People:
Let's celebrate amazing people, in our lives or who have touched our lives....
Know somebody that has changed your life for the better? Somebody who has done something positive that you think has been overlooked or underrated? Somebody that's been on your mind? Could be the lady next door, somebody in history. Give them their propers here. Show your love. Tell us about the Mother Hales in your neighborhood. Don't wait for the media to do it. Do it here. Now. Or write an article and send it via e-mail to contributions and we'll get it up. Tell us anyway you choose.
Shout outs for this issue
Dr. Betty Shabazz
When someone famous dies, sometimes it's easy to react with just a cursory "oh wow" kind of acceptance and mild curiosity. And then you go on to do whatever you gotta do. When Betty Shabazz died, I could feel an ache as though she was my own mother. The tragedy behind the circumstances of her death spoke about not just her family but how we all affect each other. Ripples on a pond. No matter how strong and Brave Malcolm X was, his family, his offspring and the next generation couldn't shake off the pain. They were affected by the legacy of pain of possible betrayal from his own brothers in the movement; not to mention by the racism of the times. Yet somehow Dr. Shabazz possessed a grace and peace; she seemed so calm and composed, in spite of what she suffered, seeing her husband's taken out in front of her own children cannot have been an easy thing to live through or heal from. It seems so ironic and so damn hard to lose this woman by the very hand of her own grandson. The price the whole family paid for the dream to change our world into something better for all of us remains a poignant and bitter lesson for me. No one should have had to pay such a high price for the rest of us. I hope we learn something. I hope we give something back to others and remember her name when we do.
Jimmy Durham, artist
I saw this artist's work in at the ICA in London, He's a Native American who dabbles in junk. Well, he takes common objects and using space and color finds a way to take these objects and twist them around into social comment. His work is pointed and yet has a sense of humor. Anybody know who I'm talking about?
Debbi Thomas, Olympic Great (Ice Skating)
Thank you Debbi Thomas. I can still see you skating to George Michael's song at the Olympics many moons ago. Anybody else remember? Wonder what she's up to today. Wonder why you never saw her on a Wheaties box? Or advertising some new phone card or something?
TuPac Shakur
For different reasons, than Dr. Betty Shabazz, I felt Pac's passing for days. 2Pac had charisma that could have been developed regardless of whether he was doing the gangsta thing or not. Star quality they say. Something about him was magic. And at the same time something about him was tragic. He walked both sides of the line, living his life like a tightrope. The allegations about abuse against women, time in jail, all the negative stuff testified to the struggle inside himself as he played thug in real life. He seemed to live what he rapped about and from time to time, expressed quite eloquently the struggle between "good" and "evil" as he found it in his own life. He wasn't afraid to show us the dirty as well as the good. I only hoped he could have gotten up a bit farther out of the hard assed gang life so we could have benefited from his insights, and he could have continued to learn from his mistakes and share what he learned with all the homies. What as a loss of potential. It still stings.
For Ali...
When web pages and NonStatQuo were just dreams spilled out in the courtyard of the Yerba Buena Gardens, you supported me with your words and backed them up with your actions. Even when you weren't sure how I'd come through. You listened as I described the frustrations and my unrealized goals. Although it was uncharted water for you and you didn't know where all of this was going to lead, your belief in me helped make this web page come to light. You gave me the time and the $$ to get this thing off the ground. Your faith, love and support is immeasurable. With you I flourish and realize my dreams. Your encouragement and my determination, I might just make it to be a web wizardess yet!
Shout outs for this issue
Dr. Betty Shabazz
When someone famous dies, sometimes it's easy to react with just a cursory "oh wow" kind of acceptance and mild curiosity. And then you go on to do whatever you gotta do. When Betty Shabazz died, I could feel an ache as though she was my own mother. The tragedy behind the circumstances of her death spoke about not just her family but how we all affect each other. Ripples on a pond. No matter how strong and Brave Malcolm X was, his family, his offspring and the next generation couldn't shake off the pain. They were affected by the legacy of pain of possible betrayal from his own brothers in the movement; not to mention by the racism of the times. Yet somehow Dr. Shabazz possessed a grace and peace; she seemed so calm and composed, in spite of what she suffered, seeing her husband's taken out in front of her own children cannot have been an easy thing to live through or heal from. It seems so ironic and so damn hard to lose this woman by the very hand of her own grandson. The price the whole family paid for the dream to change our world into something better for all of us remains a poignant and bitter lesson for me. No one should have had to pay such a high price for the rest of us. I hope we learn something. I hope we give something back to others and remember her name when we do.
Jimmy Durham, artist
I saw this artist's work in at the ICA in London, He's a Native American who dabbles in junk. Well, he takes common objects and using space and color finds a way to take these objects and twist them around into social comment. His work is pointed and yet has a sense of humor. Anybody know who I'm talking about?
Debbi Thomas, Olympic Great (Ice Skating)
Thank you Debbi Thomas. I can still see you skating to George Michael's song at the Olympics many moons ago. Anybody else remember? Wonder what she's up to today. Wonder why you never saw her on a Wheaties box? Or advertising some new phone card or something?
TuPac Shakur
For different reasons, than Dr. Betty Shabazz, I felt Pac's passing for days. 2Pac had charisma that could have been developed regardless of whether he was doing the gangsta thing or not. Star quality they say. Something about him was magic. And at the same time something about him was tragic. He walked both sides of the line, living his life like a tightrope. The allegations about abuse against women, time in jail, all the negative stuff testified to the struggle inside himself as he played thug in real life. He seemed to live what he rapped about and from time to time, expressed quite eloquently the struggle between "good" and "evil" as he found it in his own life. He wasn't afraid to show us the dirty as well as the good. I only hoped he could have gotten up a bit farther out of the hard assed gang life so we could have benefited from his insights, and he could have continued to learn from his mistakes and share what he learned with all the homies. What as a loss of potential. It still stings.
For Ali...
When web pages and NonStatQuo were just dreams spilled out in the courtyard of the Yerba Buena Gardens, you supported me with your words and backed them up with your actions. Even when you weren't sure how I'd come through. You listened as I described the frustrations and my unrealized goals. Although it was uncharted water for you and you didn't know where all of this was going to lead, your belief in me helped make this web page come to light. You gave me the time and the $$ to get this thing off the ground. Your faith, love and support is immeasurable. With you I flourish and realize my dreams. Your encouragement and my determination, I might just make it to be a web wizardess yet!