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Information about Geography.



Geography ultimately deals with studying our world. From focusing on landscapes to human demographics, the essence of geography is beautiful. Also, it ought to be taken seriously. The climate change challenge going on in the world proves to everyone that we must take geography as an important form of study. Record temperatures are found worldwide. Many species of animals globally have found up dead or dying. Hurricanes are increasingly in their intensity or magnitude that has caused damage in places like the Bahamas and parts of America. When cities flood and the Amazon rainforest is burning up, then you know that our fight for environmental justice is more than a matter of solutions. It is a quest to save human life and animal life in general. We have only one Earth, and we are entitled to improve upon it in the best way possible. There are many applications and occupations as it relates to geography. The branches of geography are numerous like physical geography, human geography, geomatics, regional geography, and other related fields. I took many geography classes before in college years ago, and those classes certainly gave me more insights on the world society. Today, we live in a much different world than even 10 years ago. We should maintain our core principles while advancing compassion to fellow human beings.


One of the best applications of using geography is about the geographic information system (or GIS). The GIS is an advanced system that is created to capture, store, manipulate, manage, and present spatial or geographic data. GIS can help to analyze maps, to create interactive queries (user created searches), and using information about other applications. Today, advanced technologies and other methods relate to GIS. Longitude, latitude, elevation, x, y, and z coordinates are represented in that technology. Its history goes back long decades. Geographic information system was first known to be used by Roger Tomlinson by the year of 1968. He mentioned in in his paper called, “A Geographic Information System for Regional Planning.” The French geographer Charles Picquet represented the 48 districts of the city of Paris by halftone color gradient according to the number of deaths by cholera per 1,000 inhabitants. In 1854 John Snow determined the source of a cholera outbreak in London by marking points on a map depicting where the cholera victims lived, and connecting the cluster that he found with a nearby water source. This was one of the earliest successful uses of a geographic methodology in epidemiology. While the basic elements of topography and theme existed previously in cartography, the John Snow map was unique, using cartographic methods not only to depict but also to analyze clusters of geographically dependent phenomena. By the 20th century, more computer technology was formed to evaluate geographic information. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada was the place where the first operational GIS was instituted by 1960. It was created by the federal Department of Forestry and Rural Development. Developed by Dr. Roger Tomlinson, and it was called the Canada Geographic Information System (CGIS). Its purpose was used to store, analyze, and manipulate data collected for the Canada Land Inventory – an effort to determine the land capability for rural Canada by mapping information about soils, agriculture, recreation, wildlife, waterfowl, forestry and land use at a scale of 1:50,000. A rating classification factor was also added to permit analysis. Modern GIS technologies have digital information. With the wide availability of ortho-rectified imagery (from satellites, aircraft, Helikites and UAVs), heads-up digitizing is becoming the main avenue through which geographic data is extracted. Heads-up digitizing involves the tracing of geographic data directly on top of the aerial imagery instead of by the traditional method of tracing the geographic form on a separate digitizing tablet (heads-down digitizing). The GeaBios system uses geographical information as well. In local, state, and federal governments, they use programs that deal with public safety, parks and recreation, public works, economic development, and other aspects of society with the usage of geographic research.



Tons of occupations work with geography all of the time. These careers deal with researching weather and analyzing facts. There are cartographers who develop maps, charts, diagrams, travel guides, and spreadsheets. They can work for the government. Some survey lands. The field of cartography have existed for centuries and thousands of years. Others advance conservation. Some people are environmental consultants. They study the air, the water, and other ecosystems in finding ways to improve the environment. Some workers in geography are town planners. They work in management and development involved in the creation of villages, towns, cities, and other rural areas. Many of them have an extreme amount of qualifications. They not only create plans. They balance budgets, deal with zoning laws, and use tools to advance the tools that outline the necessity to enhance the environment. A geographic information system officer use the GIS computer system to analyze complex geographical information .The data can be applies such as meteorology, oil, gas, telecommunication, and environmental issues. There are recycle officers and landscape architects. Many places like stores and parks require architects to make sure that they are fundamentally sound and have powerful infrastructures. Many people are teachers of geography. They teach skills and knowledge to the youth in a secondary school, a college, and other educational services.  These teachers are mostly in middle and high school among secondary educations. Other geography teachers work in colleges including universities across the world. Therefore, careers are very diverse as it relates to geography.

There is new research and discoveries about geography all of the time. Recently in 2019, people found more meltwater lakes on the surface of the East Antarctic ice sheet. This is a study led by the Durham University, UK. They found more than 65,000 lakes found. There is a GIS and eDNA analysis system that has successfully used to discover new habitats of a rare salamander. Researchers identified an unknown population of the endangered Yamato salamander.


Geographic history is always part of human history. The history of geography is always long and complex. It differs from time, place, and culture. Today, people know about cartography from Muslims, Chinese people, Europeans, Africans, and other human beings throughout the world. Geography comes from the Greek word γεωγραφία or geographia. The word means “to describe or write about the Earth.” The scholar Eratosthenes (275-194 B.C.) was the first person to have used the word geography. During the time of ancient Egypt, the ancient Egyptians viewed the Nile River as the center of their power. There were many oases to the east and the west of the Nile. The ancient Egyptians viewed these regions as locations of various gods like Amon. The Kushitic region was to the south of Egypt. It was known as far as the 4th cataract. The ancient Egyptians and the ancient Kushites traded with each other, and in many cases intermarried with each other. . Punt was a region south along the shores of the Red Sea. Various Asiatic peoples were known as Retenu, Kanaan, Que, Harranu, or Khatti (Hittites). At various times especially in the Late Bronze Age Egyptians had diplomatic and trade relationships with Babylonia and Elam. The Mediterranean was called "the Great Green" and was believed to be part of a world encircling ocean. Europe was unknown to many ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago, although it may have become part of the Egyptian world view in Phoenician times. To the west of Asia lay the realms of Keftiu, possibly Crete, and Mycenae (thought to be part of a chain of islands that joined Cyprus, Crete, Sicily and later perhaps Sardinia, Corsica and the Balarics to Africa).


The oldest known world maps came from ancient Babylon form the 9th century B.C. The best known Babylonian world map was the Imago Mundi of 600 B.C. This map was reconstructed by Eckhard Unger. It showed Babylon on the Euphrates River being surrounded by a circular landmass showing Assyria, Uratu, and other cities. It was surrounded by a “bitter fiver” or Oceanus with seven island arranged around it to form a seven pointed star. The accompanying text showed the seven outer regions beyond the encircling oceans. The descriptions of the five of them survived. In contrast to the Imago Mundi, an earlier Babylonian world map dating back to the 9th century BC depicted Babylon as being further north from the center of the world, though it is not certain what that center was supposed to represent. The Greco-Roman world has many geographers.


By Timothy

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Turning Point: The Ukraine/Trump Scandal (Closer to Impeachment).



The testimony from the whistleblower is one for the history books. He admitted that Giuliani met with an adviser to the Ukraine President in Madrid in August of 2019. The acting DNI doesn't know if Giuliani has a security clearance. The whistleblower said that there was a White House cover up and that Giuliani had a large role in the Trump, Ukraine situation. The whistleblower complaint is out in the public. The whistleblower accuses Trump of trying to get Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election, and the White House tried to cover it up. This is different than the Mueller investigation, and it is again damaging to the Trump administration. The crimes of Trump is overt. This is not ambiguous information. This corruption is in your face. Today is a day of massive development. White House call notes show that Trump encourage Ukraine to work with Giuliani and Barr on the Ukraine situation. Trump tried to defend himself, but his recent statements are filled with distractions and falsehoods. His recent United Nations speech promoted xenophobia, nationalism, and he slandered socialism. Trump lied and said that socialism was responsible for the deaths of about 100 million people omitting that capitalist exploitation is complicit in the Maafa, the Shoah, deaths of serfs in Russia, colonialism, etc. that murdered millions of human beings. Trump asked for a favor right after the Ukraine President did things. Trump asked Ukraine to look into the investigation of Biden's son. The whistleblower complaint has been delivered to Congress. The call notes are being released. Rudy Giuliani defends his Ukraine involvement. This is a new day of more incriminating evidence. Trump has held another press conference today in trying to defend his actions. He has met with the current President of Ukraine. This is the Trump Ukraine plot. These notes show how Trump wanted a foreign leader to find dirt on Biden (who is his political rival). Trump wants to release his first phone call with Ukraine's President. Bipartisan pressure made this information to be released. Trump is not only an extremist domestically. He has a reactionary foreign policy that seeks agitation against Iran and Venezuela. Therefore, Trump is not just national security threat. He is a threat to the essence of democracy.

