Security officials' heads need to start rolling at TSU

For the umpteenth time, the security at Texas Southern University was breached when the School of Communications' Martin Luther King building was burgled late last night or early this morning. Not only were the building's HDTV monitors stolen for the second time in 3 months, but the dean's office was somehow hit by the theft spree.

What makes this latest incident ridiculous is the fact that there were alarms and cameras throughout the building which were fully functional, but the official(s) responsible for ensuring security on the campus reportedly took TWO hours to respond to the alarms.

After the Trae Day shooting at the campus during the summer, President Rudley issued a statement pledging an improvement and increase of the university's security personnel and facilities. In his statement, Rudley said:

During the past year, we have made the following improvements to our security systems:

• increased lighting across the campus, both the interior and the perimeter areas
  
• increased video surveillance cameras across campus, including new sites around the perimeter of the university
  
• increased police presence and patrols during peak hours
  
• increased foot patrols across the campus
  added bicycle patrols
  
• provided continuous inspection of the emergency call boxes to ensure functionality
  
• provided escort services for students, faculty, staff and visitors
  
• increased building access security measures
  
• increased specialized training for all police officers, including criminal investigation training, and training for police leadership through the FBI National Academy.

My honest opinion is that the University's Department of Safety needs to undergo a radical revamp, because it is inexplicable how often the security officials have failed to be proactive where violence on the campus is concerned. There is no point sugar-coating the incident and making it seem like an issue which can be easily rectified.

Rapper Eminem attacks Mariah Carey in new song

Above: Mariah Carey at the video shoot for her single "Obsessed".... Many interpreted her attire as a reference to Eminem, but she denied the relation

Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers) apparently (re)started the war of words with himself and Mariah Carey, with the song "Bagpipes from Baghdad", released via his latest album Relapse. The song prompted a musical response from Carey with the song "Obsessed", where she described Mathers' behavior as "delusional". Listen to Obsessed below or check lyrics here.

The rift between the two, which has apparently been going on for a few years, has placed a spotlight on the maturity levels (or lack thereof) for both parties. Taking the mantle from Carey, Eminem continued the attention-seeking attempts to remain relevant and create a buzz for their upcoming albums. Mathers released a song named "The Warning", which is reminiscent of the songs which he wrote when both he and his audience were younger, back in 1999-2004. Showing that he isn't concerned with revealing information even about himself and his sexual encounters with Carey, he fittingly rhymes "If I'm embarrassing me, I'm embarrassing you and don't you dare say it isn't true."

Above: US rapper Eminem

What is the logic behind Mathers' rehash of his feud with Carey at a time when it was largely forgotten? Listen to "The Warning" below, or check the lyrics here. Be warned.... the song contains expletive language.

Billionaire Sir Richard Branson loses his stranglehold on use of the word "virgin"

Sir Richard Branson is easily one of the most powerful men in the world today.... his accomplishments speak for themselves

It seems like Sir Richard Branson thought, that being the successful billionaire he is, he would have been able to own the word "virgin" and dictate who uses it, and how they use it. Surprisingly, the English mogul managed to accomplish this and impose himself for a number of years, prohibiting the commercial usage of the word without his consent. Judging from this report, the entrepreneur was forced to loosen the vice grip which he held on the word's use in brand names.

Above: Some of the many recognizable companies which form the diverse consortium known by the world as the Virgin group

The mere fact that Branson's Virgin Group attempted to fight for the commercial use of a word in brand names, shows how paranoid even the most successful business heads can be. It is inexplicable why Sir Richard would still feel the need to protect a word which is instantly associated with his group, the group which owns and operates airline companies, (one of which is highly profitable despite the recession) a record company, a beverage company, a mobile & telecommunications company, banks, and you get my point. He has spread his wings so far and wide, that his penchant for bullying others who attempt to use the "V" word is somewhat unnerving.

I admire Branson's success, and it is very heartening to read his timeless biography, but it is a huge disappointment to witness his attempts to control the markets his companies are in.

N.B. Let us remember that there is a branch of his company set up in every viable market you can think of or imagine.

