TRAYVON MARTIN - Racism, Profiling & Hatred strikes again!

Thoughts & Opinion By:  B. Brown - BREG & HUSTLE UNIVERSITY


I write this blog with a lot of thoughts running through my mind. First and foremost, I send my Prayers and Love out to TRAYVON MARTIN'S family and friends.

We have lost another young man to Racism, Profiling and Hatred! You see, this type of behavior has been taking place for a very long time in this country and it is imperative that it stops immediately. It appears that the Sanford, FL police department was tremendously negligent and/or outright racist themselves when they allowed George Zimmerman to go free after fatally shooting Trayvon, claiming self-defense.

Now, I understand that Florida has a "Stand Your Ground" law, but does it actually mean that a person can shoot down another person just because they look suspicious and a confrontation ensues? In this case, Zimmerman actually followed Trayvon after being told by police dispatch (911) not to pursue the suspicious individual. This "Stand Your Ground" law must be re-evaluated because if Zimmerman gets off without any charges being brought against him, a precedent of this nature could open the door for our young black men to be shot down in cold blood at any given time in any given place just because another person says they look suspicious. We all know if a young white male was shot in this same situation, there would be a totally different conversation being held right now. And that's REAL TALK!!!

I would like to thank everyone who has put on a hoodie, signed petitions, written blogs, tweeted, sent out Facebook posts, etc. in support of Trayvon and justice actually taking place!

To the parents of the hip-hop generation, we must continue to educate our youth and equip them with the knowledge to handle themselves properly in as many situations as possible. Our youth must be able to think quickly on their feet and make life & death decisions without feeling like they are being men. They must learn the importance of being able to "fight-another-day."

President Obama has made comments regarding Trayvon, and has initiated a Federal Investigation. Thank you Mr. President! Several high ranking officers in the Sanford, FL Police Department have stepped down already, and I believe that they along with a lot of other people know that the "ish" is about to hit the fan and it is going to spread around to cover a lot of people and things that need to be cleaned up!

Once America truly acknowledges that racism still exists in a major way, then we can start fixing (if possible) the relationships that we have between the many diverse races and cultures that exist in our country, but we must get started now!

HAPPY NEW YEAR from BAR-RED ENTERTAINMENT GROUP (BREG)!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR from BAR-RED ENTERTAINMENT GROUP (BREG)!!! 2011 was a great year and at the same time presented some challenges. We THANK all of the individuals, organizations and companies that did business with us in 2011, and we thank GOD for bringing us into 2012!

BREG is excited about the opportunities that are coming forth in 2012, and we look forward to helping our current clients and new clients reach their goals and objectives.

In 2012, look for awesome things from Nu Strata Music Group, Chipped Up Entertainment, X-tratainment Inc. & Hustle University! Artists that are bringing new music, live performances and videos in 2012 include Spade Kosta, Da Bad Habbitz, Grizz, Blushe, Chief Scrill, Lady X, Magnem P.I. & Jay L. Also look for new e-books for your Kindle (click on this Amazon.com link) directly from BREG.

We must address our youth of today that are still killing each other at an alarming rate. BREG is looking forward to the day when the tv is turned on and there are no reports of a young person killing another young person. Parents and adults, it is on us to love, teach & discipline our children so that they will love themselves first & foremost and learn to respect & love others. That way they won't believe it is ok to just end another person's life. What actually happens is that two (2) lives are destroyed. The person that has been murdered and the person that goes to jail. Think about it, it's a lose-lose situation. Young people have a responsiblity too! Do not take education for granted because it is your best option for bettering whatever situation you are currently in, and education will bring about positive opportunities for you. You have the ability to understand what is wrong and what is right. Think before you talk, and definitely think before you act; and you will save yourself and your family a lot of heartache and unwanted problems. Believe in yourself, you can do it and have a successful life!

On the political scene, there will be Local, State and National Elections taking place this year with the Presidential Election being the highlighted election. Do your research on the candidates and make the best decision that you can make for you and your family.

So as you have read, BREG is very excited about 2012 and we look forward to connecting with exciting people, organizations and companies this year and beyond! One Love!!!


