Random Fun Facts and a few other things

This is very interesting! Impress your friends with Radical/Random facts and maybe even enjoy a chuckle or two.

In 1400 England there was a law that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb"

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Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen Only..Ladies Forbidden"....and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
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The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S . Treasury.

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Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

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The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work:

Alaska
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The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)

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The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%

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 The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $16,400

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The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour:
61,000

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Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

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The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

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The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

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Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:

Spades - King David


Hearts - Charlemagne


Clubs -Alexander, the Great


Diamonds - Julius Caesar

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111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

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If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

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Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

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Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?


A. Their birthplace

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Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?


A. Obsession

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Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"?


A. One thousand

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Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?


A. All were invented by women.

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Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?


A. Honey

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Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?


A. Father's Day

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In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes.


When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase.......... "goodnight, sleep tight."

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It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

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In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down."


It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"

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Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.

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Don't delete this just because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you can read it.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

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YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2010 when...

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12.. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

Emergency Plan

We’ve all had “the talk”. Whether it be with our parents or friends, we have discussed all aspects: from ways to avoid the situation to how to use protection if the situation arises.   

But will it ever happen? 
Many say spending hours discussing what to do in the all too unlikely event of...

A ZOMBIE ATTACK...

  is a waste of time.    However, there are many of us who understand the importance of discussing zombie attacks before it’s too late. 

For the Non Believers:  Part of me wants to wait till the day the zombie attack happens so I can shout down “I told you so!” from the lookout tower of my family's fortress.   

But, the other part of me wants to keep the world as populated with humans as possible so I’ll try and enlighten you.   

I have assembled a list of possible ways a zombie attack could actually happen using your beloved “science”.

Remember, this is OUR world!  Humans have ruled for thousands of years and we can’t let our deceased relatives destroy the society we have built!!!

Ways in which a zombie attack could actually happen: 

Brain Parasites: Yes, brain parasites!!! Brain parasites are surprisingly common in nature.  Now you’re probably thinking “those can’t create zombies”.  You’re wrong.  Taxoplasmosa gondii is a brain parasite found in mice.  However, it can only reproduce once inside the organs….of a cat. 
 

So how does this parasite ensure it will be able to reproduce?  It takes control of its host's brain and leads the unconscious mouse to its death.  That’s right - it makes the mouse approach the cat and forces it to be eaten.  I give it five years before this parasite evolves to taking over the human brain.

Neurotoxins:  Invisible, odorless, and lethal….well, kind of.  Neurotoxins are poisonous gasses that cause the body to slow down, way down.  These gases can cause the body to slow down all of your main organs to the point where you are considered dead.  However, you will not be lying six feet under in a wooden box.  No, instead you will be able to function without any control over your brain.  It will essentially turn your body into a lifeless uncontrollable creature that wanders the deserted streets of a post 2012 world...AKA, a zombie.

Mad Human Disease:  We all remember mad cow disease, right?  Those few weeks you stopped eating at McDonalds to ensure you didn’t catch it?  In case you forgot, it is a disease that attacks a cow’s spinal cord and brain.  As the name clearly states, it doesn’t make the cows too happy.  In fact, it turns them into blood thirsty monsters who’s only intention is to kill.  Needless to say, I think we can all be glad this disease isn’t able to be transferred to humans!  Oh wait, it can be.  That’s right, a disease that can turn humans into blood thirsty zombie people can be transferred to humans.  But how?  The disease can be transferred to humans simply by eating cow.  So, with companies like McDonalds and Burger King serving people burgers made from infected cows we could have an international outbreak over night. 

So, maybe now I have your attention about importance of preparing for a zombie attack.  If not, then there is no saving you.  When you find yourself surrounded by a mob of blood thirsty zombie, whether they be infected with mad cow disease or a brain parasite, just remember that it was your choice to not listen.

Now, let’s get down to what really matters:  how to survive a zombie attack. 

That’s right, this isn’t "Zombieland".  This isn’t a comedy involving zombies.   Okay?  So don’t “enjoy the little things” during a zombie attack.  Don’t spend all of your time looking for Twinkies so you can be reminded of “the good ol’ days” when you didn’t have to fight zombies.  This is serious business.

First off, I am going to assume that you have had at least three days notice to prepare for this attack.   

Usually, the virus or disease will take at least three days to spread into a full epidemic. If this isn’t the case, then you better work fast.

So, let’s get to it.

Preparation:  A big part of surviving a zombie attack is taken care of before the virus that will end mankind as we know it has even been created.  This means gathering useful materials and making plans now. 

