HOW ABOUT A NEW POLL (hmmm?)

The first poll is closed now... It was an interesting experience... Initially I thought that it wasn't working properly, but in the end it turned out to be just fine.

Thanks a lot to all who took the second to tick on the boxes!!!

There's still a poll running, which I didn't formally announce: it's about an event most Angolans are familiar with, but very few outside the country have ever heard about. You can read about it here. The question is "whether it's too soon to talk openly about it".

Now, here's a new question:

IS AFRICA READY FOR A "UNITED STATES OF AFRICA"?

For good backgrounders on this issue you can read these articles at Global Voices Online and Jewels in The Jungle.

The first poll is closed now... It was an interesting experience... Initially I thought that it wasn't working properly, but in the end it turned out to be just fine.

Thanks a lot to all who took the second to tick on the boxes!!!

There's still a poll running, which I didn't formally announce: it's about an event most Angolans are familiar with, but very few outside the country have ever heard about. You can read about it here. The question is "whether it's too soon to talk openly about it".

Now, here's a new question:

IS AFRICA READY FOR A "UNITED STATES OF AFRICA"?

For good backgrounders on this issue you can read these articles at Global Voices Online and Jewels in The Jungle.

OUTBLOGGING @ AFRICANPATH (V)

DEVELOPMENT AID TO AFRICA: QUO VADIS? (Part I)


I was halfway the writing of my review of this July’s now (in)famous issue of Vanity Fair, while simultaneously dealing with not less controversial, and not that far away from this main plate, issues in my own “parochial community”, when fellow blogger BRE called my attention to the ongoing Sachs vs. Easterly debate, to which the following quotation is just an introduction:


Read article here or at AfricanPath.

DEVELOPMENT AID TO AFRICA: QUO VADIS? (Part I)


I was halfway the writing of my review of this July’s now (in)famous issue of Vanity Fair, while simultaneously dealing with not less controversial, and not that far away from this main plate, issues in my own “parochial community”, when fellow blogger BRE called my attention to the ongoing Sachs vs. Easterly debate, to which the following quotation is just an introduction:


Read article here or at AfricanPath.

ZIMBABWEAN SCULPTURE

Whoever lives or travels around Southern Africa has certainly marveled at the numerous ‘informal markets’, normally by the roadsides, where all sorts of works of art, by men and women, are sold by Zimbabwean refugees all across the region. Of these, the most noticeable are sculptures, most frequently in soap-stone, but also in wood, iron and other materials. These elaborated, often sumptuous, works of art, for which one would most certainly pay small or big fortunes in big city art galleries, will cost you ‘peanuts’ in those markets.

This is just one of the many facets of the current tragedy affecting Zimbabwe: thousands of nationals from the country, reputed as not just the “former bread-basket”, but also as possessing one of the biggest reservoirs of qualified people in the region, nowadays try to earn a living in such markets or through menial jobs in neighbouring countries, while being targeted by all sorts of xenophobic attitudes from the authorities and nationals of those countries – something not likely to figure in the agendas of the AU summits, at a time when the buzzword in various continental fora is one “United States of Africa”…

There are, however, as with everything in life, exceptions to the rule, and as much as you will find former Zimbabwean engineers, teachers and other professionals washing dishes as domestic workers in some middle-class household in a neighbouring country, you will also find many qualified and competent Zimbabweans well employed in institutions and companies across the region, the rest of the continent and the world at large.

The sculptures depicted above are just one such example: the work of Shepherd Ndudzo, a Zimbabwean artist based in Gaborone, they’ve escaped the roadside and were exhibited at local galleries and sold, well… not exactly for ‘peanuts’! To my chagrin, I couldn’t buy one, but managed to get from the artist one of the limited series of postcards made out of his fabulous collection of female postures.

Whoever lives or travels around Southern Africa has certainly marveled at the numerous ‘informal markets’, normally by the roadsides, where all sorts of works of art, by men and women, are sold by Zimbabwean refugees all across the region. Of these, the most noticeable are sculptures, most frequently in soap-stone, but also in wood, iron and other materials. These elaborated, often sumptuous, works of art, for which one would most certainly pay small or big fortunes in big city art galleries, will cost you ‘peanuts’ in those markets.

This is just one of the many facets of the current tragedy affecting Zimbabwe: thousands of nationals from the country, reputed as not just the “former bread-basket”, but also as possessing one of the biggest reservoirs of qualified people in the region, nowadays try to earn a living in such markets or through menial jobs in neighbouring countries, while being targeted by all sorts of xenophobic attitudes from the authorities and nationals of those countries – something not likely to figure in the agendas of the AU summits, at a time when the buzzword in various continental fora is one “United States of Africa”…

There are, however, as with everything in life, exceptions to the rule, and as much as you will find former Zimbabwean engineers, teachers and other professionals washing dishes as domestic workers in some middle-class household in a neighbouring country, you will also find many qualified and competent Zimbabweans well employed in institutions and companies across the region, the rest of the continent and the world at large.

The sculptures depicted above are just one such example: the work of Shepherd Ndudzo, a Zimbabwean artist based in Gaborone, they’ve escaped the roadside and were exhibited at local galleries and sold, well… not exactly for ‘peanuts’! To my chagrin, I couldn’t buy one, but managed to get from the artist one of the limited series of postcards made out of his fabulous collection of female postures.

A “FUGA”, OU O INSONDAVEL MISTERIO DA NACIONALIDADE SURRIPIADA…(Parte 1)

« (...) Os países comunistas excomungavam a emigração, considerada a mais odiosa traição. Todos os que permanecessem no exterior eram condenados in absencia no seu país de origem e os seus compatriotas não se atreviam a ter qualquer contacto com eles. (…) Se um país não é independente e nem sequer o quer ser, quererá alguém ainda morrer por ele? « (Extractos de «Ignorancia», por Milan Kundera)

Uma vez que estou em mare’ de peneirar as “riquissimas experiencias” que venho colhendo com este blog, impoe-se que fale de mais uma. Concretamente, dessa inusitada (embora nao inedita, porque desde que retomei um contacto mais directo e frequente com Angola nos ultimos anos ela vem-se repetindo com igual frequencia) vaga de ataques a minha nacionalidade. Confesso que e’ uma dessas coisas que se me afigura tao absurda que, apesar da frequencia com que se manifesta, das mais diversas origens e direccoes, nao consigo racionalizar.

Fala-se, no ambito da psicanalise, de “inveja do penis” ou de “inveja dos seios” por parte de quem nao tem uma coisa ou outra. A primeira condicao talvez explique alguns dos comportamentos que referi no meu post sobre “mulheres…” (este). Quanto a segunda, nao sei, dentre os meus mais abnegados detractores, quem a tera’, mas sei certamente que eu nao a tenho em relacao a ninguem… E parece-me tambem que qualquer desses tipos de inveja se assemelha muito ao que me parece ser “inveja da nacionalidade”.

E isto porque dificilmente se encontrara’ neste momento nacionalidade mais cobicada em Africa, ou em varias outras partes do mundo, do que a Angolana. Por todas, mais do que sabidas, razoes atinentes a extensao territorial, as riquezas naturais, as aparentemente vertiginosas taxas de crescimento economico, ao bom clima e belezas paisagisticas, a dita baixa densidade populacional, as fragilidades e carencias (materiais, sociais, espirituais e psicologicas) de uma sociedade ainda confusamente a procura de si propria e de um “futuro brilhante” num pais que se tenta reinventar, depois do mais estrondoso falhanco de uma tentativa mal-parida de invencao… enfim, por todas as conhecidas razoes. Acontece, porem, que nem toda a gente que a cobica, merecida ou imerecidamente, a tem, mesmo que possa ostentar um qualquer forjado, ou comprado, B.I.. Dai a inveja de quem, obviamente, inquestionavelmente e sem qualquer necessidade de comprovativos, em forma de documentos, bandeiras, ou mascaras, a tem… dai a necessidade compulsiva por parte de muitos de, nao so’ a tentarem obter “by all means necessary”, mas tambem de negarem, invalidarem, enfim, roubarem a nacionalidade Angolana de quem legitimamente a possui…

Dai os ataques cegos, as falas de “fuga” do pais, curiosamente por parte de criaturas que fugiram de Angola antes ou por altura da independencia e que nunca mais la’ voltaram, ou que, tendo-se la’ mantido, viveram la’ sempre em ilhas insuladas de todos os ventos e tempestades que durante os ultimos 32 anos afectaram a esmagadora maioria dos Angolanos… Disso ja’ falei extensamente no meu post sobre a musica do Bonga (entretanto editado, apenas por razoes que teem a ver com o meu caracter…), mas como, desde entao, tais ataques voltaram e continuam a verificar-se diariamente, como que brotando de uma fonte absurdamente inesgotavel de obtusidade, vejo-me forcada a voltar disso falar. Nao porque me sinta sob qualquer obrigacao de “prestar contas” a quem quer que seja sobre o meu “paradeiro”, ou sobre os ques, porques e aondes da minha residencia, nao que tenha que pedir desculpas a ninguem por ser IRREMEDIAVELMENTE ANGOLANA… Apenas, e tao so, porque gostaria, muito honesta e sinceramente, que certas pessoas ganhassem um pouco (uma vez que o “full monty” em tais casos se demonstra manifestamente impossivel) de nocao de ridiculo e vergonha na cara.

De resto, bem feitas as contas, na verdade nunca estive “fora” de Angola: se as minhas idas ao pais, anuais durante a primeira decada de residencia fora, menos frequentes, mas realizadas, durante a segunda decada e as sucessivas visitas que fiz, a intervalos de meses, nos ultimos cinco anos nao sao suficientes para o demonstrar, a minha participacao em diversas actividades e frequentes publicacoes sobre questoes Angolanas em varios “media outlets”, nacionais e internacionais, durante esse periodo de “ausencia”, para ja’ nao falar do permanente contacto com familiares e amigos na terra, atestam-no de forma inequivoca. Se, de todo esse tempo, algum periodo pode ser tido como de “ausencia total”, ele nao tera’ sido certamente maior do que o de qualquer das fulanas e sicranos que por ai andam a despejar bilis sobre a minha suposta “fuga” neste e noutros blogs… Direi apenas que e’, no minimo, aviltante, pretender-se ignorar, no meio de todos esses maus figados, que Angola nao foi um pais normal nos ultimos 30 anos… que, ‘a semelhanca de praticamente todos os paises Africanos, Angola tem contribuido com milhares, senao milhoes, dos seus nacionais para as vagas de emigracao para os paises vizinhos, a Europa, os EUA e um pouco para todo o mundo. Que tais ataques partam, via de regra, de nacionais, ou seus descendentes, de um pais, Portugal, conhecido historicamente como “pais de emigrantes” e que nunca teve uma guerra como a que Angola acaba de viver nas ultimas tres decadas, torna-o ainda mais aviltante e diz tudo sobre o (ou a falta de) caracter dos seus perpetradores e das suas verdadeiras motivacoes. E nao deixa de ser particularmente interessante que sejam os mesmos que recorrem bastamente ao “Angola da’ para todos” para justificarem os seus gritos de “todos para Angola e em forca”… Obviamente “todos” menos Angolanos como eu, que o unico crime que cometem e’ exporem objectivamente factos, historicos ou correntes, que essas criaturas nem sequer se atrevem a discutir ou contradizer, preferindo, muito vil e cobardemente, atacar a pessoa e as suas circunstancias, por manifestamente nao conseguirem “derrotar” as suas ideias! Mas… palavras para que, se o odio e a inveja, principalmente se acirrados pela cobica, sao cegos, como ja’ dizia S. Tomas de Aquino!

E, para finalizar, direi tambem isto: em termos legais, pelo menos ate’ 2012, vao ter que me “aturar” a falar e a comportar-me como ANGOLANA! Aqui e noutros espacos, reais ou virtuais – o que, na verdade, mais tem contribuido ultimamente para o acirrar de tais ataques: se outras provas nao bastassem, as doentias e vergonhosas reaccoes a minha recente entrevista ao blog Szavanna e, mais recentemente, ao meu post no GVO sobre o blog Serra da Chela, sao, quanto a isso, suficientemente elucidativas… Noutros termos, fiquem sabendo que a minha nacionalidade nao me foi “concedida” por nenhum Estado ou ser vivente: foi-o pelos meus ancestrais – todos enterrados em Angola! E, ja’ agora, mais direi: toda esta nefasta experiencia (com toda a sorte de sabotagens e hostilidades abertas ou veladas) apenas me tem demonstrado onde e’ que eu “NAO estaria” e o que “NAO teria sido” de mim, como mulher, como profissional e como ser humano, se nao tivesse encontrado a tempo este “safe heaven de Sua Magestade Britanica” – onde, que fique aqui registado, prefiro permanecer ate’ ao fim dos meus dias, do que regressar a uma Angola recolonizada ou neocolonizada!



[P.S.: Para complementar (encerrar?) esta conversa, deixo aqui em anexo mais uma cronica por mim publicada no SA ha’ 5 anos]

« (...) Os países comunistas excomungavam a emigração, considerada a mais odiosa traição. Todos os que permanecessem no exterior eram condenados in absencia no seu país de origem e os seus compatriotas não se atreviam a ter qualquer contacto com eles. (…) Se um país não é independente e nem sequer o quer ser, quererá alguém ainda morrer por ele? « (Extractos de «Ignorancia», por Milan Kundera)

Uma vez que estou em mare’ de peneirar as “riquissimas experiencias” que venho colhendo com este blog, impoe-se que fale de mais uma. Concretamente, dessa inusitada (embora nao inedita, porque desde que retomei um contacto mais directo e frequente com Angola nos ultimos anos ela vem-se repetindo com igual frequencia) vaga de ataques a minha nacionalidade. Confesso que e’ uma dessas coisas que se me afigura tao absurda que, apesar da frequencia com que se manifesta, das mais diversas origens e direccoes, nao consigo racionalizar.

Fala-se, no ambito da psicanalise, de “inveja do penis” ou de “inveja dos seios” por parte de quem nao tem uma coisa ou outra. A primeira condicao talvez explique alguns dos comportamentos que referi no meu post sobre “mulheres…” (este). Quanto a segunda, nao sei, dentre os meus mais abnegados detractores, quem a tera’, mas sei certamente que eu nao a tenho em relacao a ninguem… E parece-me tambem que qualquer desses tipos de inveja se assemelha muito ao que me parece ser “inveja da nacionalidade”.

E isto porque dificilmente se encontrara’ neste momento nacionalidade mais cobicada em Africa, ou em varias outras partes do mundo, do que a Angolana. Por todas, mais do que sabidas, razoes atinentes a extensao territorial, as riquezas naturais, as aparentemente vertiginosas taxas de crescimento economico, ao bom clima e belezas paisagisticas, a dita baixa densidade populacional, as fragilidades e carencias (materiais, sociais, espirituais e psicologicas) de uma sociedade ainda confusamente a procura de si propria e de um “futuro brilhante” num pais que se tenta reinventar, depois do mais estrondoso falhanco de uma tentativa mal-parida de invencao… enfim, por todas as conhecidas razoes. Acontece, porem, que nem toda a gente que a cobica, merecida ou imerecidamente, a tem, mesmo que possa ostentar um qualquer forjado, ou comprado, B.I.. Dai a inveja de quem, obviamente, inquestionavelmente e sem qualquer necessidade de comprovativos, em forma de documentos, bandeiras, ou mascaras, a tem… dai a necessidade compulsiva por parte de muitos de, nao so’ a tentarem obter “by all means necessary”, mas tambem de negarem, invalidarem, enfim, roubarem a nacionalidade Angolana de quem legitimamente a possui…

Dai os ataques cegos, as falas de “fuga” do pais, curiosamente por parte de criaturas que fugiram de Angola antes ou por altura da independencia e que nunca mais la’ voltaram, ou que, tendo-se la’ mantido, viveram la’ sempre em ilhas insuladas de todos os ventos e tempestades que durante os ultimos 32 anos afectaram a esmagadora maioria dos Angolanos… Disso ja’ falei extensamente no meu post sobre a musica do Bonga (entretanto editado, apenas por razoes que teem a ver com o meu caracter…), mas como, desde entao, tais ataques voltaram e continuam a verificar-se diariamente, como que brotando de uma fonte absurdamente inesgotavel de obtusidade, vejo-me forcada a voltar disso falar. Nao porque me sinta sob qualquer obrigacao de “prestar contas” a quem quer que seja sobre o meu “paradeiro”, ou sobre os ques, porques e aondes da minha residencia, nao que tenha que pedir desculpas a ninguem por ser IRREMEDIAVELMENTE ANGOLANA… Apenas, e tao so, porque gostaria, muito honesta e sinceramente, que certas pessoas ganhassem um pouco (uma vez que o “full monty” em tais casos se demonstra manifestamente impossivel) de nocao de ridiculo e vergonha na cara.

De resto, bem feitas as contas, na verdade nunca estive “fora” de Angola: se as minhas idas ao pais, anuais durante a primeira decada de residencia fora, menos frequentes, mas realizadas, durante a segunda decada e as sucessivas visitas que fiz, a intervalos de meses, nos ultimos cinco anos nao sao suficientes para o demonstrar, a minha participacao em diversas actividades e frequentes publicacoes sobre questoes Angolanas em varios “media outlets”, nacionais e internacionais, durante esse periodo de “ausencia”, para ja’ nao falar do permanente contacto com familiares e amigos na terra, atestam-no de forma inequivoca. Se, de todo esse tempo, algum periodo pode ser tido como de “ausencia total”, ele nao tera’ sido certamente maior do que o de qualquer das fulanas e sicranos que por ai andam a despejar bilis sobre a minha suposta “fuga” neste e noutros blogs… Direi apenas que e’, no minimo, aviltante, pretender-se ignorar, no meio de todos esses maus figados, que Angola nao foi um pais normal nos ultimos 30 anos… que, ‘a semelhanca de praticamente todos os paises Africanos, Angola tem contribuido com milhares, senao milhoes, dos seus nacionais para as vagas de emigracao para os paises vizinhos, a Europa, os EUA e um pouco para todo o mundo. Que tais ataques partam, via de regra, de nacionais, ou seus descendentes, de um pais, Portugal, conhecido historicamente como “pais de emigrantes” e que nunca teve uma guerra como a que Angola acaba de viver nas ultimas tres decadas, torna-o ainda mais aviltante e diz tudo sobre o (ou a falta de) caracter dos seus perpetradores e das suas verdadeiras motivacoes. E nao deixa de ser particularmente interessante que sejam os mesmos que recorrem bastamente ao “Angola da’ para todos” para justificarem os seus gritos de “todos para Angola e em forca”… Obviamente “todos” menos Angolanos como eu, que o unico crime que cometem e’ exporem objectivamente factos, historicos ou correntes, que essas criaturas nem sequer se atrevem a discutir ou contradizer, preferindo, muito vil e cobardemente, atacar a pessoa e as suas circunstancias, por manifestamente nao conseguirem “derrotar” as suas ideias! Mas… palavras para que, se o odio e a inveja, principalmente se acirrados pela cobica, sao cegos, como ja’ dizia S. Tomas de Aquino!

E, para finalizar, direi tambem isto: em termos legais, pelo menos ate’ 2012, vao ter que me “aturar” a falar e a comportar-me como ANGOLANA! Aqui e noutros espacos, reais ou virtuais – o que, na verdade, mais tem contribuido ultimamente para o acirrar de tais ataques: se outras provas nao bastassem, as doentias e vergonhosas reaccoes a minha recente entrevista ao blog Szavanna e, mais recentemente, ao meu post no GVO sobre o blog Serra da Chela, sao, quanto a isso, suficientemente elucidativas… Noutros termos, fiquem sabendo que a minha nacionalidade nao me foi “concedida” por nenhum Estado ou ser vivente: foi-o pelos meus ancestrais – todos enterrados em Angola! E, ja’ agora, mais direi: toda esta nefasta experiencia (com toda a sorte de sabotagens e hostilidades abertas ou veladas) apenas me tem demonstrado onde e’ que eu “NAO estaria” e o que “NAO teria sido” de mim, como mulher, como profissional e como ser humano, se nao tivesse encontrado a tempo este “safe heaven de Sua Magestade Britanica” – onde, que fique aqui registado, prefiro permanecer ate’ ao fim dos meus dias, do que regressar a uma Angola recolonizada ou neocolonizada!



[P.S.: Para complementar (encerrar?) esta conversa, deixo aqui em anexo mais uma cronica por mim publicada no SA ha’ 5 anos]

ON HOW THE FIRST AFRICAN SLAVES IN THE US WERE ANGOLAN…

[N.B.: This is not exactly news – it’s dated almost a year ago – but it’s always relevant, particularly in relation to the previous post.]

They were known as the "20 and odd," the first African slaves to set foot in North America at the English colony settled in 1607.
For nearly 400 years, historians believed they were transported to Virginia from the West Indies on a Dutch warship. Little else was known of the Africans, who left no trace.
Now, new scholarship and transatlantic detective work have solved the puzzle of who they were and where their forced journey across the Atlantic Ocean began.
The slaves were herded onto a Portuguese slave ship in Angola, in Southwest Africa. The ship was seized by British pirates on the high seas -- not brought to Virginia after a period of time in the Caribbean. The slaves represented one ethnic group, not many, as historians first believed.
The discovery has tapped a rich vein of history that will go on public view next month at the Jamestown Settlement. The museum and living history program will commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown's founding by revamping the exhibits and artifacts -- as well as the story of the settlement itself.
Although historians have thoroughly documented the direct slave trade from Africa starting in the 1700s, far less was known of the first blacks who arrived in Virginia and other colonies a century earlier. A story of memory and cultural connections between Africa and the early New World is being unearthed in a state whose plantation economy set the course for the Civil War.

(Read more here // Picture from here)

[N.B.: This is not exactly news – it’s dated almost a year ago – but it’s always relevant, particularly in relation to the previous post.]

They were known as the "20 and odd," the first African slaves to set foot in North America at the English colony settled in 1607.
For nearly 400 years, historians believed they were transported to Virginia from the West Indies on a Dutch warship. Little else was known of the Africans, who left no trace.
Now, new scholarship and transatlantic detective work have solved the puzzle of who they were and where their forced journey across the Atlantic Ocean began.
The slaves were herded onto a Portuguese slave ship in Angola, in Southwest Africa. The ship was seized by British pirates on the high seas -- not brought to Virginia after a period of time in the Caribbean. The slaves represented one ethnic group, not many, as historians first believed.
The discovery has tapped a rich vein of history that will go on public view next month at the Jamestown Settlement. The museum and living history program will commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown's founding by revamping the exhibits and artifacts -- as well as the story of the settlement itself.
Although historians have thoroughly documented the direct slave trade from Africa starting in the 1700s, far less was known of the first blacks who arrived in Virginia and other colonies a century earlier. A story of memory and cultural connections between Africa and the early New World is being unearthed in a state whose plantation economy set the course for the Civil War.

(Read more here // Picture from here)

"A ROTA DOS ESCRAVOS"

Decorre neste momento em Londres, na ‘Victoria House’,
no quadro do Bicentenario da Abolicao da Escravatura, uma reuniao internacional dos directores de Museus do Trafico Negreiro, sob patrocinio da Unesco e do Conselho Britanico dos Museus, em que Angola se faz representar por Simao Souindoula, director do Museu Nacional da Escravatura.

(Mais detalhes aqui)

(Fotos daqui)

Decorre neste momento em Londres, na ‘Victoria House’,
no quadro do Bicentenario da Abolicao da Escravatura, uma reuniao internacional dos directores de Museus do Trafico Negreiro, sob patrocinio da Unesco e do Conselho Britanico dos Museus, em que Angola se faz representar por Simao Souindoula, director do Museu Nacional da Escravatura.

(Mais detalhes aqui)

(Fotos daqui)

AN INTRODUCTION TO “KIND OF BLUE”*

{by Bill Evans}


(So What)


There is a Japanese visual art in which the artist is forced to be spontaneous. He must paint on a thin stretched parchment with a special brush and black water paint in such a way that an unnatural or interrupted stroke will destroy the line or break through the parchment. Erasures or changes are impossible. These artists must practice a particular discipline, that of allowing the idea to express itself in communication with their hands in such a direct way that deliberation cannot interfere. The resulting pictures lack the complex composition and texture of ordinary painting, but it is said that those who see it will find something captured that escapes explanation. This conviction that direct deed is the most meaningful reflection, I believe, has prompted the evolution of the extremely severe and unique disciplines of the jazz or improvising musician.
Group improvisation is a further challenge. Aside from the weighty technical problem of collective coherent thinking, there is the very human, even social need for sympathy from all members to bend for the common result. This most difficult problem, I think, is beautifully met and solved in this recording. As the painter needs his framework of parchment, the improvising musical group needs its framework in time. Miles Davis presents here frameworks which are exquisite in their simplicity and yet contain all that is necessary to stimulate performance with a sure reference to the primary conception.

Miles conceived these settings only hours before the recording dates and arrived with sketches which indicated to the group what was to be played. Therefore, you will hear something close to pure spontaneity in these performances. The group had never played these pieces prior to the recordings and I think without exception the first complete performance of each was a “take”. Although it is not uncommon for a jazz musician to be expected to improvise on new material at a recording session, the character of these pieces represents a particular challenge.

Briefly, the formal character of the five settings are:
“So What” is a simple figure based on 16 measures of one scale, 8 of another and 8 more of the first, following a piano and bass introduction in free rhythmic style. “Freddie Freeloader” is a 12-measure blues form given new personality by effective melodic and rhythmic simplicity. “Blue in Green”** is a 10-measure circular form following a 4-measure introduction, and played by soloists in various augmentation and diminution of time values. “All Blues”** is a 6/812-measure blues form that produces its mood through only a few modal changes and Miles Davis’ free melodic conception. “Flamenco Sketches” (two takes)** is a series of five scales, each to be played as long as the soloist wishes until he has completed the series.

(Freddie Freeloader)

* More than a milestone in jazz, Kind of Blue is a defining moment of twentieth century music, one of those incredibly rare works of art that achieve equal popularity among musicians, critics, and the public at large. The rest of us might tend to agree with Jimmy Cobb, the drummer on the album, who commented of Kind of Blue that it “must have been made in heaven.” Don’t we all enjoy a taste of heaven now and then? (…) Here, for the first time, is Kind of Blue complete, sounding big and rich and true to life and right on key. If you’re going to heaven, might as well go first-class all the way. (From the presentation of the 1997 re-issue of Kind of Blue).

** Played before in this blog.

All compositions by Miles Davis (Trumpet). Featuring: Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (Alto Saxophone, except 'Blue in Green'), Paul Chambers (Bass), James Cobb (Drums), John Coltrane (Tenor Saxophone), Bill Evans (Piano), Wynton Kelly (Piano, 'Freddie Freeloader'). Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City on March 2, 1959 (#1-3) and April 22, 1959 (#4,5,6).

© 1997 Sony Music Entertainment Inc./Columbia.

{by Bill Evans}


(So What)


There is a Japanese visual art in which the artist is forced to be spontaneous. He must paint on a thin stretched parchment with a special brush and black water paint in such a way that an unnatural or interrupted stroke will destroy the line or break through the parchment. Erasures or changes are impossible. These artists must practice a particular discipline, that of allowing the idea to express itself in communication with their hands in such a direct way that deliberation cannot interfere. The resulting pictures lack the complex composition and texture of ordinary painting, but it is said that those who see it will find something captured that escapes explanation. This conviction that direct deed is the most meaningful reflection, I believe, has prompted the evolution of the extremely severe and unique disciplines of the jazz or improvising musician.
Group improvisation is a further challenge. Aside from the weighty technical problem of collective coherent thinking, there is the very human, even social need for sympathy from all members to bend for the common result. This most difficult problem, I think, is beautifully met and solved in this recording. As the painter needs his framework of parchment, the improvising musical group needs its framework in time. Miles Davis presents here frameworks which are exquisite in their simplicity and yet contain all that is necessary to stimulate performance with a sure reference to the primary conception.

Miles conceived these settings only hours before the recording dates and arrived with sketches which indicated to the group what was to be played. Therefore, you will hear something close to pure spontaneity in these performances. The group had never played these pieces prior to the recordings and I think without exception the first complete performance of each was a “take”. Although it is not uncommon for a jazz musician to be expected to improvise on new material at a recording session, the character of these pieces represents a particular challenge.

Briefly, the formal character of the five settings are:
“So What” is a simple figure based on 16 measures of one scale, 8 of another and 8 more of the first, following a piano and bass introduction in free rhythmic style. “Freddie Freeloader” is a 12-measure blues form given new personality by effective melodic and rhythmic simplicity. “Blue in Green”** is a 10-measure circular form following a 4-measure introduction, and played by soloists in various augmentation and diminution of time values. “All Blues”** is a 6/812-measure blues form that produces its mood through only a few modal changes and Miles Davis’ free melodic conception. “Flamenco Sketches” (two takes)** is a series of five scales, each to be played as long as the soloist wishes until he has completed the series.

(Freddie Freeloader)

* More than a milestone in jazz, Kind of Blue is a defining moment of twentieth century music, one of those incredibly rare works of art that achieve equal popularity among musicians, critics, and the public at large. The rest of us might tend to agree with Jimmy Cobb, the drummer on the album, who commented of Kind of Blue that it “must have been made in heaven.” Don’t we all enjoy a taste of heaven now and then? (…) Here, for the first time, is Kind of Blue complete, sounding big and rich and true to life and right on key. If you’re going to heaven, might as well go first-class all the way. (From the presentation of the 1997 re-issue of Kind of Blue).

** Played before in this blog.

All compositions by Miles Davis (Trumpet). Featuring: Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (Alto Saxophone, except 'Blue in Green'), Paul Chambers (Bass), James Cobb (Drums), John Coltrane (Tenor Saxophone), Bill Evans (Piano), Wynton Kelly (Piano, 'Freddie Freeloader'). Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City on March 2, 1959 (#1-3) and April 22, 1959 (#4,5,6).

© 1997 Sony Music Entertainment Inc./Columbia.

OUTBLOGGING @ GLOBAL VOICES ONLINE (III)

ANGOLA: 'BLOGANDO' A PARTIR DO INTERIOR DO PAIS (I)

Com uma população estimada em quase dezasseis milhões de habitantes, cinco anos depois do fim da longa guerra que durou cerca de trinta anos, a rede fixa da empresa estatal Angola Telecom apenas serve menos de um porcento da população, os Provedores de Serviços de Internet não chegam a servir uma pessoa entre mil e há apenas cerca de catorze usuários da Internet por cada mil pessoas.*

Porém, apesar deste quadro pouco animador, há alguns 'bloggers' no país, embora eles estejam maioritáriamente baseados na capital, Luanda. Há também pelo menos duas “ almas bravas” a 'blogar' a partir das províncias do interior do país. Dentre estes, tenho vindo a seguir o 'blog' “Serra da Chela” (que comemora este mês o seu primeiro aniversário), do jornalista Manuel Vieira, baseado no Lubango, capital da província sulana da Huíla. Apesar de blogar principalmente sobre/a partir daquela localidade, ele também o faz a partir de Luanda e outras províncias do interior do país (e, nos últimos dias, a partir de Moçambique e Swazilândia).

Um dos seus artigos que particularmente chamou a minha atenção trata de uma questão que revela, por um lado, o espectro da fome causado pelo clima e as condições metereológicas locais e, por outro lado, os conflitos que opõem as autoridades locais, em representação das suas comunidades, e as companhias extractivas que vêem explorando os recursos naturais da região sem, contudo, cumprirem com as responsabilidades sociais por si assumidas:

POPULARES DO MUNICÍPIO DOS GAMBOS, PROVÍNCIA DA HUÍLA, DENUNCIAM GRITANTES ESPECTROS DE FOME NO INTERIOR DAQUELA LOCALIDADE.

(LER ARTIGO AQUI)

ANGOLA: 'BLOGANDO' A PARTIR DO INTERIOR DO PAIS (I)

Com uma população estimada em quase dezasseis milhões de habitantes, cinco anos depois do fim da longa guerra que durou cerca de trinta anos, a rede fixa da empresa estatal Angola Telecom apenas serve menos de um porcento da população, os Provedores de Serviços de Internet não chegam a servir uma pessoa entre mil e há apenas cerca de catorze usuários da Internet por cada mil pessoas.*

Porém, apesar deste quadro pouco animador, há alguns 'bloggers' no país, embora eles estejam maioritáriamente baseados na capital, Luanda. Há também pelo menos duas “ almas bravas” a 'blogar' a partir das províncias do interior do país. Dentre estes, tenho vindo a seguir o 'blog' “Serra da Chela” (que comemora este mês o seu primeiro aniversário), do jornalista Manuel Vieira, baseado no Lubango, capital da província sulana da Huíla. Apesar de blogar principalmente sobre/a partir daquela localidade, ele também o faz a partir de Luanda e outras províncias do interior do país (e, nos últimos dias, a partir de Moçambique e Swazilândia).

Um dos seus artigos que particularmente chamou a minha atenção trata de uma questão que revela, por um lado, o espectro da fome causado pelo clima e as condições metereológicas locais e, por outro lado, os conflitos que opõem as autoridades locais, em representação das suas comunidades, e as companhias extractivas que vêem explorando os recursos naturais da região sem, contudo, cumprirem com as responsabilidades sociais por si assumidas:

POPULARES DO MUNICÍPIO DOS GAMBOS, PROVÍNCIA DA HUÍLA, DENUNCIAM GRITANTES ESPECTROS DE FOME NO INTERIOR DAQUELA LOCALIDADE.

(LER ARTIGO AQUI)

RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON "LUSOPHONE AFRICA"

M. Anne Pitcher with Aubrey Graham, "Cars are Killing Luanda: Cronyism,
Consumerism and Other Assaults on Angola's Postwar, Capital City" in Martin Murray and Garth Myers, eds., _Cities in Contemporary Africa_, pp. 173-199 (NY: Palgrave, 2006). The chapter uses cars as the "vehicle" through which to analyze Angola's postwar political economy; includes a photographic essay.

Cristina Udelsmann Rodrigues, "From Family Solidarity to Social Classes: Urban Stratification in Angola (Luanda and Ondjiva)," _Journal of Southern African Studies_ 33, 2 (June 2007): 235-250.

Stefan Helgesson, "Shifting Fields: Imagining Literary Renewal in
Itinerário and Drum," Research in African Literatures 38, 2 (Summer 2007).

Linda Ledford-Miller, "'So Few and Yet So Little Known': Historical
Recovery and Reconstruction in the Work of Lilìa Momplé," Africa (Rome) 61(2006): 564-82.

George E. Brooks, "Cabo Verde, Gulag of the South Atlantic: Racism, Fishing Prohibitions, and Famines," _History in Africa_ v. 33 (2006): 101-135.

Darlene Miller, "Changing African Cityscapes: Regional Claims of African Labor at South African-Owned Shopping Malls," in Cities in Contemporary Africa, ed., Martin Murray and Garth Myers (Palgrave, 2006) - this article includes a look at Maputo's Shoprite mall, opened in 1997.

Augusto Nascimento, Entre o mundo e as ilhas. O associativismo são-tomense nos primeiros decénios de Novecentos, S. Tomé, UNEAS, 2005

Augusto Nascimento, O fim do caminhu longi, Mindelo, Ilhéu Editora, 2007

Recent Ph.D. dissertations:

Laudemiro A. Francisco, "The State, Development and the Role of Local Economic Systems in Southern Africa: A Comparative Study of Mozambique and Botswana" (Howard Univ., 2006).

Joao Jose Pinheiro Rosa, "Diglossia in Cape-Verde: Discourses, Class, Race and the Promise of Education" (University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2006).

Isabel Maria da Costa Morais, "Creolised and Colonised: The History and Future of the Macanese and Mozambican Chinese" (U. of Hong Kong, 2003).

Azaria Mbughuni, "Tanzania and the Liberation Struggle in Southern Africa, 1958-1975 (Howard Univ., 2006).

LaShonda Nate Long, "Sacred Bodies, Sacred Memories: The Black Body and Collective Memory in Contemporary Luso-Brazilian and Lusophone African Literature and Film" (UCLA, 2006)

Compiled by Kathleen Sheldon (UCLA/ H-Net)
Picture: "Encyclopedia of Pleasure" (Ghada Amer, Egypt)

M. Anne Pitcher with Aubrey Graham, "Cars are Killing Luanda: Cronyism,
Consumerism and Other Assaults on Angola's Postwar, Capital City" in Martin Murray and Garth Myers, eds., _Cities in Contemporary Africa_, pp. 173-199 (NY: Palgrave, 2006). The chapter uses cars as the "vehicle" through which to analyze Angola's postwar political economy; includes a photographic essay.

Cristina Udelsmann Rodrigues, "From Family Solidarity to Social Classes: Urban Stratification in Angola (Luanda and Ondjiva)," _Journal of Southern African Studies_ 33, 2 (June 2007): 235-250.

Stefan Helgesson, "Shifting Fields: Imagining Literary Renewal in
Itinerário and Drum," Research in African Literatures 38, 2 (Summer 2007).

Linda Ledford-Miller, "'So Few and Yet So Little Known': Historical
Recovery and Reconstruction in the Work of Lilìa Momplé," Africa (Rome) 61(2006): 564-82.

George E. Brooks, "Cabo Verde, Gulag of the South Atlantic: Racism, Fishing Prohibitions, and Famines," _History in Africa_ v. 33 (2006): 101-135.

Darlene Miller, "Changing African Cityscapes: Regional Claims of African Labor at South African-Owned Shopping Malls," in Cities in Contemporary Africa, ed., Martin Murray and Garth Myers (Palgrave, 2006) - this article includes a look at Maputo's Shoprite mall, opened in 1997.

Augusto Nascimento, Entre o mundo e as ilhas. O associativismo são-tomense nos primeiros decénios de Novecentos, S. Tomé, UNEAS, 2005

Augusto Nascimento, O fim do caminhu longi, Mindelo, Ilhéu Editora, 2007

Recent Ph.D. dissertations:

Laudemiro A. Francisco, "The State, Development and the Role of Local Economic Systems in Southern Africa: A Comparative Study of Mozambique and Botswana" (Howard Univ., 2006).

Joao Jose Pinheiro Rosa, "Diglossia in Cape-Verde: Discourses, Class, Race and the Promise of Education" (University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2006).

Isabel Maria da Costa Morais, "Creolised and Colonised: The History and Future of the Macanese and Mozambican Chinese" (U. of Hong Kong, 2003).

Azaria Mbughuni, "Tanzania and the Liberation Struggle in Southern Africa, 1958-1975 (Howard Univ., 2006).

LaShonda Nate Long, "Sacred Bodies, Sacred Memories: The Black Body and Collective Memory in Contemporary Luso-Brazilian and Lusophone African Literature and Film" (UCLA, 2006)

Compiled by Kathleen Sheldon (UCLA/ H-Net)
Picture: "Encyclopedia of Pleasure" (Ghada Amer, Egypt)

INTRODUCING THIS BLOG'S "POLLING STATION"

My dear visitors:

From now on, every two weeks or so, I will be polling your views on the most varied subjects – from this blog’s posts to issues on the international headlines.

To kick-start this, I am asking for your vote on one (or more) of the last 4 posts on/with music appeared here: Bonga, Soweto Gospel Choir, Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder .

You can find the “polling station” at the end of the side-bar.
If you would like to, you can also backup your choice with a comment on the respective post.

LET’S ALL HAVE (MORE) FUN!

(PS: Suggestions for polling subjects welcome!)

My dear visitors:

From now on, every two weeks or so, I will be polling your views on the most varied subjects – from this blog’s posts to issues on the international headlines.

To kick-start this, I am asking for your vote on one (or more) of the last 4 posts on/with music appeared here: Bonga, Soweto Gospel Choir, Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder .

You can find the “polling station” at the end of the side-bar.
If you would like to, you can also backup your choice with a comment on the respective post.

LET’S ALL HAVE (MORE) FUN!

(PS: Suggestions for polling subjects welcome!)

TODOS AO ATLANTICO AZUL!

Vão ao Atlântico Azul ver o poster que coloquei ontem sobre a Regata Atlântico Azul de dia 15 de Agosto de 2007! Basta aparecerem na praia do Rosário (na Moita), pelas 07h30 e embarcar! Venham ver as lindas embarcações típicas do Tejo em acção!... E juntem-se a nós na grande Almoçarada de Confraternização oferecida pelo EcoMuseu do Seixal!

(Sailor Girl)

Vão ao Atlântico Azul ver o poster que coloquei ontem sobre a Regata Atlântico Azul de dia 15 de Agosto de 2007! Basta aparecerem na praia do Rosário (na Moita), pelas 07h30 e embarcar! Venham ver as lindas embarcações típicas do Tejo em acção!... E juntem-se a nós na grande Almoçarada de Confraternização oferecida pelo EcoMuseu do Seixal!

(Sailor Girl)

PUT A FACE TO YOUR SOMEBODY!

{THE SONGS IN THIS POST CAN NOW BE LISTENED TO HERE}

You can't say we shall and not fight through hell
You can't say we will and not dare to deal
You can't shout out peace and then vanish in the crowd
You can't ride a storm without some effect
You can't steal the spoil and not pay the debt
You can't wave a sign that spells “evil” and feel truly proud
You can't sing a song with no melody
You can't say we’re one without unity
You can't form a line if you’re too scared to stand alone
You can't pray for grace and then smack her face
You can't speak of hope and then crack a joke
You can say you’re there but time knows
How much you've grown

Put a face to your somebody

Can you say your name or would you rather stay unknown
Can you show your face or are you fearful of it shown
Can we feel your heart or does it beat for you alone
Lift the glass up high say that your truth will never lie
If your love cannot be moved

You can't look at me and not see yourself
You can't say “for them” and not for who else
You can't truly bless and not bless the good of all
You can't serve the rich and desert the poor
You can't hear their cries and just close your door
You can't say you’re down and not take it to the wall
You can't benefit from one's detriment
You can't find the serum and not cure the sick
You can't free the slaves to enslave them differently
You can't see the right only from your sight
You can't see the wrong and just go along
Or is that the way you would want your fate to read

Put a face to your somebody

Can you say your name or would you rather stay unknown
Can you show your face or are you fearful of it shown
Can we feel your heart or does it beat for you alone
Lift the glass up high say that your truth will never lie
If your love cannot be moved

You can’t make a pledge and then flip the script
You can’t say the words and not move your lips
You can’t be confused and still say you understand
You can’t be a friend but not through thin and thick
You can’t be a click but in danger split
You can’t evenly share and then grab the biggest hand
You can’t say you do but then show you don’t
You can’t say you will and make sure you won’t
You can’t want for change and not do what you need to do
You can’t give your all then take back all you give
You can’t live to die but you can die to live
Or is that too much to ask of the you in you

Put a face to your somebody

Can you say your name
Or would you rather stay unknown
Can you show your face
Or are you fearful of it shown
Can we feel your heart
Or does it beat for you alone
Lift your glass up high
Say that your truth will never lie
If your love cannot be moved


If Your Love Cannot be Moved
Stevie Wonder (Feat. Kim Burrell)

If I'm caught at a dance party without my dancin shoes.And everybody dances on my bare feet.Shame on me…If I'm mindin my business just doin the right thing.And you try to front me off in the street.Shame on you…If a family's waiting for that special blessing to come their way.But they ain't tryin to get on their knees and pray.Shame on them…And if we live in a time where every nation's fightin 'round the world. Yet we can't all agree that peace is the way.Shame on us…Shame on me, Shame on you, Shame on them, Shame on us…So what the fuss.If I gotta get up early in the morning for a job interview.And I forget to set the stupid alarm..Shame on me…If my children are playin outside like little children do.And you come 'round there tryin to bring them some harm.Shame on you...Should I be drivin thru a klantown, find a restaurant to get me some food.And someone says "hey boy, we don't serve your kind".Shame on them…And if we live in a democracy and you don't use your power to vote.Knowin’ some would like to turn back the hands of time.Shame on us…Shame on me, Shame on you, Shame on them, Shame on us.So what the fuss…If I'm hooked on a habit knowin’ damn well it could cost me my life.Yet I keep doin’ what I should do without.Shame on me...If you're locked in a marriage and your other half just gives you abuse.Yet you've convinced yourself that there's no way out.Shame on you…If we're jammin the music and somebody's got the audacity.To say that they can jam it better than us.Shame on them...And should there be just a handful that believe that we are totally free.And there's no need to fight for equality.Shame on us.Shame on me, Shame on you, Shame on them, Shame on us.So what the fuss…


So What The Fuss - Stevie Wonder (Feat. Prince)

Some people ask me why I’m always on the bright side.When there’s so much going down on the other side.Its like I live in a bubble with no trouble.And problems don’t exist…I chuckle and tell them that ain’t the case at all.It goes way back to the time when I was very small.Not in mind but size and age my papa used to say.You can always look at the negative.But you should always live in the positive.So I try everyday to live in that way.Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah …Some people live in the what was and what they could have been.As opposed to livin in what is and how much they can.And be the first to complain about nothin’ in life going their way.The attitude is “that there I can’t do nothin’ ‘bout”.And very happy with just breathing in and out. The ones that when you say “lets go make a difference”.They’ll say “naw, that’s okay”.So I don’t waste time on the trip side.Cause I do know the real on the flip side.And I’m crystal clear everyday that’s why I say. Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah…When I see the morning.And the sun is smiling down upon me.I joy in the blessing.That still the ground is not above me.And for the people.That I can truly say do love me, I feel.Positivity.Cause that’s what life means to me.Positivity.Cause this day did not have to be…Some ask me why am I such an optimist.When it’s more fashionable to be a pessimist.From what’s in seventy-five percent of what we read here and view.Well, I used to have a friend named Minnie Riperton.Who used to always say when she was livin’.”Like fine wine I like seeing the glass of life as half full than half empty.I’m not sayin’ sometimes life can’t be rough.But never to the point of me sayin’ I’ve had enough.Long as my heart beats I ain’t givin up.That’s why I say everyday. Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah.When people ask me as an African-American.What do I see for tomorrow in the human plan.Is it possible for all people of the world to co-exist.I say unity is only as big as our vision.And if its narrow, strive to expand beyond the horizon.But true leaders must guide us through the ills of society that stand in our way.So if the road is to harmony, be with the call.But if its about discord, don’t take the ride at all.Cause the world vision I see is a one-we for everybody. Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah …When you see the morning. And the sun is smiling down upon you.Just joy in the blessing.That still the ground is not above you.And for the people.That you can truly say do love you, do feel.Positivity.Cause that’s what life’s meant to be.Positivity.And that’s the energy the world needs.Positivity.Cause that’s what life means to me.Positivity.Cause this day did not have to be…Positivity. Cause that’s what life’s meant to be.Positivity.And this day did not have to be.Positivity…


Positivity - Stevie Wonder (Feat. Aisha Morris)

We have time for racism.We have time for criticism.Held bondage by our ism's.When will there be a time to love…We make time to debate religion.For passing bills and building prisons.For building fortunes and passing judgement.When will there be a time to love…At this point in history we have a choice to make.To either walk a path of love.Or be crippled by our hate…We have time to cause pollution.We have time to cause confusion.All wrapped up in our own illusions.When will there be a time to love…We make time to conquer nations.Time for oil excavation.Hatred, violence and terrorism.When will there be a time to love…At this moment in time we have a choice to make.Father God is watching while we cause Mother Earth so much pain.It's such a shame…Not enough money for.The young, the old and the poor.But for war there is always more.When will there be a time to love…We make time for paying taxes.For paying bills and buying status.But we will pay the consequences.If we don't make the time to love.Now's the time to pay attention.Yes now is the time...


