Wrapped Around [My Blog]

Yemen is not the next Afghanistan.

2010-01-10T15:45:00.004-05:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Better Know an Enemy - Yemen

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Economy

Yemen is Yemen unless we make it our next Afghanistan. That should be avoided considering the campaign there isn't going so well (those goals again, please?). How do we avoid that? Better analysis maybe?

So if the above video isn't informative enough & you're sick of the US media's Yemen-another-incubator-for-terrorists storyboard treatment (thanks to Sec. of State HRC for that profound statement btw), you can try these sites. Worry free. They're in English & most of them written by US expats.

Or we can take Stephen's (& Sen. Lieberman's) advice: invade Yemen. And then Panama. Again.

Waq al-Waq

Sana'a Bureau

Arrabyee Blog

kəˈflɛz.ɡi

2009-11-03T20:10:00.008-05:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Sport Report - NYC Marathon & Olympic Speedskating

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

U.S. Speedskating

It's been a long time. A.G. was right. I would blog again. It's a form of narcissistic therapy though (can therapy be anything other than narcissistic?) so I don't look at it as necessarily a good thing. In my case anyway.

The skinny: the above Colbert Report clip shows journalists on various outlets both gleefully proclaiming that the winner of the NYC Marathon (Men) was an American and exasperatedly flubbing his name. At first glance the spelling may look a bit odd but I'm pretty sure they get their reading material in advance & have at least 30 seconds to look at it before lights, camera, action. I remember there was this thing we had when we were kids that would help us pronounce words that were new to us. Rules of something... What was it again...?

Oh, that's right. PHONICS!

You may not be pronouncing it natively but it sounds better than "kifle...kefleg...klifeg...seriously?!" or "Wow. Tough name for an American."

Where do journalists get their degrees these days? Off the back of Froot Loops boxes?! (No disrespect to the J School peoples.)

Unless your name is Running Dog Coyote Cloud (English translation, of course) your name is NOT "American." They all have their origins somewhere outside of this slab of land we now inhabit in the Western Hemisphere.

Also, if Hooked on Phonics didn't stick, you could always Google/Wiki the name. IPA right there. Go on. Put those Investigative Journalism course credits to work!

Bacon Vodka

2009-06-05T11:51:00.005-04:00

Compliments of the Muslim Baconator Mo.

Too Much Teriyaki Beef?

2009-06-05T09:54:00.007-04:00

Word on the 街 is SEEDA is retiring. Could be a la 50 Cent or maybe Nigo offered him a lifetime supply of BAPE paraphernalia.

I don't really go for the 12-y.o. as thug image SEEDA pushed but I heard he's a pretty nice MC. And this clip dissing Nigo's J-Rap group Teriyaki Boyz (see boy band x street wear impresario x Pharrell beats) makes me laugh. It also makes me want some yakitori.

Shouts to Seiji for hooking me up with a copy of the album. どもありがとう!

Green Spaces for Poor Places

2009-05-20T22:09:00.009-04:00

I always seem to find a point of ~~contention~~ interest when watching PBS. This time it was while viewing their Blueprint America: Road to the Future special exploring infrastructure development in U.S. cities. The urban planner in me was suddenly aroused by the mention of Robert Moses, the urban planning equivalent to Zoltar, only unfortunately he was successful in executing his evil, racist, classist plans of ~~destruction~~ development. (He's known as Master Builder for a reason, after all.)

Highlighted was the plight of Nos Quedamos, a grass roots community development organization in the Bronx. For approximately 15 years they have been attempting to not only stop the city from expanding the Sheridan Expressway, but to decommission it in favor of creating a pedestrian friendly green space.

WHAT??! Poor people of color wanting exhaust-free air with...grass? I mean, listening to NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan going on and on about the amount of green spaces created in Manhattan over the last couple of years - acreage akin to "40 football fields" - and those to come such as this summer's closing off of Broadway in Times Square to vehicular traffic, one would think Nos Quedamos' plan would at least be considered if not entirely, then as a hybrid/compromise type deal.

