aka Contrarian

I recently watched the Oscar-nominated movie, "SINNERS" starring Michael B. Jordan, and it was certainly a different take on vampire horror movies with a black theme. The producers did a very good job of creating the film's dark, eerie atmosphere, as well as recreating the rural zeitgeist of black America back during the 1930s. The authentic characterizations of the cast members also contributed to the over all effect. I had to watch it 3 times to get the full complexity of the plot, but it was well worth it, and when it comes to horror movies, I would certainly recommend "SINNERS" as an intense, gripping example of this genre. The blues-themed musical sound track was also noteworthy.

Last Tuesday, I bestirred myself to make an attempt to see what would probably be the last spectacular red moon lunar eclipse I'll be around to see. But no such luck. It was dark and chilly out there at 3:00am in the morning;yet strangely peaceful and calm and deserted. Not a sign of life anywhere. I felt like I was the last person left on Earth gazing up there at the sky looking at nothing but a dark void. Apparently, the cloud cover blocked out all the celestial activity in my part of country and I didn't see anything... Very disappointed Sooo, I just meandered around the yard and up and down the driveway for about 20 minutes, exhilarated by the brisk air. No moon, but a sense of oneness with the universe. It's March already and I might just make it to my 93rd birthday in August, - if the drones of Iran's allies don't find their way to these parts. zzzzzzzzzzz

@Pioneer1Thank you - for exposing yourself as the attention seeker you accuse me of being. Most of all, thank you for giving me the opportunity to reiterate that you are, indeed, a fool who is stuck on stupid. zzzzzzzzz

Interesting. Can't help but wonder if any of this astrological activity coincides with Israel and America's violent assault on Iran and what it portends for the future of the great American Empire and the orange tyrant who has crowned himself king of it.

An individual who is stuck on stupid would,of course, attribute this to being stable. "He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool."

You neglected to mention that here in the West, some of us were born here via slavery. Yes, Africa is our common denominator but that apparently is not enough to make an impact. I agree that finding other commonalities like being oppressed is the best any group of people can do when it comes to unity.

@Pioneer1It figures that after your inept attempt to discredit and ridicule everything richardmurray had to say, you would then stupidly seek his advice on having me "put out of your tribe". Not to worry. As a seeker of the absolute truth, I am automatically disqualified from belonging to any tribe made up of lying, assisinine, windbags like you. Feel better now?

I'm not really sure nor do I even care what tribe I belong to anymore. I can't even keep it straight what the letters stand for. I would simply say that when it comes to black folks, my first loyalty is to the unadulterated truth, and let the chips fall where they may. The only way I would currently distinguish myself is to declare that my dislike for Trump and everything he represents is so intense that it's palpable, and I have nothing but utter contempt for black Conservative MAGAs. If whatever this reveals about me is true, then - so be it. zzzzzz

The melodic love ballads of my 1950s era, particularly the lyrics which were so exquisite in telling the stories of love lost, - and sometimes found, are something I still hold near and dear. Whether it's Frank Sinatra lying awake in the wee small hours of the morning, being "there if only she would call,", or Sarah Vaughn confessing to being "Misty, just holding you near" or the Platters assuring that they "only have eyes for you", this music never fails to bring a wistful smile to my face. Yeah, those were the days. How could you not be entranced by a husky voice caressing poignant lyrics like:"I get along without you very well...Of course I do...Except when soft rains fall...and drift from leaves then I recall...the thrill of being sheltered in your arms...Of course, I do...But I get along without you very well..." or - "Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, warmer than a summer night. The moon was like an alabaster palace rising to its snowy heights. Each star its own aurora borealis, suddenly the sky turned bright. I could see the midnight sun!", - a melodic tribute to a love connection... Later, of course, there were plenty of R&B story tellers in the person of male groups like The Temptations singing about "Papa" being a "Rollin Stone", or Marvin Gaye, asking "What's Goin' On?" or Prince relating the "Sign of the Times". But even they are now relegated to "oldies but goodies" broadcasts that are few and far between. None the less, the Blues are still holding forth, thanks to every hoarse ol hoot who ever picked up a guitar to strum his mournful tale about "dat low down woman who done me wrong". Sigh. I agree, however, with ProfD that all these classic mini-operas will sadly fade into the dusty archives of bygone music. Gone. But, hopefully, not totally forgotten.

Below is a picture of what was the only theater in my hometown back in the day, and it has since been demolished to make room for a mini mall. In its heyday, it was a beautiful movie palace, and it holds a special place in my heart because, for years, my mother worked there part-time as the ladies room attendant, and I got into the show for free. From the time beginning around 6 years old until I went off to college in my teens. I would go there at least once a week, depending on whether or not I wanted to see what was playing. I remember going there to see both "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind" when they originally came out waaay back in 1939. This easy accessibility is undoubtedly why I used to be a big movie buff.

Outside the Operation Push headquarters, Chicagoans assembled by the hundreds, the lines blocks long, beginning at 10 am this Thursday morning, all gathered to pay homage to one of their favorite adopted sons, Jesse Louis Jackson, who lie in state inside the building that was his domain for over 50 years. Dignitaries like Al Sharpton and commoners, old and young, mostly black, a smattering of whites including Chicago's Catholic cardinal made up the growing crowd expected to stream pass Jesse's casket for the rest of the day until 10 pm, the first of several ceremonies at various locations including Washington DC, and South Carolina, his birthplace. A few states have even ordered their flags to be flown at half mast. Jesse Jackson leaves behind a noteworthy legacy as a diligent civil rights warrior who twice ran for President, and who in 2008 stood in tears among the huge Chicago crowd gathered to celebrate Barack Obama's election victory. Jesse had his critics but few could deny his love for his people. He fought the good fight before passing at age 84. May he rest in power.