Here are some supplies which you should always have in your house in order to be prepared for a zombie attack:

Water:  This one should be a no brainer (much like the enemies you will be fighting…punned). Not to mention, you should already have at least ten gallons of water set aside somewhere in your house for an earthquake, tornado, or hurricane.

Food:  Obviously go for the non perishables.  It’s a zombie attack…you won’t be eating five course meals that consist of shrimp cocktails and lobster.  Go for uncooked grains like wheat, rice, or corn.  These provide a good source of protein and last for years.  If you want to try and be fancy you can go for canned fruits or vegetables but they have a lot shorter life expectancy.

Wood:  You should have relatively thin, yet durable pieces of wood which are sized to cover your windows.  The first way those zombies are going to try and come in to eat you and your family is through your glass windows!  So stop them.  Along with the wood you should also buy nails and a hammer to make sure those boards stay in place. 

Radio:  In a zombie attack, radio stations are more reliable than TV stations.  This is why you should buy one of those crank powered radio/flashlights they sell at all major retail stores.  Don’t forget to have a pair of headphones on hand for listening to the radio.  Nobody wants to be the guy who was found by the zombies because he was blasting the radio.  

Apocalypse Day:  It’s happened - the zombies have arrived!
Luckily, you have read this article and you are prepared.  You have your food and water and have boarded up your house.  Now what?  Now you will begin to make the decisions that could save your life, or end it.

Weapons:  I know what you're all thinking, “Finally!!!”.  This is probably the part most of you have been waiting for, and it is also one of the the most debated aspect of a zombie attack.  But worry not my fellow fighters, I will make sure you are well equipped to handle anything those zombies might try. 

I’ll start by saying; everyone has different preferences when it comes to zombie fighting weapons.   So, I have decided the best way to be sure you have the right tools for the job is to have them all.  To simplify it, I have broken weapons into separate categories based upon their purpose.

Primary (close range):  Whether you like it or not, to survive a zombie attack your primary weapon must be a weapon which does not required being reloaded.  It could be anything from a baseball bat to a hammer, as long as it never needs to be reloaded.  This is the weapon that you should have on you at all times, even when you sleep.  For this weapon I would suggest a baseball bat (preferably aluminum).  

A baseball bat provides a good amount of power and maneuverability without losing compromising range.  Sure a hammer could do a lot of damage, but if the zombie is close enough for you to hit it with a hammer, it has most likely already infected you, in which case you’re doomed either way.  So, go with the baseball bat.  If the baseball bat isn’t fancy enough for you, then get creative!  Think outside the box; maybe attach a blade or two to the end, who knows, it may save your life. 

Secondary (mid range):  Now for this weapon, you should probably use a shotgun.  You will most likely be using this weapon to be holding back a group of zombies while they try to enter your residence.  Nothing holds back zombies at mid range like a shotgun.  Let those zombies know, it is NOT okay to come into your house by giving them a few blasts from you’re double barrel shotty.   

Secret Weapon (long range):  So you have been very good at playing defense with these zombies, eh?  But, now there is another group of survivors outside your house screaming for you to let them in.  So, you climb up to the roof to get a better idea of what’s going on. 

First - do the people seem to be infected?  By listening to the news on your crank powered radio you will know the symptoms of this disease.  Are the people showing these symptoms?  Either way, get your secret weapon ready, things are about to get real.

Your secret weapon should be something with good range.  This means a rifle, preferably one with high accuracy and a scope attachment.  This will allow you to have the option to go on the offense if necessary.  Remember, sometimes the best defense is a strong offense. 

So, back to the situation at hand.  The bottom line is, if the people who've taken refuge in your fortress appear to be infected, take them out.  The harsh reality is that if not dealt with, they too will soon be competing for your brains.  However, if the visitors appear to be uninfected, use your sniper rifle to pick off the zombies around them.  They are your fellow humans and could prove to be useful in defending your fortress, so give them a little help by picking off zombies who pose a threat to them.

Post Zombie Apocalypse:  It’s over!  And you are still human!  You have waited the attack out and the army has taken control of the zombie problem.   What now?  Rejoice, you’re not dead!  Also, go restock your zombie survival supplies.  It has now happened once, there’s a good chance it’ll happen again!

    

Techno Music Scene in Seattle

While many people associate Seattle’s music scene with indie rock bands such as Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, Fleet Foxes, and Modest Mouse, there is other music appeal in the community.

