more than meets the eye...

PERSONALLY...I AM (note the present tense) fan of Voltoron: Defender of the Universe. So when I saw reebok announced their Voltron Lion force pack was being released in October of this year, it made me smile.

I mean, I don't like reebok but I'm glad to see Voltron getting its shine cause I'm sick of hearing about Thundercats and Transformers...no dis but them 5 lions are the shit...If you're not familiar with Voltron (after you kill yourself)...check out thie video to get caught up



Anyway...I just realized why Nike continues to "Style on" all the other sneaker companies; they just do it...bigger. Reebok got Voltron so...of course Nike gets TRANSFORMERS. Nice little Nike Trainer III in the Optimus Prime colors...

Nice right? Yea, but they don't JUST go the themed sneaker pack route oh no....

THEY ACTUALLY MADE TRANSFORMERS

...Convoy and Megatron to be exact.





Wowzers...Nike...I salute you...you've done it again.

~charity

Temple Effectives Spring & Summer 2007 look book...

...is finally available && even if you don't eff w/ T.E. like that you GOTTA give 'em a thumbs up for their model :: Zan [EFFIN'] Mostow 'cause he's HOT. :D

So yeah. that's all I have to say so far, you can click the logo below for more info.

Melly Mel.

whats your addiction?

So...down here in Texas (where they say howdy, whoop, and gig 'em), I got word that they were auditioning people for a new sneakerhead tv show called "kickin' it." I figured, I'm a shoe in (pun intended) to make it because...im a sneakerhead...and I'm a girl. That should make me different from the majority of sneaker heads right? Well, I sent in my application and I didn't hear anything back. Now initially, I was dissapointed like...c'mon how could they not pick ME...but then I saw this preview.



Now I understand why I wasn't picked for the show...am not on that level. You have guys with over 200 pairs of sneakers, I make an effort to keep my collection under 50. Hell, my name is CHARITY... I don't feel like I'm living up to my namesake if I dont give away at least 3 pair of sneakers each year; so I'm pretty much sabotaging my collection. Watching this preview helped me realized that hey...I'm not THAT bad (just like an addict to justify their habit). But...with the hopes that I never get this way...I'm checkin myself into detox.

~Charity

Top 100 B.S. Jobs and how to get them

Ok, now I know in ALL of our lifetimes we've had or will have a job that somehow finds itself "beneath" us despite our desperation for the cash or not. Well, thanks to Stanley Bing (stanleybing.com) he's somehow or another gathered his top 100 and made a WHOLE book about it, 100 Bullshit Jobs and How to Get Them is an A+ for two reasons: it's truth and painfully funny sarcasm. Here's a glimpse at the info you'll get when you pick up this book...

1. Ad Executive
2. Blogger
3. Cheese Artisan
4. Dolphin Trainer
5. Expert Witness
6. Guru
7. HMO Health Care Professional
8. Industrial Psychologist
9. Life Coach
10. Mogul
11. Politician

12. Pop Tart

13. The Guy Who Says Your Car Will Be Ready By Noon

14. Velvet Rope Nazi

15. Vice President of the United States

16. Xerox Repairman ...and many many more HERE

so thanks to Harpers Collins Publishers' uh, publishing and Stanley Bing's WIT, you can kick back and actually FIND a job where you can "kick back" and do absolutely nothing all while getting paid...well :D [you're welcome]

Harpers Collins Publishers has also brought you::

The Pursuit of Happyness

Wicked

and The Measure of a Man [in case you didn't know]

YAY!

Melissa

Things that make you go hmmmm....

The card pictured above is an example of the work done by photographer and artist Hank Willis Thomas. The 26 year old Thomas recieved his B.F.A. in Photography and Africana studies from NYU and his M.F.A. in photography and an M.A. in Visual Criticism from the California College of the Arts. His is nationally renowned and has been featured in Museums in Harlem Miami and Orange County.

His most recent collection Branded examines the effectiveness of corporate advertising and visual marketng techniques. The work focuses on the use of the black male body connecting the physical exploitation of Africans during slavery to that of professional athletes.


For a good article about Hank Willis Thomas click the link below:

http://www.artinfo.com/News/Article.aspx?a=9148

Also check out Thomas' website:

http://hankwillisthomas.com/

~Charity

STR8 UP

"They don't know about the bottom."

