Black Women aren't Born Mean, You made us this way

For years it has been said that women of color, or black women, have what many call an "attitude problem." They say we roll our eyes, swirve our necks, and suck our teethe. Well this may be true for some if not most black women. However I do believe that the stereotype is just that, a stereotype. It is no fact that all black women have attitudes and honestly the definition of an attitude may vary among different people. Yes we can be mean sometime. Yes we can be short and unpatient, however, we are not born this way, we are made this way. Black men have walked all over us for decades. They've cheated on us, beat on us, and disrespected us. After a while we grew smarter and realized that we didn't have to put up with that. We learned to speak up, but we knew we couldn't speak in a gentle tone. We had to put some fire in words and speach. We had to appear and sound fierce. After so many years of being let down and losing trust in our men and this world alone, we realized we had to make it our way or not make it at all. So we stopped asking for respect, we demanded it, and if we didn't get it we weren't scared to tell you how we felt and leave your ass. We didn't asked to be treated kindly and fair, we demanded it. It was the only way we could get them to listen. It's a damn shame that we had to get like this for them to understand that we're not taking in bull, but oh well. We were all born sweet women willing to do anything for that special guy until that special guy stepped all over us time and time again. So we're tired of being stepped on so we put on our new face, our "attitudes" But always remember, we were not born like this we were made this way!

Black Men Are Hard Headed!

I love my race. I mean I really do. I love black men. I feel, however, that we are losing to many of our men to childish and stupid nonsense. When I say "losing" I'm not strictly referring to death. I mean we are losing them to society. Their minds are being lost. Many of them have simply accepted the statistics given. "Well I'mma either die or be in jail by the time I'm 24 anyway." That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Why would you want to become a statistic? Don't you want to separate yourself from that stereotype that black men can't and will never amount to anything? Here's another one I hear. I ask "why do you steal, sell drugs, etc?" "Well," they will begin, "I mean I can't do nothin' else. This all I know. I wasn't born rich, I gotta make it the only way I know how. I'm tryna get to the paper shawty." LMAO! Seriously?? So when I hear this I just want to slap a black man. I mean really, you'd rather risk imprisonment and ruining (or losing) your life because you feel that's what you "have" to do? Black men say they can't do anything else because they have become lazy and comfortable in thier ghetto settings and lifestyles that they aren't willing or don't want to learn how to do anything else. It's the only thing you know because you have become a follower and not a leader and have decided that that is all that you want to know to do. Hell, most black people aren't born rich. Most are born in poor areas too and don't have the benefits of richy white areas, but I feel that is a small obstacle that can stop you only if you let it. Lastly, I hate when black men always talk about money, cheese, the "paper". First of all, you can't take none of that with you when you die. They have become so obessed with materialistic things. It's no longer about self-worth. Black men have sold their souls for paper. I mean they will do anything for it from turn on and hurt their own people, to facing long term prison sentences, to even putting their own life on the line. It's stupid. Okay so now I have given this long speech on what's wrong with black men. Some will read this and agree with me. That's all good, but tryign giving this same speech to a young black man. It goes in one ear and out the other. I'm telling you I have tried plenty of times. Mostly I try and get through to my younger brother who was just released from prision and is currently serving time in a diversion center or probation home. He's only 18 and has been to jail three times. Before he wasn't even arrested I used to preach to him about how it's not cool breaking the law and trying to act hard and be like everyone else. Hell, it's already hard out here for a black man so why put more obstacles in your way? I mean it is hard trying to compete for a job, but trying competing as a black man with a jail record! I guarantee you it's not easy. It's not impossible, but definetely not easy. When you try and tell them that they don't have to be a statistic or that they don't have to follow the trends, they give you bull like you don't know what it's like and it's how it has to be because school aint for everybody or I can't work no 9 to 5. They don't listen! It's like what do I have to do to get through to you. I mean even after they've been imprisoned, they still don't learn. Even after some are faced with near death they still don't learn. What does it take to get to these hard headed men that they are hurting themselves and the entire black race?