Yours Truly,

B. Brown

@BREGBrown

Facebook.com/BREGBrown

Parents, are we too hard on ourselves?

Thoughts By: B. Brown of Bar-Red Entertainment Group (BREG)


As parents, we have egos that can be larger than any pro athlete or entertainer in the world when it comes to dealing with our children. The mantra is usually "Do what I say because I'm your father or mother!" Have you heard that before from someone you know very well?

The truth of the matter is that we as parents and adults make mistakes, and we have to learn how to cope with those mistakes so that we become better because we made the mistake. I do not believe it is healthy for us to dog ourselves out totally and then be no good to anybody.

My suggestion is that we acknowledge the mistake, analyze and determine what we could have done better and then move forward to a solution that helps all parties involved. This way, we are setting a great example for our children, and keeping everything moving forward.

Checkout the outstanding article below from Makayla Sadamori! I'm sure you will find it to be very interesting!

One Love!

Parent! Don’t Judge Thyself

Written by Makayla on July 7, 2011 · 1 Comment

If there was a parenting Bible the title above would be a part of its Holy Commandments! As parents we are all bound to make mistakes. After all we are human and as such we are not perfect. We are actually expected to make mistakes because that is what leads us to look at what we don’t like in ourselves as parents and what corrections we want to make. Unfortunately most of us are conditioned by our own parents and by society that mistakes are bad and the only way to pay for the sin of making them is to feel bad, incapable and guilty. In fact we often feel the more severely we judge ourselves the more we show how regretful we are of what we have done.

Unfortunately, falling into the trap of judgments leads to no good end. The only effect it has on us is that it throws us into negativity and brings our emotional tone down. On the other hand, allowing the impact of a mistake to lead us to a desire to correct it allows us to improve our situation. In the mode of correction, we tend to focus on the desire to improve, which helps us release our guilt and put our energy into the betterment of the situation at hand.

Allow yourself to compare how you feel when you judge yourself for the mistakes you have made and how you feel when you focus on the desire to be a better parent to your child. Which of the two feelings inspires you to change and improve? Which one of them comes from your heart and gives you hope and joy? Which one of them will you choose to align to and follow?

Parents, be kind and loving to yourselves, especially when you feel you need correction. The love and compassion you find for yourself when you err will help you be even more loving and compassionate to your children when they err too.

By Makayla Sadamori, Joy Parenting Coach

http://coachmaven.com/conscious-parenting/parentdontjudgethyself

The Right Attitude For Our Youth!!!

By: B. Brown - Bar-Red Entertainment Group (BREG)


I waited to write this blog because I wanted to cool-off and write an objective piece instead of just blasting "ASTRO" of the live tv reality performance show "X-Factor." He was almost sent home last week simply because of his attitude. L.A. Reid (Legendary Music Business Executive) and Simon Cowell (One of the Top Talent Scouts In the World) both made comments in regards to his attitude after Astro ended up in the bottom two (2) of the voting.

You see, I have a problem with young people that are disrespectful and appear to be unthankful for the opportunities or help that they receive. It is truly a situation that has to be addressed with our young people.

Until last week, Astro had not really experienced any adversity on the show because he has really been performing well! But as in life, just because you are talented and your performances have been going well, and everyone is telling you how great you are; things can change in a hurry. When there is public opinion voting taking place, there is always a chance that the most talented person does not win because other contestants may have better voting support teams and that will make all the difference in the world at the end of the day. Astro and a lot of our young people most overstand that life isn't going to always go their way, even if they are the most gifted and talented person.

I have seen it 100 times. A young person doesn't receive the response or news that they want or expect, so they now believe the world is against them and they are mad! So now they want to act tough and say "F" the world because they don't care. This is the worse way for young people to conduct themselves because now no one wants to work with them or help them any more. Their mentors, coaches and teachers start looking at them differently and that's a major problem!

