GGGIAN1's Blog

The title speaks for itself. How many times have we seen kids with all of the Air Jordan sneakers and the parent(s) takes a cab everywhere? This is not a "trend." This has been going on for way too long. Everything that is in style must be attained in order to maintain the "Superstar" status. Eating healthy is out because Mc Donald's has a nice commercial that everyone is talking about. That is where the kids will eat four days a week. The other three days will be franks and beans and french fries or maybe spaghetti. Going to school is just another way to have a fashion show. Who cares about school work when he or she can look good? Remember, "Superstar" status.

Money cannot go on books or activities for the summer recess because it is time to show it all during the summertime. The bills cannot be paid on time because the new outfit for the party at the club had to be purchased. The "friends" have to be in close contact at all times. Who are the "friends?" IPod, Grills, $100 jeans, $85 tee shirts, Air Jordans, Mc Donald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Play Station, Nintendo WII, Malt Liquor, Liquor, Cigarettes, Weed, Crack, Cocaine, Gold, Silver, Platinum, Car note, I Phone or the newest phone, etc. All this should be purchased within the budget. Do not go broke because we want to look good. I could go on forever but this post is up. Also, I thought not to say a certain phrase in any of the posts but I have too BECAUSE OF WHAT THE ANCESTORS AND THE PRESENT FAMILY HAD TO GO THROUGH.

12.5% OF THE EQUATION,

FIYAH BURN GHETTO MENTALITY!!!

FIYAH BURN VANITY WORSHIPING!!!

ZER0 T0LERANCE!!!!!

The pursuit of money can be a very ugly thing. The reason I say this is that sometimes we utilize the wrong methods to pursue our cash. Stealing is never an option but yet so many people steal. This is going out to the thieves. Why get yourself in trouble with the law and the party or parties you stole from? Do you really think it is right to take someone's hard earned money or merchandise?

If you love money so much go out and work for yours just like everyone else. Do not pick pockets. Do not pull out your gun and rob people. Do not burglarize houses. Do not use your brain on people and con them. Do not use the fear of force on people.

If that was done to you in the past, I am sorry you had to go through that. Being bitter will not help you. If you do know what it feels like then why do you continue to steal Mr. Thief? Stop doing the wrong thing and get a job. Do not worry about living large.

Just live Mr. Thief.

LIVE AND STOP STEALING, IF NOT A NUMBER AND A CELL AWAITS.

These are tough economic times, especially for African-Americans, for whom the unemployment rate is more than 10%. Alarmingly, rather than belt-tightening, the response has been to spend more. In many poor neighborhoods, one is likely to notice satellite dishes and expensive new cars. According to Target Market, a company that tracks black consumer spending, blacks spends a significant amount of their income on depreciable products. In 2002, the year the economy nose-dived; we spent $22.9 billion ($22,900,000,000.00) on clothes, $3.2 billion ($3,000,000,000.00) on electronics and $11.6 billion ($11,000,000,000.00) on furniture to put into homes that,in many cases, were rented. Among our favorite purchases are cars and liquor. Blacks make up only 12% of the US population, yet account for 30% of the country's Scotch consumption. Detroit, which is 80% black, is the world's No.1 market for Cognac (Pass The Co---------). So impressed was Lincoln with the $46.7 billion ($46,000,000,000) that blacks spent on cars that the automaker commissioned Sean "P.Diddy" Combs, the entertainment and fashion mogul, to design a limited-edition Navigator replete with six plasma screens, three DVD players and a Sony Play Station 2. The only area where blacks seem to be cutting back on spending is books; total purchases have gone from a high of $356 million in 2000 to $303 million in 2002. This shortsighted behavior, motivated by a desire for instant gratification and social acceptance, comes at the expense of our future. The National Urban League's "State of Black America 2004" report found that fewer than 50% of black families owned their homes compared with more than 70% of whites. According to published reports, the Ariel Mutual Funds/Charles Schwab 2003 Black Investor Survey found that when comparing households where blacks and whites had roughly the same household incomes, whites saved nearly 20% more each month for retirement, and 30% of African-Americans earning $100,000 a year had less than $5,000 in retirement savings. While 79% of whites invest in the stock market, only 61% of African-Americans do. Certainly, higher rates of unemployment, income disparity and credit discrimination are financial impediments to the economic vitality of blacks, but so are our consumer tastes. By finding the courage to change our spending habits, we might be surprised at how far the $631 billion ($631,000,000,000.00) we now earn take us.