Surprisingly enough for some, the techno/dance or electronic music scene has a quite substantial following here in Seattle. Last Saturday (4/10/10), the world renowned DJ Tiësto visited WaMu Theatre and drew in a huge crowd of ranging ages and lasting from 8:00 pm to 2:00 am. Fans dressed in various attires and danced to the popular DJ for about six hours, enjoying the abstract lighting and sound effects.

More information on the Seattle techno and dance music scene, including events, forums, and history can be found at the following sites:

http://www.nwtekno.org/index.php


http://hyperreal.org/raves/nw/

Upcoming shows in the genre include:

Basshunter - April 30, 2010 @ Club One3One at 8:00 pm
DJ Shpongle - May 8, 2010 at the Showbox in the Market at 9:00 pm
Armin Van Buuren - May 28, 2010 at the Shobox SoDo at 8:00 pm.

Tickets for these events can be found at the following sites, prices ranging based on event:

http://www.clubvibes.com/events/Seattle/141443/Basshunter-LIVE.html

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F0044438C3164D6?artistid=1266812&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=201


http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F004485B8483271?artistid=878620&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=201

Fierce and Female and Hip-Hop

March was National Women's History Month and April is National Poetry Month, so this blog will find the intersection between the two by featuring an interview with CanarySing, a Seattle based hiphop duet that just so happens to be female. 

CanarySing is Madeleine Clifford (who goes by the emcee name "MADLINES da lioness") and Hollis Wong-Wear (who goes by "ISPIRE; good lucky money"). 

In their own words: repping 206 hip-hop and hip-hop worldwide, we have been described as “playfully political,” bringing the party and invested in building solidarity on a local and global level. we met as youth spoken word poets and members of youth speaks seattle; after performing together at the brave new voices national youth poetry slam, where our piece “crossfire” was featured on the historic Apollo Theater stage, we came together to combine our powers and take over the world.

Since December 2006, we have performed in Portland, Washington, D.C., Vancouver, B.C., New York City, San Francisco and all over Seattle. We’ve performed at bumbershoot, Under the Volcano Music Festival, and the San Francisco Mission Arts Project. We have written and performed commissioned work for Seattle University and the Richard Hugo House literary arts series. And we’ve performed at events also featuring artists like Saul Williams, Binary Star, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Medusa, Gabriel Teodros, Mystic, Sabreena da Witch & Mohammed from P.R. as featured in the incredible documentary Slingshot hip hop, piece, Cristina Orbe, and more of our favorite musicians and poets.


We graduated with two bachelors degrees in 2009. between the two of us, we have presented at three national research conferences, been published in an academic journal and our universities’ literary magazines, and won several scholarships. going to college is gangstA.

Teen Link had a chance to ask Hollis of CanarySing some questions about the group's music and influences and this is what she had to say:

Teen Link: how did you two meet and how did you decide to form a hiphop group?

Hollis:  Maddy and I met as members of the Youth Speaks Seattle Slam Team in 2005. Well, technically we met at Youth Speaks meetings at Langston Hughes. We were both freshman college students at Seattle U and UW respectively, and honestly out of all the girls on the team, I felt like I knew Maddy least when we started working together.

What I really admired about her was her stage presence-- beyond being a really gorgeous writer, she commanded attention when she stepped to the stage. We collaborated on a slam piece that we had to generate for the finals at the Brave New Voices National Poetry Slam Competition, and less than 24 hours later we performed it, at the Apollo. 


It was a poem about being biracial, and it was pretty searing. We made people cry. Rosario Dawson was a judge for the slam and I remember her giving us a standing ovation. At that moment, I felt like I had finally made art that affected change, if anything just by coming together with someone in solidarity, speaking on an issue that had kept me silent for so long. I was finally articulating my truth in a powerful, impactful way. It was dope.

I'll actually never forget that Maddy and I decided to form a group in the elevator going up to my dorm room after seeing the Blue Scholars perform at SU's annual concert. We were like, "we write well together, we should make it work." 

Maddy and I were both hip-hop nerds, and we recognized that there weren't any young women like us in hip-hop, let alone rapping together. But it was less about that challenge, and more about the fact that we liked writing together. I was so stoked to find a writing partner whose material I really admired-- political, lyrical, and honest-- and who inspired me to be a better writer and a more critical thinker.

Teen Link: CanarySing seems out of the ordinary for a hiphop name and yet it suits you. How did you come up with it and what does it mean?