As you saw with Astro, most of these young people are going to eventually breakdown (start crying) because they are actually hurt. They are embarrased and they feel terrible about what has just happened to them, and all they know how to do is to act like they do not care. That's a dangerous reaction to a situation that is going to continue to happen to each of us for the rest of our lives. The reality is that we are never going to get 100% of what we want all the time. That's the truth! We as parents and adults must teach our children about adversity and teach them how to act when adversity comes, because it is definitely coming! We cannot afford to allow our young people to believe that everything is going to go their way everytime. If we do that, we are setting them up for tremendous collaspes that they may or may not recover from in the future.

I Pray that Astro bounces back this week with a humble, thankful and positive attitude!

One Love!

Is Your Child Being Bullied? Or Is Your Child The Bully?

Thoughts By:  B. Brown - BREG

Bullying is a serious matter, no doubt about it! A lot of parents may not even realize that their children are being targeted every single day and that their child is living a real nightmare! Some kids go as far as suicide. It's really happening out here in the world and it's sad! Parents, let's always be in tune with are kids so that we will see the change in their attitudes and demeanor. If they don't want to go to school any more, we must find out why. It easily could be a bullying situation.

Now, what are some of the solutions? The story you read below discusses an outstanding program as a solution! When I do conflict resolution sessions, the first thing I do is let both parties speak and attempt to get to the root of the problem between the two parties. Verbal reconciliation is key! However, in some cases, the two parties refuse to settle their differences and in the future, a physical confrontation takes place. What will your child do? Are they going to fight, defend themselves, run, go get an adult, etc.?

The story below shares a true story with us about a young man that was being bullied at school, and his mother decided to put an end to the abuse and made a great decision!

If we as adults use the resources around us to help our kids learn how to deal with bullying and do it in the most non-violent way, it's a win-win situation for all of us; and parents that have children that are bullies, we have to help them as well! We cannot continue to afford to our children believe it is ok to destroy each other.

One Love!

As Real As It Gets: Bullying Victims Can Fight Back With Help From Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Royalty

Wednesday, August 24, 2011 1:17 am

Written by: Steve Henson

UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro this weekend will rightly include homage to the iconic Gracie family, creators of Brazilian jiu-jitsu nearly 100 years ago, creators of the Ultimate Fighting Championship nearly 20 years ago, creators of legendary family fighting figures and jiu-jitsu instructors that span the globe.
But the Gracies' most positive impact might be felt at a middle school in a Denver suburb where a seventh grader is unafraid of bullies for the first time since he can remember.


Martin Hendricks, 12, spent a week this summer at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, Calif., in an intensive program designed to make him "Bullyproof." He learned as many jiu-jitsu self-defense techniques as a kid can absorb in five days, he memorized a blueprint for dealing with a bully fairly and squarely, and he gained self-confidence. The first week of school he put the lessons into practice.

"I'm still a little nervous but it all went well," Hendricks said quietly in a phone call to Rener Gracie, his personal instructor at the academy. "He'll never bother me again. Let me tell you about it."
*** It's back-to-school time all over the country. For kids that get picked on, it's a return to a horror zone. Experts say that more than 150,000 children miss school every day because they are afraid of being bullied. More than half of all schoolchildren have witnessed a bullying incident and three of every four students say bullying is a problem at their school.




The bulk of bullying occurs from the fourth through the eighth grades, although it can continue through high school and even in the workplace. Bullying is intimidation or domination toward someone perceived as weaker, a way to establish superiority through coercion or force. The emotional scars are often worse than the physical beatings, and victims of bullying often become depressed and do poorly in school. Bullying can even lead to suicide.


Rener Gracie, 27-year-old son of UFC originator Rorion Gracie and grandson of legendary Brazilian jiu-jitsu grandmaster Helio Gracie, knows all the statistics. He recognized that the martial art perfected by three generations of his uncles and cousins is ideal for combating bullies. So he and his brother Ryron developed a program specifically for youngsters who have been the target of taunts and shoves, kicks and punches.
Jiu-jitsu is a strategic, relatively nonviolent method of self-defense. It utilizes leverage, locks and holds that can neutralize a bigger, stronger opponent when both combatants are off their feet and grappling in close quarters. Combined with a clear understanding of the appropriate rules of engagement in a school setting, knowing the basics of jiu-jitsu can give a child the necessary tools to combat a bully.