Trump knows what he did and Giuliani knows what he did too. Trump is a corrupt President. Pelosi calling it a cover up is accurate. The whistle blower said that Trump abused the power of his office to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 election. This is definitely impeachable by any stretch of the imagination. There are the documents of the whistleblower complaint (which implicates Trump, Pence, Barr, Giuliani, and other White House officials of the events of the Ukraine situation), the Inspector General's letter on that complaint, and the White House transcript of the call between Trump and Ukraine's President. Joseph Maguire defended the whistleblower. The acting director of national intelligence testified on Capitol Hill on Thursday morning. This Ukraine controversy alone (along with his other acts) makes Trump one of the most corrupt Presidents in history. The whistleblower said that the White House wanted to lock down records of the Trump Ukraine call. This was done to protect politically sensitive information not for national security reasons. The person said that Trump wanted to switch servers in order to try to hide the President's conversations. So, the Ukraine call was improperly transferred to a secret server according to the whistleblower. The truth always comes out one way or another.

This is certainly a time to celebrate the lives of iconic people. Not only is she a member of one of the most iconic groups in history called En Vogue. She cherishes her friends and family a lot. She is Sister Cynthia Ann Herron, and it was her birthday yesterday. She 58 years old. She is a singer, a songwriter, and an actress. En Vogue's Hold On single was sang by her in the lead vocals. She was born in San Francisco, California. She won many awards and sold over 20 million dollars with her group En Vogue. She was a model and was on PBS' Up and Coming in 1980. She was in the movie Juice too. Herron is a classically trained soprano. She has a two octave range. She has four children and the husband Gleen Braggs. Living her among these decades, she is a blessed woman. I wish Sister Cynthia Ann Herron more blessings.

She is 38 years old, and she is the greatest woman tennis player in history. Being the GOAT is never easy. It takes hard work, overcoming adversity, and winning over and over again. She is the GOAT. She is Sister Serena Williams, and it was her birthday yesterday. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan, lived in Compton, and traveled into Florida. Her experiences propelled her into massive greatness. Her mother and her father pushed her into excellence involving tennis including other areas of her life. Her father predicted her greatness when Serena was a child too. Serena is outspoken to advocate for equal pay and justice. She broke down many barriers and inspires anyone who seeks truly a sense of happiness.

Her two handed backhand is great, and she played among three decades professionally. She won 23 major singles titles. Serena Williams won gold medals in 2000, in 2008, and in 2012 (at Sydney, Beijing, and London respectively). She won 13 Grand Slam singles titles on the hard court. She won 10 Grand Slam singles titles after the age of 30. She won more than 10 Grand Slam singles titles in two separate decades. Her older sister Venus Williams has been a great supporter of her. Serena Williams is a beautiful black woman whose legacy is growing. Serena Williams is an entrepreneur and a great lover of tennis indeed. Motherhood is what she enjoys daily. She isn't done yet, because her competitive spirit transcends time. We all wish the best for her. I wish Sister Serena Williams more blessings.


By Timothy

Important News about People and Life.



Today is the new era of American history. For a while. Trump has violated the law, shown racism, executed deception, and made a mockery of democratic institutions. It is about time. Pelosi has no choice but to promote an impeachment inquiry. Trump admitted that he called an Ukrainian political leader to find dirt on an American citizen for political purposes. Trump has blocked legal subpoenas involving various investigations (and using methods of obstruction). If Barack Obama did that, he would immediately face criticism by the Republicans. More and more Democrats have called for impeachment. Regardless of what Trump says, we have three co-equal branches of government. That means that each branch have equality from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. That is why we have checks and balances in order for the government to function properly. This concept of the separation of powers in various branches of government existed from Montesquieu and other people. Pelosi said that Trump has betrayed the Presidency. On that issue, she is right. Trump has even used money to try go build a wall escaping Congressional approval. John Lewis even has called for impeachment. Trump's misconduct before and during his Presidency has no justification. The executive branch ought to not be supreme. We should have separation of powers.

The GM strike is a historic strike. We ought to support them. Also, it it important to note that many of these strikers support the Mexican and Canadian workers protesting for their rights too. We live in a global, interconnected economy. When a worker anywhere in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, etc. experience injustice or any form of unwarranted exploitation, then it is a threat against all of us. That is why we are clear that we want not only Americans to be free from oppression. We want everyone in the human race to be free from oppression too. There has been massive closures of GM plants in Flint, Michigan and other places of the Midwest plus the Rust Belt. Many workers have received such a high amount of pay cuts, that many work just above 10 dollars an hour. That is no way to live. That is why UAW workers are in strikes. People want freedom. Human beings desire to provide for themselves and their families. They want their children to have a future filled with hope and greatness. We don't need economic nationalism. Economic nationalism is wrong, because it pits workers based upon nationality instead of advancing unity with the workers of the world to stand up for economic justice. Workers overseas are not to be blamed for the devastation of working class communities of Detroit, Flint, etc. Wall Street, corporate oligarchs, and capitalist exploiters are responsible for these tragedies. The workers involved in the strike want no abuse of temporary part time workers, they seek to end tiers, they want have pay increases, and they oppose cuts to health care benefits. In the final analysis, we desire revolutionary change.

News are coming about Trump and Ukraine. To understand this in better terms, you have to step back. First, Trump is under fire by his opponents over his slick actions. Trump discussed with Ukrainian leaders about an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter over Hunter's business activities in Ukraine. This discussion was a July 25th phone call. It was with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump wanted to use the support of a federal government to gather dirt on a 2020 Presidential candidate who is Biden. Debates are coming about whether this is legal or quid pro quo. Trump admitted that he talked with Ukraine about Biden. We can't take him serious or trust him at face value, since he is a habitual liar. We have to have investigations about this controversy. Trump is accused of threatening Zelensky of cutting off U.S. military aid if he didn't cooperate in criticizing and finding dirt on Joe Biden. Trump blocked the aid to Ukraine at first until September 12, 2019.

One intelligence officer revealed this information to Senator Dan Coats. Michael Atkisnon wanted to inform Congress by law, but he was blocked by acting DNI Joseph Maguire (who is backed by the Justice Department. Barr is the leader of the Justice Department, and Barr acts as more as Trump's attorney than an unbiased leader). Oligarchs aided Trump and Hunter Biden. The CIA supported a coup in Ukraine in 2014. Trump is worthy of impeachment because of many reasons. What we have is a dispute among the ruling class. Some want a more confrontational approach against Russia, Syria, and establish a NATO build up in Europe. The other faction wants more isolationism, more violation of domestic rights in America, and support of right wing, reactionary groups overseas. The later faction is in league with Trump. Therefore, there must be more than investigations. Trump is notorious to support dictators, and he has promoted authoritarian policies since he is an authoritarian. Democratic principles and the rule of law matter. There must be an impeachment inquiry against the lawless President Trump. In laymen terms, Trump must be impeached.

It is important to recognize our Afro-Brazilian Brothers and Sisters. They are in the front lines of this fight for liberation. When the racist Abraham Weintraub saying that there are no black people in Brazil, then we know that we have to set the record straight. Black people in Brazil have played a huge role in Brazil's history, culture, arts, athletics, science, education, cuisine, politics, and other spheres of its country. Racism in Brazil historically have been on another level. We know of Minister of Finance Rui Barboasa ordering the burning of all documents related to slavery and slave owning in the late 19th century. We see attacks on affirmative action that has helped black people in Brazil. Afro-Brazilians are not pardo or moreno. I know what those words mean too. They are black people. Brazil is headed by the notorious bigot Bolsonaro. Congresswoman Talriria Petrone defended the existence of black Brazilian human beings in criticizing Weintraub. Discrimination, racism, and police brutality are serious problems in Brazil and worldwide (like in America for example). Still, our people have risen up to stand up for justice. Afro-Brazilian roots go back to Angola, the Congo, and Nigeria. In fact, most African Americans are of West/Central African descent. We have people doing great work too in the nation of Brazil. One Afro-Brazilian couple in Brazil named Debora Luz and Bruno Brigida created Clube da Preta (or the black club) to bring together Afro-fashion and beauty entrepreneurs. There is the Encontro Preto or Black Encounter that works to help Afro-Brazilian entrepreneurs in Rio too. Chad, Cinitia Pereira and Emanuel Pereira are involved in the movement. So, we are one people. We have one aim: liberation and justice.


By Timothy


Monday, September 23, 2019

More on Virginia.




In the modern age of Virginian history, massive developments came about. In 1964, the world famous Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was opened. By 1976, the Washington Metro began to link Washington, D.C. with the growing population centers in Northern Virginia. By the 1980's, Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads region achieved the greatest growth and prosperity. The reason is mostly because of the employment related to the federal government agencies and defense (and an increase in technology in Northern Virginia) were concentrated in those regions. Shipping in the Port of Hampton Roads started to expand which continues to the 21st century as new container facilities were opened.  Coal piers in Newport News and Norfolk had recorded major gains in export shipments by August 2008. The recent expansion of government programs in the areas near Washington has profoundly affected the economy of Northern Virginia whose population has experienced large growth and great ethnic/ cultural diversification, exemplified by communities such as Tysons Corner, Reston and dense, urban Arlington. The subsequent growth of defense projects has also generated a local information technology industry. In recent years, intolerably heavy commuter traffic and the urgent need for both road and rail transportation improvements have been a major issue in Northern Virginia. The Hampton Roads region has also experienced much growth, as have the western suburbs of Richmond in both Henrico and Chesterfield Counties. On January 13, 1990, Douglas Wilder was the first African American to be elected as Governor of a U.S. state since Reconstruction when he was elected Governor of Virginia. That was a very historic time. Douglas Wilder worked among many levels of government before he was elected governor. Wilder governed as a centrist when he was in office. Virginia developed information technology locations during the days of Internet plus network communication. In 1993, the Washington area had the largest service providers. In 1996, the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia first accepted women applicants. In 2000, more than half of all Internet traffic flowed along the Dulles Toll Road. The Pentagon was attacked in 2001 in Arlington, Virginia by extremists.

By 2016, 70 percent of the world's internet traffic flowed though Loudoun County.  Bill von Meister founded two Virginia companies that played major roles in the commercialization of the Internet: McLean, Virginia based The Source and Control Video Corporation, forerunner of America Online. While short-lived, The Source was one of the first online service providers alongside CompuServe. On hand for the launch of The Source, Isaac Asimov remarked "This is the beginning of the information age." The Source helped pave the way for future online service providers including another Virginia company founded by von Meister, America Online (AOL). AOL became the largest provider of Internet access during the Dial-up era of Internet access. AOL maintained a Virginia headquarters until the then-struggling company moved in 2007. In 2006, former Governor of Virginia Mark Warner gave a speech and interview in the massively multiplayer online game Second Life, becoming the first politician to appear in a video game. In 2003, over 1 million customers lost electricity due to Hurricane Isabel. I lived through that time. There was the Virginia Tech massacre when one student killed 33 people (including the murderer who committed suicide) in 2007.  In 2007, Virginia speedily passed the nation's first spaceflight act by a vote of 99–0 in the House of Delegates. Northern Virginia company Space Adventures is currently the only company in the world offering space tourism. In 2008, Virginia became the first state to pass legislation on Internet safety, with mandatory educational courses for 11- to 16-year-olds. In 2013, by a slight margin in the Virginia Governor's race, the state of Virginia broke a long acclaimed streak of choosing a governor against the incumbent party within the White House. For the first time in more than thirty years will the Governor and the President be from the same party. There was an Earthquake in Virginia in 2011. I felt it too. In 2019, Ralph Northam is still the Governor of Virginia and Justin Fairfax is the Lieutenant Governor. Rlaph Northam was wrong to be involved in blackface years ago, and Fairfax has been accused of sexual assault against a woman. These controversies remind us that we should always follow the Golden Rule. Racism and sexual assault must be condemned and opposed at every circumstance. I am consistent to believe that Northam and Fairfrax ought to resign, because we can't be hypocrites here. If a far right Republican did something racist, then we condemned it all of the time. If a Democrat does the same thing, then we also ought to condemn that also. We must treat people right, learn, reject bigotry, and believe in justice for all. The old Dominion state of Virginia is representative of America is, and we (who are Virginians) a'int going anywhere.




The culture of Virginia has always been diverse. To understand the culture of Virginia is to understand that much of Virginian culture is Southern culture. Without black people, there is no culture of Virginia. Also, to understand Virginia is to comprehend its region. I live in the Hampton Roads region. We have a distinct culture, geography, occupations, economy, etc. than other regions of Virginia. There is the Eastern Shore, the Chesapeake Bay region, North Virginia, Central Virginia, Southern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge Highlands, and Appalachia. I have been to Northern Virginia and the Eastern Shore too in real life. One major part of Virginian culture is the study of colonial Virginia, the Civil War era, and the modern era of our time. There is Colonial Williamsburg, there is the U.S, Civil War Museum, and there are other museums that celebrate the culture of African Americans. Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and other human beings all reside in Virginia. The Piedmont region is most famous for its strong Southern American English dialect. There is the Tidewater accent. Virginia has over 8.5 million people. English, Spanish, and other languages are spoken in the state of Virginia. 62 percent of Virginians are European Americans, 19.8 percent of Virginians are African Americans, 9.4 Virginians are Hispanic people, 6.8 percent of Virginians are Asian Americans, and 2.9 % of Virginians are biracial human beings. 0.5 percent of Virginians are Native Americans and 0.1 percent are Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. Most Native American people live in the Tidewater region. Centuries ago, many people of English and Irish descent lived in Virginia. Scots Irish people heavily were in the northwestern mountains and the Shenandoah Valley.

Most African American Virginians are descendants of enslaved Africans who worked on tobacco, cotton, and hemp plantations centuries ago. They heavily came from West and West Central Africa (from Angola and the Bight of Biafra heavily). The Igbo ethnic group of what is known as southern Nigeria were the single largest African group of slaves in Virginia. That is why most African Americans are descended from Western and Central Africa. My DNA test results show a significant amount of Nigerian and Congolese heritage. The Great Migration caused many black Americans to come to the North from Virginia, but now, there is a reverse trend of many black people moving into Virginia (and other states of the South). Many Hispanic people live in Northern Virginia. There is a large Salvadorian population in the D.C. suburbs of Northern Virginia, and there is a large Puerto Rican population in Hampton Roads (which is at Southeastern Virginia). Vietnamese Americans live in Northern Virginia. There is a large about 45,000 Filipino American community in the Hampton Roads area, many of them have ties to the U.S. Navy and the armed forces. Most Virginians embrace Protestantism and Baptist teachings. There is a large Roman Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim including other religious populations. Virginia's economy is mixed with a service economy, agricultural economy, and other federal government jobs. Northern Virginia is the richest economic region of the state. The military is heavily involved in Virginia from the veterans to the largest Naval base on Earth which is the Norfolk Naval Station. The Hampton Roads area has the largest concentration of military personnel and assets of any metropolitan area on Earth. Tourism is found all over the state including technology related businesses. Cuisine in Virginia include barbecue, country ham (as found in Smithfield, Virginia), grapes, crabs, other seafood, etc. There are many art museums in the state. Virginia also names a state Poet Laureate, currently Ron Smith, whose term began on July 1, 2014. From state fairs, the Virginia Film Festival, the VCU French Film Festival, and other celebrations, Virginia has great cultural institutions.



Geniuses are found customarily in the past and present. They will exist in the future too. She was not only a genius, but she shown her glory in articulating the pain, the strength, and the intellectual power of black people. Her name was Sister Lorraine Hansberry. It is fitting to write about her. As we approach the 80th anniversary of her birth, we contemplate about her life and legacy in a wide reaching fashion. When I was younger, I knew little about her life. Today, I understand more about her exciting life indeed. From watching documentaries, reading books, and studying other information, it is clear to witness that Lorraine Hansberry was one of the greatest playwrights of all time. She wrote plays not only to develop fictional characters. Many of her plays were related to her life. She was born and raised in Chicago. She knew of the plight of Brothers and Sisters in the ghetto, and she was an activist who allied with fellow heroes for justice. Hansberry was a history maker as being the first black woman author to have a play performed on Broadway. Her play A Raisin in the Sun described the lives of African Americans in segregated Chicago trying to own a home in an integrated community. She won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards being the first black dramatist, the first woman, and the youngest playwright to do so. Her friends were Nina Simone, Paul Robeson, and W.E.B. DuBois. Always in favor of black African liberation worldwide, she shined her light in many ways. She loved many people, and Lorraine Hansberry was her own woman. She was not only beautiful. She was always young, black, and gifted. When we salute her, we salute the best in ourselves.



As we see the 2010's end and the start of the 2020s, we witness a lot of changes in the world atmosphere. The start of the 2010s saw a global financial recession worldwide, more awareness of climate change, and the complexities of the war on terror. The European sovereign debt crisis existed along with austerity policies being executed in Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain. Economic factors led to the rise of populist movements like 15-M and Occupy movements. That is why Occupy Wall Street grew heavily in NYC and worldwide. The economic and political problems in the Middle East caused some unrest in Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen, as well as civil wars in Libya and Syria, in a widespread phenomenon commonly referred to in the Western world as the Arab Spring, with repercussions from the conflicts continuing into the 2020s. Today, America is a global superpower with China being assertive in trade deals with other nations (and their economic initiatives). America and China still have disputes in the South China Sea and in Africa over political plus financial interests. North Korea and South Korea still are debating their futures. Music and culture increasingly became more globalized with artists like Beyonce, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Jay Z, etc. Osama bin Laden was assassinated by U.S. forces in Pakistan. The ISIS movement spread in the 2010s before its defeat in Iraq as a governmental entity. Russia has expanded. The migrant crisis as a result of wars and economic dislocation have allowed people of color (black people and those of Arabic descent) to travel into Europe. The Internet in the 2010s have advanced with wireless networking devices, mobile telephony, and cloud computing. There is now 5G broadband and data being displayed in many locations. iPhone 11 is here presently. Debates about civil liberties are represented by the stories of Edward Snowden and Julian Assange. We still have a problem with mass surveillance and information privacy (and how private entities and the government must not violate human civil liberties). There are more women and other representation in parts of society, but oppression is still here in a high level globally.  Major natural disasters included the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the Nepal earthquake of 2015, the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami, and the devastating hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, Dorian, Haiyan (Yolanda) and Sandy. The Dorian Hurricane has destroyed lives heavily in the Bahamas in 2019. The Black Lives Matter movement defined a decade in them confronting police brutality. Various populist movements in general dominated this era of time. Therefore, the 2010's certainly made history in enumerable ways.

By Timothy






Friday, September 20, 2019

Late September 2019 News.



She is a young legendary actress who has acting in her blood. Her parents either were actors and producers. Now, yesterday was her Birthday, and she is 48 years old. From being on cartoon shows to legendary movies, her life has been filled with an exceptional amount of self-expression. She is Sister Sanaa Lathan. She is born in New York City, and you can tell by her Northern accent. Her first name means art in Swahili. Her mother was an actress and dancer named Eleanor McCoy. Her father was a famous producer of PBS shows and Sanford and Son named Stan Lathan. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in English. She earned a master's degree in drama from Yale University. She has been in theater of years.

She was on Broadway as well. She has been on shows like Moesha, In the House, NYPD Blue, Family Matters, etc. Her breakout role was in the movie of Life and Love and Basketball (which is a love story among 2 basketball players). She was on two The Best Man movies. She represented Generation X black movie stars. When I was growing up, people like her were folks that we looked up too as young people (as I am from Generation Y). She is 12 years older than me. She won the 2001 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. She was in the A Raisin in the Sun movie. From dramas, thrillers, and romantic films, she has done it all. Recently, she was in the films Nappily Ever After and Native Son. Working hard and appreciating her gifts are in her life. I wish Sister Sanaa Lathan more blessings. .

Trump is bragging about his wall. Yet, he omits many things. The wall is representative of not only xenophobia. It is about the essence of hate, since his immigration policy is about restricting the number of people of color from coming into America. Trump wanting to decline certain forms of legal immigration outlines his agenda. Many children migrants in camps suffer horrendous conditions. This isn't just me saying this. This has been documented by a report issued by the Inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The report documented that children migrants were violated by cartels and by many criminals. Also, many of them were separated from their parents via Trump's policies which has been traumatic to these children. Trump now wants children and their parents to be held in federal prison camps run by ICE not by the HHS. Many children suffer depression when they stay in ORR facilities for more than 70 days. This report is conclusive evidence of the cruelty of the Trump administration involving asylum seekers and migrants. A border is not an excuse to be non-compassionate towards fellow human beings. The same ones who lecture others on borders omit that borders change over time via war, theft, and other disputes. Federal law says that undocumented immigrants are entitled to protections if they are refugees or asylum seekers fleeing oppression. Human rights are superior to borders.


The events in Saudi Arabia and Iran represent a real foreign policy crisis. The bombing of the Saudi oil facilities have been claimed by Houthi rebels as being responsibility for them. Trump and Pompeo blame Iran for it. Iranians leaders deny responsibility. The U.S. claims to have satellite evidence. Almost 100,000 Yemeni people have been murdered in the Yemeni civil war. Some reports that Trump may use cyber attacks and air strikes on Iranian ships with seizures (which is piracy). Pompeo recently met with Saudi leader Prince Mohamed bin Salman. Pompeo is a hardliner, and said that the Saudi attack as an act or war. China relies on Iran and the Persian Gulf for oil resources. An attack on Iran will harm Chinese interests. Also, China is an ally of Russia. This is a complex situation. Iran is a source of energy for China. Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened war in Iran for years. He is a Trump ally with his election chances in doubt. Since Russia and China are in unison with Iran, it is highly not likely for a war against Iran to come. Likewise, we want a negotiated settlement to end this dangerous crisis. There is the news story about the whistleblower trying to release information that is damaging about Trump. He said that he was blocked from disclosing the urgent matter. Schiff from Congress promises to try to release the information to the American people. It is no secret that some in the intelligence community don't trust Trump because of his compromising actions.

The strike at General Motors is more than about class struggle. It is about workers battling against global capitalist exploitation. Almost 50,000 autoworkers are striking in sacrificing their time to enact real change. General Motors is one of the most powerful corporations on Earth. There has been decades of suppression of economic rights. Therefore, people are fighting for better benefits, collective bargaining, and other labor rights. The workers at GM are uniting. Many of the strikers are from different backgrounds, but they are united in the same goal of living wages, labor rights protections, and protected health care services. Many workers from Mexico, Germany, and Brazil have expressed solidarity with the striking workers of Detroit. In our time, we see striking teachers in West Virginia, Kentucky, Arizona, and Oklahoma. We witness demonstrations for freedom in Puerto Rico, France, Algeria, Hong Kong, and Sudan. We have watched global strikes in favor of something to be done about climate change. We have witnessed many changes in our society, and we are unified in our common values of advancing liberty, justice, and equality. We fight for real change not only for ourselves. We want change for our future descendants.

By Timothy


Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Updates.


Today, there is a strike of thousands of nearly 50,000 autoworkers. This is historic as for years, many workers in the auto field have been exploited, cut of their benefits, and they desire a change after witnessing corporate giants receiving record profits and bonuses. Many companies have received billions of dollars of yearly profits. The striking workers are heavily from GM at Detroit. They desire jobs, benefits (like health care), and personal security economically. These workers are part of the class struggle to confront poverty, social inequality, and job losses. Many jobs in America have been lost involving factories and automobile plants. Also, it is important to reiterate that workers worldwide suffer exploitation too. This is an international problem in essence. The UAW has called for the strikes. Many leaders of the UAW are accused of corruption. Workers have strikes in Michigan and Ohio. I do believe in labor rights and the right to strike. The workers must be part of the decision making process of any occupation. These strikers are courageous in their convictions and actions. Nearly 50 GM factories are shut down now. Therefore, the striking workers and all workers in general deserve economic justice. Also, those who work or those who don't should have equality, liberty, and justice as well.

Today, foreign policy news are ever real. There were drone strikes on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. The Yemen Houthi fighters are held as responsible for these actions. Yemen is a poor nation filled with civil war. Iran backs the Houthi rebels while Saudi Arabia is against the rebels. Many Americans including progressives globally want the war in Yemen to end. The oil attack has caused concerns of rising oil prices, since Saudi Arabia exports much of the world's oil supply. The Saudi owned Aramco oil company stopped production at the facilities. Trump has blamed Iran for the strikes, and he said that he is locked and loaded. That is a provocation of a militaristic response. Mike Pompeo or the U.S. Secretary of States blamed Iran for the attacks too.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are allies, so they are in unison in promoting tension against the majority Shia nation of Iran. At the end of the day, Saudi Arabia doesn't want Iran to have more influence in the Middle East. Far right senator Lindsey Graham wanted a more aggressive response against Iran now. Saudi war crimes in their air strikes of Yemeni towns and cities have been omitted by many in the corporate media. What we want isn't some new war. Iran isn't Iraq. Iran has a stronger air force, navy, and army than Iraq. What we need is strong negotiation to promote a peaceful resolution. After Trump ended the Iranian nuclear deal, these tensions immediately arise. We want a peaceful end to this situation. It won't be easy, but that is better than war.

The former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski testified before the House Judiciary Committee in the panel's first official impeachment hearing. He admitted under oath that he lied to the American people about his actions. He stonewalled on discussions with the former Attorney General Sessions. Corey also refused to answer key questions about potential obstruction by Trump, and he argued with Democrats asking him important questions. Corey admitted that he had private talks with Trump about pressuring Sessions to curtail the Russia investigation in 2017. Corey cited a letter about Trump not wanting him to talk about their talks. Corey wants to acquiesce to the Trump's agenda. Lewandowski echoed the Trump's sentiments to promote his political agenda in New Hampshire. Trump has obviously done obstruction of justice on many counts. Corey said that he has no obligation to be honest with the media, which confirms that he is a liar. So, the Trump administration and his allies are some of the most deceptive people in American history.


Many decades ago, four little girls were murdered by a bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. These girls' names are Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair. These girls just wanted to worship God as they saw fit in a church. Yet, a coward ended their lives physically. The murderer didn't crush their souls spiritually. Their lives represented the dignity and the honor of our people. This happened in 1963 which was a life changing year of the Civil Rights Movement. It was the time of Medgar Evers' assassination, of the March on Washington, of the Birmingham movement, and of other events. After the deaths of the four little girls, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expressed a sermon that not only blamed the racists for the murder but those complacent with the status quo for it too. The lesson is that these four girls didn't die in vain. We have a rise in hate crimes since that male was placed into office back in 2017. We have new activists fighting for social change. Therefore, we are in the right side of history, and we believe in defending the liberties of human life. The story of the four little girls should always motivate us that we do this not only for ourselves. We do this for our ancestors, for the Creator, and for future generations in order for the Dream to transpire triumphantly.


By Timothy

Information on Culture, Lives, and what's Real.



It is also important to honor Harriet Tubman's roots which are from Africa. She rescued black people and allowed them to go into Canada. Tubman lived in Canada for a time. She worked with Martin Delaney to build up Black Union soldiers to defeat the Confederacy. Black Union soldiers contributed heavily to the Union victory involving the U.S. Civil War. Delaney wanted black people to travel into Africa. Harriet Tubman's grandmother was born in Africa. She was part of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Malcolm X was  Pan-Africanist. Recently, Michael Eric Dyson has spoken about Malcolm X in terms that I find to be wrong. He is now defending Jay Z's deal with the NFL when Jay Z has loved the capitalist system as a means to gain profit. It is oxymoronic for capitalism to try to solve social injustices since capitalism by its nature is amoral (as it is concern to make profit for individual entrepreneurs). I find Dyson's criticisms of Malcolm X to be inaccurate. Dyson said that Malcolm X called Dr. Martin Luther King a "sellout," but his words doesn't tell all of the story. Malcolm X criticized the corporate establishment infiltration of the mainstream civil rights movement during the 1963 March on Washington and on other events. Malcolm X said that he wanted to push Dr. King to be more militant in order for change to come. He told this to Coretta Scott King. Also,  Malcolm X critiqued Dr. King because of his tactics of nonviolence in the midst of a system of violence. Dyson said then he or Malcolm X was murdered. Malcolm X did a lot of things before he was assassinated like traveling the world, confronting voting rights suppression in Selma, and calling on the UN to confront America on its abuses of the rights of black Americans. Dr. King and Jazy Z are black men, but they are different ideologically. Jay Z loves capitalism. Dr. King criticized capitalism. Dr. King opposed the war in Vietnam. Jay Z is not confronting imperialism in public. Jay Z is wrong to blame single families for the incidents of police brutality in America which is grossly offensive, reactionary, and evil. The FBI targeted Malcolm X and Dr. King for years. Dyson omitted that Dr. King criticized Malcolm X as lacking solutions. Dyson once accused Malcolm X of trying to cancel Dr. King, which is false. Malcolm X in 1963 invited Dr. King to attend a unity rally in Harlem. Malcolm X and Dr. King shook hands in 1964. Dr. King didn't want a big association with Malcolm X because of his political views. Yet, Dr. King talked with the Nation of Islam in 1966 and criticized militarism (that caused the corporate media to criticize him viciously). Numerous mainline civil rights leaders back then opposed Dr. King's anti-war views. Muhammad Ali supported Dr. King ironically, and praised his anti-war stance. Dr. King and Malcolm X sincerely wanted black liberation. They just had different approaches in getting it done. Dyson implies that Malcolm X wasn't militantly confronting injustice when Malcolm X confronted the police after Hinton Johnson was beaten plus refused medical treatment. Dyson made the disrespectful comment that Malcolm X would have been manhandled by Connor and his racist cops. That's silly since Malcolm X advocated armed black people defending the black community. Cornel West isn't perfect, but Cornel's views on imperialism are more accurate than Dyson's views on imperialism. Malcolm X sent a telegram to the Nazi Rockwell that if the Nazis harm Dr. King in Selma, Alabama, they would experience maximum physical retaliation in self-defense. Malcolm X was never scared of racists.

It is also important to recognize the Afro-Caribbean contributions to American history. John Brown Russwurm was from Jamaica, and he created the first black owned newspaper in America. Earl Graves was the founder of Black Enterprise. He has roots from Barbados. Robert Maynard was the son of immigrants from Barbados. He was the former owner of the Oakland Tribune. Yvette Clarke, who is a Congresswoman and daughter of Jamaican immigrants introduced a bill to erect a statue of the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm (She was the first black woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress. She is the daughter of Afro-Caribbean parents). The first Black female appointed to the federal bench is Constance Baker Motley. She was co-counsel with Thurgood Marshall in the Brown v. Board case that ended Jim Crow segregation. She was the daughter of Caribbean immigrants from the islands of Nevis. Kwame Ture who coined the phrase “Black Power” in the 1960s was born in the Caribbean island of Trinidad. The Gullah people of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida are related to the people of the Bahamas. Michelle Obama has Geechie people roots. One of the largest slave revolts in the US was led by a Haitian named Charles Deslondes in New Orleans. People like Claude McKay who wrote the poem “If We Must Die” during the Harlem Renaissance was from Jamaica. In fact, long before Sidney Poitier (from Bahamas) one of the most successful Black actor during that time was Bert Williams from Bahamas. Afro-Puerto Rican Arturo Alfonso Schomburg helped to chronicle Black American history in the New York library and other places. J.A. Rogers was from Jamaica. Actresses with Afro-Caribbean roots are Nia Long, Kim Whitley, Tatiana Ali, Kerry Washington, etc. Hip hop was born from Kool Herc, who has Caribbean parents. Hip hop is similar to toasting. 
 
 
Hair is part of the world society in general. People wear it, use it, and talk about it. Now, it is the perfect time to mention a lot of information about this subject. From its basic level, hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. It is found in mammals. As for us, humans, hair is found in many areas of the human body. Alpha-kertain is a major part of hair. Hairstyles and cultures dealing with hair are diverse and very old. For thousands of years, we have used hairs in cornrows, fades, and other ways. Barber shops and beauty salons are places where men, women, and children feel relaxed, talk about the issues of the day, and allow their creative spirits fly in hair types. Many people wear their hairs for many different reasons out of religion, culture, age, and other factors. Even in our generation, we have some ignorant people that want to demonize women with a certain type of hair. You won't find that judgment here. We believe that whether a person has natural hair or weaves, that human being is equal and is worthy of dignity plus respect. I am an inquisitive person by nature, so studying about hair types, history, pigment, and other matters are important. Hair found found underneath the skin and grows from the dermis out. The shaft is the filmentous part that extends above the skin. Hair fibers have the cuticle, the cortex, and medulla. The beauty of hair is that we don't make apologies for it. Also, hair is an way that people can be creative and acknowledge our own sense of self-expression. People who are bald have value too. There is no such thing as good hair or bad hair. Hair is just hair. The more folks realize this truism, the better off the world will be.


 
It is also important to recognize volleyball playing legends. Karch Kiraly is a coach of volleyball, and he was a great player in the sport. He broadcast the sport in the 1980's. He won gold medals from the sport of volleyball in 1984 at Los Angeles, 1988 at Seoul, and in Atlanta in 1996 for beach volleyball.  He is the only player (man or woman) to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach volleyball categories. He played college volleyball for the UCLA Bruins, where his teams won three national championships under head coach Al Scates. Kiraly is currently the head coach of the United States women's national volleyball team. He grew up in Santa Barbara, California. His father was from Hungary. Kiraly has worked as a broadcaster for ESPN, and provided color commentary for the AVP on NBC broadcasts. Kiraly worked as an analyst for NBC Sports during their coverage of the beach volleyball competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics.  In October 2014, Kiraly coached the Women's National Team to the FIVB World Championship, defeating China in the Gold Medal final. In doing so, Kiraly became the fourth person to win a World Championship gold medal as a player and a coach. During the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Kiraly led the US women to a bronze medal, becoming the fourth player to win medals as player and coach. He is an author too. Gilberto Amauri de Godoy Filho, known as Giba from Brazil is another legendary volleyball player. He was once an outside hitter.  For much of the 2000s, he was widely regarded as one of the best volleyball players in the world. During his professional career he played in Brazil, Italy, Russia, Argentina and briefly in the United Arab Emirates. He is mostly remembered for his successes with the national team. He won many gold medals in the Olympics, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Champions Cup, and other events. He won gold in 2004 at Athens, silver at Beijing in 2008, and at London with silver in 2012. He is retired now since 2014. He has won many awards like FIVB World League Most Valuable Player, etc.  Lang Ping was a Chinese former women volleyball player. She coaches the China women's national volleyball team. She is of Manchu descent. She won Olympic gold in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She won many World Championships. The Afro-Cuban volleyball woman player  Alejandrina Mireya Luis Hernández, often referred to as Mireya was an outstanding player. She is retired now. She and her Cuban team won gold in Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996, and Sydney in 2000. She won FIVB World Championships, FIVB World Cups, World Grand Champions Cups, etc. Luis is known for her spectacular jumping power reaching 3.39 meters, more than any other player, though being only 1.75 meter tall. She earned numerous "best scorer", "best spiker" and "best player" awards at world, Olympic and continental championships.  Mireya had a totally legendary career.




The geography of Antarctica is very unique. It is the southernmost continent on Earth. As found at the South Pole, it is well known to explorers, scholars, and everyday people. It is filled with 5,500,000 square miles. It's the fifth largest continent and nearly twice the size of Australia. About 1,106 people live there. On average, Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth. It is mostly a polar desert. It has an annual precipitation of 20 cm (7.9 in) along the coast and far less inland. The temperature in Antarctica has reached −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) (or even −94.7 °C (−135.8 °F) as measured from space), though the average for the third quarter (the coldest part of the year) is −63 °C (−81 °F). Anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at research stations scattered across the continent. Organisms native to Antarctica include many types of algae, bacteria, fungi, plants, protista, and certain animals, such as mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Vegetation, where it occurs, is tundra. It is the last region on Earth discovered in recorded history. In modern times, it was only in 1820 when it was seen. This was when the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on Vostok and Mirny sighted the Fimbul ice shelf. The continent, however, remained largely neglected for the rest of the 19th century because of its hostile environment, lack of easily accessible resources, and isolation. In 1895, the first confirmed landing was conducted by a team of Norwegians.  Antarctica is a de facto condominium, governed by parties to the Antarctic Treaty System that have consulting status. Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, and thirty-eight have signed it since then. The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining, prohibits nuclear explosions and nuclear waste disposal, supports scientific research, and protects the continent's ecozone. Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists from many nations. Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet. It hold 70% of the world's fresh water. Vinson Massif, the highest peak in Antarctica at 4,892 m (16,050 ft), is located in the Ellsworth Mountains. Antarctica contains many other mountains, on both the main continent and the surrounding islands. Mount Erebus on Ross Island is the world's southernmost active volcano. Antarctica evolved the the super-continent Gondwana. It broke apart to form Antarctica. It can get from 41 to 59 degrees during the summer. Much of Antarctica is more than 9,800 feet above sea level. That makes it colder than the Arctic as temperature decreases with elevation in the troposphere. Global warming has increased the surface temperature of the continent. The ozone zone has been depleted too. Antarctica is divided into West Antarctica and East Antarctica.




The culture of Louisiana is part of American culture too. Music, clothing, art, architecture, sports, religion, etc. are found in the state. As a culturally diverse state, New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz. Jazz has strong rhythms and much syncopation. It has piano players, trumpet players, and other orchestras. Jazz is American. From Cajun music to blues, Louisiana is known for its musical expression. Creole cuisine is influenced by Spanish, African, and Native American influences. It has been spicy and deals with frying. Seasonings such as Cayenne pepper, Tony Chachere's, Tabasco sauce and Zatarain's are prevalent in the cuisine of Louisiana. Other foods popular in Louisiana include Gumbo, Étouffée, Jambalaya, Muffuletta, Po'boy, and Red Beans and Rice. Seafood is especially popular in Louisiana either as an ingredient or as a main dish such as Shrimp, Crawfish, Crabs, Oysters and Catfish. Tons of festivals are found in the state like New Orleans Jazz and Heritage, the Essence Music Festival, bayou Country Superfest, Voodoo Experience, and Madri Gras. American football, basketball, baseball, hunting, fishing, etc. are popular in the state of Louisiana too.


By Timothy



Friday, September 13, 2019

The Democratic Debate at Texas State University and more issues.

The Democratic debate last night was interesting. It was different than the previous ones. It was a passionate debate that dealt with ideological and generational divides in the Democratic Party. Many candidates wanted a moderate approach and others wanted a more progressive approach to solve problems. First, it is important to acknowledge that the debate took place at the HBCU of Texas State University at the great city of Houston, Texas. HBCUs have a great role in American history. Their contributions to our society is legendary. Sanders sounded hoarse in the start of the debate. Sanders had a stronger debate performance as time went on. Biden was the main standard bearer of condemning Medicare for all. He wanted a public option added to the ACA. Kamala Harris spoke in stories about her experience. Kamala Harris is a graduate of Howard University, which is a HBCU. Harris wants more investments in historically black colleges. Julian Castro not only criticized Biden, but he was eloquent on many issues as well. Beto had his strongest debate performance to date.

He came out strongly against gun violence with cogent arguments on the gun control debate. Andrew Yang spoke clearly on the situation of automation and the need to do something about it. Cory Booker wanted no personal attacks on the candidates on the stage, and he spoke about his political policies in Newark, New Jersey. Biden said that Warren and Sanders didn't have details on how to pay for their health care plans. He implied that they had plans that were unaffordable. Elizabeth Warren was very prepared to not only articulate the progressive position on various issues clearly, but why she believes what she believes in (and how to pay for it). Pete Buttegieg expressed his idea that he has the vision to advance the future. Many candidates wanted an end to college student loan debt (of almost 2 trillion dollars) and affordable education. The issues of race and the criminal justice system were talked about in detail on that night.

Amy Klobuchar criticized what she called both extremes, but progressive leaders have brought clean water, the civil rights legislation, and other blessings in our society. Being extreme for justice is no vice.  Bernie Sanders criticized Biden on the NAFTA issue. Biden voted for a resolution that caused the Iraq War. Many in the mainstream media support Biden overtly, because they want a centrist consensus instead of revolutionary changes in the system (because they benefit from the system being centrist). Some moderators wanted to red baiting forgetting that there are different variations of socialism. Norman Thomas, Albert Einstein, Dr. King, and other leaders embraced many socialistic principles.The theme of this debate was about the promotion of progressive principles.

Today, Trump has cut regulations in dealing with clean water. These regulations came from the Obama years. We have water crisis in Newark, Flint, and in other places of America, and now this male wants to cut legitimate regulations involving water. He is a total disgrace. Trump is the most anti-environmental President in American history. Not even George W. Bush did these actions as it relates to the environment. Obama-era water regulation called Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, that limited the use of polluting chemicals near bodies of water, streams, and wetlands is now gone. Trump said that he did this to protect farmers, but clean water is a universal ideal that must be defended. We need real leadership federally that honors environmental justice.

I certainly disagree with Lord Jamar's views on women and hip hop. Lord Jamar is famous for being part of Brand Nubian and for his controversial views. Many of his views are fine like his critiques about Eminem. His other views in my view are repugnant. One of his repugnant views is that women aren't representative of the essence of hip hop (and that he doesn't really deal with women rappers). That is not only ignorant and sexist. That is against history. Black women were involved in the foundation of hip hop since the beginning of it. Sequence is an early woman hip hop group with massive talent. Lauryn Hill, Rah Digga, Rapsody, Jean Grae, Queen Latifah, and other women hip hop artists have shown lyricism, diversity, and dynamic talent. He is nowhere near the grand puba of what hip hop ought to be. Hip hop was originated created by our community as a means for us to express the lives, the graffiti, and the issues of the ghetto. It is also a universal art form which means that people of every background can be a part of it as long they honor its black foundation. He has the right to listen to what he wants to listen to, but people have the right to critique him too. I oppose racism and I oppose Hotepism. I find it ironic that he targets people like Kanye West (who has problematic views), but when 50 Cent talks to him like a dog, he is not with that same energy of aggressiveness toward him. That is what you need to know. One thing about me is that I don't fear any man on this Earth. Too many Hoteps are around claiming to be the sole arbitrators of Blackness when true Blackness is diverse not monolithic. Therefore, we have to uplift our Sisters. If you want to be free, you are required by birthright to defend black women.

By Timothy




Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Wednesday News.



We shouldn't be surprised at Trump trying to block some people from the Bahamas to go into America under humanitarian grounds. Trump said that some of the people coming are part of "gangs" and "drug dealers." We know that to be a lie. Hurricane Dorian was fueled heavily by warm waters and global warming. Hurricanes are very powerful storms that travel among movements of high and low pressure. Only land and cooler waters can make them disintegrate. That is the reality. In events like these, some of the ruling class have shown a sick indifference to the suffering of fellow human beings. The Bahamas is 50 miles from Florida. This isn't new from Trump. Trump has disrespected Latin American migrants and immigrants too. Poverty is another issue of this situation. As of 2017, almost 15 percent of the people of the Bahamas live below the poverty line. The Bahamas has no income tax, corporate tax, capital gains tax, or wealth tax, making the nation ideal for business and exploitation. Therefore, studying the socioeconomic realities of our world is important. In that sense, we must advocate for economic justice not just for those of us who live in the States. We must promote this goal worldwide, as humanity is international in scope.

One item of breaking news is that National Security adviser John Bolton has resigned from the White House. John Bolton is the infamous neo-conservative who not only was involved in promoting the unjust Iraq War. He is a notorious war hawk that wanted more aggression against Iran. He even possibly desired a military response against North Korea. Bolton's foreign policy views aren't mainstream. They are a hawkish and extremist. Bolton left, because he has overt foreign policy disagreements with Donald Trump. Trump said that he disagreed strongly with Bolton. Bolton didn't want the Taliban to negotiate a peace settlement at Camp David. Trump reached out to ex-NSA McMaster due to his frustration with Bolton. The Trump administration is filled with chaos. The reason is that Trump's views are incoherent and inconsistent.

