I need to put together a list of open houses in CHN this weekend. I need to spend more time doing grown up things like looking for a house to buy and advancing my fledling career in public policy.
MM – I was actually discussing something very interesting last night with a friend of mine. He’s from that filthy place they call England.
Anyway, the notion came up that our discrimination is equally bad on both sides of the atlantic, BUT it’s qualitatively different. America is stuck in a truly racist model. While Britain’s discrimination is socio-economic (classist). America operates with the myth that everyone can be rich and successful so we do everything in our power to avoid talking about class etc…. BUT white is good and black is bad. In Britain, rich is good and poor is bad. Color can be mitigated by wealth. (Of course there is overlap with racism.)
Just some interesting thoughts… hardly fully developed.
Also – Obama actually has tried to be active in promoting things like “being an active, supportive father is good.” His photo-ops with his daughters are not just because they are adorable. It would probably be a lot easier for them never to appear in public (a la Michael Jackson’s ‘Blanket’ and ‘Prince”‘ or whatever their fucked up names). But seeing them tugging on their daddy’s pant leg is a really powerful image. “Daddy’s little girl” as a goal.
role models has to be the parents. if I’m looking for an Asian sports star to idolize, I’m screwed. I can only think of gentle giant Yao Ming in basketball or Manny Pacquiao in boxing and these 2 only came along in recent yrs. Dont off load parenting responsibilities onto others. Lebron comes across as pretty smart dude so if he wasnt that good in sports, I’m sure he would’ve gotten a college degree and got a professional gig of some sort
The business of high pay for sports figures is what it is, high paid entertainment in the high stakes world of media/advertising and if kids aim for sports achievement, that is fine. HOWEVER, it is brutally competitive and the people who make it to the top are off the charts talented. What these kids need is a PLAN B because the odds of playing professional sports are slim. Even the the super successful, single-minded stars can go off the rails (drugs, bimbos, gambling) when they haven’t cultivated a balanced life with a safety net of Plan B, some normal “non-predatory” relationships with family and friends.
My brother pursued the dream of professional sports, got close, got hurt and didn’t make it. He used to talk to me about the Plan B, and how much trouble he had constructing one when Plan A didn’t work out. He did well at his Plan B ultimately. But his story is not special, it is the same for any kid who is good at sports, black or white. The tricky overlay for some black kids is that they aren’t being helped with a realistic approach to education/ employment and a realistic Plan B, i.e. life plan.
Thanks Kens. It’s much more than the mirror apparently. Passenger’s side door needs substnatial work or replacement. Like M4L said, prolly a couple grand. But hey, when you self-insure there eventually comes the day when you’ve gotta pony up the cash. I figure I have probably saved over $10k over the years by self-insuring for body damage (I just carry third party liability insurance) so if that’s the hit I take by paying out of my own pocket that’s the deal I have made with myself.
i want a burrito
rob is on some extra jack*ssery today.
I need to put together a list of open houses in CHN this weekend. I need to spend more time doing grown up things like looking for a house to buy and advancing my fledling career in public policy.
MM – I was actually discussing something very interesting last night with a friend of mine. He’s from that filthy place they call England.
Anyway, the notion came up that our discrimination is equally bad on both sides of the atlantic, BUT it’s qualitatively different. America is stuck in a truly racist model. While Britain’s discrimination is socio-economic (classist). America operates with the myth that everyone can be rich and successful so we do everything in our power to avoid talking about class etc…. BUT white is good and black is bad. In Britain, rich is good and poor is bad. Color can be mitigated by wealth. (Of course there is overlap with racism.)
Just some interesting thoughts… hardly fully developed.
Also – Obama actually has tried to be active in promoting things like “being an active, supportive father is good.” His photo-ops with his daughters are not just because they are adorable. It would probably be a lot easier for them never to appear in public (a la Michael Jackson’s ‘Blanket’ and ‘Prince”‘ or whatever their fucked up names). But seeing them tugging on their daddy’s pant leg is a really powerful image. “Daddy’s little girl” as a goal.
role models has to be the parents. if I’m looking for an Asian sports star to idolize, I’m screwed. I can only think of gentle giant Yao Ming in basketball or Manny Pacquiao in boxing and these 2 only came along in recent yrs. Dont off load parenting responsibilities onto others. Lebron comes across as pretty smart dude so if he wasnt that good in sports, I’m sure he would’ve gotten a college degree and got a professional gig of some sort
Whoops Jackal, sorry I spelled your name wrong.
Lechecal,
Lee’s Auto Service, corner Smith and Third Sts. 2 Chinese guys, smart, honest, fast. Tell them Roberta sent you. Only open M-F 9-5 though.
The business of high pay for sports figures is what it is, high paid entertainment in the high stakes world of media/advertising and if kids aim for sports achievement, that is fine. HOWEVER, it is brutally competitive and the people who make it to the top are off the charts talented. What these kids need is a PLAN B because the odds of playing professional sports are slim. Even the the super successful, single-minded stars can go off the rails (drugs, bimbos, gambling) when they haven’t cultivated a balanced life with a safety net of Plan B, some normal “non-predatory” relationships with family and friends.
My brother pursued the dream of professional sports, got close, got hurt and didn’t make it. He used to talk to me about the Plan B, and how much trouble he had constructing one when Plan A didn’t work out. He did well at his Plan B ultimately. But his story is not special, it is the same for any kid who is good at sports, black or white. The tricky overlay for some black kids is that they aren’t being helped with a realistic approach to education/ employment and a realistic Plan B, i.e. life plan.
Also, I don’t understand the assumption in some posts that black people need or want role models more than anybody else.
Thanks Kens. It’s much more than the mirror apparently. Passenger’s side door needs substnatial work or replacement. Like M4L said, prolly a couple grand. But hey, when you self-insure there eventually comes the day when you’ve gotta pony up the cash. I figure I have probably saved over $10k over the years by self-insuring for body damage (I just carry third party liability insurance) so if that’s the hit I take by paying out of my own pocket that’s the deal I have made with myself.