They on the other team

I know that many of us are still steamed over the comments made by Don Imus regarding the 2007 women’s Basketball runner-up Rutgers University Lady Scarlet Knights. I also know many of us are fumed over his awkward attempt to shift the blame to African American men, especially rappers for the manner I which they often vilify and degrade our sisters. Not me , at least for the time being, for a Wood is a wood is a wood and since the Knights of Templar and even Rome, history shows us that “these folks” have never thought highly of our greatness – so I do not expect them to.

I would however like to give an example of this; a heinous example of how black and swarthy is associated with bad, evil and vile and is manifested in common thought as presented by the mainstream culture and media. In March of this year, the New York Post ran an article that started with the caption: “Should a couple be entitled to sue because a fertility clinic mistakenly impregnated the woman with sperm other than her mate's?”

Now under normal circumstance, this is a no brainier, given the complications of invitro fertilization in general. However, the issue was raised specifically because it was stated that a Hispanic woman and white man were “devastated - after a black baby” was born to the couple. As a result, the couple has revealed it will file a law for a mistake made during in-vitro conception. When Jessica Andrews was born, it was noticed that she was much darker (black). The physician, Martin Keltz, said that the child’s condition an "abnormality," and said that she would "get lighter over time." However, DNA testing showed hat the child was not the product of the husband’s sperm.

The parents say they “love Baby Jessica” yet at the same time describe her as a “terrible mistake” and are reminded of such “each and every time we look at her."

Then there is the issue of what has happened in Paris, Texas, where 15-year-old Shaquanda Cotton was sentenced to seven years in prison for pushing a hall monitor at her high school. Now this is a child with no prior history of bad behavior but Judge Chuck Superville of Lamar County convicted Shaquanda of “assault on a public servant" and sent her to prison at least until she turns 21. The strange this is that this is the same judge who three months earlier that awarded a 14-year old white girl probation for burning down her parents home intentionally (arson is a felony). The same judge also gave probation to a 19-year old white male who was convicted of killing a 54-year-old Black woman and her 3-year-old grandson with his truck. The Judge just requested that he send the family a Christmas card every year.

Although Ms. Cotton is no longer in jail, its just the simple fact that it happened in the first place that is deplorable. So, I write this to say that this is America and regardless of it being 2007, the history of this country was founded on the oppression and maltreatment of folks that look like me. Don Imus is no different and is a part of the same culture ergo, it don’t even strike me as unusual that he would see women matriculating at the college level as nappy headed hoes, for he likely sees all African American women as such. Fuck Don Imus and all the Woods, they have never been on my team.

man among toothpick fish

With all the shit, floating around that is presupposed news worthy; there are every now and then, some special things that deserve extra attention albeit they may not receive such. I am not talking about the idiotic statements of Don Imus calling the Rutgers’s women’s basketball teams nappy headed hoes or his jigga-boo statement. Nor am I speaking about the ridiculous suggestion that Akon bought a diamond mine so that he could get the world record for having a diamond chain around his neck (I will get to that another day).

This time, it is about a Slovenian man by the name of Martin Strel, who at age 52, swam the Amazon River (3,272 miles worth) in 66 days. This is a miraculous feat especially since the distance is about the same as from swimming from Seattle Washington to Miami, Florida. Add to that the river is home to a number of dangerous critters including Anacondas, piranhas, crocodiles and the infamous toothpick fish.

For those who do not know of the toothpick fish is a fierce and treacherous creature that is called "candirú” by the inhabitants of the region. The toothpick fish is a bloodsucker that prefers to swim into open body cavities to do its damage. The candirú is a tiny catfish that although it has limited sight, uses smell to find its victim. Its favorite place to attach itself is to the urethra. For it is attracted the traces of urea and ammonia that are given off by this part of the body. Again, saying that if a person is barely covered in the water,it will swim into an orifice (the anus or vagina, or even the penis—and deep into the urethra.

Mr. Strel is no stranger to rivers and in the past completed the Yangtze, Mississippi and Danube rivers. The Amazon is the world's largest river, as well as the second longest. During this swim, it is reported that he lost 26 pounds and was plagued with cramps, diarrhea, larvae infections, dehydration and delirium. I just want to take my hat off to this man, who swims in water where blood-sucking fish attracted the opening in the penis live. Now that is a man - a man among toothpick fish if you asked me.