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.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)