I'm getting more and more concern about the politicising of issues in Barbados. I know we're in the hurricane season, but there're way too many storms in a teacup around here.
Between the housing debacle with the Minister and the former Chairperson of the NHC; the "was he or was he not put out of CBC" confusion with former Minister of Tourism Noel Lynch and a bunch of other squabbles that I can't even bother to recount, you would swear the elections were next year and not 2013.
Seriously, politicos, all yuh need to cease and desist. Opposition, do your job, but remember when you all were in power you did the same or worse.
Government, learn when to put up and when to shut up. I can't speak for everyone else, but I don't give a mongoose's *ss who has the insurance coverage for CBC, the NHC or BCSL, once they're covered.
What I want to know is when I'm gonna get some relief from high cost of food and other commodities. I want to know where de hell my $450 road tax goes, cause potholes opening up like gateways to another dimension on the streets. I want to know what you all plan to do about crime in this country.
Deal with the bread and butter issues, then you all could argue as wunnna like.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Top 10 Fave TV Shows - The 2010 edition
A few years back I did a post on my favourite 80's television shows and I had a fun time reliving the memories.
You all know I'm an 80's baby, but let's face it - that decade is gone and it ain't coming back. So, with the fall tv season fast approaching, I thought I'd post up a list of the television shows I love to watch these days. Let's go....
10. The Gates - Although The Gates started off slowly, I'm still hanging in there because this show's premise of humans, vampires, werewolves and witches living side-by-side is bound to create some serious drama. Did I mention there's a succubus as well? Gives new meaning to the term suburbian hell....
9. Warehouse 13 - One of the most popular shows on the Syfy channel, Warehouse 13 has all the elements to make an enjoyable show. Check it out.
8. The Mentalist - I've had a crush on Simon Baker since I saw him loving up on Sanaa Lathan in the movie Something New. And his show isn't half bad either....
7. Modern Family - I love this cast. You've got the gay couple with the adopted Asian baby; the May-December marriage and the wannabe-cool dad who fails miserably. And Sofia Vergara? She makes it all worthwhile to watch.
6. V - I was a huge fan of the original V tv show, so I had to check this one out. So far, so good. And this version has Morris Chestnut!
5. Glee - I haven't enjoyed watching school kids dancing and singing this much since Fame. And the music will stay with you for days. But, kids and music aside, it's all about Sue Sylvester for me.
4. The Good Wife - Julianna Margulies of ER fame has made a comeback with this intense drama of a good wife gone bad - or at the very least back to work. It's riveting stuff, and investigator Kalinda Sharma is one serious character.
3. The Vampire Diaries - Can you tell I love vamp shows? I was ready to write off Vampire Diaries as Gossip Girl with fangs, but it surprised me. The acting is way better than I imagined, and the plots move at lightning speed. I can't wait till the show returns On September 9.
2. Cougar Tow - Cougar Town is one of the funniest shows on television, bar none. It's witty - love that Ellie - and just plain laugh out loud. And that Courteney Cox has obviously discovered the fountain of youth....
1. True Blood. Forget Twilight. This is how you serve up drama about vampires. With a stellar ensemble of characters - Lafayette! Eric! Pam! -True Blood is delectable till the last drop. (NB - This show is not kid's stuff, strictly R rated)
The ones to watch - literally:
The Event. As soon as I heard that one of my fave hotties Blair Underwood was cast in a show, as the President no less, I knew I had to add this show to my viewing list. It premieres on September 20 on NBC.
Nikita - The CW network is seriously stepping up its game with a new installment of the Nikita franchise. A remake of the 1997 tv series La Femme Nikita, this 2010 version features Maggie Q as an assasin gone rogue. The trailer looks tight. I'll be watching for sure. Check it on September 9 on the CW.
You all know I'm an 80's baby, but let's face it - that decade is gone and it ain't coming back. So, with the fall tv season fast approaching, I thought I'd post up a list of the television shows I love to watch these days. Let's go....
10. The Gates - Although The Gates started off slowly, I'm still hanging in there because this show's premise of humans, vampires, werewolves and witches living side-by-side is bound to create some serious drama. Did I mention there's a succubus as well? Gives new meaning to the term suburbian hell....
