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Joe Jeannette

Joe Jeannette
(Joseph Jennette)
BORN August 26 1879; North Bergen, New Jersey
DIED July 2 1958; Weehawken, New Jersey (Some sources report 1956)
HEIGHT 5-10
WEIGHT 185-205 lbs
MANAGER Dan McKetrick

Jeannette was an extremely talented fighter; On defense, he was slippery and elusive; On offense, he was a dangerous inside puncher; He was a member of the outstanding "black" foursome of the teens, along with Jack Johnson, Sam Langford and Sam McVea; Jeannette was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1967 anwill be like d the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1998

During his career, Jeannette defeated such men as Jack Johnson, Sam Langford, Sam McVea, Georges Carpentier, Black Bill (Claude Brooks), Jim Jeffords, George Cole, Al Kubiak, "Big" Bill Tate, Arthur Pelkey and Bartley Madden click here for more

Is there a lawsuit here?

First Coast News Anchorman Ken Amaro began working at First Coast News (then known as 12 News) in October 1979, where he covered several beats including Education, City Council and the Military. In October 1989, Ken was promoted to "On Your Side" reporter. He has received numerous journalism awards, among them are the Florida Suncoast Emmy, The Gabriel Award, and 1998 Consumer Advocate of the Year.
Ken is also a spitting double of Professor Klump

Pink & Russel on Genius

Black Genius
In this collection of essays and interviews journalist Dick Russell examines the role of African Americans through two centuries of American history. He focuses primarily on the role of blacks in the cultural life of the United States. Russell writes about notable figures such as educator Mary McLeod Bethune, speaks with Harvard professor Cornel West about W. E. B. Du Bois, and discusses Frederick Douglass and James Baldwin in an essay titled "Timeless Voices, Parallel Realities." Black Genius and the American Experience, with an introduction by Alvin F. Poussaint, takes a thoughtful and fascinating look at the contributions to U.S. history made by Americans of African descent.

Click here for more about Dick Russels book Black Genius

Many geniuses peak early, creating their masterwork at a tender age ...

Conceptualists

LITERATURE: The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Age 29

PAINTING: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon
Pablo Picasso
Age 26

FILMMAKING: Citizen Kane
Orson Welles
Age 26

ARCHITECTURE: The Vietnam War Memorial
Maya Lin
Age 23

MUSIC: The Marriage of Figaro
Wolfgang Mozart
Age 30

Experimentalists

... while others bloom late, doing their best work after lifelong tinkering.

LITERATURE: Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain
Age 50

PAINTING: Château Noir
Paul Cézanne
Age 64

FILMMAKING: Vertigo
Alfred Hitchcock
Age 59

ARCHITECTURE: Fallingwater
Frank Lloyd Wright
Age 70

MUSIC: Symphony No. 9
Ludwig van Beethoven
Age 54

Click here to read Daniel Pinks interesting article

"THE BLACK-TAS-TIC FOUR": HUDLIN TALKS �BLACK PANTHER�

Beginning this week in �Black Panther� #26, while Reed and Sue Richards spend some time away from the team to work on their marriage, another super powered married couple will fill in for them; the King and Queen of Wakanda, The Black Panther and Storm. CBR News spoke with �Black Panther� writer Reginald Hudlin about the series.

Click here for interview

UK slave trade apology 'needed' Click here



Slave trade shameful, Blair says Click here

Jamaican anger over slave trade Click here

Support the Underdog Vote Sanjay

So what if he's bad, what age group do you honestly think is watching American Idol other than a bunch of teen girls

Venus Musical Cafe

On The Menu Tonight:
Mica Paris & Guru
Cat Power
Spoon
Jimi Hendrix
Eva Cassidy
****Bonus Track!

Click here t0 get served

Having Their Say

the BBC has done and excellent job of covering the 200 year anniversary of its abolishment of slavery

Here Young Brits share they're thoughts on Slavery

Warren Jordan
Moss Side

"I don’t think there are many lasting impressions of slavery, it's not a part of everyday life.

