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Dad Of Subway Bomb Plotter Sentenced To 4 1/2 Years

2012-02-11T16:21:27Z

NEW YORK -- The father of an admitted terrorist was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison Friday after he was convicted of destroying evidence and lying to investigators to cover up his son's plot to attack the New York City subways in 2009 as one of a trio of suicide bombers.

Mohammed Wali Zazi, 56, could have faced up to 40 years, though his attorneys had argued for probation because they said he was simply trying to protect his family and had no idea what his son was up to.

His son, Najibullah Zazi, has admitted that he returned from a trip to Pakistan to his family's Denver-area home to practice concocting homemade bombs using chemicals extracted from common beauty supplies. He then drove to New York City in September 2009 with plans to attack the subway system in a "martyrdom operation" before he learned he was being watched by the FBI and fled back to Colorado. The plot was sanctioned by al-Qaida, but thwarted by authorities.

The elder Zazi was found guilty of conspiracy and obstruction of justice at a trial detailing the unraveling of a working-class family of Afghan-Americans amid chilling allegations of homegrown terror. He clawed his way to a fairly comfortable life in the U.S., hoping to give his children what he didn't experience: A life without struggle.

And he refused to believe, even at his sentencing, that his son was plotting an attack. He gave a long statement in Pashto through an interpreter saying his family was victimized.

"I believe that my son was pressured," he said. "I don't think that he was involved in any wrongdoing. I am sorry. The last three years my family ... went through very difficult times."

He said he feared his wife would not be able to support their children without him, she was ill and the family may have to return to Afghanistan.

"I ask forgiveness from all of you," he said. "I had a trial in here, and the jury convicted me, but the jury did not hear everything."

U.S. District Court Judge John Gleeson said he understood why Zazi did what he did. "What wouldn't a parent do for a child?" he asked. But Gleeson said the lies hindered a critical, fast-moving terror investigation, and Zazi needed to be punished.

"When someone is going to bomb the New York City subway system, every lie matters," he said.

Following his trial in July, Zazi, who is a U.S. citizen, admitted that he forged immigration forms on behalf of a nephew who ended up testifying against him. He said he instructed a lawyer to fill out the forms to say the nephew was his son so that he could enter the United States more easily. Gleeson sentenced him to six months on that plea.

The nephew and Zazi's brother-in-law both testified at the trial how the FBI and immigration agents put pressure on the family as soon as the plot unraveled. Both had pleaded guilty and agreed to become government witnesses to stave off stiff prison terms.

When it became clear Najibullah Zazi was a suspect and family members were getting grand jury subpoenas, the cousin said "Uncle Wali" recruited him to get rid of plastic containers of peroxide and other evidence. The family agreed to code name the chemicals "medicine" in case the FBI was eavesdropping, he said. He also claimed his uncle told them not to say anything if they were asked questions.

Najibullah Zazi, who pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges and is awaiting sentencing, faces life in prison.

One of Zazi's former high school classmates also has admitted in a guilty plea that they wanted to avenge U.S. aggression in the Arab world by becoming martyrs. Both could testify against a third former classmate at a trial expected to begin in mid-April.

The elder Zazi's attorney, Deborah Colson, portrayed him as a kind, selfless man whose major weakness was that he put his family before himself. He cared for his 10 brothers and sisters in Afghanistan at a young age, eventually moving to the U.S. and working as a taxi driver for years. His friends and family wrote in to give examples of his kindness, like helping the homeless. One family member was in court for the sentencing, but wouldn't give his name.

He became a U.S. citizen on Oct. 23, 2007, one of the happiest days of his life, she said. "He was never politically minded but he fervently believed in the American dream."

Zazi was ignorant of the plans; Najibullah Zazi told prosecutors that his father didn't understand what his son was doing.

"He never believed that his son would do anything like that," Colson said.

Grammies On The Grammys

2012-02-11T15:44:09Z

Every expert and critic is delivering their predictions in the lead-up to Sunday night's Grammy Awards ceremony. But one group of cultural surveyors has been mysteriously left out.

Grandmothers.

After all, the Grammy Award was named for the founder of music's grandmother, Grammy Pearl,* so it only made sense that we went straight to the source. Or sources.

From the Hudson Guild Community Center in Manhattan, New York, we bring you Rosemary, Catherine, Merle, Julia, and Mibs -- all smart, opinionated women with a self-professed love of music. We played them snippets from the nominees for Best Album of the Year and Best Record of the Year and asked them to choose the winner. The results... will astound you.

*This is a lie. The Grammys were named after the Gramophone.

**Also, potential commenters, it should be noted: the segment is called "Grammies on the Grammys," rather than grannies. Just a little mix-up in video--title land. Additionally, the intro says we will be meeting with six grandmothers. Unfortunately, we lost one grandmother right away to an appointment.

LINSANITY CONTINUES

2012-02-11T03:53:55Z

NEW YORK — Jeremy Lin keeps getting better. Better even than Kobe Bryant on Friday night.

Lin had the most astounding performance of his remarkable week, scoring a career-high 38 points and outdueling Bryant as the New York Knicks held off the Los Angeles Lakers 92-85.

