The Chicago Journal

Holy Culture Radio’s Da Fixx Morning Show Making Headlines by Winning Kingdom Choice Award

Claire Peterson Claire Peterson on November 14, 2022

The hip-hop genre has undergone a major transformation since its inception in the 1970s. What was once a niche style of music primarily enjoyed by African-American inner-city youth has become a mainstream force to be reckoned with. While people of all races and backgrounds have embraced the genre, Christian hip-hop has recently gained popularity.

Also known as “holy hip-hop,” this sub-genre of rap music is characterized by its positive, uplifting message and focus on faith, God, and spirituality. Christian hip-hop artists often use their music to spread their faith and share their testimony, and many have found success in the mainstream music industry. As the world becomes more and more secular, people are looking for ways to keep their faith alive and relevant. Holy Culture Radio (HCR), an edutainment channel, is successfully paving its way to promote holy hip hop.

James Rosseau, Sr. (known by many as Trig) leads Holy Culture Radio intending to solidify one’s faith. Since its inception in 2003, Holy Culture has been on a mission to educate and entertain the community through hip-hop music and conversation. Holy Culture Radio is owned and operated by The Corelink Solution, a
non-profit organization founded by Rosseau.

One of the shows on Holy Culture Radio is Da Fixx Morning Radio Show. This show is best known for its unique way of exposing the culture to positive but relevant music, making Jesus Christ the center of its message. The show keeps in view its music selection and #realtalk topics. The show also spends considerable time with artists to display their stories well-mannered during talk show conversations.

On October 21, 2022, Holy Culture Radio’s Dice Gamble and DJ Focus attended the Kingdom Choice Awards 2022 in New York City to participate in the event and do what Da Fixx Morning Radio Show is best at.

Rosseau, in an interview, said, “While they knew they were nominated, let’s just say they were caught up in their work and taken a bit by surprise when their names were called as the winners of Best Podcast/Radio Show.” He further added, “This marks their second award for the year, as they won a Stellar Award earlier this year.”

Holy Culture’s website currently features podcasts, videos, and event news and has a one-stop store. Quite recently, in 2022, Holy Culture partnered with SiriusXM to further expand its reach. The partnership opened doors to more listeners and followers. This partnership gave a golden opportunity to Da Fixx Morning Radio Show to interview more than 100 artists and industry influencers, including Brea Miles, Jay Williams, Pristavia, 1KPSon, Mahogany Jones, Wande, Scootie Wop, Myammee, Tedashii, HeeSun Lee, Sammy Praise, Lecrae, Agape Music Group, Porsha Love and many others.

Holy Culture Radio has become a go-to destination for listeners looking for an alternative to mainstream radio. The station’s programming includes faith-based hip-hop music, talk shows, interviews, and more, all focusing on uplifting and empowering. In addition, it’s a full-time edutainment channel that introduces upcoming artists to the audience and discusses Faith, Art, Vocation, and Education (FAVE). The channel features four daily shows and ten on the weekends.

The channel currently features shows like The Christ Revolution Music, hosted by Bryant Tabb; Old School Sounds, hosted by DJ D-Lite; Straight Ministry Heat Mix, hosted by DJ I Rock Jesus; The Underground Gospel Hip-Hop Show, hosted by Jay Williams; The DJ Wade-O Radio Show, hosted by DJ Wade-O; as well as music mix shows at various times of the day. It also features talk shows like K.I.N.G Talks, Da Fixx Radio Show, and Church on the Block.