"However, that doesn't mean it should be forgotten about. In fact, black people should be respect


Vanessa Ochan
Southwark

"It’s important to me because it’s my ancestors and part of my culture.

"What happened had a big impact on how black people live in the UK and the racism they face. People should care about slavery because it’s part of history.

"We should learn more about slavery because if the slave trade never happened things would have been very different.

Adam Mckerrow-Conteh, London

"It’s important because it wasn’t that long ago and it’s a big part of our history.

"Our people were taken from Africa and used as slaves so we should give respect to our ancestors and what they had to go through."

Simone Johnson
Hackney

"I think people should care about slavery because it was a big thing and people still see black people in a certain way because of it.

"From my own point of view black people have less of a chance in life. It’s harder to get a job sometimes - you feel like people are looking at your colour and people who are white have more of an opportunity."

Lere Fisher
Streatham

"Knowing the history of slavery is important, it made black people not believe in ourselves.

"We’re not taught about the struggle in school and how they made it through, that would give us a sense of pride about who we are, based on their struggle.

"There is a big impact on Britain because of slavery and we need to be educated more."

Xiomi Wijnhard
Holland

"What I think about slavery is that it is very important to me because they are my family back then, and they were made into slaves.

"It’s a real big part of me and we have to recognise them because it’s a big part of everyone’s history. And it’s really important to talk about it in this

Britains Legacy of Slavery

All of a sudden you have entire peoples seen as sub-human;

if someone is sub-human
then the slaver is justified in what he does.

Click here to read the entire article

Two centuries of stereotypes

Ken Barnes is the president of 100 Black Men of London. It's a worldwide movement, born in the USA, which recruits successful black men to mentor the next generation.

18th CENTURY BIOLOGY European: eyes blue; gentle, acute, inventive. Covered with close vestments. Governed by laws Asiatic: eyes dark; severe, haughty, covetous. Covered with loose garments. Governed by opinions Black: phlegmatic, relaxed. African. Crafty, indolent, negligent. Anoints himself with grease. Governed by caprice The System of Nature, Linnaeus, 1735

Disney Goes Black and to New Orleans

Return to form — 'Frog Princess' is Disney's first foray into hand-drawn animation in 5 years
By Russ Britt

MarketWatch
NEW ORLEANS — After what will be a five-year hiatus from the medium, Walt Disney Co. on Thursday unveiled a plan to jump back into traditional hand-drawn animation.
Randy Newman on piano and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band play a song from the upcoming animated feature "The Frog Princess."
Randy Newman on piano and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band play a song from the upcoming animated feature "The Frog Princess."
At its annual meeting, held in Hurricane Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, Disney announced that its film "The Frog Princess" would be set in the stricken city and is scheduled for release in 2009.
It will be Walt Disney's first foray into traditional, two-dimensional animation — the medium that propelled the company to prominence under its founder and namesake — since the 2004 effort "Home on the Range," which fizzled at the box office.
Of late, the recently acquired Pixar has provided most of Disney's box-office momentum in the field of animation, with such hits as "Cars" and "The Incredibles."
"This movie is going to be classic Disney, but you've never seen this before," said John Lasseter, the creative chief of Pixar, who now oversees all of Disney's animation operations.
It's unclear, however, whether the company intends to follow "Frog Princess" with another hand-drawn effort. Studio spokeswoman Heidi Trotta said Disney had no announcement on other hand-drawn films.
The move is a gamble because Disney's other recent hand-drawn efforts have joined "Home on the Range" as box-office disappointments. 2002's "Treasure Planet" was a huge failure, and the company was forced almost immediately to take a write-down on the $140 million-budget film.
To boot, "Treasure Planet" directors John Musker and Ron Clements are again at the helm for "Frog Princess." While the 2002 movie took a bath, the duo also was responsible for Disney hits "Aladdin" and "The Little Mermaid," the latter of which launched the company into its most recent era of animated hits, in 1989.
Laura Martin, an analyst for Soleil Securities, said "Frog Princess" has a chance at success if its creators manage to come up with compelling material.
Image
"It doesn't matter what the technology is. It matters what the story is," she said. "It's clear that Disney is trying to integrate the best of the past with its animation franchise."
Asked whether audiences are becoming inundated with animated features, Chuck Oberleitner, who publishes the Disney fan site O-meon
.com, said the lines are blurring between live-action and animated films as some movies now simply place actors in front of screens and use computers to create the backgrounds.
"There were over 200 live-action features last year, and no one said anything about too much saturation," Oberleitner said.
Disney's Lasseter said "Frog Princess" will be a musical in the same vein as "Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast." And it will feature, for the first time, an African-American lead character.
Oscar-winning songwriter and New Orleans native Randy Newman is writing the songs for the film and was on hand at Disney's shareholder gathering to perform one with a brass band.
It was as emotional a gathering as a shareholder meeting could get, as roughly 300 shareholders showed up, many of them from the New Orleans region. Several of those had had flooding in their homes.
Betty Edler, a Disney shareholder and resident of suburban Metairie, was at the meeting with her husband, Edward. The couple's home was deluged with 6 inches of water — a modest amount in comparison with most of the region's afflicted homes — but enough to force the Edlers to tear out sheetrock and completely revamp their first floor.
A shareholder for 10 years, Edler was grateful to be able to attend her first Disney meeting, which she said had come at an opportune time. "This city can use any kind of boost it can get," she said.