Ninguna manera.

You see, green spaces and bike lanes are great for places like the Meat Packing District and Times Square. Pero communities in the outer extremities, populated by poorer people, especially of color, already bordered by three other highways with no hope of racial gentrification on the horizon don't need that.

Nos quedamos, indeed. As long as we remain in our proper place.

More info:
Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance
Volunteer Match>Nos Quedamos
Sustainable South Bronx
Highway Robbery

Blueprint America: Road to the Future Overview+Clips

Lessondary Summer

2009-05-20T11:18:00.008-04:00

They're here! Leave it to Mo to stop everything & cop 'em as soon as word went out in Twitterville that they arrived in NYC.

The homies Tanya Morgan are pretty busy these days & word around town is they certainly did their thing on Brooklynati so if you don't have it, go get it! If you do have it, you might as well pack your bags, get your Survival Kit, & move. They can help.
...

This is the 2nd installment of Spec Boogie's Summer Movie Video Series where the homie spits over soundtracked movie clips. "That boy good!" (c) Coming to America (I waiting for that one. Hint, hint.)
...

Che Grand's video for Girls Talk from his upcoming Everything's Good Ugly. Track by none other than Lessondary producer Aeon.

...

Until the release of Donwill's concept solo release Don Cusack in High Fidelity, there's the Laura's Song maxi-single.

Plus, check Lessondary cameos on projects such as Donny Goines' The Breakfast Club. (Bit o' a recurring theme, this movie-concept thing, eh?)

[Update: You can win a Survival Kit from FWMJ's Rappers I Know. I'm sure someone can come up with a better reply than first dude.]

BKLYNATI DAY, Part Deux Ni ( 二 )

2009-05-12T17:03:00.005-04:00

JPN ナンバーワンです！ How they got the fitteds before they're even available in BKLYNATI USA is beyond me but they're out there! (via Mo)

BKLYNATI DAY

2009-05-12T12:27:00.003-04:00

Just got this package today. I am really loving the execution on this project. Well, except for the fitteds but that's another story. (Hopefully they will materialize soon!)

Survival Kit (complete with welcome letter from Mayor ?uestlove) + municipal website for BKLYNATI USA = Total Package. Oh, almost forgot, there's the album. Dope rhymes, dope beats. This is not a review. Just some advice - cop that.

'Nuff said.

iTunes
Survival Kit

Pulse+LPR

2009-05-08T11:22:00.011-04:00

The homie Yushi a/k/a Pesu teaching the kids @ Pulse/Vibe Mag event. Shouts to Y az & the Old-Soulz collective!
...
Some random shots caught in between venues:

...
LPR
Welcome to BKLYNATI! (Drop 5-12-09) Hey guys, think you can hook a sista up with a side job @ the Brewery???

J.Cole says...a lot actually. Kid can spit. I was thoroughly impressed.

Parting shot...G'nite.

Bacon as Brain Food, Part Deux

2009-05-07T10:23:00.008-04:00

Via the ~~homie John Saan~~ part-time Muslim Mo (@Wunmic for you Twitter folks). I love bacon but to me the texture is a large part of the enjoyment so I'll pass on the paste. But if you're into spreadable edibles you can cop the squeeze now from the good people over @ ThinkGeek.com.

Bacon as Brain Food

2009-04-12T13:55:00.005-04:00

Not that type of brain. We're talking center of the physiological universe brain - nervous systems and such. According to a recent study, a bacon sandwich is the perfect remedy for a hangover. It even replenishes neurotransmitters eviscerated by all those orange oil + Thai bird chili infused vodka concoctions you imbibed the night before. (By you I of course mean me.) I wonder if a Porchetta sandwich is a comparable substitute. One can only hope...

*Dear Mo: there's also a bit in there about why bacon is so irresistible. So don't be ashamed of your love. It's only natural.