The diverse program includes:

  • The DJ Wade-O Radio Show is hosted by all-time famous DJ Wade-O, well-known for his spinning skills and insightful interviews with artists, leaders, and pastors within the Christian hip-hop community.
  • DJ D-Lite hosts Old School Sounds that make the listeners return to the genre’s beginning.
  • I.N.G. Talks carrying out open discussions on life to create an environment for effective communication and an atmosphere of understanding and compassion.
  • Jay Williams hosts The Underground Gospel Hip-Hop Show to launch faith-based indie artists. This personifies the motion of having a great time while attracting many listeners with its meaningful messages.
  • Da Fixx Morning Radio Show, the winner of The Stellar Awards and Kingdom Choice Award.
  • Church on the Block, where Pastor Phil Jackson, DJ Ruckus, and Pastah J engage in all-encompassing hip-hop and street culture discussions. They also talk about how the church can deliver hope to its followers.

In addition to the regular programming, Holy Culture Radio will also be home to several special events and projects. These will include live music events, conferences, and other opportunities for the community to come together and learn.

 

 

 

 

Meta set for change with workforce layoff

Edward Anderson Edward Anderson on November 14, 2022

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, plans to begin its first major layoffs to cut its workforce amid a struggling economy.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the company’s move comes as it grapples with declining business and growing fears of a recession.

The news

The significant layoff is expected to affect thousands of employees.

According to the Journal, the layoffs could begin this week, citing anonymous people familiar with the case.

A September SEC filing also shares that Meta has over 87,000 employees.

Read also: Meta to make changes after stocks fall 17%

Earnings result

Last month, Meta held a conference call discussing the third quarter results.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he expects Meta to end 2023 with the same size or smaller organization than today.

Revenue

While it’s not certain yet, the potential cuts could be linked to tighter budgets for advertisers.

Additionally, Apple’s iOS privacy changes have affected the company’s core businesses.

Last month, Meta reported a sales decline in the second quarter and reported that profits had halved from 2021.

The drop in profits is caused by the billions the company spent to build the metaverse.

The metaverse is what many suggest is the future of the Internet; however, it is probably years away from operating.

The social media giant had a market cap of over $ 1 trillion in 2021, but it has declined.

Meta is currently worth over $250 billion.

When news of the company’s job cuts surfaced, the company’s shares opened more than 5% higher on Monday morning.

Read also: UK gives breakup order, Meta to comply and sell Giphy

Other companies

Meta isn’t the only company in the tech industry rethinking its workforce.

Many companies in what was once considered an untouchable industry have recently announced staff freezes or job cuts.

The decision comes as a surprise as many grew rapidly during the pandemic.

Last week, Lyft announced that it would lay off 13% of its employees.

Payments processor Stripe also said it would cut 14% of its workforce.

Additionally, e-commerce giant Amazon has announced that it will pause corporate hiring.

Facebook’s rival Twitter made heavy cuts Friday after Elon Musk bought the social media company.

Twitter’s cuts have impacted its AI, marketing and communications, research and public policy team, just to name a few of the departments involved.

According to Bloomberg, Twitter asked dozens of laid-off employees to return.

Reference:

Wall Street Journal: Meta is planning significant layoffs

Blanchet House struggles to find footing with insurance rates

Claire Peterson Claire Peterson on November 14, 2022

Blanchet House is a Portland-based non-profit social services organization, but like many others, it suffers from the effects of inflation.

According to employees, the non-profit organization faces a growing need with rising costs, disrupting their operations.

Blanchet House

The non-profit organization was founded by students from the University of Portland in 1925.

The students founded the Blanchet House with the encouragement of their priest, who urged them to take to the streets and help people.

Initially, it began as a fraternity called the Blanchet Club, named after Oregon’s first pioneer Catholic priest, Reverend Francis Norbert. Blanket.

The club found a building to perform its services and eventually named it Blanchet House.

Read also: Apple to see iPhone 14 models shipment setback

The situation

The executive director of Blanchet House, Steve Kerman, points to the state of the economy as a source of problems.

“Goods and services are costing us more, and part of that is insurance,” said Kerman.

“It takes a lot of insurance to operate, to do what we do – housing and meal services – and those costs are going up about 20 percent.”

Additionally, Scott Kerman revealed that Blanchet House has enough private money to make ends meet but is worried about the rest of the community.

