Professor Locs

Gary Coleman Dies

Gary Coleman, a much loved icon from the 70's dies suddenly at age 42.

I don't know what I was more surprised by the fact that Gary Coleman died or that he was in Utah....strange and tragic. 

He will be missed. 

DVD Reviews: Walle and UP

I used my Memorial Day holiday to catch up on some DVD's and films.  I finally caught up with two animated films over the break, Walle and UP. 

Wall-e is an animated "save the earth" film.  So all of you recycle, go green people will be overjoyed...smile. Wall-e is the contemporary version of computer love. 

UP on the other hand is a animated version of how it sucks to grow old in a world of technology and forward advancement.  The story is touching of a grumpy old man who loses the love of his life in their later years. He promises to continue the adventures they had together.

The old man meets a would be boy scout, a talking dog and an endangered bird along the way to delivering his floating house to a mountain top in South America next to a waterfall. 

UP is clearly the hallucinations of an elderly man tripping off of an overdose of high blood pressure medicine, enjoy...lol.

Teacher upset: Classroom Beatdown

There was a video of a student getting beat in a classroom.  You can watch it on my blog.

What prompts a teacher to go off and beat a child like a piñata?  Maybe they mouthed off after an assignment, maybe they were texting during a test or maybe the teacher had told them "i" before "e" except after "c" for the 100th time and was fed up.  Apparently the child and others were laughing at a mentally challenged child in class, sad. 

I am not excusing the teacher’s actions but until you've been in a classroom with 20 or more unruly, disrespectful and off the chain kids, you don't know the pain.  This is why I teach at the college level so that if anything pops off I can at least say they were adults. 

There was a similar story in the news where a student attacks a teacher.  I love covering current events with my students. So my students, who are always trying to test me, jokingly asked me, "What would you do if a student attacked you?"

I responded that as a seasoned educator I would handle the situation in a nurturing, respectful and professional manner. I would use my years of classroom management to neutralize the situation, that and the nun chucks I keep in my bag...smile. I would also be the first person that student saw when they regained consciousness and to show my sensitive side I would hold their hand until the paramedics showed up....laugh. 

My students got a kick out of that response. 

Seriously, we are at a critical time in our culture where bullying, aggressive behavior, and general attitudes of disrespect are rampant in our schools, hell in society in general. 

I grew up in a time where it truly was a community effort to watch and raise children. 

My Mother was a working Mom so our neighbor, Mrs. Griffin, across the street both fed us and sometimes spanked that butt if we got out of line.  My Mother instructed her to discipline us and had similar conversations with the school, the bus driver, Sunday school teachers, and even the fruit stand vendor. It was open season on our butts.

The constant specter of a butt beating, contributed to my self-editing my behavior.

The point is there were consequences if I acted out.  Many of our youth do not fear anything.  We have got to get back into the game. Get in their business.

Don’t be your child’s friend but definitely "friend" them on FaceBook.  I am friends with all of nieces and nephews on Facebook and I monitor their pages, much to my nieces’ horror. I randomly post things like "Hey what about Ushers new video?  And does this young man know that you have a crazy Uncle that periodically does background checks and has friends in the judicial system?" 

They gag and tell me I can't do that but it lets them know I am watching...laugh.

How is your child going to purchase and assemble enough material and explosives to blow up downtown Detroit and you don’t know anything?  Forget this mess about privacy.  My Mom told us that every room in the house was her room.  Until we paid rent we did not have a room or the right to privacy. 

We should start a campaign of taking our kids back! Scream at them from your car to pull up their pants.  You see a Mom struggling with an out of control child in the grocery store; offer to hold the kid down while she takes it to the butt. 

If you are in public and see unruly children start yelling random stuff like "Did you do your homework?" "Who left these lights on? Or "Eat your vegetables" This crazy act of "Parental Turrets" will confuse the kid until you get to safety.

If we hit them hard, fast and consistently, eventually kids will be too paranoid to act up.  Do not fear, if you are cornered or one of the unruly youth breaks from the pack and charges, do not panic, remember your Mutual of Omaha training, bear spray is not just for bears...smile.

 

Hot Guy of the Week: Simeon Panda

Hi Guys this week is crazy so I do not have a lot of time for research.  This weeks Hot Guy of the Week is Simeon Panda.

Simeon is from London and is 23 years old, 6'1", 235 lbs, and obviously very fine.

He looks like a brother from the states but add the British accent and he is even more charming. 

Color me impressed, enjoy!

Janet Jackson's New Hairdo

Hey if you ever wanted to see what Penny from Good Times would look like all grown up check out Janet Jackson's new hairstyle.  The actress revealed the new look at the London premiere of "Why Did I Get Married Too."

The singer, actress, Pop Icon is fresh out of weave rehab and donning a new, short, sexy cut.

I think the style is age appropriate, chic and stylish.  What do you guys think of the new look a hairdo or hair don't?

