» Amazing Stories

Meet Nick Vujicic: No Arms. No Legs. (Inspirational)

Shavar — Sun, 23 May 2010 19:00:12 +0000

Nick Vujicic motivates and inspires people to fulfill their dreams. He has accomplished many things in his life already–even without the use of arms or legs.

We have no excuse. Nick even knows how to swim. Check out this inspirational video.

There are 3 kinds of people in the world: Those that MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Those that WATCH Things Happen and Those that SAY “What Happened?”

lifewithoutlimbs.org

Dead Woman Starts Breathing Again in Funeral Home

Shavar — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:52:08 +0000

Ever heard of “Lazarus syndrome?” Does the name Lazarus sound familiar?

Well, apparently there was a woman who been pronounced dead hours earlier at a hospital in western Colombia after she suffered multiple organ failure due to complications related to multiple sclerosis.

After multiple resuscitation attempts had apparently failed, the doctors pronounced the woman dead and sent her to the funeral home.

But as the workers began to apply formaldehyde to her body, she started breathing again and began making movements.

Doctors identified it as a case of ‘Lazarus syndrome’, an extremely rare phenomenon in which the circulation spontaneously restarts after failed resuscitations.

The woman was returned to the hospital, where she remains in a coma.

It would be nice to see her come out of that comatose state as well for a full recovery.

MetroUK

On Tyra: Woman with Elephant Legs

Shavar — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:13:27 +0000

Today’s “Tyra Show” had some very “interesting” people on it. They’re actually guests who suffer from bizarre conditions, including a woman who suffers gargantuan growth in her legs.

Tyra also spoke with a panel of women who all have two vaginas. Yes, you heard it right.

Mandy Sellars, whose bottom half of her body weighs 210 pounds, tells Tyra she had previously tried liposuction on her leg to no avail.

“In ‘95 I had liposuction on this knee area here. It took away about six pounds of weight and within the space of maybe a few months it doubled in size again…I wish I never had it done, but hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?”

Tyra also talks with Sellars about the struggles and challenges she faces living with legs that are extremely out of proportion with the rest of her body, including the expense that goes into purchasing footwear. Mandy’s right foot is 16 inches long and 7 inches wide and her custom made shoes cost $3,800 a pair.

We don’t know how she managed to do it, but Tyra found five women who all have twice as many female organs as the average woman. One woman even reveals becoming pregnant in both of her uteruses at the same time!

Okay, I’ve seen it all now…amazing! Shout out to thatsmybiz1 at Bossip for this story.

DNA Clears Prisoner James Bain after 35 Years

Shavar — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:33:09 +0000

“I’m not angry because I have God.” – James Bain

Wow. Now you know you have got to have Jesus coming out–talkin’ like this. This man has got to be all up in the anointing. 35 years in prison and innocent. God Bless’em.

Bartow, Florida (CNN) — After more than three decades in prison, a man in Florida was set free Thursday after a DNA test showed he did not kidnap and rape a 9-year-old boy in 1974.

James Bain, 54, was 19 when he was convicted on charges of kidnapping, burglary and strong-arm rape. Now he will be allowed to go home for the first time in 35 years.

“Mr. Bain, you are a free man,” the judge said in a Bartow, Florida, courtroom. Bain was serving a life sentence.

Bain’s mother, who has been in and out of hospitals in recent years, said that her son’s exoneration is “hard to believe.”

“He was just a child when he went in there,” Sarah Reed told CNN. “I’ve been trying to hold on. I’ve had things wrong with me, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be here when he got out.”

Of the 245 people in the United States who have been exonerated by DNA testing, none has spent more time behind bars than Bain, according to the Innocence Project, a national organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing.

“I thanked the Lord. He must have did it for a reason,” Reed said. “The Lord has a reason for putting him in here, and he has a reason for keeping me around for me to see this.”

Melissa Montle, an attorney with the Innocence Project, called Bain last week at his prison in Okeechobee, Florida, to tell him the news.

“I told him and he got very quiet,” she told CNN. Then he said, “I’m really happy,” and began to choke up, she said.

Photo: James Bain talks to reporters outside Polk County Courthouse Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009 in Bartow, Fla.

Real Life Meteor Blazes Across South African Skyline

Shavar — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:26:23 +0000

Really interesting. At first I brushed this footage off as just another one of those video hoaxes but apparently this meteor may possibly be real. Just a few days ago, on November 21st, 2009, a real meteor lit up South Africa. Check out the video below.

Haven’t heard too much U.S. press on it, but apparently, this meteor, which blazed across the skyline of South Africa is causing quite a stir in the country. It seems that the South African government is quickly working to collect the video footage of this amazing phenomena. The question is, where did it land, if at all? And is this just another sign of the end times? Interesting.

What makes this video authentic to me is the drivers on the freeway; you can see the car tail lights light up as the meteor passed. Drivers were slamming on the breaks. Anyway, below is a link to the article from News24, Southern Africa and Africa’s premier online news resource. SA meteor footage wanted

Rare 1980′s Postcard Depicting 1900′s Hampton Institute’s Student Life

Shavar — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:02:54 +0000

Here’s a rare 1980′s postcard depicting student life at Hampton Institute in the 1900′s. My wife discovered this at an estate auction and paid $1.00 for it.

And of course, as you know, I blog everything, lol. I love historical photos of all kinds and couldn’t find too much information online on this particular photo or postcard. So this post is for those people and/or organizations who wish to download and share these photos.

Hampton Institute (from Wikipedia)
The campus overlooking the northern edge of the harbor of Hampton Roads was founded on the grounds of “Little Scotland”, a former plantation in Elizabeth City County not far from Fort Monroe and the Grand Contraband Camp, each tangible symbols of freedom for former slaves shortly after the end of the American Civil War.

First led by former Union General Samuel C. Armstrong, among the school’s famous alumni is educator Dr. Booker T. Washington. Under what is now called the Emancipation Oak tree, Mary Smith Peake taught the first classes on September 17, 1861, in defiance of a Virginia law against teaching slaves, free blacks and mulattos to read or write, a law which had cut her own education short years earlier. Several years later, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was read to local freedmen under the same historic tree, which is still located on the campus today, and also serves as a symbol for the modern City of Hampton.

Note: If you like this post, then you may enjoy my post about the time I wrote a blog post entitled, “My Testimony: Remembering Booker T. Washington” (unbeknownst to me) two days before Mr. Washington’s birthday. In the post, I talked about the importance of reading and education. Lo and behold, 2 days later, and on Booker T. Washington’s birthday—I get an email from his (Booker T. Washington’s) great-great granddaughter telling me how she was inspired by my blog post and how she was just telling her 16 year old daughter about ‘how we have gotten so far from the days when we were murdered if we tried to learn to read or write.’ Incredible.

It was weird ’cause I could almost sense Mr. Washington’s spirit (somehow) watching over the whole thing. He was such a great influence in my life. At age 12, director Stan Lathan made me read Up from Slavery. That is a thick book!

Flash Alert: Arsenio Hall Spotting!

Shavar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:29:03 +0000

Is it just me? Seems like we hardly ever see Arsenio Hall anymore, right? Well he finally got out the house, lol, and was spotted at the premiere of “Black Dynamite,” a film which stars actor Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson and many others. Arsenio has a role in it too. They call him “Tasty Freeze,” lol. I saw the trailer to this several months back and it looks really good. Funny, too! Arsenio’s ma dogg.

True Story: I remember when I was 18 and living on my own. I had to sell my BMW (it was fierce, tan and with a kit on it, lol) for cash and had to start taking the bus. Oh, the life of a struggling actor! Anyway, while getting on the bus I remember it being a long line behind me and I was asking the bus driver how to get somewhere. He was telling me about transfers and bus passes and all that, lol. People were gettin’ mad ’cause I was taking so long, lol. I didn’t even know how much bus rates were so I just put $5 dollars in there. Somebody was like, “Man, you ain’t gotta pay all dat!”

I can dedicate a whole category on this blog to my bus riding experiences in the late 1980′s, lol. Next time I will tell you about the time when Michael Bivens (New Edition) and MC Brains, recognized me, and saw me at the bus stop and gave me a ride somewhere! OMG how embarrassing! LOL.

It never had to be like that, I was just hard-headed.

The worst part was always being recognized on the bus but I have never been rude to my fans. In hindsight, it was all good for me ’cause I know what it’s like to experience what people go through everyday in the “real world.”

Anyway, I was riding on bus one time and I was like, “Lord I need a job AND some money, get me outta this!” And God as my witness, I got a call from my agent (while I was on the bus) telling me that they had fired someone and wanted me to audition for the show “Amen.” The title says it all doesn’t, it?

I jumped off that bus and jumped right on another one–headed for Paramount! Booked the job and was called to rehearsal immediately afterward. Mind you, all of this happened within 2 hours of my prayer so no one can tell me there isn’t a God. I have many experiences like this. The whole entertainment business is very supernatural.

Now this part is really amazing! Here I am, fresh off the bus, rehearsing on the show, and here comes Arsenio with the cameras!! The video says it all, lol. Arsenio was like, “Boy ya doin’ good.” But in my heart I was saying, “Thank you Lord, for this job, YOU are sooooo GOOD to me.”

And God IS good, AMEN somebody?

Late at night, and while on that lonnnng bus ride home, a family member from New York paged me and said they had spotted me on The Arsenio Hall Show.

My Crazy Hill Harper Story

Shavar — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:33:21 +0000

This one is funny. Boy do I have stories. I figured a book would be premature. No one wants to publish a book on a washed up child actor. Thank God I did a lot of other stuff besides Diff’rent Strokes. Back in the day, it was cool to be associated with with the show. Unfortunately, and recently I found out that it may not be a cool thing to be associated with the program. Still proud of it. Not that many black folks (and especially black kids) where working back then. When I was growin’ up on the show, I considered Gary Coleman a genius. ( I still do) To be so young and remember all those lines, lol..anyway I’ll get to that story later…this one’s about my boy Hill.

All I can remember was that I was recurring on a show called Family Matters. I cleverly created this character which ended up turnin’ into “Weasel.” It was a supposed to be a one-time episodic role but they gave me a contract and more shows. Unfortunately “Weasel” started upstaging some of the “main” characters on the show so they had to get rid of Weasel, lol. They paid me off, lol, so it didn’t really matter to me. It’s just business. At first , the writers had my character in EVERY scene when I first appeared on the first few episodes, lol. I was like, “Dag, they workin’ me, lol.” They ended up eventually cutting me out of some scenes. Later on I realized that some of the writers/producers were associated with Diff’rent Stokes. They were just tryin’ to hook a brotha up. Ah, that’s right, it’s a “who you know business.” That’s how it works. Thank God for them, giving me a job.

Anyway, I was actually in Bible School at the time. I was prayin’ for a wife, and made a choice to remain celibate for a year. Oh Lord Jesus, Holy Ghost, Mary, Elohim, that was tough for me! Anyway, I was goin’ to church faithfully and thought I’d meet my future wife in the church but it didn’t happen like that way. I actually met my wife on an audition (for a C&C Music Factory Video. Now yall know I can’t dance so I didn’t get the part!) .

My um, future wife? She had a manager and was workin’ steadily.

I remember her tellin’ me that her manager suggested she “hook up” with another up and coming and talented actor (Hill Harper) to do some scene study. Mind you, this was the early 1990′s and after seeing Hill’s headshot, I was like, “Who in the heck is Hill Harper?????”

My wife and I got married shortly after and I would spot the newcomer Hill on auditions. Before he was “out there,” and once when we were both up for a TV series, I’d tease him by saying, “Aren’t you THE Hill Harper?” LOL. He’d be like, “Dude, how did you know?” I told him he and my wife had the same manager. It became a habit for me to tease him with that “Aren’t you Hill Harper?” phrase whenever I’d see him on auditions.

So I got into my church thang. All I remember was goin’ to Bible School to know a little more about God. Four years later, they were tellin’ me I was “called” to be a pastor, lol, so I rode with it. Spotlighted on The 700 Club and errthang. EIGHT WHOLE YEARS OUTSIDE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS!

A couple of years ago, when my film “Lord Help Us” premiered at the The Arizona Film Festival in Phoenix, I spotted Hill and approached him and said, “Aren’t you Hill Harper?” He didn’t remember, lol.

I called myself doin’ it all for God, but I probably should’ve somehow stayed my butt in the business, lol. Yet, still, no regrets! Grrrr.

7 Random Things You Definitely Didn’t Know About Shavar Ross

Shavar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:11:38 +0000

Here are 7 things I’m absolutely certain you didn’t know about me. Well, here goes…(holdin’ my breath, hold YOUR breath, lol):

1. I’m a homebody now, keeps me sane. The Hollywood networking scene was and still is hard for me to acclimate to because I’m an extremist. Back in the day, it wasn’t unusual for me to get piss drunk, urinate in front of Ice-T’s club and try to start fights with the bouncers. I enjoy networking on the Internet a lot better now.

2. I got serious about God after my talent agent and manager convinced me to pass on the role of “Bishop” in a movie called Juice (that eventually was given to Tupac). It would’ve fulfilled my only dream as an actor; to be in a movie that premiered at The Mann’s Chinese Theater and to shoot a film in my birthplace of the South Bronx, New York. Just before my final year of Bible School, I wrote Pac while he was in jail to encourage him. I also told him about my “Juice” “testimony,” lol. He was murdered a year later.

3. As with all former child actors, adult life is usually a struggle. I squandered a lot of my money when I became an emancipated minor at age 15. For some very strange reason, I found it extremely fulfilling to get hired on a “real job” working at McDonald’s. My homeys were the ones who were ashamed. They suggested I tell customers that I was “studying for a role.” LOL. I would be like, “Hi welcome to McDonald’s, may I take your order?” And people would be like, “Dudley, what the hell are you doin’ here?!!” I would give my fans free food alllll the time–so sorry MacDonald’s! After a two month stint, some insecurity issues among my managers and a decent residual check, I was on to the next splurging adventure–Miami, to hang out with The 2 Live Crew.

4. I have never been able to keep a regular job for too long but I’ve enjoyed almost every experience. When I was 19 I became an EMT and got to see a lot of crazy stuff on an ambulance in South Central L.A. ”I see dead people.” Also, after learning my son was diagnosed with Autism, (we later found out he was misdiagnosed) I worked with the developmentally disabled in a group home. You may also be surprised to know that in just three weeks after being hired, I held the #2 spot out of 100 of the best Corporate Directory Live Voice Responders (LVRs) for Dell, Inc.

5. When I was 17, my father died of a sudden heart attack at age 38. Shortly afterward, someone suggested I visit a psychic, a man that could answer my 10 questions if I wrote them down–even if I didn’t reveal to him what I had written! Out of curiousity, I met up with the man, and amazingly, line for line, he had an answer for each question I had. My last question: ”Where is my father?” And that’s when he started jerkin’ around, shakin.” He told me what my father’s full name was. No Google back then, lol. He also said he had a message FROM my father. He wrote the message down: ”I want you to be strong.” Sounded like my dad would’ve said that. The weirdest part? When the psychic revealed to me what he wrote on the paper; the message was EXACTLY in my father’s handwriting. Exactly. Now mind you, I experienced this BEFORE I had any kind of relationship with God but in Christian theology and in most Christian circles, this experience would be quickly brushed off as a “Date with Familiar Spirits.” However, in my careful theological study over the years, I have come to the conclusion that we are all clueless when it comes to the vastness of the supernatural. There are a lot unexplained traces of this vastness in many of the Old Testament scriptures of The Bible.

6. I got married when I was 21. I went on one date with my wife and saw her only twice after the first date before getting married. Less than 2 months of courtship. Married 16+ years now. Two beautiful children.

7. I got discovered outside a theater by a talent agent at 8 years old when my father and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs took me to a play that starred Kim Fields.

How I Met Michael Jackson

Shavar — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:20:12 +0000

This is a true and accurate account from my experiences meeting Michael Jackson. It is not meant to degrade or character bash him in any way. To a certain extent, I am still very much a fan of Michael Jackson. You must draw your own conclusions as to the true purpose or nature of me revealing this story. Either way, it’s all therapeutic for me and I’ve always wanted to share this, one of many amazing stories from my life.

Now don’t you go run and tell everyone what I’m about to mention to you. Only kidding…um, I think. Anyway, in the short 34 years of my amazing life, I have experienced a heck of a lot. So far my life has been one of fame, fortune and fun. I have also experienced many dangerous and perilous times in my life….the near death experiences, the confusion and the lack of peace. Ah, those were the days. I’ve come to learn that life is like a movie…you’re its star, there’s always someone watching and if you’re a “good guy,” you always win.

I”ve also had the opportunity to meet and actually spend some valuable time with a lot of famous people. I’ve prepared for a scene with Oprah Winfrey, “read lines” with First Lady Nancy Reagan, performed on stage with “Mr. Television” himself, Milton Berle, played pick-up ball with Denzel Washington, slept over Nina Simone’s house, compared hand sizes with Mike Tyson, walked the halls of Muhammad Ali’s mansion, took a picture with Sidney Poitier, and even jammed on drums as Clarence Clemens from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band blew away on his saxophone. I have been around, lol!

Now the ONE person I really got nervous about meeting was Michael Jackson. So here goes this story. I’ll try not to be too long so hold on to your coffee!

Alright, the photo above is a photo of when my father used to work for Joe Jackson’s (Michael Jackson’s father) music company (in the old Motown Building on Sunset Blvd.) back in the mid 1980′s. My dad was always trying to manage my career, his career, and just about anyone who would give him a chance to prove himself a true hustler—from The Bronx. He was a “mover and a shaker” as they say, and it always seemed like everyone knew my father. Somehow, someway, he ended up workin’ for the “King of Pop’s” pop.

I actually met Michael Jackson twice. The first time was at his home in Encino, California when I was about 11. My dad was good friends with singer Betty Wright at the time. Anyway, she ‘s the “Clean-Up Woman.” She also had a short comeback in the late 80′s with a song called “No Pain, No Gain.”

Betty wanted to drop a music demo tape off to Michael so I went along for the ride. I remember us waiting at the front entrance of his home (in Encino, California) and he actually came out to the running car to pick up the tape, lol. All I remember was that thick, big, red robe he wore and that high-pitched voice. Man, he and Diana Ross sure did sound alike! End of episode 1.

Gosh this is long already, I must write a book…I will right a book!

Episode 2. Jump cut to: I was 14, so 1985-ish. The Roxy on The Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California. The whole Jackson siblings are seated in the balcony to preview Joe Jackson’s hottest new kid group— an almost complete replicated version of The Jackson 5. The place is jumpin’ and I’m there, in the middle of it all.

Look, over there, oh snap! There’s my friend Alfonso Ribeiro, The Tap Dance Kid and hot off the Pepsi commercial he did with Michael. Boy, can he dance. He’ll always be Carlton from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” to some though.

Back to past tense.

Anyway, I had heard that Janet Jackson was there (in the balcony) and since we were friends from the show “Diff’rent Strokes,” I asked Alfonso if he could take me up there to her and also introduce me to Michael…again! Like it wasn’t nothin’, and after getting through some heavy security, I arrived with Alfonso to that balcony…oh that balcony, I’ll never forget it! They were all there. Rebi, Latoya, Janet and the King of Pop himself–and all strangely giggling amongst themselves. Must’ve been “inside” jokes. They were like kids. I couldn’t believe my eyes, that I was in Michael’s presence, so I froze. Alfonso grabbed me and pushed me towards Janet as if he were forcing his best friend to go to the high school prom with his dateless sister. She didn’t notice me right away but guess who did? Michael screeched in a high pitched voice, “Oh I remember you, you’re on the show with Janet, right?” He called out to his sister, “Janet guess who’s here? it’s your little friend Dudley…” After Janet and I had a nice reunion, I got to meet Latoya and their other sister Rebi. Then, uh oh…the show is starting! (present tense) “What should I do?” I thought.
Lights out. Then, like a movie playing itself out:

Michael:
(to Shavar)
Come sit down, sit down, watch the show with us.

Chairs pull up. Hmmmm…how did Alfonso find his seat so quickly. “He’s been up here before” I thought. Michael surprisingly pulls up a chair for me! Wow, I’m stunned! Lights even darker now. Intro. Applause. Music. The show starts. Why it’s The Jackson 5 all over again. No where near as good though.

My only goal: To get one good look at Michael Jackson before the night is over! I am literally sitting RIGHT next to him and mind you, this was the mid 1980′s. Michael was HOT at the time. In between the strobe and spot lights, I glance at him. It’s unreal! I mean, HE’S unreal…literally. He had what looked to be the perfect face, yet so porcelain, so surreal. I got a bit scared and nervous.

For the whole set I just stared at him, in such awe of this man so famous to the world. I tried to figure out how his powerful influence could have so many people ridiculously in tears, sobbing and crying hysterically in his concerts.

For a brief moment, Michael must have felt me hawking my eyes at him. I just couldn’t help it.

Michael:
(to Shavar again)
Could you move to the left just a little bit. I can’t see.

He DID seem to really be enjoying the show….and that imitation Jackson 5 performing? I could care less! I was sitting next to Michael Jackson!

And lastly, to make a long story even longer, the boring show finally came to an end but surprisingly to an almost standing ovation! Standing ovation? What? Was Michael standing too? More giggles.

Smash cut to: Kid imitation Jackson 5 group coming up to the balcony to meet Michael! Michael inviting them to his home AND to Disneyland. Close up: Me hearing it all.

Silence. Waiting for my invite. Silence again. Nothing. No nice meeting you, no nothing. I turned my head for a quick second to look for Alfonso and the Jackson Clan had disappeared! Poof! Like right out of thin air! That’s when I realized that celebrities have an art to their grand exits. It’s all very stealth. Then the announcer said something to the effect that Michael, Janet, Latoya and Rebi had “left the building.” Depression, dejection, rejection and everything else you can fill in seem to settle into my 14 year old heart. I was devastated. Michael didn’t invite me to his DisneyWorld.

I finally found Alfonso. “You didn’t go?”, I asked intently. “Why didn’t he invite us?” I hammered Alfonso again. “Oh ’cause we too old man…we teenagers now and if you over 12, he don’t like you no more,” replied Alfonso. Alfonso laughed it off but I still didn’t understand him. It would take me nearly 20 years to understand what he meant and even now I am still not sure what he meant by that statement.

That night, and all throughout the entire night, I found myself sobbing hysterically to the point where I made myself literally sick to my stomach. I threw up several times and thought I was gonna die because I got to sit next to Michael Jackson.

In hindsight, maybe it was all for the best that I never got invited, who knows…(June 25, 2009, but may he now rest in peace).

June 26, 2009: Note: Just know that Michael Jackson inviting me to sit next to him beats Disneyland with a bunch of kids any day.