sunny day in bos

yes, it's the memorial weekend, i am not sure what it is exactly but i think it may be something about honoring the dead and the survivors of past and current wars that america has been involved in. i am guessing that because 2 years ago, when i first moved to a house in somerville, there was a parade going in front of the house and i had a chance to watch it.

however, it was a bit confusing because there were various regiments with names such as "aleppo" etc. which had animals, motorcycles, hospital devices in their parade group and i didn't understand their connection with "wars." halleppo, being located in my neighbor country, syria, i was interested and approached one of the fat moustached guys on the horses and noticed that he was wearing a fez! so my interest multiplied, and i asked "why is your ting called "aleppo?" he said it's just a name and turned around and i saw his huge horse's back move away from me. so thanks to this guy's skillful social tactics, i was able to learn nothing. now i am thinking that it is a secret society.

ok, enough of yesterday's news and let's move on to real yesterday. it was a miracle in boston and we had two consecutive days of sunshine saturday and sunday. of course, the weather is cloudy today so that we know it's not apocalypse yet. to take advantage of the solar vibes, luchus and i went out with our balls - his soccerball and my basketball- and walked over to the Fens to see if we could get some action. one of the things i love about my neighborhood is the central location, but let's save this one, because my hood deserves its own entry.

soo... we started walking across the green sections and we see happy and healthy people everywhere.. they are suntanning, reading, jogging, walking in the swamp, making love... we walk more and see the group sporty types now .. baseball, freesbee a.k.a "the saucer game" as luchus calls it.. everything is allright but luchus points out one thing: everybody is white.. this is something i wouldn't probably have noticed before 2 years ago, but now i'm concious about the color divide cuz i and i live it every and every day in boston. soo.. we continue and suddenly we see the basketball court. it was sprite commercial meets a hip hop video. or that's just my perception. and yes, we both say: soo, that IS where ma niggas at! competition, sweat and pure skills. by the way, i have to put it out here that in my limited perspective, i think that nowadays there is a notion that black is automatically cooler. i'd love to hear other people's opinions about this.

so after seeing that the basketball court was not exactly my match with both courts full and plenty people in the bleachers, i decided to join luchus to play soccer. turkiye is a soccer country, being the sport to dominate %90 of sports arena but girls do not play soccer. it's a guy thing. -actually why am i saying soccer, this sport is called FOOTBALL - sorry, just cuz americans named another sport that's played by hand "football" does not mean you can change the name of the real deal.. - so my experience in futbol was limited to being a tomboy in elementary school and playing with the guys until about 4th grade. however, yesterday was a big success given my pre-experience. i kicked, ran with the ball and even managed to bounce the ball a few times on my foot. one thing i never tried was hitting the ball with my HEAD because that's something why i'll never be a futbol player. why hurt my head? the guys who na fret to jump up and try to hit the ball with their head during a game with risking to collide in mid -air with another guy's head are the people i can't understand at all!! but they make the game good to watch so live on!

after the futbol session we went over to the courts and i took the opportunity to shoot and play in the small black children, asian and white guys section. it's been a while since my high school basketball days but it's good to see it does not take too long to warm up. it's kinda like once you know how to ride the bicycle anecdote but more complicated.

another down point in mi and my nation-sistas and brathas is the fact that although we came THIRD in World Cup 2002 Japan / South Korea we did not qualify for this year's cup. I and I are feeling the pain more as the time approaches -it's less than 2 weeks for the start of a hot hot game show. people around me are talking about italian, polish, american and trinidadian teams and i got no airplay in any of those conversations! what am i gonna say?! we would have destroyed if the Turkish team was in Germany!?! the champion of the hearts: TURKIYE !

i would like to insert the fun fact here that Hakan Sukur of the Turkish national team scored the fastest ever goal against South Korea at 11 seconds in the last world cup. you can check out old but fascinating news here: Sukur sets speed record

the most expected baby born

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5024396.stm

I can't help but to thing of what went on around Nazareth about 2000 years ago when I read this.! I just read yesterday that the people of Namibia - the most difficult to spell country name ever! - were discussing about having the date of SHILOH's birth as a national holiday!!! Til SHILOH!

guess who's coming to dinner....natty dreadlocks!!!