Obama, Think Different

One Great Ad


The original

Black Pupils treated worse by Teachers

Black pupils are routinely punished more harshly, praised less and told off more often in English schools than other pupils, an official report says.

It says the staff in many schools are "unwittingly" racist, with black youngsters three times more likely than white to be expelled permanently.

It describes this as an "iconic issue" for black Caribbean communities. Yet the issue is certainly not a new one and has been an issue of concern for black communities since before the mid eighties.

"The Department for Education and Skills said using "the R-word" was unhelpful, but it is to issue new guidance.

The report - Getting it. Getting it right - had advocated a focus on the 100 schools with "disproportionately high" exclusions of black pupils."

A DfES spokesperson said the numbers involved in any one institution were small so it was hard to draw general conclusions about which interventions would work or not. Which in our opinion would nmean that the DfES intend to pay as much attention to the matter as they have in the last twenty years which is pitifully little.

"We are not making any suggestion at all that this would equate to a list of 'the schools where black Caribbean pupils are most likely to be excluded'," she said.

However, it is going to target support to schools and local authorities felt to need it most. It would certainly be interesting to see how the Dfes quantify "needing it most".

The report stemmed from a "priority review" involving officials, head teachers and others, headed by the department's director of school performance and reform, Peter Wanless.
the report was leaked to a newspaper but has only recently been published, as questions were being asked about its continued non-appearance.


the report finds that black pupils are:

• Significantly more likely to be permanently excluded and routinely punished more harshly.



• Praised less and told off more often.



• 1.5 times as likely as white British pupils to be identified with behaviour-related special needs
  outperformed white pupils in school entry tests - (when these were changed to teacher observations the pattern was reversed)



• disproportionately put in bottom sets - due to behaviour rather than ability


• much less likely than the average to be identified as gifted and talented


Source: Wanless report
It says every year 1,000 black pupils are permanently excluded and nearly 30,000 suspended.

It describes this as an "iconic issue" for those of black Caribbean heritage.

"Exclusions are to education what stop-and-search is to criminal justice", it says.

A key factor is "the marginal status of race equality" as "important but somebody else's problem and politically correct nonsense".

The response to race equality legislation by many schools, local authorities and even part of the department itself "has ranged from grudging minimum compliance to open hostility".

'Using the R-word'

The review considered two strands of thought.

One argument holds that "largely unwitting, but systematic, racial discrimination" means staff expect black pupils to behave worse.

The other argument is that black pupils, especially boys, are subject to outside influences and cultural stereotypes that cause them to behave more aggressively in school.

The report favours making schools the focus. It says they can be categorised broadly as those that "get it" and those that "don't get it".

"The main barrier to an effective closing of the exclusions gap is the need to engage the co-operation of those schools who have not 'got it' yet."