Who is Paris Hilton?

So what Paris Hilton was arrested! What has the world come to? I for one don't give a damn what she ate for breakfast or what color the sheets on her bed are! Hell, she's a normal person like everyone else. If she were poor she would definetely not have gotten out of jail for "mental" reasons as quickly as she did. Also, if she were a famous black woman she wouldn't have gotten out as quickly either. However rich black people get breaks too (Lil' Kim). Any way, it really is money first not justice first. It's really sad that we try and say we have this just and equal society yet the rich can get away with murder if they wanted too. But honestly besides all that, who really cares about Paris Hilton being in jail. She's not some big time politician or anything. I mean what does she really do for society? What is her purpose or what does she contribute? Only thing she contributes is gossip and Hollywood drama. I'm sure we and the media can find more important things to talk about rather than, OMG Paris is in jail!

Judge says man accused of threatening the president is sane

Judge Orinda Evans struck the mental health evaluation for defendant David Cook when it was determined by a psychiatrist that he was competent. “My client doesn’t need help,” said Cooks attorney, Whitman Matthew Dodge, “He is mentally stable and we are asking the court to strike the mental health portion of the sentencing.” Judge Evans, who was appointed Chief District Judge in 1999, agreed with the Dodge based on the psychiatric evaluation stating that she once was “concerned that [Cook’s] mental state might contribute to him harming people,” but that she will now strike that from his record and sentencing. In 2006, the judge sentenced Cook to 22 months in federal prison, a $300 dollar fine, and three years supervised release. Cook has already served the prison term and his attorney assured the judge that the fine has already been paid as well. Cook told the judge that he is a good human being who has preached to and aided the homeless for over 30 years. “I’ve never had any problems with the law,” said Cook, “Ever since God has come into my life, I’ve been doing well.” Cook says he is a notarized prophet and heard God’s voice in his heart warning him about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He said after the attacks he found evidence that there was a conspiracy involved with incidents linking to the government. As evidence, Cook presented two DVDs, one showing the towers falling and the other, a PBS broadcast with a confession of a government official planning the Sept. 11 attacks. He sent this information that he had to the U.S. Marshall. “The next thing I know they showed up at my house to arrest me,” says Cook. Cook was charged with two counts of possession of a firearm and one count of assaulting a police officer. He claims, however, that he has a license to carry a concealed weapon since 1990. He was also charged with false address and making threats against the President. “I was in prison 583 days, 23 hours in a two man cell,” says Cook. He says he was exposed to various diseases and put through a mental health program. Cook believes the government wanted to start a war and that the planes did not cause the World Trade Center’s to collapse because jet fuel cannot get hot enough to melt steel. Cook says he was happy with the outcome of the judgment, although he believes he was done wrong by his government. He even went on to say that he believes that his lawyer was working on “their” side the whole time. “You still believe that?” commented Dodge in response to that state meant. Dodge refused to give any comment. An assistant to U.S. District Attorney, Angela Jordan said that Ms. Jordan believes that Mr. Cook is mentally stable and able to function alone, without mental supervision, in society. Cook and his attorney have 10 days to appeal the judge’s decision if they wish.

