Saturday, June 30, 2007

You can too make soap with out lye.


Most soapmakers will insist you can't make soap without lye. I used to get that irritated feeling I've had since I was a child, that told me it wasn't true and was some kind of soaper propaganda, everytime I heard that..

While it is difficult to get a bar of soap to trace with just cocoa butter, overtime it can be done.
Contrary to popular belief natives always kept clean, in fact Europeans learned about soap when they visited the Moors who were people of color 'See book: The Moors in Spain or a comic by Neil Gaiman who is honest about his European history').
Native peoples have kept clean a number of natural ways that didn't require animal butchering...

Enter the plant Yucca (also known as Cassava).
The roots of this plant can be opened and it's contents contain saponins that create suds and clean, once added to water. It is also used as a foaming agent in rootbeer.
It's a cough medicine, diuretic, arthritis soother, and skin irritant poultice, as some of its known uses.

Yeah.
So next time some one says 'Never' you can be sure that doing your own research is in order...

There are plenty of plants that contain saponins, including witch hazel which is a natural deodorant among many other things.
The Creator already thought of that, sorry man.
God provides y'all, no matter your religion, the truth is, we have been provided by divinity with all we need in the natural world...

Peace.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Jade Ross is fabulous







Jade Ross
Worthy listening:
Her Space ~~~~~*

Common's album is definitely getting purchased

Lovin' this.



Common, The Game
(Scratches courtesy of DJ Premier)

Iyanla speaks on overcoming fear

A little food for thought.

You can help preserve homes for New Orleans residents, when you send an email and spread the word


Housing Emergency in NOLA

Thousands of families face homelessness on October 1, 2007

For Immediate Release

Contact: Soleil Rodrigue

(504) 717-7324 or

Endesha Juakali

(504) 239-2907 or

Email: www.survivorsvillage.com

JOIN SURVIVOR S VILLAGE ON JULY 4TH

OCCUPATION OF DUNCAN PLAZA IN NEW ORLEANS

Members of Survivor s Village, residents of New Orleans and other
grassroots groups looking to solve the housing crisis facing the
city, plan to take action over the July 4th Holiday. We will be
demonstrating with a tent-city in Duncan Park, which is across the
street from City Hall.

HUD magnifies New Orleans housing crisis by ending DVP

NEW ORLEANS HUD is belatedly celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of
Katrina.

Displaced residents will likely not enjoy the gift possible
homelessness but their familiarity with the federal agency s
bureaucracy will explain gift s late arrival.

Letters announcing the upcoming end of the Disaster Voucher Program,
and encourage evacuees to seek out pre-storm housing options, were
sent out during the last several weeks. Scattered across the country,
these families will face potential homelessness as of October 1, 2007.

City/State/Federal officials doing nothing

Housing is a basic human right, which is not being met in this city.
Public housing units remain largely closed, rents are as much as 300
percent higher than pre-Katrina rates, homeowners still wait for the
nefarious Road Home program to pay so they can make their homes
livable, and insurance and utility costs are skyrocketing.

The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act continues to be
railroaded by Louisiana Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter.

Ray Nagin, during his State of the City address, bemoaned his own
6-month wait to live in his home after the Storm. Maybe the Road Home
Program would have been better managed if C.Ray or either of the
Senators had been waiting in the year-long line for assistance.

It is time for the scores of Invisible Homeless those people
staying with family members, borrowing couches, crowding into a
friend s shotgun, moving from available space to available space to
be as visible as those folks sleeping under the I-10 at Claiborne
Avenue.

Bring the Housing Crisis to the Steps of City Hall

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Average Betty cracks me up

Hilarious AND educational.



Make the recipe vegetarian friendly by substituting with soy protein to keep your dishes free of meat products.

^_^

Monday, June 25, 2007

Pharoahe Monch - Desire drops 6.26



Preview 7 tracks from Desire, on Myspace.
Click the album cover.

Are you not lovin' the ancestral symbolism he's serving?
Life after Death indeed. Rebirth is inevitable.
We died, like a shedding of layers, and now...
We rise.

Further proof that ancestral legacy affects the lives of now and future generations



This documentary is worth the hour or so of time it will take you to watch it.
It proves that we are the 'guardians' of our genomes and essentially everything we do and the impacts our environments have on us affect future generations through imprint on our reproductive offerings.


History can repeat itself through many means no matter what books and historical facts are banned or burned...


Naturally it's deeper than this in a spiritual sense, but science is at least beginning to confirm those very things that will eventually marry science and spirituality.

Step through this link -----> The Ghost In Your Genes Scientific blessing just this way.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

We need a little of Nina's magik today...

