Michelle Obama’s shorts are latest style flap

Michelle Obama’s shorts are latest style flap

The Associated Press

By now, Michelle Obama has firmly established her sartorial right to bare arms. But baring thighs may be another matter. Photographs of the first lady descending the steps of Air Force One in shorts have the media in a sweat. Some are saying Mrs. Obama— on her way to the Grand Canyon for a family vacation — may have revealed too much skin. Mrs. Obama is no stranger to public scrutiny over her fashion decisions, including exposing her bare arms or wearing expensive sneakers to a soup kitchen. When Anya Strzemien, style editor at The Huffington Post, saw Obama’s shorts, she knew there would be interest. “I thought the fact that she wore shorts was newsworthy because she’s the first first lady to wear shorts on Air Force One,” Strzemien said. “I was interested as a newsperson because it was a first. A lot of things the Obamas have done have been firsts.” She posted a poll for readers to explain what they thought: Most were in favor of the outfit, but others thought the shorts were inappropriate or too short. FIND MORE STORIES IN: Barack Obama | Michelle Obama | Fashion NBC’s “Today” show poll had similar results with a whopping 300,000 people responding to the vote. The blog post was the show’s most commented-on of 2009, said Dee Dee Thomas, a “Today” senior producer. What does this show? “That people love talking about Michelle Obama,” Thomas said. “She’s pushing the envelope on how we see the first lady.” And it’s clear the media loves talking about Michelle Obama, too. Many news outlets rallied to the first lady’s defense, noting that she was on vacation when she wore the shorts over the weekend, in sweltering desert heat. “What should she have worn to the Grand Canyon? A tweed pantsuit? A ballgown? What do you wear on your summer vacation?” asked Elizabeth Snead of the Los Angeles Times. But others wondered from whom, exactly, the media was defending the first lady. “Everyone is up in arms — if by ‘everyone’ you mean no one, or rather a large, shadow-y group of no ones,” Kate Dailey wrote for Newsweek. “August is a slow news month, and covering people who are actually shocked and outraged about health care can only fill so many minutes in the Twitterfied news cycle.” True, there were critics online, as there tend to be. “Why not wear linen pants … more tasteful,” Charlie Smith, of Montgomery, Ala., wrote on the “Today” site. “She may have been on vacation … but she should respect the Office of the President and the USA.” But it was clear most responses fell firmly on the side of shorts. “First Lady Michelle Obama looks great in her shorts and it shouldn’t even be a news worthy issue … Leave her alone,” wrote Joann Begonja, of North Bellmore, N.Y. “Get a grip folks — these aren’t ‘Daisy Duke’ shorts,” echoed John Johnson of Dover, Ohio. “Looks O.K. to me and I am NOT an Obama fan by any stretch of the imagination!” Mrs. Obama’s office had no comment on the matter. Thomas, the “Today” producer, said she wasn’t surprised by the support for the outfit. “I would be surprised to hear of any woman in her 40s who has not worn shorts,” she said. “She’s a mother of two tweens on vacation in the hottest place in the country.” Mary Tomer, founder of the New York City-based blog Mrs-O.org, which chronicles Mrs. Obama’s style, said the brouhaha over her legs is media-created. “From what I can tell most people are wondering how this became major news,” Tomer said. “Who doesn’t wear shorts while hiking in the Grand Canyon in mid-August with your family?” It’s real-world style that makes Mrs. Obama a fashion icon, said Mandi Norwood, author of the book “Michelle Style: Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion.” She cannot be expected to be a practical, down-to-earth woman, but also dressed up in pencil skirts and designer shoes all the time. “She’s comfortable in her own skin,” she said. “This is a very practical statement by a very practical person.” Norwood said she didn’t think the choice of shorts was the most flattering for Obama, but that the whole conversation about it is a “ridiculous style storm.” Still, don’t expect people to stop talking about her clothing. “We draw conclusions from what she wears because that’s all we have to go on,” Norwood said. “But also, it’s fun.” Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Listen….He’s speaking!

