January 2009 - Page 5 of 7 - Ramblin' with Roger

It’s Black History Month Again, and I’ve Got Nothin’

It’s that time of year again. Somehow, I’ve become the unofficial leader of the group of people to put this thing together in my church this year – again – and I’m not sure what new angle I can come up with.

Oh, it not as though we have absolutely zero planned. We have a speaker for one Sunday. There will be a kente cloth presentation. And I expect there will a luncheon after church one week.

More at issue are three weeks of adult education. I think one Sunday the topic will be related to race relations in the era of an Obama presidency. How does he change the conversation? Some think this means the black community has arrived, and such things as B H Month are no longer needed!

To that last point, I would disagree. A Swahili aphorism states: “You are what you make of yourself, and not what others make you.” A positive self-concept is important, and so an awareness of the richness of Black history becomes important. This is one of the reasons we continue to celebrate Black History Month, first celebrated in 1926.

Another thought is to use the class would to show film clips – 15 to 20 minutes – and then discuss for remainder of class. One white person suggested segments from White Man’s Burden, a 1995 movie I was unfamiliar with. (Anyone out there seen it? ) He said this film is always an eye opener for white audiences, and it does a good job of showing unnoticed race-based behaviors and norms in our society.

I will be participating in “The 3 Biggest Diversity Blunders Your Organization Could Be Making Right Now (And How to Avoid Them)” workshop in a couple weeks, and that might have some help. But that won’t be for a couple weeks, and I need to put something together for the church newsletter this Friday.

Any thoughts about resources you would use?
ROG

The CRANKY question

It’s a brand-new year. Everything is shiny and fresh. Yet I feel a tad, oh, let’s say, not 100% positive.

I sorta kinda understand what Obama was trying to do picking Rick Warren – my local newspaper, back on December 19, editorialized in favor. But the letters – here’s one example – definitely disagreed, rightly.

FBI Warns of Inauguration Terror Threat. Swell. I’ve been nervous since the open-air conclusion to the Denver convention.

That blonde conservative woman has managed a faux insult into more self-serving promotion: “After NBC canceled me ‘for life’ on Monday — until seven or eight hours later when the ban was splashed across the top of The [Sludge] Report, forcing a red-faced NBC to withdraw the ban.” As Col. Potter used to say on M*A*S*H, “horse hockey!”

This week, after CNN did a story on the Gaza war, teased with the next story about “Oprah’s war”. It turns out it’s with her weight! Not only is it an unfortunate segue, Oprah’s weight – who cares! – was so last week.

Joe the Plumber Heading to Middle East To Be Correspondent for Conservative Media Outlet. Joe, who I’ve NEVER heard say anything approaching coherent, has officially reached minute 16 of his 15 minutes of fame.

The whole Roland Burris thing. I never thought Congress really had to right to not seat him, unless he were under 30 (he’s over 70) or didn’t live in Illinois. More than that, Evans-Novak play it as sport: “Burris and Richardson Flaps and Panetta Pick Enliven Washington”. I’d link to the story except that it seems to be attached to some computer virus.

And it’s cold, it’s going to snow again tonight and by Friday, it’ll even be colder, with highs in the low teens.

I need something to lift my spirits. How about Obama and Spider-Man appearing in a comic together?

Spider-Man IS my favorite character. And Obama, while not a superhero…

…or maybe he is?!

Anyway, how are YOU this cold winter? What’s bugging you? Or pleasing you? (Note to Nik and Arthur: careful about telling me too much about the New Zealand summer!)

ROG

The Cream of the Crop

I received my Collectors’ Choice Music catalog for January 2009 this week, and what should appear on the cover but the woman in this photograph:
(Actually, it was more like the March 31 photo here.)

Naturally, I owned this item in vinyl. That was because I was a big fan of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Really, I owned The Lonely Bull (A&M 101, the first item in the catalog; the stereo equivalent was 4101), the second album, Going Places, as well as Whipped Cream, and perhaps others.

Unfortunately, when a bunch of my albums I had left at my grandmother’s house were stolen in 1972, they took all of my albums with the artist name A, B, many of the S range, and the T-Z. (This included my Capitol Beatles albums, though my Apple Beatles albums were with me at college.) So the TJB (as I used to abbreviate the group) was gone too.

So I was thrilled in the mid-1980s to find a used copy of Whipped Cream on sale for a buck. I was less thrilled that while the cover was Whipped Cream, the album was Going Places. Not so disappointed, though to buy the LP again (on sale for $21.98) but maybe the CD ($10.98). After all, I already have the 12 X 12 cover.

This album cover was heavily parodied:

The last album cover above was for a tribute album to that original classic. You can find many variations of covers of this album at Album covers spoofing album covers. Presently, the original album cover is at #66, with the spoofs following, but as the contributions to the site are added, it will invariably move.

One last thing; as attractive as the woman on the left is, she’ll never be iconic like the lady on the right is.

