1) OJ! sigh! What can I say? Were you worried you were fading from the spotlight? Dude last time you got away with murder, maybe literally. You're also quite possibly the most hated black man in the US. Why would you push your luck? Were you upset that Mike Vick and Pacman Jones were getting all the current evil NFLer press? Is that it?
2) Isiah Thomas. Oh yea buddy way to explain your use of the B word. eediat!
3) Jose Garbajosa. Yea I said it, Jose Garbajosa. As a Raptors fan this guy has pissed me off this summer. He broke his leg, he rehabbed, Raptors doctors wouldn't give him clearance to play in the European Championship so he gets his own insurance, gets clearance from Spain's doctors and plays anyways. Ok so granted I understand the whole nationalistic stance and wanting to play for your country but at the same time Spain had already qualified for the Olympics prior to the tournament and your leg isn't 100%. Plus odds are in order to get to 100% you'll need more surgery. So you decided to play for Spain this summer when you could have had the surgery that your needed instead. Now you'll probably get to Raptors training camp and fall apart within a month of the season then have surgery and miss the entire season. All the while being paid by the Raptors. That's to me is like you have just dealt a b* slap to the entire Toronto fandom collective with your actions. Boy and they complain that home grown NBA players are childish haughty and own way! I do hope you stay semi-healthy so we can trade you but alas I know that wont happen. Enjoy the season on the sidelines.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Better Way
Well just as expected the almost bi-annual dance the TTC does with public transit users in Toronto has ended in a fare increase. This one quite substantial. What dance you ask? You know the one. The one where they complain that they have no money because the City and the Province refuse to help or threatened to cut back funds and they are left with no choice but to place the costs of a declining transit system on our shoulders.
Well what can ya do?
I suppose one can resort to driving but those who live here know that the roads are already crowded almost to capacity and that navigating downtown Toronto can be a slow moving nightmare even if you can get past the fact that paying anything less than $10 a day in parking is seen as a pretty nice deal here.
Or I guess we could all start looking for jobs or schools in the 905 area at least there you probably wouldn't have the high parking costs associated with downtown Toronto.
This whole fare increase thing is ironic on so many levels. First the TTC does a survey where basically your only options are decrease service or increase fares. Well duhh what do you think most people who are dependent on the service are going to say? Its like sitting between the proverbial rock and the hard place or sitting at a domino table where your only choice is which one of your opponents wins. If you pass the guy playing out of your hand his partner wins and if you don't pass him he wins. Trust me been there many a time. You are squeezed!
Then you have a City in Toronto and a province in Ontario that have been pushing public transit like crazy because well Toronto in terms of getting to and from downtown just wasn't built for swift travel by cars. Unlike most major metropolises the builders of this city rightly or perhaps not choose to put an emphasis on people and livability over car and goods movement. It all sounds so noble until you're stuck in rush hour on the DVP or Gardiner cussing those damn incompetent planners.
You also have that environmental factor. We are forever bombarded by signs pushing us to take the TTC, limit the number of smog days, increase air quality be kind to your environment etc etc. Leave the car at home take the TTC, its THE BETTER WAY they say. Gee well those messages run sort of contradictory to fare increases don't they?
Then you have this whole issue with expansion. How is it that politicians can find money or at least talk of money for subway expansion when they wont even give the TTC money for the existing system to run properly? Oh I guess expansion gets more press and more votes. My bad I would think you'd try to consolidate, fix and attempt to operate what you already have existing first but that probably makes too much sense.
Of course the bottom line, the real problem, the root of the need for these repeated fare increases probably isn't what most people think it is. Its not that TTC is wasting money or overpaying its staff or the like although one does sometimes question how they negotiate with their unions. Its the fact that despite all the emphasis or maybe its just lip service paid to public transit here in Toronto that the TTC is the only transit agency in North America that pays like 70-80% of its operating costs directly out of its fare receipts. In other cities its somewhere along 40%. That's why a monthly pass in Montreal is about 1/2 the cost of one here.
How'd we get so special? Come on now buses and subways and streetcars are a public service aren't they? They are for the benefit of the public. We pay our taxes its supposed to go into health care and garbage collection and snow removal and stuff like public transit. The government needs to put some of the tax money back into running public transit instead of always squeezing the public via new taxes or fare increases. Used to be that the TTC was thought of as one of the best public transit services in North America. Now ummm not so much.
Oh well I'm sure in two years time we'll see the same dance repeated with the same outcome.
Well what can ya do?
I suppose one can resort to driving but those who live here know that the roads are already crowded almost to capacity and that navigating downtown Toronto can be a slow moving nightmare even if you can get past the fact that paying anything less than $10 a day in parking is seen as a pretty nice deal here.
Or I guess we could all start looking for jobs or schools in the 905 area at least there you probably wouldn't have the high parking costs associated with downtown Toronto.
This whole fare increase thing is ironic on so many levels. First the TTC does a survey where basically your only options are decrease service or increase fares. Well duhh what do you think most people who are dependent on the service are going to say? Its like sitting between the proverbial rock and the hard place or sitting at a domino table where your only choice is which one of your opponents wins. If you pass the guy playing out of your hand his partner wins and if you don't pass him he wins. Trust me been there many a time. You are squeezed!
Then you have a City in Toronto and a province in Ontario that have been pushing public transit like crazy because well Toronto in terms of getting to and from downtown just wasn't built for swift travel by cars. Unlike most major metropolises the builders of this city rightly or perhaps not choose to put an emphasis on people and livability over car and goods movement. It all sounds so noble until you're stuck in rush hour on the DVP or Gardiner cussing those damn incompetent planners.
You also have that environmental factor. We are forever bombarded by signs pushing us to take the TTC, limit the number of smog days, increase air quality be kind to your environment etc etc. Leave the car at home take the TTC, its THE BETTER WAY they say. Gee well those messages run sort of contradictory to fare increases don't they?
Then you have this whole issue with expansion. How is it that politicians can find money or at least talk of money for subway expansion when they wont even give the TTC money for the existing system to run properly? Oh I guess expansion gets more press and more votes. My bad I would think you'd try to consolidate, fix and attempt to operate what you already have existing first but that probably makes too much sense.
Of course the bottom line, the real problem, the root of the need for these repeated fare increases probably isn't what most people think it is. Its not that TTC is wasting money or overpaying its staff or the like although one does sometimes question how they negotiate with their unions. Its the fact that despite all the emphasis or maybe its just lip service paid to public transit here in Toronto that the TTC is the only transit agency in North America that pays like 70-80% of its operating costs directly out of its fare receipts. In other cities its somewhere along 40%. That's why a monthly pass in Montreal is about 1/2 the cost of one here.
How'd we get so special? Come on now buses and subways and streetcars are a public service aren't they? They are for the benefit of the public. We pay our taxes its supposed to go into health care and garbage collection and snow removal and stuff like public transit. The government needs to put some of the tax money back into running public transit instead of always squeezing the public via new taxes or fare increases. Used to be that the TTC was thought of as one of the best public transit services in North America. Now ummm not so much.
Oh well I'm sure in two years time we'll see the same dance repeated with the same outcome.
Monday, September 10, 2007
VMA
I don't really watch award shows. Usually don't remember they are on and I'm not really that interested anyways. Can't stand 95% of today's popular music and as much as I try to keep abreast of what's supposedly 'hot' somewhat out of a morbid sense of curiosity and to be able to chronicle the demise of our society I'm just not that interested in who's wearing what from whom and what trite comments they have to say at the event.
Only thing less interesting may be listening to Kanye and 50 'debate' whose album will be the worse tomorrow. "The only way they win is if we battle to see who is the wackest".
Still I did peruse some articles on the VMAs since it seemed like every news site had some story on Britney and her terrible performance. But I just found it interesting how much news print was devoted to how out of shape Britney looks. I mean I saw the pictures, Here's one:
Seriously whats wrong with her here? ok so she's bigger than she was before but its not like she's bordering on a Rosanne Barr size or anything. She just had two kids and she's still packing some baby fat. And it aint even that much, she just looks like she's eating now instead of skipping meals. Look media people absence of 6-pack does not equal paunch ok. And everyone cant be Paris Hilton bony. Come on now.
If you tell me Britney's performance was terrible, she looked tired or she was way out of sync, cool I'll take your word for it but going on and on about her weight seems a bit out there.
Clearly though this is a North American showbiz thing cause no Caribbean people wasn't going say so. Ya ever see some of the women dat duz pour themselves into tiny tiny tiny costumes for Caribana, Carnival and Crop Over? Alright then, that is all I'm saying.
Then there was this total fiasco and it wasn't Lupe.
I only have two questions. What da?? and why Chile why?
Ok so the girl in the photo is called Lil Mama and apparently she's some sort of rapper with clearly mental issues.
I mean cheese on bread, is Halloween come early or what? Who leaves home looking like this? And by leaving home I mean even stepping out to the curb to pick up the newspaper or put out the garbage. Who would leave home and go to a big award show with adults and be dressed like this with a soother in their mouth? I can just imagine the red carpet commentary.
Interviewer: Ummm ammm And that's quite an interesting dress Lil Mama.
Lil Mama: Yea yeah, ummm it was designed by my homie Lil Miss Muffet. Yo on the real she be mad creative when she chilling down at the Tuffet getting mad lifted off that Curds and Whey yaknowhatimean! Big up Miss Muffet you representing girl!
Interviewer: And those lovely accessories, the baby soother?
Lil Mama: Yea yeah that was my own creation, my own addition cause I know how to accessorize cause I'm fly like that. knowhwatisaying? Look for Lil Mama's line of baby soothers coming to a store near you soon cause see I gots to diversify my portfolio. Knowhatimean? Yo yo peep this! What had happened was that Miss Muffet originally wanted me to rock the shepherd's crook and two matching black belly sheep but I wasn't having that plus what I had said was "Miss Muffet is you crazy? where the hell I'm going to find me some black belly sheep from around the hood huh?" She know full well aint no sheep where we from? I mean I coulda borrowed me a couple a pit bulls from Mike Vick around the way but sheep? They be scarcer than banks in the hood! ha ha I'm juss playing about the pitbulls man.
Sigh! I could go on with the ridicule but I'm too busy shaking my head in disgust and waiting for Lil Mama to change her name to Lil Bo Peep.
Only thing less interesting may be listening to Kanye and 50 'debate' whose album will be the worse tomorrow. "The only way they win is if we battle to see who is the wackest".
Still I did peruse some articles on the VMAs since it seemed like every news site had some story on Britney and her terrible performance. But I just found it interesting how much news print was devoted to how out of shape Britney looks. I mean I saw the pictures, Here's one:
Seriously whats wrong with her here? ok so she's bigger than she was before but its not like she's bordering on a Rosanne Barr size or anything. She just had two kids and she's still packing some baby fat. And it aint even that much, she just looks like she's eating now instead of skipping meals. Look media people absence of 6-pack does not equal paunch ok. And everyone cant be Paris Hilton bony. Come on now.If you tell me Britney's performance was terrible, she looked tired or she was way out of sync, cool I'll take your word for it but going on and on about her weight seems a bit out there.
Clearly though this is a North American showbiz thing cause no Caribbean people wasn't going say so. Ya ever see some of the women dat duz pour themselves into tiny tiny tiny costumes for Caribana, Carnival and Crop Over? Alright then, that is all I'm saying.
Then there was this total fiasco and it wasn't Lupe.
I only have two questions. What da?? and why Chile why?Ok so the girl in the photo is called Lil Mama and apparently she's some sort of rapper with clearly mental issues.
I mean cheese on bread, is Halloween come early or what? Who leaves home looking like this? And by leaving home I mean even stepping out to the curb to pick up the newspaper or put out the garbage. Who would leave home and go to a big award show with adults and be dressed like this with a soother in their mouth? I can just imagine the red carpet commentary.
Interviewer: Ummm ammm And that's quite an interesting dress Lil Mama.
Lil Mama: Yea yeah, ummm it was designed by my homie Lil Miss Muffet. Yo on the real she be mad creative when she chilling down at the Tuffet getting mad lifted off that Curds and Whey yaknowhatimean! Big up Miss Muffet you representing girl!
Interviewer: And those lovely accessories, the baby soother?
Lil Mama: Yea yeah that was my own creation, my own addition cause I know how to accessorize cause I'm fly like that. knowhwatisaying? Look for Lil Mama's line of baby soothers coming to a store near you soon cause see I gots to diversify my portfolio. Knowhatimean? Yo yo peep this! What had happened was that Miss Muffet originally wanted me to rock the shepherd's crook and two matching black belly sheep but I wasn't having that plus what I had said was "Miss Muffet is you crazy? where the hell I'm going to find me some black belly sheep from around the hood huh?" She know full well aint no sheep where we from? I mean I coulda borrowed me a couple a pit bulls from Mike Vick around the way but sheep? They be scarcer than banks in the hood! ha ha I'm juss playing about the pitbulls man.
Sigh! I could go on with the ridicule but I'm too busy shaking my head in disgust and waiting for Lil Mama to change her name to Lil Bo Peep.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Affordable?
(Pardon me I've forgotten how to blog)
I see this show on tv yesterday as I was flipping de channels. De woman on de show was some sort of styler or stylist or something so and she was showing the people back-to-school fashions. Dem did look ranging from so so to alright in my opinion except there was this one model wearing a skirt that look like a purple garbage bag but otherwise I cant complain too much. the clothes din look too bad-deish. I wasn't going to be running out to buy nuttin them but they wasn't too bad still.
Sort of chic though if that is the word that I should be using, yes sort of chic. Fellas wearing slacks and nice sweaters and ting so. All in all a little above the usual gangsta gear I duz see alot a dese school men and women walking bout Scarborough wearing. Cause I think all dese youngstas bout hayso duz feel dem is badjohns but then again I feel that is a common Scarborough motif. I neva meet so many people pretending to be hard in me life till I life up this side.
Anyways as I was saying I watch this show. And the part that get me is that the woman de styler, stylist keep telling the host a de show about how affordable the clothes is. Then she buss out wid yes "that whole outfit can be put together for less that 500 dollars" . Well one was less that 300 the other less than 500 but she still use the word affordable for both.
Now I don't know bout how wunna stay financially but I know dat when I was a student that word student was a alias for, pockets on E, broke as hell. I wasn't wearing no 300 dollar outfits. In fact if I had 300 dollars and was actually willing to spend it all on clothing which I probably wouldn't it would have had to buy me about a week or two weeks worth a clothing not juss one outfit. And I know I couldn't have been the only one cause I know how students stay in general. Is like what bajansistren ask me when I tell she bout the show; "300 who? Wait we buying outfits for the whole class right?"
But back to this styler, stylist woman. She like she don't remember she student days at all. I don't know who she marketing 300 dollar outfits to as affordable. Or maybe I just missing the point cause I guess all these brand name things duz sell and as far as I can tell from the price tags dem doan be the most affordable even to a fella like me that holing down a steady job. Still I feel is back to school fashion not back to Wall street fashion. 300 dollars for one outfit look far from affordable to me.
That is why I like school uniform boy. Slap dem in some khaki pants and a shirt and forget all this brand name 300 dollar outfits.
I see this show on tv yesterday as I was flipping de channels. De woman on de show was some sort of styler or stylist or something so and she was showing the people back-to-school fashions. Dem did look ranging from so so to alright in my opinion except there was this one model wearing a skirt that look like a purple garbage bag but otherwise I cant complain too much. the clothes din look too bad-deish. I wasn't going to be running out to buy nuttin them but they wasn't too bad still.
Sort of chic though if that is the word that I should be using, yes sort of chic. Fellas wearing slacks and nice sweaters and ting so. All in all a little above the usual gangsta gear I duz see alot a dese school men and women walking bout Scarborough wearing. Cause I think all dese youngstas bout hayso duz feel dem is badjohns but then again I feel that is a common Scarborough motif. I neva meet so many people pretending to be hard in me life till I life up this side.
Anyways as I was saying I watch this show. And the part that get me is that the woman de styler, stylist keep telling the host a de show about how affordable the clothes is. Then she buss out wid yes "that whole outfit can be put together for less that 500 dollars" . Well one was less that 300 the other less than 500 but she still use the word affordable for both.
