Monday, November 05, 2007

From Behind the Lens- Homecoming Week 2007

For homecomings pictures of Kenneth Cummings' Homecomings week  click   the follow link http://kennethcummingsphotography.com/TSUHC07.aspx


So, the end of homecoming week has come! Today, everyone is back in class—I hope—and everyone has gotten their sleep in. Hey, and I hope everyone set their clocks back to get that extra hour of sleep.

 

I guess many of you know my job with The Meter is Senior Visuals Editor, however, many people only know me as “Kenny, the guy with the camera.” I enjoy my job and I enjoy it tremendously. I pick up my camera and I get in the zone. But, what everyone doesn’t realize is that just because I walk around with a camera, does not mean I don’t hear—and hey, I want to kick it too!

 

We’ve all got geeked and we’ve all kicked it last week. I am not going to tell share with you my day-by-day homecoming experience, as a senior, as a member of Phi Beta Sigma, and as a photographer from behind the lens.

 

Sunday:

It was the beginning of the anticipated homecoming 2007. The first even of homecoming was the 20th Annual Robert N. Murrell Oratorical Contest. I want to give congratulations to Breanna L. Roberson and Sherrae Hayes for winning. I wasn’t there to take the pics, however my photographer, Carlisa Pridgen—my protégé—took care of it.

 

Later on that night, the men of Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Alpha Chapter held a caravan to really kick off homecoming. The Aristocrat of Bands came out to hype it up with us. The crowd was hype and then the drama started. For some odd reason, I truly don’t understand why people act the way they do. So, we’re in the grass between Boyd and Watson when all of a sudden the sound “Aaaaaaaaaaaaye Phi A-A-A-A” was heard. Ok, cool thanks for supporting our cause to kick off homecoming with the students, but please, next time, try not to start any drama.

 

I know you’re probably wondering why I’m not saying anything about the Deltas; well, to tell you the truth, they did not come out strolling at the beginning. They walked with us, spoke to us and then, hey it was all good. So as an organization we decided to continue to kick it and not worry about the Alphas trying to ruin our gig. But to everyone that supported our organization, thanks! We kicked it off right!

 

Monday:

Why aren’t the dorms, I’m sorry, residence halls participating? Is it their fault? Is it the residence hall’s director’s fault? Is it the students’ fault? Eppse and Wilson…that’s it? And of course it did not start on time. So whose fault is that? Basically it was just one big dance off/roll call. I believe that whoever sets this up next year should promote it at the beginning of the year so that ALL the residence halls can perform.

 

Tuesday:

From behind my lens on Tuesday I saw students at the comedy show that were bored at first, but it got riled up later into the show. Something has to be REALLY funny for me to actually laugh for real. I’m real critical. But hey, I got really good pics out of it! It was a free show, what did one expect? But for free, I believe the comedians did really well. It wasn’t a packed house, but enough came for it to be a success.

 

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, my camera was full of events! From the courtyard to the Miss TSU ball! The courtyard was crunk as always, but it seemed like a lot more people were out there. Of course my frat showed out! We hopped it out with a line of BLUE and WHITE that was so thick…man! But yeah—it was also good to see our president out there. Dr. Johnson made it out to the courtyard and tried to start off the homecoming chant, but…well, we need to teach him for next year!

 

I’m upset at the turnout for Miss TSU Coronation. I mean, I know it was Wednesday and parties were going on all night, but this was Miss TSU Orna C. Jones. Hell, I even made it out…with jeans, a white-t and my boots. I am completely upset at the students that didn’t come out. But once again…I got good pics!

 

Thursday:

The concert was OFF THE CHAIN!!! To all the people that were like, “I’m not going because TSU can’t get Lil’ Wayne in a concert,” should walk to the nearest crosswalk and contemplate weather or not to actually cross the street with the do-not-walk sign on. The concert was a success…but I do want to know what’sup with the police dude that told us to move from in front of the stage. Other media outlets were there for the whole show until the middle of Yung Joc’s part…then he came along and told us all to move. Why? Who knows? Because when I asked why, he couldn’t give me a straight answer…it was basically “just move.” I guess it’s the power of the blue uniform huh? Whatever!