There is no question that the Trump administration is filled with corruption. The NY Times reported that the Commerce Chief threatened firing of people over Trump's inaccurate hurricane tweets. Trump claimed to believe that the Dorian Hurricane would travel into Alabama which was false. More and more members of the House believe in voting for an impeachment inquiry. That is why House members have issued subpoenas to various people. Trump has broken talks on to end the U.S. war in Afghanistan with the Taliban (and the current government of Afghanistan). The war in Afghanistan is the longest war in the war on terrorism era.

The negotiations have existed in secret for 18 months in Qatar. Trump said that he wanted to cancel the meeting because of a suicide bombing at a checkpoint near the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. 12 people died including one U.S. soldier plus one Romanian soldier (allied with NATO). Even after the bombing, there has been negotiations. Many senior Taliban commanders have been killed. US/NATO forces are allied with the Afghan security forces in conducting the war. Trump wanted more concessions. When that didn't exist, Trump bailed on meetings.

This is ironic since Reagan praised the Afghan mujaheddin as "the moral equivalent of the Founding Fathers." The invasion of Afghanistan by the West was done after 9/11 in order for the West to have hegemony over the Central Asian oil resources and other resources in that region. The Taliban is a reactionary movement that comes from the CIA- backed war against the Soviets during the late 1980's. India has praised the Trump move since India is against Pakistan's arming of the Taliban. China has worked with Pakistan for years too. There is no way that U.S. capitalists is going to give up on Afghanistan's mineral resources like barite, chromite, coal, gas, iron ore, zinc, etc. So, the Afghanistan war is more complex than what is shown by the mainstream media.

By Timothy




Monday, September 09, 2019

Cultural Facts and History.




African American history and culture is made up of dynamic power and an inspirational story. African Americans are mostly of West/Central African descent. The first African Americans are descended from peoples of West Africa who were kidnapped from Africa and sent into the Americas as early as the 1500’s. European imperialists sought out markets and expanded economic exploitation. That is why African slaves were treated like cattle or property. Racism has always existed in human history, but international racism the way that we see it today transpired as a result of the Maafa and American slavery. African Americans were heavily found in the English colonies by the 17th century. Many black people back then were slaves, and some were free. Luisa de Abrego was a black woman in St. Augustine, Florida back in the 1500’s. Black slaves were in the area of South Carolina as early as 1526. In August of 1619, many slaves came into Jamestown which was controlled by British colonists. African Americans suffered whips, rape, family separation, and other injustices as slaves. Free African Americans raised crops, owned cattle, and did other things. In Virginia, there was a transition. By the late 1600’s, African Americans increasingly experienced a more race-based slavery that further harmed the rights of human beings. John Punch was a black Virginian who was enslaved for life. Many black people migrated into Spanish Florida for safety from slavery. It is no secret that back then, many African Americans intermarried with the English, the Spanish, and Native Americans. It is also no secret that many black slaves were victims of rape during the antebellum period. By the 1700’s, race based slavery was very prominent in the British North American colonies. It is important to note that black Americans fought against slavery since the beginning. Our ancestors were battling against racists in Africa, in the ships, in the Americas, and in the world in general for justice.

African Americans were on both sides of the American Revolutionary War seeking freedom and justice. These people were Crispus Attucks, James Armistead, Prince Whipple, and Tye. Slavery was enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. African Americans worked in abolitionist and other liberation movements to fight to end slavery. Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglas, and others worked hard against slavery. The Union black participation in the U.S. Civil War helped to defeat the Confederacy once and for all. Reconstruction saw new black Congressmen along with the rise of more hate groups like the Klan. After Reconstruction, Jim Crow was further developed with disenfranchisement, violence, and other discriminatory policies. Mary McLeod Bethune, W.E.B. DuBois, and other black leaders like Ida B. Wells opposed racism and lynching. By this time (in the late 19th century and early 20th century), black churches, banks, social clubs, businesses, and other institutions grew. With Red Summer and massive violence, race relations in America back then was terrible. Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 permitted Jim Crow for decades. The 2 Great Migrations were about black people escaping Southern tyranny, but they found similar racism in the Northern and Western areas of the United States of America. Black people served in every American war too. During the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, black social activists and intellectuals critiqued capitalist America while advancing a call for racial justice like Claude McKay, Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, Richard wright, Paul Robeson, Lorraine Hansberry, DuBois, and others. The murder of Emmett Till grew the black freedom movement. The Civil Rights Movement was made of black Americans and people of every color to seek equality and justice. It is important to note that back during Jim Crow, Northern industrialists allied with Southern segregationists in gaining power at the expense of people of every color. From the March on Washington to the Voting Rights Act, victories existed. Yet, we have a long way to go. The Black Power movement wanted economic and political self-sufficiency among black people. It had conservative and progressive factions. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968 was a turning point in African American history. Dr. King opposed the Vietnam War, rejected imperialism, promoted the Poor People’s Campaign, and wanted billions of dollars from the federal government to address poverty in America. The paradox of after 1968 was that while new black mayors and leaders existed, wealth was heavily transformed to a select few of upper middle class and rich African Americans primarily. The reason is that the capitalist system permitted reforms to some black people but not revolutionary change that would overthrow that exploitative system in general. The post- civil rights era saw legitimate firsts among African Americans and black heroes rising up from Carol Moseley-Braun to other people. By 2008, Barack Obama was the first African American President of the United States of America. Many black people in 2019 have successes and other don’t. That is why we should have African American solidarity along with addressing class related issues that deal with addressing income inequality and wealth disparities in our communities. In our time, the oligarchs (via the military industrial complex) permit the war on terror which resulted in the deaths of millions of people in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, etc.  African Americans are diverse politically, ideologically, religiously, culturally, and socially. Therefore, the beauty and strength of African Americans is that we are diverse yet unified in our black African heritage at the same time.



The first official ball used in volleyball has been disputed. Some believe that Spalding created the first official ball in 1896. Other claimed that it was created in 1900. Over time, rules evolved. In the Philippines, by 1916, the skill and power of the set plus the spike were introduced. Four years later, a  hits rule and a rule against hitting from the back row were formed. In 1917, the game was changed from requiring 21 points to win to a smaller 15 points to win. In 1919, about 16,000 volleyballs were distributed by the American Expeditionary Forces to their troops and allies, which sparked the growth of volleyball in new countries. Canada adopted volleyball in 1900. An international federation, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), was founded in 1947, and the first World Championships were held in 1949 for men and 1952 for women. The sport is now popular in Brazil, in Europe (where especially Italy, the Netherlands, and countries from Eastern Europe have been major forces since the late 1980s), in Russia, and in other countries including China and the rest of Asia, as well as in the United States. Beach volleyball was a variation of the game. It is played on the sand with only two players per team. It became a FIVB endorsed variation in 1987 and was added to the Olympic program at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Volleyball is also a sport at the Paralympics managed by the World Organization Volleyball for Disabled. Volleyball has been part of the Summer Olympics program for both men and women consistently since 1964. Brazil, United States, and the former Soviet Union, are the only teams to win multiple gold medals at the men's tournament since its introduction. The remaining five editions of the Men's Olympic Volleyball Tournament were won each by a different country including Japan, Poland, Netherlands, Russia and the defunct Yugoslavia. Gold medals are less evenly distributed in women's volleyball than in men's; the fourteen editions of the Women's Olympic Volleyball Tournament were won by only five different countries: Brazil, Cuba, China, Japan and the former Soviet Union. In the 2016 Olympics for men, Brazil won gold, Italy won silver, and the United States won bronze. For the women in the 2016 Olympics, China won gold, Serbia won silver, and the United States won the bronze medal.



It is important to note that after the U.S. Civil War, there was a fight for labor rights. During the Gilded Age, large corporations permitted child labor, environmental pollution, lax wages, and other injustices that motivated workers of many colors to unite and fight for economic justice. John Brown, Harriet Tubman, Thaddeus Stevens, and other leaders risked their lives in the cause of freedom. The Great Railroad strike of 1877, the Homestead Steel Strike of 1892, and the Great Steel Strike of 1919 outlined the working class struggle for liberation. Also, it is fine to confront racism. Racism is deeply embedded in the history of America then and now. Therefore, we have to address racism, class oppression, and any injustice if we are to be free for real.