KRAZY! Weekend

2009-03-26T18:06:00.013-04:00

This past weekend saw pretty much non-stop action all over the place as DJ MURO was in NYC, spinning at Santos on Friday w/ Q-Tip + Rich Medina*, & APT on Saturday w/ Chairman Mao (for the release of their Run for Cover II collabo). In between, Cut&Paste 2009 went down at Webster Hall, the crew (4 of us) polished off a bottle of wine in 10 minutes, I totally geeked out when Rich Medina introduced me to MURO, showing him my Pedobear-stickered iPod w/ Microphone Pager albums listed, met Tomoya/CLV from BBPBX crew (I want that MURO jacket!), paid for 0 drinks, got felt up by some random yakuza dude (nice tats, tho), & had Chairman Mao laugh HARD while he watched, proceeding to play slow jams. Considering the drink to paying ratio I really can't complain. Plus, Tomoya works at THE ramen spot, Ippudo, so it seems I'll be going there even more often. (Where you at, Shoefleur?!)

Sunday was supposed to be a day of leisure (+ detox). A trip to the Japan Society w/ FROactiv and the homie Kiwon, lunch/early dinner then bed. Nope. KRAZY was, well, crazy. First we sat for a screening of Paprika. (PARENTS: Do NOT bring small children. While your squirming is amusing to us single & free people, we fear your actions may induce long term emotional scarring even more so than the anime.) Then we discovered the Pac-Man console, had a few battles, then meandered into the anime bonanza room where you can watch several films simultaneously or settle into cozy little nooks for individual viewing. Next trip I'm bringing popcorn; Kiwon's got us on the beers. Our lunch/early dinner began with the trip we dare not speak of but concluded nicely at Bon Chon. & by concluded I really mean continued until sometime after ten pm with seafood pancake + several rounds of fruity soju + other concoctions (thanks, Kiwon!). I think I'm still hung over but that won't stop this weekend.

Roomie Afton Supa Fly Snukka is leaving NYC for pastures further south (Florida for now). So if you're around come out & send her off right! Shenanigans start tonight in the LES, tomorrow & Saturday are still TBD. Stay tuned...

*Rich Medina is one of the proudest poppas I've ever met. Just ask him about his "li'l Samurai" and he'll no doubt oblige, showing you iPhone pics of the cutie by the dozens! Just be sure to make the bar/bathroom run BEFORE approaching him. ;-)

Case of the Mondays

2009-03-23T16:14:00.003-04:00

I tweet therefore I am. Or am I? If a tweet goes out and no one replies, does it exist? Who knows, but sometimes you come across gems like Erykah Badu's anomalous stalker narrative in real time, further threatening the obsolescence of online publishing.

That is, of course, if you care...

Recession Teflons?

2009-03-19T11:43:00.007-04:00

A few days ago, venerable* brander/taste-maker/blog-ghostwriter(?) jeffstaple twitted that despite economic hard times, Reed Space was still rocking. My inbox has seen a steady increase in brand launch and anniversary invites and there are those I know who are still in the planning stages. With businesses shutting down left and right, record unemployment rates, and wait-lists for city grad and bar school programs, one would think starting their own business, let alone one dependent upon disposable income people don't really have, a fruitless endeavor.

Apparently not so. Real research and ruminations aside - those should be left to the pros over at Freakonomics - I posed this question to Scrills, 1/2 of the creative duo behind Cookie -n- Cream(see above event tonight). The short answer: kids love treats. Make 'em feel special, build that relationship, and they'll not only keep coming back but they may even share with their close friends. Sharing is caring. And they can care. A lot.

So, run with your ideas, creatives! Get your nurture on and be free! (Yes, that means YOU, FROactiv!)

You may also wanna check this out when thinking about your foundations. There's a book too but the online content is more dynamic. (You gotta keep up.)

Bamboo Banger - 1 YR Anniversary for Cookies -n- Cream
Thursday, March 19th 10pm-4am
Katra 217 Bowery (corner of Rivington)
...