So I was out today and I saw a woman with a t-shirt on that had the scriptural passage on it about how Jesus said that when whatever we do to the least it’s as if we had done it unto them…I’m sure you can recall…Well at any rate…as I walked out of the store…that thing really began to speak to me and in clear terms….It was as if the Lord was opening my eyes a little more to the fact that are refusal to feed, visit, and take care of those who are in need…when we have the resource, is as if we are in refusing to serve the Lord. Our love for Him comes into direct question because He has given us the responsibility of expressing our love for Him thru our loving and caring for those we see everyday. Immediately after each lesson the Lord gives, He is faithful to allow us to demonstrate what we have learned….and sure enough at the next store I had the opportunity to share what I learned and touch a life…Now that was an obvious lesson and test…and a quick victory! I am ready to live it out every day …in many more ways….Thank you Lord for loving me first…now I can love you back as I love my fellow man. I heard the Word!

-SoulWorshiper

You ready to Listen….

It’s not that He’s hasn’t been speaking, but more like you have chosen to hear only what sounds good to them ears. We’ve been given the liberty to tune out and listen whatever we so choose. Only thing is, what goes in takes the same journey as a seed planted…what you get in return is a harvest limited by what was planted…..If there is a refusal of Truth, then you will no doubt experience that which may appear real but in time will manifest it’s counterfeit nature. Take a second, a minute, an hour, even a day and think about whether or not listening to the Truth has been your habit. If not, (based on where u are and where ur not) are you ready now…..?

-SoulWorshiper

The Simple Formula to Unleash the Law of Attraction and Get Your Stuff

Discover the three steps to manifesting using the Law of Attraction, that you might be missing. Learn why visualization might not be working for you and how to work with, not against Universal Principles. Success is easy when you understand these 3 simple steps.

Manifesting with intention. That’s what happens when you “use” the Law of Attraction to create your desires. Are you cooperating with the Universe?

You can use the Law of Attraction to create any desire, but you MUST be in a place of cooperating with the universe. Visualization can help you to do that, if you understand the 3 steps to deliberate creation.

In order to use visualization to harness the power of the Law of Attraction, you must first understand the 3 steps to deliberate creation.

A lot of folks have focused on visualizing as the key to creating results using the Law of Attraction. Visualizing is a great tool, but maybe not for the reason that you would think.

The process of manifesting is still a bit confusing to most folks. You see, The Secret Movie did a brilliant job of whetting everyone’s appetite for understanding Universal Law. And the speakers featured in the movie are real and successful and credible folks. But they just didn’t have time to tell us everything. Visualization is an easy thing to teach and vision boards often create fabulous results, but there is so much more to creating than visioning. And, your results may have been poor or inconsistent.

So, if you got excited and tried some things and got a little stuck or confused, take heart. There is a simple formula for working in harmony with the Universe. When you understand this formula, you have all that you need to manifest with powerful intention. And, when you get good at it, it will look like magic to those who observe you; as it may look to you right now!

Make no mistake, though. This isn’t magic. It’s Universal Law. And you can learn to cooperate with the Law and allow the Universe to deliver to you what you have asked for. Actually, it’s a three step process.

Step Number One
It starts when you experience something you don’t want. When you see something that you don’t want, you are wired to start asking for what you do want, and that feels completely natural.

Step Number Two
Once you ask, the Universe, an attraction based place, is set up to provide what you asked for. Most of us don’t get this. Imagine that you have ordered something and it is immediately provided. Think of your desire being available at the Universe’s “online store”. You click on what you want and the Universe tells you it is “in stock”. That is the second step. The Universe does the second step. Is that cool or what?

o, you did the first step, by having a desire. Then the Universe answered your desire with a big “Yes!”, because this is a Universe of inclusion and when you ask, what you ask for is provided. This may not seem to be happening. After all, you don’t rub the lamp, ask the genie and have all that you desire materialize in front of you!

