Message To A Bigot

There is reason to believe that strict right-wing ideology might appeal to those who have trouble grasping the complexity of the world. Science has confirmed what some of us long suspected but were (sometimes) too polite to say: People with racist and rabid right-wing views are stupid. A new study finds that children with low intelligence grow into Tea Party-ish adults who want black, gay and other troubling types to just go away, please. Stupid people may not like the findings and protest with signs like this. As always, we wish them better spelling.

-Abby Zimet
  

(This post is dedicated to the folks flooding my Inbox with their pointless, hate-filled diatribes. If you dislike this site, skip over it instead of confirming your dismal ignorance)

OneLove


:::MME:::

 

On The Rise: Frank Ocean

   

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Last year while looking up a song I wanted to hear on  YouTube, I stumbled upon a version of 
Coldplay's classic "Strawberry Swing" by a little known underground artist by the name of Frank Ocean. Impressed by his song writing skills & vocal range, I looked up more songs & was blown away by two mixtapes he dropped under the radar, namely, " The Lonny Breaux Collection"  & "Nostalgia Ultra". Not since R Kelly, D'Angelo & Maxwell have I heard a male R&B vocalist with the explosive creativity to  elevate the game--& he has barely begun! He has yet to release a commercial product & is touring now based on the aforementioned underground mixtapes & buzz created for his forthcoming CD. His production on Beyonce & Kanye West/Jay-Z's CDs is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg--This dude is expected to be a major force this year & beyond. Check out a few of my faves from his mixtape & check the wicked bass line on"Disillusioned" (you will need to attach a USB desktop speaker w/ a deep bass like the Motorola EQ7 Wireless Hi-Fi Stereo Speaker) which will appear on his upcoming CD & also his interpretation of Beyonce's "I Miss You"(which he wrote)...



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 ..& here is an interesting interlude which I hope will expand to a fuller song as the lyrics & beat are just brilliant. It's entitled "Voodoo" & he crafts some killer lines dripping with the immediacy of some felt experience....

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   darker times they’re telling boulder-heavy lies / looks like all we’ve got is each other / the truth is obsolete  remember when all i had was my mother/  she didn’t compromise she could recognize /voodoo/ our daughters and our sons are just candles in the sun  /voodoo/  don’t let him see divide don’t you let her see divide / voodoo/  she’s got the whole wide world in her juicy fruit / he’s got the whole wide world in his pants / he wrapped the whole wide world in a wedding band  then put the whole wide world on her hands  /she’s got the whole wide world in her hands/ he’s got the whole wide world in his hands......  
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Here's Pharrell's take on this rising artist...

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OneLove
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 :::MME:::

A Joke (...on us)

OneLove

:::MME:::

Smell It Yet?

Paint it up with the brightest colors, douse it with perfumed, titillatin' words & enshrine it in the Law, shit is still shit, man..real talk. As Honest Abe eerily envisioned..


"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. ... corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."

Let's get to work folks!

OneLove

:::MME:::

Musings

If Wile E Coyote (aka Super Genius) had enough money to buy all that ACME shit, why didn't he just buy dinner?

(Moral of the story: Sometimes you just have to give up & walk away...or end up like this.)

OneLove


:::MME:::

MME's (Double) Jam Of The Day

Two of my favorite cuts from Stephen Marley's latest RootsReggae classic, "Revelation Pt. 1: The Root of Life".


OneLove


:::MME:::

Camouflaged Excellence

 I struck up a conversation a few weeks ago with a taxi driver in Washington, DC & we almost immediately began chatting away on subjects ranging from politics to technology before reaching my destination. You will be surprised by the number of foreign-born taxi drivers who are college graduates in DC. This particular taxi driver had more than just a bachelor's degree: he was a medical doctor. I have spoken to accountants, businessmen, graduate school teachers, writers/poets & lawyers who moonlighted as cab drivers, but this was the first time speaking to a cab driving doctor. One thing which they all shared in common: they were African. This highlights a little-known but myth-defying fact: African immigrants are the most successful immigrant group in the US in education,  income & employment. Why is this fact not more well-known? Perhaps it is too disconcerting for many to place the African scholar ahead of the pack, but the facts remain :-


=> 48.9 percent of all African immigrants hold a college diploma which  is more than double the rate of white Americans, and quadruple the rate of African Americans.