Ms. Shundrell Spann

It’s late in the evening for 22-year-old Georgia State student Shundrell Spann. Her hair is pulled back neatly into ponytail and she rocks back-and-forth in her computer chair as she takes notes in her journalism class. Spann is a senior this year and although this class is a requirement for her minor, she may still be able to use it in her future career. She hopes to one day become a host for a popular Hip Hop and R&B radio station. The only thing holding her back now is an essay she must write for an internship at Atlanta’s Hot 107.9. “I don’t know how to write it without sounding redundant” she says. She asks the teacher for advice.Spann’s dreams started back in her home town, Jackson, Miss. She loves her family and is the middle child of three. She moved to Atlanta to go to college and stays on campus at the Georgia State Commons. Although her family is only a six-hour drive away, Spann says she still misses them dearly. Spann gives credit for her success so far to her parents. She says they were the ones who truly inspired her saying “they remained a positive influence on me and helped guide me.” Spann even says that if she had $1 million dollars she would spend it on her family. She continues to visit her family often. “I only have Tuesday and Thursday classes,” she says, “So I can drive there and have four day weekends.” Back in Atlanta, Spann enjoys going to clubs, playing basketball, watching movies, and bowling. When she’s not at school or having fun you can find her working at Ladies’ Foot Locker®. She’s a sales associate there. Although Spann plans to continue living in Metro Atlanta, she says if she could live anywhere, she would definitely live in New York. “The environment,” she says is what truly attracts her to the major city. “It’s more fast-paces,” she adds, “which makes it different than Atlanta.” Excited about the presidential race, Spann says that she is hoping for Illinois Senator, Barrack Obama. “He’s well-educated,” she says and adds that she would love to see him as the “first Black president.” The thing Spann finds most interesting in the news today however, is the mysterious death of Actor Heath Ledger. “I just want to know how he died,” she says. She is very surprised by his death all together. Her favorite music is Hip Hop and R&B, which explains why she wants work at a Hip Hop and R&B radio station. The summer internship means a lot to her. She would like to accomplish that before graduating next Fall. Until then, Spann will continue working hard to achieve her goals which includes writing a 2-paged profile on a class member. She turns her chair to the side and displays a confused expression. She holds up her paper scribbled with notes and asks, “How do you get two pages out of this?”

The Westin Peachtree Plaza recovers from tornado damage

One of Atlanta’s beautys, the Westin Peachtree Plaza, was damaged during the tornado that hit the area on March 14. The 735-foot cylinder building is the tallest hotel in the city and one of the oldest. It has 73 floors and its outer structure is composed of glass held together by steel. It has long been seen as one of the romantic spots in Atlanta because of its beautiful revolving rooftop Sun Dial Restaurant.About 100 guest room windows were blown out by the storm causing the hotel to have to relocate some of its guests. There were no injuries reported but the glass, sundial elevator that runs on the side of the building was completely destroyed. Walking through the building you barely notice any changes. It’s flooded with people and small conventions. Everyone still seems to be smiling and enjoying the uniqueness of the hotel. As you get toward the back of the building however, you see tall metal construction railing wrapped in yellow tape reading “Caution”. White paper stretches up the poles as well, covering up damage and a flight of stairs. The hotel has set large poster boards asking people to continue pass certain points. Walking around you notice that there are freshly repaired windows indicated by the tools lying right beneath them.The tornado was a surprise to Westin employee Theodore Lucas. “It was wild,” he said with a look of shock on his face. Lucas is Top Flight Security at the hotel and was working the night the storm hit. “I was about to go across the street to get some McDonalds and a lady told me a tornado was about to hit,” he says, “I looked at her like she was crazy and said ‘Tornados don’t hit in Atlanta’ and went over to McDonalds.” Lucas laughs. He says he did notice the weather was bad but it simply looked like a lot of wind to him and therefore he didn’t take it serious. “When I got outside I realized that a tornado was coming,” he says, “So I ran back into the hotel right before they began locking the doors.” Lucas says he saw huge chunks of ice and glass was falling down. He said he couldn’t see the complete damage to the building until the next day and his reaction was simply “wow”. “I just couldn’t believe it,” he said, “I was wondering if we were going to close. I was just really uncertain about the future of the hotel and my job,” he added. Lucas says he was thankful that the hotel did manage to stay up and in business. He says that the hotel was only running at 25 percent for about four days after the storm, however the are now fully operational. Lucas says that most of the damage is glass damage so to prepare for reconstruction they are taking the first steps and boarding up windows. “I’ve heard it may take anywhere from one month to eight months,” says Lucas, “It depends on how quick we can order the glass and get crews out here to work on it.” He says that the hotel didn’t have an emergency plan for situations like this and that they still have not updated or made future plans on what to do during harsh storms. Mr. Lucas says he is just happy that he still has a job and the hotel is up and running. He says they have not yet released the total amount of damage caused, but he doesn’t think that it’s as bad as it looked before. “I love my job,” says Lucas, “But now I know tornados can hit downtown!”

