this is… The Neighborhood
the Story within the Story
LONELY, ALONE AND DOWN A SPIDER’S HOLE
The trouble is not that I am single and likely to stay single,
but that I am lonely and likely to stay alone. – Charlotte Bronte
∞∞∞
Kiss Me Deadly
by Cho Young Wuk
∞∞∞
LONELY, ALONE AND DOWN A SPIDER’S HOLE
by Kendall F. Person
Alone in a hotel room, with thousands of adoring fans just blocks away, legendary singer Phyllis Hyman could no longer stand living all alone and took her own life. Ms. Hyman suffered from depression – a killer of a mental illness – if there ever was one; and although it amplified her sense of loneliness, the condition of feeling lonely, was psychological and not literal, for she was loved.
The 1974 short film A Cipher in the Snow, chronicled the life of a physically healthy, elementary school- aged child. Cipher opened as our little boy, requested to be let off his bus. The complicit driver would adhere to the request, allowing a child to deboard, where he dropped dead in the snow. Self-absorbed parents, no friends, not even one and without a single adult in the entire village of an empty life, ever noticing the profound pain protruding from his eyes; and with no other plausible explanation, we were left with little doubt; Existing in a world that banished him to the darkside, he wished himself dead, rather than be here alone.
On December 13, 2003 a tyrant by the name of Saddam Hussein was captured in a hole. It
was dark, empty and he was all alone. After years of feeding his own selfish ego, caring not for the welfare of his people, of which he was “elected” to serve. After failed invasions and the mass killing of the Kurds. After the plundering of his nation’s riches and isolating his country on the world stage, when his reign finally ended, he had distilled so little goodwill, that the only safe haven to be had, was a hole in the ground.
One felt lonely, one was left alone, and the other was abandoned down a spider’s hole, but the end of their stories, nearly identical. And although the despot did not commit suicide, he stood alone as he was executed by a nation he once ruled.
From the beginning, each could have lived a different life. Mental illness is an illness not a sickness, get help. As a community, do not ignore the empty eyes of anyone, let alone a child, for through the eyes is how the most vulnerable speak. And if we arrive at the point of self-realization, that the burning bridges in our wake, were not set by us, but the people on the other end, do not ignore the suffocating feeling of loneliness, make amends. Because alone or lonely or down a spider’s hole, is not how life should end.
KARMA: A BOSS BITCH
My mother didn’t raise a fool.
A psychotic, cold-hearted bitch…
But not a fool.
Karma isn’t a bitch;
it’s a mirror.
– bexlife
∞∞∞
Alessia Cara
with HERE
∞∞∞
KARMA: A BOSS BITCH
by Kendall F. Person
From 2005 – 2009, a sitcom by the precarious title of My Name is Earl aired in original episodes. Earl was a bad guy, plain and simple. But with the exception of a few flashbacks, we never saw that side of him. When the series opened, he is hit by a car right after winning a $100,000 on a lottery ticket. His immediate change in fortune, did not simply force him to turn his life around, but he realized that for all the wrong he did, unless he made amends, karma was now out to get him.
My Name is Earl
There exist a multitude of beliefs and thousands of religions. Each with their own interpretations and definitions of what is righteous and what is condemning. And while it is the differences that lead to fiery debates and full-scale war, all contain an element of karma, which plays a crucial role – what goes around comes around. So before we turn our backs on our brothers, watch an episode of Earl.
Although it may be fiction, the point is clearly made; and those who believe in its existence will tell you: karma is not just any bitch… she’s boss.
Imagine what your city will be like in 25 years, if a solution to its most pressing challenge remains unimagined. On Oct 29… imagine no more.
CITIES RD4 the quarterfinals: ‘A Mile in My Shoes’
Take a Walk with Me, and then walk A Mile in My Shoes
TAKE A WALK WITH ME
No worries toward our destination, because I promise to keep us safe, and to bring us back right here. While we are on our walking tour, we will gain insights to some people, and please feel free and comfortable to express your initial thoughts, for we will all make mistakes in perception, that is not where the solution dies. You can say it outloud, whisper it to me or keep them inside your head. But be they flippant, kind or judgemental, make certain your thoughts register with the thinker. There is of course one small thing; we will switch shoes with each person we meet.
