the new york yankees defeated the defending champion philadelphia phillies in game six of the 2009 fall classic, 7-3, to win their 27th world series title. mariano rivera recorded the final four outs in typical fashion, to the delight of the cheering crowd at the spanking new, $1.5 billion yankee stadium. yankees designated hitter hideki matsui was named most valuable player. matsui, in limited duty, hit an astonishing .615 with three homers & eight runs batted in to help a balanced offensive attack.
manager joe girardi wore number 27 with the intention of inspiring his players to return to the coveted championship game, their first series appearance since losing to the, then, expansion club, arizona diamondbacks in 2001. during the off season the yankees spent $420 million to secure left-handed starting pitcher cc sabbathia, right-handed starting pitcher aj burnette & first baseman mark texiera. all three players were instrumental in the yankees' success.
before, during & after the regular season most of the media focus was on alex rodriguez, who, earlier this year admitted to using a banned substance in 2003. the charismatic all-star third baseman embraced the support of his teammates, as well as the loyal, albeit fickle yankee fans. one local paper headline called him a-roid, yet he finished the year with 30 homers & 100 runs batted in, despite losing over a month of playing time due to a hip replacement surgery.
the yankees also acquired outfielder nick swisher who finished the year with 29 homers, while sometimes batting ninth. the yankees slugged 243 homers in their new park, a franchise record. all-star shortstop derek jeter & second baseman robinson cano became the first infield pair (second base/shortstop duo) to record 200 or more hits in a season. texeira led the american league with 122 runs batted in & tied tampa bays' carlos pena for the lead in homers with 39.
while sabbathia & rivera are likely cy young award candidates, it was the consistent pitching of 37 year-old veteran lefty andy pettite players lauded in their world series journey. in fact, pettite clinched the winning game in all of the playoff series; first against the minnesota twins, who the yankees defeated three games to none, secondly against the feisty los angeles angels, who the yankees defeated in six games & finally against the phillies. pettite was 2-0 in the world series, winning game three & six.
phillies all-star second baseman chase utley tied yankee legend reggie jackson's major-league record by hitting five homers. phillies all-star first baseman ryan howard set a dubious world series record with 13 strikeouts. veteran pitcher pedro martinez, acquired from the mets during the regular season, lost both games he started. phillies lefty cliff lee, former cleveland indians teammate of sabbathia & last year's american league cy young winner was victorious in game one & five.
the yankees held a parade in downtown manhatan friday. the day b4 several of their players attended an espn televised game in madison square garden to watch the cleveland cavaliers play the new york knicks. knicks fans applauded their newly crowned champions but lost the game anyway. the yankees got a prime return on their investments. some folks say they paid for their title. baseball is a business. maybe next year i'll be able to afford a ticket to see them play. in the meantime, it feels good to be associated with a winner...
i am
- mark j. tuggle
- harlem, usa
- spiritual being trying 2 master the hue-man experience. contemporary descendant of enslaved africans. same gender-loving brotha. critical thinker. culturally affirming. self-determining. value autonomy, intelligence & kindness. seek 2 connect with like-minded folk. high tolerance 4 pain. low tolerance 4 bullshit. love is my religion. god-centered. peaceful heart. wounded soul. compromising my integrity 4 a feeling hurts. terrified & thrilled of the unknown. complex, passionate & vulnerable. loving the skin i'm in. more than my pain.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Bloomberg Narrowly Wins NYC Mayoral Race
michael bloomberg won a third consecutive term as mayor of new york city, defeating former city comptroller william thompson by less than 55,000 votes. bloomberg won 51% of the vote, compared to thompson, who received 46% of the surprising highly contested, albeit racially polarized vote. in total, the expected low turnout was comprised of about 1.1 million folks on a brisk tuesday.
bloomberg was victorious in three of the five boroughs, manhattan, queens & staten island. his opponent won 73% of the african-american vote. it was estimated bloomberg spent $180 per voter. thompson accused bloomberg of running the most negative campaign in the history of new york city's mayoral election. among other things, bloomberg accused thompson of gambling with the city's money as comptroller - taking contributions unethically. his campaign theme was progress, not politics as usual.