Tornado strikes downtown Atlanta

A tornado ripped through downtown Atlanta on Friday, March 14, causing a lot of damage and shock. “I can’t imagine a tornado hitting downtown” says Amanda Corbitt. She was on her way to the downtown area but changed her mind when the weather looked bad. “I’m so glad I didn’t go down there,” she says, “I don’t know what I would have done.” The tornado reached speeds up to 130mph and was classified as an EF2 according the National Weather Service. The storm took a 6-mile path through the city, damaging many of its popular sites. The CNN Center, Georgia Dome, and Phillips Arena are just a few of the major buildings who suffered at the hands of the storm. Many windows were blown out of the Equitable Building and tall columns were knocked over at Centennial Olympic Park. Many hotels, such as the Omni and Westin Peachtree Plaza, had severe damage as well.So far no casualties have been reported and officials are encouraging citizens not to travel into the downtown area. The city has not yet given an estimated amount of damage.

Georgia State Students Want a New Menu

It’s 5p.m. and the cafeteria at Georgia State is overrun with rushing, busy students. Some stand back and glance over the menu as they try and decide exactly what it is they crave today. The choices, however, are limited to the sandwich deli, the philli cheese steak and burger spot, and the most popular, Chick-Fil-A. The dining area is loud and full of laughter and conversation of students relaxing while enjoying a meal. Dustin Ramsey sits at his table accompanied by his iPod. He opens his black Styrofoam container and reveals a delicious Chick-Fil-A grilled chicken sandwich. He pulls back the lettuce to add his own special sauces. Finally he takes a huge bite. He wipes the corner of his mouth with his napkin and then proceeds to lick each and every finger. “Subway,” says Ramsey, “I would like to see a subway on campus. Because everything here is already generated,” he adds as he points toward the cafeteria. Grad students April Ingalsbe and Orsolya Kolozsvari agree. “I would like to see a Subway,” says Ingalsbe, “Or even a Wendys. I just love their salad, that’s why.” The two had been sitting together conversing after enjoying what seemed to be Chick-Fil-A, indicated by the empty fry container. Kolozsvari adds that she would like to have a sit-in restaurant on campus. She says she would love to go to a place that serves, what she calls, “real food.” “This is fast food,” she says, “Everyone is always in a rush here, but it would be nice to have somewhere to sit like a real restaurant.” Student Emily Dewey sits alone with a burrito in one hand and flips through the pages of her text book with the other. She says she is satisfied with the campus food selection, however, she says she would like to see a Chipotles. “It’s like a Moes,” she says, “But better.” Dewey says it’s different from places already on campus. “I like it,” she says, “And it’s just what I prefer.”

