GENEROUS

Don't Let This Happen to You - I Got Jacked at the Gas Station!!!

Nean — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:01:36 GMT

You can keep Afro man, I'll drive my own damn self!

No, I wasn't attacked or anything like that. Last week, I used my ATM card at the pump and the station put a $75 hold in addition to a $30 purchase. The good folks at PayPal (my other "bank") were able to help out and explain that paying at the pump as opposed to facing the cashier can cost the consumer up to $100 in "hold"fees. Sometimes, these "holds" can be up to 2 weeks and of course, if you've got other checks waiting to clear, there go the NSF fees (something I'm dealing with now and there seems to be no end). Just a word of caution because right now that pic above is starting to make a lot of sense - and I live in the city!!!

If You're a Thick Chick (or Just Love 'em) Looking for a Party in L.A....Here it is (for now anyway)

Nean — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:59:40 GMT

Don't mean to sound pessimistic but I can barely keep up with the address/name changes. Curves, Club Curves, Moxie, something else I don't remember and today ...on 8/5/08, they are the Big Girl Club.

Maybe they'll get it right at what used to be the Wilshire Red Onion, even though it pretty much closed due to excessive violence.

If you read this article, (yes, it is by yours truly but these are actual events that have taken place since 1997,) then you will understand my less than estatic tone.

Oh yeah, I have nada against us "unslim" folks showing a little skin but the new webpage does look a little "hoochie-fied".

What the Hell Were They Thinking?

Nean — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:01:23 GMT

Str8 up. It's been hotter than Lucifer's house and Aunt Flo's been kicking my ass. So I need a pass for this week's posting but here's a little "nothing" for now.

Love to Write?

Nean — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:44:13 GMT

Click link for submission 411.CYA

Women in Film - And it's Not About Shopping or Getting Married

Nean — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:52:59 GMT

At first I was going to post about the poetry reading I went to early last week that was sponsored by Writegirl but was hella stoked to see everything else going in the world of cinema. Still, if you're in the LA area and interested in mentoring young girls, go to the above link.

If you're like me, you probably can only name one film starring Dyan Cannon and you just know her best as someone who sits near Jack Nicholson at Lakers home games. Well, today she's behind a documentary that highlights the lives of Hollywood street kids. Though this article mostly focuses on one girl in particular, it's clear that Ms. Cannon is not doing this to be trendy. If it's anything like Pras' (Fugees), who filmed himself being homeless for one week, it will be worth watching on a Saturday night.
Not your typical 71 year old.
Courtesy of dyancannon.com

Lori Petty, best known as "Tank Girl" from the early 90s is an accomplished artist, director and producer. I didn't know that she was behind my favorite one-season-only-because-its-too-damn-eclectic FOX sitcom "Lush Life". Recently, I saw her giving commentary on Paul Mooney's DVD and figured that somewhere she has her own story to tell - "The Poker House" is in limited release.

What can I really say but awesome!

Why Some L.A. Schools Suck

Nean — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:56:03 GMT

As a former LAUSD employee, I cannot say that everybody does not do their job as specified. There are some people (even in the infamous payroll department) who do care about their jobs and how to keep their personal opinions to themselves-especially if it may be beneficial to others in need. Yet, I can say there are many who are out to supress the needs of students, staff and hard-working faculty members for their own greed and/or selfish desires. Sadly, unlike a corporate job, it takes a minute or two in order to terminate them for good.

I did not know Karen Salazar personally but I've met this type of teacher before. This type of pragmatism is what is especially needed since some administrators don't encourage a lot of independent thought. Being this is feminist website first, I don't have to stress how sickening this is as a minority woman who has witnessed many teachers (and some male) weep over the lack of overall care given to our children. I've witnessed some staff and faculty laugh or literally look the other way at a child being neglected while in their care. Don't believe me? Google 'LAUSD' and 'molestation'. Hope you've got a strong stomach.

In case you missed it, Salvadorean-born Salazar was fired for teaching her high school students about Malcolm X, Langston Hughes and other historical Black figures. What has made this incredible are the many protests led mostly by her students. Here's the article.

Hey, Gustavo, Where Are You? I Miss My Mexican!

Nean — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:32:15 GMT

I know this post does not have to do with being a woman or plus-size, angry or whatever.
This is some 411 for those of us that live in a big city should not ignore.

As most of you know, I'm in Los Angeles County where the population is something like 47% Hispanic/Latino, 27% White, 11% Black (and some Haitians/Dominicans/Puerto Ricans out here are not claiming Black, which is what they look like upon first sight but I digress) and the rest of the Asians/Pacific Islanders/Indians make up the remaining 15%. Like I said, these are rough figures. This is not about who should stay or go because we all have our baggage as both individuals and a race.

When I was coming along, everybody was everybody. Blacks with money lived near poor Whites, it was not unusual to see a Mexican having dinner at a Chinese household and so on. This did not last long as my experiences with different races has been both visible as lint (hint: we are people first, not a color) and sometimes a mind-blowing experience (because people watch too much damn television, especially the news).

My real efforts to learn the Spanish language began with my first stint with the L.A. school system. It was not to communicate with students or even their parents but my damn co-workers at the time. Without going into details of the ignorant (written rules stated that English was the only language to be spoken in the workplace), it was always nice to meet someone who did not mind sharing in detail the struggles that come with illegal immigration or history outside of Cinco de Mayo.

Since 1987, I have been an avid reader of the L.A. Weekly which is like our version of Village Voice. They reported news that the Times was too cute to touch (and notice they've had two massive layoffs in the past few years) and reported on other happenings in L.A., that would make natives like me forget about the traffic, smog, high cost of living,etc. and remind us that this was not such a bad place to live after all.

In the 21st century, that seemed to change as every cover story that had a Brown or Black face, was someone in trouble. Either with the law or had extensive unemployment or some other sociopolitical wrong. So around 2004, they began a column called Ask a Mexican!

Gustavo Arellano, author and journalist for the OC Weekly, would respond to questions starting with 'Dear Gabacho'. It wasn't always nice but you got the facts as they were. I began to think of it as a continuing ed Civics class and looked forward to it every Thursday until April 1, 2008 when Arellano announced that this column would be his last due to the negative feedback he was receiving. Though I'd never seen him, I became very concerned and wanted for him to go on teaching. This news did not make my morning so when I got home and turned on the TV to Pizza Hut's ongoing campaign that they were changing their name to Pasta Hut (ha,ha...yawn) I still wondered about what words could have cut through this man so deep that he wanted to throw in the towel.

The following Thursday, he let the public know that April Fool's was on his mind too and he wasn't going anywhere. It was like your best friend saying they were just kidding about messing around with your man, thye just wanted to see your reaction. Of course, within a month you would find it was true. While Arellano is plugging his new book on a tour, that's no reason to mess with the heads of us non-shallow Angelenos. Come back,homes,come back!

Come Back, Susan, Come Back - Essence Needs You!!!

Nean — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:28:10 GMT

I know I'm late on this story but at the time, my "friend" at Bitter Vibes (sorry to see you go but KIT) had said all a person could say about the future of women mags, particulary those aimed at an urban audience.

Over the weekend, Susan L.Taylor was featured on BET's Real Life Divas which had been extended to 1 hour. Of course, her story went through the usual outline which was humble beginnings, the rough patches of a career woman and very respected personalities like Bill Clinton (hmm), author/activist Kevin Powell and Terry McMillan (ladies, don't worry - like me she is a Libra who loves hard but comes back on a mission when dogged out by love) who put in their 1-2 words. When I saw Jesse Jackson,Al Sharpton and some other so-called "leaders of the community", I was like 'OK, he has decent intentions-sometimes.'

Then this person was on my TV!

I'm not saying he was responsible for the mag's demise but his 2007 cover story about the babymomma, that he's either with or not (during her pregnancy), his infidelity and how at the end of the day, she gets broken off (gets a nice child support check) - pretty much nailed Essence in the coffin.

If you're not familiar, Essence was at one time, pretty much the Black version of Comsopolitan or Vogue (with lower budget sponsors) with informational articles being somewhat secondary to fashion and beauty. Then somewhere in the late 80/90s there were more articles about women who turned their life around or opened the public's eyes about how Black women are likely to do the time for their boyfriend/husband's crime or overseas issues like genital mutilation and women in politics. Celebrity interviews/articles were never the primary focus until late last year when it was decided that all covers would have a celebrity - male or female.

Not saying that's a bad thing but with the recession and community morale in the toilet, we as women need all the reinforcement possible to let us know that it will be alright. Giving Karrine Stephans (Superhead) publicity for another tell-all featuring 'here today, gone tomorrow because they had no talent to begin with' and other mysogynist male celebrities does not help the cause.

That VH-1 Sex Show - Pt. 3

Nean — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:03:10 GMT

The entire series was not bad at all but episode three resonated the most because the concept of a man (or anyone else) even attempting to repress me sexually is insane. It's kind of like visiting a museum where you check out artifacts (or women whose primary job was to please her husband first).

Though the common synopsis among most who saw it is, 'Back when things were simpler, there were fewer problems'. Yeah, yeah,yeah...nobody wants AIDS/HIV, a sexually transmitted disease or to have any further complications in their life.

What I took from it was sex is like everything else - it has to be done in some moderation(but not before discretion). If not, there will be a crash and burn whether it is repressed or expressed on the extreme.

The 'Zine is Here, the 'zine is here!!!

Nean — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:02:10 GMT

FOR THE FULL VERSION, CHECK OUT OUR ETSY SHOPON 4/14.
THE $2 PRICE WILL NOT LAST FOREVER BUT IF YOU BUY THE 'BEST OF 07' ISSUE, YOU CAN LOCK IN THE OLD RATE BY GETTING A ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION FOR FREE!!!

OH YEAH...I Did Not Forget About Women's History Month

Nean — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:38:20 GMT

I pondered as to whether I should just mention it, put out the 'zine a month early, plug Hillary Rodham Clinton or what. I even thought about who I should pay tribute to that wasn't a celebrity or someone who put a twist on 'the end justifies the means' when it came to women's enpowerment. So like everything else in recent, I went with my gut and did a collage of women in non-traditional positions.

Notice I did NOT have us doing the following -

Domestic Work (Paid or Not)
Shopping
Being Happy, Glamorous or Posing

It's not that I have anything against us doing these things, it's just that men have their own cooking shows and nobody thinks twice but a woman who knows her way around Home Depot gets almost no attention. Anyhoo, I included the waitress because I learned from last month's issue of BUST that you can make a career out of this (and good $) if you are smart, take care of your body and have thick skin.

A Plus-Size Male Cheerleading Squad...I Think I Like It!

Nean — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:16:36 GMT

I could never fully grasp the idea of a male cheerleader not because I went to a girls school but the men were usually gay or really effeminate (like the old Will Ferrell character on SNL).

With the Florida Marlins Manatees, you got what I'd rather call a men's dance troupe struttin' their stuff and there ain't a damn girly thing about it. Not homophobic but it's just that in the age of metrosexuality (which actually goes back to the days of Duran Duran/Adam Ant when it was called New Romantic) its refreshing to see men be men without being thuggish, hard or just questionable.

Ain't Love and Politics Just Sweet!

Nean — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:36:32 GMT

AAAAAAWWW, go on girl and stand by your ho man!

I wasn't around during the JFK days when the woman's dignity was kept intact. When it comes to us women and marital infidelity, its like damn if you do leave and damn if you don't (have you noticed the latter comes from old timers?)

I'm tired of 21st century politicians taking up media space with their confessions of infidelity, marital stress and/or being closeted.

And if you reside in L.A., please do NOT re-elect this man!

Mayor Villaraigosa and former gf Mirthala Salinas
(oh yeah, guess who lost their job behind this mess?)

I Don't Care What You Say...Queen La

Nean — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:08:54 GMT

I'm so glad to take a short vacay I don't know what to do when but I have been reminded of the other inferior product that Queen La once plugged.
That damn Curvation underwear!

Now I have a confession. A long time ago, I was a shopping ho. Not in a I-need-therapy or my own segment on reality TV sort of way but if something came in the right shade of pink, green, turquoise or purple - it was mine!

Anyhoo, before I learned that Walmart exploited their Chinese workers way worse than any U.S woman employed by them who wants to move up the ladder - I bought some of their underwear. I'll spare you all the intense details but it doesn't last through many washings (more like 3 in warm water).

If it is no secret that you do not shop Vicky's Secret for the obvious reasons, that is not a crime. If you want to wear see-through, polka-dot or neon color whatevers in double-digit sizes - that is your damn business. It's just that if you buy something, it should fit and it should do what it's supposed to. Lopsided cups are not cute. Loose wires are painful as hell and saggy fabric (after a couple of spins in the washer) should be outlawed. No woman needs a house bra like they need period panties but that's the only purpose I think Curvation serves. So no, I'm not buying her new Jenny Craig commercial just like I didn't buy Carnie Wilson's argument that people need lipo.

FIGURE - A Damn Good Mag

Nean — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 22:44:43 GMT

Courtesy of Absolutenow.com

Lately I've been looking to do some personal exterior detailing as I embark on some personal and professional challenges (Ha ha! It's just time for my ass to get some new clothes and 'do so that I can stop looking like I'm headed to the coffee shop to do a poetry reading or going to see Pearl Jam.).

I was out one day last week when it seemed like a beach ball came from out of nowhere, bopped me on the head and everything else started to make sense (no kidding - really)from there. So I'm in the supermarket and see Camryn Manheim(this month's cover) looking better than I remember. From what I recall, she was an actress who just wanted for folks to just accept her for who she was. She wasn't trying to bully the public into saying that fat is sexy or shove it down people's faces that she was a big woman. The article that proceeded the interview sounded like it was written by a very articulate 6th grader but I found Ms. Manheim to be pretty down and not trying to put herself on a pedestal because she made her dream happen. I won't give too much away but I will finish with my original intentions for buying in the first place - the clothes.

I'll be real with it. I think the reason BBW and Radiance mags had to close shop was because those things they called plus-sized fashion were wack. Poly-cotton blends, sequins, appliques', glitter, big pics of animals and most of it was in either black or pastel colors. And models who looked like Emme or if they called themselves being diverse, the one who looked like a hefty Lisa Bonet but with lighter hair and eyes. Not hating but from someone who once did plus-sized modeling, I could attest to the fact that folks could have done better research that would have helped us all. I'm telling you, there was nothing that could kill my day like 'Hey did you get that from Lane Bryant/Woman's World?'

There are some folks (like Baby Phat) who still have a little ways to go as far as learning our curves but at least there's choices - no matter your style or bank account. While Figure will probably never deal with hard-hitting issues (just like GENEROUS is not touching the Hillary/Obama thing with a 20-ft pole), they are definitely worth checking out.

So What the Bitch is Back ...What Else is New?

Nean — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:20:09 GMT

Never watched him so I don't miss him or folks who think as he does. I think it was a big PR thing and some of those ever-wonderful "black community leaders" needed some attention as well.

We Love Our Lady Writers

Nean — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:16:52 GMT

On a lighter note, if you were accepted as a regular columnist of GENEROUS
and your submission was published, payments were sent out via PayPal today (2/10/08).

If you did not receive payment, confirm your PP account at contact@crazations.com. This year we will pay all of our writers a small fee (no less than $5) and if your are accepted as a regular columnist, this includes a percentage from subscription sales. As indicated in the last issue, if you or someone you know has a third leg and a sense or humor (informative articles would be most preferred), we welcome your samples. I try to get back with folks within 48 hours but I'd allow 7-10 days before re-submitting.

R.I.P. Ana Acosta

Nean — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:33:37 GMT

A loving mother, daughter and friend is gone ...and it was really senseless!

One of the reasons that I did not post last week was that I was hit back to back with the bad news of someone's passing. When the third time hit, I found it was someone who sat barely 3 feet from my cubicle area but hardly knew. What had me the most messed up in the head was the details that came from the media and co-workers. I will spare you but if you are curious about the details, go to this blog which is part of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

It's just another example of how if your mate shows, any type of abuse (even verbal) - just leave. Don't wait for karma or natural forces to take over. Remember, Tina (and countless others) did it with less than $1 to her name.

Uh...Dana (or Queen Latifah), Can You Please Decide Whether or Not You Want to Be "Regular" Like the Rest of Us!!!

Nean — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:53:39 GMT

This cover is from less than 3 mos. ago!

Besides her acting (even there I have to ask 'What the hell was she thinking when she signed on to do that Taxi movie w/that SNL dude?'), I have never been a big fan of Queen Latifah but have had mad respect for her for nearly 20 years. I don't care if she's going to marry a Chia pet or gets off from kissing tarantulas, she has always stood for positivity and strength in womanhood - regardless of race.

Now, Beyonce once said (and I'm paraphrasing) that she wants to make all the money possible because when she turns 30, she does not want to work (if you remember Brandy, her parents who managed her as well, created a similar career path). So if the $ is right B will plug your phone plan, cosmetics or whatever product does not compromise her rep.

I mention Ms. Knowles because Queen has plugged many products over the years. They are as follows-

The nastiest pizza that costs more than $10 for a small/medium size.
Cheap(super watery)ass foundation that has supposedly come out with a new line for darker skin tones. If you don't know about this already, save your dollars for the dept. store counter stuff - at least you'll look good as opposed to feeling ripped off.
I think she once did a hair-care product while sporting a near full hair weave (I could be wrong about this one but it sounds familiar).

Anyway, she now says that she's getting down (I mean that figuratively) with Jenny Craig because she fears becoming a diabetic and having high blood pressure that is associated with obesity. OK...here I go.

Hire a chef that specializes in low calorie foods that taste good and will not leave you feeling famished two hours later.
Jenny Craig was a major sponsor of her (non-rap) concerts from last year. Mm hmm.
Whether Jeannette is a personal trainer first or friend second, or vice versa - step up your exercise game.

I love it when folks lose the lbs. for their health or the want to look better (not anorexic) or like how Dana got a breast reduction a few years ago because they were killing her back and that affects the posture.

Inglewood "The 'Wood" Has a New Police Chief ...and it's a Sista!!!

Nean — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 22:41:00 GMT

NOT JUST FOR MEN ANYMORE!

I grew up here so this touches me in a special way. It was the early '70s and sort of resembled the movie "Pleasantville" instead of the 1990s flick about the SoCal city.

Though it went through some not-so-positive changes that I won't recall, it did produce talent such Malcolm Jamal Warner (Theo Huxtable), Rose Royce (they made that "Car Wash" theme song) and it's even rumored that Quentin Tarantino went to Morningside High shortly before dropping out to become one of my favorite filmakers.

*****************************************************************************************

New police chief gaining Inglewood's trust

Jacqueline Seabrooks wants to 'put the shine back' on the tarnished department.

By Victoria Kim, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 20, 2008

Few in Inglewood had heard of Jacqueline Seabrooks or knew anything about the new police chief. After the City Council interviewed three finalists and then announced the appointment, Inglewood police officers and residents wondered how the new boss would adjust.

After all, Seabrooks, 45, is a 26-year police veteran of Santa Monica, a city that had two homicides in 2006; Inglewood had 36.

"Everything was a concern, because she was an outsider, she was new to the department and nobody knew anything about her," said Det. Loyd Waters, vice president of the Inglewood Police Assn.

Now, four months into Seabrooks' tenure at the Inglewood Police Department, concerns have been replaced with excitement about the energetic chief.

During her first weeks, Seabrooks responded to a silent alarm and took down information from a robbery report. She popped in to the station on weekends to speak to officers she hadn't met and went along with a SWAT team to hunt for a homicide suspect.

"I tend to be more hands-on and focused on how the person at the end of my decision perceives things," she said.

Seabrooks took over Sept. 28 at a department hoping to put behind it a series of scandals, including a nationally publicized 2002 videotaped beating of a handcuffed teenager and recent allegations of on-duty officers committing rape. Federal investigators have also been scrutinizing the department over evidence that appears to show officers receiving sexual favors at massage parlors.

For a new leader to oversee Inglewood's 200-strong police force, the South Bay city of more than 100,000 chose Seabrooks, the first black woman in California to hold a city police chief's position and only the second female to hold the top office among Los Angeles County's 48 police departments.

"We had a department that needed a dynamic new leadership," Inglewood Councilman Daniel Tabor said. "What we get from Jacqueline is a person on their way up, trying to make their mark as a chief."

Waters agreed: "She seems like a person that can change things . . . like a doer and not a talker."

In a way, Seabrooks says she is right at home in Inglewood. She was born and raised in neighboring South Los Angeles, which shares much of the same cultural mix and problems. The makeup of Inglewood's population mirrors Seabrooks' group of friends growing up, a mix of black and Latino. She picked up Spanish from her friends and later studied it in school.

As a girl in South Los Angeles, Seabrooks never imagined she would become a police officer.

Seabrooks remembers that when she was 17, she and her friends were pulled over because police said their car resembled a vehicle used in a robbery. The officers ordered the teenagers out of the car and, saying "vile things," told them to face the ground. Seabrooks could clearly hear a voice through the police radio informing the officers they had pulled over the wrong car.

"They didn't explain to us why they stopped us, they didn't say sorry, nothing. Just, 'Get into your car and get the hell out of here,' " she said.

Then there was the time she was working as an assistant manager at a fast-food restaurant when the alarm went off. An officer who responded upon arrival ordered her out of the store, holding a shotgun to her forehead.

Almost 30 years later, Seabrooks still remembers the officer's trembling hand, thinking: 'If I sneeze, I'm dead.'

Again, she recalled, there was no apology, no explanation.

"I have no doubt the officers were doing their job," Seabrooks said. "The question is, did they have to do it like that?"

But police presence was a necessity in Seabrooks' neighborhood, where gangs were beginning to take hold in the early 1970s. A number of her friends ended up in jail, fell victim to gang violence or died from drug overdose.

"I saw how things would spiral out of control . . . how people got sucked up into something that was bigger than them," she said.