LE'ANDRIA JOHNSON & SNOOP DOG 2018 GOSPEL/ HIP HOP TOUR (27 CITIES) - (MY IDEA)

LE'ANDRIA JOHNSON & SNOOP DOG 2018 GOSPEL/ HIP HOP TOUR (28 CITIES)-(MY IDEA):

***** PROJECT IDEA - FULL MUSICAL TOUR OF GOSPEL/ HIP HOP ARTISTS, HEADLINED BY GOSPEL SINGER LE'ANDRIA JOHNSON & HIP HOP LEGEND SNOOP DOG.

***** DATES: AUGUST THROUGH NOVEMBER 2018

***** OBJECTIVE:

THIS 28 CITY, SOLD-OUT TOUR WILL BE USED TO INTEGRATE GOSPEL AND HIP HOP MUSIC TO REACH ALL AGES, ESPECIALLY PASSIONATE GENERATION Y POPULATION MUSIC LOVERS.

*******GET OUT THE VOTE:

THIS MULTI-CULTURAL MUSICAL TOUR WILL ALSO BE USED TO REGISTER VOTERS FOR THE 2020 NATIONAL POLITICAL ELECTIONS.

****** ELIMINATING POVERTY:

AT EACH LOCATION A CANNED FOOD DRIVE WILL BE HELD TO HELP FEED THE POOR.

CONCERT GOERS CAN BRING ONE CAN OF FOOD EACH TO DEPOSIT INTO LARGE BINS.
THOSE BINS WILL LATER BE TRANSPORTED TO FOOD BANKS IN EACH CITY.

FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES CAN ALSO BE DONATED.

******* LOCATIONS:

ATLANTA, GA
ATHENS, GA
AUSTIN, TX
BALTIMORE, MD
BROOKLYN, NY
MANHATTAN, NY
CHARLOTTE, NC
CLEVELAND, OH
COLUMBIA, SC
COLLEGE PARK, MD
DETROIT, MI
DURHAM, NC
GREENSBORO, NC
LAS VEGAS, NV
LONG ISLAND, NY
LOS ANGELES, CA
MEMPHIS, TENN
MIAMI, FL
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN
NEW ORLEANS, LA
NEWARK, NJ
ONTARIO, CANADA
PORTLAND, OR
RALEIGH, NC
SELMA, AL
TORONTO, CANADA
TULSA, OK
WASHINGTON, DC


Post Sources: BET, Christian Post, Youtube


~ ~ ~ Le'Andria Johnson's Pastor Asks Church Not to Ostracize Gospel Star for 'Misguided Passion'


Gospel singer Le'Andria Johnson's pastor, Tim Rogers, says her irreverent criticism of the Church was "misguided passion" and he hopes Christians don't "throw her away altogether" because there is a place for her in the Kingdom.

"The Bible says if a brother be overtaken in a fault, if you're really spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering yourself," Rogers, a fellow gospel singer who leads The Hope Church in Blytheville, Arkansas, told The Christian Post earlier this week.

"A lot of preachers have called me to say she said things that they can't say. And they are sick of the politics of the church. Me and her did have a talk about her passion being guided because that's what I understand that it was the other day. It was misguided passion," he added.

Johnson won the hearts of Christians nationwide with her talent and candor when she won the BET gospel singing competition "Sunday Best" eight years ago.

Her turn in the spotlight has been punctuated by behavior that some Christians say is unbecoming for someone who professes to be a practicing Christian.

Johnson recently slammed the Church and Bishop Marvin Winans in a scathing expletive-laced critique. She also vented her frustrations with a Christian culture she described as hypocritical. Her outburst caused her to lose a booking for the recently concluded Essence Festival in New Orleans.

"You know what I'm tired of though? ... I'm tired of being Le'Andria Johnson that y'all know of," she said. "And Ima tell you like this: I could be on a Kirk Franklin level. I could be on a Mary level. Yolanda Adams, Marvin Sapp, Fred Hammond. All the gospel greats ... all the R&B. Beyoncé, Brandy. ... If I played the game, I could really be on that level. I could, but I'm not 'bout playin' no games, though."

It was after that outburst that Essence organizers reportedly removed Johnson from a slated tribute to Dottie Peoples. She said she wasn't going to pretend to be someone she wasn't just to become a gospel superstar and called out Church leaders for being hypocritical while dismissing the Church as a business.

Johnson apologized on Monday for her delivery but remained unrepentant about her criticism of the machinery behind Christian culture.

"You know Christianity, it's just a lot that's going on. So the way I said it, using the F-bomb, I apologize to the fans of mine that do go to church. I do apologize if I've offended you," she said.

Rogers explained that while he had not seen the videos of Johnson's rants online, he spoke with her about them and said he encouraged the apology.

"She is a member of our church. So she called me and she told me what happened. She told me what she said. She asked me did I look at it. She told me she was coming home to come to church. We had a chance to sit down. I know Le'Andria. I know her heart. A lot of people in the world they only know her by her gifting. And this is something I'm learning about the Church," he said.

"The Church will accept your gifts but they really don't want that person. That's why when the person is singing you ignore the gifts. And the gift is alright. It makes us feel good until we know who you really are. Le'Andria is a nice person. She means well. She just doesn't have a filter. And she has a lot of learning to do," he said.

"I think she is a wonderful person and I still think she has a place in the kingdom. She just doesn't fit well in a box. And you know religion has a way of boxing you in that you can only be this. You can never be anything other than that. In order to be accepted in this circle you can only be this and you can only talk like this. Well Le'Andria is not that person. But she's learning. I just hope the church doesn't throw her away altogether," Rogers said.

