Hanging Out With People Who Say "I Don't Care" So Much That You Stop Caring

 

 6 members, including 2 kids, of self-proclaimed prophet’s ‘spiritual cult’ missing in Missouri 

   

 Lil Nas X says he plans to study biblical studies at Liberty University 

   

 5 Books About Regretting That Cult You Joined

Dan Aykroyd's Worst James Brown Impression EVAH

But, as long as he didn't start talking about aliens, I'm cool,...

Mick Jagger Is Producing A Movie About James Brown

It Starts As A Dot But Gets Bigger & Bigger (Then Black)

Linked to this topic yesterday, I think:

"Psychic powers don't exist and are just a trick of the brain, claims study"

Mental tricks. 

"This Photographer Thought He Was Documenting the Economic Collapse of Black People. Instead He Watched Them Rise Up."

Maintaining illusions.

"Those who in 2014 are still not self-aware enough to understand the fallacy in their 'I never owned any slaves, and neither did my family' argument (here, lemme help with that one, suburban white girl with good credit chatting with your sister on Twitter: if you are the current beneficiary of any past oppressive system such as hiring practices ensuring your husband will always have a job before anyone else, and you are running around telling people how your stay-at-home-mom tax dollars are paying for some working black lady’s two children, at some point, you will be seen as no different than stereotypical racists screaming free speech free speech when caught on tape saying what 'everyone else' is thinking.) I tend to hide from people like that, safely ensconced in my carefully chosen web of white people: my husband, my editors over at yeah write, a few writers I trust. They aren’t racist, but judging by their social media circles, some of their friends and neighbors sure are. Their being friends with those other people—isn’t that a tacit endorsement? What if my WWP is just really good at hiding its contempt, and I am like its black friend necklace? Its gold open heart collection designed by Jane Seymour for Kay Jewelers. Hanging there with small, white children picnicking and playing below."

Shutting out liberty.

"Like the 1960s black power movement of which he was a figurehead, Amiri Baraka, who died on Thursday aged 79, is widely condemned in America as a promoter of black supremacy, zealotry and violence. The reality is less straightforward."

Encouraging theft.

"In 1991’s The Commitments, the positive black slogan immortalized in music by James Brown in 1970, is used for the Irish, by the Irish: 'I’m black and I’m Proud'. This problematizes the position of actual black (and mixed-race) Irish figures in Ireland at the time, and those who remain subject to acts of racism. The appropriation of black cultural production by white artists can be read as an act of cross-racial solidarity, minstrelsy and masquerade, or exploitation. Indeed, if the Irish adopt political blackness but remain tied to racialised discourses which exclude black agents, then where does that leave the black Irish?"

Making it culture.

African Bee In The Microwave (Ready To Blow It's Mind)

Let's See: Black/White, Black/White, Black/White - Post

Copyright Criminals (Or How Creativity Made Outlaws)

 

My friend, ndspinelli, mentioned he was soon going to see the great Clyde Stubblefield (from James Brown's band) and that reminded me I'd never posted this PBS program on the current ins and outs of sampling law - a major obstacle for recording artists today, myself included. 

Along with Mr. Stubblefield, it includes many of the biggest names in music criticism (Greg Tate, Harry Allen) label heads (the sour Steve Albini) lawyers, many of the artists and producers I've featured on TMR (George Clinton, DJ Q-Bert, De La Soul, Public Enemy and The Bomb Squad, Coldcut, Prefuse 73, Negativland, etc.) friends of mine (Shock G) all providing a nice over-view of opinions on how the art of recording is done, post-Sgt. Pepper's. I've used them all. 

Dealing with these issues (and how to get around them) is mostly how I spend my free time:

And I'm not ashamed to say, I've been away from it now for almost a month, and it's killing me,...

ADDED - a nice mash-up by the video editors Eclectic Method:

   

This: How The Rich Get Richer And The Poor Get Poorer

 

Whew! Look at all those people - who, each and every one of them, would swear they hate war - go! We never should've gone into Iraq? Hell, we never should've opened a Walmart! 

Happy Thanksgiving, you fucking buffoons! 

I just worked 36 hours in two days - and have another double shift coming this evening - so I'm now a slow-moving wreck (after "just resting my head" in my own bed, I eventually fell asleep in my dirty work clothes, and - after 8 hours of sleep - never once spilled the beer in my hand. Yes, even comatose - I'm that good!) but, man, it was worth it: 

I've earned enough money to viciously fight with my neighbors over whatever absolutely worthless lit-up trinkets are now "on sale." 

I've been scanning the "Black Friday" ads, and it's amazing how much junk is out there. Even more amazing is how little of it consists of anything that can lead to, or is intended for, a productive life. Is buying a flat-screen LCD television, or a Nintendo Wii, going to put money in your pocket - or take it out, by further inducing you to waste your time? Camping gear? Jewelry? How important is a Kindle, or a Nook, when most people have a library of unread books on their shelves? 

It's astounding, the mental slight-of-hand people can play on themselves, over nothing. 

And, meanwhile, we're worried about the economy. Worried sick. Sure we are. 

Yesterday, a co-worker asked me what I was going to buy for myself this holiday season and, when I said "nothing," he replied, "Me either - Hey, I like you!" So I punched him in the face. 

It was my idea of "fun." 

I've got a copy of James Brown LIVE at the Apollo in 1968 to screen before I head back in. 

I'ma pray to that: 

In the name of Jesus or something - which'll make it O.K. See you guys in a couple of days,...

This Is A Man's World