Nina Simone: I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Four Eyed Monsters

Very well done.
Makes you think.
I love honesty in art, and they've given it to us straight no chaser.
If you have the 75 minutes to dedicate, watch it now.
It's on Youtube until August.
Here's a small version.
You can also log onto: Foureyedmonsters.com to buy the dvd or get a high-quality download.
And don't forget to sign up at spout.com/foureyedmonsters (the company is helping them pay off the credit card bills they incurred to make the movie for every person who signs up).

Stand up.



Click the button above and sign the petition.

Chant: Impeach (My verbal power suggestion)

You can also,

CALL UP RADIO SHOWS AND GIVE OUT THE CELL PHONE SHORT CODE, AND AT
RALLIES

The Pen: "At considerable expense we have fronted the money to set up the
capacity to take votes by cell phone. If you are hip to sending text
messages you can text "IMPEACH" to 30644 to vote Yes, or "KEEP" to
30644 to vote No (we haven't had any No votes this way yet even
though the option is available). Call up progressive shows and talk
about the latest Cheney abuses of power, and then ask if you can give
out the cell phone voting options. This is also a great thing to do
if you are speaking at a rally of any kind."

The Pen: "Congress will NOT defy the voices of millions of us speaking out.
That's what it will take. We have over 72,000 votes already, and we
have only just begun to scratch the surface of the anger about what
Cheney and his gang have done to our great country, sucking us into a
ruinous, wrong-headed war on phony evidence they cooked themselves,
criminal illegal wiretaps, torture as official U.S. policy, while
they sell out our economy to foreign oil interests and crony war
profiteers.

Our democracy can be saved
, but ONLY if we get more people to speak
out now."

Qee's for charity



Bidding starts at 3500.00 on ebay for this Moncler Qee, the proceeds of which will be put to use in the research of Muscular Dystrophy.

No Doubt


The No Doubt shows are getting rave reviews.
We're so happy their back.

Coral confirms early Gay-dar readings



I knew it!
My Gay-dar is fabulous y'all.
I sensed this about Miss Coral the first time I saw her on Real World.
Bless her for standing for who she is.

Source: Outlook Magazine

Yes...This is a late report, but hey...At least I reported it.

The Neptunes to aspiring producers...

Each one teach one.

Bless you Lupe

A Lupe Fiasco Moment.
Conscious artists deserve framed moments like these...







Lupe Fiasco is insanely ridiculous. Thank God it's finally coming back to lyrics.

Utilizing internet tutorials continues to become more and more user-friendly

It's truly amazing what you can find on the web these days. Seriously, pretty soon we'll be able to access information telepathically...I swear it's where we're headed.

For now though, if you need a recipe, to build or upgrade a pc, or acquire other categories of know-how you can find these things not only through sites like WikiHow, thrifyfun.com, or google for digital text instructions, most folks are providing everything you need via video.
There's really no excuse now when it comes to being able to increase your skillset with an internet ready pc at your disposal...or at a library in your community that allows you to view and listen to tutorials with headphones.

Sites to check for? Metacafe.com, youtube.com, dailymotion.com, motionbox.com, guba.com to name a few...And jumpcut.com if you're looking to edit your own tutorials.

My mission was to learn to install memory, and a dvd drive...
I found what I needed more quickly than I thought I would by searching associatedcontent.com for tutorials in text and then watching vid tutorials in youtube to visually cement what I'd learned in my previous reading.





We may have alot to clean up in this world, but one thing is for sure...The playing field is becoming more level everyday, and that is a beautiful thing.

~PurpleZoe

Saturday, June 23, 2007

You'll want to peek in on 'The Thinking Blog' every now and again...

Click on the image for further sage wisdom.

Bastards of the Party

One of the films featured at this years' H20 International Film Festival, is 'Bastards of the Party' which traces the origins of current gang organizations to the political parties of the sixties.
The trailer is featured here for the HBO feature.

Friday, June 22, 2007

The People, Common feat. Dwele with production by Kanye West

Common does it again. This joint is beautiful. There's no other word for it.
'The People' is the first release from Finding Forever.
First heard about this on nerdwithswag.com (suscribe to his blog through feedburner).

Mutya Buena

A worthy mention.
Extremely tight vocals on this girl.
Mutya is an ex-member of the British group Sugababes.

Colonize This



For more information on this anthology: www.myspace.com/colonizethis

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Ethiopia gets it's due from Starbucks...Finally


Got this in my email today from Oxfam America. I'm a very happy blogger...
Those who say our voices don't count are tripping and as a fellow blogger Emanuelle eloquently puts it in her blog...'using pessimism as an excuse...'
quote:
I have great news for you today. We’ve just received word that Starbucks and Ethiopia have finalized an agreement that ends their trademark dispute and brings both sides together in partnership to help Ethiopian farmers. This agreement has the potential to give these farmers a fair share of the profits for their world-renowned coffees, and it’s what Oxfam has been pushing for since November.

