The Simplicity in the 'Difficult'

The Simplicity in the 'Difficult'

Virtues: stubborness, respect, communications, selfish behavior

The 'Difficult' can be described as those people that are problematic & troublesome to deal with; they put up a hassle, they b*tch, complain, argumentative, slightly to severely irrational, and have an insurmountable level of the quality of stubbornness. The stubbornness is the inability or unwillingness to change and/or embrace a new idea or concept; and stubbornness relates to inability to understand where another person is coming from and not listening to what they are saying. The 'Difficult' are all around us - at the office, school, family, friends; they all at some point will find a situation where they will only care about their self-serving interests and will ignore/disregard what you are trying to say.

Varying Degrees of the Difficult
The difficult have to be one of two people; either they are very cunning and crafty OR they are very ignorant and lack comprehension skills. Either degree of the two can create headaches and problems for the individual that is dealing with this difficult specimen of human; I mean, after dealing with difficult people, many experience nausea, high blood pressure, bewilderment, and even rage. Going back to the degrees of the difficult that I outlined, the cunning & crafty difficult person is difficult because usually it ties into some logical plan that they have outlined - and they wish not to deviate from their plan. However, the ignorant and lacking comprehension skills of the difficult is usually tied not to logical thinking, but to selfish motives; the "I want to do it my way" school of thought. This group of the difficult usually can not provide logical reasons for their actions, and the only reasons they can provide are self-serving and selfish.

Dealing with the Difficult
I used to think that I am a difficult person to deal with (keyword for you mofo's is 'used'), but I had to privilege to listen in on a conversation with two people that were having a logistical/business discussion. To surmise promptly, the difficult person had gotten himself into some trouble with what he had promised without consulting his business partner; the business partner explained to the Difficult as to why what he had promised could not materialize - there must have been 10 explanations with different visual examples, but the Difficult did not get it or choose to ignore. The Difficult continued to ask the same question(s) over & over again. The business partner had to eventually come off the phone as it was raising her blood pressure and she was becoming increasingly enraged.

The whole time I was observing, I was like 'wow', dude is very difficult - he is not or is unwilling to understand simple things. Furthermore, these simple things that he was not understanding was because if he chose to understand, it would make him look very asinine ... his behavior appeared to be very difficult, but the reasons for him behaving as such were simple - he was in a jam/mess, and was trying to get out of it the best way he can.

So in the dealing with the difficult, it can be a simple process, and its not anything really profound or deep, you just got to tell the difficult how simple it is to resolve your problem, and it starts with accountability, then grows to compromise.

Explain it once, maybe twice, after the third time, let 'Mr. Tone' do the talking, first name 'dial'.

.:: d.b ::.

Importance of Media Training, ex. 1

Importance of Media Training, ex. 1
Case: Lil Wayne

In a recent interview in Blender magazine, a little gassed off the success of his single, 'lollipop', Lil Wayne said the following:

"I don't do too many (drugs). I just smoke weed and drink. But I'll never f**k with no more coke. It's not about the bad high; it's just about the acne: Cocaine makes your face break out. I'm a pretty boy."

Media Training is very important - it helps artists not sound like ignorant individuals, and helps artists from looking dumb and un-intelligent. I can just imaging that Wayne's publicist must've had heart palpitations after hearing the quote. Lil Wayne says in this quote, don't do drugs, not because it could possibly kill you, but don't do it because it can cause acne on your face.

Remember, the whole point of interviews is to leave a favorable impression for your fans & potential fans. Not to come off as an ignorant mofo.

.:: d.b

The Intuitive Waitress?

The Intuitive Waitress?
Virtues: proactive, stereotypes, prejudice, customer service

I once worked in a restaurant, I only lasted a few weeks as a bus boy; carting dishes from the tables to the back for washing. One thing that I noticed about the waiters at the restaurant was that they took a proactive stance in trying to anticipate what the customer would want. Which makes sense, because the waitresses are trying to get a larger tip for providing good customer service. Keep in mind though, that the waitress has to use their preconceived notions about the customer in order to be 'proactive'.