The report highlights - in bold, in a red box - what it calls a "key decision: using the R-word".

"Properly understood, Institutional Racism is not such a 'scary' thing for an institution to admit to," it says.

But it is "highly charged" and the department must decide whether to use it in its guidance or something "that has less inflammatory potential" but might be less "challenging".

The DfES spokesperson said: "It is hard to see how using this label would help schools and local authorities to take intelligent action to tackle the issue."

'Nuclear' option

The report says the schools inspectorate, Ofsted, has not been "robust" enough with schools but has expressed a willingness to do more.

There needs to be a "nuclear deterrent" for those that have consistently failed to tackle their exclusions gaps, it says.

But it accepts that the sort of special measures used for educational failure would never be invoked just on this issue.

Instead the Commission for Racial Equality might issue a compliance notice under the Race Relations Act, it suggests.

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "We want to ensure that we are able to equip our schools to identify the in-school factors and have a better understanding of 'culturally different' First Published - 02/03/07

Bono Speaks

"There's no chance this type of human hemorrhaging could be allowed anywhere else other than Africa"

This 2005 Ted presentation is just as compelling today, as is the need for continued support for one.org

Venus Wants You To Have A Nice Day

Click here to see what I mean

Dumbstruck by Drumstruck

Drumstruck was the first interactive drum play on Broadway, which has spun off into the world wide Drum Cafe their philosophy
We are able to build a community; more than just working together.

We build a community that is non-competitive.

We realize that we are all here for the same reason.
Click here for their amazing study guide

Proof

This video, both comedy and tragedy further proves why we must educate and empower the inner-city male. If this person placed this same energy into something positive what would his results be?

Venus Knows Jazz

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Comics done Wrong Comics done Right

Comics done wrong.
This Marvel title (the title and writer I will find and post) reveals just how subtle racism reveals itself in comics check out the name Kooning, (as in coon)

Comics done Right
Another Marvel title only writer Marc Guggenheim' deals with the tragedy in Darfur with such honesty you may not like the outcome but you are far more educated on how complex the situation over there is
Recommended
AYA
"What I wanted to show in Aya: an Africa without thewar and famine, an Africa that endures despite everything because, as we say back home, life goes on."--Marguerite Abouet

Click here for preview

Ghosts or Why Wont Strom Die?

"Our niggers is better off than most anybody's niggers, why, they got washing machines and some of'um even got televisions. I can't understand why they complaining."

"I want to tell you that there's not enough troops in the army to force the southern people to break down segregation and admit the Negro race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches" Strom Thurmond

Strom Thurmond, was unrepentant Racist, who committed his life to denying African Americans their place in America, he was also a pathetic hypocrite fathering an African American daughter whose existence he denied his entire career Dick Cheney the most despised Vice President in my history who may be single person behind America going to war in Iraq, named his plane the spirit of Strom Thurmond

How do you spread freedom in the spirit of a Racist?

Just when we thought the news couldn't get any weirder, we learned this week, via The Daily News, that Al Sharpton's great-grandfather was a slave who was owned by relatives of Senator Strom Thurmond, the longtime archsegregationist who ran for president as a Dixiecrat in 1948.
Click here for full article

Cheney travels in US Air Force plane named Spirit of Strom Thurmond. Maybe that's why he's never visited Africa? Click for full article

Glenn Sacks Challenges Media's Image of Fathers

Glen Sacks often complains about the way men and fathers are mocked and denigrated in television commercials. In November, 2004 he launched the Campaign Against Anti-Father Verizon Commercial, asking Verizon to stop running the commercial "Homework." In that ad a bumbling father tries to help his little daughter with her homework and is treated with contempt by both the girl and her mother, who orders the father to "leave her alone" and "go wash the dog." Our campaign made 300 newspapers, and the Verizon ad stopped running a few weeks later. click here

Andre Ward Olympic boxer aims for king of the world

ONE SPORTS HERO in Oakland could own this city, and he's already piling up the points. If he someday combines a championship with his celebrity, he'll be a knockout winner for sure in Oaktown.

