X-ASPERATED

[Disgruntled_Trini]

BILL Cosby won't be happy to learn his beloved 1980s family sitcom, "The Cosby Show," is being turned into a porn spoof. "Not the Cosbys XXX" is beginning production, with an actor mimicking the comic's beloved Cliff Huxtable character in the midst of a lot of hard-core action, reports avn.com. Some of the hanky-panky will take place on a set resembling Denise Huxtable's bedroom, producer Jeff Mullen said. Cosby's rep didn't get back to us.

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[Disgruntled_Trini]

Abolition of Transatlantic Slave Trade

Liverpool's role in the slave trade
Liverpool played a central role in the transatlantic slave trade with much of the city’s 18th century wealth built on the profits from the transportation of slaves.

International Slavery Museum

Liverpool's newest museum the International Slavery Museum will open on 23 August 2007.

The museum's displays will address the legacy of transatlantic slavery and issues such as freedom, identity, human rights, reparations, racial discrimination and cultural change.

The museum will also look at the lasting impact of slavery and the slave trade on Africa, South America, the USA, the Caribbean and Western Europe.

Liverpool was late in entering the slave trade but quickly surpassed London and Bristol to become Europe’s number one slave port by the 1740’s.

It’s thought that over 40,000 African slaves were transported by Liverpool vessels. By 1792 Liverpool was firmly established as the leading slave port, with 131 sailings in that year compared with 42 from Bristol and 22 from London.

Liverpool’s prosperity was bound up in the triangular trade. In Liverpool ships were loaded with cottons and woollens, guns, iron, alcohol and tobacco. The ships sailed to Africa where they traded the goods for slaves, ivory and gold.

The middle passage of the journey then took them to America or the West Indies where the slaves would be sold for money, colonial produce or bills of exchange.
Slave trade profits

Although Liverpool was essential to the slave trade, the slave trade was not essential to Liverpool. Even at its height less than 10% of outbound shipping was heading for Africa.
"I verily believe that the far greater part of wars, in Africa, would cease, if the Europeans would cease to tempt them, by offering goods for sale."
John Newton, Former slave ship captain

The final legal slavery voyage from Liverpool was made by Captain Hugh Crow, a Liverpudlian who sailed the Kitty’s Amelia.

There were five main ways that Liverpool made money from slavery,

1. The building and repair of slave ships
2. Slave trading
3. Slave produced goods – cotton, sugar etc
4. Production of exportable goods – pottery etc
5. Insuring and financing the above operations and industries.

Contrary to popular belief few slaving voyages made a huge profit. An average voyage would produce a profit of 8%.

Sometimes though large profits could be made, in 1780 Mathew Street trader William Davenport sent his ship Hawke to Africa at a cost of £5,000. The voyage made a profit of £10,000.

Liverpool merchants were vocal in their opposition to abolition, 64 anti-abolition petitions were submitted from Liverpool.

Despite many folklore stories slaves rarely set foot in Liverpool. The Goree Piazzas on the dock road are often referred to as a location where slaves were chained up. The Piazzas were in fact built 11 years after courts ruled that every slave was free as soon as their feet touched English soil.

[Disgruntled_Trini]

Dear Mr. Simmons:

My name is Ryan Mack and I have followed your career for most of my life. I have been a long-time admirer of your work, a tremendous fan, and believe that millions are inspired by the paths that you have created in the field of Hip-Hop. More importantly, as an advocate for financial literacy myself, I believe that the work that you have been doing through the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network as it relates to financial literacy has been second to none. However, I must admit to being somewhat disappointed with your recent pre-paid debit card venture - the "Rushcard."

The pre-paid debit card industry has always been an industry that is built upon a lack of knowledge within the community. It is an industry based upon the legal phrase which demonstrates that "false imprisonment is an intentional tort." In other words, if I put someone in a room and do not lock the door but tell them that the door is locked, they will remain in the room because they believe the door is locked. As a result of my action, I have committed a punishable crime. I view pre-paid debit cards in the same light. Those who know the strategies to empower the community have a moral obligation to those, who may not be as knowledgeable, to fully inform them. There are other more efficient means to empower those in our communities than pre-paid debit cards and other financially destructive establishments such as check cashing facilities. The typical bank offers free debit cards that if used properly do not have any fees affiliated with them and can be used for the same purpose as the pre-paid debit cards.

If we compare the fees affiliated with the Rushcard compared to the typical bank offered debit card, we can clearly see the advantage of the cards offered by the banking institutions.

Rushcard vs. Typical Bank Card

Activation Fee: Rushcard = $19.95 Typical Bank Card = Free
Convenience Fee: Rushcard = $1.00 Typical Bank Card = Free
ATM Cash Withdrawal: Rushcard = $1.95 Typical Bank Card = Free (At Branch)
ATM Balance Inquiry: Rushcard = $.50 Typical Bank Card = Free
Bill Payment: Rushcard = $1.00 Typical Bank Card = Free
Inactivity: Rushcard = $2.95 Typical Bank Card = Free
Refund of Rushcard/Bank Card via Check: Rushcard = $5.00 Typical Bank Card = Free

As you see, there is no financial reason for one to choose the Rushcard over a typical banking institution which offers debit cards as a part of their services. With the continuous onslaught of technology, it is becoming increasingly easier to open bank accounts.

In addition to that, the Black community needs to pay more scrutiny to our spending patterns as excessive consumption continues to present a serious problem within our communities. Over 93% of our dollars are spent on consumption (compared to 85% of all dollars in America spent on consumption); we invest less than 20% less per month than whites; and our net worth as a community continues to remain 20% of the net worth of our white counterparts. The unnecessary excessive fees related to the pre-paid debit cards do nothing but compound the problem by eroding crucial capital that could be used for other important activities such as retirement, entrepreneurship endeavors, higher education costs, home ownership, and/or building a sound financial legacy for our families.