9. Warehouse 13 - One of the most popular shows on the Syfy channel, Warehouse 13 has all the elements to make an enjoyable show. Check it out.
8. The Mentalist - I've had a crush on Simon Baker since I saw him loving up on Sanaa Lathan in the movie Something New. And his show isn't half bad either....
7. Modern Family - I love this cast. You've got the gay couple with the adopted Asian baby; the May-December marriage and the wannabe-cool dad who fails miserably. And Sofia Vergara? She makes it all worthwhile to watch.
6. V - I was a huge fan of the original V tv show, so I had to check this one out. So far, so good. And this version has Morris Chestnut!
5. Glee - I haven't enjoyed watching school kids dancing and singing this much since Fame. And the music will stay with you for days. But, kids and music aside, it's all about Sue Sylvester for me.
4. The Good Wife - Julianna Margulies of ER fame has made a comeback with this intense drama of a good wife gone bad - or at the very least back to work. It's riveting stuff, and investigator Kalinda Sharma is one serious character.
3. The Vampire Diaries - Can you tell I love vamp shows? I was ready to write off Vampire Diaries as Gossip Girl with fangs, but it surprised me. The acting is way better than I imagined, and the plots move at lightning speed. I can't wait till the show returns On September 9.
2. Cougar Tow - Cougar Town is one of the funniest shows on television, bar none. It's witty - love that Ellie - and just plain laugh out loud. And that Courteney Cox has obviously discovered the fountain of youth....
1. True Blood. Forget Twilight. This is how you serve up drama about vampires. With a stellar ensemble of characters - Lafayette! Eric! Pam! -True Blood is delectable till the last drop. (NB - This show is not kid's stuff, strictly R rated)
The ones to watch - literally:
The Event. As soon as I heard that one of my fave hotties Blair Underwood was cast in a show, as the President no less, I knew I had to add this show to my viewing list. It premieres on September 20 on NBC.
Nikita - The CW network is seriously stepping up its game with a new installment of the Nikita franchise. A remake of the 1997 tv series La Femme Nikita, this 2010 version features Maggie Q as an assasin gone rogue. The trailer looks tight. I'll be watching for sure. Check it on September 9 on the CW.
Love the Way You Lie
Check out the video for Eminem's very disturbing yet evocative song "Love the Way You Lie" featuring Rihanna.
In the video are actors Megan Fox and the hardly recognisable Dominic Monaghan. He's sure come a long way from his Lord of the Rings hobbit days....
Wake Up, Everybody!
Three of my fave singers - John Legend, Melanie Fiona and Common - recently did a remake of the legendary song "Wake Up, Everybody". Orignally performed by Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, this stirring anthem has been covered by artistes from all genres.
Its message remains as relevant today as it was in 1975.
Reflect and enjoy.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Real Charlie Chan
I listened to a fascinating feature on "Fresh Air" yesterday. It was a review by Maureen Corrigan of a book by Yunte Huang called, simply, "Charlie Chan".
For you young whipper snappers, Charlie Chan was a fictional Chinese-American detective first appearing in a series of novels by Earl Derr Biggers beginning in 1923.
He was portrayed in a series of American movies by, wait for it..., Caucasian actors.
First by Warner Oland (who was actually Swedish)...
...and later by Sidney Tolar.
These movies were very popular 75-80 years ago in both America and China because they portrayed a positive, intelligent, professional Chinese person in America as opposed to an evil, "Yellow Peril" Chinese stereotype like Dr. Fu Manchu (ironically, also portrayed in the movies by the Swede Warner Oland!)
Today, our modern Politically Correct culture looks back on these movies and Charlie Chan's subservient attitude, broken English and pseudo-Confucian wisdom with the same disdain as we reserve for "Amos 'n' Andy".
Huang's book gives Charlie Chan a second look.
What I learned from the show that I didn't know before, was that the character of Charlie Chan was based on a REAL PERSON.
Meet Chang Apana.