Tenenbaum case highlights authorities' inept attempts to eradicate music piracy

With the positive publicity his case has attracted, Joel Tenenbaum will most likely be ordered to pay a much lesser fine than what the RIAA are suing him for

Joel Tenenbaum's account of his ongoing lawsuit defense, 'How it feels to be sued for $4.5m', is a must-read for anyone who is, or has ever been guilty of illegally sharing music. Music piracy is seen as a serious offense, especially in the eyes of musicians and record labels; but with the internet being as liberal as it is, is it too late for the authorities to eradicate music piracy?

By his own admission, Tenenbaum is guilty of sharing music, but as he thought-provokingly put it, why are the authorities

treating him as though his offense is as serious as investment fraud or casino robbery?

The lawsuit against him has proven me wrong in my assumption that no one sues people for what they don't have, as is the case with the RIAA vs. Tenenbaum case. What is the point of suing him for $4.5 million, when he was not even able to pay the RIAA $10,500 in settlement money?

It is simple. They want to make an example of him. The question is, is anyone listening or taking them seriously? His earlier refusals to heed the warnings and letters to cease his piracy are not unique. What is the point of using one man (out of millions) as a scapegoat, when no one seems to acknowledge the consequences of piracy any longer?

Via twitter, the world is witnessing Joel's fight against the RIAA which officially began today, in a case which his legal team describes as "defending the average Davids against the corporate Goliath." His team of legal counsellors consists of Harvard students and their professor, and regardless of the verdict which is handed down at the end of the case, their admirable courage and willpower will not be forgotten.

Joel Tenenbaum, with the help of his talented team of legal counsellors, did what no one has ever done before: He stood up to the RIAA

On their blog, they wrote:

"The plaintiffs and the RIAA are seeking to punish him (Tenebaum) beyond any rational measure of the damage he allegedly caused. They do this, not for the purpose of recovering compensation for actual damage caused by Joel’s individual action, nor for the primary purpose of deterring him from further copyright infringement, but for the ulterior purpose of creating an urban legend so frightening to children using computers, and so frightening to parents and teachers of students using computers, that they will somehow reverse the tide of the digital future."

It is heartening to read that the RIAA's motives are obvious to them as well, and that people are seeing straight through their desperate, last-ditch efforts such as this lawsuit, to end what has now become widespread. As I suspected, and as the excerpt above states, the $4.5 million figure is not one which addresses the damages caused by Tenenbaum's piracy. It must be asked, that if the result of this similar case failed to deter Tenenbaum (or anyone else for that matter) from music sharing, is there anything unique to his case, that will miraculously eradicate piracy now?

Be reminded, that this article is not a suggestion that a law should be re-written when it is established that everyone is breaking it. It is just a call for the dismissal of outdated punishments, where one man is used as an example to deter others. We do not live in those times anymore. The internet-driven generation that we currently live in, calls for an updated method of crime prevention and law enforcement where music sharing is concerned, which disallows the kind of bullying that is so often seen in cases like this.

Good luck Mr. Tenenbaum. I am sure that the world is behind you.

Sex improves quality of sleep, study says

First of all, let me ask this: What is with all these research studies? And is it me, or does England seem to be the source for some of the most redundant studies?

I will give the conductors of this study the benefit of the doubt, that they truly believed that people who have had sex needed to hear this.

I guess it can be assumed that they thought this was going to help people who are addicted to sleeping medication, by showing them a less expensive and unhealthy way (we hope) of curing insomnia.

Let us hope that with our current economic climate the way it is, no significant amount of money (anything more than $1) was spent on this research.

CW 31 journalists' interview with author Karrine Steffans goes awry

I'm posting this because I was on the fence as to which side to choose, only a minute ago. I needed to figure out how I would act in either position, and as I wrote, I realized my answer. As a journalist, would I lose my cool and dismiss my interviewee if he/she gave me the kind of attitude and hostility that Karrine 'Superhead' Steffans displayed?

What about as an interviewee? Would I get offended if I start sensing that the interviewer has an agenda and only seems to be interested in my personal past? I am assuming that is how Steffans felt, and after watching the video twice I will admit that there is a justifiable reason why she would have felt and acted that way, but truth be told, the male interviewer had a point.

