Baby Got Brands

There's this neat branding agency in Lafayette called The Russo Group. Here's the link to their website:

http://www.therussogroup.com/

Here's a video explaining what they like:



They also have an interesting blog: http://razorbrandingblog.blogspot.com/

Would like to give a shout out to Andy, Stacey, and Candy, and would also like to make a request to have "Hey Ya" as a future video.

CC's

http://www.communitycoffee.com/ccc/Content/TraditionBody/

Synapses Of Local Creativity: [Lafayette, LA] Artists--Andy Breaux And Terry Grow

Andy Breaux: http://andybreaux.blogspot.com/










Terry Grow: http://www.myspace.com/26268240

Caty Sporleder's "Flay, a book of mu"

http://www.blazevox.org/bk-cs2.htm

BlazeVox [Books]

The Flap Jack, The Flip Flap Jack* (Pete Maravich)

*He should have been practicing this drill without looking down at the ball, but straight ahead (with peripheral vision).

If I Sang Out Of Tune

Humid Spot Eatery

http://www.deanospizza.com/aboutus/default.asp

The storySouth Million Writers Award: Notable Stories Of 2008

After reading J.A. Tyler's blog,

http://www.aboutjatyler.blogspot.com/ ,

found out that "The Boatman's Home" made the list of 2008 Notable Stories--this was put together by storySouth. Been following several writers on this list--so glad that they were acknowledged. Some of these writers include J.A. Tyler, Molly Gaudry, Tai Dong Huai, C.L. Bledsoe, and Nathan Leslie. Looking forward to coming across more writers and journals through this site:

http://www.storysouth.com/millionwriters/millionwritersnotable2008.html ,

and thanks for the nomination--it's humbling.

"The Boatman's Home" can be found in Issue 26 of Cafe Irreal:

http://home.sprynet.com/~awhit/dasgupta.htm

Le Gazouillement Et La Mise À Jour De Statut Se Rencontrent Pour La Première Fois

A Brief Discourse On Bling

Bling-Bling

The percentage of consumer sales of hip-hop albums sold between 1995 and 2004 nearly doubled (“2004 Consumer Profile,” RIAA). By 2005, hip-hop spread throughout the world not only through compact discs, but through television, movies, music videos, clothing lines, dancing, politics, and even pornography (George, “Rhymin And Stealin”). It continues to be a growing market, as the hip-hop culture has spread to cellular phone ring-tones (Gundersen, par. 8). Currently, the number one album, according to Billboard, belongs to the hip-hop singer, Nas (“No.1 Albums”). One of the results of this growth of the hip-hop culture is that a transformation of the English language is taking place. Hip-hop is becoming ingrained into the English language, and the hip-hop term, “bling-bling,” is a prime example of the English tongue adapting to this revolution. In this paper, the creation and the definition of bling-bling, the spread of the usage of this word, and its relation to the English language will be discussed.

The word, bling-bling, was created by the Southern rap label, Cash Money Records in 1998 (Montcombroux, par. 4). Lil Wayne used it in the song, “Millionaire Dream.”(Big Tymers, How You Luv That?). He used “bling” instead of “bling-bling,” but this marks the creation or the root of the term. Bling-bling became mainstream when it appeared in B.G.’s album, Chopper City in the Ghetto, (“Bling-Bling”). The chorus of the song, sung by Lil’ Wayne, goes “Bling-bling, every time I come around your city, bling-bling. Pinky ring worth about fifty, bling-bling. Every time I buy a new ride, bling-bling. Lorinsers on Yokahama tires, bling-bling” (B.G., Chopper City). Urban Dictionary, an online dictionary composed by anyone, particularly those who are interested in street slang, defines bling-bling as “money or expensive jewelry” or a phrase trying to describe the “light hitting the diamonds, in turn making the diamonds bling in the light” (“Bling,” def.5; def 7 ). Source For Youth Ministers defines the word as “used to be jewelry such as silver, platinum, or diamonds and sometimes gold. Now the word expands to describe extremely expensive style of clothes, cars and general life-style” (Lynch). And Rap Dictionary describes it as, “Jewelry such as chains, watches, bracelets, rings, earrings. Bling is described as the shining light that appears on materials of great value such as jewelry, gold, silver, and platinum” (“Bling Bling”). The rest of the song lyrics help support these definitions, and helps give the word its meaning through context: “…my pinky ring is platinum plus, earrings be trillion cut…candy coated helicopter with the leather cover…diamond up, golds be shining up,…man I got the price of a mansion around my neck and wrist…” (B.G., Chopper City). From the start of its creation, bling-bling is given meaning and supported with song lyrics – it’s not just a random word thrown in by the artist. It has a purpose, and from the linguistics standpoint, bling-bling becomes attached to the English language and can be analyzed.

