Desperately in need of a break from it all, my friend, CrankyGirl, traveled to New Orleans this past weekend. (By the way, it’s Miss CrankyGirl to you.) Cranky had a wonderful time meeting some of the city’s colorful characters but she did make this observation on the eve of the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina: “The FEMA … More Dispatch from the City that Care Forgot
I’m so over it. Way over it. I’m over that question: Are you black enough? It was asked of Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton during this year’s annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). The same was asked of Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barak Obama who has fielded this question numerous times in numerous forms. He has more … More The Series: Exploring the New “Black”
I have an excuse this time. Really, I do. You see, I have satellite television and have been having some problems with my signal. The picture is often pixilated and the sound distorted on many of my favorite channels. (Cue the violins.) Thus, I have been deprived of my Bravo and my TLC for quite a while now. (Music swells.) So, … More Quick Take: “LA Ink” Where Every Picture Tells a Story
My new obsession is the Style Network. I don’t what it is about seeing someone else’s messy house being transformed into a wonder of white gloved domesticity that fascinates me but I can’t get enough of the show, Clean House and it’s host Niecy Nash better known for her role as Raineesha Williams on the … More Guilty Pleasure: “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane”
I read this very disturbing New York Times piece today as my fellow New Yorkers were stuggling to get to work and school after the early morning deluge which brought the city to a near grinding halt. From “Hosptials are Shutting Down Burn Centers“: “U.S. hospitals are increasingly shutting down their burn centers in a trend experts … More Quick Take: The Fire Next Time
Will the centerpiece statue for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the Mall in Washington DC be marked “Made in China?” Well, not exactly. According to published reports, unable to find a suitable black American, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project Foundation commissioned the services of Lei Yixin, one of China’s “master” sculptors who was … More Quick Take: Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Made in China?
Let’s just get to it, shall we? Just in case you haven’t heard, and I know you haven’t, there was a progressive bloggers convention, YearlyKos, this past weekend in Chicago. What is YearlyKos exactly? A really don’t know. I do know it has a strong affiliation with the political blog, Daily Kos who organized this event. Haven’t heard … More Quick Take: YearlyKos – It’s THEIR Party
I have become convinced that we, Americans, have more to fear from our failing infrastructure than we do from any terrorist attack. When I heard that Minneapolis’ Interstate 35W bridge, built 40 years ago, collapsed on Wednesday, August 1, sending cars plummeting into Mississippi River, heart started to race. It was exactly two weeks to the … More Quick Take: Homeland Security Begins at Home
Many years ago, I had a black co-worker tell me, “I’m Halle Berry and you’re Whoopi Goldberg.” The statement was part of a larger discussion which centered on why I wouldn’t have been hired if the company’s white female vice-president had been present during the interview process. (By the way, this all took place in “liberal” California. … More Quick Take: On Being “Whoopi Goldberg”
I poked and prodded but I didn’t have any takers. Recently, I have been submitting comments to posts on The Huffington Post, the uberblog founded by socialite Arianna Huffington. I wrote what thought were thought-provoking or downright provoking comments worthy of some sort of response. I didn’t need a written high five; I would have gladly accepted an F … More Quick Take: And I’d Like to Thank Star Jones…
The Ride 