 

Friday:

The lens saw the CRUNKEST TSU Pep-rally in the history of my camera—and I got my camera my sophomore year. I wish ALL of our pep-rally’s could be that hype. Again, the BLUE and WHITE showed up DEEP! If you lined us up in a straight line…well, you got the picture if you were there. Big ups to all alumni that came out!

 

Saturday:

Oh what, Oh what, Oh what did my lens see? My lens so a parade coming down Jefferson Street! Oh what, Oh what, Oh what did my lens see? A step show that seemed sus…oh yes…very sus indeed!

 

So you wanna know what I think? Here’s what I think…

If you close your eyes as you sit on the carpet in the middle of no where with noise canceling headphones AND ear-plugs with complete DEAD silence…you would STILL hear a pin drop on the carpet during one of the step show performances. 30 minutes to set up a video that no one could really see; a dis to other frats that no one else did which was petty as hell; a silence even DEAD people could hear. But it’s cool though…the people have spoken… “Ya’ll should have won the step show.” And to all of the people that truly believe that, The Blue and White thanks you! I bet the lil baby Q could have done better than the winners. LOL! I said it…WHAT? I’m not crying…like you think I am…I’m just speaking my mind! Oh, and hey, tell me why we couldn’t get the scores on the day of? We have to wait 2 weeks??? I guess they really need to change some stuff around huh?

 

Big ups to the Omega’s, Deltas, Kappa’s, ZA Alphas, and KO Sigmas—ya’ll did ya thing!


The game…we won! The band…was GREAT! The court…was beautiful! The crowd…LEFT after halftime! LOL!!!!

 

The lens enjoyed this year’s homecoming. It is my senior year and I pray that homecomings will be even greater as each year goes by. I won’t be here next year, but I’m training my photographer up to do the same or even greater things than I.

 

This is Kenny…From Behind the Lens!




Posted by Tennessee State University The Meter at 14:32:12 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, October 26, 2007

CHIP VETO SUSTAINED IN HOUSE

CHIP VETO SUSTAINED IN HOUSE
 
Bush's veto of the proposed $35 million increase to the State Children's Health Insurance Program, an increase that would be used to subsidize health care for more low-income families and keep 6.6 million children insured, was sustained by the House last Thursday. The vote was 273-156, 13 short of the required two-thirds majority needed. The Senate had passed the bill with a veto-proof majority in the first place.

Forty-four Republicans broke ranks to stand up for health care rights for children (one fewer than had voted for the bill on Sept. 25) while two Democrats decided to be complete dipshits and vote against the bill. Their names are Jim Marshall of Georgia and Gene Taylor of Mississippi.

My question is, Why are these elitist free-market worshippers so determined to derail such a common sense bill like this one?

Well, for one thing, the Right-wing Echo Chamber showed out in full effect to support their king's decision in the weeks following the initial veto, parroting the same baloney Bush made up. The Tennessean ran an opinion piece by Phil Valentine that blasted the program and then denied that health care was a right (with the customary Hillary bashing, of course). If this isn't cultist laissez-faire thinking, I don't know what is. Is he saying that people that can't afford health care don't have the right to live? Does the market now decide who lives and dies? Maybe Phil's real goal is to have people die. Maybe that's why government, taxpayer-extracted military spending is A-OK by him, because people die from it. Who knows.

So let's all rejoice that our government has once again failed to protect us from predatory business interests because in America we don't give a damn about anyone but No. 1, thank you very much.

Source: Time Magazine
Posted by Tennessee State University The Meter at 17:28:50 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Irresponsible CHIP Veto Gaining Attention

Bush's veto of the proposed $35 million increase to the State Children's Health Insurance Program, an increase that would be used to subsidize health care for more low-income families and keep 6.6 million children insured, is catching a lot of flack. Families USA, a health care consumer's group, has recently launched a campaign to sway the hearts of any fence-sitting Republicans. Their ad, featuring kids to be affected by the bill, is being aired on major television stations.