Andre Ward is everything you'd want in an athlete. He's a special talent, but not full of himself. He's young, but respectful of elders. His record is clean inside and outside the ring.

Oakland can hold up this Olympic champion as an example of the type of athlete we could revere and respect. He is a devoted husband and father. He's spiritual, polite and worldly wise at 23.

And if Ward becomes the middleweight champion of the world, which is his goal, he could cast a shadow in Oakland wider than Lake Merritt, the body of water around which he does his roadwork.

Right now, this hometown kid is more promise than proven. Oakland has adopted him, but hasn't yet embraced him the way it would if a title belt graced his middle. The target date is two more years.

In the meantime, something heartwarming is occurring between Ward and Oakland, even though he has yet to box here professionally. His next bout is March 29 in San Jose. Meanwhile, his bonding with Oakland continues.

An eclectic coffee shop — Coffee With a Beat — is near the lake. Ward's godfather and trainer, Virgil Hunter, has known owner Nate Smith for 30 years. So Ward has a place to come to after his early morning workout.

Young, old, white, African American, Hispanic, Asian, male, female, West Coast, East Coast, everywhere else, joggers, walkers — Coffee With A Beat is a melting pot of humanity.

They all admire the smiling young man with the flashing fists.

"Andre Ward represents the best of Oakland, black or white," said Adrian Harper. "But as it relates to the African-American community, he is what we want our young people to strive to be. He's a nice guy, he's dedicated, he's humble. He's not afraid to intermingle with Oakland and he has not allowed celebrity to ruin his outlook."

Coffee With A Beat is where politics is discussed as heavily as sports. And celebrities who turn up are given their space by the locals.

"He's such a nice gentleman," T.C. Culberson said of Ward. "You can just feel that he's very kind-hearted, extremely polite, and very generous with his time to the people who come up to him. He's very modest."

Smith has owned Coffee With A Beat for six years, but has known Ward since he was a little tyke.

"He's a great kid and I'm proud to know him," Smith said. "He does these interviews and he knows how to speak, like he's been there before. Hewatches his diet here. He gets salmon, vegetable dishes; he doesn't eat anything fatty."

Bobby Warren trained George Cooper, a popular Oakland middleweight in the 1960s and'70s, and he expects big things from Ward, who's 10-0 as a pro.

"He's always in condition and he listens," Warren said. "He's a good kid and he's serious about religion. You don't find too much of that today, not among the youngsters. You hope the best for him."

Ward is respectful of his elders, but only to a point.

"I do a lot of cursing," said Warren. "And he always tells me, 'Bobby, don't curse.'"

Ward arrived this particular morning, changed out of his workout clothes and sat down with lox and bagels layered with cream cheese and onions. Someone kidded him about being Bar Mitzvahed.

"I've always had an old soul," he said. "I come around the older gentlemen; they have a lot of wisdom. There's a lot of history here. I listen to the old stories about life. I'm a good listener."

Ward's wife, Tiffany, and children, Andre Jr. and Malachi, occasionally join him at Coffee With a Beat. Ward is there once a week depending on his training schedule.

"It's great to know there's a place like this — a good, clean place — that supports what I'm doing," he said. "I'm a people-watcher. I watch body language and mannerisms. I sit back and soak in what these guys are talking about, then I go about my day.

"There's a beat going on in here that's real laid back. I'm that kind of person. I'm not into hoopla."

Andre Ward — a credit to Oakland, but mostly a credit to himself.

Dave Newhouse's column appears Monday, Thursday and Sunday, usually in the Metro section. Know any Good Neighbors? Phone (510) 208-6466 or e-mail dnewhouse@angnewspapers.com.

Mastication for the Nation?

Advertising watchdogs have launched an investigation after more than 100 people complained a commercial for chewing gum is racist.

The television ads for Trident gum have been accused of mocking the Jamaican accent.

They show a Jamaican stand-up comedian being interrupted during his routine and handed a packet of the gum.

He then runs from the theatre and shouting the slogan "Mastication for the Nation".
What do you think?

Venus on a Rainy Night

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