Now I don't know bout how wunna stay financially but I know dat when I was a student that word student was a alias for, pockets on E, broke as hell. I wasn't wearing no 300 dollar outfits. In fact if I had 300 dollars and was actually willing to spend it all on clothing which I probably wouldn't it would have had to buy me about a week or two weeks worth a clothing not juss one outfit. And I know I couldn't have been the only one cause I know how students stay in general. Is like what bajansistren ask me when I tell she bout the show; "300 who? Wait we buying outfits for the whole class right?"
But back to this styler, stylist woman. She like she don't remember she student days at all. I don't know who she marketing 300 dollar outfits to as affordable. Or maybe I just missing the point cause I guess all these brand name things duz sell and as far as I can tell from the price tags dem doan be the most affordable even to a fella like me that holing down a steady job. Still I feel is back to school fashion not back to Wall street fashion. 300 dollars for one outfit look far from affordable to me.
That is why I like school uniform boy. Slap dem in some khaki pants and a shirt and forget all this brand name 300 dollar outfits.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
In Year of the Dragon
In the year of the Dragon lots of men disappear
Quiet as it's kept they won't be around next year
Year of the Dragon - Wycleff Jean/Lauryn Hill
So Pras came out and said that Lauryn Hill is mentally ill. Read here. That's not too hard to believe is it? At least not considering some of her behavior post-Fugees anyways.
Way back when I started this blog I said I didn't want to see the Fugees do a reunion for legacy reasons but still this is pretty sad. I hope she gets some help. The Dutch Pots posted a paragraph about how terrible her concert was in Amsterdam a few weeks back and it got me thinking about the whole Lauryn thing.
I mean I used to be the biggest Lauryn Hill fan and this was even before the Score dropped and Killing me Softly became a worldwide hit. I used to be like did you see that girl in Sister Act 2 sing? Yo she's got potential, she'll go far. And yea I was disappointed with the Fugees first album, although a couple of the remixes that came out later were stellar, but still I held on to hope. That girl has potential just you wait and see she's going to break out big! Then Killing me softly dropped, one time, one time and it was over! It was nice to see that potential fulfilled with the Fugees. Then she did the solo thing and it was hitting. But somewhere along the line after her solo album dropped she wore thin on me. I just noticed some serious attitude like "I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread creeping in" and it turned me off. The album was great though and she deserved those Grammys but I sort of thought the fame was going to her head.
Then like Chinua Achebe Things fell apart. Damn. Y'all know the rest.
Anyway I was listening to this Lauryn verse on Wycleff Jean's The Carnival this morning and couldn't help but think that her words were self prophetic.
Clef it kind of remind me of this chick I once knew
Use to be a dime, now she's strung out in Bellevue
See the serpent played tricks run game like the Knicks
Build you up just to lose the championship.
I seen her reminiscing over Wu-Tang could It Be that Simple
She lost her Prince cause there were Thieves In the Temple
Tragic depression made her lose all her teeth
Lost and turned out gave her body to the streets
Sweet Mary don't you weep
Still water runs deep
So be careful of the company you keep.
In the year of the Dragon lots of men disappear
Quiet as it's kept they won't be around next year
Quiet as it's kept they won't be around next year
Year of the Dragon - Wycleff Jean/Lauryn Hill
So Pras came out and said that Lauryn Hill is mentally ill. Read here. That's not too hard to believe is it? At least not considering some of her behavior post-Fugees anyways.
Way back when I started this blog I said I didn't want to see the Fugees do a reunion for legacy reasons but still this is pretty sad. I hope she gets some help. The Dutch Pots posted a paragraph about how terrible her concert was in Amsterdam a few weeks back and it got me thinking about the whole Lauryn thing.
I mean I used to be the biggest Lauryn Hill fan and this was even before the Score dropped and Killing me Softly became a worldwide hit. I used to be like did you see that girl in Sister Act 2 sing? Yo she's got potential, she'll go far. And yea I was disappointed with the Fugees first album, although a couple of the remixes that came out later were stellar, but still I held on to hope. That girl has potential just you wait and see she's going to break out big! Then Killing me softly dropped, one time, one time and it was over! It was nice to see that potential fulfilled with the Fugees. Then she did the solo thing and it was hitting. But somewhere along the line after her solo album dropped she wore thin on me. I just noticed some serious attitude like "I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread creeping in" and it turned me off. The album was great though and she deserved those Grammys but I sort of thought the fame was going to her head.
Then like Chinua Achebe Things fell apart. Damn. Y'all know the rest.
Anyway I was listening to this Lauryn verse on Wycleff Jean's The Carnival this morning and couldn't help but think that her words were self prophetic.
Clef it kind of remind me of this chick I once knew
Use to be a dime, now she's strung out in Bellevue
See the serpent played tricks run game like the Knicks
Build you up just to lose the championship.
I seen her reminiscing over Wu-Tang could It Be that Simple
She lost her Prince cause there were Thieves In the Temple
Tragic depression made her lose all her teeth
Lost and turned out gave her body to the streets
Sweet Mary don't you weep
Still water runs deep
So be careful of the company you keep.
In the year of the Dragon lots of men disappear
Quiet as it's kept they won't be around next year
Monday, August 27, 2007
damn!
Tragedy!
Early Sunday morning, two complete apartments collapsed in Barbados, falling forty to fifty feet into a cave. A family of five was still not located up to Monday morning.
Never realized there were caves under that area to that extent. Wow!
Latest news report is that its no longer a rescue effort but one of recovery. Pretty sad way to lose one's life.
Early Sunday morning, two complete apartments collapsed in Barbados, falling forty to fifty feet into a cave. A family of five was still not located up to Monday morning.
Never realized there were caves under that area to that extent. Wow!
Latest news report is that its no longer a rescue effort but one of recovery. Pretty sad way to lose one's life.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
You might win some
But you just lost one
"you washed up like Arsenio Hall you not tough
.....
take ya loss like a man admit it ya got crushed
but since you keep running ya lips would not hush
......
ended up like Mike Vick in the pocket you got rushed
and we went right quick at ya pockets ya got stuck"
Low Budget Allstars - Marco Polo et al
In the face of the blitz, Mike Vick scrambled but his offensive line folded and he ended up being sacked for a loss of yardage.
Ok pathetic football reference out of the way lets talk about Mike Vick.
First off let me give the disclaimer that I'm not trying to defend Michael Vick's alleged actions here. In the face of overwhelming evidence he has chosen to plead guilty and hope for a reduced sentence on his dog fighting charges. It seems like ol boy was kind of squeezed though as all of his co-defendants copped pleas and were going to testify against him. Damn so much for your boys having your back, the Feds had this case on lock.
But hey if you do the crime you do the time right? And Vick should have known better and not just cause he is a celebrity and one of the best known faces in the NFL. He just should have known better as a human being.
Still when you're a celebrity its even worse. You just cant get away with doing questionable stuff like this dog fighting thing if you're that well known. Now if you were a fourth string defensive back on a crappy team like the Vikings or something well maybe you could get away with it but a marquee Quarterback forever on Sportcentre? Naa forget that. Vick played himself thats the long and short of it.
Still I got to say that the coverage of this Mike Vick episode makes me want to go into a rant similar to the infamous Allan Iverson diatribe about practice; "Its dog fighting son, we're talking about dog fighting. What we talking about? Dog fighting? Dog fighting, not murder or rape or violent assault or shooting or stabbing a person but dog fighting. Man we talking about Dog fighting. What we talking about, dog fighting. Dog fighting man, we up in here talking about dog fighting right. I mean dog fighting" ......Something like that.
I mean Vick committed a serious crime, it against the law to dog fight, but the way Vick is being portrayed in the media its like he was Josef Mengele or Hitler or Pol Pot or Stalin or Saddam or something. I dont want to trivialize his crime but lets put it into perspective people. He didnt kill any humans, he didnt maim any humans, he didnt abuse any kids, he didnt do any experimental torture type ish on anyone, no one got shot cause he was playing the ass like in the case of Pac Man Jones, he hasnt committed genocide, he's not a terrorist.
I'm just saying this so y'all can put his crimes into perspective.
Yes he's going to plead guilty but even before this happened and he was simply the accused folk were acting like Mike Vick was the devil. Damn I mean I find the outrage here was so much more than the outrage when Kobe was accused of assaulting an actual human being. Kobe was found innocent by the way but that's not the point.
The point is all in the perspective. For me I say crimes against humans outweigh crimes against animals.
Vick'll get the book thrown at him for his crime but the man is not on the same level as the Anti-Christ as folks are trying to paint him.
He'll probably be banned for life from the NFL. Is that fair? Yes it probably is but I hope that some of these other guys who are getting into altercations where actual human beings are getting hurt will get banned too cause to be honest its looking to me like we're putting the value of a dog's life over that of a human being right now the way we are treating Vick. We're acting like Vick is a mass murderer, a Ted Bundy or Charles Manson type.
Ok so this is the biggest fall from grace for a sportsman since OJ was accused. Why couldn't Vick simply have stuck to the usual high stakes poker games, wilding out at the strip club or maybe chose a gentler sport like horse racing instead of messing with dogs. No one would have given a damn then.
Damn you Mike Vick and your amazingly strong arm and adept scrambling and rushing skills. Unfortunately none of that stuff can help you out of this mess you created for yourself. You've got no one else to blame. Shame on you!
p.s: I'm probably going to get beat up for this post by some kid soliticing on the behalf of PETA, Greenpeace or the Humane society on the streets of downtown Toronto but I'm only human so the outrage will be minimum.
"you washed up like Arsenio Hall you not tough
.....
take ya loss like a man admit it ya got crushed
but since you keep running ya lips would not hush
......
ended up like Mike Vick in the pocket you got rushed
and we went right quick at ya pockets ya got stuck"
Low Budget Allstars - Marco Polo et al
In the face of the blitz, Mike Vick scrambled but his offensive line folded and he ended up being sacked for a loss of yardage.
Ok pathetic football reference out of the way lets talk about Mike Vick.
First off let me give the disclaimer that I'm not trying to defend Michael Vick's alleged actions here. In the face of overwhelming evidence he has chosen to plead guilty and hope for a reduced sentence on his dog fighting charges. It seems like ol boy was kind of squeezed though as all of his co-defendants copped pleas and were going to testify against him. Damn so much for your boys having your back, the Feds had this case on lock.
But hey if you do the crime you do the time right? And Vick should have known better and not just cause he is a celebrity and one of the best known faces in the NFL. He just should have known better as a human being.
Still when you're a celebrity its even worse. You just cant get away with doing questionable stuff like this dog fighting thing if you're that well known. Now if you were a fourth string defensive back on a crappy team like the Vikings or something well maybe you could get away with it but a marquee Quarterback forever on Sportcentre? Naa forget that. Vick played himself thats the long and short of it.
Still I got to say that the coverage of this Mike Vick episode makes me want to go into a rant similar to the infamous Allan Iverson diatribe about practice; "Its dog fighting son, we're talking about dog fighting. What we talking about? Dog fighting? Dog fighting, not murder or rape or violent assault or shooting or stabbing a person but dog fighting. Man we talking about Dog fighting. What we talking about, dog fighting. Dog fighting man, we up in here talking about dog fighting right. I mean dog fighting" ......Something like that.
I mean Vick committed a serious crime, it against the law to dog fight, but the way Vick is being portrayed in the media its like he was Josef Mengele or Hitler or Pol Pot or Stalin or Saddam or something. I dont want to trivialize his crime but lets put it into perspective people. He didnt kill any humans, he didnt maim any humans, he didnt abuse any kids, he didnt do any experimental torture type ish on anyone, no one got shot cause he was playing the ass like in the case of Pac Man Jones, he hasnt committed genocide, he's not a terrorist.I'm just saying this so y'all can put his crimes into perspective.
Yes he's going to plead guilty but even before this happened and he was simply the accused folk were acting like Mike Vick was the devil. Damn I mean I find the outrage here was so much more than the outrage when Kobe was accused of assaulting an actual human being. Kobe was found innocent by the way but that's not the point.
The point is all in the perspective. For me I say crimes against humans outweigh crimes against animals.
Vick'll get the book thrown at him for his crime but the man is not on the same level as the Anti-Christ as folks are trying to paint him.
He'll probably be banned for life from the NFL. Is that fair? Yes it probably is but I hope that some of these other guys who are getting into altercations where actual human beings are getting hurt will get banned too cause to be honest its looking to me like we're putting the value of a dog's life over that of a human being right now the way we are treating Vick. We're acting like Vick is a mass murderer, a Ted Bundy or Charles Manson type.
Ok so this is the biggest fall from grace for a sportsman since OJ was accused. Why couldn't Vick simply have stuck to the usual high stakes poker games, wilding out at the strip club or maybe chose a gentler sport like horse racing instead of messing with dogs. No one would have given a damn then.
Damn you Mike Vick and your amazingly strong arm and adept scrambling and rushing skills. Unfortunately none of that stuff can help you out of this mess you created for yourself. You've got no one else to blame. Shame on you!
p.s: I'm probably going to get beat up for this post by some kid soliticing on the behalf of PETA, Greenpeace or the Humane society on the streets of downtown Toronto but I'm only human so the outrage will be minimum.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Dean
Spare a thought and a prayer for those in the path of Hurricane Dean this weekend. Although Barbados was spared looks like it already did much damage to St Lucia and Dominica, looks to hit the Dominican Republic and Haiti Saturday and is headed directly towards Jamaica on Sunday. It could also hit the Caymans this weekend. Its a category 4 Hurricane now. Kind of reminiscent of Ivan a few years back and we remember how much damage he left in his wake.
All you bloggers in those areas stay safe.
All you bloggers in those areas stay safe.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The world gone mad
What kind of world are we living in?
Story 1 - Guard uses taser on father holding newborn baby. And the guard was an off-duty cop! I mean come on now who seriously tasers a guy holding a baby. You can see the video here . What the hell! How irresponsible, how downright asinine is that?
So a taser packs enough voltage to knock the crap out of a regular sized guy. What the hell do you think that same voltage will do to a baby? Seriously this is the type of thing where one would not be surprised if mobs of angry citizens grabbed a hold of the guard and beat the living crap out of him. You tasered someone holding a newborn baby? Come on man there had to be some other tension relieving tactics that you could have used. Was that level of violence necessary?
It doesn't matter that you were aiming at the dad and that the dad may have been acting abusive or whatever. The dad was holding the baby and by tasering the father you also tasered an innocent child who now shock of shocks (no pun intended) is acting up cause the dad dropped her when he was tasered and she has head trauma. Essentially you probably just left that child with serious health and maybe even mental problems because the dad was trying to leave the hospital with her against wishes. Couldn't you have called for backup or something? Tried to reason with him until reinforcements arrived? Shot him in the foot or something even but taser him and the child. Damn!
I'm guessing you're a ends justifies the means type of person right? Way to go rent-a-cop! Moron!
Story 2 - Woman crawls around Toronto in her wedding dress for 8 hours to celebrate divorce ending 8 year marriage.
All I can say is she head got to be bad! What is it Elephant Man says "Mad sick, head nuh good? Well that's got to her he's describing. Got to be, no two ways about it. Who crawls around the streets and for 8 hrs and in a wedding dress? What kind of madness is that.
Ok so I've never been divorced but I heard that on divorce people can do some mighty crazy stuff; get blind drunk to celebrate, get tattoos, dye their hair, cut off their hair a la Britney, sleep with random folk just because. etc etc. But crawling around in their wedding dress on all fours? I think not!
I mean I see the woman on tv with knee pads on, someone behind her holding her train and someone walking ahead of her with a broom sweeping the sidewalk like is curling them playing or something so.
Well ok maybe I viewing this thing wrong. Maybe it was a cry for help or maybe the spectacle was meant to make me develop some feelings of pity. Know what? It succeeded.