A Time to Love - Stevie Wonder (Feat. India.Arie)

{THE SONGS IN THIS POST CAN NOW BE LISTENED TO HERE}

You can't say we shall and not fight through hell
You can't say we will and not dare to deal
You can't shout out peace and then vanish in the crowd
You can't ride a storm without some effect
You can't steal the spoil and not pay the debt
You can't wave a sign that spells “evil” and feel truly proud
You can't sing a song with no melody
You can't say we’re one without unity
You can't form a line if you’re too scared to stand alone
You can't pray for grace and then smack her face
You can't speak of hope and then crack a joke
You can say you’re there but time knows
How much you've grown

Put a face to your somebody

Can you say your name or would you rather stay unknown
Can you show your face or are you fearful of it shown
Can we feel your heart or does it beat for you alone
Lift the glass up high say that your truth will never lie
If your love cannot be moved

You can't look at me and not see yourself
You can't say “for them” and not for who else
You can't truly bless and not bless the good of all
You can't serve the rich and desert the poor
You can't hear their cries and just close your door
You can't say you’re down and not take it to the wall
You can't benefit from one's detriment
You can't find the serum and not cure the sick
You can't free the slaves to enslave them differently
You can't see the right only from your sight
You can't see the wrong and just go along
Or is that the way you would want your fate to read

Put a face to your somebody

Can you say your name or would you rather stay unknown
Can you show your face or are you fearful of it shown
Can we feel your heart or does it beat for you alone
Lift the glass up high say that your truth will never lie
If your love cannot be moved

You can’t make a pledge and then flip the script
You can’t say the words and not move your lips
You can’t be confused and still say you understand
You can’t be a friend but not through thin and thick
You can’t be a click but in danger split
You can’t evenly share and then grab the biggest hand
You can’t say you do but then show you don’t
You can’t say you will and make sure you won’t
You can’t want for change and not do what you need to do
You can’t give your all then take back all you give
You can’t live to die but you can die to live
Or is that too much to ask of the you in you

Put a face to your somebody

Can you say your name
Or would you rather stay unknown
Can you show your face
Or are you fearful of it shown
Can we feel your heart
Or does it beat for you alone
Lift your glass up high
Say that your truth will never lie
If your love cannot be moved


If Your Love Cannot be Moved
Stevie Wonder (Feat. Kim Burrell)

If I'm caught at a dance party without my dancin shoes.And everybody dances on my bare feet.Shame on me…If I'm mindin my business just doin the right thing.And you try to front me off in the street.Shame on you…If a family's waiting for that special blessing to come their way.But they ain't tryin to get on their knees and pray.Shame on them…And if we live in a time where every nation's fightin 'round the world. Yet we can't all agree that peace is the way.Shame on us…Shame on me, Shame on you, Shame on them, Shame on us…So what the fuss.If I gotta get up early in the morning for a job interview.And I forget to set the stupid alarm..Shame on me…If my children are playin outside like little children do.And you come 'round there tryin to bring them some harm.Shame on you...Should I be drivin thru a klantown, find a restaurant to get me some food.And someone says "hey boy, we don't serve your kind".Shame on them…And if we live in a democracy and you don't use your power to vote.Knowin’ some would like to turn back the hands of time.Shame on us…Shame on me, Shame on you, Shame on them, Shame on us.So what the fuss…If I'm hooked on a habit knowin’ damn well it could cost me my life.Yet I keep doin’ what I should do without.Shame on me...If you're locked in a marriage and your other half just gives you abuse.Yet you've convinced yourself that there's no way out.Shame on you…If we're jammin the music and somebody's got the audacity.To say that they can jam it better than us.Shame on them...And should there be just a handful that believe that we are totally free.And there's no need to fight for equality.Shame on us.Shame on me, Shame on you, Shame on them, Shame on us.So what the fuss…


So What The Fuss - Stevie Wonder (Feat. Prince)

Some people ask me why I’m always on the bright side.When there’s so much going down on the other side.Its like I live in a bubble with no trouble.And problems don’t exist…I chuckle and tell them that ain’t the case at all.It goes way back to the time when I was very small.Not in mind but size and age my papa used to say.You can always look at the negative.But you should always live in the positive.So I try everyday to live in that way.Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah …Some people live in the what was and what they could have been.As opposed to livin in what is and how much they can.And be the first to complain about nothin’ in life going their way.The attitude is “that there I can’t do nothin’ ‘bout”.And very happy with just breathing in and out. The ones that when you say “lets go make a difference”.They’ll say “naw, that’s okay”.So I don’t waste time on the trip side.Cause I do know the real on the flip side.And I’m crystal clear everyday that’s why I say. Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah…When I see the morning.And the sun is smiling down upon me.I joy in the blessing.That still the ground is not above me.And for the people.That I can truly say do love me, I feel.Positivity.Cause that’s what life means to me.Positivity.Cause this day did not have to be…Some ask me why am I such an optimist.When it’s more fashionable to be a pessimist.From what’s in seventy-five percent of what we read here and view.Well, I used to have a friend named Minnie Riperton.Who used to always say when she was livin’.”Like fine wine I like seeing the glass of life as half full than half empty.I’m not sayin’ sometimes life can’t be rough.But never to the point of me sayin’ I’ve had enough.Long as my heart beats I ain’t givin up.That’s why I say everyday. Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah.When people ask me as an African-American.What do I see for tomorrow in the human plan.Is it possible for all people of the world to co-exist.I say unity is only as big as our vision.And if its narrow, strive to expand beyond the horizon.But true leaders must guide us through the ills of society that stand in our way.So if the road is to harmony, be with the call.But if its about discord, don’t take the ride at all.Cause the world vision I see is a one-we for everybody. Yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah …When you see the morning. And the sun is smiling down upon you.Just joy in the blessing.That still the ground is not above you.And for the people.That you can truly say do love you, do feel.Positivity.Cause that’s what life’s meant to be.Positivity.And that’s the energy the world needs.Positivity.Cause that’s what life means to me.Positivity.Cause this day did not have to be…Positivity. Cause that’s what life’s meant to be.Positivity.And this day did not have to be.Positivity…


Positivity - Stevie Wonder (Feat. Aisha Morris)

We have time for racism.We have time for criticism.Held bondage by our ism's.When will there be a time to love…We make time to debate religion.For passing bills and building prisons.For building fortunes and passing judgement.When will there be a time to love…At this point in history we have a choice to make.To either walk a path of love.Or be crippled by our hate…We have time to cause pollution.We have time to cause confusion.All wrapped up in our own illusions.When will there be a time to love…We make time to conquer nations.Time for oil excavation.Hatred, violence and terrorism.When will there be a time to love…At this moment in time we have a choice to make.Father God is watching while we cause Mother Earth so much pain.It's such a shame…Not enough money for.The young, the old and the poor.But for war there is always more.When will there be a time to love…We make time for paying taxes.For paying bills and buying status.But we will pay the consequences.If we don't make the time to love.Now's the time to pay attention.Yes now is the time...


A Time to Love - Stevie Wonder (Feat. India.Arie)

THE DEMOCRACY & THE HUMANITY WITHIN

With local elections where I live looming large, doorbells and mailboxes got extremely busy in the last few weeks – even exasperatingly so, at times.
But, today, something different from the usual electoral pamphlet came through my door: a hand-written letter from a local councillor asking for votes on her (much younger) supported candidate. Of course the letter was reproduced from the original and serially printed , but still it looked and felt like it was personally handwritten specially to each one of the addressees, just like the envelope was, not least because it ended with the word 'love'…

This got me to an often recurring reflection on the importance of the physical proximity and the personal touch in the relationship politician/electorate, particularly at the local level. Having heard and read so many times, especially from die-hard ‘marxists’ (although most of them have hardly ever read Marx, or practiced Marxism...) from my country of origin, rumblings about how Western democracy is all just about money and lobbying and the protection of the rich – in which they are often right when one looks at the higher echelons of political power in countries such as the US, or at scandals such as the “cash for honours” which has recently tarnished the Blair government – I find, however, something to be said for the “representative democracy” obtained through local elections.