Hollis: CanarySing is an interpretation of this quote that stuck with me from the novel Caucasia by Danzy Senna, a narrative about two biracial (black/white) sisters growing up during the seventies in Boston. The narrator, the younger sister, looks more white than her older sister, and it's all about how their sisterhood was impacted by how much either of them could "pass" in the various communities they interacted with. While Maddy and I were writing our second ever song, we were like, "we need a name." And I was like, "oh read this."

So here's the quote: The mulatto in America functions as a canary in a coal mine. Canaries were used by coal miners to gauge how poisonous the air underground was. They would bring a canary in with them, and if it grew sick and died they knew the air was bad and eventually everyone would be poisoned by the fumes. Likewise, mulattos have historically been the gauge of how poisonous American race relations were. The fate of the mulatto in history and literature will manifest the symptoms that will eventually infect the rest of the nation. We are the first generation of canaries to survive, a little injured perhaps, but alive! (Danzy Senna, Caucasia)

Teen Link: Who are your influences?

Hollis: So many people. Definitely our moms. I'm just gonna throw out ten names at random that hopefully provide a spectrum: Ntozake Shange, Octavia Butler, Queen Latifah, Franz Fanon, Stacyanne Chin, Khatsini Simani, Guru, Erykah Badu, Damian Marley, Janelle Monae.

Teen Link: whats wrong with hiphop today? how does that influence what you create?

Hollis: Hmmm. I think what's wrong with hip hop today is how we've allowed it to be institutionalized in the exact way it was born to defy. Hip hop is a culture of defiance, of inventing material with scare resources, one that championed the common experience and allowed those who operate within it to imagine better worlds, lives with dignity and justice. 

What people are calling hip hop now -- the pop, the kinda backwards nihilism-- is I think antithetical to what hip hop was in the first place. But someone awesome who I can't remember once said that we can't just pick'n'choose what's "real hip hop" and what's not. 

The reality is that patriarchy, classism, racism, heterosexism… all these things exist in our world and are exemplified through hip hop. We can't just claim some of reality and dismiss, ignore the rest of it. We have to challenge it head on, acknowledge it as a part of us.

Teen Link:  what's right about hip-hop today?

Hollis:  Man, a LOT. Lupe Fiasco, Jay Electronica, Invincible and Finale from Detroit…. actually a lot out of Detroit. Uh to namedrop a bit more: Jean Grae, Mos Def, Zion I, J. Cole, Blu, B.O.B., Nas. Locally, our man Language Arts is doing it big.

GLOBAL hip hop, where the immediacy and urgency and necessary politics of it are kindred to the spirit of hip hop when it was birthed. Mexico, South Africa, Palestine, South Korea. They're translating, transmuting, making it their own, which was the point of it all: in a world where everyone tells you you have nothing, you own nothing, you are nothing, hip hop proclaims, "I'm here: I'm tagging, I'm rapping, I'm breaking, I'm spinning, I'm making noise, I'm making a mark, I'm coming together with my people, we can change systems, we can change the world."

Teen Link: How do your politics play a role in your music/lyrics?

Hollis: We say that we rap about the politics of the everyday. For us, politics is the two of us being on stage together, of not apologizing. To represent ourselves as people is, as the old feminist saying goes, political. To us, we rap about drinking, and guys, and reading books, and kicking it. But it's all politics. It's the politics of being confident women, unabashedly proud in the face of skepticism. I mean, our day jobs have us working with youth in programs designed to build their confidence, communication skills, and belief in themselves. We just translate all those things into our music. It's just who we are.

Teen Link: How would you describe Seattle hiphop as a regional sound/style?

Hollis:  Seattle is eclectic, eager, honest and necessarily a touch melancholy. But there's so many incredible artists doing their thing in our region, and stepping up their game to be solid performers, have solid messaging, building a base and a movement. We're incredibly lucky to be in the city at this moment in time.

Teen and Pregnant- an Epidemic?

 So let's talk once again about everyone's favorite subject.....No, not Twilight....everyone's OTHER favorite subject: SEX! More specifically, what happens when birth control goes wrong?! That goes to say, birth control IS being used...right? Because if it isn't, read on! 

   

     

I've been watching MTV, in the middle of homework breaks (you know how that goes!), and have been very intrigued with the shows like "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom." These shows, if you haven't been keeping up to date with what MTV deems as "cool" to put shows on the air, follow the lives of girls who are teen moms or are about to become moms. 

The shows cover how the girls deal with the news, their personal lives, education, family, friends, and the stresses of having to deal with the consequences of their actions. 

I was thinking to myself while watching:

• What do people think of these shows? 
• Are they advocating safe sex? Or perhaps glamorizing young pregnancy? 