thompson faulted bloomberg for usurping his power over the city council to change the term limits from two terms, as citizens voted, to three terms. winning the boroughs of brooklyn & the bronx, thompson sought to discredit bloomberg's character & paint him as a man with a lot of money but little common sense. the bespectacled african-american also tried to align himself with president obama as a man of change, yet the incumbency proved too much for him to overcome.
there was hardly any excitement about a mayoral race in the city that never sleeps. bloomberg & thompson debated twice, yet the indifference among jaded new yorkers was evident at the polls. moreover, the myriad of complex issues facing working class folk - escalating rents, faulty school system, high unemployment, incompetent transportation boards, poor economy, rising taxes, i.e. - was not enuf to generate interest in our political future. is it true when they say money talks & bullshit walks?
bloomberg was victorious in three of the five boroughs, manhattan, queens & staten island. his opponent won 73% of the african-american vote. it was estimated bloomberg spent $180 per voter. thompson accused bloomberg of running the most negative campaign in the history of new york city's mayoral election. among other things, bloomberg accused thompson of gambling with the city's money as comptroller - taking contributions unethically. his campaign theme was progress, not politics as usual.
thompson faulted bloomberg for usurping his power over the city council to change the term limits from two terms, as citizens voted, to three terms. winning the boroughs of brooklyn & the bronx, thompson sought to discredit bloomberg's character & paint him as a man with a lot of money but little common sense. the bespectacled african-american also tried to align himself with president obama as a man of change, yet the incumbency proved too much for him to overcome.
there was hardly any excitement about a mayoral race in the city that never sleeps. bloomberg & thompson debated twice, yet the indifference among jaded new yorkers was evident at the polls. moreover, the myriad of complex issues facing working class folk - escalating rents, faulty school system, high unemployment, incompetent transportation boards, poor economy, rising taxes, i.e. - was not enuf to generate interest in our political future. is it true when they say money talks & bullshit walks?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
President Obama Signs Historic Hate-Crimes Bill Into Federal Law
president barack obama signed a law making it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her gender identity or sexual orientation. hailed by supporters as the first major federal gay rights legislation, the expanded federal hate-crimes law was added to a $680 billion defense authorization bill signed by obama at a packed white house ceremony.
the matthew shepard and james byrd, jr. hate crimes prevention act was named for matthew shepard, a gay wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in october 1998, and james byrd, jr., an african-american man dragged to death by a group of young white males in texas the same year. the appropriations bill signing was attended by shepard's mother, judy, as well as vice president joe biden, attorney general eric holder, defense secretary robert gates and other leading members of congress.
obama cited the work of the late massachusetts senator edward kennedy and others "to make this day possible." to loud applause, obama hailed the hate crimes measure in the bill as a step toward change to "help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love and how they pray." later that day, wednesday october 28, obama stood with shepard's parents and relatives of byrd, jr. at a separate white house event honoring passage of the expanded hate-crimes law.
noting reports of 12,000 crimes in the last decade based on sexual orientation, obama called the historic bill another step in the continuing struggle for human rights. obama said, "because of the efforts of the folks in this room, particularly those family members standing behind me, the bell rings even louder now." upon finishing his remarks he hugged the weeping relatives as the audience applauded.
several religious groups are concerned a hate crimes bill could be used to criminalize conservative speech relating to subjects like abortion or homosexuality. however, holder said any federal hate-crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias, not to prosecute speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs. former president george w. bush threatened to veto a similar measure but obama brought a reversal of that policy to the white house.
when the bill won final congressional approval last week, human rights campaign (hrc) president joe solmonese called the hate-crimes measure "our nation's first major piece of civil rights legislation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people." earlier this month, obama told the hrc - the nation's largest gay rights group - our nation still needs to make significant changes to ensure equal rights for gays and lesbians. while addressing the group at their annual dinner, obama said, "despite the progress we've made, there are still laws to change and hearts to open...this fight continues now and i'm here with you in that fight."