Just to give an example: some time ago, a gross mistake by my local council, while I was working abroad, had catastrophic consequences in my personal and professional life, including the loss of my home… Yet, through the local representation system, I could count with the personal availability, attention and services of two prominent MPs who have helped me to rectify, at least partially so far, the situation.
Just to put this into context: years ago, I lost, totally unlawfully, my house in Luanda. I wrote, cried and begged to everyone with any power or influence whatsoever to help me to recover it… to no avail, let alone a reply. As a result, I ended up staying where I could afford to have a home and my rights over it protected… that is London, at the moment.
These are the sort of “simple things of life" that make me value properly functioning institutions at all levels, accountable elected politicians and government officials, particularly at the local level, and the rule of law over the entire political and social system in any country.

With local elections where I live looming large, doorbells and mailboxes got extremely busy in the last few weeks – even exasperatingly so, at times.
But, today, something different from the usual electoral pamphlet came through my door: a hand-written letter from a local councillor asking for votes on her (much younger) supported candidate. Of course the letter was reproduced from the original and serially printed , but still it looked and felt like it was personally handwritten specially to each one of the addressees, just like the envelope was, not least because it ended with the word 'love'…

This got me to an often recurring reflection on the importance of the physical proximity and the personal touch in the relationship politician/electorate, particularly at the local level. Having heard and read so many times, especially from die-hard ‘marxists’ (although most of them have hardly ever read Marx, or practiced Marxism...) from my country of origin, rumblings about how Western democracy is all just about money and lobbying and the protection of the rich – in which they are often right when one looks at the higher echelons of political power in countries such as the US, or at scandals such as the “cash for honours” which has recently tarnished the Blair government – I find, however, something to be said for the “representative democracy” obtained through local elections.

Just to give an example: some time ago, a gross mistake by my local council, while I was working abroad, had catastrophic consequences in my personal and professional life, including the loss of my home… Yet, through the local representation system, I could count with the personal availability, attention and services of two prominent MPs who have helped me to rectify, at least partially so far, the situation.
Just to put this into context: years ago, I lost, totally unlawfully, my house in Luanda. I wrote, cried and begged to everyone with any power or influence whatsoever to help me to recover it… to no avail, let alone a reply. As a result, I ended up staying where I could afford to have a home and my rights over it protected… that is London, at the moment.
These are the sort of “simple things of life" that make me value properly functioning institutions at all levels, accountable elected politicians and government officials, particularly at the local level, and the rule of law over the entire political and social system in any country.

JUST FOR THE RECORD...

"RACISTS"
(Killed in the 60's - USA)

"RACISTS"
(Killed in the 70's - ANGOLA)

"RACIST"

(Killed in the 70's - SOUTH AFRICA)

"RACIST AND TERRORIST" FOR MOST OF THE 20TH CENTURY
(Thankfully still alive - SOUTH AFRICA)

"RACISTS"
(Killed in the 60's - USA)

"RACISTS"
(Killed in the 70's - ANGOLA)

"RACIST"

(Killed in the 70's - SOUTH AFRICA)

"RACIST AND TERRORIST" FOR MOST OF THE 20TH CENTURY
(Thankfully still alive - SOUTH AFRICA)

WELL, ACTUALLY...

...I have been receiving a number of these and throwing them on the bin ever since I've had 'comment moderation' activated. This one, however, as the previous from the same gang, I thought would be worth publishing, which I did (in the post 'The Democracy & The Humanity Within', where you can find the link to the respective blog), but then... more than just publishing it I thought I should give it the "highlight it deserves"...

Maybe it will mean my "death sentence"... and if so, so be it!

So, here it is:


"vice-almirante said...

Olá pázinha. Tás a ver o que acontece a uma menina mal comportadinha.
O que estás a levar no blogue onde deste aquela entrevistazeca que achastes uma grande coisa é para ver se te calas. Não gostámos nada que te metesses com a nossa camba Malonguito. Nós somos mesmo piratas do mar e da net.
E não gostamos nada de ouvir dizer mal dos portugueses! Quem nos dera o Salazar de novo e os brancos a irem para Angola em força! Mas eles estão a ir pra lá e agora com o consentimento dos camaradas que aproveitam umas massas valentes ólecas!! Chama-lhes burros!
Vê mas é se te acalmas ó racista, que a malta não é de brincadeiras.
Também não achamso graça nenhuma a alguns blogues de angolanos s de merda. Mas isso são macas nossas, OK?
Se continuas com essas merdas vais ter pior!!!!!
Até acho piada ás tuas conjecturas intelectuais sobre quem está a fazer isso. Ahaha. Pára lá de tirar hilações que a malta ao menos assume-se.
Sabes que piratear pela net tem disto. E há quem caia nas rasteiras. Através de ti estamos a queimar outra escumalha que não nos agrada. E nesse ponto temos que te agradecer, sua pretinha marota!.....
Fui! Desandei! percebestes? Pirei-me!!!
E vê lá se agora vais enfiar isto tudo no cu da hungara. Previsível como és não me espantava! Ah! Se quizeres traduzir avisa aqui a malta que eu também estou onde se fala inglês. Nos states!!!!

Thursday, July 12, 2007"


{Szavanna and anyone else interested, you can actually use online translators for this one, it should serve it well. Enjoy!}

...I have been receiving a number of these and throwing them on the bin ever since I've had 'comment moderation' activated. This one, however, as the previous from the same gang, I thought would be worth publishing, which I did (in the post 'The Democracy & The Humanity Within', where you can find the link to the respective blog), but then... more than just publishing it I thought I should give it the "highlight it deserves"...

Maybe it will mean my "death sentence"... and if so, so be it!

So, here it is:


"vice-almirante said...

Olá pázinha. Tás a ver o que acontece a uma menina mal comportadinha.
O que estás a levar no blogue onde deste aquela entrevistazeca que achastes uma grande coisa é para ver se te calas. Não gostámos nada que te metesses com a nossa camba Malonguito. Nós somos mesmo piratas do mar e da net.
E não gostamos nada de ouvir dizer mal dos portugueses! Quem nos dera o Salazar de novo e os brancos a irem para Angola em força! Mas eles estão a ir pra lá e agora com o consentimento dos camaradas que aproveitam umas massas valentes ólecas!! Chama-lhes burros!
Vê mas é se te acalmas ó racista, que a malta não é de brincadeiras.
Também não achamso graça nenhuma a alguns blogues de angolanos s de merda. Mas isso são macas nossas, OK?
Se continuas com essas merdas vais ter pior!!!!!
Até acho piada ás tuas conjecturas intelectuais sobre quem está a fazer isso. Ahaha. Pára lá de tirar hilações que a malta ao menos assume-se.
Sabes que piratear pela net tem disto. E há quem caia nas rasteiras. Através de ti estamos a queimar outra escumalha que não nos agrada. E nesse ponto temos que te agradecer, sua pretinha marota!.....
Fui! Desandei! percebestes? Pirei-me!!!
E vê lá se agora vais enfiar isto tudo no cu da hungara. Previsível como és não me espantava! Ah! Se quizeres traduzir avisa aqui a malta que eu também estou onde se fala inglês. Nos states!!!!

Thursday, July 12, 2007"


{Szavanna and anyone else interested, you can actually use online translators for this one, it should serve it well. Enjoy!}

SUNDAY DREADS

Natty Dread (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)





Rebel Music (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Am-A-Do (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Revolution (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)






Talking Blues (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)







Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)-(Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Lively Up Yourself (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Extracts from Alice Walker’s introduction to “Dreads” by F. Mastalia and A. Pagano (© Artisan, New York, 1999)

[Except for Redemption Song that is still here, ALL SONGS IN THIS POST CAN BE LISTENED TO HERE]

Natty Dread (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)





Rebel Music (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Am-A-Do (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Revolution (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)






Talking Blues (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)







Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)-(Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Lively Up Yourself (Bob Marley, The Wailers & The I-Threes)

Extracts from Alice Walker’s introduction to “Dreads” by F. Mastalia and A. Pagano (© Artisan, New York, 1999)

[Except for Redemption Song that is still here, ALL SONGS IN THIS POST CAN BE LISTENED TO HERE]

LIVE EARTH, OR... WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

Wembley is up for a big party again today for one of the series of concerts taking place in 8 different countries this weekend to ‘Save the Earth from Global Warming’, courtesy of Mr. Al Gore, all ‘fueled up’ by his recent Oscar for “An Inconvenient Truth”.

Now, I don’t want to sound as the ‘ever-so-cynical-kill-joy’ about this sort of thing but… if it takes the former US Vice-President dozens of planes to move around the world more than 150 artists, bands, celebrities and respective entourages and equipment, plus all the energy these concerts will consume, all adding to the so-called “global carbon footprints”, to say “an inconvenient truth”, such as “you need to ratify the Kyoto Protocol”, to the current US President, then… I am sorry, this party is not for me!

Wembley is up for a big party again today for one of the series of concerts taking place in 8 different countries this weekend to ‘Save the Earth from Global Warming’, courtesy of Mr. Al Gore, all ‘fueled up’ by his recent Oscar for “An Inconvenient Truth”.

Now, I don’t want to sound as the ‘ever-so-cynical-kill-joy’ about this sort of thing but… if it takes the former US Vice-President dozens of planes to move around the world more than 150 artists, bands, celebrities and respective entourages and equipment, plus all the energy these concerts will consume, all adding to the so-called “global carbon footprints”, to say “an inconvenient truth”, such as “you need to ratify the Kyoto Protocol”, to the current US President, then… I am sorry, this party is not for me!

