Whose shoes are these anyway?

Melissa Harris-Perry: No Need to Play the Race Card

2012-01-30T20:32:00.006-06:00

Melissa Harris-Perry delivered one of the best quotes I've seen for addressing accusations from conservatives that black people are playing the race card when they point out racist rhetoric and policy proposals this campaign season.Harris-Perry made her statement when she was a guest on Politics Nation on MSNBC with Al Sharpton, January 11, in response to a video clip of Newt Gingrich making one

Timothy Olyphant on The Ellen Show

2012-01-30T02:52:00.002-06:00

I am a fan of both Justified on FX and its star Timothy Olyphant. Here is his interview with Ellen. I really enjoyed it. He's not just sexy; he's also a family man and funny, too.

Sometimes I Get Stuck on Nessun Dorma, Play and Replay

2012-01-29T16:43:00.002-06:00

English Translation of "Nessun Dorma"Nobody shall sleep!... Nobody shall sleep! Even you, o Princess, in your cold room, watch the stars, that tremble with love and with hope.But my secret is hidden within me,my name no one shall know... No!...No!... On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...(No one will know his name and we

Jan Brewer's Finger Wag: So Much Wrong, So Little Time

2012-01-27T00:03:00.005-06:00

I don't have time to write much about Arizona Governor Jan Brewer wagging her finger in President Barack Obama's face immediately after Air Force One landed on the tarmac in Arizona recently and the POTUS disembarked, so I'll direct traffic to Field Negro's post on the topic, "The Negro Threat." Also, over at the Huffington Post, a reader commenting on the same topic and quoting Brewer made the

Silk and Flour (A Video Meditation)

2012-01-22T14:19:00.001-06:00

Written in 2005, the poem "Silk and Flour" was originally entitled "Silk and Flowers," but while creating the video, I changed the title to one I had considered nearly seven years ago. I don't remember what incident inspired the poem. It may have been nothing but a muse in my head, but I feel like I had seen something in the news that caused me to think about the dark side of ego that reveals

President Obama Sings Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together'

2012-01-20T11:56:00.007-06:00

And now we know that Michelle Obama had yet another reason to fall in love with President Barack Obama: The man can croon. In the video above he charms the crowd at a fundraiser in New York City on January 19, 2012, singing a line from Al Green's classic "Let's Stay Together." Al Green was in the audience, too, and so was Spike Lee and Mariah Carey.

Misery Poem Addresses Rising Violence in Cities

2012-01-19T22:05:00.003-06:00

This poem is cross-posted at the Urban Mother's Book of Prayers. I have been experimenting with a graphics software program.

Another Poem for Martin Luther King Day, Simple with Rhyme

2012-01-15T11:27:00.009-06:00

Today is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. He was born January 15, 1929, and tomorrow the nation celebrates. President Ronald Reagan signed the order for the holiday on November 2, 1983, and Coretta Scott King, according to Time.com, said then "This is not a black holiday; it is a people's holiday."I remember when whether or not to make his birthday a national holiday was bitterly debated in the

Church Building Burned Down After Obama's Win Stands Again: Fitting News on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday

2012-01-15T09:48:00.005-06:00

I remember hearing the news in November 2008 that someone had burned down Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Massachusetts in backlash for President Barack Obama's historic win, and I thought then, "And so it begins." With Obama's election it seemed there would be a rise in white supremacist violence, and there was for a while. That's the bad news.The good news is that the church has been

New Orleans Crime Weights the Soul

2012-01-14T05:56:00.003-06:00

I can only work through the misery via creativity. The post on this piece is at the Urban Mother's Book of Prayers.

And Then the Rain God Screamed for Love (Video poem)

2012-01-10T18:49:00.003-06:00

In the above video, Nordette Adams recites Aberjhani's poem "And Then the Rain God Screamed for Love" with original music composed by Mark "Rahkyt" Rockeymoore.Kathleen Thomas is the photographer who took the picture of Aberjhani you see in this post.

Remember When People Used to Compare the Jackson Five and the Osmond Brothers?

2012-01-07T16:31:00.005-06:00

Here is video of Donny Osmond introducing Janet and Michael Jackson at the American Music Awards, 1975, followed by a video of Michael Jackson with Donny Osmond presenting an award in 1974. 1975 Presenting AMA for Favorite Soul GroupDonny Osmond: And now to present the award for the favorite soul group, here's a singer that I used to idolize when I was a kid. Ladies and gentlemen, Michael

Conservative Rhetoric About Debt: Is it Hype?

2012-01-04T01:32:00.006-06:00

As I listened to the Republican presidential candidates tonight give their speeches following the Iowa Caucus vote, I heard the usual propaganda: windy invocations of fear regarding American debt and declarations that President Barack Obama wants America to become a socialist state. I then recalled Paul Krugman's recent editorial in the New York Times, "Nobody Understands Debt." Fellow writer

Michele Bachmann: Look Up Nutty as a Fruit Cake in the Dictionary and ...

2012-01-02T21:05:00.013-06:00

Hasn't she exceeded her 15 minutes of fame yet?Yes, I laughed when I heard about Questlove's stunt—playing the lying a** bitch song for Bachmann's entrance on the Jimmy Fallon show—but that doesn't mean I approved. Laughter can be involuntary in certain circumstances. Nonetheless, why should I shed a tear for Bachmann and blast Questlove? If you look up nutty as a fruitcake in the dictionary, you

Happy New Year: Not a Resolution, But A Prayer

2012-01-02T20:49:00.003-06:00

"Don't Let Me Be Understood" by Nina SimoneA little Nina Simone for the new year, 2012. I cannot resolve that we shall overcome all strife, racism, and injustice because no one person can resolve for the whole, but I can pray that we shall overcome.

NFL Star's Wife Dies of Lung Cancer One Month After Wedding

2011-12-29T20:06:00.018-06:00

This story reminds me of Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw's movie, Love Story, but this story is true and the people are African-American.I discovered this true love story through a friend who shared it on Facebook via Clutch Magazine. LaKeasha Monique Rutledge-Draft and NFL free agent Chris Draft, the couple in a very moving weding video, were married on November 27, 2011, and one month later,

Fog, Marsh Fire Smoke Possible Causes of I-10 Accident in New Orleans

2011-12-29T16:04:00.005-06:00

When a car accident in your city makes national news, you know it had to be horrific. WWL-TV, other local stations, and CNN reported on the I-10 accident that happened early this morning near the Michoud exit of I-10 in New Orleans East. At least 40 vehicles, including 18-wheeler trucks, collided; two people were killed and 59 injured, say sources. The pictures look like an invisible fist reached

Congrats to Drew Brees and WOW! to Jerome Simpson

2011-12-27T00:37:00.004-06:00

First, congratulations to Drew Brees who broke Dan Marino's record of 5084 passing yards in a season yesterday during a game in which the New Orleans Saints clobbered the Atlanta Falcons. As I said on Twitter, "That record couldn't have been broken by a finer person."Second, WOW! to Jerome Simpson of the Cincinatti Bengals. I saw a clip on ESPN last night that blew me away. He flipped over an

Feels Like Deja Vu: Another Santa Claus Massacre

2011-12-26T18:05:00.008-06:00

The Associated Press and other news sources report that the pleasant memories of Christmas 2012 have been marred for residents of Grapevine, Texas. For the first time in more than 18 months, someone committed murder in the small town. A man dressed in a Santa suit shot to death six people ages 18 to 60 on Christmas morning while the family opened presents, and then the gunman killed himself,

Prince's 'Da, Da, Da' from 1996 Remains Relevant

2011-12-26T14:42:00.005-06:00

Prince released "Da, Da, Da," featuring a rap by Scrap D, in 1996.The song is on his Emancipation CD, which he recorded after his Warner Bros. contract expired. Listening to this song before Christmas 2011, I was struck by how its lyrics remain relevant today, so I created a little video. You can watch it by clicking this link or the Prince picture above. The video should start automatically. If

Merry Christmas! Afro-Blue and Committed Sing "O-o-h Child'

2011-12-24T14:58:00.002-06:00

Here is a clip from NBC's A Sing-Off Christmas featuring Committed and Howard University's a cappella group Afro-Blue. It's not a traditional Christmas song, but its lyrics certainly hit the spot this Christmas when so many Americans are struggling financially.

Slavery by Another Name Comes to PBS in 2012

2011-12-24T12:58:00.006-06:00

In 2012, a documentary based on Douglas A. Blackmon's Pulitzer-Prize-winning book, Slavery By Another Name, will premier on PBS. The book documents the systematic re-enslavement of many African-Americans in prisons in the American South from the Civil War to World War II. Blackmon, a white journalist, calls this form of slavery "neoslavery" and says that slavery technically did not end until 1942

What Do People Wear to the Zulu Ball in New Orleans?

2011-12-20T21:09:00.016-06:00

What do people wear to the Zulu Ball in New Orleans? That is a common question that I see coming through my traffic tracker as we near the Mardi Gras season, and so, I edited some video I had of the Zulu Ball 2011 to scenes that would let people get an idea of how some of the participants dress. The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club also known as the Zulu Krewe requires formal attire for the

Prince Performs on the Oprah Show, 1996, Before and After His Interview, and Talks About Emancipation

2011-12-19T18:59:00.005-06:00

Here is video of Oprah's interview with Prince in 1996 when he released "Emancipation" after he was completely free of his Warner Bros. contract. This is vintage Prince. The man is ever evolving. (See more recent interview on Lopez Tonight)1996: Sleep Around, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Do... by PrincelicousI'd say watch it while you can because I doubt Oprah gave permission for this video to be

R. Kelly ... Again? The Dartmouth Aires Cracked Me Up

2011-12-19T12:56:00.010-06:00

I did not intend to mention the Dartmouth Aires again, but as I said in my post about NBC's The Sing-Off finale, I'm catching up with what I missed via OnDemand. Anyway, the Aires's performance of R. Kelley's "Ignition Remix" on Episode 9 had me howling with laughter. As judge Shawn Stockman said, "there were so many uncomfortable moments ..." in the performance, and yet it was fun. Ben Folds

'Natural Woman,' 'Born to Run,' and Ben Folds's 'Not the Same' Performed on The Sing-Off Finale

2011-12-19T12:19:00.004-06:00

I am on break and catching up via OnDemand TV the shows that I like but missed during the semester. I enjoyed this performance on NBC's finale of The Sing-Off: Ben Folds singing his song "Not the Same" with the Dartmouth Aires and the audience. (I need to contemplate that song's meaning.) Although Michael Odokara-Okigbo of the Aires did not show his chops during "Not the Same," I expect to see

Obama, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dylan Ratigan's Rant?

2011-12-09T11:33:00.005-06:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economyBear with me here, readers. Consider Ratigan's rant and the advice that he gave to President Barack Obama during an August show, and then consider Obama's December 6th "Teddy Roosevelt speech."I haven't had much time to watch TV this semester or pay attention to politics. I avoid politics in particular lately because I don't

I Missed Prince on Lopez Tonight, But ...

2011-12-08T13:58:00.004-06:00

I would not have missed this Prince appearance and interview in April if I watched Lopez Tonight. *Sigh.* But thank, God, for the Internet. Lopez and Prince talk about not swearing--replacing cuss words with the word artichoke. They also discuss Prince's low-cost concert tickets, auctioning off one of Prince's guitars, his being a vegetarian (Is that why he looks so good?), and his fashion sense,

Hungary's Popular "Negro" Candy Raises Eyebrows

2011-12-03T12:44:00.010-06:00

When I took my family out to breakfast Saturday morning, my son, who should not have been surfing the Net during family time, chuckled loudly while looking at something on his Droid phone. He then showed me the picture of a black man holding up and looking at a bag of Negro, some kind of snack food. I laughed pretty hard, and my daughter laughed as well.The bag clearly had foreign words on it,

Black Friday Mayhem: America's Running of the Bulls

2011-11-27T12:18:00.005-06:00

I found the video I've posted above at Mashable; it shows a woman being nearly crushed to death as shoppers go wild, knocking down displays and each other at a Wal-Mart in Mesquite, Tex. Similar reports of Black Friday mayhem appeared on CNN's website yesterday, one about a grandfather and a "bloody arrest" at Wal-Mart, and another about a woman pepper spraying people at where? You guessed it!

Downloading Dad: The Search for Places of Origin Continues

2011-11-20T12:31:00.009-06:00

When my father, age 91, told me a few weeks ago that a woman, born Augustine Lemieux Stevens (a.k.a. Gussie), had died, I shuddered for moment in a spasm of grief. I grieved not because I knew Ms. Gussie but because I did not know her. Born on September 13, 1911 in Vacherie, Louisiana, of St. James Parish, she lived near him when he was a child growing up in that rural town. Vacherie sits on

Oprah's Favorite Things 2011 Gift Guide's Been Published

2011-11-14T14:04:00.012-06:00

The list of Oprah's Favorite Things, 2011, is posted on her website now. The list is worth a look, but nothing--certainly not a printed list with still shots--can top the video of people falling over themselves, screaming, and crying on her Ultimate Favorite Things show last year. I did, however, think I may order the Seeds of Life Baby Magnolia Tree you see pictured here. New Orleans could use

Is Sharon Bialek Credible? Herman Cain's Up to Four Women Accusing Him of Sexual Harassment

2011-11-07T15:45:00.011-06:00

Per CNN and other news sources, another woman has come forward saying that Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain sexually harassed her. In the video below, Sharon Bialek, an attractive blonde who lives in Chicago, describes an after-dinner encounter with Cain in 1997 in which the candidate, who was head of the National Restaurant Association at the time, groped her: Cain unexpectedly put

Woman Who Posted Video of Her Father, a Judge, Beating Her, Appears on Today Show with Her Mother

2011-11-03T11:57:00.010-05:00

Hillary Adams, 23, the daughter of Judge William Adams of Rockport, Texas, Aransas County, appeared on the Today Show this morning to talk about the disturbing video she posted on YouTube that shows her father and mother beating her in 2004. She was 16 years old at the time of the beating and that wasn't the only one, she says. The video sparked anger and outrage on the Internet. It is difficult

Shakespeare Scholars in the House, Speak Up!

2011-10-27T15:47:00.004-05:00

Here are 10 Reasons from Roland Emmerich that explain why he would make a movie that questions whether the man history claims to have been William Shakespeare was actually the bard we know and love. The movie, Anonymous, opens this Friday.

Idris Elba Draws Eyes for SmartWater

2011-10-24T18:48:00.005-05:00

The advertising brains behind the latest SmartWater bottled water campaign selected the sizzling Black Brit Idris Elba to be the product's new spokesman. That choice may be the best visible proof that the SmartWater people are indeed smart. Elba definitely drew my eyes to the SmartWater ad when I visited TheRoot.com today. The company is sponsoring The Root's Luxe List.

The Incredible Case of the P.I. Moms from This American Life

2011-10-20T21:03:00.002-05:00

With this podcast from Ira Glass and company at the public radio show This American Life, I'm simply sharing something I enjoyed. A great listen, including the music from Oceans 12. The show's teaser says:What do you get when you take a P.I. firm, then add in a bunch of sexy soccer moms, official sponsorship from Glock, a lying boss, and delusions of grandeur?Life as fiction.

Ay! What a week!

2011-10-14T20:55:00.007-05:00

My eyes ached. I thought for a moment I had crashed and burned. Aging, damn it, was getting the best of me, and I was waking some days with that blue moon in my eye, but I made it through. Sorry for speaking in code, people, but I've learned discretion can save a body trouble.Time to go back to the gym, too. Missing so many sessions kicked me into the stress pool.Playing Alabma 3's "Woke Up This

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T22:41:00.007-05:00

When I first heard four hours ago that Steve Jobs died today, I couldn't take in the information. And I still can't take it in even though I knew about his battle against pancreatic cancer and his liver transplant. I figured when he resigned from Apple in August that his health was an issue. So, I'll just place a few links here.Steve Jobs's Stanford speechMy Neighbor, Steve JobsGoodnight, Steve

Brian Bradley Raps "Stop Looking at My Mom!" (X Factor Videos)

2011-09-30T15:07:00.010-05:00

O.K. This is the kid, Brian Bradley, who was on The X Factor USA Thursday night rapping his song "Stop Looking at My Mom!" or to be more accurate "my momz." Apparently he had an "official video" already on YouTube with more than 80,000 hits. It was posted in October 2010 and it's cute, showing other kids protecting their moms from lusting eyes. You can buy the mp3 at Amazon.com.The video below is

Will Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid Perform on X Factor USA?

2011-09-25T16:40:00.007-05:00

It seems that on Australia's X Factor show, the judges perform the way the judges perform on NBC's The Voice in America. But that's not likely to happen on America's version of The X Factor given that the show's judges here includes two men who are more producers than performers, Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid. I will be shocked if we get to see all four judges (if any) perform here in the states,

Stuck in a Blackbird's Grove (Poem and Video)

2011-09-25T01:24:00.003-05:00

Here is a poem that I wrote in 2006, but I decided to record and translate it to video over this weekend. It uses royalty free music from Incompetech.com. The piece playing behind the spoken word vocal is Acralate, a selection with African influences."Stuck in a Blackbird's Groove" is a blues poem about one level of unrequited love.

Change Your Fat to Make You Thin?

2011-09-22T10:56:00.007-05:00

I'm on Oprah's mailing list. There. I've confessed. I keep an eye on Oprah. Anyway, today, the subject line of one of her emails intrigued me: "Fat that makes you thin." So, I opened it. I think I was hoping to discover some new oil that tasted like butter but worked in the body like fiber. I can dream, can't I? Instead, at Oprah.com, I found this tidbit:Fat to Make You ThinAfter Johns Hopkins

Troy Davis: Clemency Denied, Death Tomorrow, Report Sources (Video)

2011-09-20T13:54:00.010-05:00

I first wrote about the Troy Davis case in 2009 when the "I Am Troy Davis" campaign was relatively young. Unfortunately for Troy, his family, and his supporters, America is hearing his name today because, as CNN reports, he has been denied clemency. The decision of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole means that Troy will be executed tomorrow.Davis was convicted of the 1989 killing of Savannah

Planking in Motion - New Orleans (Video)

2011-09-13T22:40:00.002-05:00

This video, "Planking in Motion - New Orleans," had me laughing out loud. I think it may be funnier to me because I live here and the people's reactions and characters caught on film feel so familiar.

What Do We Gain by Remembering Events like the 9/11 Attack, Hurricane Katrina, and Other Tragedies?

2011-09-11T11:23:00.009-05:00

As I said on Twitter yesterday, "I was in New Jersey when [the] towers came down. I've written about it before. I don't know if I want to again just b/c of [this] 10 year anniversary." I grappled with whether or not to write anything about September 11 a decade later because it took me until 2004, a whole three years after September 11, 2001, to write anything at all about what I felt on that

Slavery the Game Revisited: It's Promoting a Dutch 'Documentary' Series

2011-09-09T14:51:00.005-05:00

I've already written about Slavery: The Game here at this blog, and I updated and posted on the topic at BlogHer.com as well. Now there's a twist that leads us to the promotional video's creators.After contemplating speculation that the game was a hoax, possible protest, or some kind of publicity stunt, I have learned that the video on YouTube and the associated website are part of a promotion

Reflecting on News of the 'Black Power Mixtape' (Documentary Video)

2011-09-05T09:56:00.008-05:00

The video embedded in this post is from Democracy NOW! and is about a documentary co-produced by actor Danny Glover. As described on its YouTube page:(the documentary and the clip feature "rare archival footage of Angela Davis, Huey P. Newton, Stokely. The Democracy NOW! episode and was) broadcast from Park City, Utah, home of the Sundance Film Festival, the nation's largest festival for

Poem: The Reflection in Our New Backyard Pond (Hurricanes)

2011-09-03T15:35:00.007-05:00

The Reflection in Our New Backyard Pond By Nordette N. Adams 'Twas the season of hurricanes, when all through the land, creatures called "Whodats" scurried and ran to Home Depot, to Lowe's, to Sam's and to Rouses for candles and canned goods and fixin's for houses. They tuned in TVs to local news stations, dreading the word, "evacuation." They counted their children and grandparents, too, and

What Fresh Hell is This: Slavery: The Game? (Video) Survey says, "It's a hoax!" Or An Ugly Marketing Pitch

2011-09-03T11:22:00.017-05:00

The following piece has been cross-posted and also updated at BlogHer.com.I am puzzled today and a tad distraught. Through a friend's Facebook post, I learned of a website for a supposed video game that may be real but is more than likely, ostensibly, bogus. It's called "Slavery the Game." While its website requires that you enter an age to verify you're old enough to see the horror behind the

City of New Orleans Posts List of Flood-Prone City Streets

2011-09-02T23:11:00.005-05:00

Tropical Storm Lee is in the Gulf trying to start some mess. It's expected to dump possibly more than 15 inches of rain on Southeastern Louisiana and some parishes are are under voluntary evacuation. In the midst of our varying states of emergency, city officials have posted this list of flood-prone areas and streets in New Orleans. Very helpful. H/T to a Facebook friend who posted the list and

Anderson Cooper Puts J.C. Penney on The RidicuList

2011-09-02T10:06:00.004-05:00

Yes, I, too, heard about J.C. Penney's sale of the disturbing T-shirt for little girls with the slogan, "I'm too pretty to do homework, so my brother has to do it for me." At BlogHer.com, Shannon L.C. Cate wrote about the controversy expressing the same concern that women and some men all over the Internet voiced as soon as news of the T-shirt broke. The department store has since pulled the

Beyonce's Baby Bump Performance: Look at the Joy! (Video)

2011-08-31T16:49:00.004-05:00

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Beyoncé I've been so busy that I haven't had time to keep up with what's been happening around me and afar, except for the marsh fire in New Orleans, but I did hear all the Twitterverse and blogosphere buzz over Beyonce's baby bump at the VMA awards Sunday night. When I got a moment to breathe, I tracked down video of her performing "Love On Top." Yes, in the video,

Look for Old Spice Guy, Isaiah Mustafa, On Charlie's Angels

2011-08-25T11:53:00.004-05:00

News sources report that Isaiah Mustafa of Old Spice's "the man your man could smell like" campaign has landed himself a recurring role on Charlie's Angels, ABC's remake of its old hit show. Heaven knows that I've talked about Mustafa enough and to him at times on Twitter and so have my friends. I've even talked about Brigham University library's spoof of the Old Spice ad, and so I thought I

Steve Jobs Resigns. Here's His "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" Speech to Stanford Graduates in 2005 (Video)

2011-08-25T10:47:00.009-05:00

Following Learn Out Loud's lead, I think today is a good day to post Steve Jobs's 2005 commencement address to Standford University graduates, sometimes called the "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish" speech. Stanford also posted the transcript here. As has been reported all over the Net, Jobs, who is an Apple co-founder and the company's CEO, has been battling pancreatic cancer and yesterday he

R.I.P. Nick Ashford of Ashford and Simpson

2011-08-23T13:29:00.005-05:00

Watching the romance, the successful marriage of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson known as Ashford and Simpson, gave me as much joy as listening to their music over the years. I've posted this interview and profile with the pair before (when Saturday Night Live spoofed Barack and Michelle Obama with "Solid"), but with the death of Nick Ashford, 70, from throat cancer, I felt I should post it

A Brand New Day

2011-08-21T14:36:00.004-05:00

I will be moving this blog away from discussions of politics and race toward something less controversial, mythology perhaps. Something less personal, too, but what I do not know because existence is personal, is it not? Suddenly I am aware of the many reasons a woman should confine her own freedom of speech to the abstract or less threatening and yet even that decision is political. How will I

TNT's Memphis Beat Borrows from Fox's House

2011-08-16T23:00:00.002-05:00

Tonight on TNT's Memphis Beat, the show ended with the male characters singing Midnight Train to Georgia--Gladys Knight & The Pips arrangement--in a bar. I thought it seemed mighty familiar. And it was. On Fox's medical drama, House, Dr. Gregory House and two of his male colleagues performed the song one night.

What's With Negative Critiques of The Help, Movie and Book?

2011-08-12T17:19:00.011-05:00

I have read multiple posts and essays that express thoughts on The Help that are similar to mine, critiques of both the novel by Kathryn Stockett and the new movie from Dreamworks based on the book. The deeper objections have little to do with whether Stockett is a good writer or her use of dialect for the black maids in the novel. Here is a list of some of the articles/essays I've read that

Hate Crime in Mississippi: White Teens Run Over Black Man (Video)

2011-08-08T13:04:00.007-05:00

The video above is disturbing. The ringleader expresses no remorse. The white teens involved drove to a predominantly black section of Jackson, Mississippi, in search of a black person to hurt. From CNN:James Craig Anderson, 49, was run over and killed on June 26. Authorities say a group of white teens targeted Anderson because he was black. The suspected ringleader, Deryl Dedmon, Jr., 18, has

Wall Street Trader: Corporate America Has Never Been in Better Shape

2011-08-04T18:48:00.004-05:00

Despite the Dow plunging more than 500 points today, Wall Street trader Ted Weisberg says in this interview with CNN that corporate America has never been in better shape. In addition, CNN's Ali Velshi calls today's trading behavior "irrational." Other news reports on today's big dip:Stocks, Oil Plunge As Central Banks Battle Gloomy Economic OutlookStocks Tumble as Fears BuildFear makes people

Happy Birthday, Mr. President! Obama Turns 50

2011-08-04T10:15:00.005-05:00

Today is President Barack Obama's birthday. He is now 50 years old, and as pointed out at HuffPo, he's still the youngest candidate for president in 2012. HuffPo has posted a slide show of pictures of Obama from a child onward.I'm posting my link to memories of the good times, such as when he was first elected and there was more talk of him being "cool" than of him being a man of compromise.

Leslie Esdaile Banks, Vampire Huntress Author, Has Died

2011-08-02T12:08:00.012-05:00

I am saddened to report that author Leslie Esdaile Banks has passed away. You may recognize her under the name L. A. Banks. I learned of this news through Tananarive Due's Facebook page, but I have confirmed it through other sources. Ms. Banks wrote the The Vampire Huntress Legend series, and I first discussed her fiction in a piece called "The Indisputably Black Vampires of Jewelle Gomez, L.A.

Economics: John Maynard Keynes vs. Friedrich von Hayek

2011-07-28T15:45:00.007-05:00

I heard about this video a while back, an education on the two economic theories that influence political decisions, that is John Maynard Keynes vs. Friedrich von Hayek theories. Adherence to one or the other falls along party lines: Democrats tend to be pro-Keynes, who theorized that too much saving makes for a stagnant economy and if the economy stalls, the government may have to intervene to

National Dance Day 2011 in New Orleans

2011-07-26T22:43:00.002-05:00

So far the only event I've seen for New Orleans for National Dance Day 2011 is this one, which was posted at NOCCA's (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) website. July 5, 2011 – To celebrate the 2nd Annual National Dance Day (July 30), Chard Gonzalez Dance Theatre is offering a free Zumba class at NOCCA. Launched by Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer and judge of “So You Think You Can Dance”,

Norway's Alleged Bomber and Shooter Reminds Me of Blue Eyes in Newark and Neil Simon's Line

2011-07-23T08:24:00.009-05:00

The bombing and shootings in Norway made me remember an experience I had in 2003 when I worked at an airport kiosk and encountered a Norwegian man taking pictures of workers loading a passenger plane. I wrote about the incident at my old blog, Confessions of a Jersey Goddess, in 2007. Here's my recollection as written then:... I worked for a while at Newark International Airport and noticed a

Budget Fight Is Really About GOP Privatization Ideology

2011-07-22T22:07:00.010-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economyWhat I'm about to say may sound like conspiracy theory talk, but it's not. In fact, to many people who study politics, nothing that I'm about to say will be news. But to most of the people who have been obsessing about the Debt Ceiling and deficit debates, the following may sound like crazy talk. I'm referring to the

The Social Media Diet

2011-07-21T08:31:00.003-05:00

As I work at putting my life in order, which means doing the things I've always said I would do before my time runs out on this planet, I realize that I'm spending less time online. That's a good thing, but it's also a strange thing given how much time I've put into the Internet since 2002 and even earlier. I should probably elaborate, but I've got someplace to go right now and later it's

That's Life with Alexander and Sasha: SYTYCD

2011-07-15T13:14:00.006-05:00

Here are Sasha and Alexander dancing to Aretha Franklin's "That's Life" during the Top 12 episode of So You Think You Can Dance on Fox. I agreed with the judges on their performance. Beautiful. Sasha nailed it and Alexander was fantastic. So, I was surprised to see the pair in the bottom three. Unfortunately Alexander was voted off during results Thursday night and so was Ryan, who the judges

Becker Pulls a Bobbitt: Cuts Off Husband's Penis (Video)

2011-07-13T13:38:00.023-05:00

I was married and in my early 30s when Lorena Bobbitt, age 24, cut off her husband John Wayne Bobbitt's penis in Virginia. What level of rage does it take to do that to a man? Today I learned another woman has done it again, Catherine Kieu Becker, 48, of Southern, California. CBS News reports that she "drugged her estranged husband, tied him to a bed, cut off his penis and put it through a

A Brand New Camaro for $5.28?

2011-07-13T10:25:00.003-05:00

It used to be that if it sounds too good to be true, then it's probably not true, but today the story opens:If it sounds too good to be true, welcome to the world of penny auctions. It isn't a scam, people actually win, but there are things you should know before you jump in." ... Jonathan Mason from Frankenmuth is the proud owner of a brand new $35K Chevrolet Camaro, and you're not going to

Walter Mosley on Making America Great

2011-07-10T11:21:00.006-05:00

I stumbled across this Booknotes TV interview with novelist Walter Mosley. It's fascinating. He's fascinating far beyond his novels. He talks about everything from the birth of Easy Rollins, to his growing up in Watts with an African-American father and Jewish mother, to his vision for making America better. The man is a deep thinker who considers how we can improve the world, which is how he

J. K. Rowling's Book Map is Cool

2011-07-10T00:19:00.004-05:00

I just finished listening a Writer's Digest on-demand workshop with Cheryl Klein of the Arthur A. Levine imprint at Scholastic Books. She shared a great deal of wisdom, and I was happy to hear her say that while writers are told "show don't tell," the truth is you need both. The workshop was on plot structure, and she's also a believer in the book map. Klein was also the continuity editor for the

Torchwood Miracle Day Gets Thumbs Up: Starts Tonight

2011-07-08T09:02:00.003-05:00

Last night I went to an advance screening of Starz new Torchwood series, Mircale Day, at the AMC Elmwood theater in Harahan, Louisiana. The show's premise intrigued me the first day I saw the trailer on Starz, and with the exception of having to squint due to what seemed to be a bad print that was too dark for viewing, I really enjoyed the first episode. I will watch it again when premieres on TV

National Dance Day 2011 Dance Routines

2011-07-07T22:02:00.007-05:00

National Dance Day is July 30, 2011. As usual, it is promoted by Fox Network's So You Thank You Can Dance and the Dizzy Feet Foundation. The Larry King Cardiac Foundation is also a sponsor. From the show's website:NATIONAL DANCE DAY (is) a grassroots initiative that encourages the nation, young and old, to move! Individuals, families, organizations and communities from across the nation come

Computer-Generated Stars: Yeats, The Center Unravels Still

2011-07-06T12:53:00.002-05:00

So, Japan has digitized commercial spokespeople and holographic rock stars.CreationBy Nordette N. AdamsThe new world comes at us fast:Unhuman creatures, made to last.Pretty zombies of our minds—not of flesh, born of time—will count our days and nightsas we inject nanobots to spiteour blood. Desperate, we fight Deathor God to overcome the soiled breathwe have called life. Dust mocks us to the

Sexy America: Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T14:37:00.003-05:00

Where is he now!I can't remember this model's name. It started with a T. I keep thinking, Thunder. I don't know why.

Feel Good Video: World Flash Mob from Eurovision Song Contest 2010

2011-07-01T09:41:00.003-05:00

After reading the depressing New York Times article this morning about recent developments in the DSK rape case, I was glad I found this video. It's called the "world's largest flash mob dance video" produced by Eurovision Song Contest 2010, and I really needed to see something to make me feel better about humanity, at least a way to look at the brighter side of the species.However, I don't think

Stevie Nicks and Javier Colon Sing Landslide: The Voice

2011-06-30T10:14:00.005-05:00

The video above features Stevie Nicks singing her classic "Landslide" with a contestant during the finale of NBC's The Voice. I watched the show, and liked all the finalists. While I thought Dia Frampton, the runner up, had a more unique voice, I thought Javier Colon, the winner, had better pitch. He also consistently performed well and had a better back story--family and kids, artistic struggle,

Hilarious Real Husbands of Hollywood Spoof of Real Housewives: Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon, Nelly, and Bobby Brown, Parts 1 & 2

2011-06-27T11:51:00.009-05:00

I LMAO at Kevin Hart, Bobby Brown, Nick Cannon, and Nelly's BET Awards '11: Real Husbands of Hollywood. I have parts one and two here. Watch more at BET.

Tribute to Patti Labelle at BET Awards 2011 Went Well

2011-06-27T11:45:00.006-05:00

Patti Labelle tribute at BET Awards 2011 with Marsha Ambrosius, Cee Lo, and Shirley Ceasar. Patti herself performs at the end. I enjoyed watching the show with my aunt and cousins last night, three generations in one place with a difference of opinion about what is good music. The younger ones were more

Be Careful What You Say to Census Workers

2011-06-24T17:41:00.006-05:00

I'm joking. I don't think today's census workers would ever write down what this census work did in 1880. Check what's listed as Joseph Jean Baptiste's occupation.Also notice how neat the handwriting is on the snippet of the screenshot from the original document. I doubt this guy was walking and writing at the same time. Mr. Jean Baptiste was most likely a farm worker living on the Laura

Worst Summer Vacation: Fallon's Twitter Hashtag

2011-06-24T00:19:00.004-05:00

This is how my summer's going. I'm spending more time in my brick and mortar life, and so I'm not online as much. That's how I ended up watching Twitter on television instead of Twitter itself. But Jimmy Fallon's delivery of tweets under his #worstsummervacation hashtag made me laugh just the same. Big media and entertainment is really leveraging the social media thing, huh?

Broward County, Florida: Judge Shows Compassion to Mother Who Left Children in Hot Car while She Sold Her Blood

2011-06-22T01:58:00.004-05:00

In the clip, Broward County, Florida, Judge John Hurley gets "a little choked up" when reviewing the case of a poor woman arrested for leaving her children in a hot car. MSNBC posted:Angel Smith, 41, (left her two children) in a hot car for two hours while she gave blood to earn money to feed them, the Sun-Sentinel reported.She was paid around $30 for giving blood, but when she left the center,

Did Falling Skies Skitters Escape from Super 8 Movie?

2011-06-20T15:06:00.008-05:00

I watched the premiere of the new TNT series Falling Skies last night and enjoyed it. The characters drive the storyline more than its aliens and special effects, and that's always a good thing. So far, thumbs up! (Visit the microsite.)Nevertheless, I could not help but notice the Super 8 clone running around in Falling Skies. "Skitters," as the TNT series characters call one class of aliens in

Dinner with President Obama: You Too Can Win!

2011-06-15T14:12:00.014-05:00

The President of the United States of America is holding a raffle. I received in my email today a fundraiser promotion from President Barack Obama's re-election campaign offering me and everyone else a chance to win dinner with the the President of the United States. Of course, it didn't say it that crassly, but still it's a chance for me (or you)--an ordinary citizen--to win dinner with the most

Weak Impulse Control Hurts More if You're Poor?

2011-06-14T15:09:00.006-05:00

Some people will read this article at The New Republic, "Why Can’t More Poor People Escape Poverty?," and without going very far into have a knee-jerk reaction and reject its information because the article can be misread to say that all poor people lack impulse control. That's not what it's saying, but I know that's what that I thought until I realized I was wrong.What the article is saying is

The Slippery Slope of All Bloggers are Journalists

2011-06-12T16:33:00.008-05:00

The court was right. Shellee Hale, a blogger, was out of her lane. She made her inflammatory statement against Too Much Media, LLC, a New Jersey software company, on a message board at Oprano.com, a website for the porn industry and accused TMM of "violat[ing] state laws protecting consumers against identity theft." Unfortunately for her, a New Jersey court ruled against her claim that as a

White Mother Pissed: Black People Keep Secrets

2011-06-08T11:41:00.008-05:00

The white mother in this video is funny. Her complaint is that black people have been inadvertently hiding their skin care secrets from whites, and she wants that to stop. Furthermore, she wonders how many other secrets black people are keeping from whites that could help them. The video description reads in all caps:BLACK PEOPLE TELL US YOUR OTHER SECRETS! LIKE HOW THE HELL ARE YOU 95 YRSOLD AND

On John Blake's "Actually, that's not in the Bible" Article

2011-06-08T10:57:00.009-05:00

I just read a provocative article by John Blake at CNN.com, "Actually, that's not in the Bible," and I left a comment, but with 6,200 comments and rising, I doubt he or anyone else will read my thoughts there. (The article's been shared on Facebook nearly 46,000 times already) So, here is what I said:I agree with this article, but have two considerations. I think the saying "This too shall pass"

Psychology Today Ousts Satoshi Kanazawa: Color of Change

2011-06-07T09:08:00.005-05:00

It pleases me to announce that ColorofChange.org launched a campaign aimed at Psychology Today against Satashi Kanazawa and the magazine has dropped the evolutionary psychologist as a contributor. Psychology Today is "taking the necessary steps to prevent an incident like this from ever happening again," says the advocacy group. According to an e-mail sent to ColorOfChange.org – the nation’s

Decoding High School: Why Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

2011-06-02T18:57:00.010-05:00

I saw this segment yesterday on CNN with Alexandra Robbins, author of the new book Why Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth. I used to say regularly to children who complained about not fitting in at school, "Geeks rule the world," and sometimes I'd end up in a debate about the difference between geeks and nerds. If you check Amazon, you'll discover a lot of books have the word "geeks" in the title, but

CNN's Casualties Map, Memoria Day 2011

2011-05-30T17:08:00.003-05:00

Today is Memorial Day, and as I did last year, I remind readers again that CNN has a resource that helps us reflect on the number of soldiers' lives lost in Iraq and Afghanistan, its casualties map. You can move your cursor over the spots on its map of the United States to read the names of soldiers who have died from those areas.

R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011): Poet Passes at Age 62

2011-05-28T10:20:00.016-05:00

You know that the spoken word poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron left its mark on America because the title's become a commonplace. For instance, I heard a television reporter making reference to the poem during the so-called "Arab Spring" protests of this year as a point of commentary. He said, "Apparently the revolution will be televised." The title of Gil

SYTYCD "Addiction" by Mia Michaels Danced to "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles

2011-05-27T14:02:00.005-05:00

Set to Sara Bareilles "Gravity," Kayla Radomski and Kupono Aweau perform a So You Think You Can Dance Season 5 contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels, who envisioned it as a story of a woman's addiction to drugs. I thought the routine was stunning and moving then and I still think it's stunning and moving. Sadly, sometimes romantic relationships with people run this course as

Good-Bye Oprah Show: Maybe I Won't Have to Hear Black Men Complain About Oprah So Much Anymore

2011-05-25T10:12:00.015-05:00

I added this video of the 300 Morehouse men, Oprah crying, and interview with Morehouse president on May 26. Dr. Franklin says that Oprah believes it's cheaper to educate than incarcerate and that since the airing of the Morehouse graduates paying tribute to Oprah and people learning that these men are paying their scholarships forward, donations have poured in.I confess that I have watched all

Obama Surprises Memphis High School Graduates

2011-05-24T18:08:00.004-05:00

My aunt in Memphis told me about President Barack Obama surprising students at Booker T. Washington in Memphis, Tenn., on May 16, She said it made her cry. CNN posted a longer video of his surprise visit on YouTube. Obama later spoke at their graduation.

Why Did We Open the Morganza Spillway?

2011-05-19T15:24:00.010-05:00

I know people who live in Terrebonne Parish and near the Atchafalaya Basin. Naturally some of them are suspicious about the reasons behind the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) decision to open the Morganza Spillway because its opening will result in flooding an area that includes approximately 25,000 people in south-central Louisiana. This event is rightfully described as a modern-day

River Watch: Snakes Not Greatest Flood Threat, Says Lutz

2011-05-16T15:14:00.006-05:00

New Orleans-located infectious disease expert Dr. Brobson Lutz says in the video above that people going to watch the rising Mississippi River along the area's levees should be more concerned about the viruses they could catch from mosquito bites than about encountering a snake. He said that whenever flooding makes the news, you can count on someone to air video with a snake swimming in the flood

Video: Poetry Celebration at the White House

2011-05-15T09:57:00.006-05:00

Here's video of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama's Wednesday, May 11, evening event of Poets at the White House. The president started the evening saying, "The power of poetry is that everybody experiences it differently. There are no rules for what makes a great poem. Understanding it isn’t just about metaphor or meter. Instead, a great poem is one that resonates with us,