Bling-bling is a use of reduplication (Honnegger, lecture notes). “Bling-bling” can refer to money in two different ways. First, “bling-bling” is similar to, and rhymes with “ching-ching.” “Ching-ching” is associated with the noise a cash register makes every time a sale takes place. The sound of “bling-bling” represents the same sound that “ching-ching” creates (B.G., Chopper City). In linguistics, words that are almost identical are said to be ‘paronymous’ (Yaguello 44). The only letters that are different are the first two consonants. Secondly, the sparkling of a diamond is associated with the sound “bling.” Although a diamond’s sparkle does not actually create a sound, “bling-bling” was used to represent the sound of a sparkle of a diamond if it were to actually make a sound. A word that signifies the sound an object, an animal, or a human makes is said to be ‘onomatopoetic’ (Yaguello 80-81, 85). This ‘onomatopoetic’ use of “bling-bling” is best seen in cartoons and commercials. In a car commercial or a teeth commercial, a “bling” sound is made to show the cleanliness of the car or the teeth. In cartoons also, windows, diamonds, belt buckles, and other objects tend to always have a “bling” sound to represent the cleanliness of the object. The sparkle that Lil’ Wayne talks about comes from his diamond pinky rings, and his flashy new cars (B.G., Chopper City).

This is such a word that can easily be grasped, that several other rappers use it in their songs. It caught on quickly, thus allowing it to spread across the nation with force. In her album, No Place Like Bklyn, Jeannie Ortega sings, “you must really love your bling, got them tripping for your bling… girls be crazy for your bling…” (“Bling”). Black Chill, Jaz’ Mina, and Ebony Burks have a song on the New York Minute soundtrack with the lyrics, “so fresh, so clean, bring on the bling, step out in bling…bling bling honey…”(“Bring On The Bling). Perhaps, one of the greatest rappers to date, Jay-Z, also uses the word: “Step off in the club, so fresh and so clean, ladies be like, damn, bling, bling, bling…(“The Return,” Unfinished Business). But bling-bling doesn’t just stop with hip-hop – it also makes its way into Rhythm and Blues, Pop, and Country. The Rhythm and Blues group, B2K sing, “…with a crown on your head, ‘cause you’re a ghetto queen, like bling bling bling…, in their song “Bump Bump Bump (Pandemonium). The country band, Rascal Flatts, sing “your pretty little thing, your bling bling bling and a diamond ring…,” in their song, “Backwards” (Me And My Gang). And Ms. Jade collaborates with pop singer Nelly Furtado and rapper, Timbaland: “What about my ching ching ching? What about my bling bling bling? What about the money I spent up today? (“Ching Ching,” Girl Interrupted). There is also a Latino rapper who calls himself, Chingo Bling (Tamale Kingpin).

Not only did rappers use the word, but it became a part of the American lingo with non-rappers. Athletes and well known TV personalities, such as Shaquille O’Neil and Barbara Walters used it. The word has been used at least 14 times in different magazines and journals by 2002, and this has most probably increased at an exponential rate since then, as we are constantly surrounded by the use of it by radio, friends, and television (Carter, par. 6). At Rice University, students of Linguistics 215 – Words In English: Structure, History, Use have set up a neologism database where they define new words they hear. One student heard bling-bling, when asked, “what do you think about my new bling-bling” (Kemmer, “Bling”).

In 2002, bling-bling was added to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (Ask Oxford, 2). In 2003, the word could be found in the Oxford English Dictionary (Oh, “Bling-Bling Added”). It also appears in the Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary and on MSN Encarta (“Bling-Bling,” Merriam’s; “Bling-Bling,” MSN Encarta). This shows that the word has fully become accepted into the English language. It was created in 1998, in a rap song, as a word to creatively describe being rich, and it made its way through at least the United States, and finally became recognized as a word in the dictionary. Bling-bling is just the beginning. There are several other hip-hop words making their way around the world. “Jiggy,” meaning, becoming energized and eager, has made its way to various online dictionaries including the Oxford English Dictionary Online. The word, “phat,” which means ‘”gratifying or highly attractive” can also be found in the same dictionary (Oh, “Bling-Bling Added”). Another term, “ice,” which means diamonds, can be found on the Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, amongst other places (“Ice,” Merriam’s). If the hip-hop culture continues to push for originality, and, with its growing trends throughout the world, perhaps more boundaries can be crossed, and hip-hop can maintain a strong presence in the English vernacular.

Works Cited

“2004 Consumer Profile.” Recording Industry Association Of America. Recording Industry Association Of America. 3 January 2007 < http://www.riaa.com/News/ marketingdata/pdf/2004consumerProfile.pdf >.