“What I’m really trying to do is just speak up for the non-profits in our community who have been doing extraordinary work under exceptional and unprecedented circumstances and are dealing with the financial challenges as a result.”

Factors

According to the Northwest Insurance Council, many factors explain the rate hike.

President Kenton Brine said recovery from recent fires and rising repair costs are among the rate hike factors.

“I know that insurers are doing their best to keep cost increases as minimal as possible,” said Brine.

“But inflation and these other cost increases can’t help but begin to show up in premiums that people pay for – home, auto, and business insurance in Oregon.”

Read also: Lyft announce plans of workforce layoff

Policy solutions

The president of the Northwest Insurance Council recommends seeking a policy, suggesting that there is still competition for coverage in places, including downtown Portland.

“Then do other things that you can to try and reduce your risk. If you can protect windows from being smashed, try to do that,” Brine offered.

“If you can keep flammable materials and debris from piling up outside your business in an alley, try and prevent arson – all those things help make you a better risk for insurers to insure.”

According to Brine, crime’s impact is still hard to overlook. 

“It’s certainly going to be helpful if local leaders try to attack the crime problem more aggressively,” suggested Brine.

“And as crime rates go down and people aren’t experiencing as many claims, you’ll see insurance rates stabilize.”

Reference:

Portland non-profits struggle with rising insurance rates

Rivian EV stocks show volatile results this quarter

Leah Cooper Leah Cooper on November 14, 2022

Rivian, the well-known electric truck manufacturer, recently announced some good and bad news for its third-quarter earnings report.

The report comes after a brutal day for the shares of Rivian and other electric vehicle manufacturers.

Revenue

Rivian reported a lower-than-expected adjusted loss of $1.4 billion.

It was less than the $1.7 billion loss forecast by Refinitiv analysts.

The report shows net bookings fell from 98,000 to 114,000 in the second quarter.

However, the revenue of $536 million, up 47% from the second quarter, was below analysts’ forecast of $552 million.

Read also: Meta set for change with workforce layoff

Other companies

The reservation gain was significant after Lucid, another electric car maker, announced a surprise report Tuesday night.

Reservation numbers for its electric vehicles dropped to 34,000 from 37,000 in the previous quarter.

The news sent Lucid’s shares down 17% for the day.

It also posted shares of Rivian and Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio down 12% each during regular US hours.

Shares in major electric car maker Tesla also fell 7%.

However, Tesla stock may have been hurt by CEO Elon Musk’s decision to sell nearly $4 billion worth of Tesla stock since the signing of the Twitter buyout agreement.

Read also: Lyft announce plans of workforce layoff

Production

Rivian aims to increase production to 25,000 cars this year.

The target is optimistic, as other automakers have had to cut their 2022 sales targets due to supply chain issues.

Rivian built more than 14,000 vehicles in the first three quarters.

Reaching the production target of 25,000 would mean a 45% increase in production in the last three months of the year compared to the 7,400 built last quarter.

Although Rivian intends to hit its 2022 target, it has pushed back its target date for the small R2 model to 2026.

The company had previously predicted 2025 for the launch of R2.

Finally, Rivian stock fluctuated wildly in after-hours trading, rising 3%, falling to trade slightly lower, and rising again by 5%.

Reference:

Rivian has both good and bad news at end of tough day for EV stocks

Kanye West Yeezy office story emerges

Leah Cooper Leah Cooper on November 14, 2022

Kanye West, now known as Ye, may have had a fallout, but his past antics remain a hot topic to this day.

According to a former employee of the Adidas Yeezy shoe line, an employee lost their job after a small request for a music change.

The story

A former Adidas employee revealed he became anxious on a typical day at the office when a colleague asked Kanye West to switch the music.

According to a Rolling Stone story, Ye played his songs loudly through the speakers.

Some enjoyed the music, but others didn’t.

