National:
Every one in the country had their ears to the street to what was called a “racial profiling case.” Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. outside of his own home after he suspected Gates of breaking an entry.
President Obama became the center of controversy when he was asked about the arrest at the national address on health care this week. Here’s what he had to say:
Obama later invited both guys to the White House to make ammends.
Your dentist may be the next in line to get raided for drugs. CNN did a story on a man who got hooked on pain killers after visit to the dentist. He got more drugs after finding out he only had to call in for prescription medicine.
[[CNN]]
A new study suggests that Black Americans are less likely to give tip at restaurants. [[NPR]]
Entertainment:
American Idol alum, Jordin Sparks released her second album, “Battlefield ” this week. The review is coming soon. In the meantime, check out her video for the album’s first single.
Michael Jackson’s body still hasn’t made its way to a cemetery, and he’s still making headlines left and right. This week the internet became obsessed with figuring out if Omar Bhatti was a son of the King of Pop. [[People]]
San Diego Comic-Con International has become the place where the worlds of comics, film, TV and videogames all meet. Now there’s a ticketed conference, held in conjunction with Comic-Con, where the business and creative leaders from comics and media can gather to find ways to build stronger, more successful connections. The festival happened this week.[[Comic Con Web site ]]
Tech and Gadgets:
Apple released new Final Cut Pro and most of us still can’t afford it. [[Apple's website ]]
Yay! A toothpaster squeezer = what the World needs now… [[Wired]]
A festival specifically for the purpose of ranting about hating your cell phone. NY Times reporter David Pogue fills us in. [[NY Times]]
Apple's new Final Cut Studio is cheaper and it has better features than older version
Hmmm…things that we do to torture ourselves—looking at products online that we can not afford. Just in-sight of our suffering minds is the anticipated release of Final Cut Studio. Final Cut Pro is the fastest and most sophisticated editing software out, the latest version comes with an IChat feature, easier options to export video, and newer versions of Motion, Soundtrack Pro, Color, Compresser, and DVD Studio Pro.
Although still a bite on the pockets, the new FCS is cheaper than it was last year.Final Cut Studio went from $1,299 to $999, with upgrades also less expensive at $299 (down from $499). Final Cut Studio requires an Intel-based Mac running OS 10.5.6 or later. (You can find complete system requirements on Apple’s Web site.
The crew for the film, “500 Days of Summer” used Final Cut Pro for its movie.
Check out the trailer and interview with the film director Marc Webb here:
I’m a Philly boy deep inside. When I do errands I can easily put on jeans, a t-shirt and a fitted cap and go forward with my day. I can’t picture my style any other way. Philadelphia chews a big bite of the New York City’s fashion culture. Don’t get it twisted – every city has its fair share of fools walking in its streets rocking fashion “dont’s”. Not to say that I’m one of those…at least I hope not. I had an aha moment as I was walking home from my job downtown. I noticed I was on the older side of commuters at the trolley station. Feeling old at 21 may sound bogus but i’m sure it happens to many people in their twenties.
When I was looking at all of the teenagers in their bright, over the top fashions. I imagined the gap between our interest and fashions. “They are so them and I am so…old,” I thought to myself. “Damn, I’m really old.” Or is it just a new era of young adults? What I do know is that I haven’t wore what used to be my favorite pair of jeans in more than a year.
My Abercrombie & Fitch ripped jeans were pants that I never had to worry about washing unless it absolutely needed to be done. Now they just sit in my bedroom closet with things that I only wore once. What it boils down to is that I’m not a teenager anymore and I don’t like to wear jeans with big holes in it these days.
I was looking at the current edition of Rolling Stone that has a beautiful retrospect of Michael Jackson’s life when a desire that I have resurfaced. The fact that I’m obsessed with magazine covers and t-shirts. Rolling Stone covers are iconic and represent American culture. I was thinking it would be dope if the magazine would make custom t-shirts of its cover collection. The magazine that started in magazine has recently reduced the size of its cover to what now looks like a bite size compared to how huge it used to be. There is an RS merchandise store that has some t-shirts of its cover. I was thinking the mag could pull in more revenue for its magazine by having a feature at its store that allowed readers to order any cover they want and make it a t-shirt.
Some of you know me and a lot of you don’t. For those who don’t know me, I’m Ryan Dennis. For those who do know me, welcome back to the new version of Become Universe. I started this Web site to let out my own voice as a writer. I’ve blogged sporadically over the past couple of years and I would like this outlet to be my home.
Journalism 2.0 has got the news industry on a shaky ladder, which I think most journalist are optimistically climbing up. Some professionals are telling me that I need to go to business school, while others are giving me the green light saying journalist have always been told to go to business school. I embrace this next phase of communication in collaboration with being apart of the next generation of journalists who continue to appreciate trustworthy news and great storytelling.