It's excruciating that the President's Iraq War Funding request would spend more in two weeks than this bill would spend on insuring children for an entire year. 

Funny how we can waste a fortune on sending Americans to their death but not a comparably measly amount on taking care of their health. It just goes to show how warped this warmongering buffoon really is. Yeah, veto state funding for potentially groundbreaking stem cell research and health coverage for working-class people's children and anything else remotely resembling social responsibility, but full-speed ahead on the hopeless deathtrap in the Middle East. 

I don't give a damn whether a few families jump ship from private insurance to state coverage. Hell, they probably needed a break anyway. The fact is that if Congress doesn't override this deathwish from King George, half a million kids will lose health insurance. 

(Source: Families USA)
Posted by Tennessee State University The Meter at 17:52:21 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Bush Vetoes State Health Insurance for Low-Income Kids

Bush vetoed a proposed $35 million increase to the State Children's Health Insurance Program, an increase that would've added 4 million kids and 700,000 adults to the 6.6 million already on the roles. The bipartisan bill passed the Senate with the needed 2/3 majority but fell short about two dozen votes in the House. 

The extra $35 million would be used to subsidize health care for low-income families, not impoverished ones, who should already be covered by Medicaid.

Bush raised the concern before a group of rich business leaders in Lancaster, PA, that the new funds would allow families making $83,000 a year switch from private to public health insurance. 

"That doesn't sound poor to me," Bush said.

No, it doesn't, George. But too bad families making $83,000 a year won't be able to take advantage of the program. The highest income cap of all the states is $72,275 a year in New Jersey, where the median annual income for a family of four is $94,441, according to the 2006 U.S. Census Bureau. And that's in a state where families are allowed to make 350% of the federal poverty level and still apply. Matching federal funds are actually reduced when states extend coverage above the 300% threshold. Here in Tennessee, the cap is $51,625 annually, or 250% of the federal poverty level. 

The extra $35 mil would come from a hike in the federal tobacco tax, raising it by 61 cents. While arguably a regressive tax, anyone who knows Bush realizes that this isn't why he vetoed the bill.

He did it because he's a blind capitalist ideologue. As a blind capitalist ideologue, he either pretends that our for-profit system isn't ridden with greedy, ruthless insurance company scams and robberies, or he knows about them but keeps quiet because money has tied them all up together so nicely. Hands in pockets here and there, etc. 

Hopefully Bush's empty reasons for opposing the bill won't find much of an audience, but you know how that goes. We're talking about the guy who convinced the entire country to go to war on complete lies. He let his buddies at Haliburton get into Iraq and reap the benefits. Now that we're challenging the ill-gotten gains of his other buddies in the private health care racket, he's having to make up more bullshit. 

Source: http://www.factcheck.org/bushs_false_claims_about_childrens_health_insurance.html 

Call your Congressman today to make sure he/she voted for health insurance for the rest of us.
Posted by Tennessee State University The Meter at 17:50:04 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Fast Blog

These are the accounts of DeShanee Miner and her fasting experience.

 

9:45 am

Wake up!

Awwww man! I’m so thirsty! I usually start the day off

with a really big cup of water. It’s crazy, I’ll be

thinking about that water like all day!!

 

11:30 am

Lunch time…

Why does it seem like everyone is eating right now.

Funny thing is I am thinking more about getting some

juice than eating an actual meal.

 

1:15 pm

Quit spinning!

So right now my tummy is growling and I am a lil

dizzy. Honestly the only reason I haven’t passed out

is because I know I’m getting a great meal at the end

of the day! But seriously, I feel icky. That’s when I

realize I didn’t eat much the day before and I don’t

even think I ate dinner!

 

3:15 pm

Wish I were in 1st grade

Right now I’m at work and it’s snack time for the

first graders I work with. They had muffins and orange

juice and the OJ looked like soooooo good. I’m

surprised I kept up with the kids on the playground

because I was so freaking tired! I didn’t think I

would get this tired from not eating. I got plenty of

sleep but my body is running on air!

