Black Patrioitism:Why is it ever questioned

By Miguel Lloyd

Check out Life Full Circle Radio to catch the best Radio on Radio!

This week marks the release of the highly anticipated film “Red Tails.” This movie will chronicle the heroism of the mighty Tuskegee Airmen, the band of African American airmen who fought simply for the the right to….well…fight.

There has been many adaptations of this story over the years, but none with the fanfare that this one is receiving. This one has been executive produced by one of the greatest filmmakers of all times. Mr. George Lucas. One of Hollywoods elite. But even with all his box office success ( Star Wars Franchise and Indiana Jones Franchise), it took him 23 years to bring this project to the big screen. Not because it wasn’t a quality story. Not because the characters are not compelling, but because the most exciting white character in the film will probably be Adolph Hitler.

Although African Americans have had extreme success in all areas of American life, you have two issues that present themselves here, from Hollywoods perspective. Black actors aren’t “bankable” and blacks aren’t American “Heroes.” Both theories of which George Lucas and his investment partners are banking will be debunked with this film.

For the sake of this weeks blog and show, we are going to narrow in on Americas perception of blacks as American Heroes. Blacks and Patriotism. Why aren’t blacks consider “patriots?” Why is that blacks as a whole do not consider themselves patriots?

Even though, black soldiers have made the same sacrifices for country that whites have, you never seem to see many stories told about the heroism of the black soldier. Why is that?

On this weeks episode of Life Full Circle Radio, we will examine this often believed misnomer that blacks are less patriotic that whites. And if it is possibly true, who’s to blame and what we can do about it.

Of course, as always, we will have our super producer, Nikkia Ganey with hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!

In the Realm of Winners, Lebron is more Shaq than he is Kobe

By Miguel Lloyd

Check out Life Full Circle Radio to catch the best Radio on Radio!

This week versus the LA Clippers, Lebron James proved that he is a lot more Shaq than he is Kobe.

Between Kobe’s 5 rings and Shaq’s 4 championships, they have been key members of the basketball royalty over the last 15-20 years. One thing that I have expressed over the years, when the Kobe haters and I get into debates, is that Kobe was always option 1. First in his mind, than in the minds of Phil Jackson, the Lakers coaching staff and the rest of the league. Why you ask? Because the main reason that Kobe is so polarizing is because you can’t tell him he is not the best that has ever done it. Not when he was bald headed, wearing number 8 shooting air balls versus the Utah Jazz before they won championships, or now in his 16th year in the league, put together, literally, with tape on a damaged wrist and (God knows what) in his knees. He is simply a “killer” in the vain of athletics and winners.

On the other hand, there is Shaq. Now before you guys start bugging out, pulling up Youtubes of him breaking baskets and catching alley oops, I want you to think about the personality of Shaq. Very jovial, fun-loving Shaq. The pitchman. Superman. Kazaam, and all the other names he’s coined for himself. The difference between Shaq and Kobe? Kobe’s only names he’s known by besides his own are Black Mamba (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mamba) and some other names that because they are profane, won’t make it on this blog.

Their off the court personalities tend to match their on the court personalities. Although Kobe is probably never the leader in FT percentage on his team, he is always the one who steps to the line to shoot the techs. Why? Because in his mind, there is no one better to handle the pressure. On the the other hand, Shaq’s futility at the free throw line helped coin a phrase (Hack-a-Shaq) that has been adapted to use on many big men, with the inability to come through in the clutch at the line. Just last night, the new age Superman, Dwight Howard, set a new record in most FT’s because he hits less than half of them, night in and night out.

You see, during the great Lakers run that featured Shaq and Kobe (and the Heat run with D. Wade for that matter), the big fella was no good to his team most of the time in the last 6-8 minutes of close games. Why? Because passing him the ball was in most cases a “lost possession” because he couldn’t get past the mental hurdle of standing at the line, with everybody looking at him to sink the big shots. Kobe has never had that problem, whether at the free throw line, or fading away with three 6′ 8″ plus defenders using every inch to block his game winning heroics.