ROG

Twit or tweet

One of the things I just don’t understand is that a number of people have started following me on Twitter. A few of them are at least Internet buds, but most of them I do not know in the least, don’t know how they came to my Twitter feed, and don’t know what it is that is appealing enough for total strangers to want to “follow me”. Britney Spears, I ain’t.

At the same time, I seem to have developed a sense of responsibility/guilt? over the fact that I’m just not yet that proficient a Twitterer/Tweeter. Unlike this blog, I can go three or four days without posting a thing there. Moreover, I haven’t really got a handle on what 140-character message I wish to share.

Interestingly, I DO submit things to my work Twitter account more frequently; it’s easier because it’s mostly business community related. And I have less a feeling of responsibility because there are 150 potential contributors, though in fact it’s usually done by a half dozen of the usual suspects.

But the few times I find something that I think is interesting on a personal or cultural level, I’m usually busy at work or just too tired. These things tend to be time-sensitive, too. I may find it interesting that Bill Richardson stopped the process to be Commerce Secretary, but by the time I have time to tweet it, it’s common knowledge.

Or I wonder if the content should better be put in the blog. Or not at all. There were pieces I considered for the Tweet, passed on, then, as I contemplated the blog, decided, “Boy, I’m glad I didn’t write THAT!” Maybe I’m not that spontaneous a guy.

I DO like to respond directly to folks I know on twitter. I told mikesterling: “My high school prom music was ‘All Things Must Pass’. By George Harrison.” (We were VERY serious young people.) I SHOULD HAVE told tomthedog that not only do I find the word “tweeting” silly, It makes me feel as though I’m in some damn Warner Brothers cartoon.

But I am embracing it. I think the article from last week’s Metroland says it for me:

Twittering Not Just for Annoying Bulls*** Any Longer

Want to know what your friends are doing right now? Neither do we. That’s why we’d written off Twitter almost immediately after hearing about it. But, as usual, our lack of enthusiasm for the latest social-networking craze was the unfortunate side effect of us being old. This year we were won over by a slew of adventurous media outlets that found truly interesting uses for this ridiculously simple little Web app, from the local paper breaking news on its Twitter feed or publishing tweet follow-ups on developing stories to The New York Times tweeting links to its latest stories. So we are sorry, Twitter, for doubting you, and we resolve here and now to embrace the power of the tweet.

But be careful out there. According to WayneJohn, there’s a Twitter phishing scam going on. Also, mistyping Twitter can get some interesting results as well.
***
FOLLOW FAIL: The Top Ten Reasons I Will Not Follow You on Twitter

Cartoon from the Westport (CT) Public Library.
ROG

Y is for York

New York State was once the territory of the Iroquois nation. It was later settled by the Dutch.

In 1663 the Duke of York purchased the grant of Long Island and other islands on the New England coast made in 1635 to the Earl of Stirling. The following year, the Duke equipped an armed expedition, which took possession of New Amsterdam, which was thenceforth called Province of New York, after him.[1][2] This conquest was confirmed by the treaty of Breda, in July 1667. In July 1673, a Dutch fleet recaptured New York and held it until it was restored to the English by the treaty of Westminster in February, 1674.

But which Duke of York are we talking about? From this chronology, it appears to be James Stuart, who later became James II of England (and James VII of Scotland). While Duke of York, he was also Duke of Albany in Scotland.

The current Duke of York is Prince Andrew, the second son of the British monarch, Elizabeth II. Since he has no sons (horrors!), the most likely candidate for the position will be Prince Harry, assuming Charles ascends the throne someday.

As for York, England itself, it is located northeast of Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool:

The Shambles is oldest street in York, it mentioned “in the Doomsday Book under its Latin name – In Macello. The word Shambles derives from the Medieval word Shamel (various spellings), meaning bench or booth. Also referred to as Flesshammel, which means to do with flesh – it was the street of the butchers. In 1872 the number of butchers was recorded as 26. This figure dwindled over the years until the last butcher standing was Dewhurst at number 27 the Shambles.”

York Minster Gothic Cathedral in York

“Situated in the heart of the city, York Minster is the largest Gothic Cathedral in northern Europe. As is the way with many christian buildings, it was built in the shape of a cross, and faces East, towards Jerusalem. The name “Minster” is derived from the Latin Monastarium, which means ‘Place of Learning’.”

Here are some places in the United States named York; not a complete list:

York County, PA.

York County, SC.

York (city), PA.

East York, PA CDP. A CDP is a Census Designated Place, a location that is unincorporated but well-defined.

York County, ME.

York County, PA.

York County, VA.

West New York, NJ.

Which brings us to my home state of New York:

New York (State). There are 62 counties in New York State.

New York (City). Five of those counties comprise New York City. In NYC, there are also something called boroughs; these are coterminous with the county boundaries.

New York County, NY is a/k/a the borough of Manhattan. Kings County is the borough of Brooklyn, Richmond County is the borough Staten Island. Bronx and Queens each have the same name as a county as it does as a borough.

ABC Wednesday

ROG