Jumping to the present, my girl and I have gone out to a couple of restaurants and we have both noticed a trend in the way wait staff are being 'proactive'; we both have different interpretations of this proactive behavior.

Incident One:
Were at a nice Asisan Cusine restaurant, I order a pad thai, and a platter of spring rolls; my girl ordrers some noodle dish. The waiter, a middle-aged asian man comes over and asks me specifically if I would like some hot sauce with my pad thai. I've had pad thai many times before, and I was never asked such a question.

Incident Two:
In a trendy part of time at a cafe/restaurant with a romantic/intimate ambience. I order a pad thai (again), and my girl orders a noodle dish (again). Now, this particular pad thai dish already came with spices, and our waitress asked me specifically again, if I would like hot sauce.

So based on these situations, I got to pose the question, are the intuitiveness of the waiters a sign of being proactive to the customer (as is my position) or is the intuitiveness a sign of disrespect and racial stereotyping (as the girlfriend is advocating).

I can't call it, what do y'all think?

(P.S. I am a Young Black Entrepreneur Extradornaire ... may help with your assessment)

Blue Devils

Blue Devils
Jon Hope feat. Terminology

Hip-Hop isn't dead, the real hip-hop is just a lot harder to find, is not in the mainstream, and lives on the Internet as opposed to your pop radio station. Hip-Hop has always been the first medium/media to report on social injustices; from "The Message", "Self Destruction", and other songs, Hip-Hop gives insight to what problems are affecting the community.

This song by Jon Hope & Terminology was inspired by the recent events of the Sean Bell incident, and comments on police brutality and injustice.

.:: d.b

Super D's & Bill Clinton

Super Delegates & Bill Clinton
The Power, and the Questions the Super D's must ask

This Democratic race between Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hilary Clinton is a nasty contest; as both candidates are fighting to secure the democratic nomination. In an election year, where the general public wanted to see a change from the Bush regime, that is to say to avoid another 4 years of Bush style politics in a John McCain, the Democratic party is so divided that they may have hurt their chances to win the general election. At the beginning of 2008, heck even 2007, the democratic party expected to win the '08 election because of the many ills the current administration has administered on the American people and the world.

Mathematically, Obama has the nomination locked - but not all math is equal; meaning all values are not treated the same. We all have been introduced to the term 'Super Delegates', and it is the super delegates that ultimately have the power to decide and can override what the delegates decide. And it appears that Clinton will have more Super Delegates than Obama.

Thus, the Super Delegates have some tough questions to ask of themselves:
1. What will be the social cost of selecting Clinton over Obama, even though Obama had more votes than Clinton.
Answer: This will send a message (direct/indirect) that even if a Black Man can win, ultimately he will lose. Furthermore, this can cause social upheaval as the cost of this decision is not just Obama vs. Clinton, but will also regress the progress that black people have accomplished.



2. How much loyalty do I have to Bill?
Answer: To the Democrats, Bill Clinton is the best thing since slice bread - on a whole, the Clinton presidency was one of the best eras in U.S. history in terms of economic and social progress; the economy was soaring, jobs were booming, and the healthcare industry was improving. Thus, a lot of the Super Delegates owe their status to Bill Clinton - meaning that Bill still has a lot of pull within the upper echelons of the Democratic Party, and if it comes to the Democratic nomination being decided by a bunch of Super D's in a back room, then Bill Clinton will be a power to be acknowledged.

In all, whoever the democratic nominee will be, they will have the daunting challenge to reunite a dilapidated party that is divided by gender, racial, and ideological differences, and will have to mount a tight campaign in a short period of time.

...... Looks like the Bush Regime will die another day, McCain can't be any worse, right?

.:: d.b

Rodney King '08 in Philly

Cops beat up Suspect
Rodney King '08 in the city of brotherly love

This is nasty, the quiet video speaks volumes of how law enforcement treats black people. In this instance, in Philadelphia, cops drag out a fleeing suspect from his vehicle and a gang of cops take turns throwing in kicks & punches. Apparently it takes upwards to 10+ officers to take down two suspects. Philly already has to deal with one of the highest crime rates, poverty, and an unequal social system - so this event, doesn't help the city of 'brotherly love'.

