I just read a most thought-stirring post by Shivonne on facebook and before I knew it my reply was two comment-spaces long. I decided therefore that I should put it here as it reflects how I feel about some things.
Shivonne's original post: http://tahitian-sky.blogspot.com/2008/01/sham-of-public-consultation.html
entitled ' The Sham of Public Consultation'
(I ask that you read her post first as it's not only a good piece but makes my post make sense)
and my response was this:
I've been the same way you are for a while as well. Flinching every time someone says 'but how could they DO that?!' or 'that shouldn't be able to happen!' Obviously if it weren't able to happen we'd be having a different conversation right now.
if ISPATT is any indication, any steel mill in this country is certain death to the surrounding environment. I ask anyone wanting to see what this looks like to check out that area using google earth or some similar program.
maybe one day solidarity won't be a trend or passing phase with trinis. Someone from the EMA came to a lecture I was in once and spoke about the process one must go through to put up.. anything of that nature (as the steel mill).. but I can't exactly remember a lot of it.. and I spent most of the lecture thinking to myself that this woman could save a lot of breath if she just told us the truth that all you had to do was be in good with or pay off the right people and avoid all the hassle of forms and sight checks etc
Once you propose something to this government in a way that makes it seem like they stand to gain in some great (economic) way you get a free pass to do almost whatever you want; a red carpet made by the broken backs of the country's people.
Mind you, you don't actually have to kick back anything much to the government AFTER the fact, once they think you were going to do so before hand and you keep some specific people happy.
I always love it when one of the proposed advantages to these mills etc is 'there'll be lots of work for locals'. As if all fishermen were also engineers or technicians. As if farmers were just as comfortable working with machinery as they were with the land. It hearts my heart when I think about the futures of all these locals who will have their main(and only) source of income ripped away from them only to be given the PROSPECT of 'training' and a potential 'job'. What are they REALLY to do? it's just like you said Shiv - the way things are supposed to be and they way they really are.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Step out
I'd never seen people 'stepping' until I saw previews for movies like 'Stomp the Yard' and then saw stepping championships on tv etc. I never paid much mind to it really, often looking on with slight interest just because it was a dance form (and I love dance) that incorporated percussive elements (and I love percussions). However it just never grabbed me really.
Then I went to various local shows, one being a show in UWI held by foreign hall students (from other Caribbean islands) and saw (local) trinis stepping (and chanting, as is often a part of stepping). From the first moment I saw a group of trinis do this I got annoyed. I wasn't sure exactly why I was annoyed by this at first but now I realize it's because I feel like my people are once again emulating something from the states that we could more than do (and do better) on our own.
Not a single stepping group that I've seen have done anything different to the stepping I've seen in the U.S. We have neither tried to modify it or incorporate local elements into it. It's pure emulation (in my eyes). And this peeves me. I admire americans doing it for what it is.. some tricky hand and foot movements and group co-ordination. But come on.. trinis must be able to come up with something a lot better than this. Why are why copying this (I refrain from saying crap, though that's how I feel despite my respect for it) dance form?! It's shit like this that is robbing us of our international individuality, our creativity and passion for uniqueness.
Someone must come with the excuse that stepping has African roots etc. This is barely true. It's mostly an american-made dance form and if it WERE heavily reliant on African culture, there'd be a lot more rhythm, colour and better vocalization.
So I appeal to my trini steppers.. at the very least make stepping YOUR OWN. Do something different. Do not be content in the mediocrity of mimicry and emulation. Excel in your own right and bring something new to the table.
Step out of the foreign-made box you're in and step into an endless realm of possibility and originality.
Then I went to various local shows, one being a show in UWI held by foreign hall students (from other Caribbean islands) and saw (local) trinis stepping (and chanting, as is often a part of stepping). From the first moment I saw a group of trinis do this I got annoyed. I wasn't sure exactly why I was annoyed by this at first but now I realize it's because I feel like my people are once again emulating something from the states that we could more than do (and do better) on our own.
Not a single stepping group that I've seen have done anything different to the stepping I've seen in the U.S. We have neither tried to modify it or incorporate local elements into it. It's pure emulation (in my eyes). And this peeves me. I admire americans doing it for what it is.. some tricky hand and foot movements and group co-ordination. But come on.. trinis must be able to come up with something a lot better than this. Why are why copying this (I refrain from saying crap, though that's how I feel despite my respect for it) dance form?! It's shit like this that is robbing us of our international individuality, our creativity and passion for uniqueness.
Someone must come with the excuse that stepping has African roots etc. This is barely true. It's mostly an american-made dance form and if it WERE heavily reliant on African culture, there'd be a lot more rhythm, colour and better vocalization.
So I appeal to my trini steppers.. at the very least make stepping YOUR OWN. Do something different. Do not be content in the mediocrity of mimicry and emulation. Excel in your own right and bring something new to the table.
Step out of the foreign-made box you're in and step into an endless realm of possibility and originality.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Speaking of free education..
anyone else have a problem with people who vote/support the PNM BECAUSE they gave them/us tertiary education? Mind you I love the fact that I didn't have to pay tuition for my final year, but sorry - the proper governance of my country and some thousands saved NOW don't quite equate each other for me. This is perhaps because I could have afforded to pay for my tertiary education and I'm sure the story would be different for someone who previously could not have. For those who are like me however, and could afford their tertiary education and still support the PNM because of this; see facebook groups like 'Ah real sorry but PNM pay for my education' http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9355336351 I say shame on you. You just get free tertiary education, you supposed to be at least a little intelligent. At least there are those in the group who see the truth for what it is and are not afraid to speak out.