As a result of the way the farcical book promotion interview transpired, I'm leaning towards the journalists' side, because they decided to end the interview before it got messy, rather than do what another famous Fox journalist would have done - attack her into submission by exposing all of her personal business to viewers.

Her book, The Vixen Manual, is highly inappropriate for any young adult, which is the age group she kept hinting at, despite her best efforts to belatedly say that it was for older women who were married, etc.

In stores now, and available on Amazon

What made me lose compassion for Steffans, was the snide remark she directed towards the interviewers, telling them that they weren't "asking intelligent questions", in response to a perfectly simple series of questions in the latter part of the interview.

The minute I saw some of the erotic and extremely lewd illustrations from the book earlier this month, I assumed it was her spin on Kama Sutra, but in this interview, she made it seem far more sophisticated, commenting on how the book will provide the kind of advice she never had when she was a child and a young adult.

It is important to note that the former music-video model also stated that the book will offer tips and advice to women who are seeking, or are already in a relationship or marriage, as well as give tips to women in need of advice on bettering their work environment (yeah... right). Watch the interview below.

UPDATE: This is Steffans once again, with another failed attempt to promote her book. Why is she trying to be

sophisticated now? Who is she trying to fool? LOL This is hilarious to listen to. I should put this in the Just for

laughs section. She needs to stop being rude to interviewers when they use the facts from her own book to profile

her. Priceless.

4 Arizona boys accused of raping 8-year-old girl

Just when you think things are so bad in the world today that nothing can shock you, you turn on your computer, read my blog, and see this.

According to USA Today, "Officers [in Arizona] responding to a report of hysterical screams found an 8-year-old girl partially clothed and four boys, barely in their teens, running from an empty shed."

"She was brutally sexually assaulted for a period of about 10 to 15 minutes," police Sgt. Andy Hill said.

Now although the boys are way too young to be called paedophiles (they're not even 15 yet) the story still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, due to the fact that rape is hardly something associated with young children.

The boys, ages ranging between 9 and 14, were later taken into custody (that alone sounds weird) and were all charged with sexual assault. The weirdness continues, because the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said that the 14-year-old boy was charged Wednesday as an adult with two counts of sexual assault and kidnapping, and was being held without bond after appearing in court Thursday. He does not yet have a defense lawyer.

It is fair to say that he carried dumbness to a new level, but should he be tried as an adult at 14? Read on.

As said earlier, all four of the boys received charges for sexual assault, and two of them, aged 10 and 13, were charged with kidnapping, the office said Thursday. The fourth boy, a 9 year old, received no additional charges.

What could these boys be watching that could make them commit such a violent crime? At 9, I refuse to believe that he conspired to sexually assault the girl, but surely that young boy should have known by now, what to do, and what NOT to do.

As for the older boys, who most likely led the conspiracy, it must be queried: "What kind of environment were they raised in, and is it dissimilar to that which exists in the average home?" If it isn't, then this case will be joined by many similar ones in the near future.

In my opinion, it is a little easier to correct a child who is led or coerced into a violent, senseless act, but for a young child who is capable of plotting and carrying out such a heinous plan, such as the 14 year old, I see no reformation possible. He deserves to be tried as an adult, and be tagged as a sexual offender. Sounds harsh, but not if you consider that while many boys his age were playing video games, he was out sexually assaulting and ruining a young girl's childhood.

UPDATE: Maybe this incident is not a result of declining morals in the American society after all. CNN reported that "The girl and the boys charged are all from families that have come to the United States from the West African nation of Liberia."

Nonetheless, the story is still a sick one, and as a result, the one thing I won't change my stance on, is that the boys' parents are to blame for failing so miserably to train their children.

The issue has sparked a series of comments from Liberia, where the Liberian president spoke about the sexual assault incident, decrying reports that the parents believe their family has been shamed by the girl.

America is the land of dreams.... this guy is testament to that

Above: Mayor Michael Bloomerg's competitor for the next New York mayoral race.... I kid you not

I can safely presume that Robert Burck, renowned as "The Naked Cowboy", is going to be BY FAR the most colorful mayoral candidate in New York history.