=> In 1997, 19.4 percent of all adult African immigrants in the United States held a graduate degree, compared to 8.1 percent of adult white Americans and 3.8 percent of adult black Americans in the United States



=> Of the African-born population in the United States age 25 and older,  87.9% reported having a high school degree or higher, compared with 78.8% of Asian-born immigrants and 76.8% of European-born immigrants, respectively.

One factor which I think contributes to the success of many African (& Caribbean) immigrants in the US is the high expectations others have for them - teachers, parents, children, friends, relatives, colleagues. Sadly, the history of institutional/structural/internalized racism in the US has created the opposite affect within many African American, Native American & Latin American communities. The power of expectations should not be dismissed or taken lightly (read this very enlightening study). Kids pick up on it quickly & if all they're experiencing are people low-balling/underestimating them, it is highly likely that they will come to believe it - as countless already have.
 
The stereotype of Asian Americans as the only “model minority” endures, perhaps owing to their high concentration in places like California & New Jersey where they comprise a sizable number of the student population in many premier institutions. However, I think it is more likely the case of a racially-charged American narrative which has rendered the high academic achievements of black immigrants from Africa (& the Caribbean) invisible, as if this truth would collapse some carefully constructed, immaculate order. There's way too much foolishness passing as truth - let's just give credit where credit is due!


OneLove


:::MME:::

Poet's Nook: "Imagination As The Path of Spirit" by John O'Donohue

(Penetrating observations...)

OneLove

:::MME:::

Some Cold Hard Truths

OneLove


:::MME:::

Musings

In the point of rest at the center of our being, 

We encounter a world where all things are at rest in the same way.

Then a tree becomes a mystery, a cloud a revelation, 

Each man a cosmos of whose riches we can only catch glimpses.

The life of simplicity is simple, but it opens to us a book

In which we never get beyond the first syllable.

~Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings

OneLove

::::MME::::

Calculated Destruction

I won't pretend to know the details of the age-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but one thing is clear: Israel's heavy-handedness towards the poor inhabitants of Palestine would not have been possible without the billions of dollars in US military aid, numerous UN vetoes cast by Washington, bullying of lesser powers & the lack of courage & honesty from the US media that, for the most part, sways public opinion in support of the Israeli position. One should keep in mind that at one time Nelson Mandela & the ANC were considered terrorists by the US media/government. U.S. officials justified their dealings with the apartheid government by pointing to the ANC's place on the State Department's list of terrorist groups. The bottom line is this: The unremitting ethnic cleansing (& demonization) of the Palestinians will continue unless we become better informed & join the voices of resistance. 


Stay alert...


OneLove


:::MME:::

MME's (Double) Jam of The Day

Two of my favorite jams by the legendary R&B group Heatwave. 

OneLove


:::MME:::

The Blackout

Censorship is to art as lynching is to justice.
~Henry Louis Gates

The first condition of progress is the removal of censorship.
~George Bernard Shaw




What if-
-You were to sing your favorite song then proceed to post it on a video sharing site like YouTube? A: You & your screechy voice may be sued for copyright infringement.
-You used or published a logo or trademark of corporation X and that corporation doesn’t fancy your website (regardless if you intended to use the logo/trademark as a critique or promotional/instructional tool)? A: You and your freedom of expression may be muzzled.
-The  House of Representatives' Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Senate's Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) were in existence when Facebook, YouTube or Twitter were created? A: The Internet as we know it (for those of us outside the orb of the 13 countries that censor the Internet) would be drastically different. 