Gas brains
IF the government DOES reduce the subsidy on gasoline in the country would the majority of motorists really notice? Let's say they did it one day and there were no press releases, no articles, no alerts would john motorist realize? I ask this due to the nature of the way us motorists purchase gas. Do we even bother to regard the price per litre that we're paying? Or do we just say 'yea 60 dollars please'? Obviously it's the latter so I'm really wondering if the price of gas went up if general populace would notice/care if they weren't alerted to it being a 'big deal'. I could hear it already "dred, ah find this $60 not doing what it used to in meh tank. The tank probably holdin more now, ah should put ah extra $10"
or "thaz $60?! but the thing barely reach half tank!... oh well.." *drives off*
this is based on a reduction in the subsidy and not complete removal mind you as THAT would definitely be noticeable and as my mom and others have said - there'd probably be riots. But then this country's been heading to riots for some time now so perhaps that'll just bring it on one time. We could riot about everything one time. One big mass riot for a whole week.. and then people will get fed up, go home, bend over and take it like they/we used to. Especially after the government gives them some other equivalent to free education. Legalizing marijuana perhaps.
or "thaz $60?! but the thing barely reach half tank!... oh well.." *drives off*
this is based on a reduction in the subsidy and not complete removal mind you as THAT would definitely be noticeable and as my mom and others have said - there'd probably be riots. But then this country's been heading to riots for some time now so perhaps that'll just bring it on one time. We could riot about everything one time. One big mass riot for a whole week.. and then people will get fed up, go home, bend over and take it like they/we used to. Especially after the government gives them some other equivalent to free education. Legalizing marijuana perhaps.
April Carnival?
Those who care about carnival, and even some who don't should know by now that there is being discussion as to whether our beloved Carnival should hold a set date (which is being proposed as the last weekend in April). The main reason for this change is economic of course, as fete promoters/owners, mas camps etc are arguing that with this year's very early carnival they didn't get ample time to prepare.
Without really contemplating the matter I thought initially 'hey, a fixed carnival mightn't be that bad. Especially in April, when people could gear up more for it etc'. I also thought that this had the very high potential to severely rob Carnival of it's 'Monday and Tuesday' excitement. After reading other person's thoughts though I must agree that the change is bullshit. They even published a list of dates for carnival for the next 5-10 years along with the first article I read about it. As one person rightly stated - they know the dates already!!! it's their own fault for not being able to plan on time for carnival! Typical trini slackness reigns supreme.
This move will serve to further sever the link between traditional carnival and what carnival is really supposed to stand for and what carnival is today (over produced, commercialized excitement at the right price). Thus I stand by my fellow true carnival lovers against the economic-driven higher-ups. Carnival IS Monday and Tuesday. It isn't just a big two-day fete in the road although that's exactly what it has now come to. In this case we must move backward instead of forward. Backward into tradition. I'd much rather play traditional mas and take on the character of a Midnight Robber than... 'Amalthea'. What am I supposed to do in a white costume that resembles nothing I'm familiar with? Drink and lime and wine.. and that's exactly why things are the way they are now.. the cycle that's getting rid of all traces of tradition.
Without really contemplating the matter I thought initially 'hey, a fixed carnival mightn't be that bad. Especially in April, when people could gear up more for it etc'. I also thought that this had the very high potential to severely rob Carnival of it's 'Monday and Tuesday' excitement. After reading other person's thoughts though I must agree that the change is bullshit. They even published a list of dates for carnival for the next 5-10 years along with the first article I read about it. As one person rightly stated - they know the dates already!!! it's their own fault for not being able to plan on time for carnival! Typical trini slackness reigns supreme.
This move will serve to further sever the link between traditional carnival and what carnival is really supposed to stand for and what carnival is today (over produced, commercialized excitement at the right price). Thus I stand by my fellow true carnival lovers against the economic-driven higher-ups. Carnival IS Monday and Tuesday. It isn't just a big two-day fete in the road although that's exactly what it has now come to. In this case we must move backward instead of forward. Backward into tradition. I'd much rather play traditional mas and take on the character of a Midnight Robber than... 'Amalthea'. What am I supposed to do in a white costume that resembles nothing I'm familiar with? Drink and lime and wine.. and that's exactly why things are the way they are now.. the cycle that's getting rid of all traces of tradition.
Blazin d Jumbie
Perhaps it's my love of music in general that has spurned this disgust and animosity towards Machel Montano's road march contender 'Blazin The Trail'. I think too, that it's my strong sense of fairness and justice with regards to all matters of life that has me feeling like this. Lost? Go try to get copies of Blazin The Trail and Jumbie by Mr. Montano. Then listen to them back to back. It may not be clear to you how alike the two songs are until the chorus of Blazin The Trail begins with 'Blaze it! Blaze it up!' but for sure anyone with two ears and a properly functioning auditory system will hear that it's the same thing.
Now I could have been wrong about this before. Maybe I was hearing what I wanted to hear.
However any doubt as to the close similarity between these two songs ended when I saw Machel live at Ladies First and he opened with Jumbie, then went right into Blazing The Trail then proceeded to jump directly from a verse of Blazin the Trail into 'Jumbie! Jumbie Dem!'. AND HE BOLDFACE WITH IT TOO!! that sealed it for me. I got pissed and couldn't appreciate much else after that.
