Welcome to One Black Woman’s Blog

•June 6, 2009 • 4 Comments

Hi there.

I’m known as blksista on the pages of DailyKos, Jack and Jill Politics, and Booman Tribune, among others. If you don’t readily know who I am, you probably heard that I wrote a series of blog articles about the drowning of New Orleans, my birthplace. It took a long time for me to find my voice blogging, and these articles basically made my rep on DK.

I finally realized that I wanted my own blog to continue to talk about New Orleans, black people, culture, gossip/public intellectualism, politics, Buddhism, journalism and ethics, looksism, cooking, fiction, history, womanism, writing, race, fashion, music and other topics of interest during this rather fractious time in American life and the life of the Republic.

Finally, I would like to say that I have a patron saint of blogging, and that, for all intents and purposes, is the late Steve Gilliard. I discovered Steve’s blog while I was living on 132nd Street in Harlem, New York between 2003-2005. Through him, I got a real introduction to New York politics. We talked privately online here and there, but I never got to meet him. I’m sure we even passed by each other while at I-HOP without knowing it. I am so sorry he is gone, because he would have truly enjoyed seeing Obama in the White House, although I think that he could have been disgusted regarding our FBP’s capitulation to Big Pharma and the Republican Agenda. I know that I could never be as audacious or as knowledgeable as Steve was during his short career, but he did teach me a few things. One: to be yourself and two: to say what is real. Then you’ll never be alone.

If you like my work, if you like visiting This Black Sista’s Page, and if you can contribute $5, $10 or more, I may be able to weather some crises and stay afloat. You can use your bank account, Visa, MasterCard, AmerEx with the PayPal button to the top right.

It’s Only a Month Away, Wisconsin: Let’s Choose a Strong Democratic Challenger Today to Defeat Governor Scott Walker on June 5

•May 8, 2012 • Leave a Comment

 

The poster came from Democurmudgeon.

I’ve got to start my day soon, but I just wanted to say that thank the Universe the wait is almost over, after sixteen straight months of fighting back against Scott Walker and his policies.   Now, all we need is a standard bearer. I don’t care who you all vote for, but vote for a strong candidate among these contenders: Tom Barrett, Kathleen Falk, Kathleen Vinehout, and  Doug La Follette .

If Egypt, France and Greece can throw out their bums, so can we.  “Austerity” didn’t work in the latter countries, just like it isn’t working here in the United States.

We also can’t wait for Walker to stumble on his sword based on the shenanigans perped by his underlings while he was Milwaukee County Executive.  Plausible deniability may or not save his ass, but ask yourself why would a man lawyer up and raise money for a defense fund while claiming innocence?  Plus that defense fund looks rather suspicious as well.

Also vote for Mahlon Mitchell for Lieutenant Governor to unseat the incumbent Rebecca Kleefisch.  This is a fine brother, a union brother, the president of his firefighters’ union; someone with brains, courage and  passion who doesn’t have a hidden agenda.

If you need any help in going to vote, click the United Wisconsin link to their website on the right hand side.  I am sure they will have some tips, suggestions, and maybe even someone who could take you to your polling place.  Polls close at 8.

 And if I am not too tired, I may have something to say later tonight.  But vote, people.  Please do vote as if your life depended on it.  And frankly, it does.

Some Sunday Love: The Band (with the Late Levon Helm on Drums), “Don’t Do It,” New Year’s Eve, New York City Academy of Music, 1971

•April 29, 2012 • Leave a Comment

I was surprised to find this video on You Tube.  I’m convinced that this is the original footage of that long ago night along with the song.   Rock of Ages and Music from Big Pink remain my favorites from The Band.  Its drummer and sometimes lead singer, Levon Helm, died from the effects of cancer in New York this past week.  He is the young, thin bearded man singing his heart out behind other thin young men, Robbie Robertson (in the red jacket), and Rick Danko, who preceded Levon in death in 1999.  The doomed Richard Manuel is on piano, and the bearish-looking Garth Hudson is working that organ. 

