Miss Piggy nails Fox Schmews.....

Still as fierce and rad as she ever was. And somewhere in the happy, beautiful beyond, Jim Henson and Mr. Hooper are smiling.....

For the last fucking time -- this shit is NOT as innocent as tanning...

To my beautiful sisters of color...

Black...Brown...Red...Yellow -- and every beautiful shade, hue and mixture in the vast spectrum of our skin colors...

Discover yourself.

Embrace yourself.

Love yourself.

Be proud of your beauty...

And for all those clueless souls out there who SERIOUSLY think that women (and men) of color who do skin bleaching/skin lightening are on the same innocuous level as white folks who are obsessed with tanning?  It's time for some deep history lessons and cultural research -- especially the effects of colonialism and slavery and how prevailing white standards of beauty have damaged so many minds and self-perceptions. Those Jersey kids on that reality show may worship their tanning beds and love baking in the sun, but they don't have issues with their ethnic identities and being proud of who they are.  Somehow I don't think they'd be too happy if people believed they were trying to change their ethnicity from Italian to African or Latino. 

Click for article:

Calif. Investigates Skin-Lighteners for Dangerous Mercury - New America Media

                                                                                                   

We are ALL beautiful, unique and amazing.  

Just as we are.

Signed Epstein's mother....

 I just heard the news about Robert Hegyes.  I had a serious tween crush on him and Travolta and colorful Tiger Beat posters to back it up (along with Foster Sylvers, David Cassidy, Derek from The Bay City Rollers and other beloveds on my festooned orange bedroom walls in the 70's). Without a doubt...he was one of my favorite Sweathogs way back in ye olden tymes.  That strut.  That awesomely rad fro.  That bandana.  And those great notes...always signed Epstein's mother.   Rest well Robert.  Thanks for all the giggles, snorts and laughs x0x0x0x

I had this issue!!!!

Here's a fun bit from a Kotter episode:

Goodnight, sweet, powerful Etta x0x0x0x

I can never thank you enough for the reminders and helping me get over break-ups and greedy assholes in my younger days.  How many mixed tapes did I put your sweet voice on??  How many tears did your wisdom and emotion help dry?? Especially Pushover and Sunday Kind of Love.  So many brilliant songs besides just At Last. That was only a sliver of your beautiful gift.  Thank you for everything, dear Queen. Rest now.  We'll see you again down the road x0x0x

 

I'll definitely be blasting this one on Sunday morning and thinking of you: 

http://youtu.be/nfNLspDL3ns

Today is the big FIVE-O ~ Happy Bday, dear Ari...

Here's to the sublime, unmatched, mad Madussa, Ari Up.  This vid gives me such a smile and makes me think of the last time we slowed down to catch-up.  It reflects her so well.  Sweet spirit.  Positive spirit.  Funny-as-hell and right-on.  Miss you like crazy, chica -- especially that laugh. Rest well. See you again on the other side x0x0x

Angela Davis speaks at the 40th anniversary of MLK's death

This was a great speech.  Food for thought and a much-needed reminder. There is so much work to be done and each and every one of us has a part to play. It didn't all begin with Dr. King....and it didn't all end with his murder. He was one of many warriors in the great struggle for equality and civil rights. Be inspired. Be sensitive. Stay conscious. Take a stand and do something. 

If you can't march in the streets and do civil disobedience or get arrested, take a committed stand in your personal life to raise your voice whenever you're around people (including family and close friends) who make racist jokes...sexist jokes...homophobic jokes.  

Raise your voice whenever you're around people who use racist slurs and homophobic slurs.  

Raise your voice whenever you hear others calling people "retards" or using disparaging words to describe people with physical challenges and mental disabilities.

Raise your voice whenever you hear/see violence and inequality towards women and girls.

     
      

Just...'cause.

Here's to us old survivors. Bitter, ragged, broken.....patched-up and on our feet again. We're still here.

Who's up for a party-pooper intervention?????

This reminds me...very few people know of that long lost Bauhaus song: "She poops at parties"

[Bless you for this laugh, sweet Diane GeorgeJetson x0x0x]

Can you dig it?????

Sometimes...all you want to do is get on your train in the Bronx and ride all the way back home to Coney Island without incident. But sometimes....it always seems like there's no shortage of assholes who'll try to get in your face and fuck with you and end up turning it into an all-night saga. I'm so glad this week is over. This classic scene pretty much sums up how I felt on the bus ride home from work today. Have a great weekend, dearies x0x0x

Goddess, BLESS Dan Savage....

Seriously. Payback is a bitch -- and the internet is forever.  It's been such sweet, sweet righteous schadenfreude to watch this little snowball tumble down the pop culture hill for all of this time growing into this unbelievable cultural meme (is that even the right word for what this has become??)  I mean, did ANY of us EVER think this stroke of socially-aware linguistic brilliance dinging a bigoted homophobe would have such strong legs?  Is it too much to hope that by Election Day of this year little hip-hop kids from every corner of the globe, with their low-slung jeans and cocked hats, will have a new phrase of patois, like..."fuckyou, you fuckin' santorum-head mutherfucker!"or "man, don't come around here spillin' your santorum!!!" Is it too much to hope for???

Do you know what YOUR state's laws are regarding taping the behavior/words of police and other public officials??

Here's an idea for a serious New Year's resolution....In this mega-tech age of "smart" gadgets and phones that are not only recording your baby nephew's cute farts or your cat's umpteenth cute YouTube moment rattling around in a brown paper bag...they're also recording numerous cases of brutal police activities and fatal levels of unnecessary brute force to subdue suspects....and if you DON'T where your state's laws stand???  Be thankful there's still a little time to find out. Here's an update on my old friend and art teacher, Chris Drew, as he is still deep in the battle for the right of artists to sell their art in public spaces in Chicago...and for any of us to have the right to record the actions of the police and other public officials.

This article featuring Chris' court case was on the front page today in the Chicago Tribune (did I just say the FRONT PAGE of the Trib???):   State's eavesdropping law faces growing challenges 

If you'd like to get involved with Chris' case and hear more about other related legal fights check out these links as well as vid interviews with Chris on YouTube:

• Archive of the Free Speech Artists' Movement Newsletter: http://community.icontact.com/p/community1112
   

• Press Releases from the Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center:  http://www.art-teez.org/pr.htm  
  
  
  
  

  

  Handle With Care