EMILY STAYED W/ RAPPER FABOLOUS FOR MONEY, FAME & LIFESTYLE PERKS

EMILY STAYED WITH RAPPER FABOLOUS FOR MONEY, FAME & FABULOUS LIFESTYLE:

EMILY IS NOT A POOR, LOW INCOME SINGLE MOTHER, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM.

MEDIA & TMZ ARE TRYING TO INJECT RACE (BLACK MAN vs LATINO WOMAN).

FABOLOUS HAS GIVEN EMILY MUCH MONEY OVER THE YEARS SO SHE COULD HAVE LEFT IF SHE TRULY FEARED FOR HER LIFE.

EMILY ONLY WENT PUBLIC BECAUSE FAB WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE HER BUT HE WAS STILL GOING TO PAY HER BIG $$$.

EMILY WAS MOST LIKELY LEGALLY ADVISED TO GO PUBLIC NOW AGAINST FAB TO GAIN PUBLIC EMPATHY BY USING THE “#METOO” MOVEMENT TO HER ADVANTAGE.

NOT EVEN PREVIOUS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COULD MAKE EMILY LEAVE BECAUSE SHE WAS GETTING BIG MONEY & LIFESTYLE PERKS FROM FAB.

FABOLOUS DID NOT THREATEN EMILY ABOUT LEAVING, SHE STAYED SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO.

EMILY’S FAMILY WAS PROBABLY BENEFITING FROM FAB’S MONEY & LIFESTYLE PERKS TOO.

BOTH EMILY & FAB ARE WRONG.

THEIR CHILDREN ARE THE REAL VICTIMS IN THIS DRAMA.


Sources: VIBE, Hollywood Life, TMZ, Love & Hip Hop, VH-1, Wordpress, Youtube


***** EMILY) THE WOMAN BEHIND FABOLOUS


I recently read an article on Vibe.comabout rapper Fabolous girlfriend of 8 years. It was an interesting read and I thought I would share it with you. His girlfriend Emily was interviewed by Swizz Beats ex-wife that put Alicia Keys on blast for being a “home wrecker” and the mother of his son singer Mashonda.

Here is the interview in her new weekly column called Pandora’s Box on Vibe.com:

In 2002, Emily Bustamente met rapper John “Fabolous” Jackson. Her life would never be the same. Like most hip-hop relationships, it has been bittersweet; Emily has stood by her man when he was shot, arrested, and surrounded by countless groupies on tour. She is Fab’s lady, friend, stylist, and the mother of his child. I had a chance to catch up with Emily for some real talk, after a recent tapings for her upcoming reality show on VH1.

Stunning, even without any make up on, and casually dressed, the 29 year old, Puerto Rican/Dominican welcomed me in her home. She showed me all of the renovations that her and Fabolous were making to their beautiful, 4-story townhouse. Johan, the couple’s two-year-old son was joyfully running in front of us. Finally, we choose a spot in her bedroom where we could get relaxed. After 20 minutes of non-stop laughter, toddler tips, and summer adventure stories, there was an awkward silence between Emily and myself. I didn’t hear a sound, but Emily insisted that Fabolous was home.

“Yo” Em says.

“Yo” the person replies.

In my mind I’m thinking, “There’s no way she felt him in the house before I could even hear him.” Emily looked at the amazement that came over my face.

“Yeah, I can always feel his presence,” she says.

Johan immediately screamed “Papa” and ran down to meet him. As we lay on their California King size bed, I instantly thought, ”Maybe I should get off?”, but Emily insisted I stay. He greeted Johan, “Heyyyy”. And as his footsteps got closer to the master bedroom, Emily stayed relaxed but glowing. As he got closer, I can tell he was trying to figure out who was in his room.

Mashonda: How did you meet Fabolous?

Emily: I met him in 2002 at an event. He sent his brother over to me to get my attention. I told his brother, “If he wants to talk to me, tell him to come here”. He was there promoting his album. When he finally walked over to me, I asked him why did he send his brother. Why couldn’t he talk to me himself? His response was: “I’m shy”. Those words, and his soft-spoken tone, won me over instantly.

That’s sweet. What happened next?

He asked where I was from, and said that I should visit him next time I’m in New York. I gave him my number and watched him store it in his sidekick as “Emily VA”. I felt like, Wow, he’s only going to know me for my state. I never asked for his number, I felt if it was meant to be, he would call me. We stayed in touch on the phone and when he finally came back to VA to do a show, he called and invited me. We spoke everyday from then on and saw each other often.

How did you finally get to New York?

After seeing each other off and on for 3 years, and spending our summers together, he finally asked me to move to NY to be with him. We built a friendship and we used it to develop our future. It took some time before we got physical; we talked a lot and had a lot of the same passions. I remember the first time he told me he loved me. I couldn’t believe that he said the words. It was a lot for him as well. I knew he was serious when he asked me to move in with him. He said “I have an extra room for your daughter, and bring your Yorkie too.”

I look up and catch Fabolous peeping through the side of the chestnut wood and frosted glass door. “Stop peeping” I said. He smiled and came in the room to greet us. The energy that filled the beautifully decorated room was phenomenal. There you had it—John the man, being fabulous with out being Fabulous. I was completely taken and impressed by his non-celebrity. He sat on the floor and played with Johan as Emily and myself went through some photos on her laptop. Nonchalantly, Emily said, “Your food is in the microwave.” His reply was simple, soft-spoken but so sincere “Thank you.”

Experts say women develop their taste in men at a young age. Did you know you wanted to date someone musically inclined? What kind of values do you look for in a man?

I was always into hip-hop and music, but never cared about dating an entertainer. I look for family values, the way they treat their mother, is a good sign of the way they will treat me.

Do you recommend dating a rapper?