The Band was backed that night by what Levon called some of the finest horn men in town, assembled by another great arranger as well as all-round musician, New Orleans-born Allen Toussaint, for that moment during their tour.   For the record, those guys were Howard Johnson on baritone saxophone;  Snooky Young on trumpet and flugelhornJoe Farrell on tenor and soprano saxophones and on English horn; Earl McIntyre on trombone and J. D. Parron on alto saxophone and E-flat clarinet

Unfortunately, that quiet statement of respect and awe is missing from the opening of this video, but I remember it, just like the moment I played this song late at night when there were no customers at an independent record store I worked at during my college days at San Jose State.  “Don’t Do It,” like discovering Big Pink in high school, was a revelation.  Those moments of discovery and of good times.

Yes, “Baby, Don’t You Do It” was a Holland, Dozier and Holland song.  According to Wikipedia, it was a song about a man pleading with his woman not to treat him so badly or to leave him, because he’s “tried to do my best.” 

The Band recorded the song numerous times under the title, “Don’t Do It”; the different versions, both studio and live, appear on several of their albums and box sets including the 1972 live release Rock of Ages). “Don’t Do It” was the encore performed by the Band in their 1976 concert film The Last Waltz, though it was featured first in the film. However, it was not included on the 1978 soundtrack album; the track was included in the 2002 box set edition of The Last Waltz soundtrack. The version of “Don’t Do It” from Rock of Ages was issued as a single reaching #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the autumn of 1972; the track was the second – following “Up on Cripple Creek” and final Top 40 single for the Band.

It was a Motown song that was sung by Marvin Gaye to perfection.  Then again, perfection is bound to be complimented and even surpassed in some respects.   Soul has no color, only feeling.  And Levon provided it.

It seemed early last week that there was a race to greet The Grim Reaper.  Dick Clark, once touted as “the world’s oldest teenager,” had passed over to where Don Cornelius was no doubt waiting for him.  Not only Levon Helm was dying, but one of the brothers Gibb, Robin of the surviving Bee Gees, had fallen into a coma, weakened by liver disease and pneumonia, and the news was not good.  However, he has lately come out of the coma after being serenaded, during the watch, by his family and close friends in the hospital.   He and Barry had talked about reconstituting The BeeGees, but it may be too late for one last performance.

It was reported that Robbie Robertson spent some time with Levon Helm in his hospital room, and I’d like to think that all that mess and feuding between them was finally put aside for the love of the music and the times that they had had together.

These are some good people passing over.  Respect them by playing and appreciating their music.  And you can tell that the guys love it so much that it shows in their bodies.  You’ll come to notice little things, as I did, watching this video.  The brother with his trombone—Earl McIntyre—in the back grooving to the sound before he plays his part.  The cameraman showing a rear view of Levon Helm playing his drums and it looks as if he could come out of his seat.  They are feeling it and of course, so does the audience.  You barely see that kind of thing when you see music being played live these days.  Am I wrong?

Bless you, Levon.  Come back to us again.

The President and The First Lady at The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Saturday, April 28, 2012

•April 29, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Before I hit the sack, I thought that I would leave yall with these videos.  

First, Kimmel:

Then the President:

And always, Michelle looks gorgeous.

Sorry that the whole show isn’t yet online for you to kick back and watch.  But this is pretty much chock full of nuts.  I’m not necessarily a Kimmel fan, and rather, I would have liked to have seen Seth Meyers return for some more incisive commentary, but I guess that he can’t hog the spotlight all the time.  Like Billy Crystal

Let’s hope Leno doesn’t get his wish to ridicule Republicans on their own dime any time soon.   I fear his sycophancy, but even more,  I fear the media’s. 

Enjoy.

Meanwhile, Back in Wisconsin: Kathy Nickolaus, The Katherine Harris of Wisconsin, Won’t Run Again for Waukesha County Clerk

•April 28, 2012 • 1 Comment

First, she was stepping aside for the next election, which is The Recall.  I was glad to hear that.  At least, we wouldn’t have another Florida-type situation cropping up again, as it did during the Justice David Prosser-Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg Supreme Court race last year.  No one can convince me otherwise that Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus and her mighty funny way of tabulating the voting in her county was extremely suspect in this case, despite the fact that she was exonerated for her actions.   To this day, I truly believe the fix was in. 