i could not resist it any longed and decidded to lock up my hair again. i had dreadlocked hair for about two years until june 2004.. it was a enrichening experience and i had decided to cut them because i was tired of being stereotyped. however, something happened the weekend of may 5th 2006 and i felt like it was time to be dread again. i had had only two trims since i cut my locks so my hair was a decent length for starting locks. i have been part of online discussion groups for dreadlocks for a while and have been researching various methods for starting and maintaing locks for a while. however, my biggest challenge was that most of that information was geared towards people with naturally kinky hair, basically black people. and the only information that i found regarding locking straight hair like mine was on websites like knotty boy or dreadlock HQ which sold products and gave descriptions on how to have dreadlocks using their products. and the emphasis was always on "making" dreads and not growing them. these websites gave "backcombing" as the ultimate method to make dreadlocks. however, my first set of locks were created by this method with my dear sister's help and i knew that i had a lot of breakage and a dry look because of it. so this time i decided to do something different.

i had been noticing that when i do not comb my hair, it used to seperate itself into small sections and if i leave them as they are, the ends would start to kinda lock. this used to happen especially at the back around my neck. so i took this phenamena as my starting point and seperated my hair into small sections using black rubber bands. the picture of the end product can be seen here.

i then twisted each section with the inside of a fresh aloe that i got from the supermarket to drown them in the nutrition they need and put them in small rolls in what some people call "bantu"s. i slept like this and let them loose the next day and had a nice curly texture as seen here. since then i have been regularly washing every 2-3 days because of the advice i received from veteran dreads. it is actually a fact that clean hair tangles, therefore locks easier than dirty hair because dirt is greasy and grease prevents hair from tangling since it makes it slippery.

so it's been about three weeks and things are looking good so far. i am going to wash it as normal and see the little sections evolve into locks over the next months. i am curious to see how long this will take because even some ppl w kinky hair say that it took them about a year. i notice the ends of the ones at the back knotting already. this is a good start.

i wore my hair without a headwrap for the first time in weeks to work yesterday and i received many compliments. one person said that my hair looked "futuristic." however, i told them this hair is actually one of the most ancient hair. proud to carry the roots!

skeletors of our world

i recently re-watched the provocative documentary "life and debt" and was again appalled by the WRONG policies carried out by the IMF and the World Bank in so called "third world countries" including Jamaica and mine own Turkiye. i learned a bit about the policies by these institutions that made Jamaica actually poorer, but my next step should be to learn more about what is actually going on in Turkiye. i know that masses love to "yankee go home" against the policies whenever they can, but need to find out the specs.

the number one wrong that caught my attention is subsidizing local industries in United States which makes the product so cheap that it is actually cheaper for let's say Jamaica to buy milk from US than to produce its own on its own land. Jamaica once was a country that did not depend on imports, now most of the produce is coming to the island from the port in Miami.

also second wrong is the voting structure. my best friend wikipedia says: "the World Bank is controlled primarily by developed countries, while clients have almost exclusively been developing countries. Some critics argue that a different governance structure would take greater account of developing countries' needs. As of November 1, 2004 the United States held 16.4% of total votes, Japan 7.9%, Germany 4.5%, and the United Kingdom and France each held 4.3%. As major decisions require an 85% super-majority, the US can block any change."

then i did a little more research about these institutions supposedly formed to help allievate poverty around the world, i found out that All of its presidents since the World Bank Group's inception in 1945 were Americans. i am sorry but i have to be suspicious of that. especially when i that the list includes major hawks like Robert McNamara who was one of the biggest advocates of the senseless killing in the Vietnam war by providing false information to the American public and his 21st century reincarnation Paul Wolfowitz, the hawk that is one of the leading supporters of the Iraqi war and fierce advocate of the so-called "New World Order" policies of the neo-con American government. gotta watch the excellent documentary that fully exposes the sinister policies of Robert McNamara called "the FOG OF WAR."

the important thing to keep in mind is that history is repeating itself as we speak. all the issues that have been pointed out as wrong about the current Iraqi Massacre such as providing false facts to public to gain support, censuring and manipulating journalists have already taken place in 1960s and 1970s in America. people suffer from amnesia all around the world. and some are so smart that they do not shun to make use of this most-common human disease.

also, i gotta even more suspicious (and a little scared) when i see that the last two presidents of the World Bank have last names that start with "wolf" !!

