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President Obama Makes a Touching Commencement Speech in Memphis, TN

On Monday, May 16 2011, high school graduates from the Booker T. Washington high school in Memphis, Tennessee received a life changing speech from President Barack Obama. This commencement will be etched into the hearts of those who attended and watched on their television screen. The students from BTW were the winners of the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge by submitting a phenomenal video and receiving the most votes once they became finalists.

Education has always been a primary concern of our President and First Lady. This was such an emotional and heightened day for the students and the city as a whole. Life can give you so many challenges, but its important to know that with determination, hard work, and a positive attitude, success is possible.

President Barack Obama Roasts Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner

On Saturday, President Barack Obama showed the world that amidst all of the chaos going on in our nation, he can still have a sense of humor. The President had everyone in laughter at annual White House Correspondents Dinner as he proceeded to joke about one of its attendees - Donald Trump. The President couldn't resist mentioning his birth certificate and address a few other issues that "The Donald" has unfairly brought up in recent events.

Take a look at the video below:

Source: AP




View the longer version (along with Seth Meyers roast -12:05 mark) below:

 



Donald Trump clearly felt humiliated after being 'put in his place' so to speak. He didn't look to be amused, but that goes to show how real KARMA can be. Though I feel like he is admirable as a businessman, recent actions have shown him to have low character.

Do you think Donald Trump got his 'just desserts' for going around and bad mouthing the President?

WHAT IS YOUR GIFT? ARE YOU TAPPING INTO YOUR POTENTIAL?

WHAT IS YOUR GIFT? ARE YOU TAPPING INTO YOUR POTENTIAL?

Lately, this question has really been on my mind and with each additional year in age, the question becomes more and more significant. Have you ever known a person who had lots of intelligence, skills, or talent but simply let it go to waste? Sometimes, people have gifts but their own interest lies elsewhere. That is okay. But, there are others who really want to use their gifts. Instead, they let go of pursuing their dreams because all of life’s obstacles have blocked the way. I’ve known of people who have gone through full years of medical and law school (with great grades) only to find themselves giving up and working at jobs paying minimum wages with no career growth. I always wonder, why is this person not tapping into their potential and grinding to make their situation better? The answer is so simple. LIFE. Life can get in the way and factor into the decisions we make. Troubles like illnesses (your own or someone close to you), a broken relationship, depression, financial setbacks, and other trials and circumstance changes the path. It may not change the dream or goal, but it does cause us to put aside our inner purpose and directs our attention to more pressing matters. But what happens while we are handling these other matters? TIME PASSES BY.

Yes, we must make a living to survive. We unfortunately cannot dedicate lots of hours to achieving goals. This doesn’t mean we should miss out on using our gifts. If you love music, writing, computers, or other hobbies, find the time (even if it’s one or two hours) to work on your craft. Set realistic goals and improve on your potential each day. With focus, determination, no procrastination, time management, and discipline, you can achieve!

I want to encourage you to remember (or find out) what you love to do. It is no secret that every day, millions of people go to jobs that they completely despise. Yet many will do nothing about it. What would this world be like if we all use our gifts ad strengths? Imagine how powerful, prosperous, and unified this country could be. Follow your dreams!

What Exactly Do the Kardashians Do for a Living? Kris Jenner Speaks Up

The Kardashians (Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kris, Kylie, Kendall, and Mason) will be featured on the front page of the 2011 issue of Redbook magazine with bright smiles and candid conversation. The matriarch of the clan, Kris Jenner, gets personal about the criticisms that have befallen on her three oldest girls Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe. Apparently, inquiring minds want Kris to give them insight on why her girls are some of the highest paid reality stars on television.

According to Jenner,

It’s annoying when I hear, ‘What do your girls do?’ Well, first of all, all of my daughters have jobs. They are fashion stylists and designers; they own a chain of stores. They had the stores before they had the show.

They might not be singers or dancers, but they certainly know how to produce a television show. Whether you want to call it talent or not, they have multiple shows on the air. How many shows do you have?

Earlier this year, the Hollywood Reporter stated that the Kardashians made a whopping $65 million last year! Their popular reality show “Keeping up with the Kardashians” brings in a pretty penny while the girls separately bring in cash from endorsements, a clothing line, personal appearances, and other advertisements. Kris Jenner manages the majority of these ventures with a keen sense of business savvy and lots of time management.

Despite all of this, the question is still unanimous: What exactly do the Kardashians do? There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that these are some of the most beautiful women walking the earth. They have lots of spunk, hustle, and drive. But what many people are not seeing is TALENT and SKILL. Some people feel that a day consisting of photo shoots, partying, and chilling are not considered to be WORK. Thus, it almost seems that the millions of dollars that the Kardashians rake in are acquired in exchange for nothing at all while the rest of America sweats and labors to live just below the poverty line.

I personally try to avoid downplaying someone else’s success. Its hard when there are so many receiving tremendous amounts of success on minimal talent. Each person’s road to success comes with ups and downs. Yes, it is unfair that some of the most talented people in the world never get a big break. What I respect about these ladies is their ability to take nothing and make something out of it. I don’t agree with some of the methods, but they have clearly extended their 15 minutes of fame and can take it to the bank. They created a niche and took their marketing to the next level.

My question is this: How much of the Kardashians fame and wealth is deserved?

Source: Redbook



When Was the Last Time You Sat at the Dinner Table with Family?



Photo Source:prevention.com and theconfidentmom.com 



While sitting in the doctor’s office, I watched an interview on television that featured multitalented author Maya Angelou. She was promoting her cookbook entitled “Great Food, All Day Long: Cook Splendidly, Eat Smart.” One comment that stood out to me centered on her views about today’s generation and the tradition of eating together. We live in such an impatient society, that the concept of eating together at an appointed time everyday is practically extinct. I reflected upon my grade school years and recalled some great times spent around the kitchen table. I did homework at the kitchen table. I watched my grandmother make cakes and pies while estimating when I would be able to taste a piece. This tradition was special and nurturing. When things were going on at the dinner table, distractions like television, radio, and the telephone were not considered important.

I can remember visiting my uncle and aunt in California a few years ago and enjoying the way they kept this tradition alive. Although both of their children are grown and have left the nest, they still found it important to sit together and eat dinner. In the beginning I felt out of my element. I was accustomed to fixing a plate and taking it to the den area or my own room. I was familiar with grabbing a fast food meal and finishing it on the way home. However, after a few days, I decided that sitting down together was comforting, pleasant, and overall enlightening.

There are so many advantages to spending time together at the dinner table. It is at the dinner table that you can really communicate with your family and share any up-to-date news with them. This meeting ensures that your family spends quality time together. This disconnect can account for the indifference in family. We only listen to each other with half an ear. We allow various activities of life to get in the way of spending time with our elders, being role models to children, and having family gatherings.

Maya Angelou insists that people in today’s society do not have enough respect for food and cooking. She has stated on more than one interview that people need to have more patience. This can most assuredly be directed to life in general. We speed along in our day to day hustle and bustle without really pausing to appreciate the simple joys of life.

My question to you is this: When was the last time YOU sat down to dinner with your family?

Getting back to this tradition is easier said than done. But it’s certainly possible. I challenge you to gather your immediate family together every day for a week and sit down at the kitchen table to eat dinner together.   

You can find Maya Angelou's cookbook at Amazon.com.