Rita tick-tock, pt. 1

What's going on? I'll have it here shortly.

hey

hey

Better day than most

This is what I've been reading.

More catching up than a condiment factory

Sept. 17: Sterling Fisher's Sterfish's Place was lost to throes of post-driving mixmania. Cheryl Aldave's The Last Nerve detailed FEMA aid blockages. The Black Informant offered suggestions on healthy places to shop. The intellectual, poetical, N.igmatic super-thug (& ghetto superhero) served notice: He's got home training. Tragic Deep Thoughts suffered a week from hell. J.Brotherlove had 10 tips for Tyra Banks' talk show. Scott Wickham suggested that rich kids make bad leaders. Neofundamental asked: Why blog? Angela Odom of Pica 12 learned about an interesting historical figure. Stephen Earley Jordan of Bougie Black Boy took down-low demonizers of black men to task. 

'Let us rise above the legacy of inequality'

Mixed Media Watch noticed a Cleveland Jewish News article on Jews of color
At Reload, God's Child had her mind on her money and her money on her mind (and hey, did someone say "money blogging"?
Prometheus 6's N-Net pointed to a great photography presentation in New York for Thursday, Sept. 22
Palm Trees in the Ghetto took issue with Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's campaign tactics.
Mai began a new weblog.
Ding had a short but sweet reading list.
Nahmix of Conscious Disorder issued a calendar call for black-and-white photos of black women with natural hairdos.
Black Ambition pointed to Jacob Weisberg's Slate.com article on the Bush administration's hurricane-related missteps and the implications they hold for the GOP's black-vote campaign.
CultureKitchen was pretty happy about inclusion in Google News. (Congratulations!)
Michmac went meatless. (I take it that means more for me? Yum!
You couldn't ball me up and throw me against an episode, but Graffiti: The Writings on the Wall managed the trick of raising my interest in "The O.C." (and I don't even like TV)
Joe Twist of Soul Imperialist offered life quality-management advice via Gil Scott Heron
Uncle Sam knew what to do when her purse got snatched. (Good on her!)
Poet in Wisconsin realized that alcohol is not always a friend.
Tuckergurl was working on an article about Hurricane Katrina and its survivors.

King's blog is dead; long live King

Michael King of Ramblings' Journal said he's moving to other opportunities.
Monica Jackson of the way there asked: Can black authors only write for other blacks?
Obsidianbear wrote an open letter to a congressman over a PFLAG ad appearance.
Chippla jotted down thoughts on roadside traders along the southbound route from Abuja, Nigeria.
David Dylan Thomas had one big problem with Google's new blog search engine.
Midwestbrutha at datSPOT looked for thoughts about long-distance relationships.
Mon posted about the rigors of becoming a professor.
Positively Cheryl had faint praise for a recent presidential proclamation.
Sterfish's Place had a nice-sounding driving-themed mixtape (some assembly required).
Ink Blotter said sexy is as sexy does.
Slow Metamorphosis took in the view from Las Vegas.
Hilari at Make Me spent some time in a television studio.
Danyel Smith has 50 songs from the year she graduated high school.
Christopher Arps set the record straight on his resignation from the National Black Republican Association, saying: "There have been too many black political organizations (liberal and conservative) that "speak" for black people but are nothing more than vehicles for self proclaimed leaders to promote and enrich themselves and their cronies. I believe we can and will do better."
Steven Barnes of Dar Kush explained further about his views on getting rich.
This Actually Happened shared thoughts on dating across the political spectrum.

Iain Jackson served up more thoughtful Katrina posts.
Faye M. Anderson planned to see a documentary on New Orleans' musical history.
Queen T. of A Queen's Diary checked in with her feelings.
Black Lilly has pictures and words.
Republic of T. had words for Condoleezza Rice's conversion on race as a factor.
The Moderate Republican was shocked at the Washington Post's "Hell on Earth" story.

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 8

Sept. 13: Underground Railroad had some credulity-gap leftovers. GirlGenius takes issue with some middle-class blacks' recent behavior. Kevin R. Scott mulled poverty as a mentality. Iain Jackson of Grim Amusements had a post on race, class and poverty. Dell Gines said he respected the president's admission of responsibility for federal failures. (Culture Kitchen immediately raised its hand with other questions.) How'd We Get from the Pyramids to the Projects passed along a Rosa Clemente essay. Dar Kush flipped through Nostradamus Geographic. Professor Kim's News Notes had a roundup (and a plan to be in Buffalo today). J's Theater informed readers of a Harlem fund-raiser Sunday; earlier in the week, he had a great post on HBCUs in need. Nappy Forty was not happy about her neighbors. Essential post? Mississippi blogger My Hard Knock Life's "My Mind." Harold M. Clemens offered sympathy for Wolf Blitzer. Second essential post? Whitewashing the Black Storm: We Are Watching's "Kudos to Local Volunteers; Update on Astrodome."  

