Pragmatic Obots Unite
Shooting down firebaggers & teabaggers one truth at a time...
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| President Barack Obama greets Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., as he arrives on the floor of the House Chamber to deliver the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Good morning Obots! The weekend is finally here. Here’s your Saturday Stevie Wonder
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Welcome to the weekend Obots!
Its the end of the week and the featured HBCU Classic is the one of the biggest and baddest of them all!
The State Farm Bayou Classic is the annual college football game between the Grambling State University Tigers and the Southern University Jaguars, first held under that name in 1974 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, although the series itself actually began in 1936. Since 1978 the game has been held the final Saturday in November (i.e., the Saturday after Thanksgiving) at the Louisiana Superdome. A Waterford crystal trophy is awarded to the winning school. The game has had State Farm Insurance as its primary sponsor since 1996. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, organizers moved the 2005 event from the Superdome to Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, where many of New Orleans’ evacuees were living. This was the first time ever that the Bayou Classic was held outside of Louisiana. The 2006 Bayou Classic returned to the Superdome in New Orleans.
It is the best known game and rivalry in historically black college football and is televised in the USA by NBC. The Bayou Classic is the only NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) game to be shown regularly on broadcast television. Fans have been known to refer to it as the “Black Super Bowl,” although that name is not used in any official capacity by either school due to the National Football League‘s restrictions on the use of the “Super Bowl” name. Both schools typically forgo Division I-AA playoff eligibility to participate in the Bayou Classic. The game is one of two black college football classics to be associated with Thanksgiving weekend; the other is the older, but less known, Turkey Day Classic, held two days prior on Thanksgiving itself.
Good Morning Obots!
Today we take a look at celebrity/fashion photographer Matthew Jordan Smith
Matthew Jordan Smith is a world-renowned professional photographer specializing in celebrity, beauty and portraiture. His iconic approach is simple: Take the time to personally connect with every subject, make them feel brilliant and beautiful, and the photos infinitely sparkle. It’s why his loyal clients of 20+ years keep asking for the Matthew Jordan Smith Experience. It’s magic captured in every assignment.
Matthew’s A-list celebrity clientele light up the red carpet and his camera: Oprah, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Connelly, Halle Berry, Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, Jamie Foxx and other stars shine brighter with MJS. Make-up leaders Pantene, L’Oreal, Revlon, and Olay regularly call on Matthew to showcase their latest products and models.
Sony and Microsoft sponsor this industry heavyweight around the globe through seminars, speaking engagements, product trials and innovation. In both his personal and commissioned work Matthew continues to advance the creative art of photography while sharing the inspirations influenced by his personal holy trinity: Global Travels, People he’s met and Books he’s read, through his frequently updated blog, The Joy of Photography. Follow his musings and updates at matthewjordansmith.blogspot.com/
Inspired by a recent trip to India, Matthew’s soon-to-be third published book with its revolutionary collection of images is due out later this year. In 2006, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children along with Microsoft sanctioned and sponsored his second book, Lost & Found. In 2001, St. Martin’s Press published his first book Sepia Dreams, a stunning visual look at the accomplishments of leading African Americans. Close friend and long-time client Vanessa Williams penned its introduction.
In March of 2010, Matthew flew to Kyoto, Japan and instructed a multi-national audience on photography as art. In 2009, he exhibited at the Zevio Cultural Centre in Verona, Italy. In 2008, his photos presented at a solo show at the Chateau de Vullierens Gallery in Vullierens, Switzerland and a group show at The Wave Gallery in Brescia, Italy. Also in ’08, Microsoft invited Matthew to a Photography Summit in Iceland featuring the planet’s foremost photographers. Matthew’s stunning images collected there looked as if they were shot when the earth first formed.
In addition to his exceptional eye behind the lens, Matthew’s outgoing persona and expert insight make him a highly sought after interview for national magazines and television. In Style, Zoom, The Tyra Banks Show, America’s Next Top Model and E! Entertainment TV have all talked with MJS.
A native of New York City, Matthew resides in Los Angeles and relishes in his bi-coastal influences. An activist in several areas, Matthew sits on the Board of Kids With a Cause Europe and APA/LA.
Good Morning Obots! Hope everyone on the east coast is safe and out of the path of mean Aunt Irene.
Now……..In case there was any confusion…..We’re gonna keep rising to the top!