These bills being debated right now, if enacted, would affect a countless number of Internet users who have no idea of intellectual property violations & will  force websites (like this one) to block access to other sites suspected of some vaguely-defined copyright breaches. Are we witnessing the early stages of American Fascism or are we already there? It can (or may have) come like a thief in the night that escapes (has escaped) easy detection.Everything may seem normal on the surface - folks going to work, voting, shopping, etc - but just below the surface, something has changed: We no longer matter in this "democracy" as control of the government of the people, by the people, for the people has shifted to a small and privileged group who rule for the benefit of their wealthy peers and corporate patrons. Be aware. Here is a good infographic of what is at stake here


The silver lining is even if Congress approves the bills, President Barack Obama may decide to veto them.The White House issued a statement over the weekend saying that "we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cyber-security risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global internet".

Take action  here or  here.

OneLove

::MME:: 

The End Of An Era?

(Very interesting discussion...Not exactly the best panel, I must admit, but they do raise some very critical points worth thinking about).

"Nationalism is our form of incest, is our idolatry, is our insanity. "Patriotism” is its cult. It should hardly be necessary to say, that by "patriotism” I mean that attitude which puts the own nation above humanity, above the principles of truth and justice; not the loving interest in one’s own nation, which is the concern with the nation’s spiritual as much as with its material welfare — never with its power over other nations. Just as love for one individual which excludes the love for others is not love, love for one’s country which is not part of one’s love for humanity is not love, but idolatrous worship."

- Erich Fromm


OneLove


:::MME:::

Musings

(image via to wake/to see)

Your love should never be offered to the mouth of a stranger,
Only to someone
Who has the valor and daring
To cut pieces of their soul off with a knife
Then weave them into a blanket
To protect you.

~ Hafiz

OneLove

:::::::MME:::::::

Poet's Nook: "In Search of a Moment" by Octavio Paz

From birth to death time surrounds us

with its intangible walls.

We fall with the centuries, the years, the minutes.

Is time only a falling, only a wall?

For a moment, sometimes, we see

not with our eyes but with our thoughts

time resting in a pause.

The world half-opens and we glimpse

the immaculate kingdom,

the pure forms, presences

unmoving, floating

on the hour, a river stopped:

truth, beauty, numbers, ideas

and goodness, a word buried

in our century.

A moment without weight or duration,

a moment outside the moment:

thought sees, our eyes think.

~ Octavio Paz

                                                                    OneLove
                                                                   ::::MME:::

Conscious Eating

So what do you get when your government spends more than any other nation in the world  on health care? You would expect a healthier population with lower rates of disease & access to quality & affordable health care for all. However, as many of you know by now, we're better off going to Columbia or Barbados to get a higher quality of health care. The politics of health care is complicated, but in a nutshell, if my understanding is correct, it goes something like this: As stated, we (the US population) spend more than anyone else in the world on health care. Each health insurer adds its' bureaucracy,  outrageous salaries/bonuses, advertising,& profits to the actual cost of providing care. All of  this money is siphoned away from actual health care, but it pays for a  broken system that often makes it harder to receive the care we’ve already goddamn paid for! Health insurers don't give a crap about us - they're in it for the money & their primary concern is consequently with the shareholders. These jokers on Capitol Hill - & President Obama's backtracking on a universal single-payer system - know the costs of siding with the majority of citizens who want a health care system that works - their re-election. 

This documentary is quite disturbing, but it just might save your life I have to give credit to a buddy of mine who runs & maintains a great website (You-Be-Fit) & also to my sister who watches everything she puts into her mouth as if her very life depended on it - & it does!! They have both been instrumental in my growing awareness of my own health.

(Well..bye bye mozarella sticks w/marinara sauce & so long glazed doughnuts w/ shimmering sprinkles - I will miss your enchanting & decadent charms....(sniff)...)


OneLove


:::MME:::

MME's Jam Of The Day

This cut takes me back to when I first came to the USA, fresh off the banana boat & ready for the world! The beat is still infectious & the lyrics timeless. In fact, this has to be one of the few funked-up yet existentially poignant jams to make it to prime time...


