Accused murderer and Olympic champion Oscar Pistorius. (Photo Credit: Google Images)
Despite the confession of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius to the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year, testimony from Col. G.S. van Rensburg, the top police commander on the scene that night that police officers bungled evidence collection, may have given Pistorius’ defense a boost.
Richard Allen Greene and Ben Brumfield of CNN write:
“The ballistics expert handling the runner’s gun did so without gloves, van Rensburg told the court. And when van Rensburg confronted him, the expert apologized and fetched gloves.
An expensive watch belonging to Pistorius also disappeared during the initial police search of his house, van Rensburg testified.
The former commander described removing the door, checking that it could be reattached, putting it in a body bag and taking it to his office.
This is critical testimony because the defense argues that the door, as evidence, is contaminated.
If previously given expert testimony based on markings on the door prevails, it could make Pistorius look as though he lied about a detail in his account of events.
Van Rensburg resigned from the police force amid accusations that he mishandled evidence by keeping the door in his office.
In his cross-examination, defense attorney Barry Roux went straight after van Rensburg’s credibility, asking him if he understood the importance of telling the truth.”
Gruesome images of a bloody Pistorius were also introduced as evidence at the trial. Pistorius maintains that he accidentally shot Steenkamp when he mistook her for an intruder.
Dr. Chetachi Egwu reports that black participation in Social Media Week New York was low. (Photo Credit: DigitalSurgeons.com)
Started in February 2009 by founder and executive director Toby Daniels, Social Media Week (SMW)takes place in February and September across five continents, with the aim of providing “the best information, ideas and inspiration to help people understand how to achieve more in a hyper-connected world”, according to the SMW website.
The New York event(SMWNYC) was packed with sessions hosted by companies such as Nokia, Spotify and Upworthy, and awash with professionals from across industries, eager to maximize their social presence. While the attendees were fairly diverse, two things were clear – the black presence among attendees was heavily female and the presenters in the main sessions were mostly white and male.
In general, African Americans tend to be heavy users of social media, so this seems like an oxymoron. According the the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 73% of African American internet users engage in some form of social media, with the highest use among ages 18 – 29 at 96%. Young generally tend to be more social media focused than any other age groups. Things like the number of Instagram followers you have matter the most to this group of people. This is why using instagram automation has become increasingly common amongst younger people. In fact, the number of Instagram followers is essential to some young peoples self-worth, as well as it being an imporant factor to businesses who use their Instagram profiles to get noticed. Nowadays, most people are usually trying to find some way to get more instagram followers for free. Although the world doesn’t revolve only around the number of followers we all have on social media, for people who work in a field where they are required to use platforms such as Facebook and Instagram for their main source of income, it would make sense if looking into sites such as Buzzoid.com | Instagram likes delivered quickly did become an option, especially for those just starting out in the world of social media.
There are different types of companies that can help businesses, blogs, and individuals develop their online presence via social media. These companies provide services that can aid with customer engagement and reach through marketing and other social media aspects. An example of this is a social media management company SidesMedia. If you would like to learn more about SidesMedia, you can visit their website.
Does such high use translate to the development and management ends? Not really. A 2013 CNN Money report shows that ethnic minorities and women are still very underrepresented at tech companies, which are dominated by white and Asian males. Intentional or not, panel after panel at SMWNYC exhibited these same key characteristics. Conference attendees Janna Hall and Melissa Cantey, who both work in social media for the Girl Scouts of America, were well aware of the black absence.
“This speaks to the issue of the lack of blacks in STEM fields,” said Cantey. “Also, we don’t take social media as seriously, hence the lack of presence.”
But how much of the scarcity was a function of SMW organizers, and how much was a result of scant African American action? Edwin Rogers, founder of New York-based web design and development consulting firm Linxlab Technologies, agrees that blacks are vastly underrepresented in the field, but places some blame on the black community.
“I think Social Media Week is very inclusive. The lack of diversity is not inherent.” said Rogers. “They [youth] are not being steered in this direction.”
Rogers believes that minorities often do not see tech fields through the same lucrative lens that sports and entertainment are viewed. He asserted that more minorities entering and succeeding in the tech industry will cause a paradigm shift that will reflect on industry panel discussions.