In addition, the space was filled by an exceptional team of designers and tailors, drawn away from the biggest European fashion houses.

The worker asked Kanye West to change the music.

The rapper looked around the workplace and then at their colleague.

Kanye West asked the staff what they would like to play instead of his back catalog.

Read also: Kanye West said to admire Hitler and Nazis

The request

According to Rolling Stone, the worker was more of a punk and rock fan than hip-hop.

“I thought, ‘Oh, he’s a rapper, I should probably mention some rap,'” the ex-employee said.

The former employee forgot that he was dealing with one of the most difficult musicians in the industry.

They then suggested that Kanye West play Drake instead.

“Big mistake,” the former employee said. “The next day, I was fired.”

Other events

While there was no need for the unexpected layoff, the employee wasn’t alone in the brand when Ye worked with the Yeezy shoe line.

Rolling Stone spoke to several former employees and shared that sudden layoffs were common in Yeezy.

Many employees described the office as “a revolving door of talent.”

The Yeezy office culture made employees feel that their jobs were in constant danger.

Read also: Takeoff dies after a stray bullet from a nearby shooting hits him

Adidas

After Kanye West made problematic and antisemitic comments online and in the press, many brands broke ties with the rapper.

Adidas is one of the brands that separated from Ye.

Although the deal cost them hundreds of millions of dollars, Adidas continues to sell Yeezy shoes.

However, they will sell them under a different name.

According to CNN, Adidas plans to continue benefiting from the Yeezy line’s intellectual property.

Harm Ohlmeyer, Adidas’ chief financial officer, said in a phone call about quarterly earnings:

“Going forward, we will leverage the existing inventory with the exact plans being developed as we speak.”

Reference:

Kanye West sacked Yeezy employee after he suggested they play Drake’s music in office

J. Michael Luttig joins the battle against Trump’s attempt to overturn elections

Nicholas Alexander Nicholas Alexander on November 14, 2022

 

In a surprising turn of events, retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig joins Trump’s efforts to have the election annulled.

Luttig is considered a legal celebrity in conservative circles.

It was recently revealed that he joined a voting rights group as co-counsel in a Supreme Court case.

The group is trying to persuade the justices to reject a legal theory adopted by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Capitol attack

The retired federal judge was instrumental in the attack on the United States Capitol last year.

He advised then-Vice President Mike Pence’s legal team against allegations by Trump allies, including attorney John Eastman.

Eastman argued at the time that Pence could block Joe Biden’s election confirmation.

J. Michael Luttig works with a voting rights group on a separate dispute.

Liberals fear leaving rogue state legislatures free to respond to federal election rules.

The issue at hand

J. Michael Luttig will confront the so-called independent legislation doctrine.

Supporters of the theory argue that state legislatures should be able to set rules for federal elections without being constrained by the state constitution.

“The independent state legislature doctrine was the centerpiece to Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election,” said Luttig in a Wednesday interview.

“I have believed since January 6th that I had a responsibility to the country to explain why I rejected the theory in advising the vice president.”

The electoral law landscape would fundamentally change if the Supreme Court in Moore v. Harper decided against J. Michael Luttig and his supporters.

Court

The case is a North Carolina District redistricting dispute involving a lower court ruling invalidating the Congressional map.

The court slammed the map, calling it an illegal partisan Gerrymander.

They replaced it with a court-drawn map that was more pro-democracy.

Republican North Carolina legislature asks judges to beat the lower court

They alluded to the Constitution’s election clause, which states that rules for “elections” must be prescribed in each state legislature.

Using the theory, they argue that state lawmakers should be able to legislate without having to go through the courts.

Traditionally, lawmakers set ground rules for conducting an election, but they have not acted alone or with the last word.

Prepared procedures are prone to the intervention of electoral administrators and state courts.

However, the stricter reading of the independent legislature theory says that state courts should abstain from federal elections.

Most North Carolina Supreme Court justices said the legislature did not have full power to sign electoral maps.