"Searching for a destiny that's mine
There's another place, another time
Touching many hearts along the way
Hopin' that I'll never have to say.....it's just an illusion"


This is nothing but our Ego which is always searching for something somewhere/anywhere as if the present moment is not enough.


"Follow your emotions anywhere
Is it really magic in the air?
Never let your feelings get you down
Open up your eyes and look around"


We all know that following our emotions can be a double-edged sword. If we follow & act upon our darker emotions w/ our Ego at the controls then the consequences can work against us & we end up hurting others. By opening our eyes, waking up and loosening the grip of the Ego, we step closer to the better angels of our nature....The Ego is but an illusion.


OneLove


:::MME:::

The Threat of the Weak-Minded

There is absolutely no reason in this day & age for people to be so ridiculously ignorant. When I say ignorant, I am not implying that one needs a degree or certifications to escape that pejorative label as some of  the most ignorant people I've ever met have college/post-graduate degrees. Ignorance to me implies a shutting off of one's critical faculties in order to maintain a degree of cognitive coherence & harmony. It's too disturbing to consider contrary viewpoints for some so instead of considering the challenges head-on (& possibly reformulating their position(s)), it's easier to remain in some unlit, dusty corner where other like-minded mice dwell. That's how I think of the Tea Party supporters. They're not totally to blame as this video demonstrates, but the level of gullibility/unquestioning acceptance of propaganda truly astounds. The notion of being skeptical & verifying the facts for oneself seems to escape this tiresome but potentially dangerous group. Remember: Hitler had a nation under his spell during Germany's worst atrocities - beware the power of propaganda & damn it - think for yourselves!!

OneLove


:::MME:::

Musings

                                       (excerpt from: The Last Rites of the Bokononist Faith)

God made mud. 

God got lonesome. 

So God said to some of the mud, "Sit up!" 

"See all I've made," said God, "the hills, the sea, the sky, the stars."

.

And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. 

Lucky me, lucky mud.

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I, mud, sat up and saw what a nice job God had done. 

Nice going, God. 

Nobody but you could have done it, God! I certainly couldn't have. 

I feel very unimportant compared to You. 

The only way I can feel the least bit important is to think of all the mud

that didn't even get to sit up and look around. 

I got so much, and most mud got so little. 

Thank you for the honor!

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Now mud lies down again and goes to sleep. 

What memories for mud to have! 

What interesting other kinds of sitting-up mud I met! 

I loved everything I saw! 

Good night. 

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~ Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

(Cat's Cradle)

OneLove
:::::MME:::::

Pedagogical Excellence

I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary which centers on a remarkable instructor who teaches his students not only how to be good students, but how to live as well. He does a fantastic job in mentoring these 4th graders & actively engaging them in the learning process, teamwork, community, the importance of openness, coping strategies, having compassion and the harm caused by bullying. I wish all teachers could be like this! This would be a different world indeed.


OneLove


:::MME:::

Poet's Nook: "Oceans" by Juan Ramon Jimenez

I have a feeling that my boat

has struck, down there in the depths,

against a great thing.

.

And nothing

happens! Nothing... Silence... Waves...

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-Nothing happens? Or has everything happened,

and are we standing now, quietly, in the new life?

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~ Juan Ramon Jimenez

(This piece reaches deep....I think everyone can feel what he's trying to convey here. Jimenez himself describes the process of wording the sublimely indescribable: "“Inner poetry eludes words. When one wishes to express something profound, one does not express it in jingles. In my first period I used adjectives, later the adjectives became substantives. Literary artistry is constant suffering for the poet; one doubts the exactness of words, their ability to express what we feel within us. We strive to find that spirited asset, the inner essence.”....Beautiful!!)


OneLove


:::MME:::

MME's Jam Of The Day

What a smooth, jazzy joint by Melody Gardot! Kinda sounds like a young Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone & Astrud Gilberto all rolled up into one. The lyrics to this song, "If The Stars Were Mine", remind me of a Pablo Neruda poem--simple yet sensuous...