I watched the "Hunger Games" TV series and I don't remember them eatin' any niggas. It's been reported that Epstein's girlfriend who did the recruiting of the female nymphets to be served up to the perverts, was instructed to bypass black girls. They were not the object of fantasies. Racism reared its ugly head (pun intended) even in this sordid area. The men only wanted innocent-looking goldilock types to molest and rape. I doubt if black meat was considered a gourmet meal...but there is no accounting for taste.

It's a mystery to me why anybody would even give credence to black supremist Elijah Muhammad's unscientific explanations about "who-came-from-what" theories that are on a par with biblical mythology. At least the theory advanced by black sociologist, Frances Cress Welsing, refers to a proven scientific phenomenon that has to do with spontaneous mutation, a transformation that occurs in all forms of life wherein a radical change from the norm suddenly erupts out of nowhere and starts to replicate itself. Welsing's simple explanation for the Caucasian species is that they mutated from the original humanoid apes and were driven off from their tribe, left to wander into the mountains, eventually increasing their numbers, becoming a new "variety", ( a term which an English scientist originated, and would later replace with the word "race", while assuring that the 2 words were interchangeable). Neil de Gras Tyson, brilliant black physicist, asserts that species don't evolve, but that those which don't adjust to their environment simply die, while the type that do adjust to their environment survive, concluding that it's not about superioriority, and that the superficial differences between "the fittest" who do survive in their environment - are just incidental. All of this other chest-beating is simply mankind being mankind, immersed in a playground mentality, with different groups sticking their tongues out at each other, chanting: "nan-na-nan-na-nan-nan" we're better than you are!" See how simple that is? In the present, I would facetiously remark that where environment adjustment is concerned, black varieties seem to navigate easily in the urban jungles, while white varieties are more adaptable to mountainous sky scrapers, these differences reflecting their positions in the world at large. And so it goes... zzzzzzzzzz

True. It is in full sway already and I have a love-hate relationship with it.

As much as some are trying to perpetuate the skill of cursive penmanship, it is slowly sinking below the horizon of modern day communication and will soon become a lost art, I fear. Story telling might inherit a better fate and keep the fiction writer a float in the sea of imagination. I have no regrets about not being around to experience the brave new AI world of the future.

Whatever. At the week-end BAFATAs award show, which is the British equivalent of America's Academy Awards, somebody in the audience yelled out "nigger" when Michael B. Jordan and Deroy Lindo, stars of best picture nominee, "SINNERS", appeared on stage to announce the winner in one of the other categories. Michael didn't slap the offender who, it was later reported, claimed to have Tourettes Syndrome, and after a brief pause, the show went on... That's a hard act to follow, but the Oscars award show will be televised March 15th in America - and we shall see. Stay tuned...

Just for the record, SHAKIRA is not called "white". She's Hispanic, a native of Columbia, South America, more like a Mexican than a Caucasian.

Chicago and the nation are mourning the passing of legendary civil rights activist, Jesse Jackson. Although the family's request for him to lie in state at the Capitol rotunda was denied, his casket will be trotted out at 4 different venues in Chi-Town and DC, and his South Carolina birthplace. In embellishing his acquaintance with Jesse, Trump called him "a piece of work". Take's one to know one... RIP Jesse.

@Pioneer1Yeah, take that contaminated olive branch and stuff it, and save me the trouble of further weaponizing it against your phony civility. And, wooo, who said anything about "picking a fight"?? I was simply asking Tesa a reasonable question but you weaponized this with your distortion powers.

@TesaWhat is your explanation for attributing to me things that I didn't say? Even going so far as to directing the reader to a site spammed with ads for "gaming" platforms. Trickery that smacks of AI mischief.

@Pioneer1yeah, yeah, yeah, ignoring your overtures is an example of my liking attention and drama, huh? Putting your ego-centric, self-serving spin on things, in denial as usual, thinking you have it all figured out. I declined because I had no desire to accommodate your attempt to control the narrative by playing "Mr. NIce Guy", something you really aren't, and I'm fine with not being friends with you. 'Nuff said, move on.

@ProfDWell, everybody knows I'm fading away, but you're the one constant - the nucleus, always unphased and on point, tongue-in-cheek, as regular as clockwork dispensing your updates on what's current. The sporadic coming and going of others isn't really as impactful; they haven't taken a leadership role, and I've come to know their patterns.

Where is Prof D??? Hope he's OK. His absence creates a big void on the premises.

@Pioneer1Your approval is the least of my concerns. That should've been obvious when I declined your olive branch which was nothing more than a sprig of poison ivy, befitting your rancid toxicity.

@Pioneer1Oh puleeze. Spare me your cherry pickin. Like you're an old sage of wisdom instead of a die hard black fanatic and wanna-be visionary who never misses a chance to promote black superiority even as he drones on and on about what "black folks need to do" - to be worthy of his approval.