Parents, Students, and Teachers Speak Up in Clayton County

Citizens of Clayton County are extremely upset and embarrassed by their school board. The board is under investigation of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the investigation could lead to the Clayton County Schools losing their accreditation. This would mostly affect high school juniors set to graduate in 2009 and those students are the ones that are suffering.Erica Harris, a junior at Riverdale High School, expressed her anger about possibility of Clayton County Schools losing there accreditation. “I think it’s irresponsible of the three board members,” she says, “To cause 52 thousand students to suffer. It makes my high school career worthless. What can you do when you’re so close to graduation?” Harris says she doesn’t know what she would do if the county were to lose its accreditation because she says she would have to switch schools and doesn’t have the money to move. Clayton County came under investigation in December after citizens and board vice chair Rod Johnson filed a complaint with SACS. The complaint claimed that some of the board members acted unethically while serving their term. Interim Superintendant Gloria Duncan says that she will do all that she can to work with the board on this matter. In mean time students and parents are upset with the board. The investigation could possibly end in the county losing accreditation for the 2009 school year. This would mean that students set to graduation in 2009 would have trouble getting into colleges, transferring credits, or even receiving the Hope scholarship according to SACS. “I think it’s a shame and a disgrace that we have made the effort to clean up crime and improve the environment in Clayton County, but we can’t find a way to give our students the best possible education that we can offer,” says parent Ramona Clark, “The education and safety of our children should come first before anything.” Clark is a Youth Librarian and her son attends E.W. Oliver Elementary. Clark says she blames the board members and the former superintendant because she claims they don’t care about the students. She even suggests that the county and the board members turn to other counties who have been in this situation for help. “I am taking my child out of Clayton County Public Schools to a private school,” says Clark, “That way I’ll insure that my child receives an education from an accredited school.” She encourages other parents to go to school board meetings and try to keep our schools accredited. Janice Moore is the grandmother of four Clayton County students. Two of them graduate in the spring. “I think it’s an awful thing,” says Moore, “You can’t go to college. Education is based on accreditation. Who wants to accept a child from an unaccredited school?” She compares this situation to the Morris Brown College incident in which students were not able to graduate because the school loss its accreditation. This is the second time Clayton County has faced trouble with SACS and accreditation. “We’ve let them go too far,” says Moore, “The first time was a warning. Now it’s time for a change in leadership and we have to speak up to make those changes.” Moore claims the school board does not have its priorities in order and that they are “out of control”. “We, as parents and grandparents, are losing respect for them” she adds. Seventeen-year-old student Kelita Almond says she almost literally cried when she heard the news. “I knew, somewhat, to an extent what the situation was,” she says, “But when my teacher explained it to us in depth, I almost cried.” Almond says that the teachers and her parents are always pushing her so hard and she feels that all that could be wasted. “I would have to move,” Almond says, “And I just made all these new friends, grown to know my teachers and it would all be wasted.” She says she is also depending on the Hope Scholarship, along with other scholarships to go to college. Students and parents aren’t the only ones afraid for the future of the school system. Teachers are also concerned about the investigation. Sean Antonettie is a teacher at Riverdale High School and says that the loss of accreditation would be more detrimental toward the students than the teachers. He says people are reluctant to speak about it or give out information. “As for teachers there are many rumors but we don’t really know the truth,” says Antonettie, “I hear things about how it could effect future employment but know one knows, and that’s the worse part about it, know one knows.” “I’ve done all this work, staying up late studying,” says Almond, “And it’ll all be wasted.”

