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Buy Songlines by Derek Trucks Band . It will be one of the best albums you will buy this year. I tracked down one of my funeral songs, I think. I have long said I want "My Sisters & My Brothers" played at my funeral. I learned of the song via Jerry Garcia Band and I have finally tracked down the original. I expect to get it next week and then I will decide if I want Jerry or the Sensational Nightingales to sing at my funeral. This time last week I had dental surgery . This was part two of the periodontal work I started last fall. Thank God it's done. Remember kids... floss properly ! The surgery wasn't too bad, they did pull a molar and that hurt like a bitch! Now, I am slowly eating and brushing and yawning without pain. The brusing is gone and soon the pain. I skipped 3 days of work and my first day back I took one of the pain pills right after I got to work and I had more fun that morning than I've had in weeks. I've been watching alot of Alias (tha...

I'll see you in the next one. Don't be late. Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006) Other resources: SFWA Time-Warner Books SciFi Dimensions I haven't read her books yet - was never the scifi lit fan - but I have watched her career for years. She was the first and one of the best.

Monks, we who look at the whole and not just the part, know that we too are systems of interdependence, of feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and consciousness all interconnected. Investigating in this way, we come to realize that there is no me or mine in any one part, just as a sound does not belong to any one part of the lute. Samyutta Nikaya

Buying Local can be a hard prospect; most stores don't indicate where your stuff comes from. If you shop at independent retailers you can usually find out where things come from (small inventory). Of course, with food there is always the local farmer's market. Do what you can to support your indi retailers and small farmers!

Life Out of Context by Walter Mosley Walter Mosley is a wonderful writer. His Easy Rawlins series has entertained me for years. This little book (about 100pp) is a journal of sorts. Walter explores why he feels out of context, why the world seems to be out of context, and what we can do to get it back in context. He shows that even creative, talented people feel out of place and wonder what is wrong with them when things don’t seem to go right. As a creative person he also realizes that it’s not him who is out of context, it’s the world. He explains that the older generation needs to show confidence in and support of the younger generation and the younger generations need to use the talents and experience of the older generation to really make a difference in the world and making a difference is possible. Great read! See more about Life Out of Context

Eto'o tries to walk off after racist taunts in Barcelona's win over Zaragoza. Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o threatened to leave the field in the 77th minute... The three-time African player of the year could be seen saying 'No more' This guy is one of the top players in the world and has been a quality member of this team. Those fucking aragones need to get their shit together. URRRRRGH!

Third-time African award win for Eto'o ...and for good reason!

Nashville's live music scene is worse now than anypoint I can remember, the mid to late 80s were crappy but at least the Exit/In knew how to book bands. Can you hear the death rattle for Nashville Riverstages?

Random issues: 1. This time last year I started a "this day in Black history" post. I kept it up for 6 or 7 months straight, then I lost my very lax day job that allowed me to spend the time searching, editing, and posting the info. I apologize to everybody for slacking off but the retail schedule and newlywed status has forced me to adjust my day-to-day priorities. 2. Comments. I am apparently having trouble with my blogger comments. I am working to fix the problem; until it is fixed drop me a note at "jaisplace**at**comcast**dot**net". Thanks for your patience. 3. I feel like I haven't been posting much good lately. Some of it is time - I'd rather play video games or watch a movie. Some of it is mood - I just don't feel like sharing. I hope to get back in the swing of things. I have some things, some ideas rolling around in my head. I'm not ready to share those yet (I have a grander plan for them) but I do hope I can get in the habit of actually po...

Alejandro Escovedo to release first studio album in five years . On the Mend from Hepatitis C , Escovedo Joins Producer John Cale to Record "The Boxing Mirror" Set For Spring Release

I sorta see my crush on Halle like Robert Freeman's (Granddad on the Boondocks ) crush on Dorothy Dandridge . Halle and I are the same age, Dorothy and Robert would be about the same age. We both have no chance at getting to these women. He's named his car Dorothy, I, well. I haven't named anything Halle. Anyway... Hey wait. Didn't Halle play Dorothy...oooh, this is getting spooky.

Who cares what she's doing...it's Halle! Go to HollywoodTuna for more pictures.

I would love to be the music editor for NPR . They always pick the coolest and funkiest bumpers. Today, for instance, they were talking about the big Dog Show in NYC . The winner's name is Rufus and the bumper was "Tell me something good" by Rufus (and Chaka Khan ). Brilliant! Bull Terrier Wins Westminster

By amending our mistakes, we get wisdom. By defending our faults, we betray an unsound mind. The Sutra of Hui Neng

Mindfulness is not just a word or a discourse by the Buddha, but a meaningful state of mind. It means we have to be here now, in this very moment, and we have to know what is happening internally and externally. It means being alert to our motives and learning to change unwholesome thoughts and emotions into wholesome ones. Mindfulness is a mental activity that in due course eliminates all suffering. Ayya Khema, Be an Island

New Nike ad for Fairplay...