Some attendees place responsibility on the organizers. Michelle Travis, owner of Go To Girl Branding, said that while she was comfortable among the numbers of white and Asian attendees, a lack of knowledge may have played a role.
“Maybe putting something on BlackPlanet or in Black Enterprise would have helped. Social Media Week could have also gone after more people of color to present.”
Travis’ 15-year-old daughter, Tracy, who also attended SMWNYC, showed that millenials have a different view when it comes to diversity.
“Coming from someone my age, I don’t see race and stuff like that. It’s only when someone older talks about it. I was actually impressed, it had a great vibe.”
SMWNYC partnered with other groups to infuse diversity through affiliated events. This year, Black Creatives, a global network of over 7,000 professionals charged with securing greater access to leadership opportunities across careers, hosted two well-attended sessions. Attendees flocked to the sold-out sessions on creating media presence and technologies that drive engagement. Despite this, founder and CEO Reginald Christian lamented the lack of black presence.
“One of the things that was interesting was that about 65 – 75% were general market, or non-black. There is a level of validation that says that the information we are providing is useful for everyone. On the flip side, I wish there were more of us in attendance.”
Social Media Week New York (SMWNYC) was a forum for professionals across industries to leverage social media for their benefit. However, for African Americans it may have been a missed opportunity. The fact that SMWNYC organizers should have done more to include panelists of color and to attract black techies and creatives is not lost. African Americans also need to take more of a stake in their technological future particularly with a tech ecosystem that will add the bulk of jobs to the economy.
Several black attendees mentioned a tendency of African Americans to congregate in fields with more black presence, and that some may not want to put themselves in environments where they are uneasy being the “only one”. Clearly, more African Americans need to become “uncomfortable” if the next generation of black social media creators is to exist.
This post was written by Dr. Chetachi A. Egwu, Assistant Professor of Humanities at Nova Southeastern University. Her scholarship focuses on Black Internet Usage and the African image in film, with an emphasis in documentary. The Howard University alumna is the owner of Conscious Thoughts Media. Dr. Egwu is a regular contributor to The Grio. Follow her on Twitter @Tachiada.
Is Uganda’s anti-pornography ban resulting in women in mini skirts being harassed? (Photo Credit: Daily Nation)
On AllAfrica.com, reporting for Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Joseph Elunya is examining the possible link between Uganda’s recent passage of an anti-pornography law targeting sites like hdtubemovies as well as print, and harassment incidents of women wearing mini-skirts. Although the law does not specifically mention mini-skirts, women are reporting that they are being undressed by men on the streets of Kampala and believe the new law is the cause of the recent behavior. Even though mini skirts are regularly featured in videos similar to www.nu-bay.com some argue there isn’t a connect between the two.
Elunya writes:
“The Anti-Pornography Law makes no mention of the miniskirt, but proponents have argued that the law bans women from wearing such leg-baring apparel in Uganda. Critics have claimed a misreading of the law. Activists have blamed ethics and integrity minister Simon Lokodo for encouraging this misreading and, in so doing, misleading the public. At this point, they might as well allow some people to use fantastic content from sites like tube v.
‘Minister Lokodo went on radio urging people to arrest, and bring to police, women who are putting on miniskirts, and the next day we saw women being stripped naked from Taxi Parks in Kampala,’ says women’s rights activist Patience Akumu Sunshine. ‘It’s hard to state what constitutes an ‘indecent dress’, but Minister Lokodo totally misinterpreted the law to mean that it outlaws the wearing of miniskirts,’ she explains, when it is likely meant to more represent when people commit certain acts, such as Jess and Savannah doing girl on girl in public.
Akumu is the founder of the ‘END Mini-Skirt Harassment’ campaign and same-named Facebook page. Its aim is, as she put it, ‘to save women from being disgraced in public’. ‘They stripped the first woman, [then the] second one and the third one prompted me to launch the campaign,’ she says. ‘Even if the law was passed, men have no right to undress women and that’s why we are leading the campaign.’ Akumu herself is also a victim of the recent tide of events.