among other related initiatives, obama has called for the repeal of the 'don't ask, don't tell' ban on gays serving openly in the military, a policy hotly debated by both obama and biden during the 2008 presidential campaign. obama has also urged congress to repeal the defense of marriage act and pass the domestic partners benefit and obligations act. the defense of marriage act defines marriage, for federal purposes, as a legal union between a man and a woman. the act allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages. the domestic partners benefit and obligations act would extend family benefits now available to heterosexual federal employees to gay and lesbian workers.
the matthew shepard and james byrd, jr. hate crimes prevention act was named for matthew shepard, a gay wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in october 1998, and james byrd, jr., an african-american man dragged to death by a group of young white males in texas the same year. the appropriations bill signing was attended by shepard's mother, judy, as well as vice president joe biden, attorney general eric holder, defense secretary robert gates and other leading members of congress.
obama cited the work of the late massachusetts senator edward kennedy and others "to make this day possible." to loud applause, obama hailed the hate crimes measure in the bill as a step toward change to "help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love and how they pray." later that day, wednesday october 28, obama stood with shepard's parents and relatives of byrd, jr. at a separate white house event honoring passage of the expanded hate-crimes law.
noting reports of 12,000 crimes in the last decade based on sexual orientation, obama called the historic bill another step in the continuing struggle for human rights. obama said, "because of the efforts of the folks in this room, particularly those family members standing behind me, the bell rings even louder now." upon finishing his remarks he hugged the weeping relatives as the audience applauded.
several religious groups are concerned a hate crimes bill could be used to criminalize conservative speech relating to subjects like abortion or homosexuality. however, holder said any federal hate-crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias, not to prosecute speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs. former president george w. bush threatened to veto a similar measure but obama brought a reversal of that policy to the white house.
when the bill won final congressional approval last week, human rights campaign (hrc) president joe solmonese called the hate-crimes measure "our nation's first major piece of civil rights legislation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people." earlier this month, obama told the hrc - the nation's largest gay rights group - our nation still needs to make significant changes to ensure equal rights for gays and lesbians. while addressing the group at their annual dinner, obama said, "despite the progress we've made, there are still laws to change and hearts to open...this fight continues now and i'm here with you in that fight."
among other related initiatives, obama has called for the repeal of the 'don't ask, don't tell' ban on gays serving openly in the military, a policy hotly debated by both obama and biden during the 2008 presidential campaign. obama has also urged congress to repeal the defense of marriage act and pass the domestic partners benefit and obligations act. the defense of marriage act defines marriage, for federal purposes, as a legal union between a man and a woman. the act allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages. the domestic partners benefit and obligations act would extend family benefits now available to heterosexual federal employees to gay and lesbian workers.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Harlem's Mart 125: The American Dream
a couple of weeks ago i attended an interesting film & culture series at medgar evers college in brooklyn. the ongoing series is free & offers filmmakers from the african diaspora the opportunity to share their work in a culturally affirming environment. b4 the film an open mic is available for poets & spoken word artists. after the film a panel discussion is held to explore various concerns & issues impacting our community, as well as to engage the audience in dialogue. in the spirit of activating social change, we exchange ideas, raise awareness & speak truth to power.
the film, harlem's mart 125: the american dream, was brilliantly directed by rachelle salnave gardner, a native new yorker who moved to atlanta. this documentary film is about the history of mart 125 & how it correlates to the 'revitalization' of 125th street - harlem's main commercial sector. right from the opening moment, the film gives viewers a historical journey depicting the economic transition of 125th street from the late 60's (rev dr king/malcolm x era) to our current post-obama reality.
mart 125, a now-defunct space across the street from the apollo theatre utilized by business owners of african descent, is used as a metaphor to examine the plague of perplexities surrounding this unique black community & its relationship with the plans of urban renewal from a commercial standpoint. the film offers a microcosmic analysis of the displacement (read: genocide, or its politically correct term, gentrification) of black american communities today.