*[venerable: respected but not yet canonized. That would be HF. But he's still a slash/slasher + hypherner.]

It's not easy being...chartreuse

2009-02-23T22:38:00.003-05:00

Beau decided we'd have old-school soul night, complete with clementine vodka cocktails. He youtubed this vintage Whitney, knowing full well how I feel about Donny Hathaway covers. I can't front. This was a great cover. Even if, when hunched over in that outfit, she looked like Zorak.

Case of the Mondays

2009-02-23T12:42:00.005-05:00

NYC cold + wind = stay at home weekend for me. I accomplished some much needed cleaning, a bit o' reading (the February Esquire was an excellent c2c read, compliments of AG), and some movies.

The Taste of Tea - I love this movie. The Mountain Song was stuck in my head all weekend, thankfully knocking this out.
...

This is just hilarious. The brilliance of it is that if, like me, you have an acute disdain for autotune, you can mute the video & laugh at the captioned lyrics (& Optimus Prime on the pole). Enjoy!

(Full post/Tanya Morgan Presents Ilyas (i-EL) - The Prelude)

Maybe someone should remix the Mountain Song w/ autotune? Too much maybe...?

Monkey Business

2009-02-18T15:51:00.003-05:00

The Delonas Cartoon in today's NY Post has caused quite an uproar. I received e-mail after e-mail calling for a boycott of the NY Post. And then, notification via Twitter of the inevitable - Al Sharpton will be on CNN to discuss controversial cartoon. I guess one monkey don't stop no show so all of them have to jump in.

We're sensitive and defensive because many wounds aren't healed but just below the surface, easily reopened. But, as was the case with last year's Assassination of Clinton/Obama exhibit, this cartoon can represent something else. Maybe, just maybe, it's not a literal depiction of a specific person but more metaphorical commentary on a specific point of view. Maybe the cartoonist thinks the stimulus plan is so simple and lame it could've been written by a chimp. (For the record, Obama would NOT be the chimp in question. Do you really think he wrote that entire plan himself?)

With the signing of the most important piece of economic, hell ANY, legislation of our lifetime we are either talking about Jessica Simpson's weight, Chris Brown beating Rhianna, or a monkey in a cartoon that may or may not be a reference to President Obama. We should be talking about whether or not we think monetary policy is enough to fix this mess, what happened with TARP and if this plan has more oversight and accountability built in.

Instead of calling for the boycott of a tabloid - not a newspaper - that nonetheless endorsed Obama (albiet tepidly), and co-signing the relevance of a stooge "leader" such as Al Sharpton, why don't we check out some information and have really meaningful conversations?

- Stimulus Plan Press Brief
- Economic Commentary on RGE Monitor (Nouriel Roubini's blog)
- Economics for Dummies
- Book: Where Does the Money Go?

Oh, and about stooge "leaders" - Burris? I told you so.

Journey of almalgamated dreams

2009-01-15T12:31:00.004-05:00

If you're not busy (or afraid of snow), come out tonight for the exhibit opening of Journey of amalgamated dreams @ the Artgate Gallery in Chelsea. It's a group show based on the use of layers both physical and conceptual in both 2D and 3D platforms, including the works of this guy. (He's my director so I told him he gets a link, but no explicit plugs!)

Haiti: Hunger & Hope

2009-01-06T16:39:00.013-05:00

Nigel Barker has graciously dedicated his time and photography services to an organization I've collaborated with, Edeyo. He went to visit Bel-Air, an impoverished area of Port-au-Prince, where Edeyo has built and maintains a K-6th grade school, Ecole du Bel-Air. This school is one of the VERY FEW schools in Haiti that does not operate at a profit. There is no tuition charged, there is no charge for uniforms or school materials, and there is NO CHARGE for school lunch. It opened in 2007 and in 2 years it's enrollment has grown by almost 50% (from 88 to 172). Everyone who does anything for Edeyo, MYSELF included, does so as a volunteer. There is no budget for staff or administration.