Buried deep on the bench a little more than a week ago, Lin led the Knicks to their fourth straight win, tying their longest streak of the season. His two free throws with 52 seconds left and some booming "MVP! MVP!" chants stopped the Lakers' final rally and allowed the undrafted Harvard product to pass Carmelo Anthony for the highest-scoring game by a Knicks player this season.

Iman Shumpert added 12 points for the Knicks, who are still without Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. But they have Lin, the point guard that two other teams gave up on in December and didn't get his chance in New York until three other players couldn't do the job.

Bryant finished with 34 points, but he got off to a horrendous start and finished only 11 of 29 from the field. Pau Gasol had 16 points and 10 rebounds, but All-Star Andrew Bynum was only 1 of 8 for three points with 13 rebounds as the Lakers' nine-game winning streak against the Knicks was snapped.

Five of those wins had come at Madison Square Garden, where fans used to roar for Bryant.

They've got a new favorite now, and who could have ever predicted it'd be Lin?

The most surprising story in the NBA came back into the game with 9:25 left after the Knicks' lead had been trimmed to three. Shumpert hit a jumper and blew by Bryant for a dunk before Lin knocked down a jumper to push the lead to 76-69 with about 8 minutes left.

The lead was still eight before Lin nailed a long jumper, then was wide open after an offensive rebound for a 3-pointer from the wing, making it 84-71 as fans stood and screamed throughout the Lakers' timeout.

Lin followed his 28-point, eight-assist outing Monday in his first career start by scoring 23 points and handing out 10 assists Wednesday against Washington, becoming the first player since LeBron James in 2003 and just the sixth since 1970 to have at least 20 points and eight assists in his first two starts, according to research from the Elias Sports Bureau provided by the Knicks.

He became an instant star in New York just as fans were ready to check out basketball after the Giants' Super Bowl run was over, and just when it appeared the Knicks might fall too far behind in the standings to salvage the season.

Some Lin shirts were scattered throughout Madison Square Garden – though Spike Lee was still wearing Landry Fields' No. 2 in his courtside seat. Ratings on MSG network are up since Lin joined the lineup, and the NBA said some of its Asian TV partners have added Knicks games to their broadcast schedules so fans can see the league's first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.

Already drawing comparisons to Tim Tebow for his impact on teammates and the way he speaks of his faith afterward, the hype around him will only grow now after beating one of the league's marquee franchises in his first nationally televised game.

A night after needing overtime to win at Boston, the Lakers had nothing to start the game, and Lin quickly jumped on them. He started 4 of 5 as the Knicks raced to a 13-4 lead, and it grew to 19-8 as Los Angeles missed 12 of its first 13 shots.

Lin's four field goals in the first quarter matched the Lakers' total in 18 attempts (22 percent).

The Lakers cut a 14-point deficit to five late in the half before Lin put the Knicks back in control. He had a turnaround jumper then spun around to leave Derek Fisher behind on his way to a layup, pushing it to 47-38 with 2:44 remaining. It was 49-41 at halftime.

Bryant started 1 of 11 before hitting five of his next six shots. The record holder at the current arena with 61 points, he also grabbed 10 rebounds but got going far too late.

Notes: The Knicks had two points taken off the board in the third quarter when the referees ruled a foul earlier in the period on Metta World Peace shouldn't have counted against the Lakers' team foul total, so the Knicks shouldn't have been in the bonus and shot free throws yet on a later foul. ... Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said Anthony told him he was feeling better and walking without pain. The All-Star forward is expected to be re-evaluated Sunday, but D'Antoni said he doubted Anthony would play Tuesday at Toronto. The Knicks said Anthony was expected to miss a week or two after he was hurt Monday. ... Stoudemire, whose brother died in Florida on Monday, is expected to rejoin the team at practice Monday. ... Fisher made his 400th consecutive start. He has played in 522 straight games, the longest active streak in the league. ... Celebrities on hand included actor Ben Stiller, wrestler and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Giants Justin Tuck, Brandon Jacobs, Hakeem Nicks and Antrel Rolle.

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

LIVE: Knicks vs Lakers

2012-02-10T23:58:49Z

Who has had more fun this week: Jeremy Lin or the rest of us?

On the one hand, it seems fairly obvious that the Knicks' point guard has enjoyed his breakout performances versus the Nets, Jazz and Wizards and that he has felt validated by all of the attention that he has been receiving after drawing scant interest as he finished his high school career in Palo Atlo and then his collegiate career at Harvard.

But, on the other hand, the rest of us have had Linsanity.. Lincredible.. Lindestructible.. The Linside Job.. All He Does Is Lin.. and so very many, many more tweets and headlines to enjoy and dream up.

Fulfilling one's lifelong ambition or having your Twitter timeline lighting up like the night sky on Lindependence Day?

I would have called this a draw. But then I saw the NMA TV animated account of Lin's rise. Certainly that video tilts the scales in favor of the rest of us. Seemingly everyone except for Kobe Bryant has been swept up by this Linspirational story.

On Friday, Kobe and the Lakers visit the Garden to put the Knicks' Linning streak to its sternest test. Will Lin be able to keep it up? Or will the Lakers expose this Knicks squad that will be playing without Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony?