"The program is engaging, it's fun and it will ensure that your son or daughter doesn't have to go through life at the mercy of tormenting bullies," Rener said.
*** Martin Hendricks was so timid when he arrived in Torrance last month with his mother and sister that he wouldn't speak to anyone at the Gracie Academy. Rener knew his background from speaking to his mother: Martin had been bullied for many years by many kids and had simply taken it.

"His grades suffered and he would never stick up for himself," said his mother, Wendy. "He's a nice, gentle soul kind of kid and now he didn't even want to go to school.

"Bullying is an epidemic. It's horrible and schools sweep it under the carpet. It breaks my heart."
Wendy learned about the Gracie Bullyproof program through the online video.


She called Rener and decided to take her son to California. "I finally felt like I found somebody who gets this," she said.

In addition to attending daily three-hour group classes, Martin was given private jiu-jitsu instruction by Rener each evening for a week. Then there was the mental training. Rener helped Martin understand that his fear of a bully hurting him was sensible. So was his fear of retaliating when he had no fighting skills.


Rener asked him: "If we can eliminate the fear of injury through technique and preparation, would it make sense to stand up to the bully?" "Yes," Martin replied. "Let's do it."

It took until Thursday for Martin to convincingly respond to a taunt by walking up to the instructor posing as a bully and saying with conviction, "Don't ever do that again."

if you're interested.

• The complete Gracie Bullyproof program is available on DVD, and is also taught at select Certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Training Centers around the world. For more information, go to GracieAcademy.com

Rener taught Martin the three T-steps: TALK to the bully and ask him to leave you alone. TELL the teacher and your parent that the bully won't stop even after you've talked to him. TACKLE the bully and use jiu-jitsu to gain control of him without resorting to punches or kicks.


"If you draw that line with your words and the bully respects it, the case is closed without a physical altercation," Rener told Martin. "But if you draw that line and they slap you, kick you, cross that line again, you don't think twice. You take both of your hands and push him as hard as you can in the chest. You blast him. Knock him off his feet.


"Then take control using jiu-jitsu and tell him you will let him go if he promises not to bother you any longer. If he won't say it, wait until a teacher or another adult shows up before letting him up."

Martin nodded. Rener had given him a plan and taught him enough jiu-jitsu techniques to take control of a bully. Still, Martin wondered, would he be able to execute the plan when he returned to Colorado and started school the following week?
*** Many schools across the U.S. have a "zero tolerance" policy regarding bullying and on-campus fights of every sort, suspending any student involved because often it is difficult to assign blame. The Gracies support zero tolerance but point out that the policy doesn't work well in deterring verbal abuse -- the most common form of bullying.




"That's why it is so important for a child being bullied to first ask the bully to stop the abuse, hopefully in a confident manner, then to inform a teacher or principal and their parent if the bullying persists," Rener said.
Sometimes, Rener said, the behavior will end there because a school administrator will contact the parent of the bully and the issue will be addressed at home. But bullies can be conniving, and after a short respite the abuse can start again when no adults are present.

That's when it's time for the victim to consider using jiu-jitsu, zero tolerance or no zero tolerance. And it's why teaching jiu-jitsu self-defense and submission techniques separates the Gracie program from others that also emphasize verbal negotiations with bullies.
"It's a lot easier to get a bully to promise he won't bother you any more if you are on top of him pinning him down against his will," Rener said.

The most injurious jiu-jitsu techniques aren't taught to kids. No chokes. Nothing that could render an opponent unconscious. It's a far different curriculum than the one that leads to advanced belts for adults, and it's far different from the Women Empowered program designed to help females fight off would-be rapists.
That isn't to say the Bullyproof techniques can't be devastating in submitting a foe. The 33 junior combative lessons required for a student to pass the course -- at the Gracie Academy or online -- include some of the same moves MMA stars Anderson Silva, Forrest Griffin and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will employ at UFC 134 on Saturday.
*** Four days into the school year and Martin was getting bullied again. He'd asked the bigger, stronger boy to stop calling him names and throwing a water bottle at him. But the abuse continued.