TALKING (ANGOLAN) MUSIC @ SZAVANNA

"I am having fun with these interviews - it’s actually amazing how many exceptional people are out there blogging – Koluki is one of them. Her beautiful blog is a great selection of music & art and a lot more - I have asked her a few questions to find out more about her and of course music - this time from Angola."
That's how the immensely talented Anna Dani introduces our recent 'Q&A' in her brilliant Szavanna blog, which she dedicates to "remixing open source projects, music, and guru-shishya parampara." (Read more here)

"I am having fun with these interviews - it’s actually amazing how many exceptional people are out there blogging – Koluki is one of them. Her beautiful blog is a great selection of music & art and a lot more - I have asked her a few questions to find out more about her and of course music - this time from Angola."
That's how the immensely talented Anna Dani introduces our recent 'Q&A' in her brilliant Szavanna blog, which she dedicates to "remixing open source projects, music, and guru-shishya parampara." (Read more here)

AMAZING GRACE!

What an amazing evening it was yesterday! At my son’s (much appreciated) diligence, we went to see the Soweto Gospel Choir performing at St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was a memorable event on many accounts, not least because it was my first time in St. Paul’s Cathedral – I’d been around it, had stood and sat at its doorsteps, had meals at its surroundings, but had never been inside it – mainly because for most of the time I’ve been around it (I used to work nearby) it was closed to the public.



Asimbonanga/Biko

It was also remarkable in that the last time I’d been in a church it was at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, for an operatic performance of Handel’s Messiah about one and a half years ago. I couldn’t stop myself from musing at the irony of having been to a church in South Africa for a performance of a European composer’s music and being for the first time to St. Paul’s in London for the Soweto Gospel Choir! I couldn’t avoid to notice either how, though still in huge minority, there were much more black people at St. Paul’s yesterday than there were at St. George’s…



Lelilungelo Ngelakho

Well, I can only repeat myself: it was just amazing! The cathedral, which is at least ten times bigger than St. George’s, was filled to the brim, even with tens of extra seating places … the choir, which I hadn’t properly seen or heard before, was at what you are only left to believe it's their best performance – leaving you wondering whether they were rehearsed to the most minute pitch and previously unheard or unthought of variations of the standard soprano, alto, contralto, tenor or baritone, husky and rusty yet clear, powerful and heavenly voices, colourful intonations, polyphonic harmonies, banding and disbanding to banding all over again within the same tune, graceful gesture, thoughtful dance and minimal percussion beat, or if their outstanding performance was just enhanced by the setting: this was a cathedral after all! – something you become unequivocally aware of when back at home you play “Blessed” on your humble CD player…



Masigiye'bo

Here’s how the performance, integrated in the City of London Festival, was presented: ’Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)…’ One of the most instantly recognisable hymns ever created is the musical heart of this spectacular evening of solo and choral song and dance by the Soweto Gospel Choir. Following their triumph in the 2005 Festival, the Choir are warmly welcomed back to St. Paul’s Cathedral as recent Grammy Award winners for the ‘best traditional World Music’ category for their album Blessed. Their programme celebrates a double anniversary: 200 years since the parliamentary abolition of the Atlantic slave trade and 200 years since the death of Amazing Grace’s author, John Newton.*



Thapelo

But, as soon as they start their ‘presentation’, the Choir quickly “rest assures you” that they are not up there just for Amazing Grace, which they only deliver after opening with Asimbonanga/Biko and a few other resounding numbers, including less pious traditional ‘township’ and liberation songs, to close with Oh Happy Day! And just short of two hours later, you leave the Cathedral to a clear sky night with the most profound sense that this was an evening to cherish for the rest of your life.



Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika

*Born in London in 1725, Newton first went to sea at the age of 11 with his father, a merchant navy commander. Press-ganged into the Royal Navy, Newton deserted and was captured, flogged, and transferred to service on a slave ship, eventually rising to command one of these himself. On 10 May 1748, at sea during a ferocious storm, he cried out ‘Lord, have mercy upon us’ – recording later in his journal that his ship was saved, and with it his own soul. Leaving the slave trade, he was ordained as a minister in 1760 and became a leading abolitionist, also writing the several hundred hymns that included Amazing Grace. Newton was rector of St. Mary Woolnoth at the heart of the City of London at the time of his death, a few months after the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act which perfectly rounded off his life’s work: he had been one of William Wilberforce most important mentors.

What an amazing evening it was yesterday! At my son’s (much appreciated) diligence, we went to see the Soweto Gospel Choir performing at St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was a memorable event on many accounts, not least because it was my first time in St. Paul’s Cathedral – I’d been around it, had stood and sat at its doorsteps, had meals at its surroundings, but had never been inside it – mainly because for most of the time I’ve been around it (I used to work nearby) it was closed to the public.



Asimbonanga/Biko

It was also remarkable in that the last time I’d been in a church it was at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, for an operatic performance of Handel’s Messiah about one and a half years ago. I couldn’t stop myself from musing at the irony of having been to a church in South Africa for a performance of a European composer’s music and being for the first time to St. Paul’s in London for the Soweto Gospel Choir! I couldn’t avoid to notice either how, though still in huge minority, there were much more black people at St. Paul’s yesterday than there were at St. George’s…



Lelilungelo Ngelakho

Well, I can only repeat myself: it was just amazing! The cathedral, which is at least ten times bigger than St. George’s, was filled to the brim, even with tens of extra seating places … the choir, which I hadn’t properly seen or heard before, was at what you are only left to believe it's their best performance – leaving you wondering whether they were rehearsed to the most minute pitch and previously unheard or unthought of variations of the standard soprano, alto, contralto, tenor or baritone, husky and rusty yet clear, powerful and heavenly voices, colourful intonations, polyphonic harmonies, banding and disbanding to banding all over again within the same tune, graceful gesture, thoughtful dance and minimal percussion beat, or if their outstanding performance was just enhanced by the setting: this was a cathedral after all! – something you become unequivocally aware of when back at home you play “Blessed” on your humble CD player…



Masigiye'bo

Here’s how the performance, integrated in the City of London Festival, was presented: ’Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)…’ One of the most instantly recognisable hymns ever created is the musical heart of this spectacular evening of solo and choral song and dance by the Soweto Gospel Choir. Following their triumph in the 2005 Festival, the Choir are warmly welcomed back to St. Paul’s Cathedral as recent Grammy Award winners for the ‘best traditional World Music’ category for their album Blessed. Their programme celebrates a double anniversary: 200 years since the parliamentary abolition of the Atlantic slave trade and 200 years since the death of Amazing Grace’s author, John Newton.*



Thapelo

But, as soon as they start their ‘presentation’, the Choir quickly “rest assures you” that they are not up there just for Amazing Grace, which they only deliver after opening with Asimbonanga/Biko and a few other resounding numbers, including less pious traditional ‘township’ and liberation songs, to close with Oh Happy Day! And just short of two hours later, you leave the Cathedral to a clear sky night with the most profound sense that this was an evening to cherish for the rest of your life.



Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika

*Born in London in 1725, Newton first went to sea at the age of 11 with his father, a merchant navy commander. Press-ganged into the Royal Navy, Newton deserted and was captured, flogged, and transferred to service on a slave ship, eventually rising to command one of these himself. On 10 May 1748, at sea during a ferocious storm, he cried out ‘Lord, have mercy upon us’ – recording later in his journal that his ship was saved, and with it his own soul. Leaving the slave trade, he was ordained as a minister in 1760 and became a leading abolitionist, also writing the several hundred hymns that included Amazing Grace. Newton was rector of St. Mary Woolnoth at the heart of the City of London at the time of his death, a few months after the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act which perfectly rounded off his life’s work: he had been one of William Wilberforce most important mentors.

FREE AT LAST!

(Pictures: Times on Line)

(Pictures: Times on Line)

BEAUX DIMANCHES

Yup (or yak, take your pick...) that's a cigarette there...

*England goes (went?) 'Smoke Free' today*

*Princes William and Harry gave a big party at Wembley Stadium today in honour of their late mother*

*The Spice Girls announced this week they're regrouping. Question: What for, to perform at Wembley today... to be invited to the first Brown's bash at No. 10 for a dash of 'Old Spice & Cool Britannia'... what?! Answer: Who cares?!*

*Britain is under 'high security alert' following a number of 'foiled terrorist attacks' this week in London and Glasgow*

*Beaux Dimanches: it's the title of a nice, simple song by an African duo (sorry I didn't get their names, but apparently they're from Bamako) I heard in the wrap-up of this year's Glastonbury Festival. It was also what it was today in London, after days of continuous rain! Maybe it was Diana smiling at her boys' party from above...*

Yup (or yak, take your pick...) that's a cigarette there...

*England goes (went?) 'Smoke Free' today*

*Princes William and Harry gave a big party at Wembley Stadium today in honour of their late mother*

*The Spice Girls announced this week they're regrouping. Question: What for, to perform at Wembley today... to be invited to the first Brown's bash at No. 10 for a dash of 'Old Spice & Cool Britannia'... what?! Answer: Who cares?!*

*Britain is under 'high security alert' following a number of 'foiled terrorist attacks' this week in London and Glasgow*

*Beaux Dimanches: it's the title of a nice, simple song by an African duo (sorry I didn't get their names, but apparently they're from Bamako) I heard in the wrap-up of this year's Glastonbury Festival. It was also what it was today in London, after days of continuous rain! Maybe it was Diana smiling at her boys' party from above...*