I don’t recommend women to go seeking after a rapper. Make sure you like the person underneath the title. Rappers need love too, they are just men at the end of the day. When they are 60 they wont be rappers anymore. It bothers me when people say “Oh you date a rapper.” No, I date a very intelligent man that has a career and a future. I recommend any woman to find love. It doesn’t matter what form. Just make sure he’s single and responsible.

I know you struggle with Fabolous “the rapper.” Why do you think entertainers let their jobs come between their morals?

These guys struggle with image. Its about bottle popping, women and money. Sometimes I feel like I don’t fit into the Fabolous life, but, I’m a major part of his world. I dress him, but I’m not a part of his brand. I can tell the difference. Having a family is not a topic a rapper can rap about. I respect it, but I fall back, play my position as his life partner. I have no choice because he had that career before he met me. I love his music, I support him, but when he walks through the house door, I prefer to be greeted by John, not Fab. I know the man, not the rapper. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good rapper, but he’s a great man.

What makes women stand by their men through all the pain? Why do we torture ourselves?

Love is so powerful. We put faith in our men. When in a relationship, we have hope that things will be better tomorrow. We base our lives on this hope. I never wanted to change my man. I want him to change for himself. I would never force him to marry me; I want him to want to marry me. I don’t recommend marriage in the twenties. This is what works for me; my relationship is designed for me. Some days are harder than others, but I know what counts and I know the grass may not be greener on the other side.

What’s big in Emily B’s world?

I’m working on a reality show with VH1. It’s so outside of my character to do this and people are shocked that I’m doing it. I can’t give to much info, but I’ll just say it’s along side a few other women whose lives are similar to mine. I’m also styling a few artists and getting ready to launch an online consignment store. My biggest job is being a mother. I get the most fulfillment from that.

After the interview, I decided to return the peep through the small crack in the door. Johan was sitting on his daddy’s lap, and Fab was reading to him aloud. What a classic moment. I looked over at Emily, she smiled. I then understood more than ever why she believes in her man. Even through all the pain, the sleepless studio nights and the millions of groupies, she continues to fight for her family. It was clear. You just never know what goes on behind closed doors.

Mashonda’s Last Words…

The element of love is somewhat the same as the element of freedom—both are worth fighting for. I look at Emily, a mother of two fantastic children, and see a strong woman with an amazing story. However, there is a struggle that exists. When in love with a person that practically lives in a false world, there might always be a battle. It is genuinely easy to give love to others, but sadly, sometimes it’s easier to forget how to love oneself. Know your limits, know what you will and won’t accept. I’ve watched Emily come into her own and grow from her experiences. My belief is this: If no one is being hurt by your decisions and you believe it is worth the fight, then fight for what your heart desires, but always know when to graciously wave the white flag.

FED JUDGE BLOCKS OBAMA ADMIN FROM JAILBREAKING ALL IPHONES (1st-5th AMENDMENTS)

FED JUDGE BLOCKS OBAMA ADMIN FROM JAILBREAKING ALL IPHONES (1st-5th AMENDMENTS):

APPLE WILL ASSIST GOVT TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE WITHOUT VIOLATING PRIVACY.

Sources:  ABC News, Youtube

**** NY Judge: US Cannot Make Apple Provide iPhone Data

The U.S. Justice Department cannot force Apple to provide the FBI with access to locked iPhonedata in a routine Brooklyn drug case, a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein's written decision gives support to the company's position in its fight against a California judge's order that it create specialized software to help the FBI hack into an iPhone linked to the San Bernardino terrorism investigation. Apple on Thursday formally objected to the order in a brief filed with the court.

The San Bernardino County-owned iPhone 5C was used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group.

Apple's opposition to the government's tactics has evoked a national debate over digital privacy rights and national security.

Orenstein concluded that Apple is not obligated to assist government investigators against its will and noted that Congress has not adopted legislation that would achieve the result sought by the government.

Orenstein said he was offering no opinion on whether in the instance of this case or others, "the government's legitimate interest in ensuring that no door is too strong to resist lawful entry should prevail against the equally legitimate societal interests arrayed against it here."

He said the interests at stake go beyond expectations of privacy and include the commercial interest in conducting business free of potentially harmful government intrusion and the "far more fundamental and universal interest ... in shielding sensitive electronically stored data from the myriad harms, great and small, that unauthorized access and misuse can cause."

"How best to balance those interests is a matter of critical importance to our society, and the need for an answer becomes more pressing daily, as the tide of technological advance flows ever farther past the boundaries of what seemed possible even a few decades ago," Orenstein wrote. "But that debate must happen today, and it must take place among legislators who are equipped to consider the technological and cultural realities of a world their predecessors could not begin to conceive."

The Justice Department said in a statement that it's disappointed in the ruling and plans to appeal in coming days. It said Apple had previously agreed many times prior to assist the government and "only changed course when the government's application for assistance was made public by the court."

Apple and their attorneys said they were reading the opinion and will comment later.

In October, Orenstein invited Apple to challenge the government's use of a 227-year-old law to compel Apple to help it recover iPhone data in criminal cases, noting that another law on the books already covered the issue.

The Cupertino, California-based computer maker did, saying in court papers that extracting information from an iPhone "could threaten the trust between Apple and its customers and substantially tarnish the Apple brand."

It followed up by declining to cooperate in a dozen more instances in four states involving government requests to aid criminal probes by retrieving data from individual iPhones.

In ruling, Orenstein wrote: "I believe Apple has the better argument" because the other law covering wiretaps for telecom companies "explicitly absolves a company like Apple of any responsibility to provide the assistance the government seeks here."

Federal prosecutors say Apple has stopped short of challenging court orders judicially, except in the cases before Orenstein and the California jurist who ruled about the San Bernardino shooter's phone.

