Rio de noite

Photo Attribution: Paul van Metre

What I'm Listening To Today...Matisyahu

You can listen to three songs from this Cd from NPR's World Cafe. Matisyahu is a reggae artist who was influenced by Bob Marley. His form of reggae is very unique. There is an interview and music with the artist. Enjoy!

Listen Here

Songs

Close My Eyes
Exaltation
King Without a Crown

One Of My Favorite People...Attallah Shabazz

Personal Information

Born November 16, 1958, in New York City; daughter of El-Hajj Malik (also known as Malcolm X; a civil rights activist) and Betty (an educator) El-Shabazz.

Education: Attended Briarcliff College.

Career

Artist, actress, theatrical director and producer, lecturer. Actress in Three Penny Opera, Hello Dolly, and Peter Pan, in Pleasantville, NY, in the mid-1970s; appeared in Throw Thunder at This House in 1977; counselor with the Little Sisters Program sponsored by the YWCA and the Westchester County Youth Bureau, 1979; cofounder and codirector of Nucleus (a performing arts company), 1979--; collaborator, with Yolanda King, on plays Stepping into Tomorrow and Of One Mind; associate producer of the Stellar Awards and the NAACP Image Awards; consultant on Paul Robeson, a staged biography, 1992.

Life's Work

Attallah Shabazz is a woman of many talents. An artist, performer, producer, and lecturer, she is also the eldest daughter of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X, the powerful civil rights activist who was assassinated in 1965 by three members of the Nation of Islam. Attallah Shabazz plies her trade to clarify her father's message and to preach her own gospel of human rights and self-esteem. Russell Miller of New York magazine described her as "an inspirational speaker, preaching self-respect, persistence, nurturance."

Shabazz does not remember Malcolm X as a political militant, but as a loving and devoted father who took pains to instill pride in his children. Both her parents and grandparents gave her a rich cultural education in her "wonderful heritage," she told Rolling Stone. "One of my coloring books when I was younger was called Color Me Brown, and it had twenty-five little etchings of black American contributors that you could color in. So I knew about [eighteenth-century mathematician and astronomer] Benjamin Banneker, I knew about [acclaimed poet] Phillis Wheatley.

I knew about [nineteenth-century dramatic actor] Ira Aldridge and [feminist-agitator] Ida B. Wells. Those were the names that came to my mouth like Mary Poppins might to another's. So when I went to school and parts of me were omitted from history books, I knew the hole wasn't in me, it was in the books."

From an early age, Shabazz was aware of her multinational background and took pride in it. She told the Los Angeles Times: "I grew up cross-cultural. In my house there were many accents. My taste buds were not formed on American food. The family background was African, Caribbean, Arabic, and Native American. My grandfather made sure I knew all about them.... l felt the pride."

Being the daughter of Malcolm X has not been easy, however. Only six years old at the time, Shabazz was there on that fateful day in February of 1965 when her father was killed. A few minutes into his speech before an audience in the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, he was brutally murdered by three gun-wielding assassins, and Attallah Shabazz was a witness to the horrible scene. "A day came when I realized he's dead, " she revealed in Rolling Stone. "I never knew till then how much the void ... nauseated me."

For much of her life, Shabazz has been judged more on her father's reputation--which seems to have been built upon ill-conceived interpretations of his ideas--than on her own merits. She told Essence magazine that when she enrolled at the United Nations International School at the age of 13, the school officials were a bit worried. They "expected me to show up wearing a beret and being militant simply because of their perceptions of my father. Instead, I walked in wearing my limegreen dress, my opaque stockings, my patent leather shoes, and carrying my little patent leather pocketbook. I was also exceedingly quiet for the whole semester.

After high school, Shabazz attended Briarcliff College and majored in international law. She was a high achiever, involved in many activities from piano and ballet to martial arts. When she left Briarcliff, which closed before she finished, she held a variety of jobs before finding her niche as a public speaker.

Her first speaking engagement was in Panama in 1979. "I had never spoken before publicly as Malcolm X' s daughter and was really nervous," she told Essence. "I don't remember much of what I said, but it must have been OK, because when I sat down a Panamanian official leaned over and whispered approvingly, 'You're going to be just like him!' This jolted me into realizing that people are not going to let me forget who I am." Still, she doesn't feel burdened by his legacy. "I am not under a shadow," she told Los Angeles Times writer Lawrence Christon. "I'm under a light."

Part of Shabazz's goal has been to correct the narrow image many people have of her father, and to separate Malcolm the man from Malcolm X the black nationalist. "The image that is always portrayed of Malcolm is of this angry black man.... There's so much focus on the narrowest part of my father's life, on the neon sign that was on him, not the man himself," she told Rolling Stone. "He wasn't just Malcolm X ... he was a daddy."

Shabazz has chosen the arts as her mode of communication. "Actually, the arts chose me, from the age of 3 or 4," she explained in the Los Angeles Times. "I'm a good sculptor. Whether it's writing, theater or film, they're a way for me to use my passion." She became involved in theater at an early age, too, playing her first role in her second-grade school play. As a teenager in the mid-1970s, she appeared in Three Penny Opera, Hello Dolly, and Peter Pan, in Pleasantville, New York, and in Throw Thunder at This House in 1977. Two years later, she met Yolanda King, daughter of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., and they were featured in an article for Ebony magazine.

A strong bond grew between Shabazz and King. "We eventually started talking about assassinations and how it affected us," Shabazz told People magazine, adding that it was therapeutic "to actually talk to somebody who went through that like you did." They cemented their friendship a few months after meeting when they were asked to judge the Miss Universe contest in Panama. Shabazz and King spent every spare minute--for four days--sitting in their hotel rooms talking.

Aside from their shared history as the daughters of two of the most prominent activists of their era, Shabazz and King shared an interest in the performing arts. (King was studying acting at New York University when they met in 1979.) After being asked to speak at high schools in Connecticut, they agreed that they should dramatize their message rather than lecture to the students. "There was much that we wanted to say," Shabazz told Rolling Stone. "Our problem ... wasn't what we had to say, but how we were going to say it.... What was going to make what we said stick?" They asked some friends--a pianist, a singer, and two ministers--to help them put together a show that would convey their ideas. The theater group Nucleus was formed, and the group's collaborative effort resulted in Stepping into Tomorrow, a musical about growing up.