• James Wolfensohn(May 1995–June 2005)
• Paul Wolfowitz (June 2005-Present)

humanimal

eating cashews and bananas for breakfast made me feel like a monkey this morning.
friday was the much-awaited 'gyptian and warrior king' concert at local latino-caribbean 'club lido.' it was a good show except when they turn off the microphone on the singer. i observed that it happened two times 1- when warrior king was singing "can't get me down" and 2- when warrior king was singing and they just turned the mike off, and that was the end of the concert. he could not even say bye or something.

i saw that happen on more than less reggae shows in boston and it's a little disturbing to think about it. well; though, still give thanks. it was a great show, and was a priviledge to be able to see two of the best artists of our days and hopefully years to come.

update on previous post

i just found out thanks to my literature concious friend irmak that the poem allegedly written by maya angelou is a complete hoax. after doing a little research on the internet myself i came across following posts which clearly state that the aforamentioned poem is NOT written by harlem renaissance poet maya angelou. this teaches I and I a lesson that I thought I already knew. thanks events.

the explanations make it clear that the poem was most likely produced by people who wanted to influence readers to buy their so-called "black" products instead of mainstream big brands. irmak suggested that it is probably written by someone associated by FUBU since it is explicitly mentioned in the poem.

A notice on Maya Angelou's Website reads as follows:

Please be aware that Dr. Maya Angelou has absolutely no affiliation with the "poem" entitled Clothes that is circulating the Internet.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, a representative of Maya Angelou's speakers' agency said, "It is not her work. She is aware of it, and is very disappointed."

Indeed, no one who a) appreciates good poetry or b) is at all familiar with the marvelous poetry of Maya Angelou could possibly mistake the horrendous examples above for her work.

Furthermore, the content of the "poem" is false and slanderous. Unfounded charges that apparel designers Tommy Hilfiger and Liz Claiborne have made racist statements on television have circulated via the Internet for many years, despite repeated debunkings. The Timberland Company, founded by Nathan Swartz in 1973, is still almost completely family-owned, with Swartz's son and grandson controlling 98 percent of the company's stock. The Swartz family, members of which have spoken publicly of being observant Jews, obviously has no association whatsoever with the anti-Semitic Ku Klux Klan.

A large part of the tension over fashions is because of the massive success of Rap and Hip Hop music in America. The fans have been influenced by the styles and trends of the artists which has spawned the creation of successful independent clothing designers such as Fubu, Willie Esco, Rockawear, Enyce, RP55, Mecca, and Africa. Some of the traditionally high cost labels have gotten onto the Rap and Hip Hop bandwagon too such as Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani, Guess, Nautica, and Polo. At the very least, there has been an encouragement of loyalty to African Americans to "buy black" and to not accommodate the fashion designers who have allegedly, until now, not catered to them. At the very most, there have been these attacks on the high fashion companies and the creation of rumors designed to discourage minorities from buying their products.

true words

Clothes

You are in love with Tommy,
Because his last name is Hilfiger,
But behind closed doors, Tommy,
Is calling you a n*gger,

But you could care less,
Because you have been taught to dress to impress,
If I ask you about your true history,
You would have to look on the back of your jeans and Guess,

You come up in the club wearing Versace,
Clothes made by a homosexual male,
So even when you say you are straight,
It is very hard to tell,
And for footwear, you wear Timberlands,

Even under the sun,
That same tree that's the symbol for them,
Could have been the same one your ancestors were hung from,

I cannot forget Nautica,
When was the last memory you have of ships,
Coming to North America in shackles,
Being beaten over the back with whips,

And to my beautiful black queens,
Whose creative womb has become barren,
I am confused because your face says Nefertiti,
But your sweater reads Donna Karen,

When was the last time you saw Liz Claiborne,
Conversing with black women,
But as soon as her name is printed on a purse,
To Macy's you quickly go, running,


Ralph Lauren doesn't even look at black men,
Unless they are driving him around town,
But as soon as that slave master appears on the back of a horse,
You put whatever you have picked up down,

My people reclaim your status in this world and in your life,
F.U.B.U. in case you didn't know, stands for (For Us By Us),
Buying black will someday suffice,
Do you know who owns Timberland fashion?

Well, Timberland is owned by the president of the KKK,
Surprised? Don't be.
Read more books black people,
Always hope for the best and prepare for the worst,
You may not get what you pay for,
But you'll surely pay for what you get.

