deerstalker

https://www.blackenterprise.com/why-black-entrepreneurs-should-add-toronto-to-their-bucket-list/

Have you been to Toronto yet? If you’re looking for a vibrant city that applauds itself on having diversity as its strength, you have to visit Canada and see what Toronto has in store. Toronto has been recognized as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, boasting over 200 ethnic groups with over 140 languages spoken. It’s now the fourth-largest city in the world and continues to attract people who are seeking a community where they can fit in while standing out. Black entrepreneurs and professionals will find a rich, welcoming culture that will expose you to life beyond the space you currently occupy.

The captivating city scene provides a perfect way to unwind after a long day of work or relaxation. Whether you’re in Toronto for business, pleasure, or have a long layover, here are some things you can do to see why Toronto is ranked at the top of the list for diversity.

Great Canadian Food Tour

One way to get a world-class crash course on a city’s diversity is by exploring a variety of cultures through the food. Food is where cultures typically connect. Local entrepreneur Jusep Sim curated the Chopsticks + Forks Great Canadian Food Tour to expose travelers from around the world to the most authentic cuisines in the city.

In less than three hours, you can get a taste of the best bites in Toronto while getting a tour of Kensington Market. This neighborhood is known as one of the most eclectic and diverse spots in the city, representing over 25 countries and captivating street art. It’s the perfect way to get a glimpse of the entire city in one neighborhood.

Enjoy these multi-cultural bites while learning fascinating historical facts and stories:

Ojibwe-inspired taco from Pow Wow Café
Peameal bacon sandwich from Bacon Nation
Montreal-style bagel from Nü Bagel
Butter tart from Wanda’s Pie in the Sky
Nanaimo Bar from Moonbean Coffee Company

Are you hungry yet? Head on over to Chopsticks + Forks to learn more, because a trip to Toronto isn’t complete without diving into the different flavors available at the family-owned businesses in Kensington Market.

CN Tower

If you’re looking for a breathtaking view to spark creativity and new ideas in your business or career, then check out the Canadian National (CN) Tower. It’s one of the top-rated attractions of Toronto. The CN Tower, which held the record for being the tallest freestanding tower for 32 years, is a great way to see the city at an elevated level.

If you’re meeting with clients or seeking exclusive dining, the 360 Restaurant at the top of the tower provides an unforgettable food experience and a revolving view of Toronto. For all travel adventurers who want to walk on the “wild side,” the CN Tower provides the “edge walk” experience which gives visitors the ability to walk along the edge while the wind is blowing all around you. Now you can truly experience what it’s like to have no barriers in life!

Are you coming directly from Toronto Pearson International Airport? Take a short trip (less than 30 minutes) to CN Tower. It’s conveniently located by other city attractions, so you’ll be inches away from the best pictures your camera can take by the popular Canada sign. This location also puts you steps away from the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Steam Whistle Brewery, Rogers Centre, and The Rec Room–Eats & Entertainment.

Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection

While you’re in Toronto, you’ll experience a different side of life when you escape to Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection, one of the newest hot spots for celebrities and booming business professionals. The hotel has been recognized as “the city’s first resort-style hotel” by Toronto Star. Hotel X offers amenities that provide the perfect level of comfort, creativity, and luxury for you and your family.

What’s fascinating about this hotel is that it was intentionally created with different personalities in mind. The hotel offers a variety of activities to help you schmooze with others while providing intimate spots throughout the hotel for relaxation. This spacious gem boasts four indoor tennis courts, a tech-savvy workout gym, and various studios for spin class and hot yoga–plus unrivaled sports and wellness facilities. You can experience all this while enjoying the most exquisite views from the rooftop Falcon SkyBar and taking advantage of the array of books that can be found all around.

Toronto is a special place that moves to a beat that can’t be matched by any other city in North America. Most importantly, its cultural diversity attracts people all over the world who can find a place for them in the city–no matter who they are and where they come from.

Black Enterprise Contributors Network

August 12, 2019

Why Black Entrepreneurs Should Add Toronto to Their Bucket List

https://www.blackenterprise.com/why-black-entrepreneurs-should-add-toronto-to-their-bucket-list/

Great Canadian Food Tour

Enjoy these multi-cultural bites while learning fascinating historical facts and stories:

Ojibwe-inspired taco from Pow Wow Café
Peameal bacon sandwich from Bacon Nation
Montreal-style bagel from Nü Bagel
Butter tart from Wanda’s Pie in the Sky
Nanaimo Bar from Moonbean Coffee Company

CN Tower

Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection

Black Enterprise Contributors Network

August 11, 2019

Latest Blog Droppings Thanks to the Uncanny Daryll B: Jonathan Hickman’s New X-Men Canon

http://www.afronerd.com/2019/08/latest-blog-droppings-thanks-to-uncanny.html

After the last AfroNerd Radio show where we delved into Jonathan Hickman taking over X-Men with his House of X and Powers of X books, I thought it would be cool to share this bio blog I did of him for Comic Book Underground close to a year ago. Credit to Brandon Rucker for the support and chance to do this. AfroNerd Supporters, I hope you enjoy and find something new here.