"Ultimately, the question to be answered in this matter, and in others like it across the country, is not whether the government should be able to force Apple to help it unlock a specific device; it is instead whether the All Writs Act resolves that issue and many others like it yet to come," Orenstein wrote. "For the reasons set forth above, I conclude that it does not."

BILL DE BLASIO'S Inauguration Ceremony: NEW YORK CITY Is No Longer A Divided Plantation! (Rev Fred Lucas Jr)

#NYCPlantation

NEW YORK CITY IS NO LONGER A DIVIDED PLANTATION: "TALE OF TWO CITIES"

Today during BILL DE BLASIO'S Inauguration Ceremony, Rev FRED LUCAS JR (BROOKLYN) made these Shocking yet Truthful remarks about NEW YORK CITY while delivering the Ceremonial Prayer:

"“Let the plantation called New York City be the city of God, a city set upon the hill, a light shining in darkness,”

“Elevate our valleys. Make low our mountains. Make our crooked places straight and our rough places smooth. Oh God, oh God, oh God, break every chain, break every chain, break every chain.”

“Oh God, on this first day of January–the anniversary of the first Emancipation Proclamation–sound forth the trumpets of heaven proclaiming a new Emancipation Proclamation in New York City.

"From your divine leadership, emancipate every New Yorker from the shackles of fear, futility and frustration …...

Oh God, end the civil wars and usher in a new Reconstruction Era that builds upon the many successes and achievements of yesterday while proclaiming the beginning of a new beginning.”

"Pastor Unloads On The ‘Plantation Called New York City’ At New Mayor’s Inauguration"

During inauguration ceremonies for New York City’s new mayor, Bill DeBlasio, Reverend Fred Lucas Jr. tore into the nation’s racial inequality.

Sounding a variety of themes echoing American slavery and the Civil War, the Brooklyn-based minister scoffed at the “plantation called New York City” and called for a new “Reconstruction” based on the post-Civil War federal occupation of the South.

“Sound forth the trumpets of heaven proclaiming a new Emancipation Proclamation in New York City,” Lucas began. “For your divine leadership, emancipate every New Yorker from the shackles of fear, futility, and frustration.”

“Help us to be mastered by only the masters of love and compassion,” he continued. “Let integrity never stand on the auction block or be sold to the highest bidder.”

“Free us from the shackles of partisan politics, political correctness, and personal egos and agendas,” Lucas railed. “End the civil wars and usher in a new Reconstruction Era that builds upon the many successes and achievements of yesterday.”

The pastor concluded by blasting the “plantation called New York City.”

Sources: AP, Facebook, Mediaite, NY Times, Youtube

Mia Love Endorsed By Ann Romney: First BLACK GOP Female Congress Member (It's About Time!)

Ann Romney Endorses Mia Love in Utah Congressional Race

In her first solo endorsement of the 2012 cycle, Ann Romney has backed Utah Congressional candidate Mia Love.

The Romneys’ son Josh has already been vocal of his support for Love and Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Congressman, said last weekend in Utah that Josh and others there for the Romney donor retreat went to a fundraiser for Love.

“Women across the country are concerned for our children’s futures,” said Ann Romney in a written statement. “Will our children be able to find jobs and will they be faced with burdensome debt?

Mia’s record of reducing spending and making government more accountable to the taxpayers should be an example for Washington. With leaders like her, we can help ensure that our children and grandchildren have bright futures.”

If elected, Love, a fitness instructor and small town mayor, would become the first African American Republican woman in Congress.

But she will have to defeat six term Democrat Jim Matheson. It’s already one of the most watched Congressional races of 2012 and handicappers rate it a toss-up.

Recent polling in the state show Matheson with a solid lead at this point.

He’s actually one of the Democrats not attending this year’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

It seems to make sense for a Democrat running in a ruby red state, but it’s important to note he has never attended since getting to Congress in 2000.


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Sources: ABC News, Daily Rundown, MSNBC, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Columbia, South Carolina & Brooklyn, NY Force BLACK Citizens Out; Welcomes Whites! "BLACK Flight"

Per The 2010 U.S. Census Count These Metropolitan Cities Are The Fastest Growing Gentrifying Cities.

Eliminating BLACK Citizens & Eliminating the BLACK Vote!!!

WAKE UP!
21ST CENTURY BLACK AMERICANS ARE BEING REPLACED!!!!


1. Columbia, SC (Columbia has a BLACK Congressman James Clyburn & a BLACK Mayor)
2. Chattanooga, TN (3740
3. Chicago, IL
4. Roanoake, VA
5. Austin, TX
6. Brooklyn, NY (11205, 11206, 11237 & 11238 Zip Codes)
7. Dallas, TX
8. Oklahoma City, OK
9. Washington, DC (20001, 20005 & 20010)
10. Atlanta, GA
11. Denver, CO
12. Charleston, SC
13. Tampa, FL
14. St. Paul, MN
15. St. Louis, MO
16. San Diego, CA
17. Houston, TX
18. Philadelphia, PA
19. Portland, OR


Are These the Fastest-Gentrifying Neighborhoods in the U.S.?

Over at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute's Flypaper blog, Michael J. Petrilli, the institute's executive vice president, has a fascinating list of the "fastest-gentrifying neighborhoods in the United States."

Using change in the white share of the population as an admittedly crude proxy, Petrilli identifies the 25 ZIP codes in the U.S. that saw the largest change in the white share of the population between 2000 and 2010. And, as he notes, some of the cities housing these ZIP codes were a bit surprising to see.

I’m not an expert on gentrification (education policy is my beat) but I was surprised by the list. I expected to see Chicago, Brooklyn, Washington, D.C., and Denver. But Chattanooga? Columbia, SC? Oklahoma City? St. Louis? This is not a phenomenon limited to a few of our great coastal cities. These gentrifying neighborhoods are literally all over the map.