I feel pity but is not fa she! I really feel the pain of the ex-husband, that poor man who had to put up with her for 8 years cause clearly she has some mental issues cause who in their right mind wakes up and says to celebrate my divorce I'm going to crawl around on all fours in my wedding dress huh? Seriously I mean who does that? So to the ex husband just let me say bredren that woman head bad, if this is the sort of thing you had to put up with for 8 years you are definitely a better man than me so props to you. Now be happy you got out alive, go church, thank the maker and put something in the collection plate. I don't know how ya survive but praise God she gone!
Story 1 - Guard uses taser on father holding newborn baby. And the guard was an off-duty cop! I mean come on now who seriously tasers a guy holding a baby. You can see the video here . What the hell! How irresponsible, how downright asinine is that?
So a taser packs enough voltage to knock the crap out of a regular sized guy. What the hell do you think that same voltage will do to a baby? Seriously this is the type of thing where one would not be surprised if mobs of angry citizens grabbed a hold of the guard and beat the living crap out of him. You tasered someone holding a newborn baby? Come on man there had to be some other tension relieving tactics that you could have used. Was that level of violence necessary?
It doesn't matter that you were aiming at the dad and that the dad may have been acting abusive or whatever. The dad was holding the baby and by tasering the father you also tasered an innocent child who now shock of shocks (no pun intended) is acting up cause the dad dropped her when he was tasered and she has head trauma. Essentially you probably just left that child with serious health and maybe even mental problems because the dad was trying to leave the hospital with her against wishes. Couldn't you have called for backup or something? Tried to reason with him until reinforcements arrived? Shot him in the foot or something even but taser him and the child. Damn!
I'm guessing you're a ends justifies the means type of person right? Way to go rent-a-cop! Moron!
Story 2 - Woman crawls around Toronto in her wedding dress for 8 hours to celebrate divorce ending 8 year marriage.
All I can say is she head got to be bad! What is it Elephant Man says "Mad sick, head nuh good? Well that's got to her he's describing. Got to be, no two ways about it. Who crawls around the streets and for 8 hrs and in a wedding dress? What kind of madness is that.
Ok so I've never been divorced but I heard that on divorce people can do some mighty crazy stuff; get blind drunk to celebrate, get tattoos, dye their hair, cut off their hair a la Britney, sleep with random folk just because. etc etc. But crawling around in their wedding dress on all fours? I think not!
I mean I see the woman on tv with knee pads on, someone behind her holding her train and someone walking ahead of her with a broom sweeping the sidewalk like is curling them playing or something so.
Well ok maybe I viewing this thing wrong. Maybe it was a cry for help or maybe the spectacle was meant to make me develop some feelings of pity. Know what? It succeeded.
I feel pity but is not fa she! I really feel the pain of the ex-husband, that poor man who had to put up with her for 8 years cause clearly she has some mental issues cause who in their right mind wakes up and says to celebrate my divorce I'm going to crawl around on all fours in my wedding dress huh? Seriously I mean who does that? So to the ex husband just let me say bredren that woman head bad, if this is the sort of thing you had to put up with for 8 years you are definitely a better man than me so props to you. Now be happy you got out alive, go church, thank the maker and put something in the collection plate. I don't know how ya survive but praise God she gone!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Blogging is dead
Cartoon from Userfriedly.org.
So today is my third blog-versary. No need to toot any horns just props to my readers and my fellow bloggers. Without you I most likely wouldn't have done this for so long.
So whats with the title? Well I was kind of paying homage to Nas' Hip Hop is Dead but its also rather the way I've been feeling about the blogging world lately. And yea maybe it is me, been feeling more jdid than usual of late but I also realized, after finding a blog from last year, that I've probably been having issues with the blog world for a while. Might be the price of longevity.
Seems to me though that in general its like the energy has dissipated and the uniqueness of the blogging concept has worn off somewhat. When I got into the game it seemed like blogging was a cool concept and the 'hip' thing to do, there was a newness, a freshness, an eye-opening motif. Can we really say the same anymore or has blogging been replaced by Myspace and Facebook as the attention getters?
Cause lets face it, the average blogger is in this for some attention or to chronicle his life. Ok that's not entirely true. The average blogger can also be in it cause he/she has or thinks he/she has something to say. Why blog if no-one reads? See me, check what I have to say, what I'm saying is important, my life, my thoughts, my experiences are important and worth sharing. Isn't that one of the main point of blogging? Well maybe we don't think in such fundamental terms when we say I'm going to start a blog but think about it.
Ok, so when I say that the average blogger is seeking attention it sounds kind of like some shameless publicity seeking and that might be part of blogging or a major reason some folks blog but its not the end all or be all of blogging.
Oh and I do know that the world would disagree with me on blogging being dead since it seems like blogging is more on the rise lately what with all these influential, scene stealing, news breaking, insider political blogs around and even talk of bloggers forming their own union. Blogging has progressed, become more professional, blogging has evolved. Hell maybe those cats do need their own union.
But I'm dealing with the average everyday blogger, the guy that doesn't have what I term a niche blog. He's got some opinions, but they're not really organized, they are not all directed at one issue, they are all over the spectrum and his political thoughts may not neatly fit into the general stances of the major parties. He represent the everyman, the hoi pollio, the masses. He maybe gets like 3 regular comments and 10 readers but he still comes through on the regular. He's a B-lister, a C-lister, a D-lister even, that's the guy I'm talking with. The guy whose blog may evolve to become an A-lister, to be one of the big boys or it might not. And I think that somewhere along the line something's being lost in some of these guys' blogs. The thrill is gone.
Don't get me wrong this isn't me signing off, although I've been considering it, this is just well some thoughts on blogging.
Anyways back to the point. The successful blogs now are more niche oriented in my opinion. Seems to be the general way to go to survive. The random post business, the my life is interesting, this is what happened yesterday business naa mek it. Well it does in some cases but a lot of cats have fallen to the wayside. Good naa make that great people and writers too.
Also many of the good cats aren't posting as regular. Maybe they have come to the realization that quality outweighs quantity in this business. Yea you want to strike that balance cause if you're too sporadic the readership will dip but at the same time you don't want to be wack. Or maybe the hustle on posts fell off when you realized that you were pushing out product faster than the readership could consume it. Maybe that's it.
But back in the day the readership couldn't get new stuff fast enough right? So maybe we have become stale or maybe the shine's off the new ball. After a while folks just realized that our lives or opinions, our thoughts weren't as interesting as they initially thought they were or maybe we became too predictable, became one trick ponies.
Don't get me wrong though I still love blogs especially when I can go to a site and see some obscure yet interesting incident that I didn't know had happened or some really unique perspective on some issue, or get some insight into someone's life or someone breaks down some fundamental tenet of life like a Amadeo or a Luke Cage does. Stuff that I'm not going to see in the mainstream media. Stuff that makes a good read and makes one think, or laugh or be curious or even be outraged cause no-one else deemed it worth a damn to mention. I mean to me that's the essence of blogging; unique ideas, unique lives (and every life is unique), unique perspectives.
So yea I'm a bit worried cause I see the mundane creeping up into this blogging thing with the quickness. Maybe its always been there though, maybe I'm just not noticing it more.
Alot of the old cats leave, and 'even though we know somehow we all gotta go' I'm personally missing cats like Dr D and Obi, and they haven't really articulated why they left not that there was an obligation to. Sometimes its time commitments, sometimes they lose the ever ongoing struggle that I'm so aware of of "whats the damn point to this blogging ish anyway?' and sometimes its something that they just cant put their finger on, some spidey sense tingling that says like Buju or Biggie 'Things change'.
But that's the cycle of life right? Seasons change mad things stay the same and alternatively mad things take on a different form.
There is more to say, stuff about conforming, stuff about not pandering to the readers etc but I'll leave it there while these thoughts swirl in my mind.
And if there was a point to this post it would probably be yea I know this blogging thing is informal and no one's expecting Pulitzer prize winning joints but at the same time be aware of the mundane. Lets try and keep this stuff fresh. I ain't saying you got to have outer space action adventures cause a lot of blogging deals with everyday actions. I'm just saying make it interesting, give us a reason to read, to smile, to be outraged, to be informed.
Oh and hopefully no one takes this as me saying that your life's chronicle is boring but hopefully maybe I made someone stop and think. now just take this post and run with it.
And like I said at the start big up to all my fellow current bloggers and much love to the fallen soldiers. I hope y'all come back, I miss y'all. Y'all is fam!
One!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
8 random
The homie Inciquay (get well soon) tagged me and although I'm not the biggest fan of the meme here goes. Besides no one said I couldn't make them all little stories while revealing as little personal info as possible.
(1) Last week one of those street marketing kids looked at me as I walked by and asked 'Hey whats your favorite Miles Davis album?' (Its Sketches of Spain by the way.) I guess that was his way of enticing me to stop and sign up to whatever charity he was peddling but it didn't work. Now while I'd like to think I look like a sophisticated Miles listening bee-booper I think the only reason he used Miles was the gray in my hair. What you don't think I look young enough to listen to Hip-Hop? Mind you I would probably have been more insulted if he had asked whats your favorite Young Jeezy album.
(2) Today in Kensington Market I saw a young lady leading a group of young ladies on a tour and giving them tips on what to look for when buying vegetables ie in terms of textures and touch, smell etc. Not sure who or where they were from or if that was all to the tour but I thought it was a pretty novel idea. More folks need to learn how to shop and cook
(3) I planted this thing. The seeds said sunflower but as you can clearly see that aint no sunflower. Its nice enough mind you and it grew like a trooper given our lack of rain but I'd like to know exactly what it is.
(4) I think I'm officially retiring from playing pan. I enjoy it but its time to move on. Ya know Paul Keens says some people born to play mas and some born to watch people play mas well substitute pan for mas in that statement and you have me. Actually that's not true I fall somewhere in between but it seems like a good phrase to explain the retirement. Actually check with me in three months I may do a Jay-Z. Oh yea like that turned out for the best.
(5) I see a fella with a t-shirt that said 'Knocked-Up'. Old cat, 60 something at least. Made me laugh though cause I was thinking but look at him showing off that he knock up somebody. But she know that he walking around proclaiming big and bold that he knock she up? Well well well. Some people have audacity nuh! Knocked up indeed! Well not really but that little joke floated around in my head for a bit and the shirt did bring a smile to my face.
(6) Shots!! through the offside for 4 (or so it seems). That fella looking like a test cricketer. NOT!
(7) Surprise of surprises I actually like quite a few hip hop albums that have been released this year. I absolutely love the Marco Polo joint. The KRS/Marley Marl stuff is tight and the Pharoah Monch, Common and Talib Kweli (if its anything like the leaked stuff) and all worthy of a listen or two or three or four. Oh and the Lil' Brother Mixtape "And Justus for all" is better than a tonne of albums out there (and I'm not just saying that cause my man Skillz is on there). Its been a long time since I can say I've really really liked more than three hip hop albums in one year. Maybe Hip hop isn't dead after all.
(8) When pointing me out to people the wife used to refer to me as 'the slim fella' or 'the skinny fella'. Hear she now recently describing me to someone who asked her who her husband was. 'Oh he is the fella cross deyso dat used to be slim.' I still trying to figure out what she really trying to say bout me.
I guess I need to tag someone. Never really big on the whole tagging business but lets tag the blogversary girl Kami.
(1) Last week one of those street marketing kids looked at me as I walked by and asked 'Hey whats your favorite Miles Davis album?' (Its Sketches of Spain by the way.) I guess that was his way of enticing me to stop and sign up to whatever charity he was peddling but it didn't work. Now while I'd like to think I look like a sophisticated Miles listening bee-booper I think the only reason he used Miles was the gray in my hair. What you don't think I look young enough to listen to Hip-Hop? Mind you I would probably have been more insulted if he had asked whats your favorite Young Jeezy album.
(2) Today in Kensington Market I saw a young lady leading a group of young ladies on a tour and giving them tips on what to look for when buying vegetables ie in terms of textures and touch, smell etc. Not sure who or where they were from or if that was all to the tour but I thought it was a pretty novel idea. More folks need to learn how to shop and cook
(3) I planted this thing. The seeds said sunflower but as you can clearly see that aint no sunflower. Its nice enough mind you and it grew like a trooper given our lack of rain but I'd like to know exactly what it is.(4) I think I'm officially retiring from playing pan. I enjoy it but its time to move on. Ya know Paul Keens says some people born to play mas and some born to watch people play mas well substitute pan for mas in that statement and you have me. Actually that's not true I fall somewhere in between but it seems like a good phrase to explain the retirement. Actually check with me in three months I may do a Jay-Z. Oh yea like that turned out for the best.
(5) I see a fella with a t-shirt that said 'Knocked-Up'. Old cat, 60 something at least. Made me laugh though cause I was thinking but look at him showing off that he knock up somebody. But she know that he walking around proclaiming big and bold that he knock she up? Well well well. Some people have audacity nuh! Knocked up indeed! Well not really but that little joke floated around in my head for a bit and the shirt did bring a smile to my face.
(6) Shots!! through the offside for 4 (or so it seems). That fella looking like a test cricketer. NOT!(7) Surprise of surprises I actually like quite a few hip hop albums that have been released this year. I absolutely love the Marco Polo joint. The KRS/Marley Marl stuff is tight and the Pharoah Monch, Common and Talib Kweli (if its anything like the leaked stuff) and all worthy of a listen or two or three or four. Oh and the Lil' Brother Mixtape "And Justus for all" is better than a tonne of albums out there (and I'm not just saying that cause my man Skillz is on there). Its been a long time since I can say I've really really liked more than three hip hop albums in one year. Maybe Hip hop isn't dead after all.
(8) When pointing me out to people the wife used to refer to me as 'the slim fella' or 'the skinny fella'. Hear she now recently describing me to someone who asked her who her husband was. 'Oh he is the fella cross deyso dat used to be slim.' I still trying to figure out what she really trying to say bout me.
I guess I need to tag someone. Never really big on the whole tagging business but lets tag the blogversary girl Kami.
Monday, August 06, 2007
A guide to Caribana tourists
OK as I was walking around downtown on Friday evening I realized that at Caribana time you can definitely tell the tourists from the locals. There's just something about all those Caribana visitors that make them stand out. So here's a how to guide on Caribana tourists. Some of the points overlap but you'll get the idea. Oh and sometimes locals do try to emulate the styles to varying effects. Any of you Torontonians who wish to add to the list please feel free.
(1) If you're a lady and you are immaculately matched ie: outfit matches shoes, matches bag matches both nail and hair color (especially hair color) then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(2) if you're wearing a tight white muscle shirt (wife beater) and walking around thinking that you look all cock-diesel an ish then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(3) if you have a t-shirt or white towel wrapped around your head while wearing said muscle shirt then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(4) if you try to grab the hand of every girl who passes by with whom you wish to speak then chances are you are not from Toronto. Toronto dudes know that ish will get you clocked quick up in here but non-Toronto dudes can get away with it once they have the right accent if you know what I'm saying.
(5) If you're overweight and the 6 or 7 other persons in your crew are also equally overweight then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(6) If your camcorder is on 24-7 taping everyone walking the street like you've never seen other black people before then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(7) If you and your entire crew are all wearing clothing that is more scandalous than the dental floss outfits that the Caribana masquerade band members are wearing then chances are you are not from Toronto (although truth be told you actually could be).
(8) If you're bigger than Big Pun and Biggie combined yet you are still rocking the muscle shirt alluded to in #2 then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(9) Guys if you are decked out in all white from head to toe (with or without the wifebeater) then chances are you not from Toronto.
(10) If you're in a group of three and someone in your group has purple hair then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(9) If you overdo the nationalistic clothing for example your Caribbean island flag is pretty standard but then if you also have the wrist band, the medallion, the hat, the t-shirt, the pants and the rag and you're walking around looking like Captain St Lucia or Captain Barbados then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(10) If the detail in your man's braids get more attention than your weave, chances are you are not from Toronto.
(11) If there are 5 or more guys jumping around like they are in a mosh pit even when the music isn't playing or bands aren't passing chances are those dudes are not from Toronto.
(12) If you are dressed in the skimpiest of clothing that would look nice on a petite to normal sized figure but you know you only shop at the plus sized stores then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(13) If you must keep stopping random people to ask them where the party's at chances are you are not from Toronto.
(14) If you keep asking random people to point you to Yonge street chances are you are not from Toronto.
(15) If you are a Bajan and you're at the Caribana parade chances are you are not from Toronto. (Sorry most T-dot bajans go home to Bim for Crop Over or complain about not being able to go home for Crop Over and how crappy Caribana is). I lie?
and fresh for the 07
(16) If you are a guy wearing green contacts chances are you are not from the T-dot.
Like I said its not an all encompassing list and there are exceptions to the rules. Still feel free to add your own observations.
(1) If you're a lady and you are immaculately matched ie: outfit matches shoes, matches bag matches both nail and hair color (especially hair color) then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(2) if you're wearing a tight white muscle shirt (wife beater) and walking around thinking that you look all cock-diesel an ish then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(3) if you have a t-shirt or white towel wrapped around your head while wearing said muscle shirt then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(4) if you try to grab the hand of every girl who passes by with whom you wish to speak then chances are you are not from Toronto. Toronto dudes know that ish will get you clocked quick up in here but non-Toronto dudes can get away with it once they have the right accent if you know what I'm saying.
(5) If you're overweight and the 6 or 7 other persons in your crew are also equally overweight then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(6) If your camcorder is on 24-7 taping everyone walking the street like you've never seen other black people before then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(7) If you and your entire crew are all wearing clothing that is more scandalous than the dental floss outfits that the Caribana masquerade band members are wearing then chances are you are not from Toronto (although truth be told you actually could be).
(8) If you're bigger than Big Pun and Biggie combined yet you are still rocking the muscle shirt alluded to in #2 then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(9) Guys if you are decked out in all white from head to toe (with or without the wifebeater) then chances are you not from Toronto.
(10) If you're in a group of three and someone in your group has purple hair then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(9) If you overdo the nationalistic clothing for example your Caribbean island flag is pretty standard but then if you also have the wrist band, the medallion, the hat, the t-shirt, the pants and the rag and you're walking around looking like Captain St Lucia or Captain Barbados then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(10) If the detail in your man's braids get more attention than your weave, chances are you are not from Toronto.
(11) If there are 5 or more guys jumping around like they are in a mosh pit even when the music isn't playing or bands aren't passing chances are those dudes are not from Toronto.
(12) If you are dressed in the skimpiest of clothing that would look nice on a petite to normal sized figure but you know you only shop at the plus sized stores then chances are you are not from Toronto.
(13) If you must keep stopping random people to ask them where the party's at chances are you are not from Toronto.
(14) If you keep asking random people to point you to Yonge street chances are you are not from Toronto.
(15) If you are a Bajan and you're at the Caribana parade chances are you are not from Toronto. (Sorry most T-dot bajans go home to Bim for Crop Over or complain about not being able to go home for Crop Over and how crappy Caribana is). I lie?
and fresh for the 07
(16) If you are a guy wearing green contacts chances are you are not from the T-dot.
Like I said its not an all encompassing list and there are exceptions to the rules. Still feel free to add your own observations.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Run
Run!) Scared to death, runnin' like I got bears on me
(Run!) My Timb's start feelin' like they Nike Air's on me
(Run!) It's hard for me to slow down, it's like I'm on the Throughway
My belt's in the crib on the floor by my two-way
Jadakiss' verse from Ghostface Killa's Run
Happy Emancipation Day to my Bajan readers.
Well its Caribana week. You know you're getting old when you're not planning on doing anything for Caribana. No plan to hit fetes, boat cruises, Yonge Street Friday night, Pan Alive or even the parades. My only plans are non-Caribana related; Ribfest baby yeahhh!
Still Caribana week brings back some memories. Like the year I fete from the Wednesday before Caribana all the way through to the Caribana Monday. I mean I hit up a fete every night and still only spent like 60 dollars total (would have been almost half that but I spent $25 the Sunday night to see Machel). Yea if you want to see Caribana on the cheap check the I.
But in thinking back on Caribanas past (and I cant be certain if I've already shared these memories with you already or not) one constant seems to permeate almost all of my experiences, the exception being the couple of years I hung around Afro. That constant seems to be running. And by running I don't mean running as in I'm late or I'm missing something or trying to see something I mean running as in your life could end at any moment, get the bleep outta dodge, fear induced, death is nipping at your heels running.
Yep from lineups for fetes, to Yonge street on Friday night to the Lakeshore on Caribana Saturday I've done a hell of a lot of running on this weekend and the funny thing is for the most part I never have a clue what I was running for or from. Call it mob mentality or whatever you wish but when one man starts running in a crowd everyone else starts running and I've seen too many Hollywood movies to be the one guy playing it cool who isn't running who ends up eaten by the monsters or blasted by the aliens. Nuh uh not de I! I running, no scratch that I'm outrunning the crowd. Anytime I see a wall of people running around or towards me I taking off like Ben Johnson Doctor just juk me wid a steroid needle. Dem ain't catching me at all at all.
My mentality is if whatever happening happening it got to happen to a lot of other people before it happen to me so I looking to outrun even the wind if possible.
One time I was with the wife and we both start to run but I outrun she and everybody else. So when the commotion die down she looking at me asking me why I ain't wait fa she? Wait fa who? Chupse she mekkin sport! She must be want me to do like Omar Epps in Higher Learning when he was running in slow motion holding Tyra hand all the while a sniper letting of shots at them. And we know how that story ends right? So sorry but I ain't waiting for you if running involved. Like I said my mentality is if whatever happening happening it got to happen to a lot of other people before it happen to me so if you happen to be one of the ones sacrificed well tough luck for you but I ain't slowing down for a fella is up to you to keep up.
But seriously in a lot of my Caribana experiences although people are there to have fun and lose themselves in the celebration there is always this slight atmosphere of, well I wouldn't go as far as saying fear, but some slight worry or anxiety that something is going to jump off or some idiot is going to do something to injure someone so anytime anybody starts running whole masses of humanity duz start running along with them without bothering to even look to see why the person running in first place cause for all we know could just be that the fella that's running eat a bad pieca roti and he trying to reach a port-a-potty. I lie?
By the way disclaimer time. I ain't trying to run no-one away from Caribana. Its fun, its vibrant, its exciting. I just giving you a unique perspective of some of my experiences but all in all I have loads of fun when I go to the events. Alright then!
Anyway back to running. Now I could tell you all about running up and down Lakeshore on Caribana Saturday during the parade or running just because someone in the crowd dropped a bottle on Yonge street on the Friday night and people mistook it for shots fired but my favorite running story is this one.
It was probably close to 10 years ago. I went to the parade, tried to link up with my friends but this was back in the old time days B.C, before cell. We made plans before we left home but people got delayed by whatever and we never had no cell phone to call and change times or meeting locations so somehow or another we didn't connect. So I end up moving solo.
I had planned on hitting a fete over by the old Armory on Queen St. I think it was Sound Quest or Starting From Scratch (back before he turn big radio celeb and was juss a tall bony fella dat used to spin tune) or somebody so playing. It was a good dj whoever it was so I wanted to get in that fete. And yes I chose parties by DJs still do actually.
I left the parade route around 8ish and decide I just going to take a slow walk over to the Armory. Is a fair clip but I had a couple hours to kill and I might stop in at Harborfront and see an act of two.
So reach the Armory around 930 -10ish. Sun still ain't gone down entirely, the temperature hot and nuff nuff people already line up to get in the fete even though the DJs aint reach back there yet cause they was on a truck on the road at the parade and they still feting.
Even though it was early and doors ain't open yet I still probably like number 70 in line and by the time another 1/2 hr had gone by was like another 200 people in back of me and the line snaking its way past the retaining wall down Queen Street all past Sherbourne. Anyway I relaxing just settling in waiting for the DJs to show up and the door to open and I imagining how many big tunes these fellas going play and checking all the girls in the line.
All of a sudden I hear somebody way ahead of me in line shout out "Oh my God" and another person "I ain't getting shot!". Next thing I know wall of humanity start screaming and people tek off like a starters pistol let off at the Olympics. Well you can imagine what I do? As I said before if whatever happening happening it got to happen to a lot of other people before it happen to me so see me now jump down/over the retaining wall and invoke the spirit of Ben, Carl, Jesse, Linford, Donavon, Mike Johnson, Oba and any other great sprinter you could think of and fly past nuff people, high leg lift, proper sprint technique, speeding down Queen street. I think I even fly past a couple a street cars and by the time I realize it I was all the way over by Parliament St.
That was when me and a few others realize everybody else had stopped running. If I hadn't stopped then odds were good that I might have ended up back in Scarborough at the rate I was going. So now we walk back to the lineup cause it appears nothing had really happen. Turns out was just that some girl in the lineup some ways ahead of me had thrown up and someone had said Oh my God which led to someone else making the silly gun comments which led to the mass exodus from the lineup.
What a waste! And to make things worse I lost my spot in line and was now like 342nd in line which means I wasn't getting in the fete till about 1 or 2 o'clock if I lucky at the earliest. Chupse!
(Run!) My Timb's start feelin' like they Nike Air's on me
(Run!) It's hard for me to slow down, it's like I'm on the Throughway
My belt's in the crib on the floor by my two-way
Jadakiss' verse from Ghostface Killa's Run
Happy Emancipation Day to my Bajan readers.
Well its Caribana week. You know you're getting old when you're not planning on doing anything for Caribana. No plan to hit fetes, boat cruises, Yonge Street Friday night, Pan Alive or even the parades. My only plans are non-Caribana related; Ribfest baby yeahhh!
Still Caribana week brings back some memories. Like the year I fete from the Wednesday before Caribana all the way through to the Caribana Monday. I mean I hit up a fete every night and still only spent like 60 dollars total (would have been almost half that but I spent $25 the Sunday night to see Machel). Yea if you want to see Caribana on the cheap check the I.
But in thinking back on Caribanas past (and I cant be certain if I've already shared these memories with you already or not) one constant seems to permeate almost all of my experiences, the exception being the couple of years I hung around Afro. That constant seems to be running. And by running I don't mean running as in I'm late or I'm missing something or trying to see something I mean running as in your life could end at any moment, get the bleep outta dodge, fear induced, death is nipping at your heels running.
Yep from lineups for fetes, to Yonge street on Friday night to the Lakeshore on Caribana Saturday I've done a hell of a lot of running on this weekend and the funny thing is for the most part I never have a clue what I was running for or from. Call it mob mentality or whatever you wish but when one man starts running in a crowd everyone else starts running and I've seen too many Hollywood movies to be the one guy playing it cool who isn't running who ends up eaten by the monsters or blasted by the aliens. Nuh uh not de I! I running, no scratch that I'm outrunning the crowd. Anytime I see a wall of people running around or towards me I taking off like Ben Johnson Doctor just juk me wid a steroid needle. Dem ain't catching me at all at all.My mentality is if whatever happening happening it got to happen to a lot of other people before it happen to me so I looking to outrun even the wind if possible.
One time I was with the wife and we both start to run but I outrun she and everybody else. So when the commotion die down she looking at me asking me why I ain't wait fa she? Wait fa who? Chupse she mekkin sport! She must be want me to do like Omar Epps in Higher Learning when he was running in slow motion holding Tyra hand all the while a sniper letting of shots at them. And we know how that story ends right? So sorry but I ain't waiting for you if running involved. Like I said my mentality is if whatever happening happening it got to happen to a lot of other people before it happen to me so if you happen to be one of the ones sacrificed well tough luck for you but I ain't slowing down for a fella is up to you to keep up.
But seriously in a lot of my Caribana experiences although people are there to have fun and lose themselves in the celebration there is always this slight atmosphere of, well I wouldn't go as far as saying fear, but some slight worry or anxiety that something is going to jump off or some idiot is going to do something to injure someone so anytime anybody starts running whole masses of humanity duz start running along with them without bothering to even look to see why the person running in first place cause for all we know could just be that the fella that's running eat a bad pieca roti and he trying to reach a port-a-potty. I lie?
By the way disclaimer time. I ain't trying to run no-one away from Caribana. Its fun, its vibrant, its exciting. I just giving you a unique perspective of some of my experiences but all in all I have loads of fun when I go to the events. Alright then!
Anyway back to running. Now I could tell you all about running up and down Lakeshore on Caribana Saturday during the parade or running just because someone in the crowd dropped a bottle on Yonge street on the Friday night and people mistook it for shots fired but my favorite running story is this one.
It was probably close to 10 years ago. I went to the parade, tried to link up with my friends but this was back in the old time days B.C, before cell. We made plans before we left home but people got delayed by whatever and we never had no cell phone to call and change times or meeting locations so somehow or another we didn't connect. So I end up moving solo.
I had planned on hitting a fete over by the old Armory on Queen St. I think it was Sound Quest or Starting From Scratch (back before he turn big radio celeb and was juss a tall bony fella dat used to spin tune) or somebody so playing. It was a good dj whoever it was so I wanted to get in that fete. And yes I chose parties by DJs still do actually.
I left the parade route around 8ish and decide I just going to take a slow walk over to the Armory. Is a fair clip but I had a couple hours to kill and I might stop in at Harborfront and see an act of two.
So reach the Armory around 930 -10ish. Sun still ain't gone down entirely, the temperature hot and nuff nuff people already line up to get in the fete even though the DJs aint reach back there yet cause they was on a truck on the road at the parade and they still feting.
Even though it was early and doors ain't open yet I still probably like number 70 in line and by the time another 1/2 hr had gone by was like another 200 people in back of me and the line snaking its way past the retaining wall down Queen Street all past Sherbourne. Anyway I relaxing just settling in waiting for the DJs to show up and the door to open and I imagining how many big tunes these fellas going play and checking all the girls in the line.
All of a sudden I hear somebody way ahead of me in line shout out "Oh my God" and another person "I ain't getting shot!". Next thing I know wall of humanity start screaming and people tek off like a starters pistol let off at the Olympics. Well you can imagine what I do? As I said before if whatever happening happening it got to happen to a lot of other people before it happen to me so see me now jump down/over the retaining wall and invoke the spirit of Ben, Carl, Jesse, Linford, Donavon, Mike Johnson, Oba and any other great sprinter you could think of and fly past nuff people, high leg lift, proper sprint technique, speeding down Queen street. I think I even fly past a couple a street cars and by the time I realize it I was all the way over by Parliament St.
That was when me and a few others realize everybody else had stopped running. If I hadn't stopped then odds were good that I might have ended up back in Scarborough at the rate I was going. So now we walk back to the lineup cause it appears nothing had really happen. Turns out was just that some girl in the lineup some ways ahead of me had thrown up and someone had said Oh my God which led to someone else making the silly gun comments which led to the mass exodus from the lineup.
What a waste! And to make things worse I lost my spot in line and was now like 342nd in line which means I wasn't getting in the fete till about 1 or 2 o'clock if I lucky at the earliest. Chupse!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
By his deeds part deux
By now most of you folks have heard about this NBA referee who bet on games and may have likely attempted to meddle in the outcome of games.
Now this is a serious sports scandal anyway you look (bigger than Vick and the dogs in my opinion) at it but I'll leave it to the respected media to cover all the angles and implications of the issue and whether Game 3 Suns vs spurs was fixed and whether my Raptors won against Philli in the regular season or lost against the Nets in the playoffs because of Donaghy's meddling.
Naa, I'll leave all that alone.
What I do want to speak on is all of the reports about previous bad things this guy has done. Its like now that these betting accusations are in the open everyone is coming out saying this guy was never a good guy and finding more ways to tarnish his image. Its like that saying that implies that when you're down they will find a way to kick you even more.
Seriously I mean we've heard about how he was a big time gambler, stalked a neighbour's wife, called the police on a 6 year old, chased a postman in his car, cheated on his SATs and was generally a bad bad man. No one has a good word to say about this guy; not colleagues, not neighbours probably not even family. I mean its only a matter of time before his mom comes out and says she knew he was a bad seed ever since he stole cookies from the pantry as a child or something like that.
So it got me thinking. Was he really that bad or is it just that bad news begets more bad news? Is there a serious attempt to tar and feather him one time or are people just finally not afraid to speak up about this alleged bully and criminal? Or does the real truth lie somewhere south of the picture being painted?
To me its interesting cause press stories on people usually follow two sorry three no make that four predictable angles in my opinion. There are the lovable loser, down on your luck stories. Then there are the stories where if you've done a good deed or achieved something memorable you are heralded for every good deed you've ever performed or every hardship you've ever overcome and almost anointed with sainthood. Then on the flip side if you do something bad well lord help ya cause like this Donaghy case they will blackball ya. And finally there are the fall from grace stories where they make it seem as if the rise was too good to be true and you had deep dark secrets and it was inevitable that you would end up on the dark path.
Also gets me wondering what would people say if I got into something bad. What would they dredge up from my past. What minor story would suddenly be embellished to make me more monster than man? Hmmm I can think of quite a few actually so maybe I best not to do anything wrong lol. Personally I'm hoping for a fall from grace story those are the coolest, hey I'd give them some help in writing my own. Course I'd have to do that rise to the top thing first. Naa forget it too much hard work lol.
Anyway its just something to think of.
Now this is a serious sports scandal anyway you look (bigger than Vick and the dogs in my opinion) at it but I'll leave it to the respected media to cover all the angles and implications of the issue and whether Game 3 Suns vs spurs was fixed and whether my Raptors won against Philli in the regular season or lost against the Nets in the playoffs because of Donaghy's meddling.
Naa, I'll leave all that alone.
What I do want to speak on is all of the reports about previous bad things this guy has done. Its like now that these betting accusations are in the open everyone is coming out saying this guy was never a good guy and finding more ways to tarnish his image. Its like that saying that implies that when you're down they will find a way to kick you even more.
Seriously I mean we've heard about how he was a big time gambler, stalked a neighbour's wife, called the police on a 6 year old, chased a postman in his car, cheated on his SATs and was generally a bad bad man. No one has a good word to say about this guy; not colleagues, not neighbours probably not even family. I mean its only a matter of time before his mom comes out and says she knew he was a bad seed ever since he stole cookies from the pantry as a child or something like that.
So it got me thinking. Was he really that bad or is it just that bad news begets more bad news? Is there a serious attempt to tar and feather him one time or are people just finally not afraid to speak up about this alleged bully and criminal? Or does the real truth lie somewhere south of the picture being painted?
To me its interesting cause press stories on people usually follow two sorry three no make that four predictable angles in my opinion. There are the lovable loser, down on your luck stories. Then there are the stories where if you've done a good deed or achieved something memorable you are heralded for every good deed you've ever performed or every hardship you've ever overcome and almost anointed with sainthood. Then on the flip side if you do something bad well lord help ya cause like this Donaghy case they will blackball ya. And finally there are the fall from grace stories where they make it seem as if the rise was too good to be true and you had deep dark secrets and it was inevitable that you would end up on the dark path.
Also gets me wondering what would people say if I got into something bad. What would they dredge up from my past. What minor story would suddenly be embellished to make me more monster than man? Hmmm I can think of quite a few actually so maybe I best not to do anything wrong lol. Personally I'm hoping for a fall from grace story those are the coolest, hey I'd give them some help in writing my own. Course I'd have to do that rise to the top thing first. Naa forget it too much hard work lol.
Anyway its just something to think of.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Addendum
Someone started a petition against Ms Siu. Good to see that someone in the community actually stepped up to say that she needs to be fired for her actions as I advocated last post.
Now we need to get some folks to sign the petition. Visit and sign and pass on the link to others.
Sign the petition here.
Now we need to get some folks to sign the petition. Visit and sign and pass on the link to others.
Sign the petition here.
Monday, July 23, 2007
By his deeds
- Shall a man be known
Racism still alive they just be concealing it
But I know they don't want me in the damn club
They even make me show I.D to get inside of Sam's club
Never get me down - Kanye West
Ok, tear last nights draft of this same post up and starts fresh.
I know there are probably more important things that I could be blogging about like how an 11 year old boy minding his own business caught a stray bullet in a gang shootout here in the T.dot on Saturday but ......
This one gets to me.
A young black man, U of T honors student, applying for a job with the Provincial government at Queens Park was apparently referred to as 'ghetto dude' by one staff member in an email to another. Only thing was they mistakenly cc'ed him on the email. Whoops!
This is taken from the Star's article last Saturday
That was it. One stark sentence.
"Ghetto dude? It means I'm black. It's very insulting," Reid told the Star yesterday. "It's still pretty shocking to me."
As he sees it, the email explains why he hasn't gotten a followup interview for a job as a media analyst. He applied July 3 but missed a July 10 call from Aileen Siu in the cabinet office.
Although he called her back and sent followup emails, there was no response. Until yesterday's email.
"Based on my resumé I deserved to be called, but I was not worthy of being called back once they heard my mother's voice and my voice," said Reid, 22. "She has a Jamaican accent and it's about the way I talk. There's a nuance."
Now I'm trying to figure out why this label was applied to this obviously educated young man with according to the report a stellar resume. Was he corresponding in ghetto slang replete with knowwhaimeans and knowhaisayings and fa sheezys? Did he arrive for his interview replete with bling and pimp cup? Sorry I'm not too sure what makes one ghetto so I'm making some assumptions here. Or was it just that Evon Reid is a young black man with dreadlocks and a Caribbean accent who happened to live in Malvern?
Now to be honest I'm not at all surprised as most black people can attest that degrees and accomplishments are not really what black folk are judged by. Nope its usually our skin color. Ok too general a statement? Well lets just say that racism is alive and well all over the world even gasp in this so called melting pot of multiculturalism that we call Toronto.
This ghetto dude comment just gives concrete proof, credence as you will, that some of the things that we as black people think regarding racism in this country are true. Not that we needed this to prove it but maybe it will open the eyes of some of the lesser enlightened who claim that we are playing race cards or trying to make everything about race.
And no everything isn't about race but some things clearly are. That's a fact of life that we as black folk acknowledge in our day to day dealings but some others don't seem to understand.
So now maybe when a black person says I didn't get the job because I was black maybe he/she wont be dismissed outright as just using a crutch to explain away their failures but someone will actually think wait a minute this person may actually have a legitimate complaint as at time they do. Not saying 100% of the time that's the truth but there are enough questions about hiring processes and race etc to make one stop and wonder. (Sort of like questionable calls by refs in the NBA and this betting scandal.)
Still regarding this comment one would and should expect better from our provincial government and its representatives (who by the way are all due a good rant by me for the piss poor way they have treated this city over the past few years). What type of impression are they giving of themselves with this type of comment?
Actually what it like most other forms of systemic racism that exists in this society is telling young black folk is that you do not count for much, you will be judged not on your character or achievements or potential, you will be judged solely on looks and race and we think that you are not up to par with the rest of society.
Well f.....orget you too! If I'm Evon right now I'm thinking this comment is somehow a breach of some fundamental charter or statute in this country where persons applying for jobs are not supposed to be judged by race, gender, religion, sexual orientation etc. If I don't get me an interview or a job offer I'm looking for a lawyer. Word!
But on the other hand if you do get that offer you're wondering well did I actually earn this or is this to appease the situation? Thank you provincial government you've just screwed up the psyche of another young brother. Its bad enough you got so many of them in jail but now you're targeting the few educated ones we have left. Great work. And then you sit back and wonder why so many black youth try to find illegal ways to make money and get involved in crime and drugs and shootings and that sort of stuff. Hmmmm.
Ok so like I said at the start there are probably more important things I could speak on but I think we need to talk about this comment. It was degrading to a young man who did nothing for which he should be degraded. It was totally uncalled for.
Yea it may be no Don Imus nappy headed hoes comment but its close. And I believe heads need to roll for this.
I'm sure Aileen Siu, the person who made the comment is regretting making it or rather regretting that she was found out. Did a quick check and saw her email address and work number plastered all over some blogs. I'm sure she ketching hell! And quite frankly she deserves it but I say she needs to be let go.
We may not have the so-called leaders that the African-American community in the US has but at the same time the black community needs to organize and protest this comment somehow. They'll claim we're over-reacting and maybe they'll have some points about other issues we could be protesting but I still say we cant let this comment be swept under the table. Someone needs to step up and say hey she did something wrong, she needs to be reprimanded.
No likkle phone apology from the Premier naa mek it!
Anything less than her firing is an additional slap in our face.
By his deeds shall a man be known not by his skin color or where he's from.
Mind you I'm sure they'll sweep this under the table, find a way to blame hip hop or BET somehow and life will go on as usual with other folks making ghetto dude snide remarks while black folk continue to get discriminated against as is the norm.
A so it a go!
Actually why even bother worrying about this. This is after all the the same society where a black politician two years ago advocated police randomly stopping black men from certain areas just because and where one could buy a couch in n**** brown so attacking the psyche of young black folks ain't nothing new.
Racism still alive they just be concealing it
But I know they don't want me in the damn club
They even make me show I.D to get inside of Sam's club
Never get me down - Kanye West
Ok, tear last nights draft of this same post up and starts fresh.
I know there are probably more important things that I could be blogging about like how an 11 year old boy minding his own business caught a stray bullet in a gang shootout here in the T.dot on Saturday but ......
This one gets to me.
A young black man, U of T honors student, applying for a job with the Provincial government at Queens Park was apparently referred to as 'ghetto dude' by one staff member in an email to another. Only thing was they mistakenly cc'ed him on the email. Whoops!
This is taken from the Star's article last Saturday
That was it. One stark sentence.
"Ghetto dude? It means I'm black. It's very insulting," Reid told the Star yesterday. "It's still pretty shocking to me."
As he sees it, the email explains why he hasn't gotten a followup interview for a job as a media analyst. He applied July 3 but missed a July 10 call from Aileen Siu in the cabinet office.
Although he called her back and sent followup emails, there was no response. Until yesterday's email.
"Based on my resumé I deserved to be called, but I was not worthy of being called back once they heard my mother's voice and my voice," said Reid, 22. "She has a Jamaican accent and it's about the way I talk. There's a nuance."
Now I'm trying to figure out why this label was applied to this obviously educated young man with according to the report a stellar resume. Was he corresponding in ghetto slang replete with knowwhaimeans and knowhaisayings and fa sheezys? Did he arrive for his interview replete with bling and pimp cup? Sorry I'm not too sure what makes one ghetto so I'm making some assumptions here. Or was it just that Evon Reid is a young black man with dreadlocks and a Caribbean accent who happened to live in Malvern?
Now to be honest I'm not at all surprised as most black people can attest that degrees and accomplishments are not really what black folk are judged by. Nope its usually our skin color. Ok too general a statement? Well lets just say that racism is alive and well all over the world even gasp in this so called melting pot of multiculturalism that we call Toronto.
This ghetto dude comment just gives concrete proof, credence as you will, that some of the things that we as black people think regarding racism in this country are true. Not that we needed this to prove it but maybe it will open the eyes of some of the lesser enlightened who claim that we are playing race cards or trying to make everything about race.
And no everything isn't about race but some things clearly are. That's a fact of life that we as black folk acknowledge in our day to day dealings but some others don't seem to understand.
So now maybe when a black person says I didn't get the job because I was black maybe he/she wont be dismissed outright as just using a crutch to explain away their failures but someone will actually think wait a minute this person may actually have a legitimate complaint as at time they do. Not saying 100% of the time that's the truth but there are enough questions about hiring processes and race etc to make one stop and wonder. (Sort of like questionable calls by refs in the NBA and this betting scandal.)
Still regarding this comment one would and should expect better from our provincial government and its representatives (who by the way are all due a good rant by me for the piss poor way they have treated this city over the past few years). What type of impression are they giving of themselves with this type of comment?
Actually what it like most other forms of systemic racism that exists in this society is telling young black folk is that you do not count for much, you will be judged not on your character or achievements or potential, you will be judged solely on looks and race and we think that you are not up to par with the rest of society.
Well f.....orget you too! If I'm Evon right now I'm thinking this comment is somehow a breach of some fundamental charter or statute in this country where persons applying for jobs are not supposed to be judged by race, gender, religion, sexual orientation etc. If I don't get me an interview or a job offer I'm looking for a lawyer. Word!
But on the other hand if you do get that offer you're wondering well did I actually earn this or is this to appease the situation? Thank you provincial government you've just screwed up the psyche of another young brother. Its bad enough you got so many of them in jail but now you're targeting the few educated ones we have left. Great work. And then you sit back and wonder why so many black youth try to find illegal ways to make money and get involved in crime and drugs and shootings and that sort of stuff. Hmmmm.
Ok so like I said at the start there are probably more important things I could speak on but I think we need to talk about this comment. It was degrading to a young man who did nothing for which he should be degraded. It was totally uncalled for.
Yea it may be no Don Imus nappy headed hoes comment but its close. And I believe heads need to roll for this.
I'm sure Aileen Siu, the person who made the comment is regretting making it or rather regretting that she was found out. Did a quick check and saw her email address and work number plastered all over some blogs. I'm sure she ketching hell! And quite frankly she deserves it but I say she needs to be let go.
We may not have the so-called leaders that the African-American community in the US has but at the same time the black community needs to organize and protest this comment somehow. They'll claim we're over-reacting and maybe they'll have some points about other issues we could be protesting but I still say we cant let this comment be swept under the table. Someone needs to step up and say hey she did something wrong, she needs to be reprimanded.
No likkle phone apology from the Premier naa mek it!
Anything less than her firing is an additional slap in our face.
By his deeds shall a man be known not by his skin color or where he's from.
Mind you I'm sure they'll sweep this under the table, find a way to blame hip hop or BET somehow and life will go on as usual with other folks making ghetto dude snide remarks while black folk continue to get discriminated against as is the norm.
A so it a go!
Actually why even bother worrying about this. This is after all the the same society where a black politician two years ago advocated police randomly stopping black men from certain areas just because and where one could buy a couch in n**** brown so attacking the psyche of young black folks ain't nothing new.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Camouflage Sundays aka War
My band is having a couple of blockos so just passing on this flyer. and for the record no I wont be playing this year.
Many have been asking if Afropan will be having their annual "Afropan and Friends Blocko". The answer is YES!
This Sunday we celebrate Camouflage Sunday's starting at 6pm at the foot of Jefferson Ave, just south of King, the band will be performing and some special guests have been invited too.
Year after year, it has grown bigger and better. Come and take a lime. Invite your friends and family. Oh by the way, for those of you who have never been to an Afropan Blocko-
IT'S FREE
This years presentation by Afropan is called "IS WAR". And if you wear any type of Army gear you might be honoured in the photo gallery of Afropan's website.
Many have been asking if Afropan will be having their annual "Afropan and Friends Blocko". The answer is YES!
This Sunday we celebrate Camouflage Sunday's starting at 6pm at the foot of Jefferson Ave, just south of King, the band will be performing and some special guests have been invited too.
Year after year, it has grown bigger and better. Come and take a lime. Invite your friends and family. Oh by the way, for those of you who have never been to an Afropan Blocko-
IT'S FREE
This years presentation by Afropan is called "IS WAR". And if you wear any type of Army gear you might be honoured in the photo gallery of Afropan's website.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Wedding video
So I went to my boy's wedding on Saturday. Pretty cool event if I do say so.
Came to the conclusion that men dressed up, especially in suits, are to women what women in bikinis are to men. Discuss amongst yourselves. That's my excuse for not wearing suits. I'm trying not to be a piece of meat, lol. :-)
Anyway, before the ceremony started, as the videographers and photogs set up their angles for all the wedding shots I had this conversation with my wife.
Me: hey what happened to our wedding photos anyway?
Wife: Oh they're upstairs in a box.
Me: Oh is the wedding video up there too?
Wife: No the video is downstairs in the den
Me: Oh Ok.
Wife: Don't tell me you want to finally watch the wedding video?
Me: Naa, why would I, I was there. Actually yea maybe I should watch it, see what really happened, get some perspective. You've watched it right?
Wife: No, why would I watch it? I was there. I don't want to watch it I know how the story ends. Its like Titanic, you know the ship's going to sink in the end so why watch it.
Maybe you'll get it, maybe not but it was really funny to me at the time.
Came to the conclusion that men dressed up, especially in suits, are to women what women in bikinis are to men. Discuss amongst yourselves. That's my excuse for not wearing suits. I'm trying not to be a piece of meat, lol. :-)
Anyway, before the ceremony started, as the videographers and photogs set up their angles for all the wedding shots I had this conversation with my wife.
Me: hey what happened to our wedding photos anyway?
Wife: Oh they're upstairs in a box.
Me: Oh is the wedding video up there too?
Wife: No the video is downstairs in the den
Me: Oh Ok.
Wife: Don't tell me you want to finally watch the wedding video?
Me: Naa, why would I, I was there. Actually yea maybe I should watch it, see what really happened, get some perspective. You've watched it right?
Wife: No, why would I watch it? I was there. I don't want to watch it I know how the story ends. Its like Titanic, you know the ship's going to sink in the end so why watch it.
Maybe you'll get it, maybe not but it was really funny to me at the time.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Good ol Satan Clause
ya wretch ya I ketch ya!
Isn't there an infinitely satisfying feeling when you can prove that someone is a moron. Ok maybe moron is a harsh word but lets just say doesn't it feel good to be able to bring some folk down a peg.
Like for a while you have this sneaking suspicion that someone is clueless but you just don't have the evidence for conviction. They throw their so-called competence at you, insisting to be heard and demanding respect but yet your spider sense is tingling like crazy saying something's not exactly what it seems like right here. They're trying to pull the wool over your eyes, they're bluffing, they are pretending to be what they are not.
You also get the impression that they are trying to pull themself up by making you look silly or by making a point about frivolous issues but you play along since you don't consider yourself infallible, above making a mistake, while simultaneously you play it off graciously thinking no big deal anyways or like Redman would say whatever man.
And then cue Ryan Toby singing oh happy day you finally have clear, convict-able in a court of law, irrefutable proof that they were wrong and you were right. Clouds part, sun shines, Angels on harps sing the Hallelujah chorus and you develop this really big smile which you have the hardest time hiding.
And while you may not actually be able to do a touchdown style celebration or a Tiger Woods fist pump and it would be wrong to cc everyone on the email you're sending which should start ' no ya blasted jackass' but unfortunately cannot since that's not proper and all, you do have this warm feeling deep down inside knowing that you know and they know you know that they messed up and their ego is now severely deflated
This must be how policemen feel when they bust a previously untouchable suspect.
How sweet it is! Now pardon me while I close my office door and do a Joe Hallenbeck jig.
"There's not much more to tell than that. Water's wet, the sky is blue and ol' Satan Clause, Jimmy, he's out there and he's just getting stronger." Joe Hallenbeck
Isn't there an infinitely satisfying feeling when you can prove that someone is a moron. Ok maybe moron is a harsh word but lets just say doesn't it feel good to be able to bring some folk down a peg.
Like for a while you have this sneaking suspicion that someone is clueless but you just don't have the evidence for conviction. They throw their so-called competence at you, insisting to be heard and demanding respect but yet your spider sense is tingling like crazy saying something's not exactly what it seems like right here. They're trying to pull the wool over your eyes, they're bluffing, they are pretending to be what they are not.
You also get the impression that they are trying to pull themself up by making you look silly or by making a point about frivolous issues but you play along since you don't consider yourself infallible, above making a mistake, while simultaneously you play it off graciously thinking no big deal anyways or like Redman would say whatever man.
And then cue Ryan Toby singing oh happy day you finally have clear, convict-able in a court of law, irrefutable proof that they were wrong and you were right. Clouds part, sun shines, Angels on harps sing the Hallelujah chorus and you develop this really big smile which you have the hardest time hiding.
And while you may not actually be able to do a touchdown style celebration or a Tiger Woods fist pump and it would be wrong to cc everyone on the email you're sending which should start ' no ya blasted jackass' but unfortunately cannot since that's not proper and all, you do have this warm feeling deep down inside knowing that you know and they know you know that they messed up and their ego is now severely deflated
This must be how policemen feel when they bust a previously untouchable suspect.
How sweet it is! Now pardon me while I close my office door and do a Joe Hallenbeck jig.
"There's not much more to tell than that. Water's wet, the sky is blue and ol' Satan Clause, Jimmy, he's out there and he's just getting stronger." Joe Hallenbeck
Sunday, July 08, 2007
07/07/07
So yesterday was 07/07/07. Sort of in the trend of 06/06/06 and 05/05/05 which passed by in previous years but somehow different.
For one 7 is that supposedly magical mystical number. 7 wonders of the world, God created the world in 7 days (well six but he did relax on the 7th), best of 7 finals, 7 days in a week, David was the 7th son of Jesse, 7 deadly sins, 7 sacraments, the number of heavens in Islamic tradition, the number of notes in a traditional musical scale (ignoring sharps and flats), number of Harry Potter books, 7 days of Kwanzaa, the name of Erykah Badu and Andre 3000's child. Ummm well you get the picture.
So many folks place a lot of power in the number 7.
Yesterday being 07/07/07, a once in a lifetime event and luckiest of all falling on a Saturday meant that there were a ton of weddings as everyone wanted to tie their nuptials on that special day. Eva Longoria finally made Tony Parker Mr Desperate Housewife in what was probably the most noted nuptials of the day but besides them they were literally thousands who got married yesterday. That's pretty cool....well as cool as weddings can be. I mean don't get me wrong its not that I don't like weddings its just that I find that without fail they lead to the onset of chronic cases of marriage which can be a debilitating disease from which many never recover. Anyway that's another blog.
All I'm asking is that say two years from now someone does a study to see how many of those 07/07/07 couples have survived and whether that day was indeed such a lucky day. It would be curious to see what the results are regarding their rate of attrition. Will the divorce rate be indeed lower? Did getting married on that special day somehow impart more into the marriage and I don't mean more debt.
I've got my own opinion on what the results will be but I'll keep them to myself.
For one 7 is that supposedly magical mystical number. 7 wonders of the world, God created the world in 7 days (well six but he did relax on the 7th), best of 7 finals, 7 days in a week, David was the 7th son of Jesse, 7 deadly sins, 7 sacraments, the number of heavens in Islamic tradition, the number of notes in a traditional musical scale (ignoring sharps and flats), number of Harry Potter books, 7 days of Kwanzaa, the name of Erykah Badu and Andre 3000's child. Ummm well you get the picture.
So many folks place a lot of power in the number 7.
Yesterday being 07/07/07, a once in a lifetime event and luckiest of all falling on a Saturday meant that there were a ton of weddings as everyone wanted to tie their nuptials on that special day. Eva Longoria finally made Tony Parker Mr Desperate Housewife in what was probably the most noted nuptials of the day but besides them they were literally thousands who got married yesterday. That's pretty cool....well as cool as weddings can be. I mean don't get me wrong its not that I don't like weddings its just that I find that without fail they lead to the onset of chronic cases of marriage which can be a debilitating disease from which many never recover. Anyway that's another blog.
All I'm asking is that say two years from now someone does a study to see how many of those 07/07/07 couples have survived and whether that day was indeed such a lucky day. It would be curious to see what the results are regarding their rate of attrition. Will the divorce rate be indeed lower? Did getting married on that special day somehow impart more into the marriage and I don't mean more debt.
I've got my own opinion on what the results will be but I'll keep them to myself.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Notes from the NBA Draft
As usual I camped out in front of my television last night to take in the annual NBA draft. This is like one of my all-time favourite sporting events and its not even an actual game. Its just so much fun to watch franchises pick up players in an attempt to rebuild or revive their chances at winning a title. Trades are made, some players are chosen based solely on upside and you wonder what drugs certain GMs are on or how many blind men are in their scouting department. Dick Vitale gets all excited (actually I have an idea in my head for a reality series with Dick Vitale and Chuck Swirsky, I'm telling you its the bomb son!) and Steven A Smith looking to all the world like Ludacris' long lost twin strategically potificates in the exact tones of certain black preachers like Al Sharpton. All in all a fun time is had by all.
Alas my Raptors didnt have a pick this year so I cannot complain about how they made the wrong choice again like I did when they took Bargnani last year (maybe thats why they never returned my phone call inquiring about a potential spot in the front office) but at the least I can still share my thoughts on last nights proceedings.
- The picture to the side is that of Joakim Noah, the number 9 pick to Chicago. All I have to say is why does the man look like he just escaped from a clown car? If he doesn't already have a nickname I'm pushing for Sideshow Noah. Man that suit alone should have dropped his stock out of the top 10. It'd be like and with the number 9 Chicago selects....., What the !!! Wait a second Whats that he's wearing? Seersucker? Oh hell no! No no no, time out, time out! Can we have a minute to rethink this pick.
- This draft has got to be one of the first I've ever seen where pretty much every pick in the top 11 or 12 went as predicted in most of the mock drafts. Pretty amazing actually.
- I think I'm going to like Greg Oden. He's hilarious without even trying plus the cat has his own blog.
- Portland traded Zach Randolph. So now you have a young big man core of Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge (last years number 2) and Channing Fyre. Great move except not one of these guys can put the ball in the basket. You just gave up your 20 point a night player who's going to put up the points. Maybe there will be long term gains but in the short run its going to be rough especially playing in the West. Still I guess the young guys will have to develop.
- New York picked up Zach Randolph and only gave up Stevie Franchise and Frye. Great move .......except Randolph and Eddy Curry have got to be the two laziest big men in the league. Offensively it'll be raining buckets from those two but your defense will be as porous as a strainer. Oh and you just traded the one cat in Channing Frye that was the key to any other trades you might have made. You think you're going to get Kobe by offering Renaldo Balkman? ummm no. Oh and you just added more money to your salaries as usual. Does New York have never emptying coffers or what?
- Oh and New York grabbing Randolph just puts a damper on all the happy New York trade rumours this season with Kobe, Jermaine O'Neal, Rashard Lewis, Kevin Garnett and every other big priced, big name free agent or disgruntled wannabee traded star. That sucks the fun out of everything. Boooo!
- Corey Brewer went #7 and is listed at 6'7" 185 lbs. In comparison I'm 6' 1" 185 lbs. I am nowhere close to being built, actually I'm on the slim bordering skinny side so just how skinny is this Corey Brewer guy if he is 6 inches taller than me and the same weight? I've heard about starving students but the man must be all skin, sinew and elbows either that or he has hollow bones.
- Michael Jordan pulled off the steal of the draft by trading his number 8 pick for Jason Richardson. And we said this guy wasn't a real GM. Guess this means Golden State is officially in the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes now!
- The Celtics traded for Jesus Shuttlesworth my bad I mean Ray 'He got Game' Allen. So now they have Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. That's like the Nets with Vince and Richard Jefferson except Boston doesn't have a Jason Kidd to get them the ball. You think Al Jefferson's going to develop when he's fighting for the ball with both Pierce and Allen? Way to go Boston!
-Atlanta drafted another top 10 big man. Hmmm don't they do this every year. Man this is like Deja Vu. At some point they're going to have to trade that glut of forwards.
- Chicago picked up Sideshow Noah to go along with Ben Wallace (I sense a crazy hair competition in the making), PJ Brown and Tyrus Thomas. 4 big power forwards who cant shoot worth a damn. You'll out-rebound every other team in the league but on offense why is the other team even bothering to guard your 4 and 5? I've got a trade for you. Chicago's got big men who play defense and rebound but cant score, New York's got big men that can score but don't play defense. Work with me here people.
- Milwaukeee drafted Chinese big man Yi Jianying (pronounced EE te-anne li-anne). The man has basically said he didn't want to play in Milwaukee (who would) so this could turn into a Steve Francis rejecting the Vancouver Grizzlies thing. Plus isn't he a 4? If he stays does this mean you have given up on Charlie V? If so can we have him back cause I'm still mad that the Raptors traded him last year even though I'll admit it worked out.
Alas my Raptors didnt have a pick this year so I cannot complain about how they made the wrong choice again like I did when they took Bargnani last year (maybe thats why they never returned my phone call inquiring about a potential spot in the front office) but at the least I can still share my thoughts on last nights proceedings.
- The picture to the side is that of Joakim Noah, the number 9 pick to Chicago. All I have to say is why does the man look like he just escaped from a clown car? If he doesn't already have a nickname I'm pushing for Sideshow Noah. Man that suit alone should have dropped his stock out of the top 10. It'd be like and with the number 9 Chicago selects....., What the !!! Wait a second Whats that he's wearing? Seersucker? Oh hell no! No no no, time out, time out! Can we have a minute to rethink this pick.- This draft has got to be one of the first I've ever seen where pretty much every pick in the top 11 or 12 went as predicted in most of the mock drafts. Pretty amazing actually.
- I think I'm going to like Greg Oden. He's hilarious without even trying plus the cat has his own blog.
- Portland traded Zach Randolph. So now you have a young big man core of Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge (last years number 2) and Channing Fyre. Great move except not one of these guys can put the ball in the basket. You just gave up your 20 point a night player who's going to put up the points. Maybe there will be long term gains but in the short run its going to be rough especially playing in the West. Still I guess the young guys will have to develop.
- New York picked up Zach Randolph and only gave up Stevie Franchise and Frye. Great move .......except Randolph and Eddy Curry have got to be the two laziest big men in the league. Offensively it'll be raining buckets from those two but your defense will be as porous as a strainer. Oh and you just traded the one cat in Channing Frye that was the key to any other trades you might have made. You think you're going to get Kobe by offering Renaldo Balkman? ummm no. Oh and you just added more money to your salaries as usual. Does New York have never emptying coffers or what?
- Oh and New York grabbing Randolph just puts a damper on all the happy New York trade rumours this season with Kobe, Jermaine O'Neal, Rashard Lewis, Kevin Garnett and every other big priced, big name free agent or disgruntled wannabee traded star. That sucks the fun out of everything. Boooo!
- Corey Brewer went #7 and is listed at 6'7" 185 lbs. In comparison I'm 6' 1" 185 lbs. I am nowhere close to being built, actually I'm on the slim bordering skinny side so just how skinny is this Corey Brewer guy if he is 6 inches taller than me and the same weight? I've heard about starving students but the man must be all skin, sinew and elbows either that or he has hollow bones.
- Michael Jordan pulled off the steal of the draft by trading his number 8 pick for Jason Richardson. And we said this guy wasn't a real GM. Guess this means Golden State is officially in the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes now!
- The Celtics traded for Jesus Shuttlesworth my bad I mean Ray 'He got Game' Allen. So now they have Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. That's like the Nets with Vince and Richard Jefferson except Boston doesn't have a Jason Kidd to get them the ball. You think Al Jefferson's going to develop when he's fighting for the ball with both Pierce and Allen? Way to go Boston!
-Atlanta drafted another top 10 big man. Hmmm don't they do this every year. Man this is like Deja Vu. At some point they're going to have to trade that glut of forwards.
- Chicago picked up Sideshow Noah to go along with Ben Wallace (I sense a crazy hair competition in the making), PJ Brown and Tyrus Thomas. 4 big power forwards who cant shoot worth a damn. You'll out-rebound every other team in the league but on offense why is the other team even bothering to guard your 4 and 5? I've got a trade for you. Chicago's got big men who play defense and rebound but cant score, New York's got big men that can score but don't play defense. Work with me here people.
- Milwaukeee drafted Chinese big man Yi Jianying (pronounced EE te-anne li-anne). The man has basically said he didn't want to play in Milwaukee (who would) so this could turn into a Steve Francis rejecting the Vancouver Grizzlies thing. Plus isn't he a 4? If he stays does this mean you have given up on Charlie V? If so can we have him back cause I'm still mad that the Raptors traded him last year even though I'll admit it worked out.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
King James Version
Ok, so this one is a bit late but it's been lurking in my head for weeks if that counts for anything.
The NBA playoffs are over, congrats to the San Antonio Spurs, and the NBA draft and silly season aka the off-season, where the trade rumors multiply almost exponentially on a daily basis, is upon us.
They say it was one of the most boring finals and that may be true not just because the Cleveland Cavs team was one of the weakest finalists in years but also because the vastly superior Spurs played down to their level and actually kept the series scores closer than they should have ever been. It could easily have been 4 straight complete blowouts if the Spurs had stayed focused instead of lapsing and allowing games 3 and 4 being as close as they were. The Spurs would play great in spurts, then realize they weren't playing against the Phoenix Suns or another elite team and start to coast on cruise control giving the Cavs a brief glimmer of hope and some viewers the belief that maybe the Cavs actually had a chance or were actually close to being an elite team.
I say not. As mentioned above the Cavs were one of the weakest teams I've ever seen in a finals. To be honest though Iverson's 76ers, finalists back in 2002 were probably as bad. Built around the same premise with a lone superstar and a complete bunch of scrubs they yet still managed to not get swept that series against theLakers of Shaq and Kobe. The complete single mindedness and resolute determination of Iverson managed to get them a lone win.
Well Lebron really ain't no Iverson ...yet in terms of willing a team to a win despite the game 5 heroics vs Detroit so his squad got swept.
Frankly, I blame this whole Cavs in the finals debacle all on the Chicago Bulls. If they had won that game against New Jersey on the last day of the season, the Cavs would have had a harder road to the finals playing Miami in the first round and possibly Detroit in the second and if they ever got that far Chicago in the conference finals. Plus my Raptors would have ended up playing the Wizards instead of New Jersey and might have actually made the second round. Damn you Chicago!. They (the Cavs ) would have never made it past all three of those teams. As it stands though they ended up having easy early round opponents in an injury depleted Washington and a so so New Jersey squad and then managed to get past a completely self destructing Detroit. Oh well Que Sera Que Sera!
What bugged me the most about the NBA finals though was not the standard of play on display but the premature coronation of Lebron James as the new King. I'll be honest I'm not his biggest fan so maybe I'm being a bit harsh and he was amazing in game 5 against the Pistons so maybe I should cut him some slack but.....
From the time the Cavs made the finals the talk was all about Lebron and his ascendancy. Yes I realize that the NBA needs or thinks they need that one uber-star, or superstar of superstars, for marketing purposes and its been devoid of one since Jordan took flight into the sunset over Washington a few years ago but why oh why must they keep trying to push force ripe superstars on us?
Lebron is good, possibly great even, but get over it people he is not Michael Jordan and he wasn't going to win against the Spurs. His willpower and mind state aren't there yet. He won against the Pistons or rather the Pistons lost mainly because the Pistons fell apart rather than any real supremacy of the Cavs squad. In the finals Tim Duncan and his crew of focused professionals were not about to let themselves fall apart and be upset like the Pistons were meaning the Lebrons just didn't stand a chance.
It was so annoying listening to the commentators push Lebron as the best thing since sliced bread when in truth they should have been telling us about how much help he really needs and how devoid of a second option his squad is, leaving everything on his broad but somewhat incapable shoulders (at least in the finals).
The commentators failed in this aspect hoping that he could somehow pull off the impossible against the Spurs. And when I say he I don't mean his team I literally mean he, Lebron, one man vs the Spurs because when you look at his teammates there wasn't much to write home about amongst the group. Marshall, Snow, Hughes, Ilguyskas, Gooden, Varejao etc are all bits and pieces players. Even the few who may have at earlier points in their career stepped up on other teams are now shells of themselves or perhaps overawed to be in Lebron's presence. In essence they sucked!
It was left to rookie Daniel Gibson to inject some life into the supporting cast and he really isn't that good.
But if the story is told truthfully and one really looks at the history of the NBA finals one gets a different story to what the numerous commentators were pushing. No matter what the hype NBA finals have never really been about one man.
Since Jordan has retired the teams that have won titles have won on the strength mainly of good all around teams anchored by a good if not great big man not anchored by solo swingman acts. The Spurs have Duncan and all stars in Ginobli and Parker, the three-peating Lakers had Shaq and Kobe, the Pistons had a starting 5 of potential all-stars including the two Wallaces up front even Wade although he was the superstar on the Miami Heat squad last year still had a decent enough Shaq and to a lesser extent Mourning to ease things for him a bit. The swingmen and guards may get all the glory and were integral parts but it wasn't a one man against a team thing. they all had competant big men teammates.
Then lets go back to the 90s, where as far as titles go the Pistons won one, Bulls won 6, Houston won 2 and Spurs one. Lets ignore the Spurs, Houston and Pistons wins since for the most part these teams fit the mould of the teams with good big men that have been winning in this decade and focus on Jordan's Bulls.
Jordans Bulls won 6 titles in the 90s broken up into two three-peats. There is no denying that Jordan was definitely a singular talent in his heyday but .......
The myth though is that on Jordan's strength alone his teams won their titles. Absolute hogwash! The Bulls knew the strength of having a team and especially of having excellent big men. Think about it. For the first three titles (91-93) pre-first retirement Jordan had a great swingman in perennial allstar Scottie Pippen, a decent point guard in BJ Armstrong and a premier rebounder and all defensive team power forward in Horace Grant along with decent role players like John Paxson, Stacey King and Bill Cartwright.
For his second batch of three championships (96-98) Jordan didn't exactly ride as solo as they would wish you to believe either. He had Pippen again, and a bit past his prime but still decent Ron Harper at point guard and one of the greatest rebounders of all time in Dennis Rodman, (ignore the off-court antics) at Power Forward. Then he had Tony Kukok, Steve Kerr, Bison Dele and other decent players.
Jordan was hardly playing one man against five here folks. Thats not to take anything away from his will and determination which were second to none in that era but lets just realize that its a myth to think that he was the only star on the court in a Bulls uniform when they won their titles. Bulls management was smart enough to surround him with, get this novel concept, a team something one hopes the Cavs management will clue into.
So I just wrote all that to say no matter how good Lebron is he will never win or rather it will be extremely difficult for him to win without a decent team supporting him and its wrong to accelerate his ascendacy and fill the airwaves with so much hyperbole when you know he and his squad still have quite a ways to go. Jordan for all his greatness could not have won with this asembled Cavs team. If you dont believe me look up the Jordan rules and see how hard it was for Jordan acting as one man army to get past the then dominant Detroit Pistons of Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. The myth that is Jordan will have you believing that he could accomplish the impossible and to some intent it almost appears thus, but the truth is as great as he was in order to win his championships he needed help. Help which management graciously provided.
The NBA playoffs are over, congrats to the San Antonio Spurs, and the NBA draft and silly season aka the off-season, where the trade rumors multiply almost exponentially on a daily basis, is upon us.
They say it was one of the most boring finals and that may be true not just because the Cleveland Cavs team was one of the weakest finalists in years but also because the vastly superior Spurs played down to their level and actually kept the series scores closer than they should have ever been. It could easily have been 4 straight complete blowouts if the Spurs had stayed focused instead of lapsing and allowing games 3 and 4 being as close as they were. The Spurs would play great in spurts, then realize they weren't playing against the Phoenix Suns or another elite team and start to coast on cruise control giving the Cavs a brief glimmer of hope and some viewers the belief that maybe the Cavs actually had a chance or were actually close to being an elite team.
I say not. As mentioned above the Cavs were one of the weakest teams I've ever seen in a finals. To be honest though Iverson's 76ers, finalists back in 2002 were probably as bad. Built around the same premise with a lone superstar and a complete bunch of scrubs they yet still managed to not get swept that series against theLakers of Shaq and Kobe. The complete single mindedness and resolute determination of Iverson managed to get them a lone win.
Well Lebron really ain't no Iverson ...yet in terms of willing a team to a win despite the game 5 heroics vs Detroit so his squad got swept.
Frankly, I blame this whole Cavs in the finals debacle all on the Chicago Bulls. If they had won that game against New Jersey on the last day of the season, the Cavs would have had a harder road to the finals playing Miami in the first round and possibly Detroit in the second and if they ever got that far Chicago in the conference finals. Plus my Raptors would have ended up playing the Wizards instead of New Jersey and might have actually made the second round. Damn you Chicago!. They (the Cavs ) would have never made it past all three of those teams. As it stands though they ended up having easy early round opponents in an injury depleted Washington and a so so New Jersey squad and then managed to get past a completely self destructing Detroit. Oh well Que Sera Que Sera!
What bugged me the most about the NBA finals though was not the standard of play on display but the premature coronation of Lebron James as the new King. I'll be honest I'm not his biggest fan so maybe I'm being a bit harsh and he was amazing in game 5 against the Pistons so maybe I should cut him some slack but.....From the time the Cavs made the finals the talk was all about Lebron and his ascendancy. Yes I realize that the NBA needs or thinks they need that one uber-star, or superstar of superstars, for marketing purposes and its been devoid of one since Jordan took flight into the sunset over Washington a few years ago but why oh why must they keep trying to push force ripe superstars on us?
Lebron is good, possibly great even, but get over it people he is not Michael Jordan and he wasn't going to win against the Spurs. His willpower and mind state aren't there yet. He won against the Pistons or rather the Pistons lost mainly because the Pistons fell apart rather than any real supremacy of the Cavs squad. In the finals Tim Duncan and his crew of focused professionals were not about to let themselves fall apart and be upset like the Pistons were meaning the Lebrons just didn't stand a chance.
It was so annoying listening to the commentators push Lebron as the best thing since sliced bread when in truth they should have been telling us about how much help he really needs and how devoid of a second option his squad is, leaving everything on his broad but somewhat incapable shoulders (at least in the finals).
The commentators failed in this aspect hoping that he could somehow pull off the impossible against the Spurs. And when I say he I don't mean his team I literally mean he, Lebron, one man vs the Spurs because when you look at his teammates there wasn't much to write home about amongst the group. Marshall, Snow, Hughes, Ilguyskas, Gooden, Varejao etc are all bits and pieces players. Even the few who may have at earlier points in their career stepped up on other teams are now shells of themselves or perhaps overawed to be in Lebron's presence. In essence they sucked!
It was left to rookie Daniel Gibson to inject some life into the supporting cast and he really isn't that good.
But if the story is told truthfully and one really looks at the history of the NBA finals one gets a different story to what the numerous commentators were pushing. No matter what the hype NBA finals have never really been about one man.Since Jordan has retired the teams that have won titles have won on the strength mainly of good all around teams anchored by a good if not great big man not anchored by solo swingman acts. The Spurs have Duncan and all stars in Ginobli and Parker, the three-peating Lakers had Shaq and Kobe, the Pistons had a starting 5 of potential all-stars including the two Wallaces up front even Wade although he was the superstar on the Miami Heat squad last year still had a decent enough Shaq and to a lesser extent Mourning to ease things for him a bit. The swingmen and guards may get all the glory and were integral parts but it wasn't a one man against a team thing. they all had competant big men teammates.
Then lets go back to the 90s, where as far as titles go the Pistons won one, Bulls won 6, Houston won 2 and Spurs one. Lets ignore the Spurs, Houston and Pistons wins since for the most part these teams fit the mould of the teams with good big men that have been winning in this decade and focus on Jordan's Bulls.
Jordans Bulls won 6 titles in the 90s broken up into two three-peats. There is no denying that Jordan was definitely a singular talent in his heyday but .......
The myth though is that on Jordan's strength alone his teams won their titles. Absolute hogwash! The Bulls knew the strength of having a team and especially of having excellent big men. Think about it. For the first three titles (91-93) pre-first retirement Jordan had a great swingman in perennial allstar Scottie Pippen, a decent point guard in BJ Armstrong and a premier rebounder and all defensive team power forward in Horace Grant along with decent role players like John Paxson, Stacey King and Bill Cartwright.
For his second batch of three championships (96-98) Jordan didn't exactly ride as solo as they would wish you to believe either. He had Pippen again, and a bit past his prime but still decent Ron Harper at point guard and one of the greatest rebounders of all time in Dennis Rodman, (ignore the off-court antics) at Power Forward. Then he had Tony Kukok, Steve Kerr, Bison Dele and other decent players.
Jordan was hardly playing one man against five here folks. Thats not to take anything away from his will and determination which were second to none in that era but lets just realize that its a myth to think that he was the only star on the court in a Bulls uniform when they won their titles. Bulls management was smart enough to surround him with, get this novel concept, a team something one hopes the Cavs management will clue into.
So I just wrote all that to say no matter how good Lebron is he will never win or rather it will be extremely difficult for him to win without a decent team supporting him and its wrong to accelerate his ascendacy and fill the airwaves with so much hyperbole when you know he and his squad still have quite a ways to go. Jordan for all his greatness could not have won with this asembled Cavs team. If you dont believe me look up the Jordan rules and see how hard it was for Jordan acting as one man army to get past the then dominant Detroit Pistons of Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. The myth that is Jordan will have you believing that he could accomplish the impossible and to some intent it almost appears thus, but the truth is as great as he was in order to win his championships he needed help. Help which management graciously provided.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Why
Discuss amongst yourselves.
A New Zealand couple want to name their child 4real. The authorities thankfully blocked it. Cause ya know if this went through the flood gates are open and children names getting even more ridiculous.
An Indian doctor allowed his 15 year old son to perform a C-section on a patient because he wanted the boy to get into the Guinness book of World Records. All I'm saying is that woman had to be alone and seriously drugged up or stupid cause I know I wasn't letting no 15 year old operate on anyone that family to me.
Anyway the world has gone mad. That's all for now folk.
A New Zealand couple want to name their child 4real. The authorities thankfully blocked it. Cause ya know if this went through the flood gates are open and children names getting even more ridiculous.
An Indian doctor allowed his 15 year old son to perform a C-section on a patient because he wanted the boy to get into the Guinness book of World Records. All I'm saying is that woman had to be alone and seriously drugged up or stupid cause I know I wasn't letting no 15 year old operate on anyone that family to me.
Anyway the world has gone mad. That's all for now folk.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The real black Frank White
Nope it wasn't Biggie and he wasn't the King of New York. (in case you're not familiar Christopher Wallace aka Notorious B.I.G also went by the nickname Frank White after the character in the movie King of New York)
Read this yahoo excerpt:
A man widely believed to be the model for the smiling chef on Cream of Wheat boxes finally has a grave marker bearing his name.
Frank L. White died in 1938, and until this week, his grave in Woodlawn Cemetery bore only a tiny concrete marker with no name. ..........He discovered that White was born about 1867 in Barbados, came to the U.S. in 1875 and became a citizen in 1890.
So wait you mean the Cream of Wheat man was bajan? Good for him, way to go!
But you know as with all discoveries this just led to more and more questions since that article really didn't tell us too much about the man.
Anyway me and my friend Bajansistren end up having a serious discussion as to who this Frank White fella really was and after some digging and research we come up with a fictional account of the late great Frank White and well since I already big up Uncle Ben and he wasn't bajan well why not Mr Cream of Wheat right?
The account is as follows:
Frank Lionel White also known as Frankie or Sprats was born in Barbados on May 21st 1867. The second son of Ernesta and Rufus White of Eagle Hall Cross Roads, Frank was a precocious child, or to be more specific and bajan; he did real, real hardears!
Times were tough for the White household as Rufus was without a trade, having been let go from several apprenticeship positions for playing the fool on the job, and now refused to work in the cane fields claiming "he really couldn't deal with all dat hard work and sweating up heself". Meanwhile poor Ernesta kept on getting pregnant year after year. Frank was the fifth child of that union.
Rufus was a dreamer. Big dreamer. He had nuff talk about opening his own business and becoming rich enough to buy 40 acres of land that he could pass on to his offspring. He was however getting desperate as the bajan landscape didn't seem to offer him enough scope to advance as a black man with limited skills.
So Rufus decided to seek his fortune in America! Ernesta protested but given the choice between raising 5 children on her own in Barbados or following Rufus and his crazy scheme to New York she followed.
In America, New York to be exact, times were rough. What with the acclimatisation to big city life and the cold, the entire family regretted the move initially. People there were strange and it was every man jack for himself. They found it especially difficult to adjust to the coldness of the people there. In Barbados, they were accustomed to friendly neighbours who might even offer them an extra breadfruit or ground provisions if they could spare it but in New York the next door neighbour might not even respond to something as simple as a call of good marning.
It was quite eye opening for the White family. ..........
Anyway let me fast forward to the section about Frank and the Cream of Wheat business.
Bajan historians have long pondered and asked (well long as in since last week when we find out the Cream of Wheat man was bajan) the question why wasn't more known about Frank and his exploits? It was especially difficult for black folks to get ahead back then so a man of such importance back in that day should have been feted and honored. It wasn't like Black people was on the cover of every box of food back then ya kno!. Uncle Ben was still a lad feeding rice grains to chickens in he mudda back yard and Aunt Jemima was simply Jemima, then a half foolishy girl, still knocking around the village waiting for her obzocky sister Clotilda to have some children so somebody would call she auntie.
So why wasn't Frank well known? I mean if his story had been told earlier who knows he could have even made the Bajan Heroes list.
Numerous theories abound.
Some have speculated that Frank was actually not the man on the cover of the Cream of Wheat box but extensive research and comparison of other known photos of Frank to the Cream of Wheat box seem to conclusively prove that he is in fact the model for that image.
Many other have speculated that Frank was actually not a bajan but had been mistaken for one when an inquisitive newspaper journalist from the Chicago Herald overheard him using the word "pieca poppit" not knowing that Frank had picked up that phrase as well as others such as "ruff dry", "poo sharking" and "backtofront" from an ex girlfriend in New York, Clemantina Small originally from Chimboraza in St Joseph, Barbados.
There was also a theory floating around which had recently gained steam that Frank had been a field hand who had run away from the initial farm labor program and was illegal in the U.S but our research showed that this was false as there is extensive proof to show that he had indeed arrived in 1875 with Rufus, Ernesta and four siblings.
Well we are now able to put all the rumor and speculation to rest. Here is the true story!
After extensive digging of our own we are proud to report that Frank was indeed bajan. Our research however exposed the fact that Mr White sadly was an illegal immigrant in the US. His father, Rufus, had simply told authorities that they were on a shopping trip to New York and the family had never left after their two week visitors visa was up, moving from residence to residence to avoid immigration authorities.
When this revelation about the White family was announced speculation abounded that the good folk at Cream of Wheat in an act of generosity has sponsored Frank for his Green card. Sadly this is not true and Frank spent all of his days in the US as an illegal alien.
How did Frank end up on the cover of the Cream of Wheat box you ask? Well the truth of the matter is that Frank had unwittingly allowed his image to be captured by a roadside artist not knowing his plans for the drawings. After later asking and finding out what the artist's plans were a terrified Frank had pleaded with one Abraham S Johnson, the freelance artist working on behalf of Cream of Wheat to not submit his image as he didn't want it to become well known.
Johnson, a reasonable man, agreed to Frank's request and instead submitted another image, that of one Phillip Augustus Monroe (PAM), a white Anglo Saxon from Lower Manhattan to the company for publishing but upper management were not too keen on Monroe's look owing to the lazy eye which Johnson's image had maybe a bit too accurately captured.
Archives do show that a few hundred boxes were created with Monroe's image on the cover but the company horrified at the look shipped them all off to feed troops stationed in East Borneo. So few of the PAM boxes remain that some believe there are a myth. However serious cereal box collectors know that those boxes did exist and PAM boxes are considered an extremely rare and valuable collectible today.
So Johnson still trying to make some money and salvage something out of the debacle of the PAM boxes reneged on his word to Frank and eventually submitted his image. It was universally loved by the company and Frank White's image became synonymous with the Cream of Wheat brand in a short space of time.
In light of this Frank beat a hasty retreat after that disappearing for years at a time reappearing every now and then with a beard or a moustache or anything that would not cause him to be directly identified with the Cream of Wheat man.
There is more about how Frank avoided the immigration authorities but I wont go into it here.
These revelations about Mr Frank White all make sense though because historians were always bothered by certain details of the story. They were always flummoxed and puzzled as to what kind of Bajan would achieve an honour like being on the cover of the Cream of Wheat box and not shout down the whole world to let them know he had arrived. It just did not make any sort of sense given what bajan people are like. This was one of the reasons that had given rise to the speculation that Frank wasn't bajan.
No bajans like to talk and big up themselves nuff. And even if Frank hadn't used his new found celebrity to pick up girls or held some sort of big fete in celebration at the very least his proud mother Ernesta would have written a letter or two home to some of the relations to let them know that lil hardears Frank turn into a somebody and she was real, real proud! From there it would only have been a matter of time before family like third cousin twice removed Gerald Carter was pontificating on Frank's achievements at a local rum shop in an attempt to get a free white rum or two from some of the regulars and so on and so on until Frank's fame would have been known island wide.
No Frank was clearly hiding something and that is why his story went unknown for so many years. He was in fact on the run from immigration and he truly regretted letting Johnson take that image for the Cream of Wheat box for the rest of his life.
Anyway if you are anxious to learn more about Frank L White and other stalwarts of the cereal business please buy my upcoming text Cream of Wheat, Rice Pudding and Corn Meal Pap - Ma wha fa eat available at Chapters, Barnes & Nobles and other bookstores near you.
Read this yahoo excerpt:
A man widely believed to be the model for the smiling chef on Cream of Wheat boxes finally has a grave marker bearing his name.
Frank L. White died in 1938, and until this week, his grave in Woodlawn Cemetery bore only a tiny concrete marker with no name. ..........He discovered that White was born about 1867 in Barbados, came to the U.S. in 1875 and became a citizen in 1890.
So wait you mean the Cream of Wheat man was bajan? Good for him, way to go!
But you know as with all discoveries this just led to more and more questions since that article really didn't tell us too much about the man.
Anyway me and my friend Bajansistren end up having a serious discussion as to who this Frank White fella really was and after some digging and research we come up with a fictional account of the late great Frank White and well since I already big up Uncle Ben and he wasn't bajan well why not Mr Cream of Wheat right?
The account is as follows:
Frank Lionel White also known as Frankie or Sprats was born in Barbados on May 21st 1867. The second son of Ernesta and Rufus White of Eagle Hall Cross Roads, Frank was a precocious child, or to be more specific and bajan; he did real, real hardears!
Times were tough for the White household as Rufus was without a trade, having been let go from several apprenticeship positions for playing the fool on the job, and now refused to work in the cane fields claiming "he really couldn't deal with all dat hard work and sweating up heself". Meanwhile poor Ernesta kept on getting pregnant year after year. Frank was the fifth child of that union.
Rufus was a dreamer. Big dreamer. He had nuff talk about opening his own business and becoming rich enough to buy 40 acres of land that he could pass on to his offspring. He was however getting desperate as the bajan landscape didn't seem to offer him enough scope to advance as a black man with limited skills.
So Rufus decided to seek his fortune in America! Ernesta protested but given the choice between raising 5 children on her own in Barbados or following Rufus and his crazy scheme to New York she followed.
In America, New York to be exact, times were rough. What with the acclimatisation to big city life and the cold, the entire family regretted the move initially. People there were strange and it was every man jack for himself. They found it especially difficult to adjust to the coldness of the people there. In Barbados, they were accustomed to friendly neighbours who might even offer them an extra breadfruit or ground provisions if they could spare it but in New York the next door neighbour might not even respond to something as simple as a call of good marning.
It was quite eye opening for the White family. ..........
Anyway let me fast forward to the section about Frank and the Cream of Wheat business.
Bajan historians have long pondered and asked (well long as in since last week when we find out the Cream of Wheat man was bajan) the question why wasn't more known about Frank and his exploits? It was especially difficult for black folks to get ahead back then so a man of such importance back in that day should have been feted and honored. It wasn't like Black people was on the cover of every box of food back then ya kno!. Uncle Ben was still a lad feeding rice grains to chickens in he mudda back yard and Aunt Jemima was simply Jemima, then a half foolishy girl, still knocking around the village waiting for her obzocky sister Clotilda to have some children so somebody would call she auntie.
So why wasn't Frank well known? I mean if his story had been told earlier who knows he could have even made the Bajan Heroes list.
Numerous theories abound.
Some have speculated that Frank was actually not the man on the cover of the Cream of Wheat box but extensive research and comparison of other known photos of Frank to the Cream of Wheat box seem to conclusively prove that he is in fact the model for that image.
Many other have speculated that Frank was actually not a bajan but had been mistaken for one when an inquisitive newspaper journalist from the Chicago Herald overheard him using the word "pieca poppit" not knowing that Frank had picked up that phrase as well as others such as "ruff dry", "poo sharking" and "backtofront" from an ex girlfriend in New York, Clemantina Small originally from Chimboraza in St Joseph, Barbados.
There was also a theory floating around which had recently gained steam that Frank had been a field hand who had run away from the initial farm labor program and was illegal in the U.S but our research showed that this was false as there is extensive proof to show that he had indeed arrived in 1875 with Rufus, Ernesta and four siblings.
Well we are now able to put all the rumor and speculation to rest. Here is the true story!
After extensive digging of our own we are proud to report that Frank was indeed bajan. Our research however exposed the fact that Mr White sadly was an illegal immigrant in the US. His father, Rufus, had simply told authorities that they were on a shopping trip to New York and the family had never left after their two week visitors visa was up, moving from residence to residence to avoid immigration authorities.
When this revelation about the White family was announced speculation abounded that the good folk at Cream of Wheat in an act of generosity has sponsored Frank for his Green card. Sadly this is not true and Frank spent all of his days in the US as an illegal alien.
How did Frank end up on the cover of the Cream of Wheat box you ask? Well the truth of the matter is that Frank had unwittingly allowed his image to be captured by a roadside artist not knowing his plans for the drawings. After later asking and finding out what the artist's plans were a terrified Frank had pleaded with one Abraham S Johnson, the freelance artist working on behalf of Cream of Wheat to not submit his image as he didn't want it to become well known.
Johnson, a reasonable man, agreed to Frank's request and instead submitted another image, that of one Phillip Augustus Monroe (PAM), a white Anglo Saxon from Lower Manhattan to the company for publishing but upper management were not too keen on Monroe's look owing to the lazy eye which Johnson's image had maybe a bit too accurately captured.
Archives do show that a few hundred boxes were created with Monroe's image on the cover but the company horrified at the look shipped them all off to feed troops stationed in East Borneo. So few of the PAM boxes remain that some believe there are a myth. However serious cereal box collectors know that those boxes did exist and PAM boxes are considered an extremely rare and valuable collectible today.
So Johnson still trying to make some money and salvage something out of the debacle of the PAM boxes reneged on his word to Frank and eventually submitted his image. It was universally loved by the company and Frank White's image became synonymous with the Cream of Wheat brand in a short space of time.
In light of this Frank beat a hasty retreat after that disappearing for years at a time reappearing every now and then with a beard or a moustache or anything that would not cause him to be directly identified with the Cream of Wheat man.
There is more about how Frank avoided the immigration authorities but I wont go into it here.
These revelations about Mr Frank White all make sense though because historians were always bothered by certain details of the story. They were always flummoxed and puzzled as to what kind of Bajan would achieve an honour like being on the cover of the Cream of Wheat box and not shout down the whole world to let them know he had arrived. It just did not make any sort of sense given what bajan people are like. This was one of the reasons that had given rise to the speculation that Frank wasn't bajan.
No bajans like to talk and big up themselves nuff. And even if Frank hadn't used his new found celebrity to pick up girls or held some sort of big fete in celebration at the very least his proud mother Ernesta would have written a letter or two home to some of the relations to let them know that lil hardears Frank turn into a somebody and she was real, real proud! From there it would only have been a matter of time before family like third cousin twice removed Gerald Carter was pontificating on Frank's achievements at a local rum shop in an attempt to get a free white rum or two from some of the regulars and so on and so on until Frank's fame would have been known island wide.
No Frank was clearly hiding something and that is why his story went unknown for so many years. He was in fact on the run from immigration and he truly regretted letting Johnson take that image for the Cream of Wheat box for the rest of his life.
Anyway if you are anxious to learn more about Frank L White and other stalwarts of the cereal business please buy my upcoming text Cream of Wheat, Rice Pudding and Corn Meal Pap - Ma wha fa eat available at Chapters, Barnes & Nobles and other bookstores near you.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Crazy Kid
Happy Fathers Day
Overheard at Barbados on the Water yesterday.
"I would really like to know who he owner is doah. Chupse! Running up and down the place so. This is the third time he almost lik me down. He want sum good liks!"
Overheard at Barbados on the Water yesterday.
"I would really like to know who he owner is doah. Chupse! Running up and down the place so. This is the third time he almost lik me down. He want sum good liks!"
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Stranger than Fiction
Two strange stories caught my attention on Monday. Not sure if you heard about them but I thought if you didn't then I'd share.
The first one related to the death of a female athlete due to an overdose of anti-inflammatory cream. In other words the young lady died from using too much Bengay.
Dr. Ronald Grelsamer of Mount Sinai Medical Center said Newman had a very abnormal amount of methyl salicylate in her body.
"She either lathered herself with it, or used way too much, or she used a normal amount and an abnormal percentage was absorbed into her body," he said.
Its a sad story but at the same time I just find myself asking the question how much Bengay does one need to rub down with in order to O.D on that stuff. I mean she must have been bathing or swimming in that chemical or something. They said she was using like three different products with the chemical in it. I'm thinking ya know if you need to use that much of the stuff on your aching muscles then its probably safer to just stop doing whatever is making them ache so much until your body can heal on its own.
The second story relates to two officials in China who got jailed after they allowed a blind contractor to construct a bridge which eventually fell down.
Huh! Blind contractor? OK now my first thought was if ya was a crooked politician trying to siphon off some funds for your pocket you could at least come up with something better than a blind contractor as an excuse for why the bridge fall down. I mean if ya need some help I'm sure one of those crooked poli-trick-sions we got in the Caribbean could give ya a tip or two.
Then the next question was the obvious. But wait how he could be building a bridge if he blind? I mean even if the man did name Matt Murdock or he was having Inner Visions like Stevie this still wouldn't make any sense.
I mean I know they say if you lose one sense the others become sharper but still! I mean if every blind man could build a bridge then that would got to be real easy to do.
Plus this situation just gives rise to so many questions? Does he check all the work by touch? Did he just become recently blind? If so did he do this work before the incident of blindness set in? How easy is it to slack off if he's your boss on the construction site? Was he born blind and just using his imagination to construct the bridge like "in my mind this is what I think a bridge should look like and he really constructing a tunnel or something so and no one ain't feel to tell him different."
Seriously have you ever heard anything as crazy as this?
The first one related to the death of a female athlete due to an overdose of anti-inflammatory cream. In other words the young lady died from using too much Bengay.
Dr. Ronald Grelsamer of Mount Sinai Medical Center said Newman had a very abnormal amount of methyl salicylate in her body.
"She either lathered herself with it, or used way too much, or she used a normal amount and an abnormal percentage was absorbed into her body," he said.
Its a sad story but at the same time I just find myself asking the question how much Bengay does one need to rub down with in order to O.D on that stuff. I mean she must have been bathing or swimming in that chemical or something. They said she was using like three different products with the chemical in it. I'm thinking ya know if you need to use that much of the stuff on your aching muscles then its probably safer to just stop doing whatever is making them ache so much until your body can heal on its own.
The second story relates to two officials in China who got jailed after they allowed a blind contractor to construct a bridge which eventually fell down.
Huh! Blind contractor? OK now my first thought was if ya was a crooked politician trying to siphon off some funds for your pocket you could at least come up with something better than a blind contractor as an excuse for why the bridge fall down. I mean if ya need some help I'm sure one of those crooked poli-trick-sions we got in the Caribbean could give ya a tip or two.
Then the next question was the obvious. But wait how he could be building a bridge if he blind? I mean even if the man did name Matt Murdock or he was having Inner Visions like Stevie this still wouldn't make any sense.
I mean I know they say if you lose one sense the others become sharper but still! I mean if every blind man could build a bridge then that would got to be real easy to do.
Plus this situation just gives rise to so many questions? Does he check all the work by touch? Did he just become recently blind? If so did he do this work before the incident of blindness set in? How easy is it to slack off if he's your boss on the construction site? Was he born blind and just using his imagination to construct the bridge like "in my mind this is what I think a bridge should look like and he really constructing a tunnel or something so and no one ain't feel to tell him different."
Seriously have you ever heard anything as crazy as this?
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