As we come to the conclusion of Black History Month, I was asked by a buddy to take a look at Target’s “Dare.Dream.Do.” Black History Month ad campaign.
It got me thinking.
As you know, if you watch TV, February commercials are particularly filled with images of happy, successful black folk enjoying all manner of vehicles, foodstuffs, cleaning products–always cleaning products–personal hygiene concoctions and financial instruments. I love it, I just wish February and the NAACP Image Awards weren’t such a “black commercial” ghetto. I would like to see more of …

Ain’t it annoying that sometimes what we love the most causes us the most discomfort?
So two of the things I love the most are blogging and lifting really heavy weights in the gym. *sigh*
Apparently, this combination has caused deep tendinitis in my right wrist and tennis elbow on my right arm. My doctor calls it “right de quervains tenosynovitis” – such a pretty name for pain.

So, I’m in a arm/wrist/thumb brace full-time for the next 7 days and overnight and while on the computer after that.
Please know that …

Happy 4th of July 2009 everyone! It’s been a crazy offline time for me lately. But things are finally quieting down so I can get back to doing what I love most; talking, ranting, watching. These habits are also known as blogging.
So for today, have a look at the Declaration of Independence, hug a service man or woman, and join me in counting blessings.
I can’t support the use of dangerous fireworks at home. But if you must use fireworks, you should buy them from these ladies:

h/t Dlisted

I’m torn because the decision was somewhat arbitrary. If he had accepted my offer of food, I would have given him money as well. But since he refused the food, I couldn’t be sure.
Let me back up.
Late Thursday night I was on my way to buy a small hostess gift for a dear friend. The shop I headed for sits at the heart of the homeless congregation point at the local outdoor mall; which we Los Angelenos call the Third Street Promenade. Overall, I am pretty reluctant to hand …

So much is toxic in the air. Take a breather with me, won’t you?
I love these kids.
H/T Perez Hilton

I remembered that Morgan Freeman paid for a racially integrated prom in his home state of Mississippi, last year. It was a first for his town. I had not remembered that some of the white residents of Charleston, Mississippi, so opposed the idea of a racially integrated prom night, that they sponsored a competing “whites only” prom on the same evening.
But a New York Times profile of another segregated prom season, this time in Montgomery County, Georgia, brought it all back.
The senior proms held by Montgomery County High School students …

I hope all of you had a splendid Mother’s Day. I hope each of you had someone to celebrate or were celebrated. Here’s to love and laughter:
A groovy kind of “dozens”

Mother Lovers

I apologize for the slow posting this week. I’m working up a couple of goodies, including some more insight on that CBS poll that talked about blacks and whites feeling better about race relations. In our comments section, reader N-2-Me-I-C pointed out some information that contrasts the studies findings. I am taking a harder look at what’s happening around us, too.
In the meantime, I wrote a little piece (pun intended) about the Oprah KFC coupon mess a couple days ago. Please click on over and have a look:
Oprah’s Free …

Have you ever listened to the actual lyrics of the rock and roll classic "Brown Sugar" by The Rollingstones? Well, here they are:
Brown Sugar(The Rolling Stones)
gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields,sold in a market down in New Orleans.Scarred old slaver know he’s doin’ all right.Hear him whip the women just around midnight.
brown sugarhow come you taste so goodbrown sugarjust like a young girl should
drums beating coldEnglish blood runs hotlady of the house wondrinwhere its gonna stop.house boy knows that he’s doin’ all right.you shoulda heard him just around …

The ever brilliant Kai Chang has written a post that defines the core reason why the United States needed to attend Durban II and what it means that we didn’t:
“In fact, if one wanted to denounce anti-Semitism, you know what would be a really good place to do that? How about a global anti-racism conference? Norway’s foreign minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in his speech before the assembly: “We who have made a point of defending freedom of expression cannot opt for non-attendance as a strategy, leaving the floor to …

Top o’ the mornin’ to ya!
Did you know that March is Irish Heritage Month?
Do you know why we wear green on St. Patrick’s Day? Check out St. Patrick’s Day: Facts and Legends
I really miss New York City’s St. Patty’s Day parade. Maybe there’s one here in Hellay too, but I haven’t found it. Some of my most laugh out loud inducing memories are anchored around St. Padraic’s Days past. Whew. Those obligatory pub crawls and parties were indeed the stuff memories are made of. Glad I have them.
I considered …

Ah ‘the race card.’ That phrase pops up in almost e-v-e-r-y thread having anything to do with racial discussion these days. I have some very strong ideas about the way it is being used, but I will hold those for a future post.
In the meantime, I am asking YOU who use the phrase or have very strong reactions to the phrase ‘race card’ to share your interpretation of what it means exactly.
Please speak up and as always please speak freely on this one. This issue is very important to …

Political cartoonists inhabit sacred space in a free democracy. Political cartoonists must be free to express themselves without a filter or none of us are. But that carte blanche does not trump my rights, as a reader, to voice my opinion of the perspective that’s presented. I felt the now infamous New Yorker cover was misguided and I think Sean Delonas’ cartoon in today’s edition of the New York Post fails to do anything more than make light of a tragic incident, ignore the history of the NYPD’s involvement in …

by Andrew Padula

Etta James, you go girl! You may have dissed me and probably just about everyone else to ever come within one hundred yards of you. You display no couth and little class. But, if you throw down and beat the crap out of Beyonce, you do so with my blessing.
About a dozen years ago, I played the St Louis Blues Festival and this was a biggun’. Artists performing included the likes of Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Rufus Thomas, etc. etc… and Etta James. The …

Hello. I was in back to back meetings yesterday and the same is on deck for today. As I’ve mentioned before, I am volunteering with a few other colleagues to establish a public, college preparatory boarding school here in Los Angeles. Our academy will serve a mixed population of underserved kids, but the mix will include a majority of foster kids. I’ve been with the project for almost 3 years now — my friends about 5 years — and counting.
Here’s the problem:
Los Angeles has the largest population of kids …