Which Spice Are You?

You are Allspice!

You are the flavour of the Caribbean. You are not, as many think, a mixture of spices; you are your own, very unique, spice. Though you may be found in the company of "jerks," you're actually quite nice and rather good at making foul things seem nice, too.

The Which Spice Are You Test

From Tobias.

Wild And Crazy Wright

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I was going to write again about the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor in case you haven't heard (How could you not have heard, since there have been more than 3000 stories about him?) , but Rmj at Adventus has done such a masterful job of following the story, that I won't even try. I know certain of my readers want it all here, but I must send you over there for the story. He covers all the bases that I would, plus some I'd never have thought of.

From Adventus:

Indeed, I was going to start out saying I think they're actually jealous of Wright, because he refuses to acknowledge the the status quo is "okay," and that politics alone will cure whatever else might ail us. That is certainly not consistent with the stance of a Jerry Falwell or a Pat Robertson, a James Dobson or a John Hagee. As radically right wing as those public preachers might be, they understand one thing that the pundits understand too: the real power is in politics, not the pulpit. Richard Wolffe pointed out on Countdown last night that there is "real tension" between Obama and Wright, tension Wolffe attributed to jealousy on Wright's part. It's a daring leap of psychoanalysis, but a leap of faith TeeVee pundits are quite comfortable with and accustomed to making. After all, everything in politics is about the pursuit of power, and everything that matters in America is political. Right? (My emphasis)

Yes, that's the conventional wisdom. Wright wants to be the main black man, the new Al Sharpton, but Obama is in the way, so Wright is deliberately sabotaging Obama's campaign. Obviously, I'm not joking.

I recommend that you read Rmj's latest post on the subject, too. He writes long, but he writes good. Even the black commentators and columnists are outraged by Wright. Sadly, Obama joins the crowd:

But after watching three days of Mr. Wright’s commentary in televised speeches and interviews, Mr. Obama said, “there are no excuses.”

“They offend me, they rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced,” he said. “That’s what I am doing very clearly and unequivocally here today.”

Now, Wright is Obama's "former pastor". Excuses for what? This distancing from Wright will not help Obama with those who believe Wright is wild and crazy, and those of us who believe that Wright is one of the sanest men around think less of Obama for it. I know I do.

Here's a little something that Rmj doesn't have. It's from "The Talk of the Town" in the April 28, 2008, issue of The New Yorker (no online link):

Surely she [Hillary Clinton] must remember that when her husband's sex scandals threatened the survival of his Presidency and their marriage, the Clintons summoned the clergy (including, by the way, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright).

If you care to read Wright's wild and crazy speech to the NAACP National Press Club, here's the link at The Atlantic.com

UPDATE: Rmj at Adventus strikes again! Another long post, but another good one. I'll quote the final question from the talk at the National Press Club:

MODERATOR: OK, we are almost out of time.

.... And we’ve got one more question for you.

(APPLAUSE)

We’re going to end with a joke. Chris Rock joked, “Of course Reverend Wright’s an angry 75-year-old black man. All 75-year-old black men are angry.” Is that funny? Is that true? Is it unfortunate? What do you think?

WRIGHT: I think it’s just like the media. I’m not 75.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

[RMJ:] Yeah, nobody made a soundbite out of that, either. Why am I not surprised?

Thought For The Day - Heaven

One of my fantasies of heaven, maybe my only fantasy of heaven, is that it would be like New Orleans at its very best, but with God and the angels and the saints from the ages there. There'd be lots of music, and we'd get to ride the St. Charles Avenue street car every day for free.

UPDATE: Promoted from the comments.

Tobias Haller said...

Delightful. I've enjoyed my visits to New Orleans in the past; this gives me something else to look forward to... Nice to know that not only can the saints march, but they can take the streetcar if they're of a mind to do so.

Innocent Texas Man Free After 27 Years

From the Associated Press:

DALLAS - A man who spent more than 27 years in Texas prisons for a murder he didn't commit is free thanks to DNA test results that clear him of a 1980 murder.

James Lee Woodard walked free Tuesday.

The good news is that Woodard is free. The bad news is that he spent 27 years of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit. Justice Texas style. In truth, justice all over the country and all over the world.

Thank God for science. Thank God for DNA testing.