Hot Dog: Tips On How to Keep Your Pet Cool This Summer

With temperatures rising well above 90 degrees this summer, it’s important that we don’t forget about our four-legged friends. Everyday a dog suffers from dehydration or a heat related illness. Many dog-owners do not realize the harsh affects that the sun has on their pets. Dehydration occurs when the total body water is less than normal. When this happens water leaves the body’s cells to compensate for the low levels therefore leaving the cells water deprived. Thirty-five-year-old Sarah Raymond is out for a night stroll with her 2-year-old cocker spaniel Russell. Although it’s near 7:30pm, temperatures are still in the mid-80s. “I either walk Russell early in the morning or later at night,” says Raymond. “I try and avoid the sun as much as possible.” Raymond admits that she doesn’t always think about whether Russell gets over-heated during their walks. “He does pant a lot,” she says, “And I know that’s a dog’s only way of sweating, but I never think to carry water or anything with me.”Raymond says although it can still be very hot at night, she thinks walking during those hours are still better for both she and Russell. “I figure if the sun’s not out then the heat isn’t really affecting Russell.” Raymond says she knows how serious the heat can be in the day-time for her pet that’s why she no longer travels with Russell in her car. “It can get really hot in a car during the middle of the day,” says Raymond, “And I wouldn’t do that Russell. That’s just really crazy to me to leave a dog somewhere that hot.” Paula Escobedo, a Pet Nurse at the Banfield Pet Hospital in Morrow, GA, agrees with Raymond’s decision. “If it’s 90 degree weather, you definitely should not leave your dog in the car,” says Escobedo. In fact according to the Helping Animals website, the temperature inside of a car on a 78 degree day can reach 90 degrees. Can you imagine how hot it gets on a 90 degree day?“If you do have to travel with your dog and run into the store or something right quick, you should bring an extra key with you and leave your car cranked with the air-conditioning on.” She also says another great idea would be to leave a “2-go” bowl in the car. A 2-go bowl is a small bowl that you can fill with water and leave in your car so that your dog can have plenty to drink while traveling. “Keeping your dog hydrated during the summer is very important,” says Escobedo. She adds that dogs can die from dehydration. “You must make sure that they have plenty of water and if you’re taking your dog for a walk mid-day you should carry water with you.” She says one way to test for dehydration in a dog is to lift up the skin on the back of its neck. She demonstrates by lifting the skin on a 7-week-year-old healthy puppy. “See how her skin goes right down,” says Escobedo, “That means your dog is okay, but if it goes down really slow that mean your dog is dehydrated.” She says if you do notice your dog is dehydrated that you should give it water immediately and if water is not available give him Gatorade. “Gatorade is good, but not Powerade,” she says, “Powerade has too much sugar.” Escobedo says that outside dogs need lots of care during the summer as well, and that should have plenty of water and lots of shade. Jonathan Almond is the owner of a 3-year-old pittbull mix named Troy. Troy is an outside dog and gets lots of exposure to the sun. “I try and keep his water in the shade,” says Almond, “And he also has a dog house he can go in.” He says he tries to change out Troy’s water when he gets home and sometimes he might drop a couple of ice cubes in his bowl to spoil him. Walking through the PetsMart, one item you will see on the shelf is Nutri-Vet Sun Defense. It is a sunscreen for dogs. “Dog’s skin is more sensitive than human skin,” says Escobedo. She says dogs really don’t have to worry too much about sunburn and products like Nutri-Vet are for darker and thin haired dogs. Tiffany Guillory’s dog Reesie, is a rottweiler mix and stands at about 2-feet tall. “Reesie is big but she is still a house dog,” says Guillory. Reesie stays in the garage when she is not in the house. “She has plenty of water and plus it’s cool in the garage,” she says. Guillory walks Reesie at least two times a day including in the middle of the day when the sun is its hottest. Many people do this because they do not realize that dogs can suffer from heatstroke or dehydration. In fact dogs get hotter quicker than humans do because they don’t sweat. This is why it’s so important dogs drink enough water to compensate for the water they loose.After learning about how serious dog dehydration is, Guillory says she will now carry water with her whenever they go for walks. “I love my dog,” she says “And I will do whatever I have to do to keep her safe.”