A social response is necessary, violence/riots may not be the answer - protests and rallies may be useful, but how much can people take of this injustice? First Sean Bell, Jenna 6, and now this???

.:: d.b

Major Taylor: An Unknown Great, Cyclist

Major Taylor
A Great Unknown

From Wikipedia:

Marshall Walter ("Major") Taylor (November 26, 1878–June 21, 1932) was an American cyclist who won the world one-mile track cycling championship in 1899, 1900, and 1901.

Taylor was the second black world champion in any sport, after boxer George Dixon. The Major Taylor Velodrome in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a bicycle trail in Chicago are named in his honor. On July 24, 2006 the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, changed the name of part of Worcester Center Boulevard to Major Taylor Boulevard. His memory is honored not only for his athletic feats, but for his character. Taylor was a devout Christian who would not race on Sundays for much of his career, making his success all the more remarkable.

Taylor was born to a large family on a farm in rural Indiana to parents Gilbert Taylor and Saphronia Kelter, who had migrated from Louisville, Kentucky. He began as an entertainer at the age of thirteen. He was hired to perform cycling stunts outside a bicycle shop while wearing a soldier's uniform, which resulted in the nickname "Major."



As an African-American, Taylor was banned from bicycle racing in Indiana once he started winning and made a reputation as "The Black Cyclone." In 1896, he moved from Indianapolis to Middletown, Connecticut, then a center of the United States bicycle industry with half a dozen factories and thirty bicycle shops, to work as a bicycle mechanic in the Worcester Cycle Manufacturing Company factory, owned by Birdie Munger who was to become his lifelong friend and mentor, and race for Munger's team. His first east coast race was in a League of American Wheelmen one mile race in New Haven, where he started in last place but won. In late 1896, Taylor entered his first professional race in Madison Square Garden, where he lapped the entire field during the half-mile race. Although he is listed in the Middletown town directory in 1896, it is not known how long he still resided there after he became a professional racer. He eventually settled in Worcester, Massachusetts (where his nickname was naturally altered to "The Worcester Whirlwind"), marrying there and having a daughter, although his career required him to spend a large amount of time traveling, in America, Australia, and Europe.

Although he was greatly celebrated abroad, particularly in France, Taylor's career was still held back by racism, particularly in the Southern states where he was not permitted to compete against Caucasians. The League of American Wheelmen also excluded blacks from membership. During his career he had ice water thrown at him during races and nails scattered in front of his wheels, and was often boxed in by other riders, preventing the sprints to the front of the pack at which he was so successful. In his autobiography, he reports actually being tackled on the race track by another rider, who choked him into unconsciousness but received only a $50 fine as punishment. Nevertheless, he does not dwell on such events in the book; rather it is evident that he means it to serve as an inspiration to other African-Americans trying to overcome similar treatment. Taylor retired at age 32 in 1910, saying he was tired of the racism. His advice to African-American youths wishing to emulate him was that while bicycle racing was the appropriate route to success for him, he would not recommend it in general; and that individuals must find their own best talent.

He was reported to have between $25,000 and $30,000 when he returned to Worcester at the end of his career, but lost it to bad investments (including self-publishing his autobiography), persistent illness, and the stock market crash. His marriage over, he died a pauper in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, survived by one daughter. In 1948 his body was moved to a marked grave in a more prominent section of Mount Glenwood Cemetery thanks to funding by Frank Schwinn. A monument to his memory is being planned for Worcester, and even Indianapolis has finally confronted its racist past by naming the city's bicycle track after Taylor.

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Commentary:

Imagine getting respect for your skills and ability around the world, but at home, such skills are not even acknowledged, and such, you are treated inferior. I never heard of Major Taylor until recently, as it appears to be that he is a great black hero that is unknown by many ... thus, spread the knowledge.

Peace

.:: d.b