Meanwhile, the state court agreed that the reorganization had been delegated to the legislature.

The court confirmed it had to be executed to comply with the state constitution.

Court papers and arguments

Republican lawmakers have appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the “text of the Constitution directly answers the question presented in this case” in the court documents.

The electoral clause guarantees “unambiguous language” for federal elections and clarifies that the rules are the legislators.

On Wednesday, J. Michael Luttig presented his side’s response on behalf of the Common Cause.

The common cause is the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.

The retired judge argued that the legislator’s interpretation of the electoral clause was contrary to the more fundamental premise of the Constitution.

J. Michael Luttig elaborated, saying:

“That a government’s power derives from ‘We the People’ and is limited by the constraints the people impose on their government.”

“Conferring power on the state ‘Legislature’ to regulate congressional elections does not nullify state constitutional limits on that power.”

John Eastman delivered a lengthy amicus briefing urging the justices to embrace the theory, although it lay dormant until after the 2020 election.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Republican National Committee rejected Eastman’s arguments.

But they also want judges to adopt a version of the theory.

The hearing is set for December 7.

Reference:

Retired Republican judge joins fight against ‘centerpiece’ of Trump’s effort to overturn election

Report: Texas to sue Google for violating user privacy with technology

Nicholas Alexander Nicholas Alexander on November 14, 2022

Texas General Ken Paxton sued Google, claiming the tech company violated the state’s biometric privacy law on Thursday.

According to Paxton’s lawsuit, Google collected users’ voiceprints and facial recognition data.

The actions were done with their knowledge or consent.

The lawsuit

Paxton filed a lawsuit in the Midland County District Court in Texas.

He says the company’s face and voice recognition in Google Photos and smart speakers violated state law on acquiring or using biometric identifiers.

Complaints

Using Google Photos, the tech giant scans uploaded images, identifying and classifying subjects, such as people.

However, people don’t know that their faces are scanned or saved.

The company also allegedly listened to Texans without considering the speaker’s consent to Google’s indiscriminate voice printing.

The complaint also claimed that Google’s Nest Hub Max, the smart home display with an integrated camera, was a “modern eye of Sauron.”

Nest Hub Max watches people, waiting for a face it recognizes.

“All across the state, everyday Texans have become unwitting cash cows being milked by Google for profits,” said the complaint.

Texas and biometric data

The Red State is one of the few states to have a law governing the use of biometrics.

Ken Paxton’s lawsuit is the second time Texas has invoked the 2009 law to prosecute a company.

In February, Texas claimed a now-defunct Facebook photo tagging tool violated Texas biometrics law.

The Facebook tool was also the subject of a $650 million biometric privacy agreement in Illinois last year.

The state has other lawsuits against Google.

Some of the lawsuits include two consumer protection lawsuits and an antitrust lawsuit against the company’s digital ads.

Reference:

Texas sues Google over alleged ‘indiscriminate’ biometric data collection

Biden travels to Oregon, voices support for Kotek and warns of Biden’s influence

Edward Anderson Edward Anderson on November 14, 2022

Over the weekend, US President Joe Biden has been traveling in the west, and he made a stop at Oregon to support a fellow Democrat.

At Oregon, he shared his faith in Tina Kotek, who is running for governor within the state.

Biden also highlighted the danger of former President Donald Trump, who continues to impact states.

The warning

During the event, President Joe Biden mentioned Trump in his speech.

He told the audience about Donald Trump’s hold on the Republican Party, warning them that his presence will continue to impact the state government.

“As long as Trump controls the Republican Party, he’s going to have incredible impact on state legislative bodies and state government,” said Biden.

Biden also highlighted the role of governors in the country, saying it was growing exponentially.

Tina Kotek

The President’s travel in the west included stops in other states, including California and Colorado.

During his visit in Oregon, Biden expressed support for Tina Kotek.