I've never heard it put better...there's ALOT of comedy in this clip but at the same time plenty of truth as well. Watch as her GUEST learns && is EXPOSED to soooo much LOL then watch when her guest shares wat she's learned [closely]



p.s. REMEMBER she doesn't own the JACK RABBIT some of her "friends" own a jack rabbit ::WINK WINK::

p.p.s. the views expressed in this video are not in any way the EXACT feelings that members of the SMSIDK crew observe and/or practice thank you [gotta keep it p.c.]

fame...comes with a price

So if you're anybody who is anybody in Chicago I'm sure you've been at a dope party and then seen pictures show up on a little website called www.everyoneisfamous.com. The website hilights the works of photographer Clayton Hauck and he's everwhere you wanna be. A lot of times, the photos end up being people facebook and myspace profile pictures; The guy has a nack for takin the pictures you WANNA take in your digital camera that dont turn out how you expect (because somebody wasn't lookin at the camera, had their eyes closed or was preping their perfect smile or icegrill). But sometimes...the professional catches the party goers off guard and this is what happens....

just chillin...watchin cars go by

and posin for the camera

oooooo i think she's losin it...

down goes fra-zia!...down goes fra-zia!

thats what friends are for...

Am i wrong for posting this...no more than she is for doing it...on camera. So the moral of the story is? Party with caution cause this could happen to you

~charity

Real hiphop dog...DALMATION STYLE

They say character is what happens when nobody's watching...(or when you think nobodys watching because somebody is always watching). Anyway...just watch the video...it will make your day.



This was not staged. Apparently the Dog was just dancin and the b-boy decided to battle him and they battled. 3 rounds...personally i'll call it was a tie (im non confrontational like that). I mean you can argue for both...you got the dude hittin the pop lockin in the DOG SUIT. but then you got the dude hittin head spins on the concrete. So...they're both winners in my book.

Shouts to SR50 from DPK (Danger Plan Kru) that poplockin mascott...and and all the other B-Boys and B-Girls out there freeze posin and top rockin for the love of it.

~charity

SMSiDK

Mad Love...word to Cool Bob

So...I don't wear air force ones...never said I dont appreciate them. They're like Tim Duncan; not my style but I can't deny their greatness hahahaha...anyway. This weekend; if you like Ones...and you're plugged with a good spot so you know where to get em...i suggest you cop a pair of these:





Maybe you don't understand how important this drop is. I mean Bobbito Garcia IS hiphop. U can't really call yourself a sneakerhead, or a videogamer, or a hiphop head, or a streetballer if you dont know the name...but maybe you've been living under a rock so I'll give you a chance to get hip.




I think its just real cool that dude has his own sneakers....thats much deserved respect. I might cop a pair just cause...I actually had a chance to meet the man last yeaer...and i didn't even know what to really say but that...Daaaaaaaaamn...its Bobbito Garcia. And its rare that anything or anybody makes me speechless.

~charity

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH #2

It's that time of the week again. US here @ each of our respective households but TOGETHER uniting to create the SMSiDK Crew as you know it are going to show you wat it is that WE like, so that you know what we like because well all in all you were born to know what it is that we like [EXHALE] so, here it goes [elipses]

MELISSA'S 3

1. Ummmmm... k. I've been hip to this one for about two years now but due to the LACK of warm spring weather here in the Chi I haven't been able to enjoy it UNTIL now. Dunkin' Donuts' Iced Blueberry Coffee WHY? Simply because it's PERFECT. When you're looking for something cold && refreshing why not roll wit' this choice? You get the refreshing bite of blueberry AND the caffeine buzz that you would be looking for because, maybe it's just me but, heat can kick one's A-S-S even when we're doing absolutely NOTHING so all in all, Iced Blueberry Coffee is the way to go.

P.S. ask for CREAM AND SUGAR [they WILL send yu off]

2. My NEW uber dope gold hoops that I copped from a location that at this time I will NOT disclose to the public, I mean these new earrings are the ANSWER to all the prayers I had when searching for a pair of gold hoops that stood out amongst the myriad of bamboo heart shaped, the circles created by the touching noses of two dolphins and basic wire thin joints. These earrings are JUST wat a chick like me is looking for MOSTLY because they twinkle ;D yes as in "TWINKLE, TWINKLE BABY, TWINKLE, TWINKLE" and lucky for me I was able to cop a gold bangle to MATCH...perfectly [from a TOTALLY diff. store, damn I'm good] granted I spent almot 40$ on only TWO pieces of jewelery I am VERY satisfied with my purchase UNLESS of course they fall out of my ear like a certain ONE OF A KIND pair did when I was making a run for a CERTAIN "D.J." but that's besides the point...basically i guess my point is to encourage people to get off the bamboo earring && door knocker phase no DOUBT they are and will forever BE hot, I think chicas need to take a more "vested" interest in finding gold hoops that stand out, just like your style should ((i'll post a pic later this week JUST to prove how hot these earrings are.))