Indeed, Columbia, South Carolina, shows up at the top of this list, with a single ZIP code that recorded 47.1 percent change in the white share of the population. However, it turns out the ZIP code in question – 29202 – is for post office boxes only, so it's unlikely that change is the result of gentrification.

But the location of nearly every other ZIP in the list does show us something: They're pretty much all located in the hearts of their cities' downtowns. These are parts of cities that have seen increased attention from housing developers and both renters and buyers in recent years. With more housing now available in downtowns, their populations are increasing.

The 24011 ZIP in Roanoke, Virginia, for example, ranks fourth on the list (third if you take out the P.O. box-only ZIP from Columbia) and saw a 34.9 percent increase in its share of white people between 2000 and 2010. That ZIP code had a population of 219 people in 2010.

24011 is right in the heart of downtown, according to Sean Luther, president and CEO of the non-profit Downtown Roanoke Incorporated. He says that more and more people are moving to that part of the city, but it's not exactly gentrification so much as simple growth.

"Our ZIP codes have not gone from heavily minority to heavily white, they've gone from zero to people. We're not an example of gentrification so much as the introduction of residents into a downtown area," Luther says. "We were an industrial downtown and have interjected a residential component as part of an overall resurgence of the downtown."

He says that there's been a number of new housing developments opening downtown, bringing the population there to about 1,100 people according to a survey his organization conducted last fall. However, in a survey of the roughly 400 households downtown, 96 percent of respondents were white, and 50 percent had at least a Bachelor's degree. (The survey had a 20 percent response rate.)

Petrilli also notes that the comparison of ZIP code-based data is also problematic, due to the fact that ZIP codes are regularly altered to meet the Postal Service's needs. So while this may not be the most precise or comprehensive list of gentrification (itself a term not easily defined), this list does offer some helpful information about the demographic shifts in American downtowns. Increasing white populations in these downtown ZIP codes might not necessarily mean gentrification, but it doesn't mean nothing.


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Sources: CNN, Democracy NOW, MSNBC, The Atlantic Cities.com, Youtube, Google Maps

Shark Burgers Come To Brooklyn, NY! *Island Burger: 915 Utica Ave, Bklyn -718.495.2474

Shark burgers at Trini-flavored Island Burger in East Flatbush, Brooklyn


For $9.50, their shark burger will make you feel like you’re on vacation in Trinidad.

That’s what the two sisters who own Island Burger had in mind when they opened the East Flatbush fast-food restaurant at 915 Utica Ave. 18 months ago.

Picture Maracas Beach, where shark sandwiches are sold in huts right on the sand. Or Port of Spain, where sidewalk vendors serve hamburgers with a slice of pineapple, garlic sauce and cole slaw heaped on top.

“Shark is beach food,” said Linette Beckles, 34, who with her big sister Tracy Agarrat, 40 owns the takeout joint and six-seat eatery that dishes up a boneless filet of the fearsome fish.

The restaurant’s three chefs turn the terror of the deep into a tasty morsel by seasoning it for 12 hours before frying it and topping it with chadon beni — a sauce made of a pungent herb, culantro — tamarind sauce, cole slaw, lettuce and tomato.

After Beckles and her boyfriend were wowed by burgers they bought at a street stand during a visit to Port of Spain, she returned home to Mill Basin and told her sister to forget about the clothing store they’d talked about opening.

“Let’s sell burgers and fast food made the Trini way,” she said to Agarrat of Crown Heights.

There are scads of West Indian restaurants in Central Brooklyn competing for customers with roti and peas and rice.

But the sibs couldn’t find anyone doing Trini burgers, and thought they could make a go of it.

To save money, they rented a storefront with a stove and other restaurant equipment the previous tenant left behind.

They’d worked in Manhattan food businesses — including a decade Agarrat spent as a restaurant manager for food-industry bigwig Stephen Hanson’s BR Guest.

But to get their seasonings just right, they consulted with a Trini chef before opening Island Burger. A Hispanic chef who has been with them since day one, Humberto Dominguez, 26, has since made valuable tweaks to the recipes.

They’re so proud of their $8.50 Trini-style hamburger that Agarrat tries to talk customers out of ordering the plain American version.

“When they come back and bring a friend, we know the pineapple is a hit,” she said.

The London-born sisters, who lived in Port of Spain for many years, lined up part-time waitressing jobs to generate cash during their restaurant startup.

It’s done well enough that Beckles has quit her gig and Agarrat is working one day a week.

“We were fortunate — we had enough customers to pay our bills from the start,” she said.

Customers drive from Bedford-Stuyvesant and Fort Greene, Queens and even Connecticut to chow down.

“They’re missing Trinidad,” Agarrat said.

Beckles’ boyfriend and restaurant co-owner, Joel Brizan, 44, won them customers by telling colleagues at Verizon, where he works, about Island Burger. The eatery has won customers who live in East Flatbush, many of whom call for delivery.

The sisters pack the takeout orders in white paper boxes, like the kind used back home in Trinidad. They want to do everything possible to live up to Trini standards.

“With a Trinidadian customer, we have one shot to get it right,” Beckles said.


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Sources: Island Burger, NY Daily News, Yelp, Google Maps

Brookly Jewish Community Rocked By Leiby Kletzky's Murder

Child's grisly murder shocks Jewish Brooklyn neighborhood

An 8-year-old's grisly murder would shock any community, but there's an added layer of astonishment in this neighborhood because the alleged killer appears to hail from the same close-knit religious community as the victim.

On Thursday, New York police charged a 35-year-old man with the killing of Leiby Kletzky, an Orthodox Jewish boy, after officers found human remains in the man's refrigerator and a trash bin.

The alleged killer also appears to be an Orthodox Jew who lived relatively nearby to Kletzky, according to community members.