Elsewhere/otherwhen: Abeni at And Still IRise posted a "Cosby Show" reunion picture. Feminist African Sister wanted to eat her fries in peace, but also spoke about weight and body image issues. GlyphRich hipped us to a new Keith Knight book. Gina of Gina's Rantspot had a column beginning in a Chicago newspaper. Sleepless in the Sudan shared an account of African Union beef with Sudanese rebels. And We Shall March did me a solid favor in linking to some Ralph Ellison-Irving Howe exchanges. African Bullets & Honey claimed there was no worse gig than being a broke doctoral student in Monaco. The Other Side of Africa said: Who says Africa is poor? Angry Black Bitch called Katie Couric, um, off-sides. New Leadership Blog's Christopher Arps gave his take on the National Black Republican Association board resignations. Small Hands outlined her feelings on religion. The award-winning Daily Views, Pop Culture, Rants and News' Humanity Critic imagined writing romance novels (now that's "As Good As It Gets").  JW Richard of Mandrake Society had thoughts on gender roles and  fostering community. Larry Lyons Jr. went on indefinite hiatus. Seasoned gave his take on domestic violence in SGL relationships. 

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 7

Sept. 10: Style+Grace admitted her shallowness but called out her readers as well. Laylah, Queen of the Night muses on the blues manifested.

Sept. 11: Black Ink said that out of pain and suffering come letters. Clifton of Cliff's Crib asked: Where do I begin? (If you're reading this right now, you need to navigate on away from here and go read his testimony.) Breath of Life checked in with more wonderful thoughts on music.

Sept. 12: Mark Anthony Neal of New Black Man dropped the link bomb with two great posts, "Wahneema Lubiano on Race, Class and Katrina" and "Blackademe Weighs in on Katrina, 9/11 and Kanye West." Jewels in the Jungle's Black River Eagle found a benefit concert and Katrina database. Angela Tucker pointed to a guide to promote media literacy. Santagati.com dropped "Come Hell or High Water." Udi ranted that no one cares.  Ousman Ceesay of home of the mandinmories thumbs-upped a caustic Bill Maher monologue. The Moderate Republican noticed and shared his thoughts on a commentary on the GOP's problems. Ian at A Different Kitchen gave excellent roundup. 

"Elsewhere/otherwhen": Niggerati.net noticed African Americans for Democracy's Diaspora Covenant. Black Ambition remarked on Colin Powell's regrets over his weapons of mass destruction testimony. Hopluv had family memories to go over. Cymple remembered where she was four years ago, as did Serendipitous Epiphanies.  DJ Diva had thoughts on Baldwin and Christianity. Zimbabwean Pundit explained how touch-and-go things are Down South. Chookooloonks enjoyed shooting a fashion show. Garvey's Ghost decided to knock the Elder-ly. Toyce Francis at the Prodigal Sun went home. Kinky Thought Thicke-ns white pop stars' ghetto-pass plot. Black Star Journal had peacekeeping in the Congo on the brain. Bink wanted a career. Kipepeo had thoughts on "Crash." 

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 6

Sept. 8: Ambra Nykol asked what would people take from home if given 15 minutes' advance warning. Keto at The Colorblind Society said pretenses had been washed away. Ray Garraud spoke of amateur radio efforts to reopen regional communications.  

Sept. 9: Farai Chideya was having a tough time locating her uncle. Larry D. Lyons passed along an eyewitness report from the previous week. James Lamb Jr. spit riffs that curled whimsical one moment and white-hot furious the next. No4Real4Real was surprised by aftereffects within part of the black-blogging community. Whitewashing the Black Storm: We Are Watching continued their coverage of life for evacuees inside Houston's Astrodome.