B2K. “Bump Bump Bump.” Pandemonium. Sony, 2002.

B.G. “Bling-Bling.” Chopper City In The Ghetto. Universal, 1999.

Big Tymers. “Millionaire Dream.” How You Luv That? Cash Money, 1998.

Black Chill, Ebony Burks, and Jaz’ Mina. “Bring On The Bling.” New York Minute. Elektra/Wea, 2004.

“Bling.” Def. 5; Def. 7. Urban Dictionary. 2003-2004. 1 January 2007 .

“Bling-Bling.” Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary. Springfield, MA. 1 January 2007 <>.

“Bling-Bling.” MSN Encarta. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. 1 January 2007 <>.

“Bling-Bling.” The Rap Dictionary. 2006. 1 January 2007 .

Carter, Lyndsey. “All About The Bling.” Ryerson Review Of Journalism. Toronto: Ryerson U, 2004. 9 pars. 1 January 2007 <>.

Chingo Bling. Tamale King. Big Chile Enterprises, 2004.

Furtado, Nelly, Ms. Jade, and Timbaland. “Ching Ching.” Girl Interrupted. Interscope Records, 2002.

George, Nelson. “Rhymin And Stealin.” The Observer. London: Guardian News And Media Unlimited, 2005. 3 January 2007 < http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/ story/0,,1393768,00.html >.

Gundersen, Edna. “Mastertones Ring Up Profits.” USA Today. McLean, VA: Gannet Co. Inc., 2006. 3 January 2007 < http://www.usatoday.com/life/ music/news/2006-11-28-mastertones-main_x.htm >.

Honegger, Mark. “Word Formation Processes.” Class lecture. Griffin Hall, Lafayette. 24 Feb. 2003.

“Ice.” Def. 5. Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary. Springfield, MA. 1 January 2007 <>.

Jay-Z and R.Kelly. “The Return.” Unfinished Business. Def Jam, 2004.

Jeannie Ortega. “Bling.” No Place Like Bklyn. Hollywood Records, 2006.

“JEDI Enter The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.” Ask Oxford. Oxford UP. 1 January 2007 .

Kemmer, Suzanne. “Bling.” The Rice University Neologisms Database. Houston: Rice University, 1999. 1 January 2007 <>.

Lynch, Fred, ed. “Slang Dictionary.” The Source For Youth Ministry. Orangevale, CA. 1 January 2007 <>.

Montcombroux, Bruce. “Bling-Bling, Same Old Thing.” The Manitoban. Winnipeg: The Manitoban Newspaper Publishing Corporation, 2004. 21 pars. 1 January 2007 <>.

“No.1 Albums.” Billboard. New York: VNU Business Media, 2007. 3 January 2007 <>.

Oh, Minya. “Bling-Bling Added To Oxford English Dictionary.” MTV News. 2003. 1 January 2007 .

Yaguello, Marina. Language Through The Looking Glass. New York: Oxford UP, 1998.

Lac Martin

http://losbird.org/swla/LM.html

[ ]

Watson And Holmes

We Are Next To Each Other

Playing For Change: "Stand By Me"

http://www.playingforchange.com/

What's That? "That's Gangsta"

Powered by eSnips.com

Twirl And Swirl

Scenario: Post-Practice Practice

It's six o'clock and hoops practice has finished. Everyone has left. You're still there. You got the whole court in front of you. It's like a naked person but instead it's a hoops court. You think about what Larry Bird had said in his book, Bird On Basketball: "I don't know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody, somewhere, was practicing more than me."

What do you do?

*The Twirl And Swirl:

Start between the half-court line and the baseline on one end of the hoops court and with open eyes, twirl and swirl towards the other end of the court. You're like a ballerina, a figure skater, or something that twirls and swirls. Once you've reached the hoop, shoot a lay-up with the right hand. Repeat until you can do it with your eyes closed. Repeat until you can do it with no hands. No legs. Repeat until you can do it without using any body parts or even the basketball.

*This practice drill works best when you pretend to be playing in the NBA.

LitLine

A list of journals and presses:

http://www.litline.org/links/presses.html .

L'Interview Avec Francoise Sagan (1956)

1956 Interview With Francoise Sagan:

http://www.theparisreview.org/viewinterview.php/prmMID/4912

Symphony Space--Selected Shorts

http://www.symphonyspace.org/shorts

six=6

http://www.economicshelp.org/funny/funny-exam-answers.html

http://www.economicshelp.org/funny/funny-exam-diagrams.html

The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them we wouldn't have history. The Greeks also had myths. A myth is a female moth.

Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock. After his death, his career suffered a dramatic decline.

In the Olympic games, Greeks ran races, jumped, hurled the biscuits, and threw the java.

Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf. He was so deaf he wrote loud music. He took long walks in the forest even when everyone was calling for him. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died of this.

The sun never set on the British Empire because the British Empire is in the East and the sun sets in the West.

The pistol of a flower is its only protection against insects.

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

Googly

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/cricket/skills/newsid_3207000/3207939.stm

Moose (For A. Parker)

Moose.
Moose is a goose.
Moose is a goose who likes to be loose.
Moose likes to be loose--a goose who likes chocolate mousse.
Silly goose--chocolate mousse keeps you loose but Moose do you eat couscous?

Honk.

What's the use to talk to Moose, who is not a moose, but a honking goose who prefers chocolate mousse over couscous and juice?

Vamoose Moose, you non-moose goose and eat your chocolate mousse while I keep loose with the use of couscous and juice.

Wait, don't vamoose Moose the goose, because you look like a recluse with just you and your chocolate mousse--take use of my couscous and together we'll keep loose as we reduce the food and juice under this spruce

Honk.

You're welcome Moose and thanks for sharing your chocolate mousse--take some more of my couscous and juice while we sit under the spruce; I'm so glad you didn't refuse to vamoose and after we reduce the use of this food and produce, let's shake our caboose like Kevin Bacon in Footloose!

Honk!

Rob Roberge's News And Updates

Got to love Rob Roberge and his News And Updates:

http://www.robroberge.com/news__updates

Can't wait for Working Backwards From The Worst Moment Of My Life.

Louisiana Crafts Guild

http://www.louisianacrafts.org/

Spam 90: Barrister Ugo

Silus Lorney
Spam 90
Professor L.E. Rones
Final Draft

Dear Srom Dusgopta,

I am Barrister Agbara Ugo, a legal practitioner, I am the personal attorney to Mr. William Dusgopta,a national of your country, who used to work with a Gold Mining Company here in Accra Ghana . He used to be my client. This is a decent introduction--short and to the point. Sounds professional and dignified--it's like a firm handshake but in text.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the fund valued at US$6.5 million left behind by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the GHANA COMMERCIAL BANK LTD where this huge amount were deposited. http://www.gcb.com.gh/--It looks like a sturdy bank. The slogan reads, "We Serve You Better." Maybe include this slogan in the email--this should help to hook them.

The said GHANA COMMERCIAL BANK LTD has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have his account confiscated within the next twenty one official working days. As a potential "client", I'm thinking, "my long lost cousin." There is some hope created here.

Since I have been unsuccessfully in locating the relatives for over 2years now, I seek the consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased since you have the same last names, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Good choice of using "kin." Vocabulary is important.

I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim. Legal documents definitely make it legal--I'm still interested.

All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Good, because when you cooperate, you're honest--I can do this. (If "Breach Of The Law" was a movie, it's prequel should be "Law.") Using words such as "transaction," "guarantee," and "legitimate" should filter out some hesitation.

Bam! This is where Ugo Esq. needs to go a bit deeper. State what one can do with this money. Ask for banking account information. This would have proven his seriousness.

Best Regards,
Agbara Ugo Esq.

95/100

Also, be more specific and state the nationality in the opening paragraph--this will take away some of the vagueness. Make the necessary changes and send it back to me, and then we can start sending it out. Keep up the hard work Silus. With your diligence and your unique approach, you will find yourself at the top of the class. Who knows--maybe one day, you'll be sitting in my chair guiding those who have chosen the same path as you. The opportunities are infinite.

Oh, you haven't made your last block of payments yet. Make sure to send your cash to the mailing address I had provided during orientation. If you don't send the cash, you won't be able to move on. You've been doing such good work--I encourage you to send the money and to continue with your education.You would really enjoy Spam 115.

--Prof. Rones

Sebastian And Anne Exchange Letters

Sebastian and Anne are communicating. These "Two Letters" can be found in Lit Chaos, Issue 45:

http://litchaos.com/ .

There's a layer of language in there, so this might be needed:

http://www.roubaixinteractive.com/PlayGround/Binary_Conversion/Binary_To_Text.asp

Festival International de Louisiane

For more information:

http://www.festivalinternational.com/site.php

Desktop View

Some things on that table have been there for years:

Floppy Disks

Michael Bolton Cassette bought in Kolkata

Sega Genesis Controller

"Cheerful Facts About The Square Of The Hypotenuse"

If Pablo Picasso had his Blue Period, maybe Gilbert & Sullivan went through a Pre-Hip-Hop Hip-Hop Period.

*↓→**

Empirical*Author
↓
[Implied**Author/Narrator→ (character/story)→ Implied**Reader]
↓
Empirical*Reader





*= the actual being--the person who holds the pen (author) or the book (reader)



**= from the imagination of *