Jazz Artist Celebrates with the Community

Vocalist Aaron Myers captured by Darwyn Dave

Washington, District of Columbia July 21 — The Jazz Community will gather on and off stage to celebrate with entertainer Aaron Myers as he brings in his birthday through music and pool-side fun. Rumors are rampant that other local entertainers, club owners, politicians, and a host of other notables will be in attendance.  Starting with a music filled night of Jazz at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant and then a Poolside Bash at Vida Fitness U Street Penthouse, confirmations are reaching capacity for both venues.

“There’s no better way to bring people together than with music and birthdays ,” Myers said. “Celebrating music and life will be theme of this weekend.”

Myers, now Resident Artist at the legendary Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, is known for his jazz concerts, comedy, and activism. Over the last 6 years, Myers has introduced jazz to audiences through his intimate jazz shows, his radio program “The Exchange” and through his charitable efforts.

There will be champagne, great performances, and a great pool over the two day birthday experience. To those who are accustomed to these events, Myers will bring an element of fun over the weekend that will be memorable.

“This Birthday is special to me,” Myers said. “I’m announcing the upcoming release of my new album!”  Myers also shared another reason the opening festivities hold a certain sentiment.  “For the first time, my Friday night show at Mr. Henry’s will be streamed through a platform that will allow people to view the show from their home computers and mobile devices.  This will be the first show my 98 year old Grandmother will be able to see.  Due to her health, she has never seen my jazz shows.”

Recently, Myers has added “Writer” & “Film-Producer” to his list of accomplishments. Although the projects are in production, the film, reportedly a documentary about DC Taxi Drivers, has garnered a lot of buzz in the DC community. In addition to this documentary, Myers is also shopping around new the feature film script “Paths at Sunset” while finishing up work on TV Pilot “Half Note.”

“Producing a film is not for the faint at heart,” Myers said with a grin. “Deadlines, can make you or break you, but they do help you stay true to yourself about seeing these projects through to completion.”

Aaron Myers, known as the “Class Act,” is a native Texan who has decided to make Washington DC his home. Through his partnerships with charities, business, and politics, Myers has made an impression on the District that merges art with activism.  Visit his website at www.aaron2.me.

Friday Night 7/24: Mr. Henry’s Restaurant 8pm (no cover) // Saturday 7/25:  (7pm – Midnight) Vida Fitness U Street (No Cover RSVP to aaronmyers@aaron2.me)

Karrine Steffans – McCrary battles Facebook Impostor!

For the last five years, the public has had an inside look at the world of Hip-Hop through the eyes of the beautiful women who model in Print Magazines and Music Videos.  Karrine Steffans- McCrary opened up to the world not only her expereince of being a “Video Vixen” but she capitolized on the very industry that she exposd for shaming, abusing and also exploiting women who, in many cases, were looking for their “Break” in the entertainment industry. Despite critisicm from some members of the Hip-Hop Community, Steffans has excelled as a best-selling author, host, producer, and creative director, taking what could have destroyed most, and using it to inspire other women of her generation.

Having displayed the strength of a Prize Fighter, she might be up for a very interesting fight that has plagued many others in the entertainment community.  Today she is reaching out to her Facebook Fan Base and requesting that they go through her website http://www.karrine.com to access her facebook page and NOT an Imposters Page (Listed under Karrine Steffans only, not her full name).

“ALERT: if any of you are following another account, claiming to be mine, it is not. Please stop following fake accounts and let everyone know the account is not real, which should be obvious since this is the only account linked from my website. Thanks.”

Hopefully all of this will pass over pretty soon, but this would be a great time for all of us to double check out Facebook Friends, and to perhaps hope no one is posing as us too!

Will the Mysteries go Unanswered: Political or Public?

 

The word that resonated with the 2008 Election was that of change and transparency.  For years, Washington has hid, quite well, the inner workings of the political machine, and one could argue that this is the most transparency we’ve seen in Washington in a long time…at least the last 100 days or so.  The banner of transparency was used as a battle cry for many American’s who expected that the whole truth had not yet been told.   Day after day, as pundits argue opinions and speculations on news programs, even these answers seemed too simple for the immense problems faced by the country over the last few months.  

