http://youtu.be/yyTifrKB-y0I

Back when the Afro ruled the world, back when I had my hair done at an ancient Downtown hole-in-the wall salon, the sound I had my hair done to was Soul Train. While my hair cracked and sizzled under the power of the relaxer, I would hear the latest music [...]]]>

Soul Train Site

http://youtu.be/yyTifrKB-y0I

Back when the Afro ruled the world, back when I had my hair done at an ancient Downtown hole-in-the wall salon, the sound I had my hair done to was Soul Train. While my hair cracked and sizzled under the power of the relaxer, I would hear the latest music from the tv that was playing in the waiting room. The tvs were tuned to Soul Train.

It was the same at home. Things outside went to a stop when Soul Train was on at 1pm. It was, for a kid too young to go to concerts, the only chance to see the latest acts live. And what a sight it was! The latest fashions, the hottest acts, the newest dances, the rotating Soul Train disco ball. And there was the Soul Train line filled with dancers. And I would wish we had something like that in conservative Cincinnati instead of Skipper Ryle and old movies that were already old when I was born.

And the Soul Train line! Even today I see the dancers and the incredible moves. And people are still doing the Soul Train line, and probably will even in the retirement communities that people who grew up watching Soul Train will be headed towards. Someday, someone will celebrate their 100th birthday by doing one hop down a Soul Train line, and for a moment, people will forget how old they are and dance with them.

Soul Train lasted from 1970 to 1993-23 years. I wonder if things were getting too much out of hand with the hardcore rappers and cable demands and all the rest-I think it should have lasted at least until the 25th Anniversary and then gone out with a bang. Oh well….

For a long time, I wondered why nobody really tried a revival under a new host-maybe it was because Don Cornelius was really irreplaceable as a host. Maybe because the days when you could put two or three top of the chart acts together for a reasonable price pretty much ended with MTV and Madonna. The acts that appeared on Soul Train could fill auditoriums, but not stadiums and needed the exposure. I mean I remember the
Viking Lounge, where the top black acts of the 1960′s would come and play. Sometimes there were acts at the Regal Theatre, and the Old Central Avenue theatre and the jazz acts at the Greenwich. I was too young-just a child back then-to actually go in, although I think I was able to enter the Viking Lounge shortly before it closed for good, and later torn down for an office building that was then replaced by a parking lot.

And now to the sad part. Rest in Peace, Don Cornelius. We will miss you until we join you, Michael, Toni Terrell, and Tupak in that massive Soul Train line that never ends.

From what I read so far, you were pretty ill. Maybe the pain was too much. Maybe you were diagnosed as terminal with little time left (my speculation) and you didn’t want to go through excruciating pain for no reason.

In Oregon, he could have taken advantage of “assisted suicide” and not have to go through an excruciatingly painful end. People talk about how terrible euthanasia is, and there are some ethical concerns about that, but people shouldn’t have to do terrible and terrifying things to themselves in order to have a dignified end. And forgotten are the people who have to clean up after this. In Oregon or the Netherlands, Don could have simply floated away without pain on a day more his choosing and with no police calls or physical trauma. In short, he shouldn’t have had to do what he did. Hopefully those left behind will be comforted by the tributes, and the mountain of cash that this may raise.

And now to the greedy part. A boxed set of Soul Train episodes-the entire run of the Series? A movie was apparently in the works about the story of Soul Train-that will come out now. He’s probably already written an autobiography. And of course, the endless stream of t-shirts, buttons, posters and memorabilia. All this and more for people who want to once again relive those Saturday afternoons.

Will I pony up? Or leave memories as memories? In any case, eternal, love, peace and Soul.

There’s a sea change out there. More and more products are being made in America. People are rummaging through flea markets looking for old Sunbeams, old clothing, old appliances. Then there’s Etsy and Ebay, where people are making things in spare rooms and on spare time.. There’s the “Buy Local” [...]]]>

There’s a sea change out there. More and more products are being made in America. People are rummaging through flea markets looking for old Sunbeams, old clothing, old appliances. Then there’s Etsy and Ebay, where people are making things in spare rooms and on spare time.. There’s the “Buy Local” movements, “Farm Local” movements built around the idea of sustainable, healthy food. But the one thing they have in common: the revival of American productivity.

Several things are coming together to make this happen. One is the green movement, with the emphasis on saving energy. Manufacturing local saves energy costs. When both the source of material and the demand for a product are close to each other, less energy is expended. Local manufacture can also efficiently use recycled and reused material, keeping it out of landfills. There’s the fact that too many places with foreign manufacture do so without much regard for the health of the planet, let alone the health of the workers.

Another thing that is a factor is the hidden costs of offshoring and outshoring and being noticed. Stagnant wages due to lack of opportunity, increased social welfare costs when people can’t get a job that pays enough to buy a home or pay for their own needs, let alone wants. There’s the dependency on imported expertise which means that if enough people are lured back one way or another, America wouldn’t be able to sustain itself on local talent. There’s also the realization that quality suffers in an environment where there isn’t any standards, where the workers are unhappy, and transparency is lacking.

‘Made In America’ Makes A Comeback

Blog Home » Made in U.S.A., News, Videos » Made in America is Making a Comeback Posted on 06/17/11 | by Marcel | in Made in U.S.A., News, Videos U.S. exports hit a record $173 billion in March, up 15% from a year-ago and 37% from 2009. The good times for “Made in America” are just getting started, according to a new study from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In fact, BCG predicts 2015 will be a tipping point of sorts, when global manufacturers will view the U.S. as equal to if not better-than China.

http://buyamericanprogram.com/

Aquarius is called the “Water Bearer” even though it is an air sign. But the reason for this is that Aquarius’s water is actually the sparking [...]]]>

While Aquarius is already a few days old, (January 20-February 18) today is the Chinese New Year, the year of the Water Dragon.

Aquarius is called the “Water Bearer” even though it is an air sign. But the reason for this is that Aquarius’s water is actually the sparking water of knowledge that refreshes, Or the froth of ideology.

There is also an old metaphysical term called “chemicalization”. This means that things often get very agitated as the end of the old nears. In other words, outdated things need a “last stand” before they go away. That’s also Aquarius’s job, creating that very chemicalization so that the past can truly go away.

Aquarius virtues are inclusiveness, innovation, independence and a love for technology.
Aquarius vices are: ideological rigidness, cult mentality. Ideas over people, or inspite of what happens to them. Eugenics. Communism are two examples of ideas that were pursued despite all of the harm in a cause of an ideal.

There is also an old metaphysical term called “chemicalization”. This means that things often get very agitated as the end of the old nears. In other words, outdated things need a “last stand” before they go away. That’s also Aquarius’s job, creating that very chemicalization so that the past can truly go away.

And speaking of Aquarius, have we entered the Age of Aquarius yet? Ages are more like seasons: while there may be a point where it officially so, the transition on both sides is considerable. Leaves begin to change in late August, and blooms sprout in early March, and so it is with Ages and their manifestation. I say we will get there in a century, as the old racial-sexual-social barriers erode and the world is finally massively literate and connected. But there’s a lot of work ahead-wiring the world and then entering places not now in the conversation and communication in. It hasn’t and won’t be an easy path to get there. It means a massive rise in living standards in a lot of places that haven’t had it. It means massive investments in infrastructure, in running water, in teachers and arable land and far less in the toys of conquest. So things will get better. But it will be a bumpy ride to get there. And in this month, we get to see some of the future.

Xin Nian Kuai Le..Happy New Year. Happy Aquarius.

(Courtesy Christian Science Monitor)

Newt wins. I never thought I would say those words. As someone who remembers Newt’s antics back in the 1990′s, I can only hold my breath and wonder just when he self-destructs in some spectacular manner. While the people of South Carolina don’t care, I imagine [...]]]>

(Courtesy Christian Science Monitor)

Newt wins. I never thought I would say those words. As someone who remembers Newt’s antics back in the 1990′s, I can only hold my breath and wonder just when he self-destructs in some spectacular manner. While the people of South Carolina don’t care, I imagine Republicans elsewhere must be wondering if another shoe will drop-a long-term groupie or some financial shenagans that make Mitt’s money weaseling look positively frugal.

The people who won the South Carolina primary for him-only 10% of his voters were under 40. Talk about out of touch to say the least with economic and social realities-snowbird whites who live in gated communities, elderly locals who resent the changes in society. Talk about the cranky vote. Angry and uninspiring and out of touch never Presidential elections. Ask McCain, snoozing his way through what will be his last term, ending not in a blaze of glory but with reciminations between him and the Palin grifter.

So the Romneybot will need some rebooting. And will Reboot in a nasty way. Romney is of the class that’s used to getting is way, and if they don’t, they get really nasty. There was no way he could get at war hero McCain back in 2008, but Newt just might have enough ammo for a fulll-scale assault, fair or foul.

It should be interesting.

R8FZ7K39ZX4Y

The Lorraine Motel, where King was shot, is now the Civil Rights Museum-they need money! They also need a better webmaster, and if they can’t afford one, one should volunteer their services!