Since 2006, the world of comics has had a literal supernova come on the scene and turn things upside down. With a count of 20 properties and no less than 250+ individual issues written, Jonathan Hickman is nothing short of the workman superstar for comic book fans. He has an extensive resume for Image and Marvel Comics. I can go through most of these but I am going to rely on his works that I have had a deep personal experience with. Let's start with Image Comics...

Jonathan Hickman first broke on the scene with The Nightly News in 2006–2007 which looked at modern news reporting in the current age. Well, modern newscasting in a weird comic book universe that is. He first gave readers a glimpse of his world building abilities here with a gritty, hand drawn outing (only 6 issues) that had surprises and an amazing amount of depth. The makings of a future superstar to me actually came through on the next work of his that I picked up years later.

Sure, he had written Popgun, Pax Romana, Transhuman, Red Mass for Mars, & Comic Book Tattoo in the 4 years before (I did say he wrote a lot right?) I picked up Hickman's next major work that struck a chord with me: The Red Wing with art by Nick Pitarra in 2011. Imagine mixing the movie Independence Day with the DC property Blackhawks as Earth (or an Earthlike planet) in the future has teams of jet fighters heading off an invasion from another time. This four issue limited series proved in a short time that Hickman could layer his storytelling on a universal scale. This effect would come into greater focus with his best known Image, non-Marvel work. No, not Secret but The Manhattan Projects with Nick Pitarra in 2012.

The Manhattan Projects is the story of the infamous think tank that created the Atomic Bomb during World War II. However, on this Alternate Earth, the think tank consisting of Joseph Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi, Harry Daghlian & Albert Einstein doesn't break up and continues, in secret, making scientific strides for good and ill. Lasting through the decades, bending and twisting historic events and figures through plots of government, international policy, aliens, robotics, human experimentation, among everything else. When I said there is a lot going on in Hickman's mind, it wasn't hyperbole because while he had these balls in the air for Image Comics, Marvel came calling for him...

Jonathan Hickman did stories for Marvel that were serialized in Legion of Monsters and Astonishing Tales in 2007 & 2009 but it was in the midst of Tales that Marvel offered him his first real impact work with the company: Secret Warriors. Shepherded in the beginning by Brian Michael Bendis and with art by talented artists Stefano Caselli, Ed McGuinness, Alessandro Vitti, among others, Hickman told a tale of Nick Fury and a green, rookie force of superpowered agents trying to weed out a major Hydra infiltration within SHIELD. The series is notable for three major reasons: 1) storylines used here have been used in the live action Agents of SHIELD series. Most notably Agent Daisy Johnson, a.k.a Skye, a.k.a Quake; 2) Hickman deftly used connections to every corner of the Marvel Universe set up by Bendis and used them to feed his stories. On this team you had ties to the mystic, Gods, mutants, inhumans along with hardcore spy stuff!; 3) He spun out of this roots that led to his other Marvel projects including a later "origin story" in S.H.I.E.L.D. and the next project I'm about to tackle of his, Fantastic Four.

The run that put Hickman on the radar of most Marvel Fans, his Fantastic Four "residency" did several things that helped shape the Marvel Universe for years to come. First, he formed the omni-universal Council of Reeds, which for years was the domain of more evil elements (see Kang) but affected our Reed's decision making from that point on but also led to him creating the Future Foundation as a balance. The Future Foundation was Reed and Susan's gift to the future, a learning habitat for the gifted kids of the Marvel Universe under the Four's watch. It became a second series in its own right.

Second, Hickman, for better or worse, reintegrated parts of Marvel Cosmic back to the "main" Marvel Universe through this run. As a result, Annihilus, The Negative Zone, Inhumans, Kree, among others were now back in play and that led to the "death" of the Human Torch. Yes. You read that right. This death, led to other heroes, most notably Spider-Man, becoming involved once again with the Fantastic "Three" and the Future Foundation thus expanding Hickman's ties through the FF to the rest of the Marvel Universe (see T'Challa becoming Lord of the Dead, Black Bolt establishing a New Atillian on Earth & Valeria's renewed ties with Doom).

So once again, Hickman has all of these plots rolling with Fantastic Four, he goes and takes a sojourn into the Marvel Ultimate Universe. Deciding to "rehab" the Ultimates in his style, Hickman writes Ultimate Comics: Thor, Ultimate Comics: Ultimates, Ultimate Comics: Fallout & Ultimate Comics: Hawkeye over 2010-2012 which helped fans forget the disaster of Ultimates 3 (the less said about that one the better. Trust me on this one readers) and essentially laid the groundwork for future storylines of his because impressed with his work here Marvel decided to give him the plum job of the line.

Brian Michael Bendis was moving on from Avengers and who better to take his place than the world building Jonathan Hickman? Hickman takes over both Avengers & The New Avengers in 2011 (even ADDING another Avengers book Avengers World in 2013 to mix to boot!) with a cavalcade of star artists and integrated some of the high Marvel Cosmic plotting that was involved in both his Fantastic Four & Ultimates runs while moving Bendis' own Illuminati story to a "logical" conclusion within the mega stories/events Infinity & Time Runs Out. The previous detailing an intergalactic war vs higher beings while Thanos and his Black Order attack Earth on a personal objective (sound familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe fans?). The latter, which had been hinted throughout all of Hickman's Marvel runs, shows 616's heroes fighting a losing battle against a multi-universal entropy as universes are crashing together, annihilating each other.

This was essentially a 7 year (yes, you read that right) build to Hickman's Marvel (for now) Finale: 2015-16's Secret Wars with Esad Ribic on art. All the universes are fragically united under a surprising savior with an even more surprising police force overseeing each region. Different eras and storylines, loved and hated by Marvel Fans, mashed up and coexisting all under Hickman's direction making this by far his largest project to date. It served as a wrap up to not only his Avengers run but ended up being a fitting goodbye to his Fantastic Four run too.

SOOOO what is Jonathan Hickman doing today? Well the master storyteller went back over to Image and has two books currently ongoing. The first is one he started in 2013, the critically acclaimed East of West, an alternate, dystopian history of the United States from the Civil War on where The US is essentially 7 different countries united by the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Yes. Once again, you read that right. The other, The Black Monday Murders, is a weird who done it in the style of The Nightly News, which got Hickman started down this rabbit hole.

There you have it! An abbreviated look at comic writing wunderkind Jonathan Hickman. Thanks for reading along this journey and I wholeheartedly recommend trying out his stuff for a literary good time. Until Next Time, Keep Fantasizing!

August 11, 2019

Here’s How Jussie Smollett’s Character Will Exit From ‘Empire’

https://madamenoire.com/1091217/jussie-smollets-character-exit-from-empire/

Source: FOX / Getty

The executives over at FOX have revealed how they will have Jussie Smollett’s character make a smooth exit from the series Empire.

“He’s on his honeymoon,” entertainment president Michael Thorn told The Wrap at the Television Critics Association press tour. “He’s on his honeymoon and working on some projects abroad… that’s how we hear about him at the beginning of the season.”

Thorn added that they have already started shooting the episodes for the final season and the writers haven’t decided what else will be added to Jamal’s story.

“Honestly, I prefer to leave it at that because we’re only five or six episodes into the breaking of the season and I would rather the writers tell that story, rather than me guessing where it might go,” Thorn said.

Smollett was fired from the FOX series after he was accused of staging a hate crime against himself, recruiting two people who he had worked with and paid for fitness services to be a part of the scheme. Smollett had even did an interview with where he described the alleged attack in detail and even dubbed himself “the gay Tupac” after he “survived” the ordeal. After his investigation played out in the media, Smollett became a casuality of the cancel culture. While some celebs and fans stood with him, many others poked fun at him (i.e Chris Rock at the NAACP Image Awards) and dismissed him.

Smollett has been lowkey since the scandal has died down.

August 11, 2019

Go, Diego, Go! An Interview with ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’ Star Jeff Wahlberg

https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2019/08/06/go-diego-go-an-interview-with-dora-and-the-lost-city-star-jeff-wahlberg/

The ’90s-’00s were some of the best years for Nickelodeon. And while this was a bit after my generation, I wasn’t blind to the magnetic charms and multicultural influence the Nick Jr flagship property, Dora the Explorer, had on kids of its generation. I personally grew up with Sesame Street, Rugrats, and Mister Rogers, but while I will always love […]