A Connecticut Star Lost Too Soon: Our Hearts Go Out To Jimmy Greene And His Family

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We at BLAM want to offer our deepest condolences to Jimmy Greene & family for the lost of his 6 yr. old daughter Ana (wearing shirt with the star in the pic) in the Connecticut mass shooting.  We cried and cried and cried some more yesterday.  We know the hurt we feel is pale in comparison to what you are going through.  Our prayers are truly with you.

From blogs.ottawacitizen.com

Tenor saxophonist Jimmy Greene, who until recently taught in the University of Manitoba’s jazz program, suffered an unimaginable loss today — his daughter was one of the 20 children killed in the Connecticut school shooting.

JazzTimes’ Jeff Tamarkin reports in thisstory that Greene’s six-year-old daughter, Ana, lost her life in the horrific attack. Greene’s son, Isaiah, was unharmed, Tamarkin reports.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Jimmy Greene wrote in response to the prayers and condolences,

“Thank you for all of your prayers and kind words of support. As we work through this nightmare, we’re reminded how much we’re loved and supported on this earth and by our Father in heaven. As much as she’s needed here and missed by her mother, brother and me, Ana beat us all to paradise. I love you sweetie girl.”

Tarantino Claims That “Roots” Is An Oversimplification Of Slavery And Calls It “Bullsh**”

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By Jerry L. Barrow of UrbanDaily

In another example of White Privilege run amuck, Director Quentin Tarantino put the 1977  TV film “Roots” in his crosshairs for not being an accurate depiction of slavery.

“Hollywood didn’t want to deal with it because it was too ugly and too messy,” Tarantino recently told The Daily Beast.  He is making the claim to underline how “real” his upcoming film “Django Unchained,” will be in comparison. “But how can you ignore such a huge part of American history when telling a story in that time period? It made no sense. When you look at ‘Roots,’ nothing about it rings true in the storytelling, and none of the performances ring true for me either…I couldn’t get over how oversimplified they made everything about that time. It didn’t move me because it claimed to be something it wasn’t.”

“Roots” was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alex Haley, “Roots: The Sage Of An American Family,” which has been both praised as a landmark piece of American literature and derided for inconsistencies in the narrative.  Harvard Professor Dr. Henry Louise Gates, Jr. has acknowledged the doubts surrounding Haley’s ancestral claims telling The Boston Globe, ”Most of us feel it’s highly unlikely that Alex actually found the village whence his ancestors sprang. Roots is a work of the imagination rather than strict historical scholarship.”

The 12-hour, eight-episode miniseries  based on the book was seen by an estimated 130 million viewers when it was broadcast on ABC television in 1977. Tarantino, along with producer Reginald Hudlin, is claiming that it didn’t scratch the surface of the realities of slavery by calling it “Bullsh–.”

CLICK HERE to read more.

Nelson Mandela Hospitalized For Lung Infection

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By Lorraine Jones

South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela is suffering from a recurring lung infection and is responding to medical treatments, the nation’s presidency said recently.

The ailing Mandela, 94, has been hospitalized since Saturday for medical tests at 1 Military Hospital near South Africa’s capital, Pretoria.

The announcement ended speculation about what was troubling the ailing anti-apartheid icon. Government officials had declined repeatedly to say what caused the nation’s military, responsible for Mandela’s care, to hospitalize the leader over the last few days.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Wow! Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Waay More 100 Years Ago!

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The average American family will spend $49.48 for their Thanksgiving meal this year, according to CNBC. How does that compare to 100 years ago?

 

A century ago, it cost about $6.39 for a 16 pound turkey, 3 pounds of sweet potatoes, 1 pound of cranberries, 1 can of peas, 1 can of pumpkin, 1 dozen eggs, 1/2 pound of butter, 2 cans of string beans, 1 gallon of cider, 5 pounds of flour and 5 pounds of sugar. These calculations were made based on a 1911 Thanksgiving grocery store advertisement.