3. AND LASTLY my favorite of the three && I guess I made it last so I could say "LAST BUT NOT LEAST" but it's never been more tru until today. This item is SO dope I was lucky enuf to b found dope by TWO parties that I recieved it TWICE for my twentieth birFday... the Hellz Bellz "Gunnin' For Peace" tee is SO beyond hot that I can't begin to search my vocabulary or a thesaurus for a word to describe. I mean I myself am so OVER the "ANTI-WAR" scarf [whether it's for protest or just fashion purposes for some people] that when this shirt was shown to me I just "HAD TO HAVE IT", it reveals my deeply rooted DISGUIST with the war ['cause of the anti-war scarf yada yada] and the desire I have to stay dope. So thanks for BOTH parties that purchased this for me 'cause it really means alot, I get LOTS of compliments for this piece but that's not wat matters, what matters is thee FACT that I am shittin' on you...period. ;D

CHARITY'S 3

1. My Waffle Maker. I mean its general knowledge that I make some mean french toast; and that my pancakes are good (nowhere NEAR as good as pops' but i mean dude can cook). But there is something about waffles that is just the greatest. Actually Chicken and Waffles. Its a heavenly combination that I used to enjoy at this local spot called wing heaven. But it closed...long story. I tried chicken and pancakes, chicken and french toast...but...alas...i stell felt empty. So...I went and bought myself a waffle maker. And then i made waffles. 4 of them the first time...and it was great. I mean theres just somethin about watchin the butter and syrup fill all the lil crevices...add some chicken eggs and...Trust me...you can die happy. So yea...thanks to my waffle maker...I'm in breakfast heaven....(lunch dinner and midnight snack heaven too for that matter).

2. Now...to the naked eye I would be classified as a hip-hop snob/ a "backpacker" if you will. One of those people who like their music to be introspective and say something. I mean...I'm all about that but don't get me wrong...I ENJOY A GOOD PARTY SONG. Not too overly sexual but somethin you can definatley bounce to in the club. My new favorite song in that genre (party genre) is...rock your hips. Why?... Princess' wonderfull verse...check it

I've got 32 flavors of this bootylicious bubble gum raspberry/ grape, cherry/come and get this honey bun/ yummy hum/ baby/ not your ordinary lady/ known to drive a nigga crazy/ willy wonka wann pay me...

How great is that...i mean how cocky and "womanly empowering" is that. I'm not gonna interpret it cause; if you dont get its greatness [especially when you're actuall rocking your hips to that song's beat]...then you just dont understand. But meet me on the dance floor and i will definately show you.


3. Nike Chocolate Easter Bunny Dunks. Now as a sneakerhead I really dont need an excuse to shout out my sneakers. But Here's why I will. I LECTURED IN MINE. Yes, i gave my first official lecture in my dunks. So they were a part of me changing the academic game a bit. Generally people expect professors to wear "dress clothes" but i didn't; and my evaluation said that I commanded respect...BECAUSE OF MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATERIAL. I was on top of my shit, and I gave a thorough lecture (on systemic racism). Maybe I'm thinking too much about this but hopefully im helping to break down the wack ass widely held view in academia that you have to look a certain way to have credibility. Imagine me...teaching the youth in polo shirts, premium and sneakers, and a lil bit of shine (in the ears around the neck and on the wrist). But whats more important...imagine me teaching the youth. Thats waht makes me smile. I feel like a role model...I'm tryin to show young people like myself that you can make it on the straight and narrow.I'm not in the academic watch tower looking down and striking people with all of my books and belittling people with my knowledge...I'm just a city kid who plays her hiphop, wears her sneakers, likes donald goines novels, has a ballplayer swag (and a jumpshot and handles to match), talks shit, watches chapelle show (i got the dvds), leans and rocks with it, loves guys with 360 waves, spits a mean verse. and tries to promote unity... I TOLD YOU WE WERE TRYIN TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

And from both of us we present...Anderson Cooper

Here's Why:

Charity says: Dude...do you see him? He's fine. Now i prefer the brothas but...I recognize a fine man no matter what race he is. I mean maybe its because grey and blue are my favorite colors...and he has gray hair and blue eyes that do it for me...but yea I'm tryin to schedule an "interview" as we speak.

Melissa says: "He's pretty...and smart...I'd hit it, and check the swoop in his hair GEEZ"

No but really let us give you some background information. Andersonn is an Emmy Award winning journalist who recently was the 60 minutes anchor who covered the "stop snitching" campaign. He also has done awesome investigative journalism work in Iraq, Sri Lanka (after the Tsunami), in new Orleans and Mississippy (after Hurricaines Katrina and Rita), covering the controversy surrounding Princess Dianna. He's known for his compassion and empathy with human suffering and his unapologetic questining of the way our government and society handles situations. He also hosts his own news show on CNN called Anderson Cooper 360 that comes on at 9pm (CST). Tune in and get familiar...

SMSiDK...