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Pac Man: The Movie

I was finishing a meeting and someone told me about the new Google interface.  Big shout out to my girl Jenny for showing me this YouTube movie on Pac Man.  I am a video arcade junkie from back in the day.  I saw this film and cracked up.  It was nostalgia, great concept and B movie bliss, enjoy!

Young Gay Rant

I stumbled across this young gay, fabulous boy.  He is adorable and funny, enjoy!

Hate the Sinner Not the Sin

I was reading the response to a story about Charlotte's' Mayor Foxx attending a gay event. I was both entertained and concerned about some of the city's responses.

Here we go people. The expectation of any elected official, especially the office of a city Mayor, should be that they represent all of the constituents. 

Charlotte finally has a Mayor that speaks for all marginalized communities. Mayor Foxx is taking a cue from President Obama and realizes that you must be inclusive in your dialog to effect change on a mainstream level.  

 I remember a few years back my partner and I attended the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) fund-raiser at the Charlotte convention center.  It was the most attended event by gay people that did not involve Melissa Etheridge or Cher in concert.  Bank of America and Wachovia both sponsored very expensive tables for their employees and although this was one of the largest events for the HRC, former Mayor Pat McCorey's office did not issue a simple conventioneers letter of welcome.

When I lived in Atlanta the Mayor attended every Gay Pride Parade.  I have also never been to a Gay Pride event that did not have the obligatory overzealous "Christians" barking scriptures and hateful slogans.  I mean really stay in your lane.

 I grew up attending local and national Baptist convention’s and never once came across a bunch of gay folks with signs screaming random Village People or Sylvester lyrics like   "We want you as a new recruit" or "Do you want to funk with me?"

It amazes me that some people cannot make the distinction between a civil rights issue and a spiritual one.

Coretta Scott King, the Matriarch of the civil rights movement, days before the 30th Anniversary of her husband's assassination, has shared "I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people."(Reuters, March 31, 1998)

We should all be outraged when one group is being oppressed. 

I am also surprised that people cannot step back and see how religion has historically held other groups in similar subjugation.  If you take out gay and replace it with women and minorities, the same rhetoric has been used to restrict military service, keep women as second class citizens and treat African-Americans as less than human. 

Some will seek to use the bible as justifying their ideology, which only really works if you share the same interpretation. I will not even attempt to do "scripture battles" with anyone because although I grew up in the church, I have often said that if they issued grades in Vacation Bible School I would be a "C" student at best.

And what is up with the "Hate the Sin" stuff?  I grew up listening to the "Hate the sin not the sinner" ideology.  What is the difference when the end emotion is hate?

What if various groups adopted similar sayings and practices? Would we fill better about White Supremacist Groups if their slogan was "Hate the skin not the men." What about Male Chauvinist who adopted a slogan of "Down with Women up with Push-Up Bras." 

I work with a very diverse student body and some of those students are gay.  I have way more respect for the most effeminate gay man who is walking in his own truth compared to a "DL" man posturing for societies expectations of "manhood".

The reality good people is that there have been gay folks among us as long as there has been a community, even in the church.  Maybe instead of a” National Coming Out Day” gay folks need to have a” National We Not Sharing Our Gifts Day.” 

If gay folks suddenly were not here you would see a significant impact immediately, even in Sunday services.  You try and replace someone who can work kitchen ministry, direct the choir, and simultaneously play the organ, piano and tambourine while hitting high note falsettos. 

The bottom line is that we need to practice a little more inclusion, acceptance and love. I personally believe that the God we serve is a loving God. Eternity is a long time and my personal belief is that Heaven would be less fabulous and festive if we could not share it with our gay brothers and sisters. 

Besides if God created the Heavens and the Earth he can certainly make some of those angel wings in pink...smile.

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Hot Guy of the Week: Abel Ljoka

Hey guys it has been crazy but I am glad we are back for another Hot Guy of the Week. 

This weeks Hot Guy is Abel Ljoka, photos courtesy of Rick Day. 

Abel is a rugby player, swimmer, soccer player and Argentinian model who is currently living in New York. 

I know what you are thinking should I book my next vacation in Argentina or just head to New York?

That is all I have on this hunk.  Oh well, we will let the picture do all the work, enjoy...smile.

Diva Transition: Lena Horne Dies

When you list some of the legendary Divas you cannot help but to recognize the talented and beautiful Lena Horne, who died on yesterday.

Lena Horne was not only an incredible beauty she was an actress, singer and activist.  She crossed racial boundaries by performing for all white audiences. 

She even dealt with the added indignity of having to perform in "dark" make up so that people were sure she was not a white woman singing with Black musicians.  She did all of this with elegance, class and a timeless beauty.

She had a long and impressive career but was most well known for her role and cover of the hit Stormy Weather.  She enchanted more contemporary audiences in her role as the good witch in The Wiz.

You guys know as a Black gay male I am bound by code to celebrate and revere all Divas, especially Black Women.  Let us put on our best high heels and walk pride as we honor, remember and cherish Lena Horne.