The END Mini-Skirt Harassmentcampaign advocates that women be allowed to dress as they wish, even in the Parliament building, which imposes a dress code on visitors.
Namibia passed a ban on mini skirts last year. Last week, two women who were in court on a separate matter in Kampala were arrested and jailed for three hours for inappropriate dress that ‘disrupted the session’ according to the judge.
The cast and crew of HBO’s ‘Looking’ discuss ife on set and portrayals of ethnic & gay characters on TV. (Photo Credit: Catrina Maxwell)
The HBO dramedy Looking takes a look into the lives of three tight-knit gay friends living in San Francisco. The indie film-styled series, created by Michael Lannan and directed mostly by Andrew Haigh, features a diverse cast of men that hope audiences can appreciate the show’s naturalism and complex characters.
The trio have chemistry off-screen like their on-screen portrayals. “We’re fortunate we connected immediately once we met. The show didn’t set out to be a multicultural show. It set out to be a show about three characters and their worlds. By default, they have multicultural worlds, which make it accessible to a lot of people. It was about trying to be true to the characters,” says Bartlett with an Australian accent.
Lannan and Haigh, also Looking‘s producers, are both credited by the cast for creating a positive work environment both on- and off-set. The duo suggested everyone meet significant others and partners to inform similar relationships on-screen. Looking‘s brainchildren also allowed the cast to have an open door policy when it came to stage directions and furthering character development.
Mexican-American actor Raul Castillo, who portrays Patrick’s love interest, Richie, spoke in detail about Haigh’s directorial style and professionalism. “[Andrew] is willing to investigate character. He was always willing to take time to answer the questions that we needed to play the scene. When you work on TV, people wanna rush through things. He wouldn’t lean forward until he figured things out. It was the spirit in how we worked,” says a deep voiced Castillo with his arms crossed.
Looking‘s cast members share extensive theatre backgrounds as a common denominator. “We have a sense of audience,” says Groff, also a Tony-nominated actor for his performance in Spring Awakening. Castillo, a straight man in real life as well as fellow Latino actor Alvarez, who is Cuban-American, didn’t find his role intimidating because the cast and crew were on the same page. “We all came to work everyday and worked towards a common goal. Everyone was there, and they really believed in the show,” says Castillo.
Fagbenle knows his presence on Looking as a black character is essential. “People of color find it frustrating when they don’t see representation of themselves on-screen. Everyone wants to see their story told. I have all types of people within me. People have the possibility of being anyone. Acting is about presence, and in TV, you just try to tell the truth,” says Fagbenle with his heavy British accent.
Castillo considers Richie “a breath of fresh air.” He concurs with Fagbenle about a lack of ethnic characters on cable television programming. On the other hand, he believes Richie’s ethnic origins is the least interesting thing about him. “That’s just part of him. That’s what all of us actors of color are always looking for. We’re so much more than what the industry sees,” he says.
Fagbenle acknowledges how creative teams in television sometimes display prejudiced attitudes towards diverse cast members. This was not the case during Looking‘s production. He heralds Lannan’s personality similar to Castillo’s assessment of Haigh. “It’s amazing there are writers who don’t seem to hang out with black or Hispanic people, so they write stories that don’t include these people. It’s a testament to [Michael] and his eclectic life. He interacts with people. He’s a very open-hearted man. It reflects in the show,” he says.
Critics and viewers have given Looking mixed reviews about how accurate or inaccurate its portrayals of gay culture are. Despite the cheers or jeers, the show was just renewed for a second season. The cast collectively agree on the importance of a show like Looking not stereotyping gay male characters as only hypersexual, melodramatic or effeminate. If you wanted to see some hypersexual action though, going to websites similar to teentuber.xxx to give you some perspective on what is exactly meant by hypersexual. There is a wide variety of gay males and it wouldn’t be accurate or fair to represent them as a single caricature that doesn’t capture more sides of the gay male community.
“It’s impossible to please everyone. We’re being really specific here so that people can see themselves in these circumstances hopefully,” says Alvarez. Groff adds, “Once it hits the air, everyone has an opinion whether it did or didn’t represent. It’s just great to get people talking,” he says.