If the world was mine
I'd paint it gold and green
I'd make the oceans orange
For a brilliant color scheme

I would color all the mountains
Make the sky forever blue
So the world would be a painting
And I'd live inside with you


If the world was mine
I'd tell you what I'd do
I'd wrap the world in ribbons
And then give it all to you

I'd teach the birds such lovely words
And make 'em sing for you
I'd put those stars right in a jar and
Give them all to you


The back story of her sound is just as intriguing as her voice - check out her story here.  Another favorite of mine is her beautiful Latin-Jazz interpretation of "Over the Rainbow":

OneLove

:::MME:::

Reading Rant: The Works of Chris Hedges

I found this interview of noted author & activist Chris Hedges. quite interesting...He speaks deeply on varied subjects, from the fall of empires to spirituality to the role of Oprah Winfrey in a decaying society. I had to take a second & third listen throughout this interview as his insights are quite profound.

Absorb & reflect....


OneLove


:::MME:::

Musings

OneLove


:::MME:::

Poet's Nook: "Pedagogue of Young Gods" by Saul Williams

(saul williams - pedagogue)

Are you afraid to have someone believe in you?
Can you commit to your ideals?
Even if you think nothing of it,
are you willing to allow others to think the world of it,
and of you?

Pedagogue of Young Gods.

All slavery ever does is free you.
All anyone ever does is an example.
All power is just collective energy.
To abuse the privilege is to sell your soul
and that is to rent with the illusion of owning.
We are the landlords.
If you misunderstand us,
you're dead and deserve your demise.
Your dominion is your overthrow.
The controllers are controlled.
Spread the word,
it will save you
and depends on you to be understood.
There is no school bell, only nursery.
Our heroes reward us with stars,
ever-still, ever-moving.
We sing to ourselves in our cars.
Music is our sanctuary.
Anywhere you put it it's ours.
Our living voice,
our living testament.
We dream aloud,
we scream and shout.
Our courage will defeat them.
Our struggle will unite us.
Our wisdom is ourselves,
our resources our own,
our blood ocean,
our skin oil.
We are mountain and waterfall,
they cannot contain us.
Their prisons will not restrain us,
their customs will not un-name us.
We are what they know in their hearts,
you guessed it,
you knew that,
you felt it,
you tried to doubt it,
denied it,
but you knew it,
ain't nobody had to tell you.
We had them from the start.
A world apart, a world within,
ancient and luminous.
The before before and the hereafter.
We are the essence of laughter.
The comforting prayer
and the gatekeepers
and the street-sweepers.
A mountain of ports outside of a city of dreams.
A bird that prays, yet offers its wingspan to the wind.
Things are not as they seem.
We hover above while giving the appearance of scurrying below.
All is as it should be.
We are more than we know.
More than we hoped and dreamed,
a generation of generators,
a power source and supply.
The better we learn to live,
the better we learn to die.
Old as anything,
old as everything,
we are participants in a ritual
older than our collective memory,
a marriage of heart and mind,
secular and divine.

All is as it should be.
Slavery carefully bred us.
No child of Greece or Rome can behead us.
We are ahead of our time.
Slavery was simply a state of mind.
Hip-hop reminded us of confidence.
Overcoming now is simply common sense.
You deserve the ice and the riches of Solomon.
But don't let warped values turn you into hollow men.
Education is the only thing given that cannot be taken.
Learn to think for yourself,
analyze the forsaken.
Pimp your fears,
surrender to love,
dance all night when you need to.
Play this song for a thug,
let 'em know ain't no judgment.
We all hustle and grind,
any system against us is against the divine.
But there's no sense of glory in repenting,
and repeating,
their mistakes.
You have a greater calling.
Answering it is all it takes.
Take a second to hear this
and go back about your day.
Know that laws don't govern us,
we're governed by what we say.
What we think, why we think it, how we handle.
Place no blame, point no fingers, take your aim.

Shoot to kill. The bullshit.

(Stay alert good people..)


OneLove


:::MME:::