I can't predict if this man is going to win or not, but his announcement to run for New York mayor has made my day. Before you call him a clown, let me warn you that looks are deceiving. Judging from the photos, I prematurely wrote him off as a joker, but his aspirations, accomplishments and qualifications, prove that he is anything but.

Clearly, the weather conditions don't seem to affect his intent....

Burck, believe it or not, is actually qualified in politics, and is not the average Joe (hehe) who is running as a grassroots politician. He earned a political science degree from the University of Cincinnati, and has also written several self-published motivational books. Though his entertainment antics may be comedy to most, there is an element of seriousness involved, because he earns as much as $1,000 a day, working in Times Square from about 11 am to 2 pm, and he donates some of the earnings to charity.

"I know how to do more with less," he said, insisting that he doesn't need clothes to campaign.

Unfortunately, being an icon, and a source of entertainment for people does not necessarily equate to being taken seriously as a politician, and despite his efforts and qualifications, I predict that Burck will have a hard time not being laughed at.

But hey..... America is the land of dreams and opportunity.... Right?

View more pics of Burck and his campaign announcement here.

British scientist says artificial brain '10 years away'

BBC: "The research could give insights into brain disease".... and then what?

Henry Markram, a leading British scientist, and director of the Blue Brain Project, boldly predicted that a detailed, and

functional synthetic brain can be built within the next 10 years.

The BBC reported that Markram told the TED global conference in Oxford that an artificial human brain will aid the research of treatments for mental illnesses.

Oh dear. Is there any organ left for man to artificially replicate? Mr. Markram and his "Blue Brain Project" have failed to

realize that they are not addressing fools. Though he might intend to use it for mental illness research, anyone that does

not fall under the category of being mentally ill, will know that it is only a matter of time before someone seeks to create

a brain for transplanting purposes.

I refuse to believe that they will possess the power of creating a brain, and not seek to use it to gain some level of

superiority. There is no doubt in my mind that this development will lead to the erosion of not just the reverence for

Christianity, but of all religions. After all, if man can literally create himself, what is going to make religion appealing to

the generations to come? The world is headed in a starkly dark direction. I say this, because, like with every new

technological development, the initial intentions for its usage are always positive, but then when the power consumes its

possessor (à la missiles and nuclear bombs for example), the rest of the world suffers.

I am all for free, open minds, and expanding one's knowledge, but what cost will mankind pay for this constant probing?

Let us remember the old (and extremely corny but relevant) adage that curiosity killed the cat.

Attempts to discredit President Obama's citizenship described as 'hilarious'

Roland Martin, you are the man! I tried, but I could not have better described the persons disseminating a plethora of invalid claims about President Obama's citizenship.

While I was deciding whether to call them ignorant, brainwashed, or just plain daft; Martin, like the seasoned journalist that he is, showed how to keep things concise by simply calling them "nut-jobs" and "losers".

It's people in videos like the one above that give the USA a bad name. Martin described the woman's behavior as "hilarious" and said "To watch others cheer her insanity, and then boo the congressman who says the president is an American, shows you that we have a serious problem with mental illness in this country."

As for the soldier who requested a restraining order so that he wasn't deployed, I think he has contradicted himself with his actions. With all his patriotism, why isn't he focussing on serving his country? Rather than being political and taking stances against the President, why not do your job, Sir?

If he was wise, he would keep himself out of politics, and instead focus on what his job is supposed to be. Where was this interest in politics, when the previous President was seemingly doing all in his power to run the country into ruins? Why didn't this soldier come out and take a patriotic stance then?

I think I'll stop here, and take Martin's advice and just laugh at it all, or emulate President Obama and just ignore the naysayers.

Study shows link between social networks and financial success

Above: The top ten brands engaged in social network media, according to a new study's findings

A new study by enterprise wiki provider Wetpaint and the Altimeter Group revealed a direct relation between a brand's success, and its usage of social networking media.

The study shows that the brands most engaged in social media are also experiencing higher financial success rates than those of their non-engaged peers.