Nigel visited Haiti in June of 2008 and was so struck by what he saw, he created an exhibition around the community and the foundation. The opening for this exhibit is Thursday, January 8th, at Milk Gallery in the Meat Packing district.

Some of the honored committee members are Adrien Brody, Susan Sarandon, and Spike Lee. (For a full list of 'sell-ebs', click Edeyo link above.) Of course Mr. Barker will be there to present his work. I don't care if you come for star-gazing or for the cause, just come out and support. (Re-evaluating the ends justifies the means clause.)

Thank you and goodnight.

Click to enlarge invite above and RSVP to Yvette@Edeyo.org. (Please note press affiliations if applicable.)

Previous events: Colors for Haiti (For those that came out, thank you and we look forward to seeing you @ Milk!)

Double Happiness 2009

2008-12-31T12:01:00.005-05:00

I came across the movie Double Happiness on IFC. It stars Sandra Oh as the dutiful but independent (eldest) daughter pulled between her desires and the expectations set upon by her old-school immigrant family (read: father). This exchange struck me and I couldn't figure out if I had seen the movie before or just that part. Then I realized it sounded just like the exchange I had with my father the previous evening. (Both father's statements and daughter's replies were strikingly similar. If I had seen that movie before, I would have summized we (sub)consciously plagerized the script.)

Dad: We did not bring you here to ruin your life. We brought you here for the opportunities.

Daughter: Yes, Dad.

Dad: From now on, you must only seize the best opportunities.

Daughter: Yes, Dad.

Dad: Are you going to enroll in [blah, blah, blah] college?

Daughter: Yes, Dad. I'm just trying to decide.

That night she goes on an arranged date. She bolts. The next scene is a family dinner where daughter tells father she's leaving and ruins what looks like a really tasty meal. That's it.

Oh would it were so easy. Or is it? There's no clever screenplay here. I see both sides and tend to suffer from Hamlet syndrome. What if Dad is right and I'm wrong? What if I'm right and Dad's wrong? What if we're both right? Or wrong? Or partially both? Or wholly neither?

We're all going through transitions. Constantly. (Change is the only constant, right?) I wish I had a magic 8 ball right now but alas Santa didn't leave one under the tree this year. All I do know is that this year will go as fast as it has come, and no one knows when they're last last is gonna happen.

Oh, and while living long is great, getting old...SUCKS.

So here's to realizing and recognizing happiness. And doubling up on it whenever possible. 'Cause it may feel nice, but it doesn't come easy.

AOKxTMxHiero @ Knitting Factory. TONIGHT

2008-12-16T18:01:00.003-05:00

One of the last Hip Hop shows @ the legendary Knitting Factory. Ever. (The Friday night show looks to be pretty dope as well.)

Colors for Haiti

2008-12-08T10:39:00.012-05:00

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
- Frederick Douglass

As some of you know I have been working with a foundation called Edeyo (Eh-Day-Oh). Restaurateur, "nightclub impresario," and Haitian expat Unik Ernest (PM, Lily Pond, Merkato55) has rallied a few volunteers to put together fund-raising events to support the school Edeyo built and supports, Ecole du Bel-Air, located in an impoverished district of Port-Au-Prince. The situation is dire and this is one of the few, if not the only, schools that is completely FREE for students and families - no tuition, all supplies and uniforms are paid for by the school, and all meals are free. Needless to say this is a necessary and daunting task.

Aside from Unik's annual birthday/anniversary fundraiser, we have a few events coming up soon. We are establishing Colors for Haiti as our signature event where artwork from the students will be displayed, and bid on, alongside the works of other artists. This year we have contributions from:

Nigel Barker
Mark Baptiste
Walter Chin
Renato Dagostin
Michael Edwards
Marianne Fourie
Antonio Ibarra
Seiji Fujimori
Mariko Ouchi
Douglas Morionne
Garalde Pradieu
Carlos Van der Roer
Nicolas Wagner

Signature drinks provided by Cuca Fresca.
After party @ Bijoux Lounge (Merkato55 downstairs)

Donations will be accepted at the door. So don't be stingy! 'Tis the time of giving!

