A LOOK AROUND DURING THE FIRST SNOW

LOOKING AROUND MY HOUSE DURING THE FIRST SNOW OF WINTER 2011

SLIDESHOW: My backyard during the first Columbia Snow of Winter 2011

SNOW COMES DOWN IN COLUMBIA MISSOURI

The view from the living room of my house on Old 63 after the first snow fall for the 2011 winter season.
Photo: Christopher Saunders

FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON COVERS COLUMBIA MISSOURI 

Most Schools Stay Open In The Afternoon, Some Cars Run Off The Road With No Major Accidents

EXTRAS: Links, Photos, & Video from the snow. Include yours in the comments section.  Follow me on twitter @chrisreports

COLUMBIA, MO -- The first snow of Winter 2011 has come down in Columbia, Missouri causing some disturbances but no major incidents or closures.

No school's have been closed however Columbia Public School's preschools have cancelled afternoon classes.   

KOMU has been reporting several accidents and backups across the city. One of the major highways through the city was covered in black ice and some car have spun out.  Some cars on Old Highway 63S have lost control but did not crash. 

Also some students at The University of Missouri have reported full classrooms but some professors have been selectively cancelling classes. 

EXTRAS

LINKS: 

Columbia Real-Time 911 (for up to the minute accidents)

KOMU-TV

PHOTOS:

Just a river of snow from Old 63 to my front yard.
Photo: Christopher Saunders

 

My car looks like a bag of flour exploded above it.
Photo: Christopher Saunders

The front yard with a light dusting of snow.
Photo: Christopher Saunders

A snowy backyard with a makeshift pond. Photo: Christopher Saunders

Backyard with snow.
Photo: Christopher Saunders

 VIDEO:

 VIDEO FROM MY FRONT YARD

BREAKING NEWS OUT OF JAMAICA

BREAKING NEWS OUT OF JAMAICA

Christmas gift: General elections set for December 29th

The Jamaica Gleaner is reporting tonight that Prime Minister and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Andrew Holness rang the election bell.  The date: less than a month away on December 29, 2011.

The announcement was made at a rally meeting in Mandeville, Manchester. Prime Minister Holness had announced last month that the general elections would be held before 2012.

In Jamaica and many Caribbean countries election dates are not standardized as they are in the United States.

Prime Minister Holness took over the JLP and the country when Bruce Golding resigned from both posts on October 23, 2011.

In addition to the ruling Jamaica Labour party, the main opposition party the People's National Party and a smaller opposition party the National Democratic Movement are expected to officially nominate candidates next Monday (December 12, 2011).  This nomination though is mostly ceremonial, as parties have already touted candidates for the 60 seats up for grabs in the election.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness annouce the election date.CLICK FOR VIDEO

Nationals catcher kidnapped at gunpoint in Venezuela

FROM THE WASHINGTON POST: Wilson Ramos, one of the Washington Nationals’ most promising young baseball players, was kidnapped at gunpoint Wednesday night from his family’s home in Venezuela, leaving the team in a state of shock and raising questions about the safety of playing in a country ravaged in recent years by kidnappings and street crime.

Sad story about a promising career possibly cut short. Ramos was home to play a few games for a his home country's winter baseball league. 

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR THE FULL REPORT. 

VIDEO: News van flipped on Penn State Campus.

From hisnameisdre's Youtube Channel.

Another Piece of the Penn State Puzzle.

Another piece of the puzzle in the Penn State saga. The Prosecutor from 13 years ago went missing and his computer found without it's hard drive. Click on photo to go to the NYTimes article.






Here is a recap from Rivals.com: 

Here is a link to the PDF of the Grand Jury Report.  WARNING: IT CONTAINS GRAPHIC MATERIEL:

One of the PSA's at YOUTH MEDIA programme in Belize

ORANGE WALK, BELIZE: Today the kids here at the YOUTH MEDIA programme finished up their PSA's (public service announcement). The groups were assigned some of the fundamental and universal rights of children. This group was assigned the concept of NUTRITION. The kids came up with the concept, wrote the PSA, shot it and assisted in the editing process.

The goal of the programme is not only geared to exposing the kids to media and the process of media but also to empower them. You could see this group take charge of their project in terms of fleshing out the locations, the concept and the shooting. One kid had been quiet for most of the programme and stuck to himself and friends from his area of Belize. But getting involved in the PSA you could see him asserting himself and really coming out of his shell. That's what this programme is about.

This programme is being sponsored by UNICEF, YOUTH MEDIA, UWI Open Campus: Belize and Dateline: Belize.

