Monday, October 17, 2011
The Jamaican Economy
Change our reserves to gold or something, to hell with the dollar it's in its final days as you ought to know!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Romain Virgo's "Rich in Love"
A cute song with lyrics that cuts against the grains of the lacklustre filth that Jamaicans have come to accept as the art of music. Lyrics are a little too "pop" for my liking but it gets a passing grade in my book. Congrats Romain Virgo for once again putting out music that is a welcome deviation from the mediocrity Jamaicans are taking in on the airwaves.
The song apparently seems to be about a black "ghetto-dwelling" kid who has finally hit it big by getting a beautiful non-ghetto dwelling girl who apparently is well-to-do and even drives a cute yellow Mini Cooper. No easy feat for any average girl. He goes on to introduce her to his community by painting to her a picture of what any ghetto in Jamaica would be like and the cliches abound, the mackerel, dumpling and butter etc. She then reluctantly agrees to drop by, obviously after much vacillating and uncertainty and no doubt insisting on Romain's part. He doesn't fail to mention that "the war done" so apparently its safe for her to pay him a visit.
That said, we see this obviously non-dark long-haired "beauty" whom he serenades (as he is apparently good at doing). The ghetto folks seem to welcome her hallowed presence among them. Their is much merry-making and jollification as a result of her being there.
Isn't it interesting how we as Jamaicans (of 90% black descent) look at the colour of our skins and where we are from to use these factors to categorise and marginalise ourselves voluntarily. We are all one people and we are equal and nobody should be viewed in a lesser or greater light due to where we are from and especially our skin complexion. Each shade lighter a person is, each degree straighter and each millimeter longer our hair is (especially our women) pushes us up one notch on the scale of respect and self-worth in our society - it hurts! I'm sure (I hope) that Romain had nothing to do with the casting and the direction of the video. However, due to the fact that Jamaicans are oft prone to cutting corners, taking the easy way out and shy away from thinking outside the box, it was almost automatic that such a girl would have been chosen for the video and it would have been filmed in that setting. We can sometimes go against the grains and dare to be different the worst that can happen is failure and that has never killed anybody. But looking at it from another angle one will see the possibility of being looked at as an innovator. Be different think outside the box and don't fail to not cut corners. Then success is almost guaranteed as long as your approach is not half-assed and is based on at least basic talent.
The song apparently seems to be about a black "ghetto-dwelling" kid who has finally hit it big by getting a beautiful non-ghetto dwelling girl who apparently is well-to-do and even drives a cute yellow Mini Cooper. No easy feat for any average girl. He goes on to introduce her to his community by painting to her a picture of what any ghetto in Jamaica would be like and the cliches abound, the mackerel, dumpling and butter etc. She then reluctantly agrees to drop by, obviously after much vacillating and uncertainty and no doubt insisting on Romain's part. He doesn't fail to mention that "the war done" so apparently its safe for her to pay him a visit.
That said, we see this obviously non-dark long-haired "beauty" whom he serenades (as he is apparently good at doing). The ghetto folks seem to welcome her hallowed presence among them. Their is much merry-making and jollification as a result of her being there.
Isn't it interesting how we as Jamaicans (of 90% black descent) look at the colour of our skins and where we are from to use these factors to categorise and marginalise ourselves voluntarily. We are all one people and we are equal and nobody should be viewed in a lesser or greater light due to where we are from and especially our skin complexion. Each shade lighter a person is, each degree straighter and each millimeter longer our hair is (especially our women) pushes us up one notch on the scale of respect and self-worth in our society - it hurts! I'm sure (I hope) that Romain had nothing to do with the casting and the direction of the video. However, due to the fact that Jamaicans are oft prone to cutting corners, taking the easy way out and shy away from thinking outside the box, it was almost automatic that such a girl would have been chosen for the video and it would have been filmed in that setting. We can sometimes go against the grains and dare to be different the worst that can happen is failure and that has never killed anybody. But looking at it from another angle one will see the possibility of being looked at as an innovator. Be different think outside the box and don't fail to not cut corners. Then success is almost guaranteed as long as your approach is not half-assed and is based on at least basic talent.
Waste Indies Cricket
Jamaica has a team right now that is way better than any eleven the Waste Indies could ever haul together! Is it me or is the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sabotaging Jamaicans. Watching the usual collapse of the Waste Indies with India, and the crowd in the infamous (infamous because the Great Brian Charles Lara set a record there - hope you sense my sarcasm) Queens Park Oval was a paltry collection of idlers (as they are oft to do) and the dolt of a commentator called that a "good crowd." Well I guess it's good since of late the followers of Waste Indies Cricket have all fallen off the bandwagon.
Anyway, the Trinis have gotten the matches they want and Sabina Park got a test match that starts on a Monday (and the WICB complains about Jamaicans not supporting the cricket). doesn't that smack of sabotage? The Trinis and Bajans have gotten all the matches they want and we get a weekday match - interesting. The Waste Indies Board chooses to drop the Jamaicans that play, I guess they don't want to have too many Jamaicans in the team (we have been doing too well, they want all the glory).
Another Question: why in God's name is Kieron Pollard in the team? His form has been lackluster when he's at his best. Lendl Simmonds hasn't been doing too badly but he needs to grow a brain and stop playing like the illiterat under 17s of two or three years ago (I wonder if they are the ones in the current team, or better yet, running the Waste Indies Board - food for thought). They are all idiots in the side and the Jamaicans in that disrespect are all traitors they should be hanged!
Jamaicans need to grow a backbone and leave Waste Indies Cricket, put a team together to show the little illiterate boys of The Waste Indies Team and the Board how gentlemen play the sport. We are getting no respect whatsoever from the board all tun by members of academia (Dr. This and Professor That). They obviously have fallen for the fallacy that many a learned man and woman have in their minds that once they have a letter - any letter behind their name that gives them the capacity to be an esteemed source of insight and opinion on any topic. News Flash - go back to Cave Hill and St. Augustine and lecture in the subject area that you were trained to - not cricket!!! Look what your intellectual prowesses have done to West Indies Cricket! We need to see cricketers in and running the team, not Doctors and Lawyers and Professors in Feminine Studies (unless you were a cricketer - a good one at that). Jimmy Adams is now a Doctor I would be a lot comfortable if that "Doctor" was head of the Board. Anyway, enough of my ranting.
Many a honourable man would have resigned if every thing he put his mind to turned to excrement resulting in the constant disappointment of The West Indies People. You wonder why we have grown to hate cricket - nobody likes to be disappointed every time. The Team constantly manages to get our hopes up and never fails to dash them against the rocks by skillfully snatching defeat from the jaws of certain victory as if that is what they are being paid to do. They play with the resolve of a champion - a champion in the sport of playing to lose. Parodoxical but in the true essence of the term the truth belies.
Anyway, the Trinis have gotten the matches they want and Sabina Park got a test match that starts on a Monday (and the WICB complains about Jamaicans not supporting the cricket). doesn't that smack of sabotage? The Trinis and Bajans have gotten all the matches they want and we get a weekday match - interesting. The Waste Indies Board chooses to drop the Jamaicans that play, I guess they don't want to have too many Jamaicans in the team (we have been doing too well, they want all the glory).
Another Question: why in God's name is Kieron Pollard in the team? His form has been lackluster when he's at his best. Lendl Simmonds hasn't been doing too badly but he needs to grow a brain and stop playing like the illiterat under 17s of two or three years ago (I wonder if they are the ones in the current team, or better yet, running the Waste Indies Board - food for thought). They are all idiots in the side and the Jamaicans in that disrespect are all traitors they should be hanged!
Jamaicans need to grow a backbone and leave Waste Indies Cricket, put a team together to show the little illiterate boys of The Waste Indies Team and the Board how gentlemen play the sport. We are getting no respect whatsoever from the board all tun by members of academia (Dr. This and Professor That). They obviously have fallen for the fallacy that many a learned man and woman have in their minds that once they have a letter - any letter behind their name that gives them the capacity to be an esteemed source of insight and opinion on any topic. News Flash - go back to Cave Hill and St. Augustine and lecture in the subject area that you were trained to - not cricket!!! Look what your intellectual prowesses have done to West Indies Cricket! We need to see cricketers in and running the team, not Doctors and Lawyers and Professors in Feminine Studies (unless you were a cricketer - a good one at that). Jimmy Adams is now a Doctor I would be a lot comfortable if that "Doctor" was head of the Board. Anyway, enough of my ranting.
Many a honourable man would have resigned if every thing he put his mind to turned to excrement resulting in the constant disappointment of The West Indies People. You wonder why we have grown to hate cricket - nobody likes to be disappointed every time. The Team constantly manages to get our hopes up and never fails to dash them against the rocks by skillfully snatching defeat from the jaws of certain victory as if that is what they are being paid to do. They play with the resolve of a champion - a champion in the sport of playing to lose. Parodoxical but in the true essence of the term the truth belies.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Communism
Why is that the world has such a negative outlook on Communism? Why are we in such staunch opposition of something we have not experienced first-hand or even had the sense to look into a bit more than what is on television or what the more influential agencies have put forward. Could it be because a concept along the lines of communism puts many of our ideals in a pseudo-capitalist society at risk? Does adapting a Communist approach take us out of our comfort zones as human beings thus removing the possibility of us becoming the richest or most influential? Do we conform to the theories and practices of Capitalism because it is what we have grown to accept - the division of society into classes and groups that stand out based on the respect that one group must have and the lack thereof that another has? Is it because those more powerful (by wealth and influence) are staunch advocates of the concept or the ideal that is responsible for them being what they are today - richer, more influential, more respected in a word, selfish than their human counterparts.
Communism is feared because it puts forward the concept of human equality and the existence of every human being on the same level. None is perceived as better, greater or more deserving of respect than the other. It reduces human beings (in the capitalist view) to all being equal. Put more correctly: it raises up human beings to a level that states that we are all equal regardless of how much we have in the bank, how much "friends" we have or how much influence we have over things that on any given day should be of no consequence to our existence. Life shouldn't be measured in such terms - it should be measured according the love and respect we have for each other and how we view the other individual relative to ourselves and I think the Communist Ideal sums this up best!
Communism is feared because it puts forward the concept of human equality and the existence of every human being on the same level. None is perceived as better, greater or more deserving of respect than the other. It reduces human beings (in the capitalist view) to all being equal. Put more correctly: it raises up human beings to a level that states that we are all equal regardless of how much we have in the bank, how much "friends" we have or how much influence we have over things that on any given day should be of no consequence to our existence. Life shouldn't be measured in such terms - it should be measured according the love and respect we have for each other and how we view the other individual relative to ourselves and I think the Communist Ideal sums this up best!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Advertising
Is being black such an embarrassment to the extent that even advertisers in Jamaica shy away from using dark-skinned individuals in advertisements. I guess they may have done some market survey that excluded the better part of the population (91%) that concluded that seeing a black person (especially women) on advertisements that do not objectify/belittle/ridicule them is seen as unsavoury or a little harsh on the palate of our more classy and discerning portion of the population (9%). I would like to make the companies that are selling products via this route aware that it only makes sense - makes sense to sell to the majority. But in a way it is selling to the majority as a majority of Jamaicans have been fooled into believing that a dark-skinned persona on screen or in print is out of place.
Sunday Magazine (Outlook as it is called)!
Outlook into what, how the richer less than 9% of Jamaicans are living? I'm not surprised - I'm more outraged at the fact that the Sunday Gleaner "Jamaica's Premiere Sunday Newspaper," fails to truly document the true Jamaican. It strikes me as a little queer how whenever I open the pages of the Outlook Magazine I keep seeing parties or soirées as they like to call them (maybe the use of which imparts an air of sophistication on the user) of what we regular Jamaicans call "uptown" people in some location a regular Jamaican would be as much at home as a gazelle in a crocodiles watering hole. Or how a friend of mine puts it "a Jamaican at a Glaad rally." What the hell ever happened to the days of the Sunday Magazine being a true reflection of a true Jamaica?
It just worries me when I see the outlook (definitely no pun intended) of the typical Jamaican on this skin-lightness or as many Jamaicans put it "high colour"-ism. I fondly recollect my days at York Castle High School in Brown's Town St. Ann where if your pants were too tight you faced ridicule the likes of which would be a good excuse to slit your wrist, let alone practicing "skin lightening" as is the more euphemistic term adopted in reference to some of the myriad effects of the scourge of Mental Slavery that has befallen us as Black Jamaicans subsequent to the infamous "400 years." A scourge that common sense would dictate we try to rid ourselves of. But no - it is not apparently but obviously alive and kicking like a bouncing baby emboldened my media support and endorsement.
I recall I was an "intern" working in Media Styling for the 2008 UTech UDel Conference on Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management which was a dream to carry out, I was responsible for the conference theme, magazine layout, posters, brochures, newspaper advertisements and all other conference-related items that were to carry the conference theme. When finishing up the magazine layout I was to take pictures of all the persons who took part in the conference when one "learned" individual as Jamaican as Ackee and Saltfish was asked to stand against a white-ish background for the photo shoot "wittily" mentioned the words "white against white." Crap which the others found quite amusing and somewhat applicable, I was instantly convinced that a higher education doesn't alter the outlook on our identity.
It just worries me when I see the outlook (definitely no pun intended) of the typical Jamaican on this skin-lightness or as many Jamaicans put it "high colour"-ism. I fondly recollect my days at York Castle High School in Brown's Town St. Ann where if your pants were too tight you faced ridicule the likes of which would be a good excuse to slit your wrist, let alone practicing "skin lightening" as is the more euphemistic term adopted in reference to some of the myriad effects of the scourge of Mental Slavery that has befallen us as Black Jamaicans subsequent to the infamous "400 years." A scourge that common sense would dictate we try to rid ourselves of. But no - it is not apparently but obviously alive and kicking like a bouncing baby emboldened my media support and endorsement.
I recall I was an "intern" working in Media Styling for the 2008 UTech UDel Conference on Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management which was a dream to carry out, I was responsible for the conference theme, magazine layout, posters, brochures, newspaper advertisements and all other conference-related items that were to carry the conference theme. When finishing up the magazine layout I was to take pictures of all the persons who took part in the conference when one "learned" individual as Jamaican as Ackee and Saltfish was asked to stand against a white-ish background for the photo shoot "wittily" mentioned the words "white against white." Crap which the others found quite amusing and somewhat applicable, I was instantly convinced that a higher education doesn't alter the outlook on our identity.
Monday, January 31, 2011
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