Washington DC has Highest HIV/AIDS Rates

by Tashira Walker, The Black College View
D.C. health officials released a report earlier this week showing the Washington, DC area to have the highest rate of the AIDS infection than any other city in the US. Between the years of 2001 and 2006, there were 7,947 HIV cases reported which included, 4,468 AIDS cases. Following these statistics, it is reported that African Americans (84.3%) made up that population nine times more than whites and twenty times more than Hispanics.
According to the 2007 District of Columbia HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Annual Report "The preeminent finding of this renewed annual examination of the District's HIV and AIDS status is that every community and every population group is impacted by the virus."
Read Complete Story photo by Blackvoices.AOL.com

Art World Has New Heavy Hitter

by LeeSandra Alexandre, The Black College View
When you hear someone mention a strong artist, typically you think of your favorite singer or rapper who is a current hit on the charts. In the Washington, D.C metropolitan area, Johnnie Bess is an up and coming artist, but you won't see him in any music video anytime soon.

Bess who prefers his artist name "Monk" can be considered a triple threat. A junior painting major and photography minor at Howard University, Bess has mastered the skill of painting, sculptor and photography.

"I've been painting since '98, [and] besides loving it I have gotten a lot of good feedback" Bess said.
Read Whole Story photo courtesy Johnnie Bess

The Canary in the Social Networking Coal Mine

by ZDNet's Dan Farber
Facebook has stirred up a great deal of controversy and now harsh criticism with its Beacon advertising program. Three weeks after launching Beacon Facebook, the company did a 180-degree turn to make it more palatable for users rather than advertisers. It still fell short of the total opt-in approach that some critics called for. Coke, one [...]

Facebook: The canary in the social networking coal mine

With Power Comes a Selfish Point of View

Researchers Adam Galinsky, left, and Joe Magee demonstrate the results of a study: People who feel powerful draw the letter E from their internal perspective, while those who feel powerless draw it so others can read it.
Photo Credit: By Adam Galinsky -- Northwestern University

New research in political science and psychology has provided a novel explanation for why leaders and managers regularly let their followers down and resort to the kind of "layoffs and pay cuts are good for you" talk that defines absurdity. People acquire power and go through a transformation that appears to be psychological.The Washington Post

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An E-Book Reader That Just May Catch On

The Kindle is the latest in a long line of e-book readers. Will it succeed where others have failed?It sold out in 5.5 Hours !! This reader has the backing of Amazon and 20,000 titles. The cost, $399.99. Webuse is limited, to non-exitent, but the device will download books wirelessly within the pricing structure of the book, $9.99 or less.This is a New York Times article.

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Forty Acres and a Gap in Wealth

Commentary
Henry Louis Gates, Jr, The New York Times
Op Ed Column, November 18,2007
Dr. Gates examines the state of black America in light of Pew Research Center Study released last week. The study shows that 37 per cent of African Americans polled believe blacks today can no longer be considered a single race. A large gap in income/ wealth, within the black "community", accompanies a gap in values.

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Neighborhoods of "Them" vs. "Us"

by RaShawn Mitchner, The Black College View
From the big-box stores replacing mom and pop retailers to the new faces in the city's neighborhoods, it is clear that Washington, D.C., is undergoing change. In a recent forum, residents of the District and surrounding areas heard views on gentrification from a local politician, a business owner and a professor.

The forum, held at restaurant and bookstore Busboys and Poets, was part of author and journalist Nathan McCall's promotional tour for his new novel, "Them."

Author Nathan McCall, photo courtesy Simon and Schuster

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BASE Jumper in Wingsuit Buzzes Treetops at 100 MPH!

Base Jumper Dave Barlia talks about "slope flying" in a wingsuit over the beautiful hills of France. Flying parallel to mountain slopes at 100mph must be a rush. Doing “the Batman” at treetop level is one really cool way of getting the adrenalin pumping. Pump it up!

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Review: "American Gangster," a Must-See Thriller

Review by Melissa Baldwin, The Black College View, 11/4/07
"American Gangster," an action-packed thriller that shows the hard and crucial drug scene of Harlem in the '70s, is a must-see. This month's most anticipated film, starring Academy Award winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, grossed an estimated $46 million during its opening weekend.

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(Denzel in GQ Italy interview.)