Rener called and delivered a pep talk. "Martin, would you rather fight one time and be protected for the rest of your life, or do you want to get bullied for the rest of your life? "Martin sighed. "I'd rather fight once."


"Do it, my friend," Rener said. "The bully still thinks he owns you. Tomorrow he will do the same thing. And when he does, you will engage. You don't ask permission, you don't stop, you just engage."

The next day the bully not only bothered Martin, but he pestered Martin's friend so much that the boy shook his head and said he might commit suicide. The bully then asked Martin if he could practice some new punching techniques on him, and hit him. Then he threw a water bottle at him.

Everything Martin had learned during his week at the Gracie Academy bubbled to the surface. He jumped off the lunch bench and while in midair pushed the bully in the chest with both hands as hard as he could. Both boys landed on the ground and Martin pinned the bully by placing his knee on his chest and holding his arms down with his own.


It was a classic jiu-jitsu combination -- decisive and effective without causing trauma or blood.
The bully was shocked and as he struggled in vain to get up he yelled that Martin was crazy. The bully's friends told Martin to get up, but as he told the principal later: "I chose not to."



The principal took both boys into his office and called Wendy.

"I was absolutely thrilled," she said. "The school, of course, thought I was nuts. But I explained that this was a long time coming for Martin. He's still that kind kid. He stuck up for himself and for his friend.

On Monday the principal called Martin into the office and let him know he wasn't in trouble. Fighting was not tolerated, he was told, but in this instance the response was appropriate. Neither Martin nor his mother told the school about his jiu-jitsu training.

The bully sought out Martin at lunch and apologized in front of other kids. Word got around the school. No longer is Martin the target of bullying -- from anybody.

Martin had one more piece of business. He called Rener to thank him.

"I couldn't have been more jazzed," Rener said. "He went through the entire cycle of standing up for himself verbally first, then physically, but not violently. He kept it humble, and allowed the bully to save face.

"No punches. No kicks. He just held him with Gracie jiu-jitsu. It's the gentle way."

Who is responsible for making our children better prepared for college?

Thoughts By: B. Brown - BREG

When people start talking about education, it's amazing to me that a lot of them do not mention the importance of the parents in the equation.

They usually mention how bad teachers have gotten and that the schools have to do a better job. I am always for schools improving, but I do not agree with parents blaming teachers, administrators and the school itself for their children not being prepared for college.

The schools, the parents, and ultimately the students have to all do their parts to ensure that the students are prepared to enter college and actually do college-level work.

Accountability is the key! What I have observed is that many students are not putting forth the effort to learn how to study and prepare for their daily lessons in class, their homework and their tests. If this is the case, then it doesn't really matter what the school system puts in place because the students have to do the work and take the test. If the students refuse to prepare for the work and the test, what are the teachers and adminstrators supposed to do?

Parents, let's make sure that we start teaching our children as early in life as possible the importance of life long learning, developing positive study skills and preparation.

Let's hold our children accountable for their actions and emphasize to them that they must get the job done because it is their future that is in jeopardy when they do not do well on tests.

Read the article below and let me know what you think. One Love!


Georgia’s high schools soon will begin a major push to make students better prepared for college.

By Laura Diamond

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (November 1, 2010)

State leaders also are determining what college-readiness skills high school students must learn and how to assess this knowledge. If students haven't mastered the material, the goal is to give them extra lessons before they graduate so they won't need remedial courses in college.
These efforts from the Alliance of Education Agency Heads, which includes the Georgia Department of Education and the University System of Georgia, are designed to boost college graduation rates while decreasing the number of students who take remedial classes.
Less than 60 percent of the students enrolled in Georgia’s colleges will graduate within six years, according to the university system. About one in four freshmen took at least one remedial class last fall.
"We do have rigorous high school diploma requirements now, but kids have been playing catch-up and they are graduating with some issues on some level," said Martha Reichrath, deputy state school superintendent. "We have bounced around a lot of ideas and we're doing a lot of work so our students are ready to enter college without any remediation."
Rep. Earl Ehrhart, R-Powder Springs, said the K-12 community must take responsibility for some of the struggles students face in college. More than half of the high school graduates who receive the merit-based HOPE scholarship lose it after freshman year because they can't maintain high grades, said Ehrhart, who heads the General Assembly committee that oversees college budgets.
"College-level work is significantly harder than high school, but they're graduating students who are not prepared," he said.
Educators across the country are working on this issue.