the film is dispersed with candid interviews from activists, entrepreneurs, politicians, residents & stakeholders whose conflicting views about how harlem changed right b4 their eyes illuminates the complexity of issues surrounding a community in peril. one of the statistics which resonated with me was how rent skyrocketed in a decade. in 1997 a one-bedroom apartment was available for $650/month. in 2007 that same apartment was $1500/month. the question on many folks' mind: who benefits?
i was inspired by the ensuing panel discussion. expertly facilitated by the series' mc, miles mcafee, the spirited audience was treated to food from the soul. in addition to the beautiful filmmaker, the panelists were kanya vashon mcgee, founder of the tree of life bookstore in harlem (circa 1969), kevin powell, activist, author (recently defeated in a brooklyn community district primary), fred saunders, real estate developer & pierre thiam, owner of the dakar restaurant in brooklyn.
miles immediately pointed out another sistah - in the spirit of gender equity - was invited yet could not attend. he also shared all of the panelists were personal friends, in other words, be kind to my peeps. after opening remarks, panelists shared their perspectives on the film & the many underlying issues disturbing our community: apathy, hiv/aids, mental illness, prison industrial complex, racism, substance use, unemployment, violence, etc. the audience was encouraged to ask questions in what miles termed "the liberation zone." he also suggested we network afterwards, as well as return for their upcoming film on october 15.
the film, harlem's mart 125: the american dream, was brilliantly directed by rachelle salnave gardner, a native new yorker who moved to atlanta. this documentary film is about the history of mart 125 & how it correlates to the 'revitalization' of 125th street - harlem's main commercial sector. right from the opening moment, the film gives viewers a historical journey depicting the economic transition of 125th street from the late 60's (rev dr king/malcolm x era) to our current post-obama reality.
mart 125, a now-defunct space across the street from the apollo theatre utilized by business owners of african descent, is used as a metaphor to examine the plague of perplexities surrounding this unique black community & its relationship with the plans of urban renewal from a commercial standpoint. the film offers a microcosmic analysis of the displacement (read: genocide, or its politically correct term, gentrification) of black american communities today.
the film is dispersed with candid interviews from activists, entrepreneurs, politicians, residents & stakeholders whose conflicting views about how harlem changed right b4 their eyes illuminates the complexity of issues surrounding a community in peril. one of the statistics which resonated with me was how rent skyrocketed in a decade. in 1997 a one-bedroom apartment was available for $650/month. in 2007 that same apartment was $1500/month. the question on many folks' mind: who benefits?
i was inspired by the ensuing panel discussion. expertly facilitated by the series' mc, miles mcafee, the spirited audience was treated to food from the soul. in addition to the beautiful filmmaker, the panelists were kanya vashon mcgee, founder of the tree of life bookstore in harlem (circa 1969), kevin powell, activist, author (recently defeated in a brooklyn community district primary), fred saunders, real estate developer & pierre thiam, owner of the dakar restaurant in brooklyn.
miles immediately pointed out another sistah - in the spirit of gender equity - was invited yet could not attend. he also shared all of the panelists were personal friends, in other words, be kind to my peeps. after opening remarks, panelists shared their perspectives on the film & the many underlying issues disturbing our community: apathy, hiv/aids, mental illness, prison industrial complex, racism, substance use, unemployment, violence, etc. the audience was encouraged to ask questions in what miles termed "the liberation zone." he also suggested we network afterwards, as well as return for their upcoming film on october 15.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama Wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
us president barack hussein obama was awarded the 2009 nobel peace prize. the nobel committee said he won it for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy & cooperation between peoples." his efforts to support international bodies & promote nuclear disarmament highlighted the committee's choice, deemed controversial by some, considering his inauguration was less than two weeks before the february 1 nomination deadline.
early friday morning the president was awakened by his youngest daughter malia who exclaimed, "daddy you won & its bo's birthday." his other daughter sasha was quick to remind him, "we have a three day weekend coming up." upon addressing the white house he said "its good to have kids to put things in perspective." obama said he didn't feel he "deserved to be in the company of such transformative figures" who'd previously won the prestigious award. among the record 205 nominations were zimbabwean prime minister morgan tsvangirai & chinese dissident hu jia.
the nobel laureate is chosen by a five-member committee. five norwegians are chosen by norway's parliament to sit on the nobel committee. those qualified to nominate candidates include academics, international judiciary, members of national governments & previous prize winners. the committee compiles a shortlist of between five & 20 candidates. details of the nominations & selection process are kept secret for 50 years, augmenting the awards' mystique.
reactions to the committee's decision were swift & varied. mark mardell, bbc north america editor said, "there was already a huge weight of responsibility on obama's shoulders & this medal hung round his neck has just made it a little heavier." mohammed elbaradei, the head of the un's nuclear watchdog, the iaea, stated, "in less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves & the world we live in & rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself." taliban spokesman zabihuilah mujahid told the reuters news agency "obama should have won the nobel prize for escalating violence & killing civilians." republican national committee chair michael steele said, "the question americans must ask is what has obama really accomplished?"
in a prepared statement, the norwegian committee said, "only very rarely has a person to the same extent as obama captured the world's attention & given its people hope for a better future...his diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values & attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population." asked why the prize was awarded to obama less than a year after he took office, nobel committee head thorbjoern jagland said, "it was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve...it is a clear signal that we want to advocate the same as he has done."
archbishop desmond tutu of south africa, a former winner, said, "it is an award that speaks to the promise of president obama's message of hope." french president nicolas sarkozy said the award confirmed "america's return to the hearts of the people of the world." furthermore, the statement of the nobel committee said, "mr obama had created a new climate in international politics...multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the united nations & other international institutions can play." the committee added the us was now playing a more constructive role in meeting "the great climatic challenges" facing the world & that democracy & human rights would be strengthened.
obama is the first american president to win the prize since former us president jimmy carter in 2002. former vice president al gore shared the prize in 2007. among earlier leaders, theodore roosevelt won the prize in 1906 & woodrow wilson won in 1919. first awarded in 1901, the nobel prize was invented by the swedish industrialist & inventor of dynamite alfred nobel. obama's new found gifts include a diploma, gold medal & $1.4 million, which he's donating to charity. the prize-giving ceremony for the peace award is scheduled to take place on december 10 in oslo, the norwegian capitol.
early friday morning the president was awakened by his youngest daughter malia who exclaimed, "daddy you won & its bo's birthday." his other daughter sasha was quick to remind him, "we have a three day weekend coming up." upon addressing the white house he said "its good to have kids to put things in perspective." obama said he didn't feel he "deserved to be in the company of such transformative figures" who'd previously won the prestigious award. among the record 205 nominations were zimbabwean prime minister morgan tsvangirai & chinese dissident hu jia.
the nobel laureate is chosen by a five-member committee. five norwegians are chosen by norway's parliament to sit on the nobel committee. those qualified to nominate candidates include academics, international judiciary, members of national governments & previous prize winners. the committee compiles a shortlist of between five & 20 candidates. details of the nominations & selection process are kept secret for 50 years, augmenting the awards' mystique.
reactions to the committee's decision were swift & varied. mark mardell, bbc north america editor said, "there was already a huge weight of responsibility on obama's shoulders & this medal hung round his neck has just made it a little heavier." mohammed elbaradei, the head of the un's nuclear watchdog, the iaea, stated, "in less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves & the world we live in & rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself." taliban spokesman zabihuilah mujahid told the reuters news agency "obama should have won the nobel prize for escalating violence & killing civilians." republican national committee chair michael steele said, "the question americans must ask is what has obama really accomplished?"
in a prepared statement, the norwegian committee said, "only very rarely has a person to the same extent as obama captured the world's attention & given its people hope for a better future...his diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values & attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population." asked why the prize was awarded to obama less than a year after he took office, nobel committee head thorbjoern jagland said, "it was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve...it is a clear signal that we want to advocate the same as he has done."
archbishop desmond tutu of south africa, a former winner, said, "it is an award that speaks to the promise of president obama's message of hope." french president nicolas sarkozy said the award confirmed "america's return to the hearts of the people of the world." furthermore, the statement of the nobel committee said, "mr obama had created a new climate in international politics...multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the united nations & other international institutions can play." the committee added the us was now playing a more constructive role in meeting "the great climatic challenges" facing the world & that democracy & human rights would be strengthened.
obama is the first american president to win the prize since former us president jimmy carter in 2002. former vice president al gore shared the prize in 2007. among earlier leaders, theodore roosevelt won the prize in 1906 & woodrow wilson won in 1919. first awarded in 1901, the nobel prize was invented by the swedish industrialist & inventor of dynamite alfred nobel. obama's new found gifts include a diploma, gold medal & $1.4 million, which he's donating to charity. the prize-giving ceremony for the peace award is scheduled to take place on december 10 in oslo, the norwegian capitol.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Family Reunion Looms On The Horizon
my mother, youngest sistah & i've been talking about having a family reunion lately. nearly half a century on the planet & i've yet to participate in a family reunion. back in tha day the o'jays recorded a wonderfully heartfelt song about family reunions but i thought they were singing about somebody else's family. not my family. my family has a long-standing reputation of always showing up late to family functions. the one's we plan!
after speaking to a few folks who've experienced family reunions of their own, the consensus is it takes at least a year to plan such an event. are folks genuinely interested? will they show up or cancel on cp time? where should we gather? what will we do? how much will this cost? does anyone know oprah? well, seems everyone knows oprah but the most practical way to get to her is thru her best friend. gayle king. but i digress.
after we gauge folks' interest it was suggested to establish a planning committee. can't imagine how that would work considering we plan poorly in this family: plan b means fuck it cuz i ain't going. although i must admit the women in our family have always held it down, especially when it comes to nurturing the kids. ah, yes. bebe's kids. there are so many now. can't remember every one's names. of course, with all these hip hop inspired, post-9/11, weird ass spellings...what happened to simple names like john, paul, george & ringo?
i was watching an episode of america's next top model & one of the participants was a fly young sistah from the west coast; california, i believe. her name was spontaneus. 4 real. i gagged. what was her momma thinking? or drinking? why do black folk do shit like that? ok, i prolly spelled her name wrong - she changed a letter here & there. u know how we do. tryna be creative. & shit. something different. oh, how we lie to ourselves. but that was her name. a model named spontaneus. right. she lost early. not bcuz of her name. but it wasn't a plus. trust me.
the idea of a family reunion intrigues me for so many reasons. most of our tribe lives in chicago, yet we got folks scattered in florida, indiana, missouri, new york & texas. our world has become more & more isolated as we speak, or tweet. nobody talks to each other. krs-one once rapped about the difference between civilization & technology. growing up we talked about the cosby show or the weather, but not about how we felt. do i expect a reunion to change family dynamics? no. but we can have fun in the spirit of unity. also, we can model the young folk a template for love.
from what i understand, family reunions are unique opportunities to learn about ancestral legacies. we learn to practice patience as we wait for the elders to take out their teeth before they talk. we learn to practice more patience as we wait for the elders to remember their train of thought. we learn to practice more patience as we wait for the elders to wake up when they fall asleep. we learn to practice even more patience as the elders go on & on & on about stuff nobody understands. yo, i don't care what nobody says: u can't make a long story short. why? bcuz it's a long story...
granted, some folks would rather text than talk. some folks prefer e-mail to real mail. i'm cool with it all yet i believe a family reunion could impact us in ways none of us might imagine. after all, it'd be a first. a new experience. we'd be together bcuz we really wanted to, not bcuz we feel we have to, like when someone dies, for example. we can start a valuable tradition for generations to come. many of us come home from work & bury ourselves into the computer, tv or latest video game. others don't connect. at all. i miss being around my peeps more & more as i get older. so, i hope we do it sooner than lata.
besides, like antwone fisher, i can eat.
after speaking to a few folks who've experienced family reunions of their own, the consensus is it takes at least a year to plan such an event. are folks genuinely interested? will they show up or cancel on cp time? where should we gather? what will we do? how much will this cost? does anyone know oprah? well, seems everyone knows oprah but the most practical way to get to her is thru her best friend. gayle king. but i digress.
after we gauge folks' interest it was suggested to establish a planning committee. can't imagine how that would work considering we plan poorly in this family: plan b means fuck it cuz i ain't going. although i must admit the women in our family have always held it down, especially when it comes to nurturing the kids. ah, yes. bebe's kids. there are so many now. can't remember every one's names. of course, with all these hip hop inspired, post-9/11, weird ass spellings...what happened to simple names like john, paul, george & ringo?
i was watching an episode of america's next top model & one of the participants was a fly young sistah from the west coast; california, i believe. her name was spontaneus. 4 real. i gagged. what was her momma thinking? or drinking? why do black folk do shit like that? ok, i prolly spelled her name wrong - she changed a letter here & there. u know how we do. tryna be creative. & shit. something different. oh, how we lie to ourselves. but that was her name. a model named spontaneus. right. she lost early. not bcuz of her name. but it wasn't a plus. trust me.
the idea of a family reunion intrigues me for so many reasons. most of our tribe lives in chicago, yet we got folks scattered in florida, indiana, missouri, new york & texas. our world has become more & more isolated as we speak, or tweet. nobody talks to each other. krs-one once rapped about the difference between civilization & technology. growing up we talked about the cosby show or the weather, but not about how we felt. do i expect a reunion to change family dynamics? no. but we can have fun in the spirit of unity. also, we can model the young folk a template for love.
from what i understand, family reunions are unique opportunities to learn about ancestral legacies. we learn to practice patience as we wait for the elders to take out their teeth before they talk. we learn to practice more patience as we wait for the elders to remember their train of thought. we learn to practice more patience as we wait for the elders to wake up when they fall asleep. we learn to practice even more patience as the elders go on & on & on about stuff nobody understands. yo, i don't care what nobody says: u can't make a long story short. why? bcuz it's a long story...
granted, some folks would rather text than talk. some folks prefer e-mail to real mail. i'm cool with it all yet i believe a family reunion could impact us in ways none of us might imagine. after all, it'd be a first. a new experience. we'd be together bcuz we really wanted to, not bcuz we feel we have to, like when someone dies, for example. we can start a valuable tradition for generations to come. many of us come home from work & bury ourselves into the computer, tv or latest video game. others don't connect. at all. i miss being around my peeps more & more as i get older. so, i hope we do it sooner than lata.
besides, like antwone fisher, i can eat.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Juan Martin Del Potro and Kim Clisters Win 2009 US Open Singles Titles
20 year-old juan martin del potro of argentina stunned world #1 roger federer of switzerland 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 to win his first grand slam singles title at the us open in flushing meadow last monday. the thrilling match lasted well over four hours, starting in the early afternoon and climaxing at nite with one of del potro's many powerful forehand winners. del potro became the second south american (guillermo vilas '77) to claim the heralded crown. surprisingly, for a non-american, he admitted, "this was my dream, my favorite tournament, i've always wanted to win here and i can't believe this moment."
del potro crushed world #2 rafael nadal of spain in the semi-finals 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in less than two hours. his booming serve and flat, hard ground strokes were too much for nadal, who, despite a sore abdominal strain, played better as the tournament progressed. del potro is now the only man to beat both federer and nadal in a grand slam tournament. del potro was in tears after he shook hands with federer, who set the record of 15 grand slam men's singles titles upon beating american andy roddick in a five-set epic at wimbledon this summer.
clearly the hands-down favorite - he'd never lost to del potro - federer was primed for a record-tying sixth us open crown. the elegant swiss was up a set and a break at 5-4 in the second set before del potro broke his serve with an incredible running down-the-line forehand winner. in the third set del potro double faulted on set point yet showed maturity and poise beyond his years to come from two sets to one down for his unforgettable triumph. federer was 50 percent on his first serves and converted only five of 22 break points, conceding in the post-match press conference, "i had my chances...he played well...its not the end of the world."
kim clisters of belgium handily defeated surprising first time finalist 19 year-old caroline wozniacki of denmark 7-5, 6-3 to win her second us open singles title. clisters won in 2005 and abruptly retired to get married and have a baby. she returned to the tour this summer and played well in three tournaments. clisters became the first mother since evonne goolagong in 1980 to win at flushing meadow. after delivering a forehand winner at the net on match point she dropped to her knees and cried tears of joy.
clisters admitted after the match, "this wasn't our plan...i just wanted to play some matches and get used to the environment again." her 18-month old daughter jada joined her on court later to the delight of the record-setting crowd. the beaming clisters, popular and well-liked by all, was gracious in congratulating the young dane for her impressive run to the finals. the ninth-seeded wozniacki, who showed a steady calm in each of her matches, survived the onslaught of upsets as 16 of the top 32 seeds lost in the first two rounds.
the unseeded clisters was given a wild card this year and used it wisely. she didn't lose a set the entire tournament, playing hard each match with nothing to lose. clisters defeated venus williams in the fourth round & her sistah serena williams in a controversial semi-final match. williams was fined $10,000 (as well as $500 fine for racket abuse) by the usta for shouting verbal obscenities at a lines woman who called a foot fault on williams as she served 5-6, 15-40 in the second set. though contrite during her post-match press conference, the following day williams issued an amended apology to the lines woman, the usta, clisters and her fans for her, "inappropriate outburst."
del potro crushed world #2 rafael nadal of spain in the semi-finals 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in less than two hours. his booming serve and flat, hard ground strokes were too much for nadal, who, despite a sore abdominal strain, played better as the tournament progressed. del potro is now the only man to beat both federer and nadal in a grand slam tournament. del potro was in tears after he shook hands with federer, who set the record of 15 grand slam men's singles titles upon beating american andy roddick in a five-set epic at wimbledon this summer.
clearly the hands-down favorite - he'd never lost to del potro - federer was primed for a record-tying sixth us open crown. the elegant swiss was up a set and a break at 5-4 in the second set before del potro broke his serve with an incredible running down-the-line forehand winner. in the third set del potro double faulted on set point yet showed maturity and poise beyond his years to come from two sets to one down for his unforgettable triumph. federer was 50 percent on his first serves and converted only five of 22 break points, conceding in the post-match press conference, "i had my chances...he played well...its not the end of the world."
kim clisters of belgium handily defeated surprising first time finalist 19 year-old caroline wozniacki of denmark 7-5, 6-3 to win her second us open singles title. clisters won in 2005 and abruptly retired to get married and have a baby. she returned to the tour this summer and played well in three tournaments. clisters became the first mother since evonne goolagong in 1980 to win at flushing meadow. after delivering a forehand winner at the net on match point she dropped to her knees and cried tears of joy.
clisters admitted after the match, "this wasn't our plan...i just wanted to play some matches and get used to the environment again." her 18-month old daughter jada joined her on court later to the delight of the record-setting crowd. the beaming clisters, popular and well-liked by all, was gracious in congratulating the young dane for her impressive run to the finals. the ninth-seeded wozniacki, who showed a steady calm in each of her matches, survived the onslaught of upsets as 16 of the top 32 seeds lost in the first two rounds.
the unseeded clisters was given a wild card this year and used it wisely. she didn't lose a set the entire tournament, playing hard each match with nothing to lose. clisters defeated venus williams in the fourth round & her sistah serena williams in a controversial semi-final match. williams was fined $10,000 (as well as $500 fine for racket abuse) by the usta for shouting verbal obscenities at a lines woman who called a foot fault on williams as she served 5-6, 15-40 in the second set. though contrite during her post-match press conference, the following day williams issued an amended apology to the lines woman, the usta, clisters and her fans for her, "inappropriate outburst."
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