More than 96,000 of our supporters around the world helped make this happen. Your emails, faxes, phone calls, postcards, and even in-person visits to Starbucks added strength to the call of Ethiopian farmers and brought global attention to this issue.

Because of your actions, Ethiopian coffee farmers have chance at a better life. You should feel very proud.
-OxfamAmerica.org

A little immortal technique to reformat the mind...

This will probably end up in the column to the side in time for replay as needed.
For now, enjoy it here.
Have peace in your sphere, knowing the truth always prevails in time.
Remember the tale of the turtle and the hare...

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Blasian Resources

For our readers of mixed race asian ancestry, there are places on the net that focus on your experience.
Bamboogirl is a zine that focuses on mixed cultural experience, and the maven foundation focuses on mixed races of all backgrounds. Mixedfolks.com is also a resource for folks of different cultural backgrounds.
Below is a vlog from asiansofmixedrace.com

www.asiansofmixedrace.com

Love Link Feature: FreshnessMag.com




Visit them: Freshness Mag

Hmmm...




Swagger and Lupe Fiasco are due to release a second collaborative effort, which is a play on the stereotypical chicken cuisine in Black and Asian culture.
You can stay tuned to swagger.co.com for more information.

Andre3000 flexes his film muscles in another lead role



Andre3000 is slated to play Sammy Davis Jr. in an upcoming film entitled 'Sammy and Kim'
The film reenacts the controversial relationship between Sammy Davis Jr. and Kim Novak.
Damon Dash is said to be a part of the production, of this period piece set in the 1950's.

Subcultural Island Girl

It's not a secret that we're a subcultural machine and love love love diversity in the styles of motherland children of various cultures.
Rihanna is doin' it...although her new video is just ... aiight in my humble opinion, she, like Res, Brig Feltus, and other Indie rockers, is shattering the perspective trap that kept artists of color in boxes.

For this reason, we offer you her latest, as well as Umbrella to chase it...



Tuesday, June 19, 2007

See The White Stripes for Free

Icky thump, The White Stripes' sixth album, drops today June 19th.
The first 200 people to purchase the CD will gain free entry to a show they're holding to celebrate the album release in the old tower records building off of Sunset in Hollywood.

We've missed them.

Conscious femcees please stand up

Consciousness is lovely isn't it?
Thankfully it's making a comeback.

(Thankyou nerdwithswag.com)



URB ALT Fest 07 dances around Faison Firehouse with Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio, MuthaWit, Otto Fischer, Nerdkween, Shena of Tenderhead and others

Harlem, NY - June 14. Night two of URB ALT Festival 2007 finds multiple artists visiting Harlem's famed Faison Firehouse Theater in celebration of the London helmed seminal priests of dreampop/shoegaze music, AR Kane. The URB ALT Festival is a 4 night, 4 venue music/film event that focuses a light on underground and national acts who produce work that is worthy of mainstream note.
This June 23d show will feature the soulfully barbed experimental rock of TV On The Radio's, Kyp Malone; the alternative jazz/folkcore of UK Nigerian singer/guitarist, Otto Fischer; the atmospheric indie artrock of Nerdkween; the edgy songcraft of singer/guitarist Shena Verrett; and the multi-cultural big band performance art of the MuthaWit Orchestra. All artists will be playing their original work as well as a composition from the AR Kane songbook.
URB ALT Festival founder Boston Fielder says "AR Kane's music encourages risk-taking and the Faison Firehouse Theater is entirely conducive to artists expressing themselves in that manner. We are extremely happy to be hosting a night of the UA Fest at the creative home of Tony Award winning choreographer, George Faison."

AR Kane is easily one of the most influential and under-recognized groups of the 1980s. They distanced their sound from the pack by absorbing Miles Davis, Weather Report, PIL and dub music. AR Kane's iconic guitar effects and "self-sampling" techniques have inspired the work of TV On the Radio, Radiohead, Cocteau Twins, Oasis and Jesus & Mary Chain among others. They have not performed together in well over a decade.

June 23, 2007, 7pm-midnight
Faison Firehouse Theater - AR Kane Tribute
6 Hancock Place @124th Street, NYC
Take the A, B, C, D trains to 125th Street
$10 All Ages

Musical Artists:
Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio
Nerdkween
Otto Fischer
Shena Verrett of Tenderhead
MuthaWit Orchestra
Visual Projectionists:
Tim Fielder(Director of 3D animated feature film, "Harbinger")
Lyndon Barrois(animation director of Matrix series, 2007 Oscar winner)

URB ALT Festival 2007 sponsors are the New York Press, Gibson Guitars, Odd Endeavors, Fusicology, Girls On Media, Liberator Magazine, Bighead Scientists, Junkmein Studioworks and Wyndham Hotels.

URB ALT is Underground Railroad Broadcasting Alternatives, a music/film series and media company founded by Boston Fielder in 1998 to serve the creator and audience seeking uncut entertainment and artistic expression. URB ALT has offered transcendant visuals and revolutionary music to enthusiastic attendees throughout Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Los Angeles and New York.

Tickets: Big Apple Jazz/EZ's Woodshed 212.283.5299
2236 Adam Clayton Powell, Harlem, NYC (tween 131st and 32nd Streets @ 7th Ave)

Press contacts: K'china 404.313.5341 or Shena 917.406.6996, urbalternative@gmail.com
Additional info: www.urbalt.net, www.myspace.com/urbalt or www.myspace.com/muthawit

Monday, June 18, 2007

The Organic Life


Living the Organic Life


The upside of using organic products is, you know what you're dealing with. In this day and age people are growing more and more conscious of what they consume and this is vital to the health of the masses.

The downside to using organic products can be the price.

It can be very costly so you'll want to keep a close eye on sales papers and the like to be sure of what's on sale. Clipping coupons is a good idea when deciding to eat healthier.

Another huge tip? Taste test. Don't go and invest hundreds of dollars in valuable grocery money on unknown brands. Find out what you like. Buy one of each brand at first, and make an adventure of it to find new things to try.

You can also join forums to get recommendations. Alot of major brands are trying to come out with organic products now to compete with the giants of the natural food movement, so in time prices may go down and the world just might start eating healthier as a whole.

Considering the facts presented to us via cult classics like 'Fast Food Nation', and 'Supersize me', the general public should already be thinking along the lines of adjusting their lifestyle.

Many have taken the path of the natural food consumer, and plenty more are sure to follow.
As anyone begins this journey they will want to keep predatory merchants in mind when deciding upon a brand.
If a label doesn't state that product is organic, it might not be.

The FDA requires organics to state they are organic and forbids anyone to use the title, if they are not. By now you probably know that there are plenty of merchants who attempt to be 'clever' and label their products with statements like 'Totally natural', or 'Very healthy'.

This doesn't cut it.

If you want organic, Make sure it states : Organic.



-D.E.W

A word on Ms. Vazquez


Buttafly Vazquez

Buttafly Vazquez is already a legend.

Her voice will knock the brick and mortar out of the brownstones on your block.

She's the power of a thunderstorm, but gentler.

You'll appreciate her humility, considering the diva stature of her voice.

Her song Red Dress isn't on her profile anymore, which I am unhappy about but the new additions make up for it.

Anyone who is a regular of her Myspace page is familiar with the song 'Blue' which is destined to be a chart topper. It just stays in your head and replays. Beautiful.

You have to keep an eye on her Myspace page because the songs change a lot, and you might get attached to one only to have it come off and be replaced. Her EP should come out in the summer. Look for it!

She's real music.

Myspace.com/ButtaflyVazquez

Ear Drum


In case you weren't aware. Talib's new album drops July 24th.
Thanks to Nerdwithswag.com, I'll sleep like a baby tonight knowing it.
The album will feature Jean Grey, Nora Jones, and Kanye to name a few.
Looks like the Summer of '07 will bring more opportunities for raised consciousness.

Finding Forever...



Common's new album is due out July 31st.

*sigh


In other news. The glorious Pharoahe Monche will be releasing an album soon as well.
Nummy...

Could be a nice spot to meet new blooms

www.beatmaka.com

Very much feelin' Virgo loves Cancer right now.
They've a Myspace page, and they're featured on Beatmaka.


We find Supa Nova Slom interesting... Seems he's interested in raising consciousness in the hood?
We're listening.
Game and Jadakiss make an appearance on his first release.



It's... aiiight. Any turn in the right direction has me standing at attention however.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

No this is not a tribute to "black music month"

Er... Black Music Month?
Are you kidding?
So what's every other month white music month?

:::groans:::

Could the establishment please placate the black community some more? What can the black community have next for it's contributions to all of world culture, as the original foundation of world culture?

Her Flaming Yoni...



Our beloved Tamar Kali...

You know she has a new video right?
Well done. The symbolism accomplishes what it set out to.
It inspires.

It's posted here for your convenience.

This bears posting



This is acoustic healing salve...

Fire walk with them


Afro punkers abound these days and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't loving it.
No surrender is the crew of punks come to kick synth-ass with hyper smooth beats, and funky lyrical sentiments.
The rhymes and neon wonderland musical landscape within genius-suggestive tracks are instant classics for the Afro punk movement.
You will love them as I love them.

Travel to them here along the path of the black daisy field...~~~~*

Prelude

This blog space is dedicated to the truth empowered flow of the Indie circuit.
I may invite guest writers in time. You can check the mag also as it comes. The rest of the year is quarterly, after that you can anticipate bi-annual and annual issues coming in parts.
The stars are pretty much uncountable, but when we come across them, they will shine for you...

~PurpleZoe