When: Tuesday, Dec. 9th, 7PM-11PM
Where: Merkato55, 55 Gansevoort St.(bet. Greenwich & Washington), NYC
RSVP: Doris@edeyo.org

---

Coming soon: Nigel Barker exhibit - Haiti: Hunger & Hope @ Milk NYC. Stay tuned...

Mock New York Times

2008-11-12T12:21:00.008-05:00

These mock New York Times were being given out this morning at Columbus Circle. There was a film crew present recording people's reactions but they were a bit cagey when questioned. I don't know if the NYT was actually behind this or it's some marketing stunt a la HBO's True Blood, but I did enjoy this article:

*Click pics to enlarge.

[UPDATE: NYT cites Gawker report that names the Yes Men as responsible party. Whoever did it, kudos for the bang up print job.]

Happy Burfday, Von Peaaaaaaaaa!

2008-11-11T09:35:00.006-05:00

Today, for Mr. Pea's born date, the ever-altruistic MC wants to give YOU a gift. That's right. The Further Adventures of Von Pea are available for FREE HERE.

If you are interested in sending him something in return, take a look at his wishlist.

Weekend Wrap-up

2008-11-10T11:41:00.010-05:00

Saturday:

Journeyed out to BK for my first ~~rockers~~ ~~dancehall~~ ~~soca~~ hip-hop video shoot since Wu-Tang shot their videos in Stapleton. From the heart of Bed-Stuy, indeed. Check out Spec Boogie's Kid Gorgeous NOW and look out for the video soon to come.

...

Sunday:

Roomie brunch @ the Half King complete with green eggs, ham, turkey sausage, biscuits & gravy, and fuzzy mimosas. Needless to say we spent the better part of the afternoon on their comfy loveseats. Good thing they had nice visuals. Current exhibition: 21 Months on the Road photo retrospective of the Obama campaign by Scout Tufankjian. (Our brunch was better, you tweet-up punks! So nah!)

Noticed the banner on the long stumble to the train station:
Apparently Chelsea residents are still pretty ticked off about this.

First Reflections

2008-11-06T13:37:00.005-05:00

Well dear, how do you feel about Obama winning the presidential election?

One thing I know, I will be praying for him for wisdom, understanding, steadfastness, strength and faith in God. He will certainly need it.

I am proud because he is of my same race but also a bit worried... I really hope he does a good job because he is not only representing the United Stated...but I feel that in a special way he is representing blacks around the world.

At least he is intelligent, eloquent, goes to church (hope it is a good church) and loves his family.... that's a good start.

Love,
Lorena

My sister Lorena in Panama sent me this e-mail today and, in the midst of 'back-to-the-daily-grind' work, it made me pause.

Between commentaries on the symbolic (ir)relevance of an Obama Presidency to the endearing anecdotal pieces regarding our ongoing struggle for equality, logical analysis and sentimentality almost eliminated the initial emotional conflict that consumed me right up to 11/04/08 10:16pm: the battle between elation and melancholy.

How do I feel about Obama winning the presidential election, indeed.

I am happy. He is the personification of the oft-heard parental adage 'you can be whatever you want to be.' I personally didn't realize how many limitations I put on myself until Obama was elected. Sure, I thought, I could be whatever I wanted to be - doctor, lawyer, candlestick maker - but president of the United States of America? Never entered my mind. And now it's a reality for my brother, nephews, cousins, and future generations. A friend of mine noted that their newborn son would never know a time when it was absurd to envision a black president. Deep.

I am sad. Obama literally brought hope to generation(s) of apathetic citizens. And let's be real, it wasn't just 'young people' he had to inspire to vote. The process of getting elected has been an uphill battle (slope = undefined) and with all the current issues facing this country, including rapidly disintegrating diplomatic relations with Russia, his presidency won't be a cakewalk either. More than tough decisions, he's going to have to make even harder compromises and it's likely he'll disappoint many of his ardent supporters who treat him with an iconic (damn near religious) reverence. It's also likely he'll do something to make his opponents say 'told you so.' He is mortal. And this presidency in particular is fraught with a whole heap of pressure to put on one person.