This was the most stylin', bad assed motherfucker you'd never want to meet. He was a Chinese-Hawaiian detective with the Honolulu Police Department from 1916 to 1932. He wore Panama Hats and smoked Cuban cigars. He didn't carry a gun. He carried a fucking bullwhip.
He still holds the record for number of people arrested at one time by one officer for his arrest of 70 gamblers, who he lined up and marched back to the police station one night.
Somebody needs to make a movie about this guy. Doesn't even have to be in 3D or anything.
But we all know there is only one man who can portray this early 20th century, Chinese-Hawaiian, cigar chomping, ass-kicking fashion horse.
That's right. Samuel L. Jackson!
For you young whipper snappers, Charlie Chan was a fictional Chinese-American detective first appearing in a series of novels by Earl Derr Biggers beginning in 1923.
He was portrayed in a series of American movies by, wait for it..., Caucasian actors.
First by Warner Oland (who was actually Swedish)...
...and later by Sidney Tolar.
These movies were very popular 75-80 years ago in both America and China because they portrayed a positive, intelligent, professional Chinese person in America as opposed to an evil, "Yellow Peril" Chinese stereotype like Dr. Fu Manchu (ironically, also portrayed in the movies by the Swede Warner Oland!)
Today, our modern Politically Correct culture looks back on these movies and Charlie Chan's subservient attitude, broken English and pseudo-Confucian wisdom with the same disdain as we reserve for "Amos 'n' Andy".
Huang's book gives Charlie Chan a second look.
What I learned from the show that I didn't know before, was that the character of Charlie Chan was based on a REAL PERSON.
Meet Chang Apana.
This was the most stylin', bad assed motherfucker you'd never want to meet. He was a Chinese-Hawaiian detective with the Honolulu Police Department from 1916 to 1932. He wore Panama Hats and smoked Cuban cigars. He didn't carry a gun. He carried a fucking bullwhip.
He still holds the record for number of people arrested at one time by one officer for his arrest of 70 gamblers, who he lined up and marched back to the police station one night.
Somebody needs to make a movie about this guy. Doesn't even have to be in 3D or anything.
But we all know there is only one man who can portray this early 20th century, Chinese-Hawaiian, cigar chomping, ass-kicking fashion horse.
That's right. Samuel L. Jackson!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Feisal Abdul Rauf and the "Ground Zero Mosque"
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"Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (Arabic: فيصل عبد الرؤوف, born in 1948 in Kuwait) is an Arab-American Muslim imam, author, and activist whose stated goal is improvement in relations between the Muslim World and the West.
He has been Imam of Masjid al-Farah, a New York City mosque since 1983. He wrote three books on Islam and its place in contemporary Western society, including What's Right with Islam is What's Right with America. Abdul Rauf founded two non-profit organizations whose stated missions are to enhance the discourse on Islam in society. He has condemned the 9/11 attacks as un-Islamic and called on the U.S. government to reduce the threat of terrorism by altering its Middle Eastern foreign policy."
This is the man behind the movement to build Park51, a proposed 15-story structure, including a mosque, cultural center and auditorium intended to promote greater interfaith dialogue. It has been portrayed by critics as the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque".
This is the "mosque" that people are so up in arms about:
It's not exactly like they are attempting to plop something like this into the crater left by the destruction of the World Trade Center towers.
What critics of Park51 fail to acknowledge is that Islam's roots in New York City are in the area around the site of the World Trade Center, and they predate the Twin Towers: in the late 19th century, a portion of lower Manhattan was known as Little Syria and was inhabited by Arab immigrants - Muslims and Christians - from the Ottoman Empire.
Based on this Time Magazine article, conservatives should be embracing the Imam and supporting the mosque.
"And yet Park51's main movers, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his wife Daisy Khan, are actually the kind of Muslim leaders right-wing commentators fantasize about: modernists and moderates who openly condemn the death cult of al-Qaeda and its adherents - ironically, just the kind of "peaceful Muslims" whom Sarah Palin, in her now infamous tweet, asked to "refudiate" the mosque. Rauf is a Sufi, which is Islam's most mystical and accommodating denomination."
America was founded on the principals of religous freedom and tolerance.
When we exercise intolerance, we are lowering ourselves to the level of not just the modern day terrorists, but to the intolerant forces that drove the founders of this country from their European roots and inspired them to form "a more perfect union" in a far away land.
By allowing the mosque and cultural center to be built, we are demonstrating through our actions that America's founding, secular, values of freedom and tolerance are the path to a better future for all of our citizens, in contrast to the intolerant, brutal, medieval values of religious fundamentalists of any religion.
What transpired on 9/11 was not motivated by Islamic beliefs and it was not carried out by devout Muslims.
What transpired on 9/11 was a criminal act carried out by disgruntled Mujahideen extremists whose political goals and agendas were forged in the crucible of the Cold War powers who funded, manipulated and abandoned them.
Timothy McVeigh, who bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. which killed 168 people including 19 children, was raised Catholic and was heavily influenced by the Christian Identity Movement.
But to the best of my knowledge, there has been no public outcry forbidding the building of new churches in Oklahoma City.
In a country governed by the Rule of Law, we hold individuals responsible for their actions. We do not condemn other members of the criminal's family, ethnicity, religion, or country of origin for the actions of the criminal.
Let the Park51 complex be built and let it be a source of tolerance, healing and learning.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Electric Cars Aren't Green!
The Chevy Volt, The Next Big Hybrid, is getting a lot of buzz.
The Nissan Leaf, the first all electric plug-in auto is up next in the batting circle.
In the wake of BP's crude splooge in the Golf of Mexico, everyone is clamoring to dump their fossil fuel powered vehicles and jump on the electric car bandwagon.
But electric cars are just the latest cup covering the unavoidable fossil fuel pea in an elaborate environmental shell game.
OK, so you buy your electric car and free yourself from fossil fuels thus reducing your carbon footprint, slow Global Climate Change and make the world a better place. You can feel good about yourself and look disdainfully upon those gas-guzzling, JO Co, SUV driving bastards.
WRONG!
Where do you think electricity comes from? It's not transmitted through the ether to your home through unicorn horns and rainbows.
Almost 70% of electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels! All electric cars do is cause us to burn more coal to generate more electricity.
Sure, you can load up your recyclables in your electric car and brag about how you don't have to pay $50 to fill up your gas tank any more. "I just plug it in and recharge it!"
But now your electric bill has gone from a couple of hundred dollars a month to double that because your car is sucking on your electric tit all night long, drinking electricity generated by burning coal!
You can be all smug about driving a "zero-emissions" car that doesn't even have a tailpipe, but the local utility company's power plants spewed tons of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere to generate the electricity that powers your "zero-emission" vehicle.
The only way that electric vehicles make any sense is if we transition away from electricity generated by coal and natural gas to electricity generated by solar, wind, geothermal and tidal forces.
Until then, electric car buyers are just masturbating to images of Ed Begley, Jr. while continuing to kill the planet.
The Nissan Leaf, the first all electric plug-in auto is up next in the batting circle.
In the wake of BP's crude splooge in the Golf of Mexico, everyone is clamoring to dump their fossil fuel powered vehicles and jump on the electric car bandwagon.
But electric cars are just the latest cup covering the unavoidable fossil fuel pea in an elaborate environmental shell game.
OK, so you buy your electric car and free yourself from fossil fuels thus reducing your carbon footprint, slow Global Climate Change and make the world a better place. You can feel good about yourself and look disdainfully upon those gas-guzzling, JO Co, SUV driving bastards.
WRONG!
Where do you think electricity comes from? It's not transmitted through the ether to your home through unicorn horns and rainbows.
Almost 70% of electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels! All electric cars do is cause us to burn more coal to generate more electricity.
Sure, you can load up your recyclables in your electric car and brag about how you don't have to pay $50 to fill up your gas tank any more. "I just plug it in and recharge it!"
But now your electric bill has gone from a couple of hundred dollars a month to double that because your car is sucking on your electric tit all night long, drinking electricity generated by burning coal!
You can be all smug about driving a "zero-emissions" car that doesn't even have a tailpipe, but the local utility company's power plants spewed tons of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere to generate the electricity that powers your "zero-emission" vehicle.
The only way that electric vehicles make any sense is if we transition away from electricity generated by coal and natural gas to electricity generated by solar, wind, geothermal and tidal forces.
Until then, electric car buyers are just masturbating to images of Ed Begley, Jr. while continuing to kill the planet.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Rihanna's a showstopper
A red-headed Rihanna hit the New York restaurant Da Silvano's recently for a romantic dinner with her boyfriend Matt Kemp. Lawd, I'm still trying to get used to that fire engine red hair.....
Do you, girl.
Images: Young, Black and Fabulous
Saturday, August 7, 2010
I Don't Care
Just for the record...
I don't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut who the mayor of Kansas City is, who serves on the City Council or why, who the political power players are, whether or not the KC school district is accredited (it's not), or how many urban criminals kill each other this summer over drug deals gone bad.
Fix your shit or not Kansas City. Makes no difference to me.
I. Don't. Care.
I don't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut who the mayor of Kansas City is, who serves on the City Council or why, who the political power players are, whether or not the KC school district is accredited (it's not), or how many urban criminals kill each other this summer over drug deals gone bad.
Fix your shit or not Kansas City. Makes no difference to me.
I. Don't. Care.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Crop Over Review
Well, Crop Over done for another year, and it's back to reality after a few months of 'serious wukking'. I must admit that I was feeling the Crop Over spirit more so than last year, partly because the music was way better this time around.
Anyhoo, here's my list of the high and low lights of Crop Over 2010:
Highs
The Dream Box funeral. Wuhloss. Dem Madd Boys too sweet. For those of you who don't know what a Dream Box is, it's an electronic device used to access cable channels free of cost, and Bajans have been making it snort for years. Well, the lone tv station CBC found a way to shut it down, so for the past few months folks have been reduced to watching only the local channel 8 or paying for the cable packages.
The comedy duo of Eric Lewis and Kevin Hinds of Madd Entertainment cooked up a stirring tribute to the demise of the Dream Box, and it was a Crop Over hit.
Dale "Mr Dale" Rudder - Mr. Dale charmed soca fans a few years back with his smash Soca Junkie, and he was back this year with a song that was made to make waists wine, Drop It. And it netted him a second People's Monarch win as well.
Rick "Lil' Rick" Reid - I'm not a huge fan of Lil Rick. Though talented, he appeals to the lowest common denominator when wearing his DJ hat, and I'm really not into that scene. But there's no denying that in 2010 he meant business, with a whole album of hits, including Big Hail , What A Feeling and the infectious Go Down. Good job, Rick.
Anderson "Blood" Armstrong - 2001 was Blood's year. He not only captured the Party Monarch title, but copped the Road March as well. Bloody good, I say.
No Pong or Contone - Look, I know that "entertainers" Pong and Contone have their fans but for real, but if we're serious about producing a quality festival, then this underwhelming duo should take a back seat. Or at the very least, bring back the Clown Prince competition just for them....
The extended route - As one reveller said, more time to wuk up! Nuff said.
Lows
The not so Soca Royale
I was winging my way to Grenada when the Soca Royale was taking place at Bushy Park, so I didn't hear of the result till the next day. I never understood why the NCF would decide to have a sweet soca competition, distinguishing it from the party monarch competition, only to have a face-off between the two. Sounded like a way to get out of providing two prizes to me....
TC/Gabby getting booed
Even though I too was surprised when TC and the Mighty Gabby won the Sweet Soca Competitions and the Pic-O-De-Crop Finals respectively, at the end of the day the judges decision is final. Booing competitors is stupid and plain rude, peoples.
The Gabby/Admiral dust-up
Okay, I confess. I laughed when I heard that the venerable Anthony "Mighty Gabby" Carter had allegedly engaged in fisticuffs with the lippy, opinionated broadcaster Anthony "Admiral" Nelson. But, really, we're all adults here, and violence never solves anything! *snicker*
CAPTION: Announcer Admiral Nelson (right) speaking after the incident with Stedson "RPB" Wiltshire
Images: nationnews.com/boycevoice.com
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