FOLLOW HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE GAME. TWEET TO @HUFFPOSTSPORTS TO JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION:

Militant Hair And Makeup At Jason Wu

2012-02-10T22:40:00Z

The Inspiration: The Ming Dynasty meets 1940s Hollywood

Beauty at Jason Wu Fall 2012 show. Photo: Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images

Hair: Kerastase Paris stylist Odile Gilbert created a warrior ponytail that channeled "Tomb Raider's" Lara Croft. She prepped the models' hair with Fibre Architecte to smooth ends and boost shine. She then flat-ironed before gathering into a sleek, high ponytail. Extensions were added and the ends bluntly cut. For a surprising twist, she wrapped electrical tape around the holder. Gilbert finished with a blast of Double Force Controle Ultime Hairspray.

Makeup: "Jason Wu's fall collection is very rich and opulent so he wanted to reflect that in the face," said MAC Cosmetics lead artist Diane Kendal. Inspired by the collection's military touches, Kendal drew on a very defined eye using an emerald shadow that extended out in a shape she described as "Hollywood." Blush shades in Sculpt and Tenderling were applied to give cheeks a warm glow. Kendal slicked on black liner closely to the lids and then applied mascara. Brows were filled in heavily, while the lips were left bare.

Nails: OPI manicurists carried out Wu's vision for an opaque nude effect by painting on Santan-tonio (a creamy mocha), followed by a clear top coat.

Westminster Dog Show's 'New Direction' Axes Pet Adoption Ads

2012-02-10T21:32:00Z

NEW YORK -- Pet lovers won't have to look away anymore when those heart-wrenching TV ads appear during the Westminster dog show – the ones with the pitiful little faces peering out from behind those rusted bars of a cage and wondering "how I ended up in here."

Happy dogs will rule the air waves this year, thanks to a new sponsor for America's most prestigious dog competition and a decision to air ads that shift the focus away from sad-eyed animals in need of adoption.

"The feedback we got from our primary audience was that they were seeing commercials that made them want to turn the channel," Westminster spokesman and longtime TV host David Frei said Thursday.

Nestle Purina PetCare is the new sponsor for America's most prestigious dog competition that begins Monday at Madison Square Garden, replacing Pedigree after 24 years. The switch will bring a shift in the tone of the television commercials that drew nearly as much attention as who won best in show.

Gone will be the haunting music and woeful pictures of dogs with pleading eyes wasting away at the pound, hoping to be adopted. Instead, Purina's main spots will feature dogs running on the beach, catching a Frisbee, frolicking in the snow and riding a surfboard.

Frei said he thought the Pedigree commercials took the wrong approach, backed by viewers who either muted the spots or flipped the channel and didn't turn back.

"Show me an ad with a dog with a smile. Don't try to shame me," he said. "We told them that and they ignored us."

He added: "Our show is a celebration of dogs. We're not promoting purebreds at the expense of non-purebreds. We celebrate all dogs," he said. "When we're seeing puppies behind bars, it takes away from that. Not just because it's sad, but it's not our message."

More than 2,000 purebred champion dogs are entered in the 136th Westminster Kennel Club show, with the winner to be chosen Tuesday night. Each evening at the Garden, an announcement is read over the public-address system encouraging people to visit shelters and adopt a pet.

The commercials air on USA Network and CNBC, which share coverage of the event. About 3.4 million viewers watched last year when a Scottish deerhound called Hickory won.

Pedigree was "surprised and disappointed" when it was dropped by Westminster, senior brand manager Lisa Campbell said.

Campbell said Westminster had made it clear in recent years "that we had become too focused on adoptions." She acknowledged that the ads struck a nerve and said there are other ways to encourage pet adoption.

She was certain, though, that the ads were effective. Campbell said shelters around the country had thanked Pedigree for raising the plight of homeless dogs. She said 4 million dogs get put in shelters each year and only half make it out. Among those who found a home was Sweet Pea, the pug mix she regularly takes to work with her.

"Westminster has been a great platform for us," she said. "We were able to tap into a dog-loving audience."

Melissa Martellotti, spokeswoman for parent company Mars Petcare US, said Pedigree had contributed $7 million to the pet adoption cause since 2006.

Frei said Westminster has input into the commercials Purina will show during its multiyear deal as a sponsor. He said Westminster had the same understanding with Pedigree, "but things that ended up on the air were not what we were led to believe."

Purina had long maintained a presence at Westminster and became a partner last June. Candy Caciolo, the company's portfolio director of specialty, breeder and pet acquisition, arrived in New York on Thursday, minus her two standard poodles, Peaches and Anne.

The companies and show officials declined to say how much Purina or Pedigree paid to secure advertising rights.

Caciolo said next week's ads had been in development for quite a while. While Purina was aware of the reaction Pedigree's commercials elicited over the years, "it wasn't really an issue for us," she said.

Purina's ads are based on a theme: Inside every good dog is a great dog. Its main 60-second spot shows lots of wagging tails – there are therapy dogs, rescue dogs, guide dogs, show dogs, household pets and a playful pooch greeting a serviceman.

Said Caciolo: "We're unleashing a new direction."

LISTEN: New 'Smash' Episode 2 Songs

2012-02-10T21:07:22Z

Debuting after "The Voice" (which itself was riding high from a post-Super Bowl timeslot the previous night), NBC's new musical show, "Smash," debuted to solid ratings with 11.5 million viewers tuning in to see fabulous performances by Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty, plus starring roles by such strong actresses as Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston.

'Magic/Bird' Set To Tip Off On Broadway This Spring

2012-02-10T20:42:29Z

Last year it was announced that two of the NBA's all-time greats, Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson will be the subject of the upcoming play aptly titled, "Magic/Bird."

Based on the parallel careers of sport's most memorable rivalries, the Fran Kirmser, Tony Ponturo, and Eric Simonson-produced theater piece is set to begin rehearsals on February 20 followed by preview performances on March 21.

For Johnson, recreating his on court competitiveness for the Broadway stage was a no-brainer after viewing the production trio's previous stage production, "Lombardi," which chronicled Hall of Fame football coach, Vince Lombardi. "They did a wonderful job," Johnson said during a recent interview with Playbill. "They portrayed him in an incredible light, but also [showed us] the things that were going on in his life that we didn't know were going on."

"That's when I decided, 'Okay. Go ahead. Let's do it.' And, Larry [Bird], as well. So, two boys from the Midwest playing basketball, who would have ever dreamt that we would be on Broadway with a play about our lives? And then it's great to have the NBA as one of our partners, as well, so everybody is working together to make sure it comes off right."

As for any concerns about what may appear in the play, the former Los Angeles Lakers guard has no qualms about his life being portrayed on stage.

"If you looked at the HBO documentary ['Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals'], you know, they touched on everything. My life is already out there, so whatever they wanted to cover and it made sense...I was fine with it."

'Magic/Bird' is scheduled to debut on April 11 at Broadway's Longacre Theatre.

WATCH:

James Blake, CHERYL, Speed Dating With The Smiths: What To Do This Weekend

2012-02-10T20:22:28Z

James Blake DJ Set
Where: Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street; (212) 505-3474
When: Sunday, 9PM
Price: $20 in advance, $25 at door
James Blake brings "The Wilhelm Scream" to the stage at Le Poisson Rouge for an experimental DJ set with The Chain and Airhead. Blake recently created some excitement for the Internet crowd by covering D'Angelo's "Left & Right" which you can listen to here.

LUSH: Orchid Dance Party
Where: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn; (718) 623-7200
When: Friday, 8PM-12AM
Price: $65
If you're looking for a reason to dance up a storm this weekend, why not for orchids? The folks at Brooklyn Botanic Garden invite New Yorkers to celebrate their astounding collection of over 6,000 tropical orchids with an open bar chock full of fragrant juices and cocktails for guests to enjoy. And really, when can you ever say you danced to boogaloo and Latin soul in honor of flowers?

Dave Hill Hosts A Night Of The Smiths And Speed Dating
Where: Black Rabbit, 91 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn; (718) 349.1595
When: Sunday, 8PM
Price: Free
If you're hoping to snag a last minute date for Tuesday, comedian Dave Hill is giving you a chance to meet other hopeful singles at this special event that combines an affinity for Morrissey with speed dating at the Black Rabbit Bar in Greenpoint. Heaven knows your miserable, so bottoms up!

CHERYL: Ultimate Retro
Where: The Bell House, 149 7th Street, Brooklyn; (718) 643-6510
When: Saturday, 11PM
Price: $5 before midnight, $10 after
Frequently cat-masked party fiends, CHERYL, continue to ruin your life as they put a retro spin to their dance extravaganzas at The Bell House this weekend. Resident DJ Nick and DJ Lloydski will be spinning a mix of electro, new wave, new disco, old disco, gregorian chant, grunts, rocks being smashed, and screaming.

The Panorama of The City of New York
Where: Queens Museum of Art, Flushing Meadows Corona Park Queens, Queens; (718) 592-9700
When: Friday, 7PM-10PM
Price: $10 suggested donation
Levy's Unique New York is hosting the ultimate trivia competition involving the world's largest architectural model, The Panorama of the City of New York. Ticket entry includes a beer compliments of Brooklyn Brewery.

Why Jeremy Lin Is More Than a Cultural Curio

2012-02-10T19:43:07Z

When frighteningly fickle hoops fans are chanting "MVP" after your first career start, then you know you might be something special. When you become the first player since Lebron James to have at least twenty points and eight assists in your first two NBA starts, then you know the sports world will take notice. When you provide an infectious glee to a group of teammates who look at you with naked, near tearful gratitude like you've dragged them from basketball purgatory, then you know you have made an impact.

Awful Cover Letter To JPMorgan Laughing Stock Of Wall Street

2012-02-10T19:04:32Z

It takes a lot to get noticed in this town, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it.

An NYU undergraduate student named Mark has become the laughing stock of Wall Street after his awful cover letter to JPMorgan made its rounds among NYU Stern alumni, the financial district, and then went viral online.

A cover letter can make or break you in the job hunting game and Mark's letter is a lesson in exactly what not to do.

By boasting that he "managed to bench double [his] body weight and do 35 pull ups" while achieving a 3.93 GPA, young Mark invited the inevitable comparisons to the infamous Aleksey Vayner.

There's a fine line between convincing your potential employeer of why they need to hire you, and only you, and coming across as a pompous ass.

There is no doubt Mark's status as a triple major in Mathematics, Economics and Computer Science is impressive on its own, but throw in the fact that he held two part-time jobs, placed-out of two classes and managed to keep himself in top physical shape, and it's safe to say he crossed the line.

Mark's cover letter also could have used an edit from an English major, who might have advised him to find a different way to express that he "can perform basic office functions with terrifying efficiency."

He ended the letter with a disclaimer asking JPMorgan to "Please realize that I am not a braggart or conceited, I just wanted to outline my usefulness. Egos can be a huge liability, and I try not to have one."

Nice.

It's a letter so obnoxious that it's unclear if Mark sent it as a joke.

According to Gawker, Mark is well aware of the bit of laughter he brought to the bankers on Wall Street. When asked if he'd gotten a job at JPMorgan, he laughed, telling the website, "No, not at all. Didn't you see my letter?"

Joke or not, Mark is not alone when it comes to terrible cover letters. An applicant for a position as an API Engineer in New York City recently wrote:

"I'm super awesome and have incredible experience compared to this -- it includes the required experiences below plus I am trained in MMA fighting, am the mayor of multiple Chipotles, Starbucks, and locally famous restaurants in downtown NYC, and I type really fast."

And we can't forget Roanald Dvorak's cover letter for a office manager position, where he wrote: "Forget all the other candidates for Aviary, I am the BEST," and listed his skills in bullet points: "Organizing shit? Check. Calling numbers and shit? Doublecheck. Customer support and shit? Mega-check. Faxing numbers and shit? MOTHERFLIPPING CHECK ALL OVER THAT."

At a time when even the most qualified applicants can't find jobs, it's questionable if sending over-the-top or ironic cover letters is a good idea -- especially given the fact that there's no expectation of privacy.

Last year, Business Insider even posted 12 of the worst cover letters they received, redacting the names to provide some protection for those who made the list.

READ THE COVER LETTER:

1/23/2012

J.P. Morgan

Dear Sir or Madame:

I am an ambitious undergraduate at NYU triple majoring in Mathematics, Economics, and Computer Science. I am a punctual, personable, and shrewd individual, yet I have a quality which I pride myself on more than any of these.

I am unequivocally the most unflaggingly hard worker I know, and I love self-improvement. I have always felt that my time should be spent wisely, so I continuously challenge myself; I left Villanova because the work was too easy. Once I realized I could achieve a perfect GPA while holding a part-time job at NYU, I decided to redouble my effort by placing out of two classes, taking two honors classes, and holding two part-time jobs. That semester I achieved a 3.93, and in the same time I managed to bench double my bodyweight and do 35 pull-ups.

I say these things only because solid evidence is more convincing than unverifiable statements, and I want to demonstrate that I am a hard worker. J.P. Morgan is a firm with a reputation that precedes itself and employees who represent only the best and rightest in finance. I know that the employees in this firm will push me to excellence, especially within the Investment Banking division. In fact, one of the supporting reasons I chose Investment Banking over any other division was that I know it is difficult. I hope to augment my character by diligently working for the professionals at Morgan Stanley, and I feel I have much to offer in return.

I am proficient in several programming languages, and I can pick up a new one very quickly. For instance, I learned a years worth of Java from NYU in 27 days on my own; this is how I placed out of two including: Money and Banking, Analysis, Game Theory, Probability and Statistics. Even further, I am taking Machine Learning and Probabilistic Graphical Modeling currently, two programming courses offered by Stanford, so that I may truly offer the most if I am accepted. I am proficient with Bloomberg terminals, excellent with excel, and can perform basic office functions with terrifying efficiency. I have plenty of experience in the professional world through my internship at Merrill Lynch, and my research assistant position at NYU. In fact, my most recent employer has found me so useful that he promoted me to a Research Assistant and an official CTED intern. This role is usually reserved for Masters students, but my employer gave the title to me so that he could give me more work.

Please realize that I am not a braggart or conceited, I just want to outline my usefulness. Egos can be a huge liability, and I try not to have one.

Thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Mark

'I Wondered Whether My Race Would Hold Me Back'

2012-02-10T18:43:15Z

This is a youth-written article from our friends at Represent Magazine, a platform for and by young people in foster care.

By Natasha Santos

I read on the front page of today’s New York Times that the poor are dropping further behind the rich in school. I grew up in Brownsville, a very poor neighborhood in Brooklyn. I didn’t know what kind of neighborhoods and education and opportunities middle class kids got, but I knew it had to be much better than mine and it made me angry. As a teen I was writing for Represent, a magazine for teens in foster care, and my editor suggested that I visit a well-off school district in Connecticut and describe my reactions. The trip was troubling for me -- I saw the benefits that those kids had, but I also saw how hard many of them worked to take advantage of them.

That was seven years ago. I’ve since worked for Americorps in New Orleans and completed two years of college. I’m working in a teen pregnancy prevention program -- a job that I love -- and struggling to save money so I can help my mom and finish college. Things were tough when I was in high school, as you will see when you read my story. It is scary to me that things may be getting even worse.

For a long time I believed that roaches, violence, and chaos were part of everyone’s childhood memories. In my neighborhood, Brownsville, Brooklyn, poor blacks and Latinos live isolated from wealthier minorities and other races. I’ve often been afraid to walk down my block alone for fear of being attacked.

As I got older, I realized that other people weren’t living in fear like I was. I began to feel like a statistic -- a black girl who lived in a place where mothers dote on drug-dealing sons and ignore the gun hidden under dirty laundry in the closet. I wondered if I had less of a chance to achieve the American dream because I had had less of a childhood. I wondered whether my race and the poverty I grew up in would hold me back from success and happiness. I had guidance counselors and teachers who sang the same old song about reaching for the stars and being determined, and I bought it enough to get good grades and plan to go to college. But those dreams were starting to sound like fairy tales.

I wanted to interview other teens to find out how they thought their neighborhood, race, and class might affect their lives. The editor at my after-school journalism program told me that she had been brought up in a suburban town where many races and classes attended the same school peacefully. I wanted to visit this place, partly see how the other half lived (the wealthy, suburban, BMW-driving, as-seen-on-TV people) and partly to prove my editor wrong. The idea that many races and classes could live together in a kind of unified community seemed unreal to me.

Growing up, I’d been taught that most black people live in poor neighborhoods in cities, while the suburban life is a kind of Caucasian paradise. Even though I attend a racially and economically diverse high school in New York City, I just couldn’t picture a school in the suburbs looking like mine.

I brought all my skepticism with me the morning we got off the train in Norwalk, Connecticut, expecting the cliché of private houses owned by scared upper-class Caucasians ready to move out as soon as a family of color moved in. Indeed, much of Norwalk looked the way I expected. I saw neatly manicured lawns with houses tucked serenely into foliage and generously spaced apart, giving the inhabitants enough room to have a 50-person cookout in the backyard without disturbing their neighbors.

When we arrived at Brien McMahon, my editor’s old high school, I noticed it had a parking lot. “That says it all,” I thought. A vision of Beverly Hills 90210 came to me: all the students driving to school in their Ferraris and BMWs with surfers’ bodies and manicured nails.

So walking inside, I was surprised to find a setting resembling my school: Diversity, loudness, cliques, and teachers in the halls making sure that everyone was in line. This was disappointing. For the story I planned to write, I was counting on the school to serve as a metaphor for how naive and sheltered these suburban teens were.

I sat down at a table in the cafeteria to question seven teens who had agreed to be interviewed. Jesse, Amanda, Dipti, Daphney, Ashiah, Jessica, and Malcolm openly answered the questions we threw at them. Three were black, one was half-black/half-white, one was Asian-American, one was half-Cuban/half-white, and one was Indian-American. When we asked them how they believed their race and class might affect their lives, their answers surprised me. Though they were from different countries, different classes, and of different races, they all agreed that African-Americans and other minorities are poor more because of their mindset than because of race.

Daphney, who is black and whose family came from Haiti, said black kids at that school hold themselves back more than the system does. “I think it’s because they have fallen into their own stereotypes. They criticize the people who want to get ahead,” Daphney said. “This kid asked my sister, ‘How come you get such good grades? Black people aren’t supposed to get such good grades.’”

Daphney’s dad is a realtor and her mom is a nurse’s aide. They moved to Norwalk because they wanted to raise her in a mixed environment, not just among Haitian- and African-Americans. Daphney said her family is just the opposite of African-Americans who don’t believe blacks can make it. They constantly push her to do well in school. “I’ll be the first generation in my family to go to college and I feel pressure… [my parents say], ‘Why can’t you get a 4.0 in high school?’” Daphney told us.

Ashiah, who is black and Haitian as well, said she also believes that African-Americans are their own downfall. “I think black people are stuck in the past. White people beat the blacks in the past so now I hear people saying, ‘Master beat me so now I can’t get up in the morning.’ It’s a joke but they’re serious. I don’t think white people have anything to do with it.”

Click here to read the rest of the story on RepresentMag.org.

Help Youth Communication's teen writers make their voices heard. Donate now. Reprinted with permission from Youth Communication.

Bettina Inclan May Have Toughest Job In GOP Circus

2012-02-10T17:32:56Z

Bettina Inclan may have the toughest job in the Republican circus.

She's the Republican National Committee's new director of Hispanic outreach.

Right now, that's like being the guy with the shovel who follows along behind the elephants, only worse. She has to clean up whatever lands on the campaign trail and repackage it into something pretty. And she has to make sure that any stink left by Republican candidates doesn't stick to the party.

Inclan, of course, offers a more upbeat description. "My job with the RNC is more political ground game, making sure the general message of the Republican Party, about economic prosperity, about lower taxes, about what we believe is the American dream," gets out to Hispanics, she told The Huffington Post.

Inclan has held difficult jobs before. She served as executive director of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly as Latino support for the party began its current slide from its 2004 high. She was press secretary for Steven Poizner during his unsuccessful run for California governor. And she worked as deputy director of communications for the victorious campaign of Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who attracted strong Latino support despite the fact that he advocated a strict Arizona-style immigration law for the Sunshine State.

The RNC hired Inclan last month after the party's presidential candidates started hurling immigration attacks during debates and campaign stops, and the party heard the stampede of alienated Latinos rushing for the door. In announcing her appointment, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus acknowledged how crucial Hispanics are to the party's future.

"I'm really proud of the fact that we're going to announce the expansion of the RNC's Hispanic Outreach Effort today," he said. "We all know it's the fastest growing demographic in America, and Latinos play a vital role in all of our communities. The Republican Party believes that it's crucial to involve Latinos at every level because diverse voices will lead to a stronger and obviously more vibrant party."

Inclan directs a multipronged battle strategy. She attended the Hispanic Leadership Network conference last month and has been doing interviews on television and radio in English and Spanish, holding call-in press conferences with reporters across the country, and promoting the "Obama failed" theme in her own tweets and those of the newly launched @RNCLatinos. The party put out a YouTube video in Spanish titled "Unkept Promises: Nevada Edition" and has been actively posting updates on its new tumblr blog aimed at Hispanics.

Its Latino-directed web page, however, is grossly outdated. The newest posting is a video of Inclan talking about the yet-to-come Florida primary. And Inclan has been notably silent on her own blog since announcing her appointment in mid-January.

LATINOS SLIPPING AWAY

Inclan's is a brand-new position at the GOP, created nearly two years after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush founded the conservative Hispanic Leadership Network out of concern that the party was letting Latinos slip away.

He had reason to worry. After the presidential election of 2004 set an all-time record, when his brother George W. Bush captured 40 percent of the Latino vote (some say 44 percent), support for the GOP dropped to a mere 31 percent for Sen. John McCain in 2008.

It may be tough to do better any time soon. A recent Pew Hispanic Research Center survey found that 67 percent of Hispanic registered voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party; just 20 percent said the same about the Republican Party.

The Feb. 4 Nevada caucus may have provided another indicator of the GOP's woes. Participation by Latinos declined from 8 percent of Republican voters in 2008 to 5 percent this past Saturday.

"We know that Nevada has the fastest-growing Latino electorate of any state," said Matt Barreto of Latino Decisions. "And despite the fact that Latinos are getting bigger and bigger in Nevada, they are becoming a smaller and smaller part of the Republican Party."

The challenge for Republicans is that Hispanics are listening and bristling at what they hear -- in particular, the Republican candidates' harsh or contradictory stances on immigration.

Rick Santorum and Ron Paul have rejected any path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the country. Newt Gingrich called for a more humane approach that would offer legal status to longtime residents, but also praised South Carolina's crackdown on undocumented immigration.

Mitt Romney vowed to veto the DREAM Act, until he reached Florida in the last week of January. Then he said he would support granting citizenship to undocumented immigrants' children who serve in the military.

But Adam Luna, political director of America's Voice, argued in a HuffPost blog that Romney's apparent change of heart came too late. Luna wrote, "Mitt Romney has already seared his image as an anti-immigrant candidate into the minds of Latino voters. Romney's vow to veto the DREAM Act and his continued calls for self-deportation of undocumented immigrants are reverberating in the Latino community -- and will continue through November."

Romney also rankled powerful Latino and immigration reform groups across the country by embracing an endorsement from Kris Kobach, architect of the Arizona and Alabama crackdown laws. And after fighting back against accusations that he's "anti-immigrant," Romney this week named former California Gov. Pete Wilson, whose legacy is practically synonymous with anti-immigrant sentiment, as his honorary campaign chair in the Golden State.

In 1994, Wilson advocated for California's Proposition 187, which would have cut off public services for undocumented immigrants, including barring their children from public schools. The courts struck down the law. Latino voters did the same to Wilson in the very next election.

"I just don't understand the strategy of repeating the mistakes of Proposition 187 and Pete Wilson," Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, told the San Francisco Chronicle. He said the GOP is actually "pushing Latinos away."

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

GOP strategists and spokespeople across the country have sought to counter the inflammatory immigration issue by focusing on jobs.

"The economy and jobs is the number one issue in poll after poll after poll," Jennifer Korn, who ran George W. Bush's successful Hispanic outreach in 2004, told HuffPost. "So when you're going into the voting booth, I think the majority of people will be voting with their pocketbook because they want to see this end."

Inclan, too, has repeatedly attempted to steer the conversation away from immigration.

"Immigration has to be addressed," she told HuffPost in late January. "But if we're talking about what's going to move people at the polls, I think it's really going to be the economy."

There's some powerful basis for their thinking. In a Pew Hispanic Research Center survey released at the end of December, 50 percent of Latinos listed jobs as their number one concern, followed closely by education and health care.

But the issue may not have enough pull to bring Hispanics into the Republican fold. Recent economic data show an improved employment outlook in general, with Latinos accounting for an overwhelming proportion of the gains. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 60 percent of the 2.3 million jobs added in 2011 went to Hispanics.

Which means the anti-immigration rhetoric could come back to haunt the eventual Republican nominee, said Angelo Falcon, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy.

"The big question is going to be how much of this stuff is going to stick to that person," Falcon said. "Because if it continues the way it's going now, it's definitely going to be a negative in terms of the Latino vote."

What To Do This Valentine's Day: A Guide To Love In New York

2012-02-10T17:27:38Z

This Valentine's Day, skip the pricey prix-fixe menus for some great events celebrating the annual day of love. Whether you're hoping to lock eyes with your subway cutie, bitter and alone, or just need a last minute plan for your special someone, check out our guide to the very best going on this February 14th.