Step Number Three
The third step is the other job that we, as human beings have. And this is where folks are often missing the boat. In order to receive delivery from the Universe, you have to be cooperative. What that means is that you have to be emotionally and mentally in a place that allows you to receive what you  asked for. This is often spoken of as being a vibrational match for what you asked for.

Another way of looking at this is that you have to be feeling good in order to let good things come into your experience. So, to do this third step, you have to let go of the original feeling of discontent and wanting, and move yourself into the feeling, the vibration and the energy of gratitude and pleasure that you imagine you will have once you get what you asked for.

That’s the whole formula! As you can imagine though, the third step is our real work. Step one is easy and natural. Step two is done for you. All of the work is really about changing the way that you focus your thoughts and feelings so that you can cooperate with the Universe and receive. This is work and it takes practice, but it is really very fun work and the results are outstanding!

Start doing this work of allowing yourself to receive what you have asked for by imagining and visualizing- not to tell the Universe what you want (you already did that), but for the purpose of feeling the pleasure of having it, vibrationally, even before you get delivery. The more you do this, the faster you will find yourself enjoying cooperating with the Universe!

Laurie Stolmaker is an experienced counselor, educator, and Law of Attraction coach with a private practice based in Santa Rosa, CA. She specializes in helping people uncover and unleash the joy that is their natural birthright and loves creating fun ways for folks to have lives of success, joy and ease. Claim your free recording, “Unleash Your Success” to joy-start your day, and your free Law of Attractio Ebook at =>
http://www.joyinside.net/free/free1.html

Michael Jackson Live!

SoulWorshiper Flowing at an Open Mic in Las Vegas

This was an Open Mic event in Las Vegas February 28, 2009. Kenny Martin Jr “SoulWorshiper” was flowing with one of the Artists on the mic that night. It was real spontaneous. The guy was just flowing off the head letting it all just come out…Real cool ambiance that evening. It was actually held at New Antioch Church in LV. It was hosted be LV comedian Simi.

Chris Brown

A pall was cast over the Grammys on Sunday night when police said just 90 minutes before the show began that they were investigating nominee Chris Brown for allegedly attacking a woman the night before. And minutes before U2 opened the the telecast with its new single, the Recording Academy said Rihanna, Brown’s longtime girlfriend, had scratched her performance.

A police statement said the 19-year-old Brown had argued with an unidentified woman Saturday night, and that the fight escalated when they got out of a vehicle in the ritzy Hancock Park neighborhood. The woman told authorities that her attacker was Brown, who was not at the scene.

A CBS promotion for the upcoming show touted the R&B singer and dancer as a performer just minutes before it began, though he had not been spotted at the Staples Center as of late Sunday afternoon. A representative for Brown had no comment when approached at the venue.

The developments put a huge hole in the Grammy telecast, but the Recording Academy found able replacements in Justin Timberlake, Al Green, Boyz II Men and Keith Urban as they all sang Green’s classic hit, “Let’s Stay Together.” No mention was made on the broadcast about the switch.

Brown has long been dating pop superstar Rihanna, who was slated to perform early in the show. But she dropped out, the Recording Academy said in a statement less than an hour before the show, and she was not seen at the venue as the show was about to get under way.

“We’re sorry she is unable to join us this evening,” the statement said. It did not provide details as to why.

Rihanna was supposed to sing “Live Your Life/Disturbia” as the second performance of the night, Brown was later to sing “Forever.”

Brown and Rihanna were both nominated in the pop collaboration with vocals category, Brown for “No Air” with “American Idol” champion Jordin Sparks; and Rihanna for “If I Never See Your Face Again” with Maroon 5.

Brown was also nominated for male R&B vocal performance for “Take You Down.”

Videos of Bishop G.E. Patterson Preaching…

Check out these great videos of the late great Bishop G.E Patterson.

Bynum discusses marriage on ‘Divorce Court’

Bynum discusses marriage on ‘Divorce Court’

Judge ‘had never heard of her before’ appearance.

By D. AILEEN DODD
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/22/08

 

Just when the media spotlight was fading on national evangelist Juanita Bynum, the pastor found a new forum where her star could shine again —reality TV.