"I see my mission with Nucleus as patting young people on the back the way my parents did with me. Letting them know that whatever anyone else tells them, they're ok. That nobody's born a sinner," Shabazz explained in Rolling Stone. Since its debut, Stepping into Tomorrow has been performed hundreds of times. Nucleus has taken the one-act musical to churches and community centers all over the country for more than a decade. In December of 1990, the group celebrated the tenth anniversary of the play with a gala performance at the Crossroads Arts Academy in Los Angeles.

Several years after collaborating on Stepping into Tomorrow, Shabazz and King created Of One Mind, a stage production that examines their fathers' ideologies and charts the course history might have taken if they had not been assassinated. Malcolm X was known for his militant black separatist convictions, while Martin Luther King, Jr., espoused a philosophy of nonviolent resistance in the quest for human equality. "Regardless of any differences in their philosophies, their yearnings were the same," Shabazz noted in Rolling Stone. "They were inspired by the very same dream--respect that was long overdue.... For me it's like the shape of the letter Y. Two supposedly opposing paths meet and become one. When our fathers died, they were approaching that path. Yolanda and I closed the gap and became the stem. This is not to overlook the very real differences in their approaches. But I believe you can hold onto all that you are and still walk down the same path."

In addition to her work with Nucleus, Shabazz contributes to theatrical productions on both coasts, commuting between Los Angeles and New York. Her credits include associate production work on the 1992 Stellar Awards and the NAACP Image Awards, as well as on a staged biography of singer-activist Paul Robeson, which debuted at the Westwood Theater in Los Angeles. She also keeps up an active public speaking life, but she told Rolling Stone: "I'm a private person. I don't need a lot of hands [on me]."

Attallah Shabazz is much like her father. African American writer Alex Haley, her godfather and coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, once said, as quoted in the Los Angeles Times: "She looks like her father, acts like her father, even grins like him.... Even the enigmatic, elusive quality is Malcolm." Today, she carries on his work, and although she has chosen a different medium to express herself, she remains "under his light."

Text Attribution: Answers.com

Los Angeles de noche

Photo Attribution: Conscience Butterfly

What I'm Listening To Today...Alice Smith Live and You can Listen too!

While searching around the National Public Radio website I found a treasure, Neo-soul artist Alice Smith live in concert from Philadelphia. You can listen to the concert just click on the link.



Alice Smith Live In Concert Listen Here

Songs

Do I
Gary's Song
Fake Is the New Real
Desert Song
Dream
Woodstock
Know That I
Love Endeavor

I Love Music

Music has been my friend for a very long time. Sometimes it has been my best friend, sometimes it has been a friend I haven't spoken to in a while and other times music has been a friend I'm angry with.

There have been times in my life that music just didn't fit. For whatever reason I just wasn't listening to music. There has been a year span or so when I just didn't want to listen to music. My music library just attracted dust. And then there are times when I wake up to music, listen to it on my way to wherever I'm going and it's the first thing I turn on when I get home.

Music is my way of remembering events and people. Sad times and great times all have a song or songs attached to them. There are some songs that as soon as they begin to play they bring tears to my eyes. Those songs aren't necessarily sad songs per se but they remind me of a sad time. I used to avoid those songs but now listening to them is almost like therapy. I can listen and remember what was going on in my life when I first heard the song. Over time if I come to terms with a particular memory, the feeling that the song inspires in me may change. A song that once made me sad might later make me contemplative.

My taste in music runs the gamut, rock to soul to neo-soul to jazz to folk and even some country. If I were to be stranded on a deserted island here is some of the music I would take;

Sade, Joan Armatrading (I could listen to Willow by Joan all day long) and Aaliyah who are my favorite singers, Led Zeppelin, Steve Forbert, Phyllis Hyman, Zap Mama, Abby Lincoln, M.I.A Arular, Queen, The Isley Brothers, The Brothers Johnson, Marcus Roberts, Yellowjackets, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Peter Frampton, Amy Winehouse, John Coltrane, Lenny Kravitz, Maxwell, Les Nubians, Amel Leroux, Tom Petty, Change, Randy Travis, Maze, Queen Pen, TLC, Bob Marley, Angela Bofil, Corrine Bailey Rae, Elvis Costello, Journey, Eric B. and Rakim, Diana Ross, Enya, Floetry, The Fugees, Erykah Badu, Luther Vandross, Eric Clapton, jimi Hendrix, Alice Smith, Goapele, Lily Allen, Jimmy Scott, The White Stripes, Louisa Marks and Prince. I could go on but those would be must haves.

I have lost more music over the years than I own. I've bought Promise by Sade at least a dozen times and Joan Armatrading's Greatest Hits about ten times. I've given music away, left it on airplanes, in hotel rooms, in apartments I've moved from, you name a way to lose music I've probably lost it that way.

Digital music downloads are my music savior! Although sometimes I prefer to have the Cd itself. A few artists still do concept albums, so if you only buy a single or two you really won't get the artist.And MP3 players! Oh my where to start. To have the ability to have two or three hundred songs with you wherever you go is so amazing.

There are drawbacks to the digital age though. I miss album art. Itunes displays the album cover but it's not the same as having it in your hand to look at or even actual record album covers. Some of those were so incredible. I'm tempted to start collecting record album covers as art. All in all though I wouldn't trade my digital library to go back exclusively to Cd's. I love waking up in the morning and making a music mix according to how I'm feeling or what I'm going to be doing. And it only takes three or four minutes! (I stopped in the middle of writing this to make a mix) Do you remember how annoying it was to copy your favorite songs from Cd to cassette? That was a pain. Nope I don't miss lugging around Cd cases and those darn skipping portable Cd players. Good riddance! And lets not even talk about cassette Walkman.

Some day soon they will find a way to download music directly to our brains.

Music is also about discovery. I love the joy of finding a new artist that I like or rediscovering one that I'd forgotten about. I discovered Joan Armatrading by pure chance. Years ago while looking around a music store in New York I happened upon a cassette by her, I took a chance without even hearing it and bought it. And I'm so glad I did, her music has been a joy in my life. Sometimes even now if I'm at a flea market or music store I still buy music by an artist I've never heard of just because of the Cd cover art or titles of the songs.

I couldn't imagine a life without music. It fills so many spaces in my life.

Music has helped me celebrate and it's helped me through heartbreak. It has kept me company when I was lonely and it has made my body move even when I didn't want it to. Music has been parties and it's been long drives and airplane flights. It's been walks on the beach and walks through city streets. Music has been love and it's been pain. Music has been a bookmark that never fails to take me back to a particular page.

I love music!

Photo Credit: Davey Bot

Nailah Franklin Found Chicago Police Confirm...Sad End

The body found in Calumet City, Illinois yesterday is the body of missing Chicagoan Nailah Franklin. Today Chicago police confirmed the identity after using dental records. Nailah Franklin disappeared on September 18Th. No suspects in her death have been named by police so far. However earlier reports say that Nailah had filed for a restraining order against a man whom she may have dated.

I along with countless others hoped and prayed Nailah would be found safe. Now my prayers are for her family and friends. And as I'm sure everyone else is hoping that the person or persons responsible for her death are found and prosecuted.

What I'm Listening To Today...Perfect Music For A Dreary Morning

Track List

Is It A Crime
The Sweetest Taboo
War Of The Hearts
You're Not The Man
Jezebel
Mr Wrong
Punch Drunk
Never As Good As The First Time
Fear
Tar Baby
Maureen

My amazing orchid!

This is a follow-up post about my orchid, which looks exactly like the orchid pictured. It's called a phalaenopsis.

When I bought my orchid at a local farmers market about a month ago, it had 14 buds, 5 flowers and 1 flower was blooming. And now all but one flower bud has bloomed and it's blooming right now!

I love my orchid so much. It's so beautiful. I've given it a lot of care, given it steam baths, spritzed it with water, re-potted it, kept it out of direct sunlight, so I'm really proud of the work I've done. I wake up every morning to one of the most beautiful orchids I've ever seen. I love my orchid!

Amazon.com has music downloads...and it's about time

I use itunes on my PC and have a ipod and if you use either one you know that downloading music from non Apple/ itunes music download sites is a hassle because of Apple's/ itunes built in incompatibility. Now Amazon.com has music for download and best of all according to what I've read, it downloads seamlessly to itunes on your PC or to an ipod. Or if you have a MP3 player other than an ipod you can download without any proprietary restrictions like itunes has. Also Amazon.com is supposed to have about two million songs available for download. So between Apple/ itunes and Amazon I expect to expand my music collection exponentially!

I'm going to give it a try as soon as my budget allows and I'll let you know if it's as good as I've heard. I'd give a link to Amazon.com but I've already given them a free plug, that's enough.

A storm in Spain

Friday, September 28th Update Click here

Breaking News Update: There have been conflicting reports today after a body was found in Calumet City, Illinois. Several news outlets including WVON radio in Chicago reported this morning that a body which Calumet City police found around 4:00 a.m. was the body of Nailah Franklin. Also initial reports said that Ms Franklin's family had identified the body. However this afternoon the Franklin family has said publicly that they have not made any identification.

Neither Calumet City police nor Chicago police have said publicly that an identification has been made. In fact Chicago police are quoted as saying that no identification may be possible until at the earliest tomorrow.

So far there has been no news conference scheduled by the Calumet City police, Chicago police or the Franklin family.

Black Women's Roundtable Tonight

Don't miss the Black Women's Rountable tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern/ 6:00 p.m. pacific. This is a online radio broadcast by Gina at the blog What About Our Daughters. Tonight's show will focus on this past weeks congressional hearings on degrading speech and images in the media, Chicago area missing woman Nailah Franklin, the Dunbar Village rape case and other issues.

You may call in to voice your thoughts on the topic at 646.478.4750. You can find the show here or get more information from What About Our Daughters.

Chicago's WVON reports Nailah Franklin's Body Found

Friday, September 28th Update click here

Chicago radio station WVON is reporting that a body found in Calumet City, Illinois is the body of 28 year old Nailah Franklin who has been missing since September 18.

WVON radio is giving constant updates on this story.

This is deeply upsetting to me. I pray for the family and friends of Nailah. I also hope that the person or persons responsible are brought to justice.

Did you know that jazz musician John Coltrane inspired the founding of a church?

In San Francisco in an area commonly referred to as the Fillmore or Fillmore District is a church called Saint John Coltrane Church. The church was founded in 1971 by Franzo and Marina King. The two were inspired to found the church after seeing John Coltrane perform in 1965. The Church considers John Coltrane a Saint.

Beginning in 1957 jazz musician John Coltrane had several spiritual and religious awakenings. It was during that time that he stopped using drugs and alcohol. This is the point that the founders of the church point to as when he began his path to Sainthood. The following text is from the church;

"The ascension of St. John Coltrane into one-ness with God is what we refer to as the Risen Trane. In dealing with the Saint, John Coltrane, we are not dealing with St. John the man but St. John the sound and St. John the Evangelist and Sound Baptist, who attained union with God through sound. From the standpoint of the biography of John Coltrane, the Risen Trane is the post 1957 John Coltrane. He who emerged from drug addiction onto a path of spiritual awakening and who gave testimony of the power and empowerment of grace of God in his life and in his Psalm on A Love Supreme, and in his music thereafter. (“At that time, in gratitude, I humbly asked to be given the means and privilege to make others happy through music. I feel this has been granted through His grace. ALL PRAISE TO GOD.”) We, too, having been touched by this anointed sound and being called and chosen by the Holy Ghost, endeavor to carry the holy ambition and mantle of sound baptism of St. John Coltrane."

The church operates like most other Christian churches, it has services on Sunday and does outreach in the community. The founders, now Archbishop Franzo King and Reverend Mother Marina King, still lead the church. Services consist of prayer, live playing of John Coltrane's music and confession.

Read more about Saint John Coltrane Church here at their website.

