Friday, October 31, 2008

"If Obama Doesn't Win, It's Over"

A quote I heard on CNN from an African-American sounding lady that got me laughing a bit but just conveyed a lot of the same sentiments I'm sure a lot of young Americans, minorities and other Obama supporters may have at this time. Only four days before America rocks the vote and the anticipation is high as Everest. Just think of it. President Barack Obama. Gosh, it sounds so good. His stance and just his overall attitide during this election has been inspirational. With all the bashing and slandering and the Republican campaign - need I say more. He's kept his focus and now it's all about to be realised. But wait, let's not get too excited. The fat lady must sing first and anything could happen. It might even end up being a dissapointment for Democratic supporters. That's something we should be wary about, if Obama loses the masses might take it to the streets like somebody got assassinated. Haha. No, but I have a feeling it won't be or is that just me trying to remain as positive as possible??
Well.









Half-African for real for real. But above the fact of his ethnicity, he's just got this undeniable intelligence, this cool presidential swagger about him. C'mon you gotta see what I'm seeing here. There is not a man more worthy of the oval office.












These two just warm my heart, they're so in love. Wow, what a couple. I'm loving it.







The love he shows for his little girls. My heart is just bursting right now man I can't help it.


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Twenty Years and Waiting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting




The diva is back. The wild, outrageous, abominable Grace Jones is back to sieze back her crown. She may never have sold millions to the mainstream market or even won a ton of Grammy's but she's still legendary nevertheless and her fierceness has spilled down right down to even our "little sweet" Rihanna who insists on black lipstick, making out with male mannequins, and distorting action in "Disturbia" - a lucid throwback to the one and only queen of abstract - Black Panther. Uh huh!

Grace Jones - Corporate Cannibal


A Really Entertaining Read Here! An Interview she had done in her present residing place in London. Sounds like a funny lady, well um go figure. You're not eaxctly mundane if you're posing for shoots like this at 60!!





Deepest Condolensces to the Hudson Family

This week I was terribly shocked by the news of Jennifer Hudson's family tragedy. My heart just bled for the whole situation and even more so for a woman who has had to deal with three deaths in one weekend, one of them being the sweet little life of a beautiful little boy. I cannot imagine the anguish she must be experiencing right now, it's some tough stuff. They remain in my prayers, for healing. And also for the proper persecution of this violent maniac. Let him get the sentence he so richly deserves!









Though I must say that it is good that events like this put issues of domestic violence under magnified scrutiny. It's easy to go through life and if you're a young woman, get on with dating and looking for the right mate without remembering how important it is to observe a man's character.

An abuser does not have a specific look, or face or body size or any way by which you could physically identify him. ANY man has potential to be a psycho. I trust my intuition i.e. The Holy Spirit to inform me in such a way that I don't end up getting blinded by looks or "charm" or any of that of what would masquerade the lunacy of a true psychopath. The most sexy, hot or good-looking guy could be just the one who will kill you out of rage one day and that's a scary thing. That tells me that I should have my head screwed on right at all times and be wise and aware and look beyond the surface of a man's behaviour towards me.

"The Gift of Fear" by Gavin de Becker gave an insightful list of PINS - pre-incident indicators. Man, how true those are. A very harmless but revealing interaction I had with a member of the species one day in a taxi revealed it all to me. Going through the PINS in my head. I noticed that he struck every single one with what he was saying, how he was saying it and what he was doing. For the record, nothing happened to me and I don't know for sure what his motives were but I got the hell away after the taxi came to a halt, I'm alright but it was for the most part a wonderful real-life indication of how a potential perpetrator will operate in order to coast in close enough to pounce. Awareness. Of course, if you're a member of the species reading this, you have no idea what the hell I am on about and probably will never know because that's just how little men understand the plight and day-today struggles of women in the world. I thank God for all the protection I have had that I have never fallen prey to any such madness but I bear in mind and keep close to my heart the experiences of women all over this world. The rape, the domestic violence, the sexual harrassment, the killing, the trafficking - how men with diseased minds continue to perpetuate terror in the lives of my sisters. Protests and Awareness months are not enough. This situation changes when women's attitudes begin to change. When women stop thinking in terms of docility, submissiveness and tolerance of male hegemony. As your tolerance weakens, your strength begins to proliferate. Whether it's strength to face your family with a "failed" marriage, strength to be single and walk alone, strength to rough it out on your own financially until things get better. Sisters have to get strong and stop tolerating the madness.

Friday, October 24, 2008

M.I.A. !!!

Rebellious, unique, creative, outspoken, feminist, politically conscious...so we'll be fine afterall. There is still hope for artistry in music.























This is something I need to listen to pronto. Only heard "Paper Planes" man, the tragedy of resource lack!





So here's someone to pay attention to, she's definitely caught my attention and truste me it's not just the colourful apparel. It's the boldness and that there's something, something to actually say that has meaning. I have fights with my sister about it all day. She doesn't get that this lovey-dovey shit is just too much sometimes (not to say that there's anything wrong with it). The other day I almost puked watching a new video by New Kids on the Block (making a comeback with Ne-Yo!). The song is not bad, it's just that there is so much more going on in the world to sing about.

Back to the topic of conversation, M.I.A. is my new favourite for real. Love the art, the sound everything. She's got it down.





Mad energy in this video. Lot of dancehall boys doing their thing. It's crazy nonsense and I LOVE IT!!! M.I.A. is the truth and the future!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Seriously, when did this happen??

I did not know these two went together. This is the price you pay for not having DSTV! Had to see this on E! a while ago and apparently they've been together for ages. See, this channel is bringing out the gossiper in me again.





Awkward couple. You know what they say, "in the eye of the beholder" not that neither of them is but...together? Another Jay-Z and Beyonce...mismatch!

Black Self-Hatred alias "You see me? hi hater, hi hater, hi hater.."

This is a topic that saturates alot of my blogging because aside from the fact that I am a member of this ethnic group which also means I have direct exposure to the different forms in which this motif manifests, it's something so baffling I can't seem to wrap my head around it enough to try and delve deep into what it's real root cause is.


In an M&G Article recently this issue was highlighted from the perspective of the financial workplace. It's all really silly. I've yet to read "Capitalist Nigger" by Chika Onyeani but I will get on to doing that. That is some essential literature. Still blaming the "WHITE MAN" for our own folly. Really.





Let's push things forward baby...
(trip down memory lane)




But what I can ask is what the f*** is wrong with black people?? Why wreak havoc amongst each other? Why get mad when you see one of your own succeed instead of being happy that hey presto! it's not another white guy at the top as it always seems to be.
My sister seems so pissed off about the reality of Barack Obama becoming president, all she can say to counter all the positive press he's been receiving is "Aaah, he won't win, he won't win" - massive hate! It's not just Barack that receives her scorn, it's pretty much every successful black out there. She stands as an example to me of black-on-black racism. Black people really are each other's worst enemies. Sad but true.
But I'll say this, I'm glad Oprah is a billionaire, I love her to death and I'm not one of those many hateful people out there that express their dismay at her success by constantly dissing how she looks. No, she is not Tina Turner but she is talented and an enormous success nevertheless.



By the way this song is dope and like T.I. says at the beginning of the remix, "Hating is a disease". Sure it is, perhaps some psychologists need to get together and pen a name for this pathology.

Props to Feminist Lyrics

Now, let me say this first - these two do not even pitch close when it comes to my top 50 list of favourite artists but lately they've caught my attention.
The latest from Ms Beyonce and Britney both having a nice little bash at men and their problems with them. I'd like to see more of this but for once, there's less sex and more addressing of feminist issues in Beyonce and Britney. Plus the men in the videos are very yummy I must say.

Beyonce - If I Were A Boy




Britney - Womanizer




Speaking of videos, I'm loving the new one from Kanye - "Love Lockdown". It is visually and artistically astounding not to mention original. She just excels above the boundaries of the norm and brings us something fresh everytime. It's good to see when you have the likes of Lil' Wayne and 50 with the same old redundant shit that just bores and bores and bores. Here it is.


Friday, October 10, 2008

Racism in the US Elections

At the playback of Sarah Palin's speech on Obama's involvement with terrorists, there was a lot of repulse and shock I went through initially. Just her tone and address were enough to make me feel compelled to pummel her down with a ceramic pot. I was disgusted. The Republicans have resorted (just as Hillary tried to during the Democratic Caucuses) to racism in bringing Obama's campaign down. How sleazy. Watching the debates, I've also noticed how McCain must re-inforce his credibility by showing Obama's lack of support for or involvement in a cause or plan of action he wishes to proliferate during his hypothetical future presidency. Sleaze. The death threat was just typical. But what was most outrageous was how she continued her delivery as though the comment had not been yelled. As if to say, racism is completely allowed here and yes we don't mind you making death threats to the running mate. Somehow it's not really all that surprising. We know what kind of individuals roll as Republicans. Not exactly the open-minded, unprejudiced, educated individuals who would cringe at the mere mention of anything racially bigoted.




Then there was a McCain supporter telling the black cameraman to "Sit down, boy!" Oh wow, where have we heard that one before.

Frankly, I just pray that the sleazy game the Republicans are playing will turn right back on them and lose them the election. Do crooks ever win in the end? Well, the verdict is soon to emerge. Let them reap what they continue to sow.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Colonized Mentalities: Skin Bleach and that...

Let me just say that the subject matter alone of skin bleach horrifies, repulses and enrages me. There is no better way to see right into the core of colonized mentality in the black female's mind than to observe this trend. Lighter is better huh? That is what the one's with their mind's on the white patriarchal savage's leash will say.
I have family members that have bleached and probably still bleach. One of them happens to be my very own mother who know that she has of course accumulated the wisdom of experience regrets ever having done so. There is something else too that she has accumulated...permanent black discoloration marks from years of high dosage hydroquinone. Marks that serve as a reminder not only to her but to me of how dangerous it becomes for a black female to carry the racist colonial mindset.




How do you begin to express the tragedy of skin bleaching. Like the woman in the above insert said, it begins with self-acceptance. Love yourself and the confidence will shine through. It is an attitude that begins in the mind and there is nothing more inhibited of self-love than the deep hurts and gashes of black inferiority which are almost inevitable considering the social structure of the mad world we live in.

So, conclusions...fuck the media again!

One Step at a Time

I remember getting a really saccharine e-mail from Gardner Rich last year after e-mailing them with fanmail for Mr Gardner himself. "Remember...baby steps" it said. After not making it for the Fall Quarter this year due to circumstance. I've come to realise the importance of good timing. Often times, this timing is not even our decision to make but rather that of the Higher Power. God. Even though I find this song a little cheesy melodically, the words apply to my predicament. Unlike I've done in the past, I shall value every moment this time and not waste it on unproductivity. No rush folks...one step at a time. Final months in the motherland. I cross over the threshold in the new year. Excited, without the nervousness this time somehow...interesting.