Now, this woman is finally stepping aside for good. 

Of course, the news comes during the weekend, when everyone is asleep at the switch, or at least in Madison, attending Crazylegs or merely chilling out inside as this crap weekend weather show little sign of abating.  The drip-drip of recent months, however, was about to turn into a outright downpour.  Now get this, Nickolaus had claimed recently that she was not stepping down for her office’s latest election faux pas, which occurred on April 3.

Problems with Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus’ reporting system caused issues with posting Tuesday’s election results. The Journal Sentinel notes the results in Waukesha County were posted at 2:21 a.m. Wednesday, compared to 10:30 p.m. in Ozaukee County and around midnight.

“I have no plans on stepping down from the (Waukesha) County clerk position,” said Kathy Nickolaus in an interview Thursday afternoon with Wisconsin‘s Afternoon News with John Mercure after he asked her about Republicans and Democrats wanting her to step down. “I’ll be making some major steps in making sure that people feel comfortable with the way that the election administration is done in the office.”

Nickolaus’ staff tried to upload results from the memory cards into the county clerk’s reporting program, it wouldn’t work.

This woman’s micro-management of her duties had consistently thrown her office into chaos.   And I cannot shake the feeling, like some others, that under the guise of micro-managing, she created a favorable outcome for those who share her politics—namely Republicans—in an already conservative area.  Not to beat about the bush: Kathy Nickolaus once worked as a close assistant to current State Supreme Court Justice David Prosser, whose right-wing and Tea Party leanings do not inspire confidence even from moderates and independents.  Prosser is still trying to pressure liberal-leaning justices to recuse themselves from reprimanding him for his disgraceful choking of Justice Ann Walsh Bradley.  Prosser is a piece of work, but guilt by association doesn’t always prove that something underhand has occurred.  Rather, to me, both share an overweening arrogance and disdain for the law and for the citizenry.  They hold their own actions as blameless and justified in the face of incompetence and corruption, and this is where my suspicion will always feed.

Continue reading ‘Meanwhile, Back in Wisconsin: Kathy Nickolaus, The Katherine Harris of Wisconsin, Won’t Run Again for Waukesha County Clerk’

Some Sunday Night Love: Harry Nilsson, “(Put The Lime in The) Coconut,” 1971

•April 15, 2012 • Leave a Comment

No, I am not gone for good.  I will return.  I’m  just working, trying to find a home, trying to save, and praying.  And working on an essay about Trayvon that I don’t want to publish here, but elsewhere in print.  I’m sorry that I said that I would write critiques when I just couldn’t because of time and tiredness.  There is just a lot on my plate, so I apologize.

However, here is a little something, a little Sunday night love two days before Tax Day.  I remembered this song while cooking and talking to my host a couple of days ago, and I thought I would share it.   Of course, the conversation was about following directions, or steps to achieve a result, and my host—for the life of her—couldn’t recall the next step.

“Coconut” was a song from Harry Nilsson‘s masterpiece, Nilsson Schmilsson, which was released in 1971.   Nilsson died, I think, prematurely in 1994 after a massive heart attack.  He was only 52, and yet he was both a genius and a music iconoclast.  Nilsson didn’t tour and he didn’t do concert performances, and shunned commercialism, and yet he won two Grammys in his short career.  Nilsson wouldn’t last two seconds in this era’s music scene.  I’m glad he did what he did when he did it.

Nilsson also wrote “Everybody’s Talking,” the theme song to the 1969 Oscar-winning film, Midnight Cowboy.

This is a great song, too.  Enjoy.

Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime.
His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime.

She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up

She put the lime in the coconut, she called the doctor, woke him up,
And said, “Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?
I say, Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?”

“Now let me get this straight “,
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up

Put the lime in the coconut, you called your doctor, woke him up,
And say, ‘Doctor, ain’t there nothing I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?
I say, Doctor, doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, dooooctor, to relieve this belly ache?’

Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning

Wouh wouh wouh wouh wouh…

Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime
His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime.

She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up,
She put the lime in the coconut, she called the doctor, woke him up,
Say “Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?
I say, Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say Doctor! let me get this straight.”

You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
Put the lime in the coconut, you such a silly woman!

Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better.
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both down
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning

Woo Woo, ain’t there nothin’ you can take, I say
Woo Woo, to relieve my belly ache,
You say woo woo ain’t there nothin’ I can take, I say
Woo woo, to relieve your belly ache,
You say yah yah, ain’t there nothin’ I can take, I say
Waah waah, to relieve this belly ache,

I say doctor!, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say doctor!, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say doctor!, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say Doctor!, you such a silly woman!

Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the moooooorning,
Yes, you call me in the morning,

If you call me in the morning, then [X5] 

Trying to Finish This Long Post on Trayvon

•March 28, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Some of the participants at the Million Hoodies March in Union Square, New York City, last week (Courtesy: Sandra Rose)

I am working now, I am happy to say.  But it’s only temporary.

In between, I am reading and writing about the Trayvon Martin case (nearly 6,000 words now), and about the conclusions of the Whitney Houston autopsy and toxicology report.   And I will also talk about the death of Shaima Alawadi, the 29-year-old mother of five who was beaten to death in her own home in Southern California because she was an Iraqi and a Muslim woman and an immigrant.  Her assailant has not yet been found and arrested. 

During my working day, I have no access to e-mail and to a computer.  Even if I did, I could not use the computer for personal matters.  To do so is to invite termination, and I cannot afford that.

So by the time I get home, I eat, I pray and then I am tired.  And I write a little more.  Believe me, I am trying.

I think about poor Trayvon and his last few moments of life, and then I think of his parents and family members still with us.  This story is so horrible, and it is bound to get worse because the powers that be know they are wrong.  And like a wounded rattlesnake, they will keep striking out even though it’s already over.  They will use the weakest, most transparent and foulest excuses imaginable to show that Trayvon was a thug, a drug dealer, an addict and a hood who deserved his death at the hands of this contemptible, fearful waste of breath whose story, it turns out, was not that believable to detectives the night he was killed.    Trayvon was simply a young black man full of dreams and potential and who just wanted to live and enjoy his life.  Trayvon was not perfect;  but he was as perfect as an American boy could be at this day and age.

I chant for Trayvon’s life because it was not in vain.  The country seems to have woken up.  Many, many people are not fooled, be they white, black or purple.   They know a smear campaign when they see it.  They are supporting  his parents in spirit if not at rallies and vigils and marches, online and on progressive talk radio and on cable.   People are with them.  I am with them.  I will not forget him.  See you soon.

Some Saturday Love: Lalah Hathaway in Concert, “When Your Life Was Low”

•March 24, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Donny’s eldest daughter speaks to me this morning.  I usually go to sleep to some murmurings in my headphones, but it’s always turned down low enough to pick up any other sounds.  (Which is why I eschew ear buds.)  And even though it was still dark, the little birdies were tweeting loudly outside, heralding the new day, and I had to get up and get with it.   Then I saw this interview about what Lalah is up to now over at Ne0Griot with this and other interesting songs, and thought I would share it with you.

For all of you neophytes, Lalah Hathaway is known as the First Daughter of Soul.  Her website is here.

From the interview, it appears that Lalah has been quite busy. 

Can you talk about working on Robert Glasper’s latest record Black Radio? That record is making a huge statement right now, across all platforms. What are your thoughts on this record? And how was your experience working with RGE?

Big fun with Robert Glasper. He is really hilarious, and fun to work with. I love what his record does — it makes you think and feel things, it challenges your perception of what a jazz record should be, of what soul singers should sing. It’s just overall a great record and the success of it means great things — for all of us. It’s so groovy to be included on 2 great records this year with the word RADIO in the title! Esperanza Spalding Radio Music Society is the other.

So, good morning.   Enjoy the day, people.  Do your thing and savor its accomplishment—whatever it is.  Sometimes just getting up and out of the house is enough.

 
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