∞∞∞
from Walk Off the Earth
this is… Fire in My Soul
∞∞∞
TAKE A WALK WITH ME
by Kendall F. Person
It’s a little chilly, so perhaps a light jacket or long sleeves. Sure, wear your comfortable shoes (chuckling). So we headed west, for no other reason than to be at odds with the sun. On the corner of Book Street & Cover Drive, was an old woman, hunched over and limping along, with only a cane to keep her stumbles from falling. Her hair was all over the place, but she hardly noticed, as she hummed and enjoyed the few moments of energy she would have for the day.
“Oh that poor old lady. Homeless at her age. That’s why I don’t drink to this day.”
Oh you forgot already, I said with a smile as I motioned toward your shoes, as the old lady approaches with hers in hand. As it turns out, she was 17 years old when both parents died when the mine exploded. But she was not allowed to grieve, for she was the oldest of 8 kids. She finished high school, but gave up plans for college. Two jobs she worked from 17 until she retired at 71. And her home, she purchased the title to over a decade ago. 
I know that seemed tough, but that’s your perception of her life. Our walk will feel less daunting if you accept at least in theory, that even our own life is not always about us.
On the last leg of our squared-shaped circle, when I heard the familiar voice, shouting the familiar words, I knew it was 10:30, time Crazy Joe’s stoking of fire and brimstone. But crazy confines itself to no box. After a decade of seeing this man on the same corner, every Tuesday at 10:30 in the morning. Rain or shine and on the mark, waiving his old bible and shouting the same line “Redemption! The end is near!” Crazy Joe is what I called him, but I had never asked him his name, nor why he said the things he did. So I took off my shoes and retired Sergeant Parker Ramsey gave his to me to walk in.
A man of peace, who did know the risks upon acceptance of his 4th tour of duty, and never once did he complain or speak ill of his nation; not even at the moment, a roadside bomb exploded and a full hour after the search ended, for his best friend, now a fallen American soldier, found splattered all over him.
But from that moment on, he had to believe in something. Anything that man could not shoot with guns or blow up with bombs, so he anointed himself in the word of God
In 2 weeks, The Top 10 CITIES meet in a quarterfinal matchup, that hits a new mark in socially conscious, blog post entertainment. But there is a much bigger story to join in or follow and root for: a host of strangers, a collaborative of cities may find the first real clues, in discovering solutions to challenges that elude us. by walking a mile in another cities’ shoes.
∞∞∞
CITIES RD4 THE QUARTERFINALS: ‘A MILE IN MY SHOES’ – OCT 29TH
∞∞∞
The Results of RD3: ‘Causes’ below and
from 32 down to The Top 10 Cities
If you live in one of the top 10 cities, when is it your turn to step up?
Guidelines for RD4 are posted at the Cities Info Center and are available upon request, and soon everywhere. Each round is open until a team player living in or around their city takes one for the team. DEADLINE for city submissionsOCT 27th
The Show takes place in equal parts here and The Neighborhood fb page (click like)
TO BE A MAN
cover photo courtesy of Library of Congress
You don’t have to be a man to fight for freedom.
All you have to do is to be an intelligent human being
– Malcolm X
TO BE A MAN
by Kendall F. Person
What does it take to be a lion? An episode of National Geographic or Animal Planet on life in the Serengeti will answer that question in graphic, violent, well filmed documentaries. Male lions are born into privilege. Their majestic appearance is a hindrance to the ambush style of the hunt. Their beautiful manes make being inconspicuous nearly impossible and their hulking physique make them much too slow to catch most prey. They spend nearly 18 hours a day in slumber and after the females return with the spoils, the male lions are always the first to eat. Known to take on a pack of hyenas – solo – their most ferocious competitor and slaughter them all, they face little resistance when they bound through the brush.