If it weren't a roadmarch contender AND Jumbie hadn't won last year I'd probably not be this angry. However that IS the case and thus I am. Some may say 'well it's just soca you know'. So what? soca isn't music at the end of the day? Just because it's often generic rhythms with generic lyrics with almost no substance whatsoever to them doesn't get it past the fact that this is music that I enjoy. As such I'd like not to be insulted by artistes, ESPECIALLY one of the most popular soca artistes ever, in this manner. Like I've told anyone who would listen to my ranting - if Machel wins this year it's politics. If he does indeed win roadmarch with Blazing the Trail this year I'm really lockin off roadmarch and all related competitions and really not taking this thing (soca) seriously again.
Now I'd just like to say that by itself I don't actually mind Blazing The Trail.. I like Jumbie so of course I must like Blazing The Trail. I can't listen to it without hearing the glaring similarity though so I choose not to listen whenever it's on (i'll change the station, track etc).
Please stop insulting your fans (a group to which I do not belong) and the general public. First you refused to admit the obvious sampling of Enya's Caribbean Blue and now this.. it's disgusting.
and for those who care, I'm backing Faye-Anne for roadmarch with 'Get On'. Even though she's using the same beat etc from her 2007 song 'Make A Stage', she wasn't a contender for road march, as I felt she should be - so I'm glad people are finally realising the potential she has. Goodluck Ms. Lyons!
Now I could have been wrong about this before. Maybe I was hearing what I wanted to hear.
However any doubt as to the close similarity between these two songs ended when I saw Machel live at Ladies First and he opened with Jumbie, then went right into Blazing The Trail then proceeded to jump directly from a verse of Blazin the Trail into 'Jumbie! Jumbie Dem!'. AND HE BOLDFACE WITH IT TOO!! that sealed it for me. I got pissed and couldn't appreciate much else after that.
If it weren't a roadmarch contender AND Jumbie hadn't won last year I'd probably not be this angry. However that IS the case and thus I am. Some may say 'well it's just soca you know'. So what? soca isn't music at the end of the day? Just because it's often generic rhythms with generic lyrics with almost no substance whatsoever to them doesn't get it past the fact that this is music that I enjoy. As such I'd like not to be insulted by artistes, ESPECIALLY one of the most popular soca artistes ever, in this manner. Like I've told anyone who would listen to my ranting - if Machel wins this year it's politics. If he does indeed win roadmarch with Blazing the Trail this year I'm really lockin off roadmarch and all related competitions and really not taking this thing (soca) seriously again.
Now I'd just like to say that by itself I don't actually mind Blazing The Trail.. I like Jumbie so of course I must like Blazing The Trail. I can't listen to it without hearing the glaring similarity though so I choose not to listen whenever it's on (i'll change the station, track etc).
Please stop insulting your fans (a group to which I do not belong) and the general public. First you refused to admit the obvious sampling of Enya's Caribbean Blue and now this.. it's disgusting.
and for those who care, I'm backing Faye-Anne for roadmarch with 'Get On'. Even though she's using the same beat etc from her 2007 song 'Make A Stage', she wasn't a contender for road march, as I felt she should be - so I'm glad people are finally realising the potential she has. Goodluck Ms. Lyons!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Soca in meh vein..
I love carnival. I could understand how and why some/a lot of people don't though. I think it's a little ignorant of some people to say 'I doh understand how people could NOT like carnival!' but I've heard that a few times.
I've been enjoying the season so far and I like a lot of the soca for this year. I think it's better than last year's and making up for the shit we've been getting for the past few years. Altho in some ways it is still lacking.
Went to one fete so far.. Ladies First. Typical Zen scene - long lines, VIP was shit(so I heard), Dj spun the same things over and over etc.
Gape was LIIVEEEE tho!! reaal bess girls! didn't pick up tho :(
met some real cool people however, so that made up. Was a good lime, with one or two.. or three crappy moments. Saw some friends I hadn't seen in a while so overall it was good. Made me want to go to more and more fetes but I'm only probably going to one more - Euphoria, which is a staple fete for my friends and I now. This will be the third year we're going to it. and of course there's carnival monday and tuesday.. niceness!!
I've been enjoying the season so far and I like a lot of the soca for this year. I think it's better than last year's and making up for the shit we've been getting for the past few years. Altho in some ways it is still lacking.
Went to one fete so far.. Ladies First. Typical Zen scene - long lines, VIP was shit(so I heard), Dj spun the same things over and over etc.
Gape was LIIVEEEE tho!! reaal bess girls! didn't pick up tho :(
met some real cool people however, so that made up. Was a good lime, with one or two.. or three crappy moments. Saw some friends I hadn't seen in a while so overall it was good. Made me want to go to more and more fetes but I'm only probably going to one more - Euphoria, which is a staple fete for my friends and I now. This will be the third year we're going to it. and of course there's carnival monday and tuesday.. niceness!!
Moral Devolution vs. Numerical Progression
for some reason I felt like putting this up. It's something I wrote a couple years ago but is more than relevant today still.
Moral Devolution vs. Numerical Progression
Everything, everyone is gone
Lost within their own selfish thoughts
Seeds of hate blossom in their minds
Gone are kind notions, prejudice is born.
Humanity fighting for the right to be called inhumane
Ethically slammed backwards while moving forward into a new age
Computers replace morals and violence reigns
Individuals strive for creativity but are labelled obscene
Murder is art when art is murder
Censorship in more forms than expression itself
Everyone fighting to be heard over each other
But not bothering to hear the noise they make.
The tide washes away all innocence
Corruption spreads from politician to child
It's cold fingers dig into the souls of the most pure
And we are left wondering why
Freedom is oppressed and rights are denied
Guilty walk free while the innocent cry
Euphoria found in endless chemical supply
To do nothing is to sit and watch us die.
Peace is an island where no man can go
Paradise lost in the devil's hold
Face the reality, witness humanity and its slow demise
We kill ourselves just to survive.
...cake?
by: me.
Moral Devolution vs. Numerical Progression
Everything, everyone is gone
Lost within their own selfish thoughts
Seeds of hate blossom in their minds
Gone are kind notions, prejudice is born.
Humanity fighting for the right to be called inhumane
Ethically slammed backwards while moving forward into a new age
Computers replace morals and violence reigns
Individuals strive for creativity but are labelled obscene
Murder is art when art is murder
Censorship in more forms than expression itself
Everyone fighting to be heard over each other
But not bothering to hear the noise they make.
The tide washes away all innocence
Corruption spreads from politician to child
It's cold fingers dig into the souls of the most pure
And we are left wondering why
Freedom is oppressed and rights are denied
Guilty walk free while the innocent cry
Euphoria found in endless chemical supply
To do nothing is to sit and watch us die.
Peace is an island where no man can go
Paradise lost in the devil's hold
Face the reality, witness humanity and its slow demise
We kill ourselves just to survive.
...cake?
by: me.
Happiness and responsibility
At what point do you sacrifice your happiness for your responsibility? If you knew you had the potential to obtain something that made you really happy but had existing responsibilities that operated in conflict with such a thing what would you do?
I couldn't answer this.. hopefully I never find myself in such a scenario
I couldn't answer this.. hopefully I never find myself in such a scenario
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Racist jokes
I make quite a good bit of racist-themed and stereotyping jokes. They've apparently become a frequently-used tool in my arsenal of jokes. I don't know why I enjoy them so much; playing off of ignorant people's generalized perceptions of particular races/ethnicities/sexualities..
the thing is when I hear comedians making racist jokes e.g. "you white ppl etc etc" or "you black ppl etc etc" I always groan and wonder why these people have to continuously use these kinds of jokes. Yet I perpetuate them myself.
One of my best friends is black as well and he's usually at the receiving end of many of my jokes. As well as my indian friends. (I don't have any close white friends sadly.. I say sadly because I wish I did so I could balance the jokes out). I end up feeling bad after I reflect on the jokes though and always think that I should cut down or stop altogether. I definitely am going to try to cut down because I may slip up and say something around the wrong people some day. Not everyone can appreciate the humour like my friends can.
'Black'(afro-trinis I've heard someone use) people and friend chicken/liquor, rap culture etc
Indian people, especially girls and common-law behaviour. Making curry for their husbands while they cut cane, shot puncheon like water and beat their wives, forcing them to leave and subsequently drinking gramaxone
White people and a seemingly genetic inability to lack rhythm, innate need to oppress everyone else
Jews and killing Jesus
Catholic priests and molesting little boys
Muslims and terrorism
and the list goes on.. I need to sit down and analyze why it is I find these jokes so funny at the times I make them (because if someone said them seriously I'd be offended and tell them something). I'm an advocate for blending of class and race divisions; of there being only one true 'race' and that of the 'human race' (sounds cheesy but I've read anthropologicial and psychological evidence that supports this theory) and yet I still make these jokes that divide and separate these people. Why? And I'm not afraid that I really am racist underneath it all and the jokes are ways for me to express these socially-negative feelings because in serious situations, I'd be offended by racism and the like. I've witnessed a 'dougla' man stand up in a QuikShoppe and cuss and carry on about 'them damn nigger people' (I can't even type that word without feeling a weird chill in my body) and how his mother was dougla and hated black people as well. All I wanted to do was to cuss him out and roll but I didn't want to make a bigger scene so I just walked out quietly. I love my dark-skinned brothers and sisters. I love my brown-skinned brothers and sisters. I love my hindu and muslim brothers and sisters. I love my catholic and jewish brothers and sisters.. and yet I poke fun at them all. Well I'll cut down anyway and hopefully figure out what about the jokes amuses me.
new thought.. perhaps I used my humour as a way of dealing with real world ignorance of these issues. As in, I use the jokes to mock real-world ignorance of my comedic subjects to show my dislike and disdain for serious belief in these phenomena... such as americans as their typecasting of the muslim terrorist. hmm.. perhaps
the thing is when I hear comedians making racist jokes e.g. "you white ppl etc etc" or "you black ppl etc etc" I always groan and wonder why these people have to continuously use these kinds of jokes. Yet I perpetuate them myself.
One of my best friends is black as well and he's usually at the receiving end of many of my jokes. As well as my indian friends. (I don't have any close white friends sadly.. I say sadly because I wish I did so I could balance the jokes out). I end up feeling bad after I reflect on the jokes though and always think that I should cut down or stop altogether. I definitely am going to try to cut down because I may slip up and say something around the wrong people some day. Not everyone can appreciate the humour like my friends can.
'Black'(afro-trinis I've heard someone use) people and friend chicken/liquor, rap culture etc
Indian people, especially girls and common-law behaviour. Making curry for their husbands while they cut cane, shot puncheon like water and beat their wives, forcing them to leave and subsequently drinking gramaxone
White people and a seemingly genetic inability to lack rhythm, innate need to oppress everyone else
Jews and killing Jesus
Catholic priests and molesting little boys
Muslims and terrorism
and the list goes on.. I need to sit down and analyze why it is I find these jokes so funny at the times I make them (because if someone said them seriously I'd be offended and tell them something). I'm an advocate for blending of class and race divisions; of there being only one true 'race' and that of the 'human race' (sounds cheesy but I've read anthropologicial and psychological evidence that supports this theory) and yet I still make these jokes that divide and separate these people. Why? And I'm not afraid that I really am racist underneath it all and the jokes are ways for me to express these socially-negative feelings because in serious situations, I'd be offended by racism and the like. I've witnessed a 'dougla' man stand up in a QuikShoppe and cuss and carry on about 'them damn nigger people' (I can't even type that word without feeling a weird chill in my body) and how his mother was dougla and hated black people as well. All I wanted to do was to cuss him out and roll but I didn't want to make a bigger scene so I just walked out quietly. I love my dark-skinned brothers and sisters. I love my brown-skinned brothers and sisters. I love my hindu and muslim brothers and sisters. I love my catholic and jewish brothers and sisters.. and yet I poke fun at them all. Well I'll cut down anyway and hopefully figure out what about the jokes amuses me.
new thought.. perhaps I used my humour as a way of dealing with real world ignorance of these issues. As in, I use the jokes to mock real-world ignorance of my comedic subjects to show my dislike and disdain for serious belief in these phenomena... such as americans as their typecasting of the muslim terrorist. hmm.. perhaps
24 Hrs not enough
I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day for me to do what I want. Especially when I get a proper 8-4 (plus traffic, so that's me not reaching home til 7 at least) I'll be extremely out of time to do anything I'd like. This includes drumming, playing guitar, reading, playing ps2 or wii, cycling and watching movies. I dunno what to do about this but I hope I figure it out soon. Viekievie seems to have some helpful things to say maybe they'll have some advice for this too :p (thanks for the advice thus far btw)
I've thought about scheduling things but I really don't want my life scheduled out like that.. but perhaps I can at least plan out certain things.. hmm
I've thought about scheduling things but I really don't want my life scheduled out like that.. but perhaps I can at least plan out certain things.. hmm
Monday, January 14, 2008
Updated reflection on crime and my own crime plan
I've a friend who stands firm that the majority of murders and kidnappings are drug and gang related.
I've had discussions with my mom and my aunt about what is the real cause of the crime situation in the country, as well as what can be done to effectively combat it.
I've constantly read news reports, especially one two-page article from this past weekend's Guardian about gang-related violence and the police force having proper knowledge about the gangs, their members/(community) leaders and whereabouts.
I've read headlines that screamed at me: "KNOWN KIDNAPPER FOUND DEAD'
I've heard the rumours and the talks about known criminals being released and the forewarnings of a rise of crime in certain areas and activities related to these criminals. What a coincidence actually that the same day I was recently warned about a quite known criminal being released I also heard that a friend's drug-using/dealing neighbour was kidnapped.
and I know I'm not the only one. So what is really happening to this country?
*oh geeze, ANOTHER crime-related blog*
yea, sorry.. but it's constant material and needs to be dealt with.
I understand that in some cases police don't have concrete evidence to arrest these known kidnappers and criminals. I also understand that even if the police did have this evidence, the same police would tip off the criminals and they'd escape once again into the seemingly bottomless underworld of this country. In fact, I know someone who was kidnapped and tortured by members of a security firm/police force.
So let's see.. the government is corrupt, the police force is corrupt and citizens are seemingly blind. It seems the only people who are genuine are the bandits themselves. I can trust a criminal to rob me of my wallet, I can't trust a politician to intelligently and effectively operate their post. So on the one hand I have to be on guard for a man(and now women as well) with a knife or gun walking up to me and ALSO on guard for a politician walking up to me armed with a smile and a portfolio of promises. It's a pickle of a position to be in, especially when you can't count on nor trust the forces created to protect you against these things - the police force and integrity commission.
What then, can be a possible solution/s to these problems? We've heard the new crime plan that has turned out to be nothing more than recycled speeches and doomed-to-fail ideas.
Do you battle crime from a top-down approach (strengthening your police force) or a bottom-up approach (combating the source of crime - drugs/gangs/guns etc) or what I like to call the human factor - developing a proper social system, primarily targeting homes and schools.
Well apparently the top-down approach seems to be favoured by this government and we can see what a lovely job that's done so far. More cars! more police patrols!.. speaking of which, you know what's really funny? that you can read one newspaper and on one page read an article talking about crime plans and how we've gotten so many new vehicles for the police force in the past and then on the next page read a story about someone who was robbed and couldn't be attended to by police because they 'had no car'. Comedians couldn't write this stuff!
It is my opinion, like everything else in this blog (is), that the government has jerked us around for the past how-many-ever years with their crime plans. They can't be really taking this as seriously as they should. And if they are, with the full weight/gravity of the situation bearing on them while they create these crime plans, I have to seriously question the intelligence of our leaders. Crime in this country has gotten way past the point where anything contained in any crime plan I have read will be any sort of effective.
my CRIME PLAN:
A combination of strategies is the only solution I see that can be anywhere near likely to making a dent in crime. Strategies that I named before - top, middle, down. Total reformation of the police force. Background and in-depth in-house investigations. Do we have an equivalent to the U.S. Dept. of Internal Affairs? Not just an increase in police numbers, but in police technology. Americans are flame throwers to us, only just having discovered fire. You mean we can't even get a proper DNA forensic team together? For all the psychologists we have in this country you'd think SOMEONE would clue in our legal system that eyewitness testimony isn't exactly the most valid and precise way of obtaining evidence. I have heard of ONE case of police actually dusting for finger prints at a crime scene out of the many, many stories I've heard of crime scenes. But what good are fingerprints anyway if you don't catch the criminal? this brings us back to technology.. I find it extremely difficult to comprehend that we don't have a proper computerized criminal database in this country. Halo and CoD fanboys can whip up a 20 party LAN in a matter of minutes, play WOW with millions of other people and our police force still use pens and notepaper. It's abacus v. laptops man.
Increased numbers of police officers won't mean shit if they can't make. Psychological testing should be mandatory, not just as a requirement to become an officer but also during the course of an officer's career. Training should be modernized to incorporate updated procedures and exercises.
More on this in further posts.. moving on to bottom-up.
Drugs. Come on guys, Trinidad is NOT that big of a country. In fact, it's quite tiny. It's inconceivable that our police force has such a poor rate of successful drug raids and seizures. And hey! guess what's NOT a novel occurrence - kidnappings post drug shipment seizures and related incidents! as my friend says - they hadda get back their money somehow. A sociologist infiltrated quite a bit of the drug trade in this country years ago. It's not impossible to do again. Sometimes you have to let one big fish go to find lots of fish that will eventually lead you to bigger fish(plural of course). Infiltration of drug hierarchies for the purpose of information gathering would be done. Again more on this in later posts.
Middle - as stated before we need strategies to combat the escalating youth movement to a criminal lifestyle. The younger you get them is the more years we going to have of the problem. I heard schools used to have trips to prisons but they were stopped by the parents for being too 'coarse' or something like that.. raiiighht.
anyway dred, I hadda stop it here.. i'll continue later. It's 6.14 and I need sleep. Happy Birthday Nadya!!
to be cont'd...
I've had discussions with my mom and my aunt about what is the real cause of the crime situation in the country, as well as what can be done to effectively combat it.
I've constantly read news reports, especially one two-page article from this past weekend's Guardian about gang-related violence and the police force having proper knowledge about the gangs, their members/(community) leaders and whereabouts.
I've read headlines that screamed at me: "KNOWN KIDNAPPER FOUND DEAD'
I've heard the rumours and the talks about known criminals being released and the forewarnings of a rise of crime in certain areas and activities related to these criminals. What a coincidence actually that the same day I was recently warned about a quite known criminal being released I also heard that a friend's drug-using/dealing neighbour was kidnapped.
and I know I'm not the only one. So what is really happening to this country?
*oh geeze, ANOTHER crime-related blog*
yea, sorry.. but it's constant material and needs to be dealt with.
I understand that in some cases police don't have concrete evidence to arrest these known kidnappers and criminals. I also understand that even if the police did have this evidence, the same police would tip off the criminals and they'd escape once again into the seemingly bottomless underworld of this country. In fact, I know someone who was kidnapped and tortured by members of a security firm/police force.
So let's see.. the government is corrupt, the police force is corrupt and citizens are seemingly blind. It seems the only people who are genuine are the bandits themselves. I can trust a criminal to rob me of my wallet, I can't trust a politician to intelligently and effectively operate their post. So on the one hand I have to be on guard for a man(and now women as well) with a knife or gun walking up to me and ALSO on guard for a politician walking up to me armed with a smile and a portfolio of promises. It's a pickle of a position to be in, especially when you can't count on nor trust the forces created to protect you against these things - the police force and integrity commission.
What then, can be a possible solution/s to these problems? We've heard the new crime plan that has turned out to be nothing more than recycled speeches and doomed-to-fail ideas.
Do you battle crime from a top-down approach (strengthening your police force) or a bottom-up approach (combating the source of crime - drugs/gangs/guns etc) or what I like to call the human factor - developing a proper social system, primarily targeting homes and schools.
Well apparently the top-down approach seems to be favoured by this government and we can see what a lovely job that's done so far. More cars! more police patrols!.. speaking of which, you know what's really funny? that you can read one newspaper and on one page read an article talking about crime plans and how we've gotten so many new vehicles for the police force in the past and then on the next page read a story about someone who was robbed and couldn't be attended to by police because they 'had no car'. Comedians couldn't write this stuff!
It is my opinion, like everything else in this blog (is), that the government has jerked us around for the past how-many-ever years with their crime plans. They can't be really taking this as seriously as they should. And if they are, with the full weight/gravity of the situation bearing on them while they create these crime plans, I have to seriously question the intelligence of our leaders. Crime in this country has gotten way past the point where anything contained in any crime plan I have read will be any sort of effective.
my CRIME PLAN:
A combination of strategies is the only solution I see that can be anywhere near likely to making a dent in crime. Strategies that I named before - top, middle, down. Total reformation of the police force. Background and in-depth in-house investigations. Do we have an equivalent to the U.S. Dept. of Internal Affairs? Not just an increase in police numbers, but in police technology. Americans are flame throwers to us, only just having discovered fire. You mean we can't even get a proper DNA forensic team together? For all the psychologists we have in this country you'd think SOMEONE would clue in our legal system that eyewitness testimony isn't exactly the most valid and precise way of obtaining evidence. I have heard of ONE case of police actually dusting for finger prints at a crime scene out of the many, many stories I've heard of crime scenes. But what good are fingerprints anyway if you don't catch the criminal? this brings us back to technology.. I find it extremely difficult to comprehend that we don't have a proper computerized criminal database in this country. Halo and CoD fanboys can whip up a 20 party LAN in a matter of minutes, play WOW with millions of other people and our police force still use pens and notepaper. It's abacus v. laptops man.
Increased numbers of police officers won't mean shit if they can't make. Psychological testing should be mandatory, not just as a requirement to become an officer but also during the course of an officer's career. Training should be modernized to incorporate updated procedures and exercises.
More on this in further posts.. moving on to bottom-up.
Drugs. Come on guys, Trinidad is NOT that big of a country. In fact, it's quite tiny. It's inconceivable that our police force has such a poor rate of successful drug raids and seizures. And hey! guess what's NOT a novel occurrence - kidnappings post drug shipment seizures and related incidents! as my friend says - they hadda get back their money somehow. A sociologist infiltrated quite a bit of the drug trade in this country years ago. It's not impossible to do again. Sometimes you have to let one big fish go to find lots of fish that will eventually lead you to bigger fish(plural of course). Infiltration of drug hierarchies for the purpose of information gathering would be done. Again more on this in later posts.
Middle - as stated before we need strategies to combat the escalating youth movement to a criminal lifestyle. The younger you get them is the more years we going to have of the problem. I heard schools used to have trips to prisons but they were stopped by the parents for being too 'coarse' or something like that.. raiiighht.
anyway dred, I hadda stop it here.. i'll continue later. It's 6.14 and I need sleep. Happy Birthday Nadya!!
to be cont'd...
Wanted: Good, HONEST mechanic
You know what really pissed me off about mechanics (the ones I have dealt with anyway)? the fact that you carry your car in to have a certain problem fixed and then you get that done, leave and then within the following week some new 'random' problem develops. I've had to endure this time and time again with one particular mechanic shop, whose owner was a family friend. Now I'm not insinuating that the owner had anything to do with the crap that happened, but I'm pretty sure his workers were responsible. Since the last time, over a year ago, I got really, really fed up and decided just to go to Laughlin and DeGannes for whatever general automotive repair I needed.
But apparently Laughlin and DeGannes don't do transmissions. Neither does MasterServ.
Isn't Laughlin's motto 'yes we do that' ? cus I coulda sworn that their marketing strategy is that they do anything you could want done on your car from a wash to engine overhaul. Yet transmissions seem to fall out of their realm of automotive repair skill.. does anyone else see something wrong with this? I mean, if it were something selective, only found in a few cars like cruise control or something that rarely goes wrong, like.. well nothing escapes that, so yea.. I'd understand. A transmission, on the other hand, is found in/on every single car in existence today.. and yet Laughlin 'doesn't do that' ? bah!
so anyway, all that aside, I had transmission problems and had to take it to a transmission specialist. They made me return twice (meaning I was there a total of three times before any work was done on my car). That aside, they were nice and helpful.. now because of my former mechanic issues I don't trust mechanics as far as I can throw them.. and I'm not THAT strong. So when mr. transmission specialist called to say they found iron fillings in my transmission box etc I wasn't at all surprised.. I mean yea, that's probably wear and tear but still, my surprise was at a bare minimum. I told them to fix the problem at hand (speed sensor it was thought) and I'll return at a later date to deal with the rest. Car returned to me, the problem I was previously having hasn't reoccurred but now the transmission feels weird - it keeps delaying going into a higher gear and then takes a while to get back into lower gears.. so I'll tune it up and see what happens.
but anyway the point of all this is this: I have friends who are currently on their way to becoming doctors (I actually have some friends who ARE doctors), lawyers, dentists, psychologists etc etc.. so later in life I'll have a good network of contacts for those areas. Yet I have NOTHING in place for that staple of life - my car. I have no friends who are training to become mechanics etc. So this is an appeal to you, my friends, at least ONE of you - to become a mechanic. Come nuh.. pleasse? do it for me.. my car always f'in up so you'll def get work from me. I need a mechanic I can trust and one who will take the time to explain things I don't understand to me without making me instantly distrust them.
and the search continues..
But apparently Laughlin and DeGannes don't do transmissions. Neither does MasterServ.
Isn't Laughlin's motto 'yes we do that' ? cus I coulda sworn that their marketing strategy is that they do anything you could want done on your car from a wash to engine overhaul. Yet transmissions seem to fall out of their realm of automotive repair skill.. does anyone else see something wrong with this? I mean, if it were something selective, only found in a few cars like cruise control or something that rarely goes wrong, like.. well nothing escapes that, so yea.. I'd understand. A transmission, on the other hand, is found in/on every single car in existence today.. and yet Laughlin 'doesn't do that' ? bah!
so anyway, all that aside, I had transmission problems and had to take it to a transmission specialist. They made me return twice (meaning I was there a total of three times before any work was done on my car). That aside, they were nice and helpful.. now because of my former mechanic issues I don't trust mechanics as far as I can throw them.. and I'm not THAT strong. So when mr. transmission specialist called to say they found iron fillings in my transmission box etc I wasn't at all surprised.. I mean yea, that's probably wear and tear but still, my surprise was at a bare minimum. I told them to fix the problem at hand (speed sensor it was thought) and I'll return at a later date to deal with the rest. Car returned to me, the problem I was previously having hasn't reoccurred but now the transmission feels weird - it keeps delaying going into a higher gear and then takes a while to get back into lower gears.. so I'll tune it up and see what happens.
but anyway the point of all this is this: I have friends who are currently on their way to becoming doctors (I actually have some friends who ARE doctors), lawyers, dentists, psychologists etc etc.. so later in life I'll have a good network of contacts for those areas. Yet I have NOTHING in place for that staple of life - my car. I have no friends who are training to become mechanics etc. So this is an appeal to you, my friends, at least ONE of you - to become a mechanic. Come nuh.. pleasse? do it for me.. my car always f'in up so you'll def get work from me. I need a mechanic I can trust and one who will take the time to explain things I don't understand to me without making me instantly distrust them.
and the search continues..
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
New Year..
I'm changing whether it's a new year or not. Changing some of my thinking, some of my behaviour, some of my personality. All with the aim of becoming a (in my opinion) better person. Someone who I can be proud to say I am - someone who I'm happy being.
Ryan's death put a few things into perspective for me, the main thing being that a long life is not promised. (sorry if this sounds familiar) As such I've started taking steps internally (my thinking) to change how I do certain things and how I approach different situations and circumstances. For example, I think that if I died tomorrow I don't want my mom to just be happy that I used to kiss her bye every time I left the house regardless of if we were on good terms or not. I'd want her to know I was finally at least trying to strengthen and build my relationship with her and not think that I was comfortable and satisfied with how things were.
Related to this somewhat is my home life. My room's clean periods are always limited. The dishes, although definitely not as badly as before, still tend to pile up sometimes. These are things my mom is always after me about and I rarely take her on(especially about my room). I'd like to change this. I think doing things like this.. at least trying to tidy up the mess I sleep in once a week, doing the dishes immediately, washing my car once a month(and I AM quite proud of the car when I do wash it..) will help me to become that much more mature. Children leave a mess, men clean it up.
I've also realized I definitely need to SERIOUSLY consider what I'd like to do my masters in and where, along with the fact that I should do the GRE exam. No procrastination this time, I started checking out the GRE website today and have been trying to work out a timetable for myself. Now I just have to start researching masters programs.. jahhh
Relationships.. have a few that need to be dealt with a little better, which I've already started working on. One in particular definitely needs a little adjusting as contemplation upon it has yielded some interesting realizations.
Jobwise.. need to sort that out and get something concrete in place. Can't be floundering around.
Hobbywise - football, music, reading. My three main interests. I've started practicing drums more often, I'm trying to organize at least a weekly football scene and I've started reading one of the four or five books I bought recently for myself.
a Psychology Today issue contained a most interesting and relevant article (to me) recently. It was a short article about relationships. Actually it was a letter sent in to the magazine by a man with some relationship issues similar to mine. So I've actually gotten some advice in that department and I feel better.. lighter.. about it
so yes.. I'm changing regardless of it being a new year or not. It just happens to be the new year while all of this self assessment and 'upgrading' is going on. 2008 isn't ANOTHER YEAR for me.. it's the continuation of my life. One day at a time with the future in mind until I die.
2008 is a label I won't subscribe to, it will not govern the way I do things. It's just a digit change in the date. 2008 is not going to bring new things. Life will bring new things and some of them, perhaps proving to be miniscule in the grand scheme of things, will just happen to occur within the time period we mark off as being '2008'. The only difference between today and yesterday is that you're one day closer to finality. There hasn't been a grand change in things, it's just another day with a slightly new face. A stranger that you think looks a little familiar like you've perhaps seen them before. Embrace life, embrace change, embrace the future and the now whether it's 2008 or not, but since we're all calling life '2008' for the next 364 days, embrace 2008.
Ryan's death put a few things into perspective for me, the main thing being that a long life is not promised. (sorry if this sounds familiar) As such I've started taking steps internally (my thinking) to change how I do certain things and how I approach different situations and circumstances. For example, I think that if I died tomorrow I don't want my mom to just be happy that I used to kiss her bye every time I left the house regardless of if we were on good terms or not. I'd want her to know I was finally at least trying to strengthen and build my relationship with her and not think that I was comfortable and satisfied with how things were.
Related to this somewhat is my home life. My room's clean periods are always limited. The dishes, although definitely not as badly as before, still tend to pile up sometimes. These are things my mom is always after me about and I rarely take her on(especially about my room). I'd like to change this. I think doing things like this.. at least trying to tidy up the mess I sleep in once a week, doing the dishes immediately, washing my car once a month(and I AM quite proud of the car when I do wash it..) will help me to become that much more mature. Children leave a mess, men clean it up.
I've also realized I definitely need to SERIOUSLY consider what I'd like to do my masters in and where, along with the fact that I should do the GRE exam. No procrastination this time, I started checking out the GRE website today and have been trying to work out a timetable for myself. Now I just have to start researching masters programs.. jahhh
Relationships.. have a few that need to be dealt with a little better, which I've already started working on. One in particular definitely needs a little adjusting as contemplation upon it has yielded some interesting realizations.
Jobwise.. need to sort that out and get something concrete in place. Can't be floundering around.
Hobbywise - football, music, reading. My three main interests. I've started practicing drums more often, I'm trying to organize at least a weekly football scene and I've started reading one of the four or five books I bought recently for myself.
a Psychology Today issue contained a most interesting and relevant article (to me) recently. It was a short article about relationships. Actually it was a letter sent in to the magazine by a man with some relationship issues similar to mine. So I've actually gotten some advice in that department and I feel better.. lighter.. about it
so yes.. I'm changing regardless of it being a new year or not. It just happens to be the new year while all of this self assessment and 'upgrading' is going on. 2008 isn't ANOTHER YEAR for me.. it's the continuation of my life. One day at a time with the future in mind until I die.
2008 is a label I won't subscribe to, it will not govern the way I do things. It's just a digit change in the date. 2008 is not going to bring new things. Life will bring new things and some of them, perhaps proving to be miniscule in the grand scheme of things, will just happen to occur within the time period we mark off as being '2008'. The only difference between today and yesterday is that you're one day closer to finality. There hasn't been a grand change in things, it's just another day with a slightly new face. A stranger that you think looks a little familiar like you've perhaps seen them before. Embrace life, embrace change, embrace the future and the now whether it's 2008 or not, but since we're all calling life '2008' for the next 364 days, embrace 2008.
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