Fagbenle brings it home. “They’re all individuals with individual stories of love and loss trying to make these relationships work — failing and succeeding. I’d like for audiences to identify with people and their own individual journey within that. That so rarely happens,” he says.
Looking airs on HBO on Sundays at 10:30 p.m.
This post was written by Christopher A. Daniel, pop cultural critic and music editor for The Burton Wire. He is also a contributing writer for Urban Lux Magazine and Blues & Soul Magazine. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
Reggae music was honored during a carnival celebration held in Florianopolis. (Photo Credit: Jamaica Observer)
Cecilia Campbell-Livingston is reporting that Reggae music has gone carnival in Brazil. Singers Bunny Wailer and Andrew Tosh, music industry veteran Maxine Stowe and former Miss World Cindy Breakspeare were joined by former Jamaica football coach René Simões (currently Brazilian football coach), and Brazilian music promoter Cristiano Andrade, on a float saluting Reggae music. Reggae music is extremely popular in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Campbell-Livingston writes:
“‘Being my first time in Brazil, to see and feel the love of reggae and the Wailers there, in their National Carnival, is an indication of the impact that reggae, Rastafari and Jamaica has there,’ Wailer said in an interview with the Sunday Observer. ‘The float touched on all aspects of our music and culture.’ With Brazil hosting the World Cup in a matter of weeks and the Olympics in 2016, Wailer believes Jamaica should strengthen ties with the South American country, one of reggae’s biggest markets. ‘The Brazilian people are seeking more tangible connections with Jamaica and we need to respond in a manner that is mutually beneficial to our music and culture,’ he said.”
“Singing and acting were my passions as a kid. I was itching to get on stage from an early age. They taught me that hard work and discipline are really important and just as important as staying true to and celebrating who you are,” says McDonald.
The stage, normally accompanied by choral ensembles and symphonies, is where a versatile yet elegant McDonald feels most comfortable. She has performed at Carnegie Hall a total 17 times and has hosted PBS’ Live From Lincoln Center. The former co-star of the now defunct ABC drama Private Practice decided to return to the recording studio and musical theater in New York during the show’s production, which was shot in California.
Last year, McDonald released her first album in seven years, Go Back Home. Like her shows, the album’s repertoire consists of American musical theater songbook and tunes she loves. Calling Go Back Home “incredibly personal,” she says in reference to the album’s title, “If someone were to write a Broadway show about my life, this album would be it. I wasn’t going to do an album until I had something to say. When I look back on that now, I realized it was because life was happening. I was living life,” she says.
When McDonald travels, the in-demand performer admits she never has time to really explore the places she visits. Instead, the Drama Desk Award winner and Emmy nominee spends a great deal of time preparing for performances. Go Back Home was a career defining moment that allowed McDonald to understand how recurring themes in her life intersect with her love for music. “Most of the songs on Go Back Home are songs I’ve been singing for a while and which have come together in an organic way. In choosing material for an album I don’t look at who has written it or where it has come from. I ask does the song move me, can I connect to it and can I sing it,” says McDonald.
Her tireless work ethic has paid off. She’s earned numerous roles throughout primetime television. McDonald even co-starred in NBC’s live adaptation of The Sound of Music. “It was a huge challenge and a really ambitious project, but it was a wonderful and wild experience. I had a lot of fun. While we performed on a soundstage and it was broadcast live, I approached it as if it were a staged right in the theater like a Broadway show. I wasn’t nervous,” says McDonald.
Though stage and screen have both enhanced McDonald’s success profile, her humanitarian work is what keeps her adrenaline going. She is a champion for marriage equality and works tirelessly with various organizations to ensure love has no boundaries. “It’s a cause I hold close to my heart. It’s the modern day version of civil rights. I am a beneficiary of the Civil Rights Movement, and I want to do my part,” says McDonald.
She hopes her vocal and dramatic license resonates with youth whether they decide to pursue the arts or not. “Through arts education, we learn to appreciate our differences. One of my main goals as a performer is to inspire youth to get involved in the performing arts. Music teaches children discipline and the art of collaboration. The performing arts teaches tolerance as we all have different views on what sounds or looks beautiful. These are tools that can be used in all different aspects of life no matter what profession they end up choosing,” says McDonald.