Below, I choose a question format (a system of writing I normally do not use often).  I do not offer my suspicions or speculations, but simply ask the questions someone, if not everyone, has wanted answered by elected officials at some point and time.

~Does the Democratic Party think it will hold on to this lead in the House and Senate longer than two years?  If so…how?

~Surely, is the Republican Party not aware, that it is being painted as a racist and bigoted party?  

~Was Obama’s transition team not aware of all the ethical problem’s the nominees presented to the American people were going to present?  Were we not expected to question their integrity?

~Does Michael Steele understand that, no one knows his job description?  

~Does Rush Limbaugh understand that he has probably encouraged those with smaller mindsets and bigoted spirits, to give conservatism a bad name?  Does he know that he has extended the timeline for “Justified Racism” for another 40 years?

~Does anyone in the Administration “REALLY” think that with the recent passing of the stimulus package and budget, things here in America will began to get better?

~If not Iraq, why Afghanistan?  Are we too chicken shit to go into Iran?

~ Who the hell killed Kennedy 63’?  Who the hell killed King? Who the hell killed Kennedy 68’?

~Was Collin Powell an escape-goat?

~Are they’re Aliens?  If so, will the American People find out too late?

~Do you mean, No One knew about September 11th in enough time to prevent it?

~Was Vice-President Cheney running the White House or was President Bush?  Will either of them take responsibility for any misdeeds done by that administration?  Are we too chicken shit to prosecute if wrong doing is found?

~Does Washington really think Main Street has faith in what’s being done there?

~ Does anyone else find Rep. Joe Barton condescending?

~ If the Republican Party is so much for “Conservatism”, what’s with all the sexual harassment accusations by its representatives?

~ If the Democratic Party is about inclusiveness, why doesn’t it reach out to the democrats outside of urban centers?

~ Was the Moon Landing Real?  

~ When will faith leaders and politicians sit down and define the “Separating Line”?

~ Does Joe Biden know how hard his Communication’s Director works?

~ Why can boys/girls leave their families, learn to kill, come home, and then can’t buy a drink?

~ When will Veterans get the proper treatment/attention they deserve?

~Does the US Army/Navy/Marine/Air force really believe that just because they don’t ask; soldiers won’t tell SOMEONE?

~What is “Bi-Partisan?”

~When will Al Franken get into office?

~ Why can’t America develop a cure for AIDS, but developed the Hydrogen Bomb over 60 years ago?

~ Did the US Government develop AIDS?

~ Where is the cure for Cancer?

~ If a woman shouldn’t have the right to abort…who gives her the right to keep?

~ What is Socialism….I thought President Obama was a Democrat, and why are Republican’s calling him a Socialist?

Well…these are just a few questions that I have had; but I know there are many more!  The real question is, will we see some, if not all of these questions answered?  The amount of trust that has been lost by the American citizen and his/her representative is absolutely horrid; to know, that many American’s were energized by this election and have maintained the enthusiasm is fantastic; to know that one cover-up or lie will eliminate the bridge of trust between Main street and Washington is frightening.

Perhaps Benjamin Franklin summed it up best by stating,

 

Benjamin Franklin

 

“There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government.”

~Benjamin Franklin

Personal or Political: Specter Jumps Ship!

 

Democratic Senator: Arlen Specter

It was an exciting time as the crowd grew at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.  A steady stream of loyal followers flowed from the Chicago Coliseum to the Auditorium Theatre, waiting for their leader and former President to take the stage.  Republican Primaries have posed challenges for Republican Candidates since its inception in 1912.  Theodore Roosevelt, feeling like the more qualified candidate and best spokesperson for the party, beat both of his challengers 9-2 out right in the primaries of 1912, and naturally felt as if he would be undergoing the best exercise of his life; Running For Office!