So what does this all have to do with King James? The anointed one? Well since he has come into the league, the pundits have tried to find who Lebron is most like. His game is truly like no other, that I can recall. He’s built like Kevin Willis, is fast and powerful offensively like Karl Marlone, can handle the rock and score, like Jordan and pass like Magic. What he doesn’t have is the heart of a champion. At least he hasn’t shown it yet. If I had to pick a player on the Heat that has shown that, its D. Wade…hands down.

No one with the ability of Lebron James, should defer to anyone unless its an Olympic Dream Team roster. But this isn’t NBA 2k is it? This is real basketball. Although Magic could have only dreamt of having the overall athletic ability of Lebron, King James still hasn’t achieved what Earvin achieved based on a killer instinct that drove him to move from PG to C his rookie year to win his first championship, or channel is inner Kareem with the running hook to beat the Celtics in the eighties.

Yet, in this era of intense media scrutiny that only Jordan could probably relate to, Lebron still seems to fall short. As Lebron has become the pitchman, that sells you everything from shoes, to sodas to insurance he still hasn’t sold himself that he is truly, “the man”. We all know that he has WAY more ability than is needed to make it happen. What he has not exhibited yet is the killer instinct to close the deal. Maybe he needs to sit back and take the lead from someone who has already done it. His teammate, D. Wade. The one with the proven…killer instinct. NBA Champion 2006.

Lebron still has time to win at least one or more championships. Not sure about the 6 to 7…that may be a stretch. He just may need to be Shaq or even Pippen. Putting up big numbers in a support role. Theres no harm in that.

Of course, as always, we will have our super producer, Nikkia Ganey with hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!

Black Republicans Revolutionaries or Opportunists?

By Miguel Lloyd

UPDATE If you missed this show, you need to check it out! Especially the ladies.  Click HERE to the replay!

As someone who considers themselves a fiscal conservative, yet a social moderate, I often find myself leaning towards the ideology of the Democrats. Admittedly, like many of us, my family we’re Dems, but unlike many, that has not been my bottom line factor in leaning that way my entire voting life.  As much as I am against abortion, am a capitalist and am a person of strong Christian Faith, I also take a common sense approach that looks at the plight of poor black, brown and white people and say, “who stands up for them?” Its a position that more people are probably taking than we all realize.

This is where a lot of blacks have a conflict with Black Republicans. To ignore the plights of the poor, to stand for the elimination of some of the same social programs that helped to build the middle class that is now crumbling, seems to fly in the face of the needs of many of the family members these “revolutionary” individuals will be highly critical of at next summers family reunion. Simply, instead of only thinking of their personal life advances, some of us “liberal-minded” folks, seem to focus on pulling people up behind us, instead of stepping on their heads.

Well in the last 10-15 years there has been a growing segment of  the African American population that has made the choice to become apart of “todays” Republican Party. I emphasis, “todays” Republican Party, because one of the many talking points that Black Republicans will site, is the fact that many of the original Civil Rights activist were Republican, including MLK. Well the Republican Party of 50 Years ago, is not the GOP of today. Todays GOP, is based not just in states rights, but the support of corporate greed, limiting the rights of prisoners and ignoring the needs of the lower class. Todays Republicans, like to say they believe in the individuals rights of all Americans, yet would like to determine what individuals can do with their bodies. Todays Republicans believe that “No Compromise” is the way to effectively govern. As much as I agree with some of their fiscal conservative views, I tend to disagree with most of their other ideologies.

Admittedly, the Democrats are far from perfect. Some of these same social programs that the left supports have been instrumental in creating an air of acceptance of being in the permanent “underclass.” This life should always be about progression, not stagnation.

On this episode of Life Full Circle Radio, we will have a discussion that will include some of our Black Republican friends. We will discuss, what drove them to be a Republican, how do they deal with the scrutiny, as well as who they are supporting in the GOP race in 2012. Join us for the highly anticipated discussion.

Of course, as always, we will have our super producer, Nikkia Ganey with hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!