Day Three - Youth and Media in Belize - PHOTOS

Highlights from the morning session of day three of the Youth in Media programme.



Damacio Tosh working on some youth rights statements.
Students set up their facebook pages.
Jeffrey working on the script for his group's PSA.
Toledo folks working on their statements about the rights of children.

Day Three morning at La Estima.
Day Three morning at La Estima.
Rudolph (the next PM of Belize) works on his statements.

Day one and two at UNICEF - Youth & Media

UNICEF'S MEDIA & YOUTH PROGRAMME KICKS OFF IN BELIZE

ORANGE WALK, Belize – The first two days of the Youth in Media Programme has been an interesting experience and at the same time FUN!!!

I’m here as a part of partnership between UNICEF and UWI in a programme called YOUTH IN MEDIA. It’s designed to introduce kids to media, media usage and awareness.

As always there are some quiet kids and some really REALLY outspoken kids and of course the clown.

Like much of the Caribbean things kicked off with the Belize National Anthem—and that’s a long one. Unlike some others theirs tells a story of the country’s independence. It’s really nice.

The UNICEF representative told the kids about the rights they have as children and why their rights are so important. It was eye-opening for the kids.

The first few sessions over the two days for me was introducing the kids to ways to interview and why interviewing skills are important even if they don’t want to get into the news business. Some got their first experience using a microphone and we hope to get them out to conducting their own interviews by tomorrow.

The kids come from all over Belize from Belize City, Dangria Town, Belmopan, Toledo and they aren't just learning about interviewing. We are conducting sessions on writing, video, photography, and social media use--REALLY EXCITING!

After lunch on the second day we decided to get every group of kids to produce their own PSA (public service announcement) in a converged environment focusing on education, equality, health, protection and shelter—all part of the rights of children.

In our brainstorming session some of the kids had some great ideas for the PSA's but also some great ideas about how to improve their country.

On a side note (I’m not sure why) one of the other instructors and I decided to act as lifeguards/supervisors during a free swim at the nice indoor pool here on the beautiful compound of La Estima. That is going to be interesting.

When I fell in love with hip-hop .....

As I wrote about the release of Kanye West's / Jay-Z's album WATCH THE THRONE, one of my friends (Jennifer Martin) reminded me about a trip we took with NABJ to the 2005 Heineken House Party / Hip Hop's The Power Summit. We had gone to my home country for a short course in radio reporting at the Our Lucaya Beach and Golf Resort in the Grand Bahamas.

Freeport, Bahamas came alive with the top names in hip-hop and really music in general. After a long day, we had heard about a Listening Party for Kanye West. We went to it reluctantly.

As we got there I was mesmerized. Ye had angels in the corner, Common was just on the couch chilling. But then I got knocked down with the richness of lyrics, the passion in his voice, the deepness of his message. He hit out with now classics like "Drive Slow" but then he went back to his freshman album with "Spaceship"--- THAT WAS THE SONG, the song that did it for me. I felt struggle in the lyrics and his voice. Oh did I mention I was like 7 feet from West who was singing this. That was the point that I became a Kanye Fan and fell in love with hip-hop. He talked about struggles in music but I knew the struggle could be any struggle really.

"Y'all don't know my struggle
Y'all can't match my hustle
You can't catch my hustle
You can't fathom my love dude"
--- Spaceship (College Dropout)

"We all self conscious I'm just the first to admit it."
---- All Falls Down (College Dropout)

These were powerful ideas back then and still powerful now. West commented on society and its inequality:

"Cause they make us hate ourself and love they wealth
That's why shortys hollering "where the ballas' at?"
Drug dealer buy Jordans, crackhead buy crack
And a white man get paid off of all of that."

---- All Falls Down (College Dropout)

That was music and music that mattered.

Thanks for that Kanye. Thanks.

============




CAPTION: Another picture from the Heineken Beach Party. And no Jennifer I aint forget you. I just can't find the original. And YES that's Luda!!! He' short but funny!

I expect this new album to go HAM....

Just a few more hours before my Itunes starts to download the newest from KANYE WEST and Jay-Z as THE THRONE (the duo) and the name of the Album is WATCH THE THRONE). The album is ONLY available through ITUNES on August 8, 2011 and will be available in stores 8/12/2011.

And if you know me I am a Kanye West fanatic. See pics from GLOW IN THE DARK TOUR in Miami and CANT wait for the release.