Robert Mugabe recently passed away at the age of 95 years old. He was a longtime Zimbabwe President for a number of years. He was the first elected leader of Zimbabwe.  Zimbabwe freed itself from colonialism and imperialism many decades ago. Mugabe was involved in the African anticolonial struggles against colonialists and imperialists. He lived after the passing of well-known independence leaders like Nkrumah of Ghana, Sekou of Guinea, Kenyatta of Kenya, Nyerere of Tanzania, Machel of Mozambique, and Mandela of South Africa. It is important to realize that bourgeois systems of government are inadequate to address the need for democracy, social justice, and being free from unjust domination. Mugabe was ousted from power in November 2017 by a coup led by his longtime ally Emmerson Mnangagwa. We send prayers and condolences to Robert Mugabe’s friends and family. While acknowledging his errors, now it is the time to reflect on his life fairly without disrespect. The West had a mixed relationship with him. At times, the West supported him, and at other times, the West criticized him harshly. Mugabe was a rich man. He had many business interests. Wikileaks released information that Mugabe’s total assists are at $1.75 billion. Robert Mugabe was born poor, and he was a young teacher. He was part of the African National Congress. He was a member of the South African Communist Party. He moved into Ghana by the late 1960’s. Back then, British leaders controlled Zimbabwe. They call the land Rhodesia. The situation was about growing nationalist sentiments and the white ruling class’ opposition to ending colonialization. Mugabe was part of the Zimbabwe African National Union 9ZANU). Mugabe wanted armed struggle to end British colonialism. Mugabe was arrested and released in 1974. Later, Mugabe used guerilla warfare to free his people in Zimbabwe. The Shona people, the Ndebele people, and other ethnic groups united to liberate Zimbabwe. The massacre of people in Matabeleland or the base of the ZAPU caused at least 20,000 people to die. Mugabe made mistakes and did the right thing to promote welfare actions along with health plus educational reforms. The IMF cut off funding to Zimbabwe during the 1990’s, since it wanted Zimbabwe to embrace privatization, and foreign investments. Mugabe allowed seizures of white owned farms. Zimbabwe was against being punished by the IMF, since the IMF wanted Mugabe to bow to its will. Many Western governments accused Mugabe of being an autocrat. The situation is that many nationalist regimes dealt with overt world imperialism on one side and the revolutionary legitimate aspirations of the working class plus the oppressed on the other side. Mnangagwa wanted more liberal investment and trade policies with Beijing’s support. Therefore, he supported the coup against Robert Mugabe as a means to make business moves. The problem is that Mnangagwe used troops to kill demonstrators, arrested thousands of people, and mass inflation plus mass unemployment continued. Robert Mugabe was sincere and showed courage in ending imperialist rule in Zimbabwe many decades ago. He didn’t achieve his aims because of outside influences from the West and many working class people (and other people in Zimbabwe) were suppressed of their rights. Political independence in rejecting bourgeois nationalism and Western imperialism is always important. So, we mourn his death. Robert Mugabe was a man with his imperfections and his great contributions was an iconic historic human being. Like always,we believe in black liberation and Pan-African unity.



She was a genius playwright whose works inspired the minds of so many people. She was an African American scholar who not only wrote about defending the rights of black people. She was a social activist who stood up for justice. As a writer, she consumed her life with typewriters, ideals, friends, and dealing with diverse experiences. As time goes on, we know much more about her life and journey. Her name was Lorraine Vivian Hansberry, and she lived from 1930 to 1965. As a child of Chicago, she knew of the urban streets and the working class experiences of African Americans. The story of Lorraine Hansberry highlights the story of one courageous woman who created massive cultural legacies that we study to this very day. As a stage director, she wanted excellence involving plays. Her famous play was A Raisin in the Sun. She was always young, gifted, and black. She dealt with W.E.B. DuBois and Paul Robeson. She was a lifelong friend of Nina Simone (who was a great activist in her own right). Also, she loved life, and she loved people. The great intellectual power of Lorraine Hansberry stirs up our imagination, and it never ceases to amaze all of us.



By Timothy

Friday, September 06, 2019

Friday Updates in Early September of 2019.



There is always a Georgia connection with my relatives. Many years ago, I didn't know that my cousins traveled into Georgia. Now, I do. My paternal cousins definitely traveled into Georgia, and this is their history. My 2nd great grandfather Adam had a daughter named Leatte. Leatte gave birth to a great woman named Beatrice Latrice Williams (1918-2010). In the near future, I will describe more of her life. She traveled with his husband including their children from North Carolina (as my paternal ancestors originated from North Carolina) into Connecticut by 1956. They were a very religious family. Beatrice Latrice Williams (who lived in Waterbury, Connecticut) had a daughter name Joyce Ann Jones. She married Glastone Fyffe (at June 6, 1980), and had the following children: Shua Fyffe-Wally, Marlond Fyffe, and Earl Fyffe. Earl, Shua, and Marlond Fyffe live in Atlanta, Georgia (including other parts of Georgia) with their families. Marlond Fyffe's wife is Lanna Fyffe. Both sons have wives and children. Shua has a husband whose name is Morro Wally and children.

Members of the Lowe family in my maternal family live in Georgia too. Zilphy Claud was my 5th great grandmother. Her daughter was Lydia Claud. Lydia Claud's daughter was Louisa A. Sykes and her son was Charlie James Lowe (1901-1967). His son was the well known Theopolis Melton Lowe (1925-2016). He was born in Suffolk, Virginia on June 7, 1925. His mother was Willote Lowe.  Theopolis was raised in East Orange, New Jersey. He taught school in North Carolina. Later, he married Bobbie Mae Smith on January 30, 1950. They had three children named Willote Lowe, Rosina Lowe (she was born in 1956), and Timothy Lowe (who lives in Atlanta, Georgia now). Rosina Lowe married a man named William Roundtree. Their child was Willette Roundtree (or my 5th cousin). She married a man named Alex Shalishali. Later, Theopolis moved into Georgia where he found his second wife named Laura Lowe. Theopolis Lowe was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and was a common innovator of Columbus, Georgia. He taught Chemistry at a Columbus, Georgia high school. Theopolis and Laura Lowe had one child named Ophelia. The family had an adopted son named William Killings too. Theopolis' daughter Willotte P. Lowe (born 1953) is my 4th cousin. Her daughter is Josina Pittman-Green (and she is my 5th cousin). Josina Pittman-Green's husband is Derrick Green and their child is Reece Joseph Greene.

It is certainly important to place the Popeyes situation into context. While people shouldn't obsess with this story over more important issues. It is important to make it clear that Popeyes have used racially charged coded language in their commercial to promote their chicken. The Washington Post mentioned that Popeyes explicitly targeted urban areas with their products. We know that the vast majority of black Americans are not involved in the Popeyes' chicken sandwich situation, but it is vitally clear that we shouldn't be distracted. Wealth disparities, education, health issues, foreign policy matters, etc. take precedent above and beyond Popeyes. Other people want to use the Popeyes story as an excuse to blame the entire black community which is nonsense. Even some who claim to be "woke" have used that argument. The few is not indicative of the majority. All of us shouldn't be blamed for every problem in the world. It is the essence of reactionary respectability politics to indict a whole group of people based on some folks' restaurant choices. I do believe that this discussion should inspire us to support more enterprises owned by black people. Celebrating our scholars, lawyers, doctors, teachers, scientists, social activists, and other heroes makes perfect sense. They make inventions, establish new modes of thinking, and critically analyze the world around us. Civilization is enhanced by intellectual thinking.

I disagree with Max Kellerman on his recent statement that track and field athletes are "failed athletes." Many track and field legends have been very successful on multiple sports. One example is the later football legend Bob Hayes. He revolutionized the football wide receiver position with his speed. Bob Hayes won gold during the Olympics. He won two gold medals in fact in 1964 at Tokyo for the 100m and the 4 X 100 m race. Usain Bolt can play cricket and soccer. The legendary Wilma Rudolph could play basketball and track and field. Jackie Joyner-Kersee is one of the greatest athletes of all time, and track and field is a diverse sport. Max Kellerman is way off base. He may be an excellent commentator on boxing but not on the sport of track and field.

Right now, the Bahamas is experiencing a humanitarian crisis. Many people have started to run out of water. Many neighborhoods have been filled with water completely. Some people survived only by cutting down their roofs in the top of their homes. Families are struggling to survive literally. Humanitarian aid is always important. Now, Walmart is set to limit ammunition sales after the recent mass shootings in Texas, Ohio, California, and in other places of America. The NRA has of course criticized the decision. The NRA lobbyists are against the overwhelming majority of Americans want, which is federal background checks and other commonsense gun reforms. It is important to note that the NRA originally believe in gun control until the late the 1970's with the far right wing coup of the organization.. Defending the Second Amendment has nothing to do with allowing people to own any gun at any circumstance, even criminals. It is also important to acknowledge the unsung heroes who improved American society. We must reject the 2 extreme views of either every American being irredeemable or the other extreme view that view all facets of America as perfect. America at its greatest is when it self reflects and uses the revolutionary power of the working class, the poor, the oppressed, etc. in unity to combat oligarchy, militarism, and injustice. We want liberation for the human race without apology.


By Timothy