Radiohead Responds to Download Stats: Says They're False

Radiohead has decided to respond to the previous coverage of their social experiment of offering their album online at a name-your-own price. According to a study (by a third party, comScore), only 38% of downloaders paid something while the 62% majority paid nothing. And of those paying, most paid less than $4. While it was fun to speculate on what this could mean for the music industry, turns out any speculation was based on more speculation (comScore’s). Here’s what Radiohead had to say:
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Podcast: Facebook Ads, Google's Android, phishing and tie strength

A ZDNet.com Blog examines issues involved in Facebook and Google ad platforms. They are striking at different instruments, social networking/ blog pages and cellphones; but social and communication networks are the communication links being exploited in both cases. ch

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Radiohead "experiment" estimated to have made $2.26 on every album download

Radiohead which sold their latest album online had 1.2 million visitors to their site in the month of October. Sales so far total 2.7 million or $2.26 USD on each download. On one hand this says most people are downloading without buying. On the other that $2.26 per album is more than they would probably see if they had a major record deal.

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Estella's Hats Boutique Is Priceless

Rhode Island Ave Store Still in Business Despite Owner's Death

Black College View:
LeeSandra Alexandre
Issue date: 11/4/07 Section: Community Profiles

Contrary to rumors and internet postings, Estella's Hats is not for sale. After the death of Estella Forbes Wheeler, hat designer and former owner of the boutique, the fate of the black owned business was up for speculation.
Wheeler did not simply make hats, but designed symbols of dignity for African-American women. She started the hat boutique more than 30 years ago and became a local fashion icon among celebrities and D.C residents.
(full story)
photo by LeeSandra Alexandre

For Clues on Teenage Sex, Experts Look to Hip-Hop

Suggestive, certainly. Misogynistic, sometimes. But dangerous?

By TARA PARKER-POPE, The New York Times
Published: November 6, 2007

Hip-hop, with its suggestive lyrics, videos and dance moves, has long been criticized by public health experts and parents, who fear that it leads to risky sexual behavior among teenagers.

But it has never been clear whether there is something uniquely insidious about hip-hop or whether the problem is simply that most people over 40 just don’t understand it. After all, nearly every generation seems troubled by the musical preferences of the next; remember, Elvis’s gyrating hips were once viewed as a corrupting influence on the nation’s youth.
(full NYTimes article)
Snoop Dogg photo from Wikipedia

A High-Heeled Halloween Frenzy

A Different Kind of Drag Race Captivates Dupont Circle
Veronica Dingwall
Black College View, 10/28/07

The traditional ghouls and goblins of Halloween took a back seat to dozens of contenders clad in their most bold and inventive drag costumes. Hundreds of spectators lined the streets of Dupont Circle between 17th and P Streets last night, for the pre-Halloween tradition known as the "High Heel Race."
(full Black College View story)

Genarlow Wilson Released From Jail After 2 Years

ESPN Sports Video, 10/26/07

Stringer Still Angry at Imus

ESPN Sports Video 11/1/07

Don’t Be Shy

By RACHEL AVIV, The New York Times
Published: November 4, 2007
Reticent students learn to raise their hands and speak up. At stake: grades and graduation.
(see full NYTimes article)

note: Shyness is a habit, form another habit, extend yourself and engage your professors and classmates. Those connections have value, they increase your value. ch

Prostates and Prejudices

COMMENTARY

By PAUL KRUGMAN, NEW YORK TIMES, Op Ed
Published: November 2, 2007
Rudy Giuliani has a habit of saying things that are demonstrably untrue. And the American people have a right to know that.
(full NYTimes column)

note: Krugman also takes on the habit of misstatement of fact of other politicians. After the mistakes and misstatements of the Iraq War and the "War on terror" America and the west should be more critical in it's examination of the political discourse. Our collective authority and resources may be directed to some purpose we do not intend. ch

Howard University; Washington, D.C.

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Howard Beats Norfolk State 17-10

To Snitch or Not to Snitch

by Matthew Cooper

Snitching, or "being hot," has been a controversial subject plaguing urban communities nationwide. It is an unofficial code in many neighborhoods, encouraging people to not tell the police if they witnessed a crime. Otherwise, they face the possibility of being killed. "Stop Snitching" has become almost a nationwide phenomenon, with the slogan being put into rap music and on stop signs on shirts.

Leaders and activists in Washington, D.C., discussed the controversy recently during a forum on "What's Snitching and What's Not" at the Blackburn Center at Howard University. A diverse panel included assistant police chief Diane Groomes, District attorney Albert Herring, Temple professor March Lamont Hill, Roc-a-fella Records rapper Freeway and Ron Johnson, a former gang member from Compton, Calif., representing Jim Brown's Amer-I-Can program.
Peaceaholics organized the forum as part of D.C. Atonement Week to facilitate a discussion about when residents feel it is justified and safe to tell the police about a crime, and to shed light on the true definition of being a snitch.
(see complete story)

Pelosi, Miller visit Howard to intro Education Bill

House speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Education, Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D- CA) came to Howard University to promote their work and agenda for this legislative session. A large part of their presentation dealt with, what they saw as the value they were seeking in legislation that was on it's way to the President. Here Miller describes aspects of the Higher Education Bill.