“Singing makes me a better actor and vice versa. I really like the variety, which is why I don’t limit myself to one particular genre. It’s what brings fulfillment on a human level. One nourishes and feeds the other,” says McDonald.
This post was written by Christopher A. Daniel, pop cultural critic and music editor for The Burton Wire. He is also a contributing writer for Urban Lux Magazine and Blues & Soul Magazine. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
The Senate rejected President Obama’s nominee for Debo Adegbile to head the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. (Photo Credit: Google Images)
Wesley Lowery and Ed O’Keefe of the Washington Post are reporting that President Barack Obama’s pick to head the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Debo Adegbile was blocked by the Senate, including eight Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) who initially supported the nomination, voted against Adegbile’s nomination.
Lowery and O’Keefe write:
“Adegbile, 47, spent more than a decade working for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, where he served as the group’s in-house voting rights expert. The legal defense fund began its work on Abu-Jamal’s behalf well before Adegbile began working for it, however he did contribute to the filing of a 2009 court brief that argued that Abu-Jamal faced a discriminatory jury — an appeal later found to have merit by a judge.
But, that participation in Abu-Jamal’s appeals, opponents including Faulkner’s widow have argued, should disqualify him from holding any publicly appointed position in the justice system.”
In addition to Reid, Democrats who voted against the Obama nominee were Chris Coons (Del.),Bob Casey (Pa.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Joe Manchin (W.V.), Joe Donnolly (Ind.) and John Walsh (Mont.).
Check out Funny or Die‘s ‘The Black Bachelor video’, which we think is hilarious. Starring Terrell Owens, Tatyana Ali and Jay Ellis of ‘The Game’, the spoof pokes fun at The Bachelor franchise, which has been criticized and even sued for its lack of diversity.
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has severed economic and political ties with Panama. (Photo Credit: Google Images)
BBC News is reporting that Venezuelan President Nicolas Madura has broken diplomatic and economic ties with Panama after the Central American nation requested a meeting at the Organization of American States (OAS) to discuss Venezuela’s protest crisis. The announcement was made on the first anniversary of the death of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Maduro communicated his intentions to the presidents of Cuba (Raul Castro), Uruguay (Jose Mujica) and Bolivia (Evo Morales), among other leaders gathered around the tomb of Mr. Chavez.
The author writes:
“Panama’s President Ricardo Martinelli expressed surprise at Venezuela’s decision.
‘Panama only hopes that this brother nation finds peace and strengthens its democracy,’ Mr. Martinelli wrote on Twitter.
Panama’s official statement said the country was ‘astonished’ and called Mr. Maduro’s words ‘unacceptable’.
‘The measure announced by President Maduro should not become a smoke screen intended to hide reality,’ it read.”
Eighteen people have died in the protests over the last three weeks.
Canadian authorities are cracking down on citizenship fraud. (Photo Credit: Google Images)
Caribbean 360 is reporting that Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said he is reinforcing the government’s commitment to tackling citizenship fraud through measures proposed in Bill C-24, the “Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act.” An ongoing “large-scale” fraud investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) identified more than 3,000 citizens and 5,000 permanent residents linked to major investigations.
In an effort to “reinforce the value of citizenship” and “ensure new Canadians are fully prepared to participate in Canadian life and have a stronger attachment to Canada” the government will have stronger penalties for those who commit fraud.
The article states:
“Under the new legislation, the Canadian government will have the authority to develop regulations to designate a regulatory body whose members would be authorized to act as consultants on citizenship matters.
The proposed measure includes stronger penalties for fraud and misrepresentation (a maximum fine of CAN$100,000 and/or five years in prison); expanding the grounds to bar an application for citizenship to include foreign criminality, ‘which will help improve program integrity’; and making it an offense for unauthorized individuals to ‘knowingly represent or advise a person on a citizenship application or hearing for a fee.’”
Two thousand individuals linked to the citizenship fraud investigations have withdrawn their applications.