 

While this might seem inexpensive at first glance, $6.39 turns into about $150 with inflation.

 

The difference can largely be explained by the fact that certain food items, like turkey and eggs, have gone way down in price over the years. This Thanksgiving, be thankful that your turkey won’t cost you $100.00!

Ream more HERE.

Let Them Walk. Let It Go.

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By Team BLAM

We are clear about our mission here at BLAM. We exist to promote, encourage, and elevate marriages & relationships in the African-American community in particular and the world in general. But, we are not here promoting any old kind of relationships. We are not here to say hang in there even when you are being disrespected, walked all over, and treated like trash. You have to utilize keen discernment to know the difference between  “appropriate going through” in your marriage and “this is crazy, get out, move on, this ain’t love and never was”. We believe in love. We believe in commitment. But, we DO NOT and never will believe in foolishness, emotional or physical abuse, or staying where you are not wanted. As a wise person once said the best thing to do when something is over is–LET GO.

VIDEO: On Faith, Family, Love &….Pain. Yes, You Can Handle It.

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VIDEO: As we build our marriages and our families we will at times experience pain that we will feel is unfair and unprovoked. Nobody said being in relationship with other people you love to pieces would be easy. Listen in as Bishop T.D. Jakes explains how “Being who we are in life to other people can often cause us personal pain, but what does it matter, if for one moment we can be what they never got to be or never had?

Hit Movie ‘Still Standing’ Returns To Atlanta On September 13th

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By Team BLAM

A couple of years ago we had the special privilege of being featured in a film emphasizing the triumphs of black marriage, titled You Saved Me.  If you haven’t seen it…then you might wanna CLICK HERE and get your copy.  The dynamic couple that brought that film to the big screen, Lamar & Ronnie Tyler from BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com, have also had a lot of success with their latest film “Still Standing” starring Kindred the Family Soul, Speech Thomas, and Dr. Sherry L. Blake .

Guess what…if you missed the opportunity to be a part of the 5 city tour or sold out screenings in Atlanta in May, you now have a another chance to become a part of “the marriage movement” because “Still Standing” is returning to Atlanta on September 13th.

This time is going to be even bigger and better so make sure you get your tickets right now at a special low price of only $5.00!

CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets.
 

CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets.

VIDEO: Tisha Campbell-Martin Answers The Question: “Do Women Need Men?”

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Actress Tisha Campbell Martin and VH1’s “Tough Love” host Steve Ward made an appearance on Good Afternoon America’s “Toe-To-Toe” show to discuss whether or not women really need men. The fact that this is even a question to debate is hilarious to us! Nonetheless, the question was asked. Listen in and let us know what you think…

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Inspirational Moment: “Your Eyes Will Adjust”

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VIDEO: Iyanla Vanzant teaches a “MUST KNOW” lesson in this clip where she talks about how we, as people, adjust our “vision” based on our circumstances and what’s going on (internally & externally) in our lives. What exactly does she mean by this? Listen in to this thought provoking and inspirational clip and make sure your eyes DO NOT adjust!

One Million Moms Angry With J.C. Penney…Why?

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By Oretha Winston

One Million Moms are angry and they want “them” to stop the ad right now!

J.C. Penney has released a Father’s Day advertisement that features a same-sex couple consisting of two fathers playing with two children, which has outraged the American Family Association’s One Million Moms.

In the advertisement that appears in J.C Penney’s June catalog, two children are shown hugging their two fathers next to a headline that reads, “First Pals — What makes Dad so cool? He’s the swim coach, tent maker, best friend, bike fixer and hug giver — all rolled into one. Or two. Real-life dads Todd Koch and Cooper Smith with their children Claire and Mason.”

“One Million Moms (OMM) is disturbed that JC Penney’s (JCP) is continuing down the same path of promoting sin in their advertisements,” a statement read on the One Million Moms website. “In JCP’s June catalog, there is another homosexual ad, but this time with two dads celebrating Father’s Day.”

CLICK HERE to read more.