Well, its been an embattled 1st semester for me, but I’ve finally seen the end of school as I know it, or have known it since 1st grade.

Beginning next semester, and extending all the way to graduation on May 27, I’ll be doing only three subjects in school (specifically Bible [argh!], Language Arts [let’s just get this thing over with already], and Advanced Math [bleh! and argh!]). And after Advanced Math, I’ll either go to either my job (which I don’t have yet) or Macon State’s Warner Robins campus (I’ll have to choose either before Jan. 10, when school starts back).

Hopefully, I’ll become a transient student at Macon State, since I want to be at least somewhat acculturated in how to live your life around college. Plus, it would look good on my application for one of the colleges in Ontario if I went ahead and took some college courses, don’t you think?

So things are really about to change for teh snowkitteh. But of course, I still have these three weeks of Xmas/New Years to look forward to.

Oh yeah, over these couple of weeks, I’ve realized that people who want to use hypnosis (neuro-linguistic programming) or other mental means to engender a physical transformation in a person are mostly interested in TRANSGENDER transformations, NOT therianthropic.

Bummer….

Well, I managed to make it in at the last minute to take the SAT this morning. Hope I did good *crosses fingers*

Other than that, I’ve been at the comp all day, writing stuff, doing stuff, eating stuff, as usual. So nothing unusual today except for the SAT thing.

Also, I’ll try to find the time to actually do that, although I have it all written down upon paper (sorry, I just feel too lazy to do it right now)

And I have so many mp3s on my hard drive that I should become an online radio dj. Now if I only had the money…

Probably start “Tortured Soul Radio”, a gothic online radio station whose music format would follow a time-of-day/seasonal schedule, featuring acoustic, metal, dark country, acid jazz, jazz, industrial, grunge, and other genres, as long as the music can cater to the tortured soul in some way.

Hey, its an idea.

Well, I havent updated this in a long while, so I’ll go ahead and update you all on whats been up with me.

Well, from Monday afternoon until just this morning, I’ve been battling with what I’ve realized to be food poisoning (dun-dun-DUNNNNN!). That’s right, folks, my stomach was in pain almost this entire week, and there was nothing I could do to help my situation except sleep it off (or attempt to, in a FETAL POSITION). Damnit, my stomach was “straight” fucked up, even in class on Wednesday, when the pain was its worst.

On that day, I woke up to get the phone, and I had to run from the bedroom to the den (I stumbled and fell because my leg was asleep and stiff as wood). I picked up the phone to talk to Mom, and all of a sudden, my body feels a painful and disturbing rush of dizzyness; I nearly pass out, and I barely manage to moan into the receiver, since Mom is on the other end going like “I told you to go to bed on time, didn’t I?!”

The entire day drags by uneventfully but slowly, and I want to get home as badly as fucking possible. Then I get home, I curl up in a fetal position (something which I think I could get used to), I wake up a couple of hours later, wearily stumble into the kitchen to get a cup of Campbell’s soup, and I have to immediately go to the bathroom. How about, when I sat down, I didn’t do #1 nor #2, but rather #3?!

Could Wednesday get any worse? Well, I went back to bed before I could find out.

And finally, Mom relents to letting me have Thursday off, since a friend of the family convinced her that it was INDEED something going wrong with my stomach (they’d been having a stomach virus epidemic in what I find to be not only my area. By Thursday’s end, I’m better enough to go back to school on Friday, and after school today, here I am, fucked up, but better than how I was on Wednesday.

Damn I can’t write. Fucking aftereffects.

Anyway, in my period of exile, I’ve managed to read up (for the umpteenth time) on the unconscious and subconscious, and I’ve done my own little re-evaluation of the concept of the human mind as an iceberg. I’ll tell you that on the next post, hopefully.

Have to go right now, since Saturday’s the day of the SAT. Wish me luck, banzai, and whatnot.

*slinks off to bed*

PS: I’ve found that new holiday song to be especially catchy and multiculturally-embracive, lol.

This is going to be the best Christmahanukwanzaka ever! :-3P

http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/Our_Culture/happy_kwanzaa.htm

Here is my reply to the article:

As an American who is of African slave ancestry, I almost see your point when you mention that the philosophical standpoints that are and have been taken by the previous annual celebrations of Kwanzaa are full of idealisms and are lacking in actual substance of legitimacy. I also agree that such standpoints have been taken by the “big men” of post-colonial Africa’s history as mere slogans, but very much to the disadvantage of their respective citizens’ human and individual rights.

However, I must say that such similarities end there. In your article, you have ignored many facts that were in need of your prior consideration before such a demagogy were directed against a cultural celebration of the likes of Kwanzaa.

First off, as you had criticized the “tribal” concept of collective work, and contrasted it so much against the specialization and division of labor, you must have forgotten that it was through the same system (the one which you had praised for its ensuring of the prosperity of the Western world for the past 200 years) that the many slave trades occurred, particularly the Transatlantic Slave Trade (TAST). Such slave trades, if you understand, were not only the processes through which human capital and potential (economic-wise) were systematically drained from an already environmentally-disadvantaged sub-Saharan Africa, but were the same that put sub-Saharan Africa on such a standing as is considered stereotypical of that same region today. I’m sure that those chiefs who sold their POWs to European slave traders had some sort of good grasp of “specialization and division of labor”…

So is the so-called “tribal” concept working for sub-Saharan Africa? Not at the least. But has the imposition of free-market economies worked in post-Cold-War Africa? Not at any rate whatsoever (look at Bolivia in South America and see what happened). And furthermore, from what I’ve read, the “collective”, “cooperative” approach toward economics that has been espoused by Maulana Karenga is not necessarily the kind as was espoused by Karl Marx or Mao Tse-Tung, but rather the kind that has been espoused by those families who’re of West Indian and African ancestry (particularly those who are first-generation immigrants to the United States) in order to fund their fledgling family-owned businesses (and strangely enough, the same kind that is used by East Indian and East Asian families [again, especially those who are first-generation immigrants to America] for the starting-up of their convenience store businesses). It involves the pouring in of capital by family members and friends into the founding and financial maintenance of such businesses, and sometimes, even the collective ownership of these businesses by family and community members.

And I must strongly object to your verbal slamming of Kwanzaa as a combination of Jewish and Christian (and may I add, Muslim) rites, rituals, and symbols with “pagan” rites. HOW DARE YOU.

How dare you call a legitimate set of spiritual beliefs “pagan”, as if they are abhorrent and pre/under-civilized. I doubt that you’re at any point of advantage to denounce another people’s way of life in that manner; I doubt that you’re even of African ancestry, unless you can prove me otherwise. If you don’t have any experience in the field, then you can’t talk as if you do, and Heaven forbid that you can lay your mouth on it, so to speak. I take it that you are Christian in your religious beliefs (prove me otherwise if necessary), so you can criticize your own religion, its theology, and those who adhere to it, but can you say the same concerning Islam and its theology? Can you say the same concerning Judaism? Hinduism? Not unless you have been an adherent of either religions within your own lifetime. Thus, to call the religious beliefs of a people “pagan” (that is to say, “pre-” or “uncivilized”) without being an adherent of that same spirituality robs your argument of all scholastic legitimacy. And furthermore, such “pagan” beliefs were the beliefs of my own ancestors, so such a statement as you have made in your article regarding my ancestors’ way of life are personally INSULTING to me and my family, not to forget my people. I doubt that you would find it amusing if I were to lower myself to your level in that manner, so I will not do such in this written reply.

Also, as you praise “the Western tradition of private property, personal freedoms, and the rule of law”, you tend to forget that private property didn’t exist in Black Africa until it was introduced by the Asiatics (Middle Easterners) and Europeans; to traditional sub-Saharan Africa, the land belonged to all, and was not owned by any particular person, not even the chief or head of the people, but any division of land among families or individuals were regarded as leases, not permanent ownerships.

And as for personal freedoms and the rule of law, such was already in force long before the Europeans and Middle Easterners. The people who have violated such are truly evil men, especially in the eyes of their own people. But those are individuals, not an entire group of people, and the people who desire and have desired for democratic change in their political, social, and economic lifestyle have struggled, continue to struggle, and have accomplished their strivings for such; so to say that sub-Saharan Africa does not have any sense of democracy (which I take it from you to mean “human/civil rights”) is totally devoid of legitimacy and truth.

And finally, do you have an alternative? Do you have a substitute for Kwanzaa, one which would espouse your just-as-potentially-abhorrent Western values instead of our “backward”, “degraded” ancestors lifestyle? Throughout your criticism, no speck of a solution is found, so what is your point? Are you saying that African-Americans should only stick to holidays which are of American or European origin, as those are the only holidays, celebrations, or festivities which “should” naturally be acceptable to Afro-Americans? Then I must wholeheartedly disagree, as I could use the same argument against those same cultural celebrations, and against you as well.

But if that was the point, and if you couldn’t provide an alternative celebration of some kind which celebrates African tradition and both African and Afro-Diasporian history, then I eventually fail to see the legitimacy of your critique, and, because you have failed to fully enlighten me, and I doubt most other people, you have ultimately and scholastically failed in your attempt to discredit Kwanzaa as a celebration of culture, history, and the importance of family and community.

I reiterate, you have failed.

Have a nice day.

Sincerely,

Harry C.D. Underwood
age 17, high school senior and graduating valedictorian, Warner Robins

To: Rayne
From: Jimmy
Subject: HI-PAR

Hi, I just got your email, I’ve been off-line for a few days. I can set you up as the first
one to do the HI-PAR, under archives I maintain. We’re planning a national vote
next year, free for everyone, where all representatives in an imaginary parliament,
may self-categorize under the word or words as they wish. Once the HI-PAR gets
100 free appointees, we can hold the HI-PAR election, meanwhile we’ll also
have a national ballot. I’m trying to work with the current cabinet, to have our
big deal on July 4th over the next four years.

I’d use either you name Harry, or Rayne, whatever you wish Your party/category
must be your “true” one.

Thanks for your interest, I can appoint you as member of state parliament (MSP)
and create an email and/or web link to your name, and that will put you on the
monthly bulletin automatically too. (be sure to email me if/when you don’t want
the bulletin, or if you “stand down” or any other appointments or improvements).

Thanks for your interest,
Best,
–Jimmy

Rayne Van-Dunem wrote:

Hi, this is the administrator of the hawaii_nation community at livejournal (http://livejournal.com/community/hawaii_nation). I’d like to ask you, the administators of the US parliament website, if it is feasible to establish a parliament in Hawaii, so as to allow all under-the-radar parties, movements, and organizations that aren’t allowed a voice in Hawaiian politics. Such would be especially important for Hawaii, considering the fact that it has been illegally occupied by the United States since 1893, which, prior to that year, had recognized Hawaii repeatedly as an independent and sovereign nation.

Sincerely, Harry Underwood aka Rayne Van-Dunem (http://livejournal.com/~rayne_vandunem)

PS: The most representative type of parliament is the one that has the lowest-possible ratio of MP to citizens in a constituency, as in equal proportional representation. So as far as the California parliament goes, the more-localized proportional representation in a unicameral parliament would be either (on a ratio of MP to citizens in a single constituency) 1:100,000 (which, if bringing into account the current estimate of the census in California, would give a unicameral parliament a number of around 320 members).

Just a suggestion for the California parliament.

Right now my ever-ditzy 12-yr-old nephew is watching Nicktoons, a cable/satellite channel that is owned by (obviously, duh!) the notoriously-corny-as-hell Nickelodeon (a Viacom network). It is basically what I call a “programming overflow” channel, where all of the old shows that have debuted on the primary network, but have either been pulled off the air for quite some time or is bound for eventual pulling-of-the-plug on the primary network, are rebroadcast on a regular basis. Often, this applies most to cult-classic series, especially within the areas of comedy, drama, and animation series and films.

In fact, such had been a serious suggestion that had been presented to Cartoon Network’s owners (Turner Broadcasting) concerning its Toonami block, as many cult-classic anime that has debut stateside on Toonami (and its former Midnight Run block, which was replaced a few years ago by Adult Swim) have been pulled off the air, never to be seen again except through the availability of p2p filesharing. However, many roadblocks appeared to make sure that a Toonami channel never would get off the ground. Instead, they launched Boomerang, a network that catered to old-as-dirt non-Disney-made animation (stretching from the 30’s-to-80’s).

I think that Cartoon Network missed out on a good chance to expand their horizons. In fact, alot of its own original programming doesn’t appear anymore, such as Road Rovers and other series, so an overflow channel for its own original programming would be necessary if they’re going to move any further upward.

I mean, heck, Nicktoons even makes room for independently-made animation shorts, such as those featured on tonight’s “Nicktoons Film Festival”, something that Cartoon Network used to do a few years ago, but then dropped. Instead, while Nicktoons and Toon Disney (another overflow channel, this time for Disney animation) have stuck to predominately Western or American-made animation, Cartoon Network has tended to lean increasingly upon imported Japanese anime for life support (and on that note, I believe that this past Friday was the first time that an American network has given a Japanese pop music group its own original series. Even though I was amused by the utter lack of seriousness that is a trademark of the more people-geared anime series, like Super Milk Chan and Fooly Cooly, I kinda find Cartoon Network’s increasing lack of intelligent programming ingenuity to be quite disturbing).

However, I understand that American (and to a lesser extent, Western) animation is looked down upon nowadays, as its seen to be something that is geared exclusively toward young children, and not toward all ages in general (on that note, let me express my utter abhorrence at Code Name: Kids Next Door. This cartoon is something that glorifies the stupidities, not the innocence, of childhood, and I usually tell my nephew to change the frickin channel, or else just plug my ears.)

I think that, if you want to find realism in animation, you’d want to go to the animators from Europe, who have probably made animation into a serious work of art, utilizing it in all possible genres, even DRAMA and politically-motivated activist art. That, I believe, is something you would rarely see here in the states or even in Japan itself.

So if you want dialogue in your animation, go to America. If you want graphics, go to Japan and Korea. And if you want realism, go to Europe.

However, I have yet to see the televised and regular presentation of a strong variety in animation here in America. If American animation programming continues to stick to this “live-from-series-to-series” basis, then American animation will never be naturally allowed to mature beyond its present level of degredation and stagnation.

Something to think about:

Continue reading The present shape of the world, as seen through my eyes →

“How do I transform (physically) into a snow leopard?

The present is embodied in Hexagram 52 – Ken (Keeping Still): When one is resting, and he loses all consciousness of self; when he walks in his courtyard, and does not see any of the persons in it, there will be no error.
The first (bottommost) line, divided, shows its subject keeping his toes at rest. There will be no error, but it will be advantageous for him to be persistently firm and correct.
The situation is evolving slowly, and Yang (the active masculine force) is gaining ground.

The future is embodied in Hexagram 22 – Pi (Grace): He should find a free course, but there will be little advantage if he advance and take the lead.
The things most apparent, those above and in front, are embodied by the upper trigram Ken (Mountain), which represents stillness and obstruction.
The things least apparent, those below and behind, are embodied by the lower trigram Ken (Mountain), which is transforming into Li (Fire). As part of this process, stillness and obstruction are giving way to brightness and warmth. ”

Wierd…

So exactly what does this all mean?

“You see, we have had too much of this foolishness of race. I’m not going to attempt to allocate the blame one way or another. I think more than one political party has been responsible for the crisis of race relations in this country. I think our leadership has failed us on that score. I think external intervention was important in bringing the races against each other from the fifties and particularly in the early sixties. But I’m concerned with the present. If we made that mistake once, we cannot afford to be misled on that score today. No ordinary Afro-Guyanese, no ordinary Indo-Guyanese can today afford to be misled by the myth of race. Time and time again it has been our undoing.”

“Does it have anything to do with race that the cost of living far outstrips the increase in wages? Does it have anything to do with race that there are no goods in the shops? Does it have anything to do with race when the original lack of democracy as exemplified in the national elections is reproduced at the level of local government elections? Does it have anything to do with race when the bauxite workers cannot elect their own union leadership? Does it have anything to do with race when, day after day, whether one is Indian or African, without the appropriate party credentials, one either gets no employment, loses one’s employment, or is subject to lack of promotion?”

“It is clear that we must get beyond that red herring and recognise that it is intended to divide, that it is not intended in the interest of the common African and Indian people in this country. Those who manipulated in the 1960s, on both sides, were not the sufferers. There were not the losers. The losers were those who participated, who shared blows and who got blows. And they are the losers today.”

“It is time that we understand that those in power are still attempting to maintain us in that mentality – maintain us captive in that mentality where we are afraid to act or we act injudiciously because we believe that our racial interests are at stake. Surely we have to transcend the racial problems? Surely we have to find ways and means of ensuring that there is racial justice in this society? But it certainly will not be done by a handful of so-called Black men monopolising the power, squeezing the life out of all sections of the working class, and turning around and expecting that they will manipulate an issue such as the Arnold Rampersaud affair and get the support of ordinary black people because we will say, ‘After all; is only an Indian. We could hang him. No sweat.’”

“Because, as I said before, you start with one thing, you end with another. The system doesn’t stop at racial discrimination. Because it is a system of class oppression, it only camouflages its class nature under a racial cover. And in the end, it will move against anyone irrespective of colour. In the end, they will move even against their own. Because, don’t believe if you are a member of that party today, that you will be protected tomorrow from the injustices. Because when a monster grows, it grows out of control. It eats up even those who created the monster. And it’s time that our people understood that.” a speech by Walter Rodney

You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruptions.
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be brought to you by the
Schaefer Award Theatre and will not star Natalie
Woods and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia.
The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal.
The revolution will not get rid of the nubs.
The revolution will not make you look five pounds
thinner, because the revolution will not be televised, Brother.

There will be no pictures of you and Willie May
pushing that shopping cart down the block on the dead run,
or trying to slide that color television into a stolen ambulance.
NBC will not be able predict the winner at 8:32
or report from 29 districts.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of Whitney Young being
run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process.
There will be no slow motion or still life of Roy
Wilkens strolling through Watts in a Red, Black and
Green liberation jumpsuit that he had been saving
For just the proper occasion.

Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville
Junction will no longer be so damned relevant, and
women will not care if Dick finally gets down with
Jane on Search for Tomorrow because Black people
will be in the street looking for a brighter day.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no highlights on the eleven o’clock
news and no pictures of hairy armed women
liberationists and Jackie Onassis blowing her nose.
The theme song will not be written by Jim Webb,
Francis Scott Key, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom
Jones, Johnny Cash, Englebert Humperdink, or the Rare Earth.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be right back after a message
bbout a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a dove in your
bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath.
The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat.

The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
will not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be LIVE.