 

6:20 pm

Hurry the sun is down!

Well it’s sunset and I am on my way to 040 in Kean

hall. I picked up something to drink on the way

because that’s what I really wanted all day! I was

happy I didn’t cheat. It made everything so much more

satisfying!

 

All and all I was tired the whole day. I had a

headache, my mouth was dry and all I could do was

think about drinking some water or juice or something.

The only think I was banking on was that I got to eat

at the end of the day. And honestly I could have eaten

at anytime. Many people don’t have the option of

eating anytime and I am blessed that I don’t have to

wonder around everyday wondering when my next meal

will be, how big it will be and will it be healthy for

me.

 

 

DeShanee Miner

Senior Staff Writer

Tennessee State University “The Meter”

tsumeter.com

“Miner T.H.R.E.A.T.”
Posted by Tennessee State University The Meter at 20:18:29 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Welcome to What We Really Think

If you reading this paragraph right now you are probably a loyal tsumeter.com reader (thank you for reading by the way) saw this strange new link under web exclusive tab. This is What We Really Think, one of the new features of tsumeter.com.  The story of What We Really Think started earlier this year when after Editorial Board meeting Spring 2007. This basically a weekly meeting where all the editors of each section of our paper discuss stories ideas, happens and rumors going around Tennessee State University. Also we discuss how awesome the paper or (how bad) the current issue turned out. 

 

One of our senior staff writers, Gregory Brand aka Papa Beaver, was discussing one of his latest blogs. We nickname Greg Papa Beaver because essentially he probably the greatest story teller I have ever heard. The guy has experience so much to be so young. If you ever meet him and you have a minute he will put a smile on your face, make you laugh, and make you think all in one sitting. After one of “Papa Beaver Story Time” moments several writers, including myself, wanted to see if we could do blogs for our writers. However, like some ideas, they don’t exactly fall into place immediately.

 

Now since our trip in memory lane is over lets get back to present day. We remember that idea and now we are implementing it. For the longest I couldn’t think of a name of this thing your reading now.  I was going to name this blog “Tigerblog”, but that is just lame…really…really…lame. I love my school to death; however, I don’t need to put tiger in front of everything (Tigercast…. yeah that was a lame name for our podcast…sorry). So I decided on What We Really Think.

 

It’s an “upgrade” or evolution of the infamous   “What We Think”.  For those readers who are not familiar with the “What We Think” in essence it is when the staff discusses a major story that is within our paper and together decided on our stance of the story. In real life of course there are people in the room that totally don’t agree with what is written for What We Think but hey that is what we call “compromise”. Here you the reader can peer into the brains of our staff and see what we are really thinking about what we report. Its written in our own words, not formal newspaper tense because really who talks in that way in real life in college. 

 

 However, we just aren’t going to talk bout our view of the news.   We want to take it a step further and peer into our lives.  Hey we aren’t robots; we are humans who just happen to have a passion of journalism. We want you to know the people that bring you the news twice a week, to spend 10 minutes in our shoes as you read the blogs of the our editors, copy editor, writers, and even our advisor. Each writer will of course identify themselves by name but we also will accompany them with our alias to add personality to this blog..

 

My alias you ask? Yojimbo. For those who aren’t familiar with Japanese culture and history, yojimbo is a bodyguard or defender. Usually they were ronin(masterless samuari) or samuari who hired to defend whoever paid.  It’s also is the name of one of my most famous films of all time (matter a fact go to online and buy it… great movie).  In the film Yojimbo, a ronin with no name saves a town of peaceful villagers from crime lords using wit, brains, and his sword. That is what I am for my friends and family, a modern day yojimbo for hire. You don’t need money for my service of friendship , I just need you to love and care the same why as I do for you no matter what happens.

 

Welcome What We Really Think. I hope you enjoy this new feature of tsumeter.com

 

Micheal Hart

Online Manager

Tennessee State University “The Meter”

tsumeter.com

“Yojimbo”

Posted by Tennessee State University The Meter at 20:05:12 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |