Making the world more open for some

“Making the world more open and connected,” a slogan that Facebook has used for years but is it more open and connected for everyone or just who will benefit the business? Facebook is supposed to be a sort of safe space for all but in recent months there has been an increase of people being placed into “Facebook jail” for speaking out against police brutality and systemic racism while others who are displaying the racism aren’t being affected at all. 

In Las Vegas KaNesha McGee had a post blocked and removed from her page for sharing a video of police brutally attacking a woman. 

In most cases It takes just 15 minutes for Facebook to delete posts  for violating its community standards for hate speech. And then are warned if they posted it again, they would be banned for 72 hours.

A trove of internal documents reviewed by ProPublica sheds new light on the secret guidelines that Facebook’s censors use to distinguish between hate speech and legitimate political expression. The documents reveal the rationale behind seemingly inconsistent decisions. For instance, Higgins’ incitement to violence passed muster because it targeted a specific sub-group of Muslims — those that are “radicalized” — while Delgado’s post was deleted for attacking whites in general.

According to USA Today Black activists say hate speech policies and content moderation systems formulated by a company built by and dominated by white men fail the very people Facebook claims it’s trying to protect. Not only are the voices of marginalized groups disproportionately stifled, Facebook rarely takes action on repeated reports of racial slurs, violent threats and harassment campaignstargeting black users, they say.

Many of these users now think twice before posting updates on Facebook or they limit how widely their posts are shared. Yet few can afford to leave the single-largest and most powerful social media platform for sharing information and creating community.

The world can never get better if we don’t work together to make it better. Now it needs to be an equal playing field. 

Celebrating Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a holiday that a lot of people around the world are finding out about. This year has brought on a lot of Juneteenth celebrations especially in America. From BBQ’s to parades no matter where you looked there was some type pf celebration going on. So, what is Juneteenth and why are people celebrating it? 

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day, is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.

Juneteenth observances on Friday marked the 155th anniversary of the date Black slaves in Texas, at the farthest reaches of the Confederacy, learned they were free. This day started to be celebrated in Texas by African Americans and slowly spread to other parts of the country as the years of celebrations grew. 

In Las Vegas there were a slew of different Juneteenth celebrations for everyone to attend across the city that ended with a grand firework show that could be seen throughout the city. The big push to celebrate Juneteenth stems from making sure that Black History is not erased from American History. Being that slaves were not free for the 4^th of July there has been a major push to have both holidays seen as federal holidays in order to be more inclusive to all. These celebrations were not only to celebrate 155 years of being free but also to just celebrate being African American. Music and dancing created a joyful atmosphere at Lorenzi Park as community members gathered Friday afternoon to celebrate Juneteenth.

More than 400 people attended the Las Vegas celebration with masks on enjoying the food, music and each other. With cases of Covid-19 still steadily rising people safely celebrated while still being able to be in the midst of each other. Later on that day protests did continue on the Las Vegas strip showing that we can celebrate but there is still so much work that still needs to be done to make America a better place for all. 

Seeing a little clearer with Coca-Cola

Coca- Cola is a drink that has been around since 1886 and hasn’t lost its spot at the top since its debut. Through the years people have found lots of uses for that include more than just drinking. The acidic properties of the drink make it so powerful that you can use it for just about anything from cleaning your house to gardening Coke can be used for just about anything. For my fellow four-eyed travelers out there, Coke can make sure that wherever you are that you can see crystal clear. Simply just pour the drink over your glasses, rinse with clean water, and dry like normal and your glasses will be as clear as using some of the name brand glass cleaner. You can also drink what’s left so you get a cleaner and a drink all in one. Below are some other ways that you can use Coke to save you some time and money in your life.

Healthy and Natural

I have been natural for about ten years now and finding the right hair care products for my hair has been the biggest hassle and honestly made me think of going back to a relaxer. That is until I found the NaturALL Club and their amazing line of products. I have never had a line of products that just make my hair feel so refreshed and clean. Just after washing my hair for the first time my hair had a minty clean feeling to it that I had never felt before. The products are so light on your hair and makes all of your natural styles look great all day with no frizz. Even if you don’t know what line of products is best for you there is a quiz that you can take to help you find the best line that fits you. The site has great sales all of the time and even new subscriber discounts. I am a big advocate for the NaturALL Club and tell everyone that I know that is Natural to try the products because not only is it for black natural hair but it also has all natural ingredients as well. My hair has never been stronger and looked better. You can look through their line of products yourself at their website http://www.naturallclub.com/

In the above video, YouTuber Gloria Ann uses NaturAll Club’s Full Avocado Line to achieve a beautiful wash and go.

The below photos and video are from myself.

 

The Hidden Gems of Sin City

Las Vegas is definitely a city where there is food everywhere you turn. There are super extravagant and off the wall restaurants that you can find in the world but what about the regular restaurants? Surely the locals can’t eat at these types’ of​ restaurants every day or else that would lead to​ a super expensive lifestyle.

Andiron Steak & Sea: Has been seen as one of the best places to get brunch in town. Andiron is recognized as one of Downtown Summerlin’s premier restaurants, and in this upscale new complex, that designation is impressive considering the number of good eateries to choose from. The team behind Andiron includes Kim Canteenwalla and Elizabeth Blau, long-time Las Vegas residents who’ve built restaurants all over the world. The elegantly designed restaurant is both beautiful and comfortable, providing the perfect backdrop to the wonderful food. The menu features a wide selection of quality steaks and seafood, an ice bar, and side dishes that perfectly complement the main entrees. A bar menu is also available and offers small plates like black truffle fries, crispy calamari, ​and sliders.

Ferraro’s: This is a restaurant is where locals go to have the most authentic Italian food next to going to Italy that is. This restaurant has the true motto of when you’re here your family because the owner goes out of his way to make sure that every single customer feels like they are at home. A Las Vegas favorite for almost 30 years, this family-owned restaurant is famous for its fine Italian cuisine created from time-honored family recipes. House-made sausages, family-recipe meatballs, ​and legendary Osso Buco are prepared from all-natural meats. Safe Harbor Certified seafood and freshly made pastas and sauces provide the foundation of Ferraro’s lunch, dinner and late-night menus. Many of its mouthwatering dishes can be made gluten-free​, and gluten-free pasta and pizzaare​s available for an additional charge. Whole wheat pasta is available, too, and all of the pastas are house-made every day. For dessert, be sure to try the classic Tiramisu; crepes with Nutella, Mascarpone, a hint of orange zest and gelato or the Cioccolatissimo, hazelnut chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, ice cream and yogurt.

é by José Andrés: This restaurant is a secret gem and is a restaurant within a restaurant which can in a sense make it a little harder to find. Seating just nine people and with no set menu, é by celebrity chef José Andrés crafts a modern, intricately detailed avant-garde multi-course meal that tells a story like only a Las Vegas restaurant can. Sponsored by Visit Las Vegas.
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Depression Diary 1

Dealing with depression is a daily struggle for me. I wake up almost every morning just wondering if I should just end it all. Growing up I was always just told that I was crazy and I would get over whatever was wrong with me at that time. I always go through each day struggling with myself one side saying that I am better off not here and the other fighting the bad thoughts and just trying to stay happy. With my line of work, it is even harder because I deal with angry customers almost constantly. I get told that I’m a waste of space and that I should just die because of stuff that is out of my control and my supervisors tell me that I just have to deal with it. I want to continue to share my story because I feel that if I continue to share my story I can hopefully help someone. Below are some tips with handling depression.

1. Track triggers and symptoms

2. Stay calm

3. Understand and accept depression

4. Separate yourself from the depression

5. Recognize the importance of self-care

6. Breathe deeply and relax the muscles

7. Challenge negative thoughts

8. Practice mindfulness

9. Make a bedtime routine

10. Exercise

11. Avoid alcohol

12. Record the positives

Unique Eats of Chicago

Each restaurant has something that makes them stand out from the rest.      Some succeed in this effort while others fall by the wayside never to be remembered. With there already being so many different things that make the city of Chicago stand out from the rest like the bean or the music the restaurants have to stand out as well. Between having dinner in a train car to eating without any utensils at all these restaurants take the cake on having some of the most out their themes that you just have to experience at least once in your life. According to Thrillist.com these are the most unique restaurants in the city of Chicago.

1. All aboard this 40’s style dining car to The Silver Palm and enjoy a dining experience that you can’t get anywhere else. One of the best items on the menu is the artery-clogging 3 Piggy, piled with smoked ham, pork tenderloin, bacon, melted Gruyere, an onion ring, and a fried egg. Start or end your meal at the adjacent the Matchbox, the lives-up-to-its-name tiny bar with delicious, affordable, and fiercely strong cocktails.
2. El Ideas will definitely have you licking your plate when you visit. In the little-known suburb of Douglas Park sits a wildly different restaurant that turns fine dining on its head. This restaurant has absolutely no silverware at all. This restaurant’s sole purpose is to be different in every way and it shows that by being located in an unmarked building. The tasting menu-only, 24-seat restaurant opens into the kitchen, encouraging guests to converse with the chefs as they prepare inventive, modern American dishes like French fries and ice cream — a composed, liquid nitrogen-kissed dish of potato, leek, and vanilla — and wagyu-beet pierogi with dill and sour cream.
3. This next restaurant takes the term using every part of the animal literally. Frontier is definitely a carnivore dream when it comes to their menu ever bit of the animal is used from head to tail. On the menu, there are preparations of 10 proteins ranging from roasted goat to smoked free-range pig, salt-crusted salmon and even alligator stuffed with whole chickens. This restaurant is located in the suburb of West Town in Chicago.

As you can see these restaurants go beyond the realm of what you would typically think of when you hear the word fine dining. No doubt when you leave these restaurants you will be telling all of your friends and family and making plans to go back.

The Wonderful uses of Coke

When you think of Coca-Cola you think of drinking soda. There are so many other ways that you can use this big-name soda that may even help you when getting ready for your next trip. The slight acidity that is in the soft drink makes it easy to wash away the corrosion on your car battery without reacting to the battery acid. Marie McGee, a certified mechanic, stated that Coca-Cola is one of the handiest tools for people who don’t have the money to pay full price for a mechanic. She also stated that you can use Coca-Cola to defrost a frozen windshield, as well as remove bugs and debris from the bumper of your car. Just always make sure to use warm water afterward to avoid messing up the car’s paint job. This will especially help out for any winter vacations that you may take.

Brighter Future for Tomorrow

Tomorrow’s Scientists, Technicians, and Manager’s (T.S.T.M) program helps high school and middle schoolers prepare for college. The program consists of eight different components to address the strengths and needs of the youth in the program. Many of the students have not been exposed to colleges and universities outside of the Peoria area. In order to provide them with other options for higher education, TSTM offers an Out-of-State field trip. Additionally, actual contact with individuals working in engineering, mathematics, science, and other related fields is provided through field trips, to research centers, universities, engineering firms, national meetings of scientific organizations, etc. The TSTM program also encourages students to fulfill a minimum of 20 hours of community service at the Tri-County Urban League and other designated locations within the city throughout the TSTM school year. The objective is to encourage students to give back to their community. This program thrives off of donations and government funding.  If you would like to support this program visit http://www.tcpul.com/donate.html

If you would like to participate in this program visit your local Urban League.

The Hidden Gems of Chicago

Food in the city of Chicago is definitely one of its best attributes when looking at the city. When you visit there are restaurants that will fit anyone’s taste and budget. Any restaurant in the city will have amazing food and even greater customer service but if you want to have the down-home there are only a few restaurants in the city that can give you great food as well leave feeling as if you are family with the employees. The employees at these restaurants you can really tell that they care about the customers that come through their doors. One thing that all of these restaurants have in common is the mild sauce. It’s said that these places have the best food and are some of the best places to get Chicago mild sauce.

One of the most down-home restaurants where you can order just about anything is Harold’s Fish and Chicken. Their menu has a wide variety of chicken, fish and the employees at this restaurant are always nice from the moment that you walk in the door until the moment that you leave. Their menu is always affordable, and you always leave you full and satisfied. Their customer service always makes you feel as if you are friends with the employees when you leave.

Another restaurant that gives you the same great customer service while also giving great food at a great price would be any Maxwell’s restaurant. At this American style restaurant, there is a wide variety of foods you can choose from as well. From a Chicago style hot dog all the way to Italian beef and chicken. Just like Harold’s this restaurant when you walk in you are greeted as if you have been friends with their employees your entire life. They will have a full conversation with you and make sure that you are happy from the moment you walk in the door until the moment that you leave.

In most Chicagoans opinion it is a lot better to go to restaurants like these instead of the big chain restaurants. KaNesha McGee, a Chicago native, describes the feeling that she gets from these restaurants as having a sense of family. Most natives will say that this is something that you just cannot get from big chain restaurants because there are always more rules and regulations around how to treat the customers that they lose sight of the personal effect that needs to come along with it.

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