If the takeaway from this election is that individual actions amalgamate into mass action that makes a difference, overall I think I could be pleased with that. If we as a people can now get passed the historic moment to realize he is just one man and that we all must take responsibility to be more informed and active in our government (and let that be the new 'patriotism', not xenophobia) then things might be OK.

It is starting to sink in and spread. It'll be interesting to see where this goes.

[Note: The New York Times online shop has been hung up since yesterday with people clamoring to get a reprint of the Nov. 5th edition. Luckily I have a wonderful director who gave me his copy (I owe you big time, Bill!). He also put me on re: preservation tactics. If you don't want your saved newspapers to disintegrate over time, you're gonna need some of this stuff. However, it could be easier to just bookmark this site - a graphic composite of international headlines from the day.]

Peur(s) du Noir

2008-11-04T15:18:00.009-05:00

Trying to alleviate my "election anxiety" & kill time between MS seminar and Edeyo meetings, I wandered into the IFC & purchased a ticket for Peur(s) du Noir (Fears of the Dark), not knowing what to expect at all. What happened: I was pleasantly surprised by the various animated shorts - all horror stories drawn in black & white. They range from sketchings to etchings to shape morphing & more traditional animation. The last short (see clip above) was drawn simply, using basic shapes, yet it took a more cinematic path by focusing on light - and, consequently, shadow and contrast - with a great deal of attention paid to patterns. Sans dialogue. I thought it was one of the more riveting story depictions in the set.

[Spoiler Alert - there's a narrative interspersed between the animated shorts, spoken in first person, describing the narrator's fears. It eventually took a political bend & momentarily ruined my planned escape from reality. But it only lasted for a few minutes.]

CMJ 2008 Pt. 2 & 3

2008-10-24T10:16:00.014-04:00

10/22 - SOBs NYC

Pre-show chillin'.

Did anyone find the Red Baby?

Pacific Division on the campaign trail. Too bad for them NYC will likely be booked until at least 2013. If you didn't catch them this week, you still have a chance to see them w/ Busta Rhymes next week @ the Knitting Factory.

AOK Collective & hooded Von Pea collab jawn.

When did Mickey Factz go Bosozoku...?

...

10/23 - Knitting Factory NYC

Pics of shows can get monotonous. Pics of random shenanigans never cease to amuse.

Von with TM converts Robyn & Jesse. (You can't see it but Robyn is holding up a copy of Tanya Morgan is a Rap Group courtesy of Mr. Pea himself.)

Attempting to find a "clean restroom," Che & Von stumble upon an empty movie trailer instead...

We eventually made it to KF where DJ Spinna debuted tracks off his upcoming album featuring AOK members Homeboy Sandman, P.Casso, Nola Darling, Fresh Daily, etc...

End of the night with the assist from UltraMag a/k/a FROactiv -

Fin.

CMJ 2008 Pt. 1

2008-10-22T13:08:00.019-04:00

This year I told a certain someone who will remain nameless that I was gonna make it out every night this week for a CMJ show. Fun times but I'm too old to stay out so far past my bedtime all week...

10/21 - DROM NYC

As per The Liberator, TM tore it up. Here they give up the screw faces w/ Lessondary peoples Che Grand & Spec Boogie.

Che wearing his heart on his...chest onstage w/ d. benjamin of Sankofa.

Of course Wajeed & Co. a/k/a PPP put down that fried porgies + cheese grits w/ xtra pepper & butter funk. (That's how I phrased it last night. Apparently, I was STARVING.) Marvin Gaye smooth.

It seems as if lumberjack is the new style (much like winter sportswear was back in the '90s). Unless we're weekending @ a lodge and you are going to get fire wood though, I don't really want to see it. Sorry. And those hats make me think of robot dude from Dave Chappelle (@4:06 mark).