In Our Quiet Town

From the Daily Comet:

THIBODAUX -- Police are investigating separate, unrelated incidents this afternoon where a 56-year-old man and a 23-year-old mother of two died from gunshot wounds.

Ronald Babin, of 101 Belmont Drive, suffered a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head inside his home, said Lt. Sam Pruitt, spokesman for the Thibodaux Police Department.

Across the bayou on East 2nd Street, Victoria Brown died from a gunshot wound to the upper torso, Pruitt said. Brown's family said she has a 5-year-old son and 1-year-old son.

It is unclear whether Brown's death was a suicide or a homicide, Pruitt added.

The suicide happened a couple of streets over from where I live. The family had asked for Babin to be put in protective custody. He was a former police officer, who had been arrested Saturday for "disturbing the peace, simple assault, simple criminal damage to property and remaining after being forbidden."

In the other death:

Brown's body was located on the bedroom floor next to her bed, Pruitt said. Police located an automatic handgun about one foot from her head, but her hands were not near the gun and police are unclear who the gun belongs to, Pruitt said.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Gayle - A Remembrance

 

Why Couldn't You Stay?

You walked away; you left us
Bereft, bereaved.
How could you go?
It wasn't your doing,
I know, I know.
Yet, how could you go?

Two years passed and gone,
Slipped away.
After you left, I'd think
I'll call her; I'll email.
Oh no! None of that!
You won't answer.

Now I know you're gone.
No thoughts of visits to come,
Seeing your face, hearing your voice,
The sound of your laughter.
Sadness lingers, emptiness remains.
Why couldn't you stay?

June Butler - 04-27-08


Yesterday was the second anniversary of the death of my sister, Gayle, from pancreatic cancer. I still miss her. The picture above was taken on the grounds of the Tower of London during a trip we made together. I stopped to take a picture as we headed to see the Norman chapel inside the White Tower. Gayle walked on and I caught her in the picture. For her memorial service, we searched for pictures to include in a small display, and I found this one - Gayle walking away from all of us who loved her. I have it framed and on my mantle. For me, it says it all.

Look Who's Here!

Our friend Paul has touched down in New Orleans and already has his feet wet. It's raining. He'll soon grow the tiny gills that help us survive the humidity, and he'll be right as rain. He will never be the same, and New Orleans will never be the same.

Bienvenu à la belle Louisiane!

Caution! - Leave Them Home!

This is why women should not take men shopping against their will:

After Mr. And Mrs. Shearn retired, Mrs.Shearn insisted her husband accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, Terry is like most men--he found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunately, Georgie was like most women--she loved to browse. One day Mrs. Shearn received the following letter from her local Wal-Mart.

"Dear Mrs. Shearn

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and may be forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Shearn are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's Carts when they weren't looking.

2 . July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at Five-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in housewares. Get on it right away.'

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M's on Layaway.

6. September 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. September 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other Shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets From the bedding department.

8. September 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began Crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'

9. October 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a Mirror while he picked his nose.

10. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked The clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly Humming the ' Mission Impossible' theme.

12. December 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' By using different sizes of funnels.

13. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, Yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he Assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'

And last, but not least

15. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, Then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here!'

Regards,

Wal-Mart"

Doug, of course.

They Tell Us What To Think

Rmj at Adventus had the jump on the media who had the jump on the Bill Moyers interview with The Reverend Jeremiah Wright, which had not even been aired yet. Of course, we are not permitted to watch the show and decide for ourselves what to think. We must hear the high-paid talking heads tell us what to think.

From ABC, the network who brought us the recent great debate, with the help of the two outstanding (for their failure) moderators, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulas (remember them?), we get this:

"If he [Wright] was a Barack Obama supporter, I think he would pull himself off of the stage at this point," said National Public Radio senior political analyst Juan Williams...."If you're with the Barack Obama campaign this morning, you're pulling your hair out," said Williams.
....

"Nothing good comes of this for Barack Obama," concurred ABC News political contributor Cokie Roberts...."Even though he was defending himself, quite nicely, he said Barack Obama spoke as a politician. That is the last thing Obama wants people to think of him as. He has approached the American people as a pastor-type himself," said Roberts.

Oh, Juan, you are so not cool. I have heard you be not cool so many times I don't question my assumption of not-coolness in watching and listening to you. I'm afraid my opinion on your lack of coolness is quite settled.