"Elsewhere/otherwhen": Things that Go Bump in the Night's "Umoja" looked back on life in Kenya.  The Ragamuffin Diva had thoughts on magic and stories and change. The Brutha Code departed, marking the end of an era. Ndesanjo Macha rounded out a busy day with the end of a conference in Helsinki. Rethabile Manso offered a lesson on a rather useful Sesotho-language phrase. Negrorage considered the minority-within-minority plight of black conservatives. Writing is Fighting offered moving and brave personal testimony on a difficult decision. Sleepless in Sudan continued her indispensable slice-of-Darfur-life posts. Queen Esther got a guitar lesson from James Blood Ulmer (and I tried not to turn inside out with envy). Tee at Urbanflower enjoyed her sons' first day of school. Harold M. Clemens republished an old post to mark September 11th.

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 5

Been one of those weeks, hasn't it?

For some reason, Kitty Power's "The War at Home" is resonating with me this week.

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 4

Via the indispensable Gwen Harlow's rawr, I see White Washing the Black Storm: We are Watching: Two Houston Law Professors' First Hand Blog Accounts of the Real Treatment of Black Americans in Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath

Sept. 6: Danyel Smith had a lesson before dying, and thoughts on the new great migration. Cobb offered a meditation on Derbigny Street. Abeni at And Still I Rise greeted Natalee Holloway coverage's end with relief. Laina Dawes at Writing is Fighting weighed in on Katrina and Kanye West. Mahogany Elle wondered if hope floats. Diary of a Peculiar Soul pointed readers to Steve Gilliard's "Letter to Black Conservatives."  Trent Fitzgerald of Beats and Rants offered accolades to Charmaine Neville. Responding to Leonard Pitts' column, RBG at If You Don't Understand Yourself said she couldn't have said it better herself. Tragically Deep Thoughts wondered if he was the cynic. 

Sept. 7: Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast listened to Wynton Marsalis and Cassandra Wilson, and asked "whose blood? whose fields?" Guandu focused on black hair care supplies.Mandrake Society proprietor JW Richard noticed a encouraging Washington Post story about a family reconstituted in Houston. Mark Anthony Neal's New Black Man race-d Katrina and offered Dr. Maurice Wallace's  "our tsunami" text. Minister Faust suggested that the moral levee was dry.  D.L. Foster had thoughts on ultimate suffering. Natalie Davis considered fingerpointing and nausea. On a lighter note, Laura Swisher wants a new job. Blackfeminism.org's Tiffany B. Brown said Katrina's aftermath was about Bush, not race. 

Elsewhere: Chippla has thoughts on Nigerian ethnicity. 

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 3

Sept. 4: Bob Marovich of the Black Gospel Blog shared the storm's impact on the community and its response, as well as how readers could help victims.

Sept. 5: Shannita of Creative Soul Confessions shared New Orleans stories and couldn't stop watching the news. Black Ink links about the thanks-but-no-thanks attitude she saw. Bullet Proof Diva meditated on the upside of anger. Hopluv found one of the more affecting photos I'd seen so far. Ian at A Different Kitchen mulled Black America's Sept. 11. Tiffani at Cynikal One says Kanye West doesn't speak for her. Jace at Mudd Up! had a bad dream. Kenyon Farrow at Every Shut Eye Ain't Sleep offered a framing document on behalf of the displaced. Sudan Watch returned with an account of a televised Friday sermon at a Khartoum mosque.  

Thulani Davis doesn't blog, but her Black Commentator esssay has got me stuck.

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 2

Sept. 3 (continued): Black Book Blog put focus on raising money. Soul Imperialist had a phone conversation with a friend. James Lamb, Jr. wrote about the wretched of the earth. Butta On ... shared her Hurricane Kanye thoughts. Devas T. Rants and Raves sighed in relief for an out-of-town colleague and volunteered at an Austin, Texas, shelter. Siddity in the City pointed to others who'd said it better.

Sept. 4: The Prodigal Sun offered Bush reminders. Obi from South London offered the left-behind series. Rhythms of Grace noticed a Mississippi shelter wedding. Mtume and Kalamu ya Salaam put up another stellar issue of Breath of Life, despite evacuating from New Orleans to Austin. Shotta M of Poet in Wisconsin talked about Katrina in her contracts class. Nichelle vented over a newspaper letter. Hip Hop Music linked to Charmaine Neville's (of the New Orleans music-royalty Nevilles) escape account. L.A. Brain Terrain put out a call for donations. ReidBlog just said no to Rudy Giuliani and links to Errol Brown's Newsday column. Faheem at Black Perspective and Introspection took a deeper look at looting. (Jdid sorta joined in.) Afro-Netizen pointed to Aaron Broussard on "Meet the Press." Isn't She Lovely? said call it what you will. The Adventures of Princess Dominique declared: no more pretending. Frank Leon Roberts had never been a fan of stating the obvious. Alli-Babe thought she didn't have any more tears. Bejata focused on people helping people. 