"You can't possibly describe how tragic this is and how upset people are this boy was murdered by a person living in the community, who shares his religion and his neighborhood," said Ezra Friedlander, who lives in Borough Park, the neighborhood where Kletzky went missing on Monday.

On Thursday, Levi Aron was arraigned on first degree murder and kidnapping charges in Brooklyn in connection with Kletzky's death.

"It would have been extremely scary if a terrorist would have come into the community and killed a boy, but when it's one of your own you feel even more vulnerable," said Friedlander, a public relations executive who represents many Orthodox Jewish clients.

"The level of fear that mothers and fathers and children here are experiencing is something that I never witnessed before," he said.

Kletzky was supposed to meet his parents after walking seven blocks from his summer day camp, but became lost and asked the suspect for directions, New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.

Menachem Freed, a 37-year-old Orthodox Jew whose 9-year-old son was Kletzky's classmate, said the community prides itself on its faith-based unity.

Borough Park is composed mostly of Hasidic Jews and non-Hasidic ultra-Orthodox Jews of Eastern European descent.

"We all believe in the same ideas," Freed said, standing outside his son's preschool, where he showed up Thursday to help children deal with the murder.

On Monday night, Freed and his family had joined with other Orthodox Jews from the neighborhood to search for Kletzky.

The neighborhood's Jewish security patrol force - called the shomrim - searched for the boy through the night.

Working from surveillance video that showed Aron entering a dentist's office Monday while Kletzky waited for him across the street for seven minutes, police arrived at Aron's residence at 2:40 a.m. Wednesday to ask about the boy's whereabouts.

The suspect pointed them to the kitchen, where blood was visible on the freezer handle. Inside the refrigerator was a cutting board with three blood-spattered carving knives, Kelly said.

"A lot of people were saying that they would think differently about what they would allow their children to do," said Josh Nathan-Kazis, a staff writer for the Jewish newspaper The Forward, who is covering neighborhood reaction to Kletzky's murder.

"When you're there, it feels like a small town: Everybody knows each other," said Nathan-Kazis, describing Borough Park. "The fact that the alleged perpetrator was more or less from the same community, it's like they don't know who to trust."

There are questions about how active Aron was in the Jewish community, but pictures of him that have surfaced show him in traditional Orthodox Jewish dress.

Still, Nathan-Kazis said that rumors had begun emerging in Borough Park's Orthodox community that portrayed Aron as something of an outsider.

One such rumor suggested that Aron is a Sephardic Jew - meaning of Spanish of North African descent - unlike most Borough Park Jews, who are Ashkenazi, or of Eastern European descent.

"You could see the community struggling with the fact that the suspect is Jewish and lived nearby and at the same time protect a sense of safety in the community," Nathan-Kazis said.

Thousands of Orthodox Jews turned out for Kletzky's funeral on Wednesday.

On Thursday, community members organized an effort to initiate a Torah scroll in Kletzky's name.

"It's an extremely lofty way to elevate someone's memory," Friedlander said of the scroll. "Not every person has a Torah in their name."


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Brooklyn Farmer's Market A Huge Success! Fighting Obesity!

Real life FarmVille Brooklyn - borough has more farms than any other, giving access to healthy food


Forget the trees. More farms grow in Brooklyn than any other borough.

Community-run plots are springing up in poor neighborhoods better known for bodegas and fast food, bringing fresh and affordable produce to the places that need it most.

In parking lots, schoolyards and even between apartment buildings, Brooklyn farms have sprouted up this year like never before.

"People are planting farms wherever they can find space," said Stacey Murphy, founder of the Youth Farm at the High School for Public Service on Kingston Ave., in East Flatbush. "Brooklyn's got more farms because there's room for them and people are motivated to do it."

The Secret Garden Farm in Bushwick opened in May - between two apartment buildings on busy Linden St. About half of all sales come from food stamps.

"We aren't here for the trendy residents," said farm manager Kendall Morrison, 47, of Bushwick. "We're here for the neighborhood folks."

Tarah Auguste, a nurse from Bushwick, visits the market on Linden St. every week to buy vegetables for her family.

"In this neighborhood you only have a couple of options for food and most of them are questionable," said Auguste, 33.

"I love the fact that I'm digesting natural food."

The Youth Farm at the High School for Public Service transformed a vacant schoolyard into a colorful 10,000-square-foot farm. Also, in a school parking lot in Bensonhurst, another farm will open next spring.

The new farms join four older farms in Red Hook, East New York and Bed-Stuy that are doing more business than ever.

They grow everything from collard greens to tomatoes and sell their goods at markets during the harvest season of May to November.

The farms and markets are good news in neighborhoods where healthy food is hard to come by, said city Health Department assistant commissioner Dr. Aletha Maybank.

Seven out of 10 central Brooklyn adults are overweight or obese and 45% of kids are in the same boat, she said.

"People don't have enough access to healthy food," said Maybank. "These farms are helping to change that."

With more farms and markets taking food stamps, more residents of low income neighborhoods are willing to shop at them, she said. Four years ago, only four farmers' markets in Brooklyn accepted food stamps. Now there are 18.

At East New York Farms, about 60% of the 70,000 pounds of fresh vegetables and fruit sold at the farmers' market each season are paid for with food stamps.

"I'd rather spend my money on healthy stuff than unhealthy supermarket products," said Janet Brown, 42, a skin therapist who lost 26 pounds this year in part, she says, because she's eating more fresh produce from the East New York farm.

"Many people in this neighborhood are obese," said Brown. "Now they have healthier choices."


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Sources: NY Daily News, Youtube, Google Maps

Weiner Resigns! GOP Takes NYC For 2012?? Could Be

Today Brooklyn Congressman Anthony Weiner Resigned From Public Office Amid A Twitter Sexting Scandal.