The longstanding ‘Out of Africa’ theory holds that populations of Homo sapiens left Africa 100,000 years ago and wiped out existing populations of humans that had emigrated during earlier periods. Templeton has shown, however, that the African populations interbred with Eurasians, making love, not war. Interbreeding, rather than total displacement, is significant. Early Humans Made Love, Not War

I tried to find out if Tara's engagement ring cam efrom Ivory Coast or Congo or Liberia but my jeweler had no idea. I guess I coulda tried harder but I liked it too much. Diamond industry still funding bloody conflicts in Africa

Sly Stone Surprises Grammys with Rare Appearance

SLY! Platinum Mohawk and about 3 minutes but SLY & the Family Stone were on TV tonight! This is a moment to rejoice. Madonna looked hot! She's apparently going to the Tina Turner school for great legs. Bono giving a direct shout to Kanye , who didn't get Album of the Year. {Daniel Lanois wearing a Hendrix T-shirt} Sir Paul joining J-HOVA (wearing a John Lennon T-shirt) and Linkin whoever for a few bars of Yesterday. John Legend who Tara is now in love with. Stevie & Alicia Keys (looking as fine as ever) with the impromtu (probably not) "Higher Ground". Kanye & Jamie with their shoutout to HBCU life (bands & step shows). Mary J & U2 for a heartfelt "One" Because of my fucking Lost addiction I missed the beautiful and talented Anouska Shankar . I have pretty much stopped paying attention to the awards and focus on performances and, of course, women. I noticed tonight that there were lots of strings...several perfs had strings and ...

3 hours later the moment of the night! The horn riff to kick off "In the Midnight Hour". And then Irma comes down to take it all home. THAT is what it's all about. I get all chocked up and teary thinking about the loss of somebody like Wilson Pickett and then to hear somebody do his music justice! That IS what it's all about! And they had a Baritone Sax!

I guess Ray doesn't want to be president... It does seem like he wants to repair his city. Shortcomings in aid from the U.S. government are making New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin look to other nations for help in rebuilding his hurricane-damaged city.

Chelsea are still in the hunt to sign £5m-rated American teenager Freddy Adu . Can you imagine what it's like to be 16 and a wanted man?

Work was a mixed bag. I got chastised warned about being late. I've been perpetually late at this job and I guess I could say that b/c I haven't had to worry about it for the past 5 years it's hard for me to get back in the swing of punctuality. I think that's a perfectly legit reason but truth be told, I just can't get my ass off the computer at home. I was taught how to order product. This has been a long time coming, I think. I have been trying to get product in for awhile and I have to go through different channels...usually using the computer after someone who has password maintenance. Apparently there has been a power play keeping me from this process but since I am still employed I won't go into anymore detail. Regardless, I am glad to have this ability. Lastly, there were two celebs in today. Kathy Mattea has been in on several other occasions but tonight I saw her up close and personal and I must say that see is a really pretty woman, she has the same...

Green Goal , the first ever environmental project developed for a FIFA World Cup

Barcelona crashes 3-1 to visiting Atletico in Spanish league

Ronaldinho practising at night for soccer World Cup

The whole of humanity is…one human family. This planet is our only home. His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Thanks to Aaron Mc & UComics !

I see myself in the mirror everyday, right? And I don't think anything of it but I've had some comments recently that make me wonder what people see. Setup: Bookstore in a predominantly (almost exclusively) white, upper middle-class part of Nashville. I am a Black man, both parents and all four grandparents were black. I was born and raised in Nashville but most of that education was in a predominantly white private school environment. A couple of weeks ago a woman (white, probably 60) was looking for something...I helped her and while we were looking she asked if I was Canadian...Canadian? I've barely been north of Chicago! She said something in my speech pattern sounded like someone she knew from Canada. More recently I had a customer, another woman (black, probably 70) who was checking out and she asked me if I was Hawaiian...now, through the years I have come to expect ethnicity and locale mistakes from white folks but I never expected anything like that to come from a ...

Freddy Adu was released from the U.S. national team training camp and will join D.C. United when it starts Major League Soccer preseason training next week. The 16-year-old forward made his national debut in a scoreless draw against Canada on Jan. 22.

European soccer authorities want their leagues to impose tough punishments by next season to combat persistent racist taunting at games. We have not explored the powers we have at our disposal said Lars-Christer Olsson, chief executive of European soccer's governing body.