Amazingly Roosevelt’s run for office did not go as he originally planned, and as he dawned the stage to address those delegates he found so faithful, these precious words articulated the true task he felt was forgotten by the Republican Party, “To destroy this invisible Government, to dissolve the unholy alliances between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.”  After this platform was adopted, he went out on the campaign trail, and even after a “would be” assassin’s bullet, struck and lodged in his chest, Teddy Roosevelt stated, “I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” 

As Arlen Specter stood addressing the cameras, the 29year Senator spoke with the same vigor as a wounded politician of old.   “Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.” Specter stated, and not a moment too soon!  As he left his office to dawn the capitol, constituents met the Republican Senator not with torches and pitchforks outside his office, but with warm greetings, cheers and applause.  Specter had found his audience…the people he was sent to represent!

Changing parties in the United States Senate is not a new phenomenon, nor is it an explainable action.  One must believe, that the Senator who’s made his choice, has spent long hours in deep deliberation with his own being, before jumping off of the Titanic and onto the Carpathia. 

If you watched any news station today, you would have thought that this was the first time a Senator left the Republican Party.  Playing it down, most Republican Pundits and Strategists stated, “They saw it coming” and that “He was doing this to save his own political career”.  Regardless of his reasoning, the Republican Party has had a strong history of its elected members parting ways.  Below is a list of Senators who have taken the same leap of faith that Arlen Specter took today:

• Miles Poindexter of Washington. Republican to Progressive in 1913 and back to Republican in 1915.
• Robert M. La Follette, Sr. of Wisconsin. Republican, ran as Progressive for President in 1924.
• Robert M. La Follette, Jr. of Wisconsin. Republican to Progressive in 1935.
• George W. Norris of Nebraska. Republican to Independent in 1937.
• Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota. Farmer-Labor to Republican in 1941.
• Wayne Morse of Oregon. Republican to Independent in 1953 and to Democrat in 1955.
• Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Independent Democrat to Democrat in 1956 and then to Republican in 1964.
• Harry F. Byrd, Jr. of Virginia. Democrat to Independent in 1971.
• Richard Shelby of Alabama. Democrat to Republican in 1994.
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado. Democrat to Republican in 1995.
• Bob Smith of New Hampshire. Republican to Independent in 1999, and back to Republican in 1999.
• James Jeffords of Vermont. Republican to Independent in 2001.

Out of 12 Senators that have switched parties within the last 100 years, 7 of them (at some point) left the Republican Party.  This pattern points toward two factors that both Republicans and Democrats should be aware of.  

a. The Republican Party is capable of driving away its members and delegates!

Since 1938, only 10 identifiable years could Republican’s (versus 27 years for Democrats) boast that they controlled a majority of the States Legislatures in the US.  This is a clear reflection of the Republican Party’s inability to articulate its strengths and/or beliefs to the constituents back home in their states and districts.  Because of this weakness, former Representatives (in both the House and the Senate) have had to switch their party affiliations to correlate with the mindset of the people they represent.  One must remember, Washingtonians do not elect Senators, only states and districts have that power; and an elected official is only a reflection of those he represents in those districts and states.  

b. Republicans have a way of bouncing back!

We must remember that the last time Democrats were in a position to have a “Filibuster Proof” Senate; the political atmosphere was very similar to the one we are living in now.  Ford had just lost the election to the Fresh, Un-Tarnished, Governor who had not been corrupted by Washington Politics…Jimmy Carter!  Over those next few years, bipartisan efforts ceased to exist, inflaming the Right!  It was during this period the “Moral Majority” saw its emergence on the scene, and Reagan Democrats were born, costing Democrats the Majority.  

Regardless of whether Specter just wanted to secure, in his mind, a viable race for the Senate seat he’s held for 29 years, or if the Republican party has moved so far right, it pushed Specter off the boat, the fact remains that partisan politics distracted the American people and its leaders from tackling problems such as:  Affordable Health Care, Lowering Poverty Levels, Equal Rights for Women in the Workplace, and lastly…pushing legislation through that would properly fund research to cure AIDS and Cancer.  

Maybe our Founding Father had an accurate foresight of political parties, a warning that we might want to heed:

“However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

George Washington: No Party Affiliation

GEORGE WASHINGTON, Farewell Address, Sep. 17, 1796