Category Archive: Lifestyle

Jeff Bezos: Billion Dollar Bezos

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, the world’s largest online shopping retailer, is worth $105.1 billion dollars, according to Bloomberg Technology. That is more than Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft whose net worth sits at $93.2 billion dollars. Not so long ago, in 1999 Bezos’ work space consisted of just a basic computer, a phone, and a desk that he built from a door, stabilized by two-by-fours in his garage. The visionary spray painted the words: AMAZON.COM on the wall of his work area, breathing life into his dream way before the world took notice. Now, he holds the title as the richest person in the world.

Bezos said, you have to be resourceful and self-reliant. He firmly believes that those traits helped him propel his startup company from his garage, into a $100 billion dollar corporation.
Bezos, who just celebrated his 54th birthday on January 12th, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He credits his first job with his grandfather as the source for honing in on the aforementioned traits. Bezos spent his summers with his grandfather working on his South Texas ranch. Bezos was born to a teenage mother and a father who worked as a circus performer whom he didn't know growing up. When Bezos was four-years-old, his mother told his biological father to stay out of their lives, and he obliged. His biological father was unaware of the success he encounter as an adult until the book "The Everything Store" about Jeff's life was being written, and the author reached out to him for an interview.

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Boris Kodjoe: Handling Hollywood

Boris Kodjoe is all over Hollywood. He began acting on television’s The Steve Harvey Show and almost immediately jumped into movies after that. You can see him on the films Love & Basketball, Brown Sugar and most recently, he played in part of the Resident Evil franchise. Kodjoe is also well- known for his looks. The man is gorgeous and it’s no secret. He’s managed to keep afloat in the uncertainty of Hollywood, but that let’s us know that one thing is absolute: it’s hard work. It’s not just about getting by on your looks.

“I have to be very disciplined because the hours are ridiculous. We shoot 12 to 14 hours a day. To do all that physical stuff yourself, you have to be on a nutritional plan. I have six or seven meals a day. I eat every hour and a half, and make sure it’s all clean. I have absolutely no sugar at all,” Kodjoe explained to media, technology and entertainment site Collider about his role in the TV show “Undercovers.”

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Liam Neeson: Gratia

Actions shape our world. The decisions of goodwill and grace as well as malevolent choices affects all outcomes. In the same manner, action movies revolve around choices. The main character is often presented with an issue, and has to make a decision on which path to take towards a solution. Action movies are more than just mindless violence, most contain plots of moral dilemmas. Critically-acclaimed actor Liam Neeson is one of the most prominent action movie stars in Hollywood. However, to consider him just an action star in thoughtless films is egregious. His films directly reflect his feelings towards life and its’ machinations as well as his faith, “We really had to strip away the layers and really confront yourself in what your real beliefs are. I certainly did, didn't come away with any answers...I'm still questing, let's put it that way," he explained to CNN about his role in the film Silence. Neeson’s movies represent important themes such as tragedy, religion and most importantly life and death. Neeson's quiet dignity and grace enhances moviegoers’ experience in any film he stars in. Although he has lived a life full of major film and personal successes, we should note his accomplishments beyond the silver screen.

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Victor Oladipo: Shooting for the Stars

At only 25 years old, NBA Point Guard Victor Oladipo has already experienced some of life’s twists and turns. Named the Sporting News Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year and National Co-Defensive Player of the Year while he played basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, it was no surprise when Oladipo was drafted with the second overall pick in the NBA in 2013 by the Orlando Magic. He was even named NBA All-Rookie first team, an honor given to the top rookies of the season. But when he was traded just three years later to Oklahoma City Thunder after a severe concussion, doubt started to creep into his mind.

When he was traded a year later to the Indiana Pacers, he was fighting back depression. “Going through those first couple years in the league,” he told the IndyStar. “I realized that I needed to work on my body and my mind just as much as I work on my game,” admitting that doing so saved his career. “I realized that the game is 20% physical but it's literally 80% mental.” Today, Oladipo is considered one of the best guards in the Eastern Conference and is on the verge of making the All-Star team for the first time in his NBA career. In fact, he is the 7th ranked player in the entire NBA for most points scored in the fourth quarter. Despite a somewhat rocky start, Oladipo has fought and proved that he belongs in the NBA, a habit he learned early on in life.

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Def Comedy Jam 25

"Def Comedy Jam was the shit!"

A simple yet powerful statement from one of the all-time great comedians, Dave Chappelle. Even in saying that,  it still doesn't do the show that revolutionized urban comedy enough justice. Twenty-five years ago, the comedy game was changed forever. To the point where all roads of comedy as we know it today, run through Def Comedy Jam. The doors in comedy that were opened due to Def Comedy Jam led to so many people becoming household names, and that's continued to be the case a quarter century later.

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Slick Woods: Smashing the Mold

Serendipity.

Serendipity is defined as an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident or good fortune and luck. It is can be a chance meeting of love, wealth or opportunity. 21-year old model Slick Woods had a serendipitous meeting of her own at a Los Angeles bus stop in 2016 when she was discovered by British male model Ash Stymest. The meeting was completely random but it changed her life. "It was literally the luck of the Universe. My energy, my positive energy pulling things towards me. I'm on Law of Attraction. I just feel like I definitely did that for myself. When I was hungry, nobody fed me. I definitely just lucked up. I just do this to show people that luck is a real thing. It really is," Woods said in an Urban Outfitters blog interview.

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