What I do know is new media technology has been an influence in my life since the early days, like early, early days as in 10 years ago when I was 11 and I got my first video camera. My parents could not shut me up about wanting to be a reporter and a producer. Or perhaps when I was 7 years old and I attempted to step in the back of my television to be apart of Nickelodeon’s SNICK.
But I digress badly to the point to say that I’ve been wanting to write on this site for an insane amount of time. My last post was at the top of the year its July already! But now the time has presented itself and hopefully things will get taken to the next level. Some advice on passion: It’s the thing that you can’t help but do every chance you get to do it.
I haven’t written since August and I certainly felt terrible about not writing. Not for the blog sake but for going so long without expressing myself in this way.
The last quarter of the 2008 was chaotic. There were tons of hardships that left me feeling lost but there were also great times that gave me a sense of how awesome life could be. It was a year that was challenging for everyone around the world. We’ve all felt every thing on the list of emotions. Our world is changing. Wars, Crimes, Struggles, Lies, Defeat. People say that we’re living in the times of the end. This is intimidating. Speaking of which, have you seen the trailer for 2012? It looks like a whole bunch of nothing but I also warn that you may piss in your pants for the thought of being scared to death by the thought of THE END! (AAHHHHH!!…) You Tube it if you haven’t seen it.
I can honestly testify on the phrase “God is great.” Obstacles that we face may indeed suck while we’re going facing them but in the end there is a beaming light that gives us direction to happiness. This closure is a burst of goodness that always makes life worth living. Challenges will always make sense concluding why we experienced it. Not just in a religious sense but the universe really works in an awe-inspiring way. You never know what force will carry you into the direction of your life. This may be a goal, an obstacle, or perhaps another human. For me it was a combination of everything but the biggest battle was one against me. I feel that I’m getting closer to my dreams and I’m more aware of the person that I am. I’m learning to accept every part of me flaws in all, with the effort of becoming a better version of myself every day.
Il bel far niente is the Italian phrase for “the beauty of doing nothing.” At the end of 2008, I had the pleasure of going home to my family in Philadelphia enjoying simpler times. By the end of the vacation, I did not want to come back to Pittsburgh. Work, School and social situations left me feeling like crawling into my bed at my mother’s house, watching TV (Will & Grace, 30 Rock), and eating what she calls “everything under the got damn sink.” When I returned back to my empty apartment in the ‘burgh, I was left doing that too. I had time to think and digest everything about 2008 that I loved and didn’t want to happen again. I even had to let go slightly of some things that I loved; eating carelessly is one of them.
Every year, there is always something to resolve from the last year. This year, I want to do my best at resolving issues as they come to me. No matter where life takes me while in this pursuit, I know it’s a battle that will leave me, like you, stronger, wiser and that much closer to life.
Cheers to a new year, new president, better lives, and bigger dreams to see!
Its been quite a minute since Christina Milian left our stereos. When Def Jam Records dropped her from its roster a week after her album “So Amazin’ ” was released, the singer didn’t leave the public eye, but she certainly didn’t serve any music relevance at the time as Rihanna and Beyonce devoured the only room that was left for former Disney star.
“Us Against The World” is the first single off of new album on MySpace Records. It’s a catchy pop hit that’s capable of having its own following.
Milian has a great single under her belt and is in pursuit of stepping on the stone that she established. She looks absolutely breath taking in the video.
To the left, to the left…Hadley Street, in Houston, TX., is a long road to travel but one member of the Knowles clan is taking a different path than any one could’ve ever guessed. The War in the Middle East. Global and Econcomical Hardships. And the movement of a strong black politician beating the odds. We haven’t experienced times that echoed the sixties since, well, the sixties. Now we can feel the rhythms of the music in our ears with a Supreme, Marvellete lovechild who also happens to be the sister of Beyonce.
I’ll admit. I hate jumping on the band wagon for any fad in popular culture. It’s my own stubborn way of proving I’m an individual and I can go against the grain instead of following a crowd. My history of using this technique is great for peer pressure but its not a good look when it comes enjoying a talented artist. This is in fact a case of The Carter III. I’ll admit : I was sleeping on Lil’ Wayne’s skills. I’ve followed his career since the late ’90s with Cash Money Millionaires but I never took the time to listen to what he had to say on his own projects in the last 4 years. Dare I say, “what a big mistake?”
and right. This week the internet became obsessed with figuring out if Omar Bhatti was a son of the King of Pop. [[People]]
What’s up, friends?
Happy 2009, Become Universe!
I’ll admit. I hate jumping on the band wagon for any fad in popular culture. It’s my own stubborn way of proving I’m an individual and I can go against the grain instead of following a crowd. My history of using this technique is great for peer pressure but its not a good look when it comes enjoying a talented artist. This is in fact a case of The Carter III. I’ll admit : I was sleeping on Lil’ Wayne’s skills. I’ve followed his career since the late ’90s with Cash Money Millionaires but I never took the time to listen to what he had to say on his own projects in the last 4 years. Dare I say, “what a big mistake?”