A psychologist, Dr. Drew, appears on these shows to counsel these girls and at the same time promote safe sex. 

• Do you think the message is getting the point across by showing real life examples of the consequences of not using any form or birth control? 
• Do you think by putting so much emphasis on the lives of these girls that it really deters people from making bad choices?  

Sarah Palin's daugher was a prime example of teen pregnancy and now she is in the media promoting abstinence. She was interviewed (Watch it Here) and spoke about how she wants other to learn from her mistakes. The article says, "Palin Promoting Abstinence in New Campaign, 'Regardless of What I Did Personally.'"

My question for all these girls sharing the stories of their lives is do you think it will be really heard? People are saying how can someone like Bristol Palin who is a teen mom really promote abstinence when she, herself, did not follow her own advice? What do you all think? 

Since she has experienced the consequences do you think it now makes her a good role model and a warning all at the same time? 

I hope either the shows, or role models will have an effect on the teen pregnancy rates because they have gone up in both of the last two years. 

I guess TV is actually reflecting real lives for once, for the worse maybe? or for a chance to learn? You decide...

Teen Link

...like Cats and Dogs!

When parents and teens get into fights it is normally about things they do not see eye to eye on. Whether it is about if you can go out, wear a certain outfit, or miss school because you did not finish all of your homework, there always seems to be an argument. Think about all of the fights you have gotten in with your parents and read this survey.

Thousands of parents and teens took a survey and now it is your time to guess the right answers:

What percentage of Parents and Teens agree on these issues?

Clothing: 16%, 21%, 43%, 65%, 78%

Sex: 24%, 46%, 55%, 70%, 100%

Religion: 3%, 15%, 30%, 59%, 74%

Friends: 10%, 33%, 55%, 66%, 74%

Politics: 5%, 23%, 48%, 59%, 78%

Work: 13%, 35%, 58%, 67%, 80%

Education: 25%, 48%, 60%, 72%, 81%

Drugs: 24%, 46%, 59%, 68%, 83%

What do you think? 

The results may surprise you:

Clothing: 65%


Sex: 70%


Religion: 74%


Friends: 74%


  Politics: 78%       Work: 80%


  Education: 81%   Drugs: 83%

All of the results are the first or second highest percentage. Now, this does not mean your parents and you agree on all of these things, but it shows you that you and your parents may not be so different. There will always be fights and disagreements, but maybe you both agree in some way with each other. Anyways, think about this survey and share it with others. You learn something new everyday!

Here's an article addressing WHY you may be fighting with your parents.

Some additional links with tips on how to talk to your parents:

General Tips on talking to parents and adults

How to have a Talk about the Tough Stuff

Tips to consider when you're already fighting about things

Talking to Parents about Sex

If you begin to feel like things will never get resolved - that you and your parents just cannot work through your differences - consider mediation as an option. A neutral third party might be able to help you both to understand each other and find some middle ground. This can be an adult you both trust like a neighbor or a teacher. If you can't agree on who that person is, there are family counselors who can provide that role and in some areas, mediation programs that can provide BOTH adult AND youth mediators to create a safe and even handed approach to finding a resolution. Call Teen Link (866-833-6546) to see what can help you best in your situation

Thanks,

Teen Link :)

Black History Month - It's all about roots

Black History Month is officially over now, but that doesn't mean the HISTORY has become any less relevant. Take the realm of music as an example - Michael Jackson, specifically. Whether you enjoyed his music or not, it's hard to not appreciate his craft, his precision, his talent. The self-named King of Pop died less than a year ago and left a tremendous legacy.

There are very few musicians these days in mainstream music who don't cite him as a major influence. Which brings me to the point of "roots". They say, you don't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been. So beginning with Michael and who he's influenced, let's take some steps backwards.

Alien Ant Farm remakes Michael's "Smooth Criminal"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE

And then there's a bunch of heavy hitters in pop music:

"While Michael Jackson thrilled fans with his videos, revolutionized pop dancing, and tantalized us with his darkly bizarre behaviour, his most important legacy is as the ultimate crossover artist: He married rock, pop, R & B, and dance music in order to smash radio formats and racial barriers in the media. Here are 10 of his closest acolytes, some of whom have followed his star to mass popularity, and some of whom may have flown too close to his supernova..."  Read More...

And while Michael was quite the genius, he had HIS influences too.