I Must Admit This Situation Is NOTHING To Laugh About & Quite A Sad Day For Brooklyn, New York.

To The Hecklers Who Disrupted Weiner's Resignation Speech, What A Bunch Of Idiots!!

Weiner An Advocate For His City's "Underdog" Citizens, Used His Political Prowess & Loud Voice To Fight For Social Issues Which Affected America's Senior Citizens, Veterans, Young People, Middle Class & Low Income Voters.

But Due To Perhaps Receiving Wrong Advice, Embarrassment & His Ego, Weiner Mishandled, Actually More Like Terribly Bungled The Way This Scandal Played Out.

Thus He Was Forced To Resign In Disgrace.

Had He Handled This Scandal Correctly i.e., NOT Lying!

I Believe He Would Have Been Able To Ride It Out Until November 2012.

He Didn't So He Was Forced To Resign.

Prior To Resigning Weiner Was On The Fast Track To Become New York City's Next Mayor In 2013, And I Don't Doubt He Would Have Won.

New Yorkers Love Courageous, Loud, Hardworking People Who Also LOVE NEW YORK!

Since Anthony Weiner Possessed All Three Attributes, He Would Have Easily Won The Mayor's Seat.

Do I Still Believe That Despite Weiner's Personal Foolish Decision To Sext Photos Of His "Private Assets", This Entire Scandal Was A Set Up Backed By The GOP?

YES I Still Believe It Was A GOP Backed Trap Weiner Walked Right Into!

Who Was Behind This Set Up?

I Don't Know.

Perhaps......

Mayor Bloomberg (Remember The Brooklyn Snow Scandal?)

Rep. Peter King

Donald Trump

Sarah Palin

Andrew Breitbart

It Could Have Been A Number Of People!

Whomever It Was, Weiner Just Happened To Walk Right Into Their Trap.

You See GOP Leaders Are Hoping To Persuade New York City's Largely Democratic Voter Base To Vote Republican In 2012.

Why Do You Think Sarah Palin & Gov. Rick Perry Recently Spent Time In New York City?

GOP Leaders Know They Already Have Most Southern Voters In Their Pockets. ("Southern Strategy")

But In Order To Whip President Obama They Need "Yankees" Too.

They Want To Persuade Northern Voters To Vote Republican Come 2012!!

Now Do You See Why Republicans Didn't Want A Powerful, Liberal Voice Like Anthony Weiner To Continue Representing Brooklyn Up Until 2012??

I Know Pres. Obama Suggested Weiner Resign & He Was Correct!

Why?

Had Weiner Remained In Public Office, The Mainstream Media Would Have Continued Nagging Democrats Until Either He Resigned Or Until The 2012 Elections.

So It Was Imperative He Resign To Allow Fellow Congressional Democrats To Focus On Stopping Those Discriminatory, Unfair, Unequal, Medicare Killing, Destructive Educational Budget Cuts Disguised As "Deficit Reduction" Proposed By Current Congressional GOP Lawmakers.

Weiner's Resignation Not Only Leaves Brooklyn (9th District) With NO Congressional Representation, But Its A Possibility The 9th District May Be Phased Out Altogether.

However Folks All Is Not Lost!!

What Better Time For Brooklynites To Come Together & Quickly Demand That A Special Election Be Held.

Who Should Continue To Represent The 9th District?

Either A Democrat Or An Independent!

Democrats Or Independents Who Largely Vote For Democrats, SHOULD Continue To Represent Brooklyn (9th District).

That Said, I Suggest Brooklynites Who Reside In The 9th District Unite, Mobilize & Fight For Proper Representation & Fight To Keep Their Congressional District Active.

What Person To Better Help Brooklynites Keep What Belongs To Them Than Former Congressman ANTHONY DAVID WEINER???

That's Right!

Anthony Weiner Should Continue Demonstrating To The People Of New York City Especially Brooklynites, That He Cares MORE About THEM, Than He Does About Himself.

Weiner Should NOT Give Up & Lie Down!

He Should Of Course Get Some Necessary Mental Health Treatment And Than Get Back In The Political Ring Of Fire!

Anthony David Weiner Was Born To Be A Political Powerhouse For America's Senior Citizens, Veterans, Young People, Middle Class & Low Income Citizens.

Such A Calling Is His God-Given Destiny!

I Know God Will Forgive Anthony Weiner & So Should Mankind.

How Dare Any Of Us Choose NOT To Give Weiner A Second Chance When NONE Of Us Are Perfect!!

You Heard Me!

NO Human Being Is Perfect! Only God!

Now That Weiner Has Temporarily Stepped Down, He Should Begin To Map Out A Plan To Get Back In The Ring As Soon As Possible.

Anthony David Weiner, The People Of New York & America STILL Need You!

Get Well & Get Going Again Soon!

Please!

We Love You!

God Bless You & Your Family!




Weiner Quits House Seat Over ‘Mistakes’


Representative Anthony D. Weiner, a high-profile New York Democrat who had been considered a leading candidate to be the city’s next mayor, said Thursday that he was resigning from Congress following revelations of lewd online exchanges with several women.

“I’m here to apologize for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarrassment that I have caused,” Mr. Weiner said, adding that he had hoped to be able to continue serving his constituents. “Unfortunately,” he said, “the distraction I created has made that impossible.”

Mr. Weiner announced his resignation in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, at a senior center where he announced his first campaign for City Council in 1991. But while that moment was filled with promise and excitement, his resignation occurred in a raucous and circuslike atmosphere, punctuated by shouting from a group of hecklers.

Mr. Weiner tried to deliver his brief statement in a restrained manner, but struggled to be heard above the din of the hecklers, some of whom shouted vulgarities and one of whom called him a “pervert.”