Florida allows high schools to test students using the state's college-placement exams to determine where students are deficient academically. North Carolina is considering using ACT scores to determine if high school juniors are on track for college-level work, and if they're not the schools will develop programs to get them ready. Starting with next fall's high school freshman class, Texas will roll out end-of-course tests using college-readiness learning goals. Students who fail the exams will get extra help.
Georgia is developing an index of skills students should have to make sure they are ready for the workplace or college after graduation, Reichrath said.
The education alliance discussed giving students a test while in high school to measure their college-readiness skills. If they passed, they wouldn't need to take remedial classes in college. If they failed, they would spend part of their senior year working on the lessons, said Alan Jackson, interim vice president for academic affairs at Georgia Perimeter College, who is serving on one of the alliance's committees.
Georgia is also among 38 states that adopted the Common Core State Standards -- expectations for what students should learn and be able to do in every grade level and subject. The standards, which Georgia schools will begin using in fall 2012, are designed to make sure students graduate college-ready.
The state moved toward college-readiness standards when it adopted the Georgia Performance Standards, which have been phased in over the past six years. The university system helped develop those standards.
Because of those standards, the state's colleges should notice a better prepared freshman class in the next couple of years, said Virginia Michelich, associate vice chancellor for student achievement for Georgia's university system.
"This is not all the high schools’ fault and it is not all the colleges’ fault and it is not all the students' fault," Michelich said. "But the only way we will fix it is if we all work together."

Learner's Permit and Driving License - Is your child ready?

Thoughts By: B. Brown of BREG

It is usually a scary proposition when it comes time to teach your 15 year old child how to drive and then prepare them for the written test and the driving test the next year. It can be a bit frightening to think that your baby will be driving by themselves very soon.

Are you ready? The bigger question is, are they ready to drive the byways and the highways? The story you will read below is a cautionary tell to all of us parents that we must truly prepare our kids to the best of our abilities to to make sure our children know what to do in the drivers seat.

Our children should get a copy of the book to study for their "Learner's License" and we should quiz them as often as possible on the rules and laws of driving. I recommend "Driver's Education Class". I believe some high schools still have these classes or there may be a county program. I also recommend taking our children to an empty parking lot and letting them get a feel for driving a car period, and then taking them through a series of driving drills and tests that they will see on the actual driving test. Repetition, repetition, repetition is the key.

Now, all of this preparation may not keep our children from having accidents in the future, but let's prepare them to be the most responsible drivers that we can.

One Love!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Kensington Man Witnesses Car Crash Into Train Station

“I was just walking down Flatbush Avenue looking for a coffee shop,” said Brad Hames of Cortelyou Road in the Kensington section of Brooklyn, “When suddenly I heard a loud boom. I turned around and saw this big, black Mercedes smashed against the railing and the sign at the Nevins Street station.”

Nevins Street Station After the Crash
(credit: CarollGardensPatch)

Brad Hames was one of several witnesses who saw the accident. The car was being driven by a young man who just received his learner’s permit and was being instructed by his father on the finer points of driving when the boy lost control of the car, jumped over the curb, and crashed into the station.

One of the car’s occupants was taken to Brooklyn Hospital, but it was not made immediately known whether it was the boy or his father. There were no other reports of injuries or damage, aside from that done to the train station.

As for Brad Hames and other residents of Kensington, they're just happy no pedestrians got hurt. This whole episode goes to show you that no matter the precautions you can never be sure what will happen.  Can I suggest a driving simulator for the young student before he gets on the road again?