Hot Summer, Hot Fashions written by Kelsey Jones

Fresh new fashions have arrived this summer and each style possesses its own unique twist. From the dainty skinny jeans, to classy kimono sleeved shirts, every girl can’t wait to hit up the mall and grab whatever’s in style. Daitza Medastin, a 15-year-old from Stockbridge, glides her fingers through dozens of tank-tops at the popular fashion store Lubi in the Southlake Mall. From pink with laces to white with glitter, there are so many for her to choose from. She finally picks up a sexy black spaghetti strap top and looks at it for a while. She turns it from front to back a couple of times, frowns a little and decides to put it back on the rack. Medastin describes herself as simple but fashionable. “I see the big pumps and stuff, but that’s just not me,” she says. “I prefer to wear a pair of skinny jeans, a cute top, and flat shoes.” Medastin says she has always been more of a down-to-earth dresser, but would agree that this summer less is more. “A lot of girls like the low cut v-neck tops, but I just like something that is sexy, yet still covers you up a bit.” With all the new and ever-changing styles it seems like it would be hard keep up, but Chantisse McLaurin, a salesperson at a hip hop fashion store called Mix5, says that to stay up with the new styles all you have to do is know what’s popular in entertainment. “When the song, ‘Party Like a Rockstar’ came out, people began to come in and buy a lot of our punk rock clothing,” says McLaurin, “Also they just like the hip hop style so we sell a lot of Roc-a-Wear and Ed Hardy.” Roc-a-wear is a clothing label owned and run by rap star mogul Jay-Z. It is based on the hip hop fashions that are largely seen in his music videos, so it is easy to see why so many girls are attracted to his clothing. “Girls want to be in style and that’s what’s hot right now,” says McLaurin.The walls of another cool spot for fashion, G&G, are covered with hundreds of trendy shirts of all styles. Walking in, you can’t help but notice the various graphic tees neatly folded on the table right in front of the door. Salesperson Renada Phillips says that graphic, or screen tees are really fashionable this summer. “We sell a lot of the tees along with the leggings and tank-tops,” she says as she folds another tee that reads “2 Hot 2 Look.” “Not to mention the kimono shirts that come in all types of bright colors.” Phillips has worked in retail and fashion for over a year and says she has sees many changes this year from the last. “Something really new this year are the suspenders and the big belts that,” she says, “Some girls like to wear the belts because it can hide some of that extra chubbiness in your mid-area.” “Young girls today are really concerned with fashion and being ‘in style’,” says Phillips, “So I get lots of questions daily on what I might think about this shirt going with this skirt, or are these pants really cute? I just tell them wear lots of solid colors, but in layers.” She points over toward the jazzy jewelry, “and also accessories, lots of accessories.” Brittnie Jemmott, a fashionable 18-year-old, works her way from the front of the store Gadzooks, all the way to the back, making sure to stop by each rack. She finds a cute black half top and tries it on over the shirt she’s wearing. Jemmott herself has on a pair of skinny jeans, a pink top, and silver flat flip flops with bright white toenail polish. “I just have my own style,” she says, “Like right now I’m really into long flowing baby doll dresses. Matter of fact I just bought one from the store across from here,” she says as she giggles and holds up her Body Central bag. Jemmont says she likes the new styles because shirts are not tight anymore but are more loose-fitting, and flat shoes, like stylish flip flops and sandals, are easier to wear than the stiletto pumped heels. “Honestly, I just like to be comfortable and cute,” Jemmott says with a smile, “Flat shoes or wedged heels with a peek-a-boo toes and sometimes, but not always, accessories to match are really cute.” Jemmott is not the only girl enjoying the hot new fashions of the summer. Each fashion shop in the mall was filled with young girls and women hoping to catch the perfect pair of jeans or blouse that set them apart from the rest and yet described them at the same time. One of the busiest places in the Southlake Mall in Morrow, GA is the juniors department at Macy’s. Walking in, the first thing you might see is the leopard print display. Most of the shirts have polka-dotted, striped, or plaid designs. A sassy mannequin is clothed in a long flowing red shirt with black and blue patterns along with a pair of skinny denim capris and black platform wedged heels. Across her shoulder hangs a gigantic black hand bag. Thirty-four-year-old salesperson Tisha Baldwin says this is nothing new to her. “All the leopard print, plaid, dots, layers, it’s all old stuff coming back,” she says as she points to mannequin dressed in black leggings, short shorts and with one red flowered shirt layering a blue stripped one. “A lot of the young girls probably don’t know this,” she says, “but I remember back in 1989 the same styles were in.” Baldwin says that nothing is really “simple” anymore and just wearing a plain shirt is definitely out. “Every shirt and pair of pants have to have a pattern of some type,” she says. Baldwin points out that their biggest sales are in jeans. Their most popular jeans are of course the skinny jeans. Skinny jeans are very tight denim pants that stretch. They are called skinny jean because unlike wide leg jeans, they don’t flare out and are tight on the legs all the way down to the ankles. “Like I said, these are actually a comeback from the ‘80s, but girls love them because they can put on a cute shirt and a pair of sexy red open-toe pumps and look really cute,” says Baldwin. “Summer is a time when you definitely want to be in style and be your cutest,” says Jemmott, “So that’s what I’m going to do!”

(The following is a sidebar)So here’s the rundown. To be fashionable this summer a girl definitely needs the following: Plaid Bermuda shorts Baby Doll Dresses Big flowing shirts Graphic Tees Bright tops Flat shoes Platform wedged heels Skinny jeans Suspenders Wide belts Leggings Accessories