Sept. 5: ThatColoredFella said he can see clearly now. George Conard slammed the meltdown in NOLA and the politics of Katrina, and read Matt in Houston. Writing is Fighting shared Kimya Dawson's take. Jewels in the Jungle listed how to help victims. Farai Chideya's post drips with irony. Ms. World checked in. Copia offered his Gulf Coast catastrophe take. Avery Tooley asked for a late pass. E.J. Flavors said: don't stop. Heartbreak arrived for Cobb's Michael Bowen. Keith Boykin said we knew this would happen. Quaheem offered a poem. 

Katrina tick-tock, pt. 1

Sept. 1: Rashunda Tramble had just a few questions about the New Orleans situation. Christopher Priest had a quartet of reactions. Ejovi Nuwere called the situation a national disgrace. U.S.S. Clueless: Earth to Timi said it's survival. Six Impossible Things asked: What to say? The Moderate Republican blanched at Denny Hastert's remarks and speculated about the Chicago effect. Bare and Bitter Sleep had a wakeup call for other U.S. coastal cities. Tim'm West shared a Marvin K. White poem.

Sept. 2: B.E.G. at Songbirds was overwhelmed. Bits & Pieces had her say on priorities. Jackson G. Tickle mused on lives lost, looting and the federal response. Politopics shared concerns about Baton Rouge and Houston. Scentiments wondered about TV crews' presence and federal foot-dragging. Gecko Girl offered ways for Atlantans to help evacuees. BrothaLove RantSpace, well, ranted. Blackboard Journal called it a debacle of support. Nehanda Dreams asks "is it me, or are you all black?" The Black Saint has equal measures of sobriety and snark. Ramblings of an African Geek spoke of a tragedy of mismanagement. Pondering Negro decided to turn off CNN. Uncle Sam's Cabin updated her wonderings. Nita shared some stuff. Professor Kim's News Notes pointed to an interview with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. unfinished brooklyn asked: "Refugees? Here?" Negrorage wanted men deputized at the New Orleans Convention Center. Kamau's Business Blog Page had a trio of posts. Kenyon Farrow at Every Shut Eye Ain't Sleep forwarded friend Jordan Flaherty's "Notes from Inside New Orleans." Rainmayun talked about the new diaspora. Misled Youth said "... God bless Texas." Kyra Davis said we should have watched out for the swing. J. Dakar at N-Retrospekt wanted someone to do something. goddess at NAI' shared her "shoot'em up, loot'em up" stress. Liza Valentino said "thy will be done."

Sept. 3: Dr. Strangejazz at bitter daze picked up the black-people-loot, white-people-find meme. The Brutha Code riffed on "the American way." Ms. Audacity at Diary of a Peculiar Soul vented displeasure over a Wolf Blitzer word choice. D.L. Foster shared his opinion of Kanye West, while Candicissima at Kitty Types shared hers. Tavares Forby at Blackpundit asked: "Are they refugees?" Steven Barnes of Dar Kush pointed to FitnessAid.org. Life on da Rock's The Seed 2.0 mused on "Katrina Before and After." D. Sekou of the Deskrat Chronicles rapped Bush officials' knuckles. Brohemian thought about the hardest times in the Big Easy. The Fabulous and Funky World of a Diva's Jazz lauds West, as well as Harry Connick, Jr. Sudan Watch's Ingrid pauses to reflect. Keith Jenkins of Good Reputation Sleeping said the small world was now smaller. Nordette of N.J. Spoken Word said West's words gave her the best laugh she'd had in days. Danyel Smith of naked cartwheels sent out a hurricane S.O.S. and said dark is a way and light is a place. Marian Douglas noticed Jeff Koinange's New Orleans dissonance. New York City's pride Ronn Taylor of a burst of light ...* noticed Tayari Jones' hurricane-relief book offer. Will of In My Write Mind has an amazing post called "An Easy Call to Make."

Crescent City confidential

I've been tied up since coming off of vacation and heading back into my day gig's orbit. I've got a few screens' worth of links to read. If you're tired of what the TV screen loops, then maybe it's time to review the troops.