~ Maya Angelou

I just found out that there are some untrue statements in the poem such as the owner of Timberland beign president of KKK. However, my friend Gene's reaction to the poem says it all:

I think it is definatly an interesting poem, it certainly is saying something that is true despite the fact that they lied/ used someone elses name. Asa far as saying that the owner of Tims is the president of the KKK maybe thatis being taken to literal it could also have been a way of saying that you really don't know who you are buying from and that they could be anyone. Also that people who are in such postitions of prominence in this life are oftne times prominent in secret societies and stuff.

It is weird to think about how people coime to wearing different brands too because we know that it is really just like wearing a pricetag because people know how much the stuff costs, so people wear more expensive things to make them look rich. The poet might have lied but she still has a good point.

galang galang

yessahh , i've started to take care of my hair as dreadlocks as of one week now.

before i gwaan with that topic, i gotta mention that it's been raining in boston for the last 1 week now. non-stop rain has been going on for the last 4 days, and before and including that it's been all gray, foggy and wet. it is truly effecting how we've been spending our days here. there is nobody outside.. however, at the same time, thanks to gene's perspective at work i am able to look at this situation widda more positive slant than i'd usually would: at least i know that there is no way i can be outside, so i don't feel bad that i 'm sittin at home . this way, i 'm able to enjoy my weekend without having to make the decision to whether going outside or being inside. not bad.

so, i 've been inside most of the weekend and doing homely things. for instance, we watched a spectacular fim called "rize." here's what the director dave lachappelle's website has to say about it:

"Rize" reveals a groundbreaking dance phenomenon that’s exploding on the streets of South Central, Los Angeles. Taking advantage of unprecedented access, this documentary film brings to first light a revolutionary form of artistic expression borne from oppression. The aggressive and visually stunning dance modernizes moves indigenous to African tribal rituals and features mind-blowing, athletic movement sped up to impossible speeds. “Rize” tracks the fascinating evolution of the dance: we meet Tommy Johnson (Tommy the Clown), who first created the style as a response to the 1992 Rodney King riots and named it “Clowning”, as well as the kids who developed the movement into what they now call Krumping. The kids use dance as an alternative to gangs and hustling: they form their own troupes and paint their faces like warriors, meeting to outperform rival gangs of dancers or just to hone their skills. For the dancers, Krumping becomes a way of life – and, because it’s authentic expression (in complete opposition to the bling-bling hip-hop culture), the dance becomes a vital part of who they are.

Like “Paris is Burning” or “Style Wars” before it, “Rize” illuminates an entire community by focusing on an artform as a movement that the disenfranchised have created. But the true stars of the film are the dancers themselves: surrounded by drug addiction, gang activity, and impoverishment, they have managed to somehow rise above. The film offers an intimate, completely fresh portrayal of kids in South Central as they reveal their spirit and creativity. These kids have created art – and often family – where before there was none. illuminates an entire community by focusing on an artform as a movement that the disenfranchised have created. But the true stars of the film are the dancers themselves: surrounded by drug addiction, gang activity, and impoverishment, they have managed to somehow rise above. The film offers an intimate, completely fresh portrayal of kids in South Central as they reveal their spirit and creativity. These kids have created art – and often family – where before there was none.

RIZE is one of the best documentaries i've ever seen. i will make sure to use the 5-at-a-time dvd maker at work to ensure I and I have nuff copies to guarantee the long butterfly effect of this movie in the universe. big up clowns and krumpers! life over death!

let me list some aspects of the movie that tickled my fancy:

- the colors .. of course, since the director is a photographer, this is no coincidence. saturated, bright colors makes you feel the heat... hot hot hot!

- sincere portrayal of the characters and their living conditions .. living in south cenral LA is no joke, and LaChappelle is not ashamed to show it all. most of the "clowning" kids have had rouff childhoods, still suffering under tight babylon downpression, but instead of choosing what many of their counterparts choose like gangs and pretty cars, they choose to krump and that is their salvation! wise talented kids.

- the dances .. i don't even think the word "dance" is doing justice to what these kids are doing. well, they invented a new word for it "krumping."

and lastly .. i loved seeing that urban american youths have chosen their afrikan ancestry over what babylon wants them to be. the excellent edit between archival footage of tribal afrikan "krumpers" and the south central kids putting on their war paint and getting on the floor helped to put things in perspective historically.

it's a scarf.. now it's a top..

Here is a great public service from a company that sells overpriced items. It has movies of making your own tops from a simple rectangular scarf. I am not sure I am bold enough to wear them, but I love knowing about the option.

http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/movies/6445/