This album was recorded all over the place in hotel rooms and throughout France, Australia, New York City, and Los Angeles and was intended first as a five-track EP. Thank goodness for the change of heart especially looking at the track list from iTunes:

• No Church in the Wild
• Lift Off (featuring Beyoncé)
• Niggas in Paris
• Otis (featuring Otis Redding)
• Gotta Have It
• New Day
• That’s My Bitch
• Who Gon Stop Me
• Murder to Excellence
• Welcome to the Jungle
• Made in America
• Why I Love You (featuring Mr Hudson)
• Illest Mutherfu&$er Alive
• H.A.M.
• Primetime
• The Joy (featuring Curtis Mayfield)
  

This line-up and colabs sound as if this could be a keeper (well ALL of Kanye's albums are keepers) especially with a team-up with Mr. Hudson again. You remember his voice on Paranoid (808's) Supernova (colab with Kanye) and who teamed up with Jay-Z on Forever Young (The Blueprint). Beyonce is surprisingly featured as well (sarcastic voice).

If you pre-order on iTunes you get one track immediately--OTIS (featuring Otis Redding) even though it has been leaked on the internet for sometime.

Also THE THRONE TOUR is launching as well. Check it out here>>> Im hoping someone finds a way to get me there. HINT HINT! There's a stop I think in Chi-town but I suspect that one will be CRAZY. Here's the list of tour dates and three aren't highlighted for no particular reason (sarcastic voice):

10/29/11 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena

10/30/11 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum

11/1/11 - Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena

11/2/11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center

11/3/11 - Wasington, DC @ Verizon Center

11/5/11 - East Rutherford, NJ @ IZOD Center

11/6/11 - East Rutherford, NJ @ IZOD Center

11/14/11 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ BankAtlantic Center

11/21/11 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden

11/22/11 - Montreal, QC, CA @ Bell Centre

11/23/11 - Toronto, ON, CA @ Air Canada Centre

11/26/11 - Detroit, MI @ Palace Of Auburn Hills

11/27/11 - Pittsburgh, PA @ CONSOL Energy Center

11/29/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center

12/1/11 - Chicago, IL @ United Center

12/3/11 - New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Arena

12/5/11 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center

12/6/11 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center

12/9/11 - Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena

12/10/11 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion

12/12/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center

12/16/11 - Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome

12/18/11 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena

MAN (and album) OF THE YEAR - So$aman

"My ultimate goal is not a destination, it's a journey. I've met a million people with a million dreams. I will probably meet a million more. A dream without action is simply nothing at all."

- Brandon "So$a Man" Major

BAHAMIAN ARTIST DROPS PHENOMENAL ALBUM

You've heard him perform We Winning on local Bahamian radio and seen him on Tempo with Shawty and you have even seen him proclaiming that he's too sexy for the whole daummm world (his words) VIDEO. But now So$aman takes his music to a completely new level with Dreamland dropping today.

I've known him as Brandon (well MUFF) -- y'all know him as So$a Man. Through it all he's been Major and Dreamland continues that trend.

Dreamland kicks off with one of the hottest and my favorite (and often quoted) track: iDream. This inspirational track reminds us all to dream and asks: "How you gonna see reality if you don't ever dream?" He makes an intentional effort to take the Bahamian dialect and culture (Every Ting Cool, Bahamas 2 the World) well to the world.

The album though it wrapped up with positivity and a real grittiness about it. We're reminded that all of us--including S0$a--have made mistakes "but mistakes have made me a man" (Brighter Days, Dreamland).

Hard to really pull any of the tracks out as the best because they each showcase a different part of So$a's mastery and skill--from bravado to optimism. But here are my top 6:

6) Every Ting Cool (Its just too funny)

5) Brighter Days (Reminds us that everything will be allright eventually)

4) Welcome(With the Prime Minister of Music, this weaves Junkanoo though an eventual club hit)

3) So$ Major (We should all live by this message)

2) Man of the Year (If your head don't bang listening to this then YOU'RE SOME MICHAEL NO JORDAN and YOU'RE JUST BORING)

1) iDream (This has been my favorite for some time. BUY it here on iTunes and listen when you need a pick-me-up.)

So$a has really taken the game to the next level with Dreamland intergratting R&B, Hip-Hop and Junkanoo. He's definitely proved that HE'S THE MAN!


Dreamland will be available on iTunes soon. Sign-up on iTunes for updates on the latest from So$aman!

"You have to follow your dreams to know where you headed ... When you make a wish don't ever forget it."
- So$a Man (iDream)

This is kinda old but thought I should still post it.

Chatting with a Tiger. My Alma Mata (Paul Quinn College) featured me as a alum.


(click on picture)