2012: Leadership Series

By Miguel Lloyd

UPDATE If you missed this show, you need to check it out! Especially the ladies.  Click HERE to the replay!

Welcome to 2012! We at Life Full Circle Radio took a much need break to rejuvenate ourselves so that we can continue to deliver to you guys the best radio on radio. We you have a staff that includes parents of a newborn, a newlywed and constant media hustlers, sometimes you have to exhale. But its officially back to the grind. Truth be told, after week one, a couple of the team was ready to get back to work!

Anyway, this week we are going to be bringing in the New Year with a focus on leadership. We will spend a lot of time this year focusing on character development. We will have 3 outstanding guests this week that will focus on your minds and bodies. We will have fitness guru Rafael Justo, Leadership coach Donte Hill  and serial entrepreneur Bishop Rodney Sampson. As always, we are looking to bringing you the most entertaining, yet informative radio…on radio!

Of course, as always, we will have our super producer, Nikkia Ganey with hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!

Black in America: My Thoughts

By Nikkia “Kia” Ganey

Sunday night, along with thousands of people worldwide, I pulled up to my couch to watch part 4 of the CNN Black in America series.  For the past 4 years, CNN and Soledad O’Brien has been exploring different aspects of life in America as an African American. This Sunday they explored “The New Promise Land- Silicon Valley.” This series followed eight black entrepreneurs immersed in Silicon Valley’s startup scene as part of the NewMe Accelerator. Still, the high tech center of the United States is dominated by young males who are mostly white and Asian.

I was under the impression that the series would follow African American people who have changed their careers, moved to Silicon Valley and are now working in software, technology and computer industry…people like me. True, I do not live in Silicon Valley, but my entire career is based online. As a Google and MSN Paid Search Analyst I am in a Male and white dominated world. In my current position I am the only African American who works for the company.  Even with being a minority in my company and my field I truly enjoy it, but this is not the direction that I thought my career would take.

 As an African American student in high school I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I wanted to be successful. I remember getting my acceptance letter to Florida A & M University thinking “Oh crap…what am I going to do at this school for 4 years”.  The day of Freshman Orientation I decided on the spot I was going to go into journalism. I loved to write, I loved the news and I knew it was something that would get me to my ultimate goal of being successful. I graduated with a degree from FAMU and an impressive under graduate portfolio.

I immediately started applying for jobs and saw that journalism jobs were few and far between. Instead of letting the fear of living at home with my mother for the rest of my life, while I wait for my big break, I decided to broaden the scope of what I was looking for. I was offered a job as a copywriter for a marketing company in Daytona Beach Florida. The job was an eye opener, I started creating print pieces and online materials to promote different products. I wrote scripts for online commercials, copy for websites and even got to review and critique new websites. I made the decision to stay in online field just as the bottom fell out of the economy and I loss my job, but the change was the best decision I could have ever made. As the economy tanked, my career was still going strong and doors flung open. Fast forward 4 years and now my entire career is based online.

I am a paid search analyst by day, I produce an online radio show at night and I freelance as an online marketing consultant for non-profit and for-profit organizations. Of everything that I do, I love the radio show the most. I love that while I am producing I can interact with fans on various social networking platforms. I love my career and look forward to going to work every morning. I talk about what I do to my friends and family and I notice that their faces glaze over in boredom, even though I am bouncing off the walls describing the new products that Google is testing this week, the new Ad Center editor tool or new articles that have come out about new innovations being released to improve marketing a product online.  I understand that the online world seems boring and it’s not the first choice for African American’s coming out of high school, especially African American women, but the industry is shifting and the capabilities of technology are growing every second, meaning new career opportunities are opening up constantly.

I would have loved for the Black in America piece to show more African American’s like me who have transitioned into an online tech career and have moved to Silicon Valley and are now working for companies like Intuit, eBay, Salesforce and Google.  I would love to see more women like me who have transitioned into the tech world and are flourishing, but maybe next time…

Join Nikkia as she helps produce Life Full Circle Radio. The show is hosted by Miguel Lloyd.  Nikkia Ganey will also have hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!