Frankly, Judge Lynn Toler, of Fox TV’s “Divorce Court”, had no idea who Bynum was when producers asked if they could invite her on the popular courtroom show. Creative minds behind the scenes of Divorce Court wanted to tackle a serious topic —spousal abuse.

Toler’s staff thought Bynum’s national story of surviving domestic violence would help others living with abuse find the strength to leave violent relationships —and attract some solid ratings.

“I had never heard of her before,” Toler said of Bynum Wednesday. “The executive producer came to me and said I know you don’t like to do shows on domestic violence, but this is a way we could do it responsibly.”

Footage of Bynum’s two-part interview on Divorce Court has been posted on www.divorcecourt.com in anticipation of her appearance today. And if ratings hit a home run, Bynum could be invited back.

A spokesman for Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III on Wednesday said he, too, was asked to go on Divorce Court, but declined the offer. In March, Weeks pled guilty of assaulting Bynum last summer and was given probation as a first offender.

“Bishop Weeks understands that he cannot prevent his wife from saying whatever she wants, but as in the past, if mistruths are told, he will respond accordingly,” said his divorce attorney Randy Kessler.

Bynum’s decision to appear on Divorce Court after the media blitz surrounding her domestic violence trial has some metro Atlantans wondering whether the Pentecostal “prophetess” is trying to extend her stay in the limelight.

Latoya Hardamon of College Park, who has followed Bynum’s ministry, said enough is enough. “You are a woman of God, what is your purpose of going on Divorce Court?” Hardamon said. “We have seen all of that already, we don’t have to hear it again.”

The Rev. Cynthia Hale, who pastors a flock of 5,000 at Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, is also puzzled. “I am not sure how going on Divorce Court is going to extend her ministry,” said Hale . “I believe that something as sensitive and as personal as divorce should not be aired in public.”

However, David W. Key, director of Baptist Studies at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, says since Bynum has no formal church of her own, that reaching out to souls through Divorce Court, couldn’t hurt her. Bynum developed her ministry based on her life experiences as a woman looking for love. “I don’t think it will impact her as it would other ministers who have not created their ministries off of their personal stories,” he said. ” I think she will find a new audience on Divorce Court.”

Divorce Court Judge Toler said she also had some concerns about Bynum, but later came to understand her. ” I asked her if she was trying to stay in the limelight,” Toler said. “She said the fact that I got into a domestic violence dispute with my spouse was more of a threat to my ministry than anything else.”

Bynum tells Toler on TV about her decision to leave Weeks: “I said to myself, I love him, but I love me more.”

Toler said she learned something from watching Bynum minister to a couple dealing with domestic violence on the episode. “She was able to speak to the offender in a way that I couldn’t,” Toler said. “She said things I didn’t think of.”

Meanwhile, Bynum’s divorce is still pending. An attorney for the evangelist tried twice to get a tell-all book about the Weeks-Bynum marriage yanked before the divorce could be resolved arguing that it contained “false statements” about Bynum’s alleged drinking and drug use, among other things. Two judges – including the Gwinnett County Superior Court judge scheduled to hear the divorce – denied an appeal for a retraining order to stop Weeks’ book, “What Love Taught Me.”

 

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Chris Brown – Hip Hop/R&B – A Legend already?

 

Pop-oriented R&B vocalist Chris Brown debuted with the Scott Storch-produced “Run It!” and became the first male solo artist to release a single that went straight to the top of the Billboard singles chart. Only 16 at the time, Brown came from a small town in Virginia called Tappahannock and, like a lot of kids born since the early ’80s, was initially into his parents’ favorites but eventually fell under the spell of hip-hop. Around the time he reached puberty, he discovered his singing voice. Within a couple years, he had a recording contract with Jive and was lined up with several production and songwriting heavyweights (Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, Dre & Vidal, Sean Garrett, Storch) for his eponymous first album, an immediate Top Ten hit released in November of 2005. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide