You Want to Do What?

What makes white women think that because we are both women, that they can put their hands on me or ask me questions like a sister as in sibling, not sistah?

I had this peroxided, limp, shoulder length hair, roots showing white girl come up to me and reach toward my head. She wanted to rub my head, because as she said, it looks so soft.

She didn't ask, she just reached. I nearly broke her arm. I slapped away her hand. I didn't know where her hands had been. I barely knew her. We were acquaintances, meaning we had exchanged useless chit chat in the recent past. But I've never tried or even wanted to reach out and touch for any reason. She didn't apologize for the intrusion, only melted away perplexed at my reaction.

I know in my cooler, more rational moments that it's a cultural thing, Whites have no concept of personal space. Whereas Blacks have an invisible area around us that you don't step into unless you intend to fight. Pointing your finger into someone's face or at them is another cultural no-no that whites don't understand.

And touching a Black woman's hair.... well that will get you killed..period.

My own hair is basically non existent these days. I'm almost bald by choice....my head is covered with fuzz that I get trimmed every few weeks at the barbershop. I don't go to a beauty parlor cause women stylists aren't trained in hair cutting. I go to a female barber who knows her business..

My head is totally liberated from the need to flip my locks like white girls and some black women with weaves are wont to do. As Indie Airie says, I am not my hair.

I love getting caught in a rain storm with no hat, rain beating on my scalp, pouring down my face. Talk about orgasmic. Whoo! Makes me want to take all my clothes off and just stand there in God's shower with my arms reaching up and out, with a stupid grin on my face like Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption when he escaped prison.

And when I sweat, it beads on my head. I can feel the moisture on my skin rather then watch my hair go limp or frizzy from humidity.

This recent incident brought back another time when a white woman got touch crazy. I was working behind the service desk at Zayre. My hair was Angela Davis long...afro'd and picked and well taken care of and still soft. No hair spray no dandruff, just fierce and proud as we used to say..

White people didn't know what to think back in the day. They kept asking how do you get your hair to stand out like that? The bolder ones, usually women, would ask can I touch it?

Since I was at work at the time and still shedding my good Negro-ness (another story, another time), I let her touch me, but vowed inwardly never to let it happen again. She satisfied her curiosity about the black girl. I felt humiliated and slightly dirty.

So let me tell ya...if you see me and want to rub my head, you better ask somebody first..

Ya feel me?

Random Thoughts on a Bloody Sunday.....

While Dubya's in Crawford...

Iraq pushed from the headlines by the killing in Lebanon. Condi cancels her visit to Beirut after Israel bombs a house in Qana full of women and children. 50 dead and counting.

Israel apologizes...women and children still dead...no resurrection...

Condi flies back to US with her tail tucked between her legs....no cease-fire...no resolution to the conflict...

Lebanese citizens riot, storming and trashing a UN building....

Dubya on vacation...Rumsfeld disappears...Cheney still invisible.... Ashcroft still retired...Gonzales still sucking up to the White House...Congress suffering massive erectile dysfunction....GOP at Sunday services celebrating their Christianity....Democrats mute as always...

When did Jesus join the GOP...

Bush promises Iraq more troops to contain the civil war ravaging Baghdad. Troops scheduled to come home.....can't...their stay extended by executive order....again...

How can people who profess to be pro life justify their support of the war in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza? Or be against stem cell research?

Democracy came to Palestine and we got Hamas....Israel is attempting to root out Hezbollah and gets chaos....America tries to force democracy on Iraq and gets civil war..

An American general admits to the press he has never been trained in 33 years in the military, how to fight insurgents......

We were beaten in Vietnam and chased out of Somalia using the same tactics.....did no one pay attention? Black Hawk down was not just a movie or was it?

Isn't this really a war between America and Iran.........America hiding behind Israel....Iran hiding behind Hezbollah......

The Last Poets were wrong....When the revolution comes we will watch it on TV thanks to CNN, MSNBC and FOX

Bend Over and Pass the Vaseline

The House passed a minimum wage increase yeserday.

But don't get your drawers in a knot. They weren't trying to help poor folks. The GOP doesn't give a damn about poor or middle income people, no matter what color you are.

The GOP pushed thru the first wage hike since 1997 but used it to carry yet another tax cut for America's richest 5-percent, an estate tax cut that will drain the federal coffers of 268-billion dollars over the next decade.

As usual, the GOP is patting itself on the back, jumping up and down and saying look what we did, look what we did! Aren't you happy, now?

The ball-less wonders known as Democrats are crying or I should say whispering foul. The Democrats need to be jumping on desks and tearing down the doors of CNN demanding press time to talk about the situation.

This massive missile of future problems now goes to the Senate for probable approval.


And on another note, like you need more bad news............


A report circulating courtesy of the AP says big oil companies consciously manipulated gas and oil reserves by cutting back on supply in order to boost profitability back in the 90's. The AP, it seems got hold of some internal memos talking about the plan to screw America.

In other words, if something like Katrina hits, then there is not enough supply to cover demand because reserves were lowered.

It's all perfectly legal according to the report. They get richer and we get f***ed again by big business.

Not Salem, But Still a Witch Hunt

Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face....The American military is at it again...throwing gays out of the military.

I guess, just like our ability to harm the sanctity of heterosexual marriage, we must do tremendous damage with our presence and willingness to serve in the military.

After all, since Don't ask, don't tell went into effect in 1993, more than 11,000 troops have been kicked out of the military at a cost of 369-million dollars, according the GAO. That's how much it has cost so far, to train new recruits to take the place of the old ones.

According to the report, more than 800 of those dismissed had critical abilities including more than 300 with important language skills. Of that number 55 speak Arabic.

How can you fight a war against middle eastern terrorists if you can't speak, read or understand their language, their phone calls, their newspapers, their radio, their intercepted communiques? Can you say Iraq?

Decorated Army Sargent Bleu Copas, who joined the military because he wanted to do something about 9/11 was an Arabic language specialist. According to a report from the Associated Press, Copas never told or admitted to anyone that he was gay. He says he was outed by anonymous emails to his superiors. The thinking was that a jealous ex lover did him in.
And since he never copped to his sexuality, D.A.D.T. should never have been invoked in the first place.

Following an eight month investigation, Copas was kicked out of the 82nd Airborne based at Ft Bragg.

He is now pursuing his master's degree at a Tennessee University. He said he plans to appeal.

Appeal for what? Reinstatement?

Why don't we others just let straight white men and the women who love them fight their own wars and see how far they get without us.

Past, present and future.

Another Young Black Man has Died.........

There were three shootings overnight in Cincinnati. A teenager was gunned down during an altercation between several youths at a gas station. Another young man died after being shot in the mouth in Fay Apartments.

It happens every night and all the city can do is put up billboards asking folks who probably can't read cause they dropped out of school, to call a number to get some help.

The Mayor walks around with a bodyguard. A Black activist was recently gunned down outside City Hall after addressing Council one last time.

The republican wannabe governor and native Cincinnatian proudly touts his membership in the NRA while his people die around him and not a word on a plan to stop the killing or to get guns off the streets. He's more interested in making it harder for folks to vote or to keep gays and lesbians from violating the sanctity of his marriage.

Several years ago, I wrote the following words to the people of Cincinnati, published in the local newspaper in June, 2001. The letter came shortly after the April riots. I was more interested in what was being done about the 45 Black men who died between April and June of that year.

I can probably say it better and differently....but why? Nothing's changed since then except that there are more bodies...


"Well, I want to know where the hell is the outrage over the 45 young blacks who have been shot and/or killed in the past month since the April disturbances? No police were involved except as investigators. No white people were involved as perpetrators. All shooters and victims are black.

Why is it that we can so easily voice our outrage when we think we're being victimized by whites or the system, but remain curiously silent when we do it to ourselves, over and over and over again.

There are two things that are killing us outright as a community; black on black violence and AIDS, and we as a community have placed our heads firmly in the sand and have refused to face the problems.

White people are not our problem. Yes, some are racist and yes, some liberals are naive in thinking that throwing money or temporary jobs programs at the problem will make it go away.

Yes, our system, our government is inherently racist having been built by the master race for the master race on the backs of slaves, our ancestors.

But I don't see whites pulling guns and killing us. I don't see white boys standing at the corner of Reading Road and Hutchins selling dope across from the Town Center..........

I don't see white men infecting black women with the HIV/AIDS virus and living a life on the down low because they are afraid to be who they are and admit that they also sleep with men. This is not a sexual issue. For Black women it is a life and death issue....

Black on black violence must stop. Preying on our own community is the ultimate abomination. ..

Drug dealing is not a career move, just a quicker trip to the grave yard. Superfly was a movie, a myth, not reality, once caught up, you're caught up and dead, not caught up and eventually legit.

Our people fought and some died so we could go to the schools of our choice, yet we don't go or make our kids go. My fellow baby boomers, parenting is not a democracy, s/he who pays the bills rules. Bringing a kid into this world and not taking the time to make sure they are educated is a crime.

Sports is not the answer and not all rap is good rap. Just cause Pookie can rhyme don't mean he's the next Ja Rule. Our kids need a plan "B" and that being education just in case they can't be a star.

Malcolm said we must use "any means necessary" to achieve our goals and desires. Well, why don't we try helping ourselves for a change......................"jam 6/2001

Nuff said.

Gum Law: A Sticky Situation

The middle east is in chaos...

Iraq has devolved into civil war...

North Korea, Iran, China and India have the bomb...

America is like an airplane loaded with missiles with Howdy Doody at the controls...

And Europe and Great Britain are worried about Gum Control.

You heard me, I said GUM CONTROL.

According to a report in today’s USA TODAY, cleaning up gum off the sidewalks is costing European taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars a year in clean up expenses.

Ireland has gone so far as to levy a $160 fine for anyone caught abandoning their chewed up little wads on the sidewalk in Dublin. It’s all the work of the Gum Litter Taskforce, who have even erected billboards praising people who toss their gum responsibly.

And, of course there is an American in the woodpile. Chicago-based Wrigley, maker of Juicy Fruit, Doublemint and a host of other brands has been lobbying against a special 6-cent tax that some countries want to impose upon the beleaguered gum chewers.

There are even pro-gum groups like the International Chewing Gum Association which has its headquarters in Belgium.

A spokesman for KEEP BRITAIN TIDY, an anti litter group claims gum removal costs $15 million because it’s a labor and time intensive process.
It apparently is also a problem in the subways, too and you can blame the terrorists for this one. British subways no longer have trash cans, which are often used by terrorists to hide bombs, so consequently, no place to toss the wad. Brits just stick it under the seat or hang it on handy billboard.

Don’t ask me for a solution. This all seems like much ado about nothing. Common sense should prevail in these cases but doesn’t.

Besides I don’t chew gum. Might make my dentures fall out.

Dubya Speaks

See, this is why I think the NAACP should dissolve its organization.

After years of laying dormant instead of continuing to lead the fight for civil rights, the organization begs and pleads for six years to get Dubya to come to the convention and make a speech.

It took him six years to say "yes" I will come to your convention and talk to you. I will grace you with my presence.

Today, the arrogant MF made good on this promise. He showed up, and among other things, he talked about his eagerness to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law.

SIGN IT AGAIN, PEOPLE!

THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS NOT A PERMANENT LAW. IT HAS TO BE RENEWED EVERY 25 YEARS.

And he's proud of that?

The NAACP is proud of that?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is not permanent law because that was the only way Lyndon Johnson could get southern lawmakers to approve the measure. It is set to expire after 25 years. The passage of the Act is the overriding issue as to why the South is the Republican stronghold that it is today. Southerners left the Democratic Party rather than consort with Blacks.

The Voting Rights Act is a living testament to the bigotry and racism that permeates this country.

There was talk of amending it, talk of letting it sunset or expire because we don't need it in this enlightened era. Hell, why not just take it off the table. What about making it permanent law, period.

We shouldn't be having this conversation in the 21st Century. The Voting Rights Act should have been taken off the merry go round years ago. The NAACP should have been very vocal about this years ago.

But no. The NAACP is more concerned about who shows up and speaks at their annual convention. It's see and be seen rather than do and accomplish.

How long do we as Blacks have to put up with this half assed piece of law, this slur, this slap in the face and constant reminder that we are and remain second class citizens?

Making it permanent was the only acceptable thing that Dubya could have said today. But he didn't.

Probably never even crossed his mind. No anyone else's it seems either.

When are we, as a people going to stop listening to what they say and start looking at what they do.

"Colored" is on my birth certificate.....It's not my state of mind or what I am.

NAACP-resign!

That's What I'm Talkin' About!

Apparently, there's life in the old girl yet!

NAACP President Bruce Gordon wants Blacks to let their money do the talking. In his first keynote address, Gordon is asking us not to patronize the stores that refused to answer an NAACP survey.

He stopped short of calling it a boycott. There will be no pickets, no commercials...just word of mouth in the community.

He is going to trust the drums to get the message out or in this case, the internet.

The four stores on the hit list include; Target, Dillards, Kohls, and Sears, surprisingly enough. You would think Sears would know better than to ignore civil rights organizations. But then as someone once said, those who forget history are destined to repeat it.

According to Gordon, it's real simple, we should spend money on corporations who spend money on us, with us and for us, period.
Gordon said:

"We may not have all the power that we want, but we have all the power that we need," Gordon said. "All we have to do is believe it and use it."

I agree....think it, believe it, so be it!

My Bad

Damn!

I just get back in the house after cutting my grass in this MF-ing heat before my neighbors lynch my ass, turn on my computer only to find out that Dubya is trying to make a liar out of me.

This after I wrote yesterday that for the sixth time the NAACP has invited him to speak and since he'd said "no" five times before, I figured he was going to say "no" again.

Well, guess what....He's going to attend....Just cause he wants to, says official mouth Tony Snow. Made the announcement today amidst talk of the skirmish going on in the middle east.

But nothing else has changed. Politics is his only motivation. I don't care how many Latino maids and nannies he hires or how many Hispanics other members of his family marry, or how many times he hugs Condi, he don't have a thing to say to or about Black people or any other minority that won't vote republican.

It is an exercise in futility on his part and on the part of the NAACP. Why do they insist on beating their collective heads against the wall?

Why doesn't the NAACP do something productive like get the vote out for someone who is looking after our collective interests?

The GOP and its left wing otherwise known as the Democratic Party kicked us to the curb a long time ago.

We have only one party in this country now and both wings see no reason to cater to Black folk, especially since we no longer vote and because we are no longer the majority minority.

Saw a bumper sticker today....says Vote the OC in '08....Obama and Clinton...sounds good to me.

Except I hope they form a new party first.
.

Abortions Cause Breast Cancer

At least that is what 20 of 23 federally funded pregnancy resource centers have been telling women.

According to a minority report issued yesterday by the House Government Reform Committee, the abstinence based organizations tell women seeking help with unintended pregnancies that abortions can lead to infertility and increased risk in breast cancer and deep psychological trauma.

This information is in direct contradiction to established medical belief and practice according to the report and backed up by the National Cancer Institute.

The centers investigated by the House subcommittee have received more than 30-million dollars in federal funds since 2001.

The report concluded that the exaggerations;

"may be effective in frightening pregnant teenagers and women and discouraging abortion. But it denies the teenagers and women vital health information, prevents them from making an informed decision, and is not an accepted public health practice."

A spokesperson for one of the alleged clinics dismissed the report stating the allegations were nothing new.

These bogus clinics are being funded by my taxes and yours.

We not only have voodoo economics, but the witch doctors have taken over medical clinics for women.

What Have ya Done for me Lately

So Julian Bond has stood up once again before the members of the NAACP and publicly invited President Bush to come and address the annual convention. For what?

This will make the sixth time that Dubya has been invited and will probably be the sixth time that he will not show up.

I'm not mad at Dubya. This one time he is not being a hypocrite. He knows we don't like him. He can't handle hostile crowds, never has, so he just simply doesn't go into hostile situations. Which makes his visits to Iraq and strolls in the green zone all the more comical.

What ticks me off is why is the NAACP wasting energy asking him in the first place. He is a lame duck president. He has refused to attend in past years. He can't hide behind the facade of compassionate conservatism. He can no longer hide behind General Powell.

And the problem with the rest of the card carrying Black folk in the administration, well they don't have street cred in the first place, so he can't trot them out and make us believe that they care. They don't.

The NAACP keeps asking because it is the one time of the year when they can get some publicity. They want us to know they are still here.

But face it, hasn't the NAACP and the Urban League gone the way of SNCC, CORE, Black Panthers, etc?

Name something the NAACP has done lately for Black folk besides hold a convention.

Has the group taken the lead on the number one killer of Black women (HIV/AIDS).

Have they spoken out on Black on Black crime that is killing our people here, or the genocide that is going on in Africa.

Have they mounted any programs to combat teen pregnancy, or the overwhelming school dropout rate, or the problem of obesity within our community..

Have they come up with ways to break the death cycle of crime and recidivism that ensnare our young men.

Has the NAACP spoken out against homophobia against Black gays and lesbians.


The NAACP needs a name change, an agenda change, and to take a major leap into the 21st Century.

Leave Dubya alone. He doesn't have time to go to the convention, and you already know his answer, anyway. He's too busy trying to dig out of the hole he's dug himself into.

And Now There are Five.....

Earlier this week, I wrote about how some of the hyper-religious are attempting to hasten Armageddon.

They may soon get their wish.

The middle east has gone all the way live. Israel has invaded Lebanon in the north while fighting Hezbollah in Gaza in the south.

Iran is threatening holy war with nukes. North Korea is firing missiles at us.

And we've lost all control in Iraq and Afghanistan, not that we had control in the first place.

I keep hearing that Iraq is a different kind of war, one that we're not good at fighting.

I'm old enough to remember those same comments being made about Vietnam.

Oh, what a world, what a world.

It Ain't Tricklin'

So what am I supposed to do, jump up and down, break out the champagne and celebrate cause the deficit is lower than expected?

Give me a break! It's still a deficit....about 300 BILLION dollars in the red. That's 4000 dollars for every person in the United States of America.

It's also not the real figure. The real amount is hidden by the fact that we still have a surplus in Social Security.

In real figures we are about 468 billion dollars in debt.

But Bush is celebrating. Celebrating what? When he came into office we had a surplus. We had jobs. We had reasonably priced gasoline. We could feed our families.

We were happy.

No war. No thought police. No moral minority running rampage over the majority.

No lies about unemployment-4.6%, like I heard some NeoCon wannabe say last night.

4.6% of white people may be unemployed, but nearly 70% of all Black men are without jobs.

And employed people...when was the last time you got a raise that mattered or kept up with the cost of living?

Earlier this week Dubya signed off on raises for his cronies in the White House but left the people who work in the White House with not even a pat on the head.

Globalization and outsourcing to cheaper labor pools keep wages down in this country while CEOs make 200 times what the average worker makes.

Economics...makes me want to pull out my hair, except that I wear it so short anyway, nobody would notice.

They Done Lost Their Minds Part II...

Normally I save my vitriol for local politicians and national idiots, but I have to take time today to comment on something that I feel is a travesty happening in New York, another one.

LifeBeat, the music industry's arm that focuses on raising money to fight AIDS is having a concert. That's good.

What's bad is that they've actually booked two of the most homophobic assholes on the planet to perform.

Is it just me or has this world gone nuts?

The event is the 6th "Hearts and Voices Concert" series and is sponsored by BET, VIBE Magazine, Music Choice and New York Radio Station Power 105 FM.

Black bloggers all over America have posted the info, you might want to check them out for the full story..

They include:
www.keithboykin.com
www.jasmynecannick.com
www.claycane.com
www.brooklynboyblues.com
www.pamspaulding.com
www.femmenoir.com

to name just a few.

If you want to stop this travesty contact the individuals listed below and let them know how you feel.

John Cannelli- jcannelli@lifebeat.org
Sarah Peters-speter@lifebeat.org
LifeBeat- lifebeat@lifebeat.org

They done Lost their minds...

Has everyone on this planet gone crazy?

What was that in New York yesterday when the building blew up? Well, according to reports, the owner of the building, a doctor, locked in a bitter divorce dispute with his wife, blew the building up in an attempt to kill himself. WHAT?!

What was he doing, trying to shoot himself in the head with a bazooka rocket, missed and ended up torching the place?

The report goes on to state that Dr. Bartha was apparently despondent over the fact that a court had ruled his soon to be ex wife deserved half the building which was worth somewhere around 5-10 million dollars depending on who you're listening to.

He survived, by the way, and nobody else died either. Although I'm sure he scared the shit out of everybody on the upper eastside.

Okay, so he has to sell his building which he bought in 1993 or there abouts. He gives his wife, what, say 5-million dollars, she's gone from his life and he moves on, right? He's free to carouse with all those 20-something blonds, brunettes and redheads looking for a sugar daddy in the big apple.

What's the problem? Why go and disrupt the lives of so many people just to stick it to your wife one last time.

How egomaniacal is that?

The arrogance of this man just boggles my brain.

I mean, I would be happy to have 5-million on either end of that scenario and I would be willing to bet the Doctor is probably worth a lot more than that.

When Doc gets out of the hospital he needs to be locked up with that other fool from a couple of weeks ago who brutally killed his ex and then shot the Judge through a courthouse window.

They deserve to accompany each other straight into hell.

*****************

And less you think that egomania is confined to the East Coast, think again. Some mega church religious groups out west are actively trying to bring about Armageddon, according to the Los Angeles Times.

They apparently can't wait for Jesus to make up his own mind about when he is coming back. They want to help him by doing a lot of stuff to pave the way, since they feel we are at "End Times."

What are they doing, well, they're flying plane loads of missionaries to Israel in an attempt to convert all Jews to Christianity so they can find Christ and be saved. By doing this, they say, Jesus should be cleared for landing within the next two decades, give or take a few years.

Meantime...

Iran's latest crazy man is paving the way for the Mahdi to return and wipe out Christianity. The Mahdi is the last true prophet of Mohammed's true heirs, chosen by God to lead the faithful. The number of righteous descendants is 12, by the way. Iran's ruler thinks the Mahdi will come to Tehran in two years.

And....

Some Jews are attempting to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, on a site that is currently holding one of Islam's holiest shrines. These Jews feel that if they can rebuild the Temple, Islam will be wiped off the face of the earth and God will be happy.

And then there is Clyde Lott of Mississippi, self styled preacher and cattle rancher.
He is attempting to breed a unique herd of heifers as required by an obscure passage in the Bible. Sacrifice of these special cows will hasten the return of the Messiah, he thinks.

He wants to raise them and ship them enmass to Israel for the Jews, but so far, they don't want em citing the dangers of mad cow disease. So Lott's shipped them off to Nebraska instead.

Why is all this happening?

Well, if you read Revelation it says:

"Jews return to Israel after 2000 years, the Holy Temple is rebuilt, billions of people perish during seven years of natural disasters and plagues, the Antichrist arises and rules the world, the battle of Armageddon erupts in the vicinity of Israel. Jesus returns to defeat Satan's armies and preside over Judgment Day."

So basically all these folks are doing all this stuff in order to hasten the day when they can stand before Jesus and be judged.

Do they really think he is going to let them into heaven?

Monday Morning Sports Junkie Hangover...

Brava Italia!

They won the world cup. But, Zidane from France was voted best player. W.T.F.? He was tossed out of the game during extra time for head butting Materazzi in the chest, and still got the trophy...Go figure.

No more talk about the World Cup until 2010. This next one happens in South Africa.

Federer again at Wimbledon. Dude looks cool wearing a white blazer to court side and during his interviews. Most tennis players think new nikes are the height of couture.

Amelie Mauresmo finally breaks thru and wins, really wins a grand slam. She's always had the game, just not the nerves or the head for winning. Previously she was only famous for tattoos, her motorcycle and the fact she dates older women.

This women's final was the first since 1999 without a Williams sister. I hope they come back. It's so boring when their not around and man, the networks just hemorrhage money when they don't have Serena and Venus to jump start primetime TV.

Tiger almost pulled it out at Cog Hill. He's looking, well, rather Tigerish once again. He finished second. Just couldn't pull the trigger on that last putt at 18. He actually lost it on the second shot into the green. But he came close.

He's still grieving for his Dad. That's okay, too. He can go home to the arms of his wife, the ex nanny and work on making little blond babies.

Why is it that powerful, rich, famous Black men settle for marrying blond nannies and cheerleaders?

Why can't an educated, rich, maybe famous, but mocha colored sister ever get a break from these guys.?

Are Black power couples a thing of the past?

And why don't Black women play professional golf?

More later..

Look at Me, World

We had him. Then Secretary of State Madeline Albright had that North Korean nutcase under control and at the negotiation table. Kim Jong II was willing to act like an adult and at least discuss ways to get rid of nukes.

Then comes 9/11 and Dubya lists him as part of the problem....Part of the axis of evil along with Iran and Iraq.

So what does "Dear Leader" do....he pulls out of treaty talks and goes home and threatens us until yesterday, when he starts firing dud missiles at us.

Even if we wanted to retaliate, we can't. Dubya's got everybody tied up in that quagmire called Iraq.

He's trying to play it cool...sort of like a big brother taking punches from his little brother. You know the scenario when the little brother is whaling and big brother is standing there saying it doesn't hurt, go ahead and hit me again...

I want to know what will happen if one of those missiles turns out to be real?

Bet Dubya's hoping that Japan will protect us from "Dear Leader" or at least run interference. Kind of a payback for us rebuilding the Empire of the Sun after we blew them up to end World War II.

Off to See the Wizards

Here I am halfway thru my fifth decade and I never knew that Judy Garland's Wizard of Oz was a remake of a remake and that The Wiz with Diana Ross was a remake of a remake of a remake.

Wiz number one was a 13 minute short made in 1910. The second one came about in 1925. Both were in black and white and were silent. The 1925 version had a black man in it as one of the main characters. It also had Oliver Hardy without Stan Laurel.

All of the films manage to hit the high points of the L. Frank Baum story. But Toto has a much bigger role in the 1910 version. He is actually transformed by Glinda into a big dog protector of Dorothy. In fact, he's about as big as the lion. And there is a donkey and a cow along with the tin man and scarecrow. The movie also ends without Dorothy returning home, something of a mystery. I like the cyclone in the 1910 version too. It was a haystack that was lifted with Dorothy, the cow, donkey and scarecrow inside it and twirled in front of painted paper that was supposed to be scenery.

I watched all of the versions on Turner Classic Movies back to back starting with the 1939 Judy Garland version. It still has the most impact on me, I guess because It imprinted itself on my psyche when I was so young. When I was small, it was only shown once a year, around Easter and we watched it as a family.

The Wiz came about when I was older, in 1978. Never liked Diana Ross but I loved Michael Jackson and Nipsey Russell. I had already seen the stage version by then too.

To my mind Stephanie Mills was the only Dorothy, the true successor to Judy Garland, and the only one who can sing the song "HOME.."

Boycotting BP

Whenever I see a call for a boycott I usually file it under waste of time and go about my business. Not because I disagree with boycotts, I've been conducting my own personal boycotts for several years, but because I don't believe my people will follow and do what is necessary to make it successful.

For several years, I have refused to give my hard earned money to anyone who doesn't want it, meaning anyone who discriminates or voices disapproval of me and mine. If you make it hard for me to give you my money or you sneer at me while delivering service, you won't see me again, ever.

Every Black person has heard it before....repeat after me...."if you want to hurt a white man, make him a poor man..." We say it, but we don't really believe it.

The problem with boycotts is that they are inconvenient and we don't want to, or simply refuse to inconvenience ourselves in order to make a point. It's called lack of conviction, and white people know this about us.

Lack of conviction is why we can't lose weight, won't vote, can't get people to listen to our complaints. They know that most of us won't go along in the first place. Further, they've insulated themselves by moving out of the cities and neighborhoods where we still live.

They don't sell to us, anymore. All the little food stores, pony kegs and drive thrus are owned by foreign born people of color. And now there aren't enough Black owned businesses to pick up the slack if we ever do decide to stage a real boycott.

When was the last time you saw thousands of people take to the streets for a common cause? Immigration reform right? The last time you saw us take to the streets it was called a riot, and with good reason, We were tearing up our own neighborhoods, hurting our own people and stealing everything not tied down. Not to make a point but just to be doing it. Doing it just to get more stuff.

In Cincinnati, at least, two boycotts worked for a little while. Not from the inside out, but from the outside in. People horrified by the image of raging Blacks in the street refused to patronize Cincinnati. A boycott called by gays and lesbians about discriminatory laws, since repealed caused the city to lose convention business and our city fathers were forced to do something.

Inside the city there was no boycott, nothing has changed, except now we have a Black mayor. Bill Cosby came back a year after refusing to cross city lines honoring the Black boycott. So I guess it is now officially over.

Another boycott that worked was when the LGBT community boycotted Coors beer because company owners discriminated against and gave money to anti gay organizations. Gay bar owners refused for years to serve Coors beer. That one really worked. Coors changed its practices.

Well, now comes word that the Reverends Jesse and Al are calling for a boycott of BP. They say because BP has no Blacks in upper levels of management or Black owners for that matter. The Revs say we need to do this to send a message to all the other oil companies.

I'm on board with that. Not because I worry about how many Blacks they have in management but because I think BP sells a lousy product.

I stopped buying BP gas a long time ago because my car's performance seemed to drop every time I used their petrol. I could always tell when my sister borrowed my car and filled it up with BP. Every time.

I'm in favor of boycotting every company that attempts to dump shit into my neighborhood under the guise of providing service. Let's start there and see what happens.

Still Working Toward the 4th

9am sports.......LPGA U.S. Women's Open Playoff...Sorenstam vs Hurst..no soccer Brasil lost...Venus is out so no more Wimbledon...

Today's libation of choice: Amaretto, Ginger Ale, with a twist of lime over ice in a tall glass...drink between glasses of lime flavored perrier over ice

Main meal: Grilled marinaded jumbo gulf shrimp w/grilled mixed veggies

mangia!

Oh, say can you seee.....

Hopefully not after a few scarlett o'haras and some bbq off the grill. I'll check back in later when I can find the keys

Happy 4th