Kotek is a fellow Democrat that supporters will want to get behind and help keep governorship in favor of the Democratic party.

She is in a tight race that pits her against Republican Christine Drazan and independent party candidate Betsy Johnson.

Johnson is a former democrat who has the financial backing of Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike.

Tina Kotek will have a mountain to climb as recent survey polls indicated that Drazan seems to have the upperhand with the possibility of gaining the lead.

Biden’s support

President Joe Biden had nothing but praise for the Democrat during his visit in Oregon.

He urged the crowd to get behind her, describing Kotek as an “articulate, tough, committed woman.” 

Biden also underlined the election’s commitment to state leadership.

“She’s rational. She’s smart,” Biden added.

The elections

In November, thirty-six out of 50 states will have to elect governors.

American citizens will have to pick out the right candidates who have the potential to overcome issues including:

  • abortion access
  • Education
  • Future state elections
  • Transgender rights.

During the 2020 presidential elections, Donald Trump was vocal and managed to win crowds over with false statements after losing.

His lies referred to widespread fraud.

Reference:

Biden, campaigning for Oregon’s Kotek, warns about Trump’s impact on states

A heated match rewards the Portland Timbers with a win over Austin FC

Edward Anderson Edward Anderson on November 14, 2022

On Wednesday night, the Portland Timbers continued their momentum with a thrilling win over Austin FC. 

Last weekend, the Timbers won the Cascadia Cup before heading to Texas. 

In the Q2 stadium, the guests managed to knock off the Western Conference runners-up. 

The lineup

Coach Giovanni Savarese fielded the same XI that beat the Seattle Sounders last week. 

The roster included: Aljaz Ivacic, Santiago Moreno, Bill Tuiloma, Dario Zuparic, Zac McGraw, Claudio Bravo, Diego Chara, Eryk Williamson, Sebastian Blanco, Dairon Asprilla, and Yimmi Chara.

Meanwhile, David Bingham, Pablo Bonilla, Larrys Mabiala, JoseCarlos Van Rankin, David Ayala, Marvin Loria, Christhian Paredes, Jaroslaw Niezgoda, and Tiega Ikoba were on the bench. 

The game 

The first half of the duel was one of the most heated the Portland Timbers have had this season as Austin kept the defense on edge. 

While the home side unfortunately converted their chances, the Timbers were not without their misfortunes. 

Portland had the opportunity to take the lead in a counterattack that worried home fans. 

The visitors finally got their breakthrough with a free kick from Eryk Williamson, which hit Bill Tuiloma and opened the way.

In the second half, Austin maintained his momentum when a corner led to a near chance that the Timbers were lucky enough to escape in a fight. 

Despite dominating the game, Portland won when center-back Zac McGraw found the back of the net after bouncing off Austin’s goalkeeper. 

Seven minutes later, Austin pulled one out and slashed the Timbers’ lead by one with a header from Ivacic. 

However, Portland rallied to maintain its lead, and the final whistle confirmed that the Timbers had taken all three points. 

Aftermath and remaining matches 

The Portland Timbers took a win in their biggest win of the season.

Although the Seattle Sounders were their biggest rivals and gave them one of the toughest matches to secure their first Cascadia Cup since 2017, Austin FC’s quality was unmatched by the Sounders. 

The Timbers are currently seventh above the playoff line with five games left in the campaign. 

They are just three points behind Nashville SC and Real Salt Lake (fifth and sixth in the standings) and five points behind Minnesota United FC in third place. 

Portland’s next two games are at home, where they will play against Atlanta United FC on September 4 and Minnesota on September 10 September.

The team then travels to Columbus Crew SC, the Eastern Conference opponent, before playing their last home game against LAFC.

The Portland Timbers end their campaign on October 9 when they travel to Salt Lake City.

References:

Match recap & highlights: Austin FC 1 – 2 Portland Timbers

The Timbers shock Austin FC with a 2-1 road victory