The findings were derived from an analysis of the usage of Facebook, Twitter, forums and blogs, by the top 100 companies from the 2008 Business Week/Interbrand Best Global Brands survey.

After examining the companies and their social media activity levels, the brands were ranked on an "engagement scale", which is how they were evaluated, and later placed into one of four "engagement profiles." Each profile is representative of the number of social channels a brand is involved in, and its level of involvement.

An analysis of the study showed that the brands that were the most engaged, saw revenue growths of up to 10% over the past year, compared to the least engaged brands, which suffered negative 6% losses.

At the top of the list were the "Mavens", or those brands which were heavily involved in seven or more social media channels. The second category is "Butterflies", for brands which are engaged in seven or more social media channels but are guilty of investing in some channels more than others.

"Selectives" is the third rating, given to brands that engage customers deeply, but only in the six or fewer social mediums that they chose. The lowest rating in the survey given to brands is "Wallflowers", and it is reserved for brands with sub-par engagement in six or fewer social mediums.

Unsurprisingly, all of the "Mavens" have occupied the top 10 spots for brands engaged in social media. These maven brands were able to realize financial success despite the economic downturn, which is indicative of the credibility of the study's findings. ReadWriteWeb.com rightly said, that "Although it's difficult to prove for certain that the companies' involvement in social media has led to their increased revenues, the implication behind the new data is that it has."

The list of the top ten brands involved in social media:

1. Starbucks (127)
2. Dell (123)
3. eBay (115)
4. Google (105)
5. Microsoft (103)
6. Thomson Reuters (101)
7. Nike (100)
8. Amazon (88)
9. SAP (86)
10. Tie - Yahoo!/Intel (85)

In case you were wondering like I was, Blackberry received a #12 ranking (due to the #10 tie between Yahoo and Intel), while Apple received a rather dismal #33 despite the success and popularity of their iphone. A simple reason for the disparate rankings of the two competitors can be found in the study's Engagement Profiles.

While Blackberry scored 85 points and achieved Maven status with their use of 9 channels, Apple utilized 6 social media channels, and were placed in the Selective category, scoring a meagre (by their standards) 43 points.

Jackson death shines spotlight on modern America.... Has their media gone too far?

Has CNN's most senior anchor gotten carried away with the Michael Jackson investigation and all it's drama?

Arguably the biggest culprit when it comes to creating and abetting controversies

Can the United States of America's media claim to be anything other than a drama seeking machine?

The Telegraph newspaper's Philip Sherwell suggests that they can't, and states that the recent death of Michael Jackson has thrown a spotlight on the excesses of 21st century America.

CNN, arguably the least drama-driven news network in the country, has recently shown an uncharacteristic tendency to be caught up in the many speculations surrounding Jackson's untimely death. There now seems to be an obsession on the part of one of their most senior anchors, to constantly "investigate" stories derived from some of the blatantly attention-seeking relatives and "friends" of Jackson.

Sherwell says "The King of Talk cannot shake his addiction to the King of Pop. Some 24 days after Michael Jackson's death, the veteran American chat show host Larry King remains obsessed with all the twists and turns and claims and counter-claims of the sorry saga."

"Amid the orgy of coverage after his death, there were plenty of voices on blogs and websites raising the allegations of paedophilia against the dead singer, who was acquitted of molesting a boy in a high-profile sex abuse case. But few public figures were willing to put their heads above the parapets on that front.

A notable exception was New York Republican congressman Pete King who dismissed Jackson as a "pervert" and lamented that society was "glorifying" a "low-life". He was rapidly assailed for vilifying the dead.

Never one to hide his opinions, outspoken conservative Fox News pundit Bill O'Reilly decried the "phoney platitudes", criticised Jackson's "unacceptable" behaviour with children and derided the black activist preachers Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson for making a "racial deal" of his death. "Jackson bleached his own skin and then chose white men to provide existence for his in vitro children," he claimed." - Philip Sherwell (Telegraph)

No shame whatsoever.... vilifying a dead man

Interesting piece, and I have a feeling that it represents a view that the rest of the world, and even some Americans share.