In the year 2000 the church had to move from its original location in what locals call the Haight or Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco to its current location because of skyrocketing rent, hear a NPR story about the move here.

Find out more about the life of John Coltrane here.

Photo credit: Feuillu

Okay I admit it...I'm a shop-a-holic!

This evening I was craving some Sun Chips. So I went to the store. I came out of the store with Sun Chips....and 2 four packs of Starbucks Frappuccino.

The other day I went to OfficeMax for a note book. I bought the note book...and 1 ream of paper...8 pens (really nice ones too)...glue stick....and a protractor (I have absolutely no need for a protractor).

A while back I decided I wanted the Chrisette Michelle Cd and I didn't feel like ordering online and waiting for it to arrive by mail, so I went to Target. I bought the Chrisette Michelle Cd...and a rug for my bathroom...a fleece blanket...Dove soap...body wash (I'm addicted to body wash so that doesn't count)...and a really nice thank you card (even though I don't have anyone to thank at the moment, but it was really pretty).

So you get the idea. I go in for one thing and then it happens, I see other stuff I need or want or am gonna need soon. It's really disturbing because otherwise I'm a really disciplined person.

When I'm shopping a little voice starts talking to me, "hey look over there, that's a really nice sweater" or "you know you're gonna run out of Dr. Bonner's Peppermint soap in a month or two, why not buy some now since you're standing right in front of it".

Sometimes I try to speed shop so I won't have time to take any detours. I do great until I'm standing on queue at the checkout, then the voice, "look over there, right there, those sundresses". Next thing I know I have a sundress in my hand and I'm walking back to the checkout wondering what happened.

I know it's just a little late for a New Year's resolution but I've had enough. I don't like being a zombie consumer. I want to be in total control when I shop. I want to see what I want, buy it and leave.

No more little voices talking about "you can never have too many Burt's Bees lip balms" (by the way the Burt's Bees lip balm with pomegranate oil is amazing!)

Hong Kong At Night

Tyler Perry builds a house...

I'm not at all a fan of Tyler Perry. I know a lot of people like his films. But I think men dressing up like Black women and acting like stereotypes is the same as White people who wear black face. And that goes for Eddie Murphy (Norbit) and Martin Lawrence (Big Mama's house) too.

Anyway I was digressing there because this post is really about a story I came across in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Tyler Perry's Mansion in the Atlanta area (mocking Black women pays well). Apparently while building his 30,000 square foot home he's being hounded by a particular man.

The comments after the article are interesting. Read the story here.

Sometimes the enemy looks like us

Judge Mathis, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Hatchett (above), the list goes on. The one thing these courtroom t.v. hosts have in common is they exploit the ignorance of poor and uneducated black people.

The worst offender is Judge Hatchett. She is the Black equivalent of Maury Povich.

The scenario is almost always the same. A young Black woman and Young Black man enter the courtroom. Judge Hatchett declares that the woman is suing the man for paternity. The Judge questions both until it is revealed that the man may not be the father because the woman was sleeping with other men while she was being intimate with the young man. Then the DNA test. At least 8 out of 10 times the man ends up not being the father. So, the obvious implication, the women is loose, she sleeps around. What kind of woman doesn't even know who the father of her child is? Well according to this show, Black women.

Although White people appear on these shows too, the majority of the guests are Black. As we talk about derogatory media images it seems that more and more Black people are participating in exploiting our image. How can we protest Viacom and not Judge Hatchett and Judge Joe brown and all the others. Everywhere we turn there are examples of media stereotyping with Black people seemingly at the helm.

Black people have always been the victims of debasement by the media in America. Now it seems that for the right price Blacks are willing to participate in demeaning Black people too. Whether it's BET president Debra Lee, Judge Hatchett or Snoop Dogg (Calvin Broadus), the effect is the same as when White media companies defile our images.

There are attacks on all fronts. Sometimes I just want to tune it out. I want to ignore the media in general because I know it means me no good. But how does one ignore the media in 2007? It's everywhere, hundreds of thousands of outlets, new technology everyday.

This battle will go on I think until African Americans tune out what is referred to as mainstream media. About a month ago I cancelled my cable. I was feeling like a fool giving money to Viacom every month so they could produce Flava Of Love and all the junk on BET.

Every time you pay your cable bill a small portion goes to Viacom. Then multiply that by 25 million or so African American households with cable and that's a lot of money.

As long as we continue to give our money to the Viacoms of the world and as long as we don't hold people like Judge Hatchett accountable, it's just going to be more of the same. Next year this time there will be more protests, and the year after that and so on.

The slogan for a group of people who have been protesting outside of BET president Debra Lee's home is Enough is Enough. I agree.

Read more on this subject; What About Our Daughters - How Long Could You Live Without Cable? 381 days?

Mes Deux Cents - Why I Cancelled My Cable T.V.

What I'm Listening To Today...jazzfm

This is a very good British online jazz radio station, click on the link and then select which jazz show you want to hear on the right-middle of the page. I usually listen to the Red Room.

Click here JazzFM

Autumn In Amsterdam

Photo Credit: Buck O Five

Congressional hearings on degrading media images

This morning a Congressional hearing convened to discuss the media and its use of stereotypes and demeaning images of Black women. Gina of What About Our Daughters blog is there and has been live blogging from the hearings. Her coverage is great. This is why I love blogs. Cut out the middle man and go right to the source!

Read Gina's posts from the hearings here.

Read a report on the hearings from Media Week here.

Search continues for Nailah Franklin

Friday, September 28th Update Click here

Twenty-eight year old Chicago resident Nailah Franklin (above) has now been missing for a week. This past Saturday Chicago police found Ms Franklin's car. It's not yet know if any significant clues were obtained from the car or surrounding area.

Nailah Franklin is described as being 5 foot 2 inches tall, 110 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. She resides in the 1500 block of south Sangamon in the University Village section of Chicago and is a employee of Eli Lilly pharmaceuticals. She was last heard from/ seen on Tuesday September 18Th.

If you have any information that may help in locating Nailah Franklin call Chicago Police at (312) 746-9259

What columnists are saying

I read a lot of opinion pieces so I thought I would share some of the columnists I read on a regular basis.

Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution talks about Black victims of crime and their invisibility.

Stanley Crouch of The New York Daily News talks about being a victim from a different angle.

Jemele Hill of ESPN is an amazing columnist whose commentary bridges the gap between sports and society. In this column Jemele talks about the recent comments by Basketball legend Isiah Thomas about his use of derogatory terms aimed at Black women.

John McWhorter writing for the New York Sun talks about exposing bigotry and the Jena 6.

Betty Bayé of the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky talks about so-called comedian Eddie Griffin and his recent performance before a Black business group in which he uses the N word. She adds some historical contest as well.

Shanna Flowers of the Roanoke Times in Virgina re-examines Bill Cosby's controversial remarks of a few years ago about a segment of the African American population.

Tonyaa Weathersbee who writes for Jacksonville Florida's The Times-Union reminds us that other groups deal with stereotypes as well.

Michelle Malkin is a syndicated columnist who I generally think has zero talent as a writer, her claim to fame is mainly that she is a somewhat attractive parrot for some sections of the conservative movement in America. However I read her columns because it's good to know what the conservative party line is at the moment. In this piece Michelle drones on in a faux patriotic tone (as only conservative hacks can do) about actress Sally Fields recent anti-war remarks at the Emmy awards.

Enjoy!

A little Tuesday humor

Credit: Milenio Newspaper

The Blog Report aka Link-O-Rama!

Here are some interesting blogs I've seen lately. I hope you'll check them out and find them interesting too.

Charcoal Ink

Ruminations Of A Racial Realist

KPAT FM - The Pattyopolis Network

My So-Called Life In France

Iran Graffiti and Urban Art Report

SuperSistas

The Budget Fashionista

The Homeless Guy

Hochmah and Musar

Where I Would Rather Be Today...The City Of Lights, Paris!

What I'm Listening To Today...Phyllis Hyman

I found a cd at a flea market yesterday of Phyllis' called Prime Of My Life and that's what I'm listening to today.


Track List

When You Get Right Down To It
I Found Love
Don't Wanna Change The World
Prime Of My Life
When I Give My Love This Time
I Can't Take It Anymore
Walk Away
Living In Confusion
Meet Me On The Moon
What Ever Happened To Our Love

I Miss N.Y.!

I saw this photo and it reminded me of time I've spent in New York, which is where I grew up. One of the things about the photo that struck me was the summer rain. I miss that. Where I live now it only rains during the winter months. Now that may sound good but going six or seven months without rain gets really monotonous. And also I love the rain, especially at night. It's so cozy to fall asleep to the sound of rain.

The second thing that struck me was that I recognized the street. It's in Greenwich Village, which is in lower Manhattan. As a teen my friends and I used to do a lot of walking around in the Village. It was a lot of fun. There were great little inexpensive restaurants and off beat stores. We always ended up at Washington Square Park though. The park was people watching central. We would just sit for hours watching people or listening to whatever street performers showed up. Sometimes comedians, sometimes singers, jugglers, you name it. And then we would walk some more. There were times when we'd walk around until the sun came up.

New York, especially Manhattan is very walkable. Unlike many cities here in the west which are too spread out to walk or just not designed with walking in mind. I lived in Las Vegas for a bit and that is the worst city I have ever seen for walking. First there is the obvious thing, the heat. But if you walk in the morning that's not really a problem. The real problem are the streets are as wide as freeways! It's really ridiculous, it's so daunting to stand on one side of the street and look across at how far it is to cross.

Back to N.Y., It's funny I haven't lived in N.Y for years. And during most of that time I didn't give the City a second thought, much less miss it. I think I'm having some sort of delayed reaction from September 11. Just the thought that such an integral part of the City is gone seems so unbelievable.

Also I don't know a heck of a lot of people here so that's probably another reason. Whatever the reason, I miss New York.

Young Black Woman Missing In Chicago

Friday, September 28th Update click here


I heard a bit about this Friday while listening online to WVON radio in Chicago.

Nailah Franklin, 28 (photo above) was last heard from this past Tuesday and subsequently reported missing. Her family suspects that she is in danger. Ms Franklin is 5 feet 2 inches tall, 110 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She lives in the University Village section of Chicago.

If you know anything about the disappearance of Ms Franklin please call 312-746-9259.

Please read more about Nailah Franklin from Essential Presence and Black and Missing But Not Forgotten.

Thank You

By
Mes Deux Cents


I woke up wallowing in the mire
I saw you smile
I smiled too

I was cold
You became the sun
I felt warm

I felt put upon by the world
I heard you laugh
I laughed too

I was frightened
I heard your voice
I was wrapped in its cocoon

I needed to feel love
You looked my way
I was free to feel

I thought my soul was lost
You were my guide
I found it

Thank you






Photo Credit: Aworan

The Story Of BET...Bamboozled

For anyone that does not understand how and why Black Entertainment Television constantly demeans African Americans, here is the story of BET and its president of entertainment Reginald Hudlin. It's called Bamboozled a film by Spike Lee.

In the film Reggie Hudlin is portrayed by Damon Wayans' character Pierre Delacroix. He like Hudlin is given the task of coming up with exciting new programming starring African Americans. He is prompted by his boss, of course that would be Sumner Redstone and in the film represented by the character Thomas Dunwitty (played by Michael Rapaport). Like Hudlin, Delacroix tries to think of the most demeaning, degrading way to show African Americans and like Hudlin decides on a modern day minstrel show.

I won't give the rest of the story away but this is a must see in the era of Hot Ghetto Mess and rap videos. This is a great film to see this weekend and especially a great film for teens to see who don't quite get what the fuss about BET and rap is all about.

What I'm Listening To This Weekend...

Sade Adu - It's A Crime

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Hope That We Can Be Together Soon (featuring Teddy Pendergrass & Sharon Paige)
Aretha Franklin - Day Dreaming
Phyllis Hyman - Just Twenty Five Miles To Anywhere
Poco - Crazy Love
DeBarge - All This Love
Roberta Flack - Back Together Again (featuring Donny Hathaway
Stephanie Mills - (You're Puttin') A Rush On Me (remix)
Yaz - Situation
Teena Marie - Behind The Groove
Neil Young - Heart Of Gold
Quincy jones - Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me
Janis Ian - At Seventeen
Slave - Just A Touch Of Love
The Commodores - Sail On
Romeo Void - Never Say Never
Carly Simon - You're So Vain
Bohannon - Let's Start The Dance
Atlantic Starr - Circles
D Train - Walk On By
Planet Patrol - Play At Your Own Risk
King Pleasure - Moody's Mood For Love

Shooting At HBCU Delaware State

According to news reports at about 12:54 AM eastern time two Delaware State University students were shot. As I write this the campus is under lock down while police search for the shooter or shooters. Read more here.


Update: As of this afternoon police on the campus of Delaware State University in Dover were questioning a student who they describe as a person of interest. The two students who were shot are hospitalized. One a male student who was shot once is according to reports in stable condition. The other student a young woman is reportedly in serious condition after being shot twice. Officials describe her condition as possibly life threatening. The campus remains on lockdown.

One Of My Favorite People...Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts has been one of my favorite people (see list side bar scroll down) since I first saw her by chance one day on ESPN's SportsCenter. Robin Joined ESPN in 1990 as an anchor. Before that She was a sports reporter for Atlanta television station WAGA and also worked at Atlanta radio station V-103 during that time. Robin's older sister Sally-Ann Roberts is a news anchor at WWL TV in New Orleans. Sally-Ann's morning news show is the highest rated local morning news program in America.

Robin was born in Pass Christian, Mississippi on November 23, 1960. In school Robin excelled academically and in sports. She played basketball and tennis. She went on to attend Southeastern Louisiana University where like in High School Robin excelled in sports and in the classroom.

Robin's late father Colonel Larry Roberts was one of the Tuskegee Airmen.

After spending five years at EPSN Robin joined Good Morning America (much to my dismay, I wasn't a GMA fan, I am now though) as a news anchor and in 2005 was offered the position of Co-host along with Diane Sawyer.

This past July Robin told GMA viewers that she had been diagnosed with operable breast cancer which was found in it's early stage. She left the show very briefly to undergo surgery and came back just a couple of weeks later to report a good bill of health. This past week Robin said that she would begin chemotherapy on this past Wednesday. It should be noted that it was not a mammogram that detected Robin's cancer but a ultrasound.

I know that chemotherapy is a difficult therapy to endure so my thoughts will be with her. Robin expects to return to GMA soon.

Go Robin!

Breaking News: America Ferrera's Body Stolen By Glamour Magazine!

I saw this story on the blog It's Ndel's World; You're Just Reading It and decided to add my two cents.

First there was the Glamour Magazine editor who said in a speech that Black women should not wear their hair natural to work because a Black woman's hair is unprofessional in appearance. Yep, that's what she said, read more from Ask This Black Woman who voiced her dismay and took action. Now on the Cover of Glamour the editors have decided that Ugly Betty star America Ferrera is too voluptuous, so they went Photoshop crazy and the result is hideous.

Glamour Magazine has my vote as worst magazine in the world for 2007.

A Beautiful Sunset To End The Week

Nova Scotia, Canada





Photo Credit: J. Grant Mac

I Love Radio

I love radio! I've loved it since I was a kid. I began to love radio because as a kid I was quite the insomniac. I'd just lay awake forever bored to tears, until one day my mom gave me a tiny transistor radio, and my whole world opened up. I would listen to my little radio in bed in our home in New York City. I listened to radio stations from Boston, Nashville, Chicago, Syracuse and places in between. Back then there were quite a few AM radio stations with incredible power. Some with a half million watts. So as the night fell and many local radio stations reduced their power, stations from all over could be heard.

Disc jockeys as they used to be called kept me company. I listened to all genre of music, country, rock, soul, what ever they played. Consequently my tastes in music are all over the place. As I got older FM radio became more and more popular. But I remember when AM stations were the top stations.

My parents divorced when I was young and my dad moved to the L.A. area. When I visited him I took my little radio along, and once again it kept me company. I remember listening to KDAY AM in Los Angeles. I'm not sure if it was the number one station but it seemed everyone was listening to it.

As I got older radio continued to play an important part in my life. As pre-teen and teen in N.Y. I listened to Disco 92 WKTU- FM, which was the disco radio station everyone listened to. And although disco seems to have gotten almost joke status these days, it was great. I really wonder if what we were listening to on WKTU was what the rest of the country was listening to because it was great music. Not the corny disco like Saturday Night Fever, but music that was really the precursor to what's now known as house music. Stuff like the Gibson Brothers singing their song Cuba or Machine singing There But For The Grace Of God Go I. Not the stuff you would here on pop disco radio stations. There was a D.J. at WKTU called Poco, he was the man, everybody knew who Poco was.

Then of course as anyone who was anywhere near N.Y. in the 70's or 80's knows, there was WBLS - FM. They played R&B and some disco after WKTU came along. But again it was more Dance or house music then that pop disco that people think of. The Premier D.J. at WBLS was Frankie Crocker, or as he would call himself, "The Chief Rocker Frankie Crocker".

So-called boom boxes were in fashion then and you could hear either WBLS or WKTU on pretty much everybody's boom box. I would still listen to other radio stations when my friends weren't around. Stations like WNEW - FM and WPLJ - FM which played rock. I was into everybody from Genesis to Led Zeppelin to Peter Frampton to Patti Smith. When I was in Los Angeles as I got a little older I began to listen to KLOS - FM which was the local rock station and I still listened to R&B stations like Stevie Wonder's KJLH - FM.

I never lost my love for radio. In fact it seemed to get stronger in my 20's. I'm not sure why but I had the urge then to do more than listen. After I did my 'time' in college I found myself living in the South. One day I got in my car and on a whim went to the local number one radio station and asked to speak to the program director about a job. No haps. I was turned away for lack of experience. But I was meant to work in radio it seems. I went to an employment agency a few days later to find a regular job and I was asked if I'd be interested in a receptionist position. I of course said yes since I needed a job, and guess where the position was! The same radio station that I'd been to looking for a job. The regular receptionist was going on maternity leave! Once I was in the door that was all she wrote!

Within two months I was on the air at the number one radio station in the area. At first like all radio D.J. brand newbians I worked overnights and I loved it! Now I was the voice that people listened to as they lay awake at night or worked or drove or whatever. The best part was taking calls from listeners. Some just wanted to hear a particular song and some wanted to win a prize but some just wanted to say hi. I was in love.

Radio was not my first great passion, Ballet was. I adored ballet. I took class at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. I was in love with 'the dance' as we would say. But my parents were defiantly not in love with the dance. "Can you make a living as a ballet dancer?" "That's not really a career, ballet". That's what I heard until they decided to withdrew all funding for my dance endeavors.

So I'd found my second great passion, radio. Over the next several years I worked at lots of radio stations. Country stations, gospel, jazz (back when there were actually commercial jazz radio stations), R&B, classic rock. It didn't matter to me and I had perfect training listening to so many different types of music growing up, I was familiar with just about everything.

Those were wonderful years. I met so many incredible people. I met people in radio, music artists, actors, writers, you name it. Everyone it seemed eventually visited radio stations. I was even at times fairly well known. I did personal appearances and actually got paid for it. As they say it was a heady time.

And then it all came to a terrible, screeching, crashing, horrible end.

The end was called The Telecommunications Act Of 1996. The then President of the United States Bill Clinton happily signed it into law on February 8, 1996. And that was the end of radio as I knew and loved it. The law basically dropped most of the limits on how many radio stations an entity could own in a particular market.

Corporate radio was born. Individual ownership quickly became a thing of the past as radio station owners were not willing to pass up thirty or forty million dollars for their radio stations. Consolidation was all the rage and before you knew it one or two radio giants like Clear Channel Communications owned half the stations in a radio market. It was like seeing your best friend ruin their life before your very eyes with no way to stop them. I was depressed.

So, that was it. I was not willing to deal with the boring corporate radio thing. The one format fits all plastic radio was not for me.

I don't listen to music radio at all now. It puts me into a coma. It's constant repetition, the same ten songs played over and over and on all the stations. Some radio announcers are not even at the station they are broadcast over. They do their shows remotely and it's piped in. But I still love radio, the same way I still love ballet. I listen to radio stations via the Internet from all over the world, Europe, Africa, Canada, The U.K.

I don't know if I'll ever work in radio again, but I still fall asleep listening to AM radio.

A Tale Of Two Searches

About two weeks ago renowned aviator Steve Fossett apparently was the victim of some sort of mishap as he flew a plane alone over the Nevada dessert. The U.S. Air force, The Nevada Civil Air Patrol, police and volunteers searched for Mr. Fossett. At one point there were as many as forty five planes in the air looking for him. Thermal imaging was used, so was Google earth. It was by all accounts an intensive search. As of this writing the search has been scaled back but it continues. During the past two weeks most major American news outlets gave daily updates on the search for Mr Fossett.

On May 29Th of this year 22 year old John Jay College graduate Stepha Henry disappeared sometime it appears after a trip to a Fort Lauderdale Florida night Club. The search for Ms Henry has mainly involved her family and friends. There was almost no media coverage of her disappearance. It's been mainly African American bloggers who have kept the public dialogue going about Ms Henry. Recently Stepha Henry's mother had a fifteen dollar a plate fundraiser to help the family continue the search.

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Stepha Henry can call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

A Beautiful Picture...Purple Sky

Rue Something

By

Mes Deux Cents




A half eaten memory
a memory I thought I would have time to develop
a whisper forgotten and remembered

I miss you
that's simple to say
so hard to feel

I thought I'd never need to remember
each day would be a new
but you disappeared

and now I'm left with
just a half eaten memory

a whiff of something that I recognize
but nothing I can consume

What was that street
in Paris
Rue something?

I sent your letters there
I've lost the ones you sent me

A half eaten memory
that's what you are
I want more

I thought maybe I would send you a letter
but you've moved on I'm sure
moved on maybe five times more

I'm now maybe five times removed from your memory
just a half eaten memory

I want to say I love you
but I'd feel stupid

I want to see
see what you've become
become something that sprung in part from me

I feel so hungry
and all I have is a half eaten memory
some street in Paris


Rue something










Photo Credit: Paula

And Speaking Of Rap....

If you read my little rap rant (posted below) here is an article on the same subject from an unlikly source, a White politician. Justin D. Ross is a Democrat who represents Prince George's County in the Maryland House of Delegates. He says that he is a rap fan and also he is part of the problem when it comes to rap music.

Offended? The Rap's on Me.
By Justin D. Ross Sunday, September 9, 2007

When it comes to sexism and racism in hip-hop, I'm part of the problem.

Let me explain. I love hip-hop -- have ever since it first came on the scene when I was in elementary school. Over the years, I've bought hundreds of tapes, CDs and downloads, gone to countless rap concerts, even worn my favorite artists' clothing lines. We used to think of hip-hop as just a black thing, but it's not. The largest share of rap music sales in America goes to white listeners. That would be me.

So I'm not just sounding off when I say this: It's time for a boycott of all rap music that stereotypes African Americans or insults and degrades women. And in particular, the people who need to be doing the boycotting are white fans like myself.

Read the entire article from The Washington Post here.

Justin Ross also spoke with Michel Martin on NPR's Tell Me More. Listen to the interview here.

Singers, Please Stop Collaborating With Rappers!

(Rant Warning) I am SO sick of picking up a cd from a singer whether it be an R&B, neo-soul or pop singer, and seeing some collaboration with a rapper. I'm sick of rap and rappers. Yes I'm sick of them because they demean Black women and Black people. But I'm also sick of them for one very simple reason, they BORE me. I'm bored with their cartoon character names (50 cent, chamillionare, Flava Flav, etc.). I'm sick of them having absolutely nothing to say (Kanye West included). I'm sick of the way they dress (Diamonds are apparently a rappers best friend too). I'm sick of these spoiled champagne drinking, Bentley driving, designer clothes wearing, Hampton's party having, energy drink selling, Kim Kardashian dating, rappers talking about how tough they are and talking about how much they love the hood, because if they really loved the hood and were really tough they wouldn't be living in Pacific Palisades and have body guards!

But mainly as I was saying I'm sick of promising singers and singers I otherwise admire linking themselves with these faux artists. I've gotten so turned off that I rarely even take the time to check out new singers because I know that somewhere on their cd will be a song featuring some ingrate rapper! I WANT MY R&B, SOUL, NEO-SOUL, POP MUSIC BACK! And I want it NOW!

(Deep Breath) I long for the day when rappers will just be a question to a Jeopardy Answer: Once sold millions of records and is now working at Burger King making fries.

Question: Who is Snoop Dogg.

Have You Heard Of Rissi Palmer?

I had not heard of Rissi Palmer until a few days ago. She is a rising star in Country music and currently has a hit moving up the country charts called Country Girl.

Rissi Turned down a record deal offer from hitmakers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis before signing with her current music label 1720 Entertainment.

Read more about Rissi Palmer and hear her hit song Country Girl here.

A Beautiful Sunrise To Start The Week...

Photo Credit: Proudof7

What I'm Listening To This Week...

India.Arie - I Am Not My Hair
Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin'
Jennifer Lopez - Jenny From The Block
Frankie Beverly & Maze - Joy and Pain
Brian McKnight - The Way Love Goes
Change - The Glow Of Love
10,000 Maniacs - Eat For Two
Atlantic Star - Send For Me
The Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter No. 23
Hootie & The Blowfish - Hold My Hand
Joan Armatrading - Drop The Pilot
Spandeau Ballet - True
TLC - No Scrubs
M.I.A. Arular - Sunshowers
Joe Jackson - Is She Really Going Out With Him
Floetry - SupaStar
Colonel Abrams - How Soon We Forget
Lisa Stansfield - All Around The World
Marshall Jefferson - Move Your Body
David Ruffin - Walk Away From Love
Daryl Hall & John Oates - She's Gone
Corrine Bailey Rae - Trouble Sleeping
The Mama's & The Papa's - California Dreamin'
Rihanna - Umbrella

WNBA FINALS: Cappie Leads Phoenix To Victory!

Cappie Pondexter of the Phoenix Mercury (photo - above left) and teammate Tangela Smith (photo - above right) celebrate after defeating the Detroit Shock 108 - 92 earlier this evening in the final game of the 2007 WNBA Championship series.

Cappie Pondexter led her team to a decisive victory in Detroit scoring 26 and adding 10 assists. This amazing performance and others throughout the WNBA post season earned Cappie the WNBA Finals MVP award.

This victory for Phoenix in Detroit is also the first time a WNBA team has won the championship away from home.


Photo Credit: Reuters

Worldwide rallies held for Darfur

(Photo: Lowery Lou - Protest today in London from The Sudanese Embassy to Downing Street)


Protests are taking place in 30 countries to bring attention to the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.

London, Paris, San Francisco and New York are all holding events ahead of key meetings of world leaders at the United Nations next week.

On the Global Day for Darfur, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the conflict "one of the great tragedies of our time".

Some 200,000 people have been killed and 2m displaced in Darfur since 2003.

The government in Khartoum and Arab militias allied to it have been blamed for massacres of Darfur's black African population - charges the government denies.

Demonstrations organised by groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Save Darfur Coalition are scheduled from Japan to Vancouver to Accra in Ghana.

MAJOR DARFUR RALLIES
London: March from Sudan embassy to Downing St
San Francisco: Film screening and interfaith prayer
New York: Rally and speeches outside UN HQ
Ottawa (Mon 17th): Blindfold wearing and human chain outside Canada's parliament
France: Events in at least 18 cities
Accra, Ghana: Blindfolds and people chain Source: Globe for Darfur

One theme is the donning of blindfolds to tell world leaders not to look away from the continuing violence in Darfur.

Protesters in Rome wore T-shirts bearing a blood-stained hand and carried a peace torch they said was originally lit in Chad - the home to hundreds of thousands of Darfur refugees.

Demonstrators in London carried signs reading "Rape, torture, murder. How much longer for Darfur?"

A video has been filmed for the day, featuring celebrities such as actor Matt Damon and supermodel Elle Macpherson.

BBC Africa editor Martin Plaut, at the London rally, says he has spoken to many who have had personal experience of the refugee camps and for them this is an emotional moment.

Organisers insist the world leaders must act when they meet at the United Nations next week.

The director of Human Rights Watch, Tom Porteous, said there was a window of opportunity for the provision of an effective peacekeeping force but it must be taken.

He added: "We will also be addressing a very strong message for the Sudanese government, which bears the bulk of the responsibility for this conflict."

On Sunday, Gordon Brown told the BBC World Service he wanted Darfur's proposed peacekeeping force to be in place by the end of the year.

Mr Brown pledged technical help for the UN-African Union force and warned of further sanctions if fighting continued.

Analysts say Mr Brown's timetable for a peacekeeping force is ambitious, given that Sudan's Arab government has been reluctant to accept the involvement of non-African troops.

Khartoum agreed to a hybrid peacekeeping force including some UN peacekeepers only after months of negotiations.

Government forces and their allies continue to fight local rebels, but Mr Brown said it would "disastrous" if the fighting did not stop.

He said if a UN-brokered peace did not work "and we find that the government of Sudan is not making the changes necessary, then we will have to move to further sanctions".

On a visit to Rome this week, Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said he was willing to sign a peace deal with rebel groups ahead of talks with them in Libya on 27 October.

BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle says the UK leader's comments reflect Western impatience with the Khartoum government. Commentators have accused Sudan of deliberately blocking attempts to mediate the conflict.

The peacekeeping force will be made up of about 20,000 soldiers and 6,000 police officers.
Thousands of African Union peacekeepers are already in the region, the rest are due to begin arriving next month.

On Sunday China allowed a rare viewing of a military base where engineers and medical staff are preparing for deployment in Darfur.

Analysts say China hopes the 300-strong team will deflect widespread criticism of its reluctance to approve foreign intervention in Darfur.

Story from BBC NEWS