Please do not mistake my intentions. I must admit that it may be possible that there are individual situations where a Rushcard might be appropriate. However, I cannot think of any situations that would be beneficial at this moment. Furthermore, I believe that individuals who do have substantial knowledge about various financial options have a moral obligation to educate consumers about ALL options that are available to them. Mr. Simmons, you and I must continue to take a proactive role in enabling all citizens within our reach to be better suited to make fully informed financial decisions. With these volatile economic times that we face today within this country, America and more specifically our communities deserve that much from us.

I do apologize if any offense was taken from my comments as there was none intended. I am only concerned about the welfare of the people in my community as you are as well. As President of Optimum Capital Management, I have spent the last decade educating people around the world about the importance of being fiscally responsible. As a young, up-and-coming entrepreneur, I started this company to empower my community and fulfill a void that has existed far too long. Since the onset of Optimum I have been featured in Tavis Smiley's book "The Covenant in Action", profiled in Black Enterprise Magazine, named Tom Joyner's "Hardest Working Financial Advisor" of the year, and have appeared frequently on major TV networks (GMTV, CNBC, CNN, BET and FOX) discussing the economy and spreading this important message of fiscal responsibility. More important than any exposure that I have received is what continues to drive me and what continues to feed my passion to work on behalf of my communities. I advocate on behalf of those "hard to employ" individuals in my community, those whom we have helped to receive job training and start their own legitimate businesses, the hundreds of teens we have instructed (many of whom are in transitional housing or homeless), those teens who have learned about fiscal responsibility from our programming and now earn money by teaching adults about financial literacy, the many teens under our guide who have gone on to win scholarships (including the Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship) and started their own businesses, and the thousands of adults who have expressed their gratitude for the economic empowerment that Optimum Capital Management has instilled within their lives. We should all place a very high premium on intellectual capital and I feel that the American people deserve to be exposed to tangible solutions of empowerment.

This is my field of expertise and I only wanted to share my view to someone such as yourself who has great prominence and influence in the community. I urge you to use this influence, as you have done previously though the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, and speak out against these destructive services that are being offered in our communities: pre-paid debit cards, check cashing facilities, money grams, and all the services which profit by capitalizing on the lack of knowledge in our communities. Making money from ignorance is not the answer...education is the answer and we must provide it. All of our actions must be done for the good of the people and not the good of the pocket. Based on all that you have done for those in our communities, I am certain that you agree.

Regards,


Ryan Mack, President
www.optimum-capital.com

[Disgruntled_Trini]

(CNN)  -- The mother of a woman who gave birth on Monday to octuplets said her daughter already has six children at home and was undergoing fertility treatment.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that Angela Suleman said her daughter had the embryos implanted last year, resulting in the eight births.

"They all happened to take," Suleman told the Times. "I looked at those babies. They are so tiny and so beautiful."

The woman declined to have the number of embryos reduced when she discovered she was carrying multiples, the Times reported. The six older siblings range from ages 7 to 2, according to the newspaper.

Suleman said she was concerned about her daughter's homecoming because her husband, a contract worker, is due to return to Iraq.

In the meantime, the mother, who remains unidentified, appealed for privacy while she recovers from giving birth, medical officials said Thursday.

In her written statement delivered by Dr. Karen Maples of the Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center in California, the woman who delivered eight babies in five minutes said she would soon make public the details of her "miraculous experience."

"We understand that you are all curious about the arrival of the octuplets, and we appreciate your respect for our family's privacy," she said.

"The babies continue to grow strong every day and make good progress. My family and I are ecstatic about all of their arrivals."

"Needless to say, the eighth was a surprise to us all, but a blessing as well," she added.

The six boys and two girls -- ranging in weight from 1 pound, 8 ounces to 3 pounds, 4 ounces -- are doing well following their Caesarean-section delivery at the Bellflower hospital, doctors said. They were born nine weeks premature.

Dr. Mandhir Gupta, a neonatalist, said all but one of the octuplets are now breathing on their own. That baby might be taken off breathing equipment Friday.

Caring for eight premature babies is a challenge. Duties are being shared by a large team of hospital nurses and doctors for the time being. Two nurses have been assigned to each child, and all the babies are receiving fluids, proteins and vitamins intravenously, Gupta said.

"We feed them. ... We change diapers. ... When they cry, we console them," Gupta said. "When the mom comes and touches the babies, you can definitely see their expression on their faces and body. They are very happy."

The babies, who are being referred to by letters of the alphabet, will remain in the hospital for at least seven more weeks.

Baby H made headlines for its surprise appearance during the delivery, which took months of preparation by a team of doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists. Video Watch a report on babies' progress »

The mother will not be able to hold her babies for another week, Gupta said. They are still fragile, developing intestines, he said.

Doctors initially thought the mother was pregnant with seven fetuses. She was hospitalized seven weeks ago and ordered to bed rest.

During the seven weeks, a team of 46 physicians, nurses and other staff members prepared for the births. When they started the delivery Monday, they were in for a surprise.

"After the seventh baby was born, we were taking a sigh of relief," Maples said.

"It was a surprise of our life when we in fact discovered there was an eighth baby," she said. "We never had an assignment for baby H nurse or baby H doctor. We just had to go on the fly and figure out what to do."
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"Baby G nurse stepped up. We handed off the baby to baby G nurse. She then delivered that last baby to the neonatologist of the baby F."

"It was all wonderful because of the teamwork and the training we did before," Maples said.

[Disgruntled_Trini]

BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM

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[WestCoast]

That RushCard should be ah Triple X oui

[Disgruntled_Trini]

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Game Trailer

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