"I shouldn't have left you ..."

Eric B. and Rakim get us started off because it's been a long time since I dropped blog (is that a term?). It is now kids. (Side note: That could become a term for performing a sort of bodily function).

In honour of this post being a trip to the Googleplex, if you don't understand the reference in the subject line, do a google for yourself. I can't be doing all the work around here.

Without further adieu, here's a trip down Googling lane. In this segment of What Got Googled:

• Springfield Isotopes slugger. Reason: Hendo is working on an MJHL feature and turned away from his work to inform us that he thought it would be a cool idea to be able to have a 'Topes jersey of that big-time hitter the team had when Dancing Homer riled up the team in the episode known conveniently as "Dancin' Homer". We figured he could get a Flash Baylor uni and I'd grab me a Bill McClosky shirt.

Which leads us to...

• Albuequerqe Isotopes. Reason: Inspired by the fictional Springfield team (specifically the episode in which the owner threatens to move the team to the New Mexico city) the PCL's AAA real-life team made its name the Isotopes.

• Tom Brady's offensive line. Reason: That credit card commercial in which his entire offensive line surrounds him no matter where he goes. Who's the guy that hits on Tom's girlfriend while they're out to dinner. No answer because I lost interest quickly. After all, "they're figurative metaphors."

This post gives you a double-bill. While staying at the Googleplex, catch the feature-length rambling: "Since You Asked.."

Tagline: When opinions are a dime a dozen, two men will be worth their two cents.

A David Larkins and Julio Garasa Production.

Since You Asked: Hurricane Katrina

On the verge of being outdated, but nonetheless of interest.


--- "Garasa, Julio: OPS" wrote:

From: "Garasa, Julio: OPS"
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 13:39:45 -0400
To: "David Larkins \(E-mail\)"
Subject: Topic

DL,

US response to Hurricane Katrina. Listen to the mayor's interview below.
A pretty heart-wrenching piece of radio. Now, I could go into a rant
of my own, mainly dealing with how America's (and the western world's)
dirty secret of poverty, homelessness and hard lives is now out in the
open. These are issues that we have swept under the rug. Well, when
the call went out to evacuate the city, the rug (ie: those of us who can
afford to go and have the means to do so) left. And what we're seeing
is what's under that rug: poor, dispossessed and not-very-white. And
the response to help this segment of society, not only by the state and
the Federal government, but by the rest of the nation, has been pathetic
(at best) to downright disdainfully negligent. Not a spectrum to be
proud of. And where are the "leaders"? Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton,
Barack Obama even. Men who have called news conferences for much lesser
things? It's a frightening wake up call the nation is getting, and the
world is witnessing. Too bad it seems most have already hit the snooze
button.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/09/02/ray_nagin20050902.html

JG

-----Original Message-----
From: David Larkins [dlarkins@steelersfan.org]
Sent: Friday, September 2, 2005 7:19 PM
To: Garasa, Julio: OPS
Subject: Re: Topic

As I mentioned before, it was like a punch in the face that watching the
news yesterday the realization that the masses that had been shepherded
to the Superdome or stranded at their homes are distinctly non-white.

And Nagin's pleas are bang on, along the lines of someone finally waking
up and saying "wait a second, this is bull****". He's right.

However, instead of waiting for the likes of Jesse or Obama (one of the
great new leaders that country has) and Sharpton, the attentions
certainly need to be focused squarely on Bush who seems to have just sat
back and watched while saying "we're trying." No one there, I would
wager, wants to hear that or believes it's nearly enough. Bush earned
rave reviews for his handling of post-9/11 when essentially all he did
was glad-hand and get through a crisis that was — as bad as it is to say
it — tailor-made for a leader to shine.

I think one reason why you're not seeing the aforementioned African-American
leaders front and centre is that would be a tacit agreement that, yes,
black people in the deep south are marginalized and are a part of what
you referred to as the "dirty little secret."

You would hope this would provide some sort of wakeup call, but
unfortunately the reality is that most Americans are still sound asleep
to it. And we all know Bush is simply waiting a couple years before a
new administration comes in and it — along with Iraq — becomes their
problem.

-----Original Message-----

From: "Garasa, Julio: OPS"
To:  
Subject: RE: Topic
Date: Mon 09/05/05 10:01 AM
I finally saw Jesse. The good reverend must have been busy visiting
with his illegitimate daughter (yes, cheap shot but he's earned it).

I would suggest that the "tacit agreement" that blacks in the deep south
are marginalized and part of the "dirty little secret", would be, in
fact, the reason for black leaders to come out and essentially tell the
US population (and the rest of industrialized society that has its own,
similar secrets) a collective "I told you so". After decades upon
decades of SAYING there is a class problem, this disaster is actually
SHOWING the problem in stark black and white (pun intended). As callous
as it is to say, you can't buy this sort of "advertising".

And speaking about the shamefully privileged ... I'm off to the
Stratford Festival for the next few days. Going to take my Mom to see
some Shakespeare. We were at the Shaw Festival last weekend. I got
back to the campus too. You wouldn't believe what they've done to your
newsroom. It's even smaller than before. But wow, the new phys-ed
complex and residences are first rate. Almost makes me wish I was back.
Almost.

JG


Finally tonight, Kanye West performed on the Oprah Winfrey show last week from his new album which I've pimped once already in Lyric of the Day. This time around a song that is smart and touching at the same time and carries a bit more meaning when you know West was almost killed in a car accident years before his career ever got going.

Lyric of the Day:
I want to tell the whole world about a friend of mine
This little light of mine, I'm feelin' let it shine
I'm feelin' take y'all back to them better times
I'm feelin' talk about my momma if y'all don't mind (Hey Mama)
I was 3 years old when you and I move to the Chi
Late December, harsh winter gave me a cold
You fix me up something that was good for my soul
Famous home chicken soup, can I have another bowl (Hey Mama)
You work late nights just to keep on the lights
Mommy got me training wheels so I can keep on my bike
And you would give me anything in this world
Michael Jackson leather and the glove, but didn't give me a curl (Hey Mama)
And you never put no man over me, and I love you for that mommy can't you see
Seven years old, caught you with tears in your eyes
'Cause a nigga cheat and telling you lies, then I started to cry (Hey Mama)
As we knelt on the kitchen floor, I said mommy I'm a love you 'till you don't hurt no more
And when I'm older, you ain't got to work no more
And I'm a get you that mansion that we couldn't afford (Hey Mama)
See your unbreakable, unmistakable, highly capable, lady that's making loot
A living legend too, just look at what heaven do, send us an angel, and I thank you

[Chorus]
Hey Mama, ahhhhhhhhhh, I wanna scream so loud for you
'Cause I'm so proud of you, let me tell you what I'm about to do (Hey Mama)
I know I act a fool, but I promise you I'm going back to school
I appreciate that you alive for me, I just want you to be proud of me (Hey Mama)
Kanye West, Hey Mama