But lions, their downfall or their strength, are not satisfied with one bride, but rather conquer entire prides, in winner take all battles, that sometimes lead to death. Lions engage in a gladiator sport. Upon takeover, a coalition will commit genocide, murdering every last cub, of the dethroned king’s’ bloodline. What does it take to be a lion? It takes unflappable nerve. Overwhelming power, brute force and an insatiable desire to spread their seed far and wide. As difficult as a male lion’s life must be, it does not compare to the complexity or challenges faced by the human species.
courtesy of the Library of Congress
Former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali by most accounts was a leader on the rise. After assuming the presidency of Tunisia in 1987 in a bloodless cod’etat, he would win a staggering 90% of the vote in his successful bid for reelection. He would build his brand under the global spotlight, presiding over a robust economy and seemingly stable nation. But human rights violations soon begin to surface, buffeted by a moratorium of freedom of the press. But the budding wealth of the north African and middle eastern state, was not trickling downward, where rising unemployment of young men in both the rural and urban core, had created a level of discontent among the downtrodden, that was not merely simmering, but combustible.
On December 17, 2010, a 26-year-old man named Mohamed Bouazizi had reached his boiling point, and in a halo of flames, would leave his mark upon the Arab world. The sole provider of a large family, he would put in long hours, arriving home exhausted, selling vegetables from a cart. As the man of his house, he had dreams of buying a vehicle, which would enable him to grow his business and proudly support his family. The subject of ongoing harassment and extortion, Mohamed Bouazizi would labor on, paying ransoms disguised as fines, and continued to hold his head up high. But on the morning of the 17th, the first domino would fall. A municipal officer would confiscate his cart, his only income for the family he was supporting, then refuse to give it back, even after he offered to pay the fine. Instead, he was slapped and spit upon and was ambushed by a verbal assault on the name of his deceased father.
Humiliated and with the loss of his property, he would seek help from the state, walking to provincial headquarters to complain and to retrieve his means. But they refused to see him. Leaving one of their own men, shattered, angry and confused. So Mohamed Bouazizi, now stripped of his dignity and forgotten in life, would make sure that his people, would remember him in death. On the steps of a government building, in the light of day, a man named Mohamed Bouazizi would douse his body in gasoline and set himself ablaze.
Unbeknownst to him, he would sacrifice his life for others, as his death was the catalyst for Arab Spring.
Referenced Mediums
Bouazizi: The Man Who Set Himself and Tunisia on Fire, Time Magazine
Mohamed Bouazizi, Wikipedia
CITIES RD3: ‘CAUSES’
secretlyloaded
There are also concerns about the city’s access to water. The drought is also out of the headlines at the moment but San Diego gets almost all of its water from other water districts. The desalinization plant in Carlsbad is producing less water than anticipated, but the larger structural issue is this: desalination requires a lot of energy, and the only reason it’s viable is because natural gas is cheap. Natural gas is only cheap because of fracking, which destroys groundwater. So I don’t see this as a sustainable solution. 
BmofeR
Adequate public drain maintenance. When it rains, although infrequent, it causes a ridiculous amount of flooding for the small volumes of water that comes down. Many community drain systems are not well maintained or up to code, and many are blocked/non-functioning. On top of that, the drains that are functioning go directly into the ocean, unfiltered and near public beaches, causing elevated bacterial levels for the subsequent days/weeks following. It’s a rule in the local diving community to not go into the ocean at least 48 hours after any rain, even light rain, for protection from elevated bacterial levels and general yuck pouring into the ocean from the local streets.
∞∞∞
Columbus OH – Marilyn
Ohio State Extension
The topic area in which you’ve made a request is not yet fully staffed by eXtension experts and therefore we cannot provide you with a timely answer.
∞∞∞
Danielle Riley
Oakland – Tent Cities
I just can’t believe none of the cities are dealing with homeless as bad as Oakland. One of the encampments caused a fire next to my office
∞∞∞
Frances Waterman – Montreal
Do black lives matter in Montreal?
Whenever an incident involving anti-black discrimination occurred in Montreal a couple of decades ago, a reporter had at least a dozen active black community organizations to call upon for comment.
In fact I’m referring to the 90’s! Several of those organizations would have already called the newsroom to offer a comment, or announced a press conference or a rally.
There was the black coalition of Quebec, The Jamaican association, la maison d’Haïti, The Federation of organizations of Trinidad and Tobago of Quebec, the congress of black women, the association of black Business person’s and professionals, The Quebec board of Black Educators and of course many more.
Although these organizations. Still exist at least on paper, they are less vocal.