The departing congressman, who did not take any questions, said he had been proud to serve the people of his district who “represent the same middle class story as mine.” He said he was stepping down so that he could “continue to heal from the damage I have caused.”

Mr. Weiner’s decision reflected more than a personal failure, but followed an intense push from top Democrats who worried that the scandal was a distraction and was hurting the momentum they believed they were gaining against Republicans in the budget battle as they prepared for elections next year.

On Wednesday night, Mr. Weiner called Representatives Nancy Pelosi of California and Steve Israel of New York while they were at a White House picnic to inform them he had decided to resign, a top Democratic official said.

The news came as Democratic leaders prepared to hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss whether to strip the 46-year-old congressman of his committee assignments, a blow that would severely damage his effectiveness.

“Congressman Weiner exercised poor judgment in his actions and poor judgment in his reaction to the revelations,” Ms. Pelosi, the House minority leader, said in a statement. “Today, he made the right judgment in resigning.”

Mr. Weiner began telling his most trusted advisers about his decision on Wednesday night by phone, informing them that it no longer seemed fair to his constituents and his colleagues for him to remain in office.

Mr. Weiner, a Democrat, came to the conclusion that he could no longer serve after having long discussions with his wife, Huma Abedin, when she returned to Washington on Wednesday after traveling abroad with her boss, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Ms. Abedin did not appear by his side on Thursday.

“I’m sorry it has come to this, but I think it’s best for both him and his family and for the Congress,” said Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, a fellow Democrat from New York. “While the disclosures of his behavior have been incredibly disappointing, I’m going to choose to remember all the good things he’s done for his district and our city.”

A special election to fill his seat will be called for by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and can occur 70 to 80 days after he makes the call, according to election law experts. The winner would serve out the rest of Mr. Weiner’s term, through 2012.

But the victor might have a brief political career since the district is a strong candidate to be eliminated as part of the redistricting process that is already under way.

The scandal involving Mr. Weiner erupted last month after a photograph of him wearing tight-fitting underpants was sent to a college student in Washington State. Mr. Weiner denied having anything to do with it, but during an emotional news conference on June 6, he admitted to having sent the image and to having had inappropriate online exchanges with at least six women.

Friends said that Mr. Weiner, who has been distraught for much of the past 10 days, seemed at peace with his decision on Wednesday night as he drafted his resignation speech.

Despite his decision, Mr. Weiner still had some supporters in his district, which includes neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens.

“He did nothing to hurt the public interest,” said Arie Ciuraru, 55, as he stood outside a pizza restaurant in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, where he works. “To face his wife, he paid already. I feel sorry for him.”

Pressure on Mr. Weiner to leave the House has been building for days, with top House Democrats, including Ms. Pelosi, coming forward over the weekend to urge him publicly to spare himself, his family and his party any more embarrassment.

But that pressure intensified earlier this week when President Obama publicly suggested that Mr. Weiner should step down and Ms. Pelosi told reporters that she was prepared to strip Mr. Weiner of his committee assignments if he did not leave.

At the same time, the House ethics committee had formally opened an inquiry into Mr. Weiner’s conduct, including trading private messages with a teenage girl in Delaware. The investigation raised the prospect that he would face formal charges and sanctions, including expulsion. But with his decision to resign, the investigation is expected to end, because the committee has jurisdiction only over the actions of members of Congress.


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Sources: CNN, Fox News, LA Times, MSNBC, NY Times, Washington Post, Youtube, Google Maps

Anthony Weiner Politically Marred For Marrying A Muslim? Peter King? Could Be!

Why Is Congressman Anthony Weiner (D) Suddenly Being Vilified In The Media After Experiencing A 13-Year Political Winning Streak?

Surely Its NOT Just About Some Lewd Twitter Photo!

Instead Its Really About His New Muslim Wife!

That's Right!

Brooklyn Congressman Anthony Weiner Recently Married A Beautiful Muslim Woman By The Name Of Huma Abedin, 34 (Former Aide To Hillary).

Last July Weiner & Huma Said Their Vows In A Ceremony Officiated By Former Pres. Bill Clinton.

Now We Know What's Really Going On!

Is It Possible GOP Long Island Congressman & Muslim Basher Peter King Has Anything To Do With This?

Come On People Let's Be Real!

You Know Peter King Don't You?

The Same Congressman Peter King (R) Who Held A Hearing On Capitol Hill Earlier This Year About "Muslim Radicalization"?

Yes THAT Peter King!

Did You Really Think Peter King Was Going To Allow A Liberal Brooklyn Congressman Who Marries A Muslim Woman, Run For New York City Mayor Without Some Political Backlash?

Please Not A Chance!

Don't Get It Twisted!

Its Highly Possible Peter King Has Absolutely NOTHING To Do With This Scenario.

Than Again Its Highly Possible King Might Just Have A Little To Do With It.

Either Way Its Political Backlash That Did NOT Just Come Out Of Left Field. More Like The Right Field!

This Is Why I Believe Democrats & Independents Should Continue Supporting Congressman Weiner. Especially Those Who Reside In His District.

God Bless Congressman Weiner & His Wife Huma!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Anthony Weiner Marries Huma Abedin

Rep. Anthony Weiner married his glamorous gal pal Huma Abedin in Long Island Saturday in a lavish ceremony officiated by former President Bill Clinton.

The power couple exchanged their "I do's" inside the secluded Oheka Castle in Huntington.

Clinton jokingly said that marrying a politician can be tough because it's "easy to distrust them, whatever their religion," a source told the Daily News.

The ex-Prez also praised the 45-year-old Weiner's tenacity while courting Abedin, 34, who looked resplendent in a white Oscar de la Renta gown.


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Sources: CNN, C-Span, Huffington Post, Mediaite, MSNBC, NY Daily News, NY Post, NY Times, Google Maps