post was on September 7,2006. His last post was on January 19,2007. Great Job Oye.
Seasons
1. What is significant about today - December 21st?
Ans- A significant thing about December 21st is it is the first day of winter and It is also the most common day for autumn to end in the Northern Hemisphere and for spring to end in the Southern Hemisphere.
2. What is significant about the same day in June?
Ans- A significant thing about June 21st is This day usually marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, and thus is the day of the year with the longest hours of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern Hemisphere and this is the first day of summer.
3. Have you ever had a 6/21 day in winter?
Ans- No I have not.
4.Have you ever had a 12/21/ day in summer?
Ans- No I have not
The Boys of Baraka
1. What does Baraka mean?
Ans-Baraka is an ancient Sufi word, translated as a blessing or as the essence of life from which the evolutionary process unfolds.
2. Where is the Baraka School for boys?
Ans-The Baraka School for boys is located in Kenya.
3. What is the capitol city of that nation and what are the two major languages? Ans-The capitol of Kenya is Nairobi, and the two major languages are English and Kiswahili.
4. What are the bordering nations and the body of water surrounding the country?
Ans-The bordering nations are Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The body of water surrounding Kenya is Indian Ocean.
5. What was the purpose of sending the boys so far away to the Baraka School? Ans-Their mothers’ wanted to give them a better education so they wouldn’t end up like their fathers’ which were in jail at the time.
6. Where were the boys attending school before they enrolled in Baraka?
Ans- They were attending a neighborhood (public) school in Baltimore.
7. In what state is that city?
Ans-Baltimore is located in Maryland on the eastern coast .
8. What other states and bodies of water surround that state?
Ans- Some other states that surround Africa are Meru, Machakos and Eldoret. Bodies of water that surround Africa are Lake Rudolf and Lake Victoria.
9. If given the opportunity would you enroll in a boarding school like Baraka? Ans-Yes, just for the experience.
10. Did any scenes in the movie remind you of New Media Tech or your community?
Ans-No they did not.
11. Were there any blessings exemplified in the movie?
Ans-Yes there were.
The midnight hour of my first semester as a freshman
For the first trimester I think I gave it my all. I believe that I strived to be the best freshman I can be by talking to my peers and getting familiar with the staff. To the best of my ability I turned in all of my assignments on time. My blog and wiki is very upkept and neat. I believe that I made myself, my parents and my teachers very proud og me.
For the first semester I never had to visit the beehive office. I was properly dressed for every school and gym day.