While the black lives matter expands south of the border and even in Toronto, Montreal’s black community is silent at least as traditional activism goes.
But there were gains made thanks to that wave of activism. Groups like the Quebec Board of Black Educators were able to get some black teachers hired. Longtime black community leaders like Noel Alexander and Dan Phillip managed to draw attention to problems with policing and the glaring lack of black community members in politics.
Language is another issue that has worked against black activism young black Anglos, 
forcing a double dose of discrimination tended to leave for greener pastures.
I have noticed there is more insistence on obeying the laws and fitting in among the different black communities. I myself am guilty of this.
Activism is not a priority for the Jeune chambre de commerce haïtienne(JCCH). Helping young people integrate and find economic success in Quebec can achieve some of the goals previous
generations of activists strove to attain.
Montreal – Nadine Jordan
“One of challenges the city of Montreal faces is the First Nations peoples – disproportionately living in poverty, subject to higher rates of crime and discrimination. We need to be trying harder to help address their issues. Recently Canada is going to pay out millions in indigenous lawsuit over forced adoptions. For decades, Canadian social workers forcibly separated indigenous children from their families, putting them up for adoption by nonnative families in Canada and around the world.
This happening and still happening in Canada is a heart breaker for me. It is also one of their best kept secrets because Canada does not want to be seen as a social oppressor. Being of African decent, I have lived in Montreal for a good part of my life. I never had issues with my caramel skin. But recently I did some research and found that although the borders were open for runaway slaves, the treatment was just a little bit better than in the united states. However, Canada made laws for equality early on to hide their poor treatment of Africans. The First Nations peoples, however, were not offered such and dealt with racism, even up to today.
Canada is trying to make atonement to its Native people by apologizing for its cultural genocide and abuse to the First Nation people. The winning of the lawsuit that will be distributed to living relatives affected by the unlawful adoptions is a first step to redeeming themselves, but they still have a long way to go.”
∞∞∞
Keith Mon Baltimore
What happened to Baltimore? We have the same problem as many other large metropolitan areas. Urban decay is a big problem, but is only an underlying symptom of the deeper issues.
I keep hearing our elected politicians seeking office in Baltimore all talk and make promises of the great changes that they are going to make!
When will we see these changes?
Our city has a horrible reputation for drugs and violence….of notable proportions.
Oklahoma City Rebecca Lemke
Oklahoma City has some gang activity. It worries me a bit, especially in some neighborhoods.
∞∞∞
Detroit – chollykins
Education. The vast majority of Detroit children are vastly underserved. They are not receiving even close to the rigor or standard of education as their suburban counterparts.
Trees Advocate – Houston
Lack of equal public school funding. Texas and A&M have higher budget allotments than UH despite having their own trusts that far outstrip ours and our continuing relevance. It keeps on the back foot, both in sports and expanding new programs. Our infrastructure (walkways, old dorms) can’t improve while sustaining both NCAA sports and rigorous programs that lead research.
∞∞∞
Frederick Brown – Atlanta
Infrastructure, traffic is some of the worst in the country!
∞∞∞
Phoenix 2agnosis
Climate change and water rights
∞∞∞
Wichita, Michele Ryan
Job security. Let me explain. Wichita is the Air Capital of the world. Home to Beech aircraft, Bombardier, Spirit and Cessna. When American corporations and particularly military contracts – when those contracts are awarded to companies outside of the US, Wichita is crippled financially by massive layoffs, pay cuts and unemployment from these major Wichita employers. All of the workers suffer the consequences. From the engineers that design the plane to the logicians that coordinate everything, down to the factory workers that assemble the aircraft. The aircraft industry is so vital to the Wichita economy. When aircraft building contracts are sent overseas Wichita faces financial crisis.
∞∞∞
Michael John Mele, Tampa
My city doesn’t know who it is, it tries so hard to be every other city instead of just trying to find its own identity. My city wants to pretend that it’s all grown up, but unfortunately it’s still in the infant stages of life and still trying to discover its own who it really is.
∞∞∞
UP NEXT: THE TOP 10 CITIES
Trending
Support The Neighborhood
You are appreciated. (big smile)
ABOUT ME
Kendall F. Person Answers Questions on Quora
this is... The Neighborhood 
You must be logged in to post a comment.