From Wikipedia: "Jackson's music genre takes roots in R&B, Motown, pop and soul. He had been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as Little Richard, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, David Ruffin, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis, Jr., The Isley Brothers, and the Bee Gees.

While Little Richard had a huge influence on Jackson, James Brown was for him, since early childhood, his greatest inspiration: "the master" or "a genius"...describing his performance as "phenomenal". He declared: "Ever since I was a small child, no more than like six years old, my mother would wake me no matter what time it was, if I was sleeping, no matter what I was doing, to watch the television to see the master at work."

James Brown, commonly referred to as the "Godfather of Soul", takes us on a little bit of a different direction, because he not only inspired Michael Jackson and thus had a large influence on pop music (ex: the drum loop from James' song "Funky Drummer" has been sampled more than 100 times by artists like Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Enigma and the Beastie Boys), James had a monumental influence on the world of hip hop.  

He is still one of the most sampled artists of all time on hip hop records. His style of call-and-response with his band as well as with the audience directly impacted the way that emcees interact with the audience members at shows. The breaks of James Brown songs are still among the most commonly used by hip-hop DJs and were especially popular in the early  formative years of hip-hop music. (The break beats that are the building block of hip-hop music - the best part of the record that the DJ isolates by alternating between the two turntables).


"Type ‘James Brown’ into a search engine or a sample-source website and you’re going to get back pages and pages of hits. So many that you’ll initially think you made a mistake. But no, it isn’t a mistake. James Brown samples are just that prevalent. 

James is listed as The-Breaks.com’s number one most-sampled artist ever. And his total sample count of 903 is more than triple that of the nearest contender. It’s said that J.B. makes millions per year on sample-related royalties alone. So why? Why did James Brown’s music have such a pull on all of us? The answer is actually simple. It’s rhythm." (Read more here...)

So if James Brown had such a profound impact on music - who influenced James Brown?
According to Wikipedia, James decided to become an entertainer after seeing Louis Jordan perform. Louis Jordan was known as "The King of the Jukebox", and during his career that spanned the 1930s-1950s, he was able to cultivate popularity among both white AND black audiences.

He was named as #59 in Rolling Stone magazine's "Immortals: the Greatest Artists of All Time".

"...Jordan's sound was hard to imitate. At Atlantic Records, we used that boogie-woogie feel on some of the jump numbers we recorded with Joe Turner. But the main thing was the sound of Jordan's voice, the way he sang. It was a kind of talk-singing. He's actually talking the lyrics in "Saturday Night Fish Fry." Jordan was really a precursor to rap. Back then, they used to call it Harlem rhyming jive. Rap didn't just come out of nowhere." - By Ahmet Ertegun

Here's a taste of Louis Jordan's music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qROFl0sbrjo

Let's take a look at another one of these branches. 

I mentioned Little Richard as another of Michael Jackson's influences. "Little Richard" Penniman is often referred to as one of the architects of rock 'n roll music.

The Beatles' (listed as #1 in the Rolling Stone's "Immortals...") Paul McCartney often imitated Little Richard's trademark high pitched "Woooo!" (Listen to it here...) in early Beatles songs and has often said that he wanted to sing just like him.

The Beatles also were known to play covers of Little Richard's songs "Long Tall Sally" and "Lucille". His music was heavily covered by many artists including Elvis Presley.

Jimi Hendrix played in Little Richard's band and toured with him for over a year and began copying his flamboyant fashion and even wore his mustache in a similar style. James Brown called Little Richard his idol. And many, many other influential musicians have talked about him as major influences on their musical careers.

So where did Little Richard and many of the most popular artists of the 40s and 50s get their inspiration?

- Gospel music and the blues.

Where did these two musical styles originate from?

"Gospel music originated in the American South and is still primarily an American genre, although it has spread to other countries as well. Gospel music combines Christian lyrics, often taken from the Methodist hymnal, with American musical forms including jazz, blues, ragtime and bluegrass. Gospel music has its roots in the spirituals composed and sung by African slaves in the 18th and 19th centuries." (Read more...)

"The origins of blues is not unlike the origins of life. For many years it was recorded only by memory, and relayed only live, and in person. The Blues were born in the North Mississippi Delta following the Civil War. Influenced by African roots, field hollers, ballads, church music and rhythmic dance tunes called jump-ups evolved into a music for a singer who would engage in call-and-response with his guitar. He would sing a line, and the guitar would answer." (Read more...)

These are the roots of so much of the music we listen to and love today - and if that doesn't speak to the historical relevance of Black History, try taking another listen to your favorite songs and just start following the tracks backward.