The Rejection Show
Where: Littlefield, 622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn; (718) 855-3388
When: 8PM
Price: $10-$12
Alone this Valentine's Day? Grab your fellow single comrades and head to Littlefield for a hilariously charming compilation of "turned down" material from well known comedians and writers Eliot Glazer, LIzz Winstead, Dave Hill, and many more. The event, hosted by Emmy-award winning comedian Jon Friedman, hopes to transform the venue into a heartbreak haven where guests can laugh away their lonely hearts and eventually "find someone to french."

The Moth StorySLAM: Love Hurts
Where: Housing Works Bookstore, 126 Crosby Street, (212) 334-3324
When: 7PM
Price: $8
Whether you're madly in love and want the world to know or just need someone, ANYONE to repeat your heartbreak to, The Moth's intimate live storytelling series is your go to place this Valentine's Day. Get there early, as the series is known to sell out quickly!

Romance Under The Stars
Where: Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street; (212) 769-5100
When: 6:30PM-9PM
Price: $85 per person
Starry-eyed lovers can go googly for each other at the museum's Hayden Planetarium for a romantic evening under the stars featuring the music of the Josh Rutner Quartet and an open bar with champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

Deliciously Crafty Valentine's Day
Where: Brooklyn Winery, 213 N 8th Street, Brooklyn; (347) 763-1506
When: 5PM-11:30PM
Price: Free
Brooklyn Winery welcomes couples to sip and dine on housemade wines and a spruced up winter menu featuring special romantic food items. They'll also have a DIY Valentine's Day card station on hand where you can get creative for your special someone with provided arts and crafts. Capture the evening inside their Magnolia Photo Booth for a complimentary pic.

I HEART BK/BX
Where: Brooklyn Historial Society, 128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn; (718) 222-4111
When: 7PM-10PM
Price:$15
Are you a budding history buff dating a baseball fan? Then the Brooklyn Historical Society is your go-to for Valentine's Day. Storytellers, poets, and baseball historians will discuss the legendary rivalry between Brooklyn and Bronx residents, while guests enjoy Tumbador chocolates and Brooklyn Brewery beer.

MTA's Missed Connections Love-in-Transit Party
Where: New York Transit Museum, 130 Livingston Street, Brooklyn; (718) 694-1600
When: 6PM-8PM
Price: Free
Hoping to lay eyes upon the one that got away? Follow your heart and recapture fate at the Love-in-Transit party hosted by the MTA in hopes to reunite you with your subway soulmates. New York Times Metro writer Alan Feuer and illustrator Sophie Blackall will read from Craigslist posts in poetic fashion and sign copies of Blackall's new collection, "Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found."

LOVE BITES! Power Ballad Show
Where: Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn; (718) 963-3369
When: 8PM
Price: $5 in advance, $7 day of show
What would love be without Journey's "Open Arms?" Without Bon Jovi's "Always?" That's right, the entire landscape of love would just not be the same. Celebrate your favorite power ballads at Brooklyn Bowl with some of the genre's very best including Amber Martin, Corn Mo, and Cathy Cervenka.

Aida Redeemed! Here's Why...

2012-02-10T17:12:12Z

NEW YORK — In 1872, a dissatisfied opera-goer who had attended a performance of Verdi's "Aida" in Parma, Italy, wrote to the composer asking for his money back. Amused by the man's audacity, Verdi complied.

If no one in the Metropolitan Opera audience Thursday night had a similar impulse to seek a refund, there's one main reason: Stephanie Blythe.

The great American mezzo-soprano was singing the role of Amneris for the first time in the house, and she single-handedly elevated a mediocre performance into a memorable night at the opera.

Though the Ethiopian slave Aida gets the title role, the far more interesting character is Amneris, the Egyptian princess who competes for the love of the soldier Radames. Aida is basically a suffering victim, while Amneris comes to realize the tragedy her jealousy has unleashed.

With her lustrous, force-of-nature-size voice, Blythe conveyed Amneris' pride and imperiousness with ease, but she also captured her more vulnerable side in introspective moments.

While she has excelled in a variety of roles at the Met, the glory of Blythe's voice lies in its plush lower and middle register, and she lacks the easy top notes of a classic Verdi mezzo. Once or twice she landed ever-so-slightly flat, but in the Judgment Scene, when it counted most, she punched out the B-flats and numerous A-naturals with dead-on accuracy and stinging power.

Blythe also brought uncommon acting skills to her portrayal, inhabiting the character through regal gestures and unguarded reactions. Alone among the principals, she apparently had not gotten the memo that, in this grandest of grand operas, singers should employ the "park and bark" technique of simply standing on stage and belting out the vocal line.

Sadly, even their belting wasn't impressive. As Aida, soprano Violeta Urmana struggled in the Nile Scene, running out of breath near the end of "O patria mia" and skipping a phrase entirely later in the act. Tenor Marcelo Alvarez gasped his way through "Celeste Aida" and after that sang either at maximum volume or in a hoarse whisper. As Aida's father, Lado Ataneli bellowed in a dry, unattractive baritone. Veteran bass James Morris brought dignity and a slight wobble to the role of the high priest Ramfis.

At least the chorus and orchestra, conducted by Marco Armiliato, were in top form. And, for Blythe, it was a triumph.