Well the new year has started with a bunch of new announcements. Things are off with a bang now with the news that there will be at least one more Indiana Jones movie. Still untitled at this point, the script is being finalized at this time. Not to worry, filming will start this year as well, with the film coming out sometime in 2008. While this is yet another sequel, the good news is that this series has been quite good. The second movie notwithstanding, I expect this will be a solid film. Both Mr. George Lucas and Mr. Steven Spielberg have been working on the final script. Mr. Harrison Ford has been quite consistent in his choice of films, and his ability to give a quality performance. So here is something to look forward to, I’m sure there will be more news as information about the film as script and location shooting begins or is leaked.
In more political news Mr. Edward James Olmos continues his fight with the government over the Vieques Island contamination and bombings. For those not familiar, this is an island 6 miles from Puerto Rico. For a long time the U.S. Navy used the island to test bombs, preventing habitation, ruining the environment and potentially endangering lives. I too disagree with the past bombings, or the renewed bombings there again. Like Mr. Olmos I feel that this is far too close to people to be allowed.
If the Navy were doing this bomb testing 6 miles of the coast of Long Island, or San Francisco, or Seattle there would be an outcry that would be deafening. The fact that Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth does not give the right to ignore the reasonable protests or the lives that this directly affects. I’m glad a public figure like Mr. Olmos and others are continuing to remind the government that this is not right and that we will not stop fighting for it to stop.
On another somewhat political note is Ms. Oprah Winfrey. Her school for South African girls has opened, with a price tag of $40 million dollars. This is a great positive for those young women and I’m glad that it has been created. I understand that it was a meeting with Mr. Nelson Mandela that inspired the drive to create this school and place it in South Africa – a region of the world where elitism and classism continue to exist in an extreme disparity rarely seen. Still I do wish that such a school, co-ed, had been created in America (of course it probably would have been 3x as expensive). But there will be another school created, co-ed and in South Africa again, in the near future. I understand and respect Ms. Winfrey’s desire to give back to the land of her ancestors. It’s commendable. Still I think there are many young African Americans that need this kind of help as well.
One thing I haven’t seen commented on that I would like to know more about involves the guests at the opening ceremonies. Mr. Mandela was among a group including, Mr. Spike Lee, Ms. Tina Turner, Ms. Mary J. Blige, Ms. Mariah Carey, Mr. Chris Tucker, and Mr. Sidney Poitier. Each of the celebrity guests were asked to bring a book that they had autographed personally. My interest is not what these entertainers wrote, but the choice of book they decided top contribute. I feel it is a defining statement of a person and their character. If anyone can let me know which book was giving by which person I’d love to know.
There of course is more to this new year, but for now…
This is what I think, what do you think?
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
The upseting start of 2007 - 1.2.2007.1
On a separate note I’m upset by a commercial I saw for the first time today. Time Warner Business Class has a new commercial out today. I really didn’t notice the first 20 seconds of the television commercial, but the last 10 got me. The television commercial is a knock-off with no real drive or importance. Time Warner is touting their greatness and how valuable they can be to small business. Fine, whatever. A business owner states how is difficult to manage the employees of his non-descript business. A guy complains about someone stealing his pens. Then Time Warner tells us how great they are at helping out running the tech portion of the business. Then comes the part that annoys me.
The boss is standing nest to a water bottle with a clock in the background that shows 9:20 or 9:23 on it. Up walks a tall 20-something, perhaps thirty year old Black woman. She’s dressed well and holding a coffee cup. She walks right up to the boss and state, “Is 9 am a starting time, or is it a guideline?” Thank you Time Warner. Nothing like throwing in a stereotype for absolutely no reason.
I’ve heard comedians joke about c-p-t (colored people time) and I’ve heard racist mention it. I’ve rarely heard it mentioned anywhere else. But out of the blue a major corporation comes out with a commercial where they just buy into the thought. I’m not saying they are racist. But is it insensitive and building on an old stereotype, definitely. Did they need to, definitely not.
They could have had anyone in that role. Someone thought up the line. It works in context of the commercial. But someone decided that the character in the television commercial needed to be African American. They decided that they needed to promote the stereotype. Why? Why not have the African American be the person complaining about the pens that were being stolen? If I have heard of the stereotype [I’m 38] I’m sure the people greenlighting, casting, and directing the commercial know it too.
It’s not a racist commercial. But it is disappointing. Those responsible for this should are aware. They knew what they were doing. They knew what statement they were making and it was unnecessary. Had anyone else portrayed the character making that statement I’d have ignored it completely, like I did the rest of the commercial. But they made a decision and I am reacting.
Maybe there are some who are younger than me who have not heard this racially biased comment. But I have and I know those older than I have heard it often. Targeting smaller businesses, obviously non-Black businesses, is no excuse for such a statement.
I hoped that 2007 would start without a negative incident. Already there have been 2. The loss of Mr. Darrent Williams of the Denver Broncos was senseless. An argument that seems to have not involved him leads to a cowardly drive-by shooting. Stupid and horrendous. And on its back I get to see the actions of Time Warner. Some think racism and racial insensitivity are a thing of the past. Some say I am overly sensitive. And I think that some things are being done, almost subtly and in the guise of innocence that prove to me they are not things of the past but the present.
Maybe the year will improve. The proposal after the win by the Boise State player is a great image of the future. I’ll keep that in my mind focused on that. But in the back of my mind is the reality that some chose to act in a cowardly manner for no reason, and some wish to promote images that are archaic and wrong-minded.
Perhaps the thought for the year that has just begun will be that time has passed, but people may not have. Trends come and go, but some come back. And if we forget we will not travel back in time but relive the failures of the past. But I will try to keep the thought that the unexpected can be positive and invigorating. Those sweet and innocent acts can happen any day at any time. Boise State proved it, as did the player that is now engaged. I hope the executives at Time Warner saw it too, and learned. Maybe the rest of the year will follow their example (Boise). I can only hope.
This is what I think, what do you think?
The boss is standing nest to a water bottle with a clock in the background that shows 9:20 or 9:23 on it. Up walks a tall 20-something, perhaps thirty year old Black woman. She’s dressed well and holding a coffee cup. She walks right up to the boss and state, “Is 9 am a starting time, or is it a guideline?” Thank you Time Warner. Nothing like throwing in a stereotype for absolutely no reason.
I’ve heard comedians joke about c-p-t (colored people time) and I’ve heard racist mention it. I’ve rarely heard it mentioned anywhere else. But out of the blue a major corporation comes out with a commercial where they just buy into the thought. I’m not saying they are racist. But is it insensitive and building on an old stereotype, definitely. Did they need to, definitely not.
They could have had anyone in that role. Someone thought up the line. It works in context of the commercial. But someone decided that the character in the television commercial needed to be African American. They decided that they needed to promote the stereotype. Why? Why not have the African American be the person complaining about the pens that were being stolen? If I have heard of the stereotype [I’m 38] I’m sure the people greenlighting, casting, and directing the commercial know it too.
It’s not a racist commercial. But it is disappointing. Those responsible for this should are aware. They knew what they were doing. They knew what statement they were making and it was unnecessary. Had anyone else portrayed the character making that statement I’d have ignored it completely, like I did the rest of the commercial. But they made a decision and I am reacting.
Maybe there are some who are younger than me who have not heard this racially biased comment. But I have and I know those older than I have heard it often. Targeting smaller businesses, obviously non-Black businesses, is no excuse for such a statement.
I hoped that 2007 would start without a negative incident. Already there have been 2. The loss of Mr. Darrent Williams of the Denver Broncos was senseless. An argument that seems to have not involved him leads to a cowardly drive-by shooting. Stupid and horrendous. And on its back I get to see the actions of Time Warner. Some think racism and racial insensitivity are a thing of the past. Some say I am overly sensitive. And I think that some things are being done, almost subtly and in the guise of innocence that prove to me they are not things of the past but the present.
Maybe the year will improve. The proposal after the win by the Boise State player is a great image of the future. I’ll keep that in my mind focused on that. But in the back of my mind is the reality that some chose to act in a cowardly manner for no reason, and some wish to promote images that are archaic and wrong-minded.
Perhaps the thought for the year that has just begun will be that time has passed, but people may not have. Trends come and go, but some come back. And if we forget we will not travel back in time but relive the failures of the past. But I will try to keep the thought that the unexpected can be positive and invigorating. Those sweet and innocent acts can happen any day at any time. Boise State proved it, as did the player that is now engaged. I hope the executives at Time Warner saw it too, and learned. Maybe the rest of the year will follow their example (Boise). I can only hope.
This is what I think, what do you think?
The early upset of the Fiesta Bowl - 1.1.07
What a start to the New Year. I must say this was a day of surprises to me. One was an upset the other was upsetting. Let me explain. I’m not a big fan of college football. That said I have occasionally watch how my Rutgers Football team has done for the last 20 years. This year they finally got the bowl game and recognition they deserve, and has been promised since I went to school there. But this is not what I am speaking of.
Boise State played in the Fiesta Bowl tonight against Oklahoma. I’m a fan of neither team and knew little of the history of either team. Luckily for me a friend of mine was aware. Boise State deserved to play Ohio as an undefeated team, but instead they played Oklahoma. It was a good game, which Boise dominated. Like another friend of mine watching the game I agree that the announcers, and the referees were biased against Boise. The 2 pass interference calls in the 4th quarter, with fewer than 3 minutes to play, were absolutely wrong. The announcers seemed resigned to see Oklahoma win. Thankfully the Boise State coach was not listening to either.
If you fell asleep or failed to see the end of the game you missed out on what may well become a classic college football game. With the game tied (due to bad calls by the referees in my opinion) the game went into overtime. Oklahoma seemed to have deflated the opposing spirit with a one play overtime touchdown. But Boise had some tricks left. After fighting for the initial first down, they moved forward and set up a wonderful series of plays. The bold touchdown they scored was impressive, but it was only a setup for what was to come. While I and my friends were screaming for the extra point to tie the game, and to rely on the defense that had played extremely well versus Oklahoma the coach called the team over for a special play. With the quarterback going into motion the ball was thrown by a receiver for a touchdown. Who knew that was in the playbook.
I believe it is called a statue of Liberty play. What I do know is that it was a superbly executed behind the back off-hand hand off to get the 2 point conversion and the win. Again I say who knew that was in the playbook. There was no point in which Boise was not stepping up and playing like they were going to win. The special plays they pulled showed that they were ready and determined to win. If I were a fan of either team I think I would have been going insane watching the end of this game. And if I were betting this is the dream over that you would want. If you stayed up, you have to agree it was worth it. If you missed the game, shame on you. And I have to ask, why didn’t they deserve to play against the other undefeated team, Ohio?
Boise State played in the Fiesta Bowl tonight against Oklahoma. I’m a fan of neither team and knew little of the history of either team. Luckily for me a friend of mine was aware. Boise State deserved to play Ohio as an undefeated team, but instead they played Oklahoma. It was a good game, which Boise dominated. Like another friend of mine watching the game I agree that the announcers, and the referees were biased against Boise. The 2 pass interference calls in the 4th quarter, with fewer than 3 minutes to play, were absolutely wrong. The announcers seemed resigned to see Oklahoma win. Thankfully the Boise State coach was not listening to either.
If you fell asleep or failed to see the end of the game you missed out on what may well become a classic college football game. With the game tied (due to bad calls by the referees in my opinion) the game went into overtime. Oklahoma seemed to have deflated the opposing spirit with a one play overtime touchdown. But Boise had some tricks left. After fighting for the initial first down, they moved forward and set up a wonderful series of plays. The bold touchdown they scored was impressive, but it was only a setup for what was to come. While I and my friends were screaming for the extra point to tie the game, and to rely on the defense that had played extremely well versus Oklahoma the coach called the team over for a special play. With the quarterback going into motion the ball was thrown by a receiver for a touchdown. Who knew that was in the playbook.
I believe it is called a statue of Liberty play. What I do know is that it was a superbly executed behind the back off-hand hand off to get the 2 point conversion and the win. Again I say who knew that was in the playbook. There was no point in which Boise was not stepping up and playing like they were going to win. The special plays they pulled showed that they were ready and determined to win. If I were a fan of either team I think I would have been going insane watching the end of this game. And if I were betting this is the dream over that you would want. If you stayed up, you have to agree it was worth it. If you missed the game, shame on you. And I have to ask, why didn’t they deserve to play against the other undefeated team, Ohio?
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