And Cokie, my home girl, you so need to retire. I see you and Steven riding off into the sunset days of your retirement. Take it from me, your Louisiana sistah, retirement is goooood. On one occasion, I emailed them voicing a wee bit of criticism regarding the opinions in one of their joint syndicated columns, and Steven responded with a personal attack. I criticized their words, and Steven attacked me for daring to voice disagreement. He called me names. I wish I had saved the email. The names were not naughty, but they were not nice, either.

On Friday evening, I watched the Bill Moyers' interview with The Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ. I sat transfixed for the whole hour, and the time zipped by. It was a great interview, and Wright did not frighten me one single time. Moyers played longer clips from some of the controversial sermons, so that the viewer got more of the context than from the sound bites which have been circulating on the tee vee, and then he let Wright comment afterwards.

What I hear from The Reverend Wright is a caution against vengeance and a message of hope going out to his congregation, some of whom may have very little in their lives to give them hope. Perhaps Obama learned his message of hope from his pastor. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing if he learned hope from his pastor? Wouldn't any preacher be happy if even one person in the congregation learned hope from a sermon?

In the coming months of the campaign, you will hear the same sound bites from Wright used to vilify Barack Obama. You will hear them ad nauseam. Oh the stupidity! Oh the ignorance! I can hardly bear the thought of what's to come. The folks in the sorry, sorry media will have no knowledge of the tradition of prophetic preaching in black churches. They will know nothing of black liberation theology, except that it's a very scary thing. Ooooh. It might make black men angry, and what's scarier than an angry black man? White men? Well, they can get angry. Sometimes they look very manly when they get angry, but an angry black man is a whole other thing.

Look, I know very little about the traditions of preaching in black churches, but I know more than the ignorant, but extremely well-paid talking heads in the media, who will spew their drivel over the coming months. If they wanted to, they could learn, but methinks they believe that they already know it all. After all, theirs is the conventional wisdom, and we must listen to them.

Bill Moyers is a national treasure, and I fear he may be the last of his kind. We must value him while we still can.

Here's the link to the video and transcript of the show. When you have time, if you have not seen the show or read the transcript, I suggest strongly that you do, because then you will have a frame of reference from which to judge the idiocies that you will see and hear and read in the media.

At Adventus, you can find a second post by Rmj which includes lengthier quotes from the transcript, if you cannot get to read the whole thing or watch the video. The show will be replayed on public television stations. Check your local listings.

"Lady Tambourine"

From the Times-Picayune:

Friday, April 25, 2008
By Doug MacCash

She's one of those only-in-New Orleans institutions. To some, she's a star; to others, a nuisance. Either way, she has been a constant presence for more than a decade to those crowded under the Gospel Tent at The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell.

Though she is rarely listed among official performers, today from 1:40 to 2:20 p.m. she's the main attraction, with her professional name spelled out on a stylishly lettered Jazzfest stage sign for all to see: Rosalie "Lady Tambourine" Washington.

Rosalie tends to attract a good deal of attention with her movements, sound, and great energy, sometimes more than the star performer, so not everyone welcomes her. I have never seen her perform. Since the jazz fest became so large and crowded, I no longer attend. In truth, although big name stars appear there now, I liked it better when it was smaller and the entertainers were, for the most part, from New Orleans. I could have spent days in the Gospel tent. One excellent group after another performed, many of them choirs from the black churches around town.

Here's a video of Rosalie performing with Cowboy Mouth, or should I say taking over from Cowboy Mouth, who does not seem to be threatened by her. In fact, he gives her the stage. I love it.

Spiritual groove

Washington was born 51 years ago in Denham Springs, one of six kids raised by second cousin Wilhelmena Jackson Landry, who played tambourine in a Pentecostal church.

"She looked like she was 6 feet tall," Washington recalls of her percussive role model. "It looked like fire was coming from the tambourine. . . . I said, 'Lord I wish I could play like that.' "

Washington took up the fiery instrument, rattling along with sacred music on Sunday mornings, as well as with the more secular selections she found on her older sister's Carlos Santana albums.

"People say I sound like a set of drums," she said of her aggressive style. "It's very spiritual, giving God all you have."
....

"A lot of choirs didn't want me to play," she said. "I get all the attention. I'm glad they can't throw me out of heaven."

Rosalie, I know the feeling.