New 44-Cent KWANZAA Postage Stamp

Released By USPS October 2009
By Big Rod

Nubian Knights Network

The USPS (United States Postal Service) just released the new iteration of the venerable KWANZAA stamp and to coincide with the recent price increase of 44-cents for all first class regular mail.

The stamp is not bad and I like it; though it is the third stamp iteration for KWANZAA hands down, the very first KWANZAA stamp (started back when the postage was 32-cents) still remains my top favorite. I really wish they hadn't changed it over the years, but I support the effort of the KWANZAA stamp's continued existence in it's many incarnations.

Harambee (ha-RAHM-bay'-AY)

Let's All Pull Together

Coney Island’s Annual Generation Gap Stop Da Violence Go-Cart Race

By Big Rod
Nubian Knights Network

This has to be one of the greatest moments in my life as a photographer. I mean, just look at the photo above with these two adorable looking boyz with theri go-cart medals!! This picture truly conveys beyond a thousand words the excitement of this event photographed. Coney Island which is at the edge of south Brooklyn (by the water) where I live had our 1st Annual Coney Island Generation Gap - Stop Da Violence Go-Cart Race. Man on Saturday, September 5th, 2009 at Kaiser Park. I tell you, it was so great to see all these young Black children and parents out there and doing something positive, affirming and FUN!

FLASHBACK: This event totally took me back and reminded me of the late 1970s/early 1980s (yeah, I know... I'm "dating" myself) when I remember me and my friend Charles (I think it was him) found this long slender and very thick wood board. while we were playing after school or on the weekend. We came up with the idea to use the wood to build a make-shift go-cart out of it.

Because Coney Island back then had a lot of empty, abandoned and desolate lots with weeds in them (ah, the old freaky deaky days in the make-shift clubs houses... ummm, that's another coming of age story which is rated "R" or "NC-17", LOL! ), it was easy to find some old broken down folding shopping carts. that were all medal including the spoke in the wheels. We needed two shopping carts so we could strip the metal axles with wheels from them. Man, just thinking about it, I remember that it was a FUCKING BITCH to pry the metals rods holding the shopping cart together from the axles with our hands hurting and all. We prevailed though and got two sets of axles/wheels for the front and for the back of the cart.

Read the entire article at: Nubian Knights Network by Big Rod