East+West: TM label mates Eyezon and Shaya were in town from the Bay Area to partake in CMJ. (Thanks for the Heineken & the cds!) Meanwhile Homeboy Sandman was working the crowd w/ members of the Brooklyn Bodega crew. And if you haven't picked up Actual Factual Pterodactyl yet, I (we) implore you - "If you like to visit iTunes..."

More pics here.

Pt. 2 coming soon.

Eternal Playlist

2008-09-26T12:42:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I put my iPod on shuffle songs. It's a good way to find stuff I forgot about but it can also come up with great mixes I would have never put together. This morning's master mix:

De La Soul - Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend)
DJ Hasabe - Honey Dip
Buddha Brand - Ill-Jack
ATCQ - Can I Kick It?
Nujabes w/Shing02 - Battlecry
Donny Hathaway - Trying Times
Eerily apropos language learning snippet - Osusume no baa wa arimasen ka? (Can you recommend a bar?)
Jay-Z - Can't Knock the Hustle

Head-nodding, stride-stretching music that helps you steer clear of unruly umbrellas and gets where you gotta go.

Peek Freans are some very serious cookies...

2008-09-25T20:17:00.011-04:00

And we get them from Canada (if we still get them). Wait, let me ask Gov. Palin. I'm sure SHE's involved with any importation of Canuck goods since they share a border.

This would be funny if she were't so serious.

And why does Roubini throw down more than specifics in a preliminary proposal on HIS BLOG than I've seen from Paulson and Bernanke TARP plan? Vagueness and speculation run a muck. It's the worst 3-pages of nothing I've never read - and I've been teaching for 5 years.

Other amusing musings (in no particular order):

Bloomberg/MTA beef - the skinny direct from his mayoralness' info company (you can just hear his head about to explode)

Toxic Gas - Man arrested for farting. Really.

Mike Lee - Enjoy his Sunday ramblings.

Nowarian - Late pass on getting to the port-folio girl but this struck me hard, brought to mind this recent piece, and made me think hard about the patched system we have.

Somebody's got a case of the Mondays

2008-09-08T12:21:00.010-04:00

First I wake up to the ridiculousness that was the news of the government Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac bailout. (Please read Nouriel Roubini's adequate synopsis.) Why does our government always eff up some ish they supposed to do? Like, why can't they just do what they're supposed to do and do it the right way? Think I'm gonna ask JSmooth to make a song about it. Context lends itself to a country music composition but we'll see what he does...

THEN I get word of a video where ~~this fool~~ Tyga is eating $$ (goes well w/ his coconut juice I guess):

(Go to 2:58 mark to skip boring braggadocio banter)

If he is indeed the future, I do indeed weep.

Stormy Weather

2008-08-27T12:25:00.007-04:00

I was watching the Chris Brown MTV VMA 2007 performance and it reminded me of my favorite dance routine of all time from one of my favorite movies of all time. While I'm still in awe of what that youngin' can do, I've never seen any dance routine executed with the technical skill, athleticism, and effortless grace as the "Jumpin' Jive" Nicholas Brothers number. (And if you think Busta Rhymes has energy, peep Cab Calloway.)

While looking for that clip, I came across the Kanye-synced video collage above.

My second favorite dance routine is another Stormy Weather performance. Only Katherine Dunham & co. could have integrated the emotional turmoil with gentle elegance to perfectly mirror Lena Horne's vocals. I don't even like musicals but this is definitely in my Top 10.

My New Outlet

2008-08-26T18:26:00.011-04:00

I decided I needed to work some more creativity into the insipidity that is my current professional situation. So without further ado, here are the first installations for my 2 new series:

What I Do @ Work:

Vendor Relations #1: On the Phone -

Vendor Relations #2: On Hold -

I used to love IT (Information Technology), especially in academia...that was before taking on project management. I went from tinkering with hardware and configuring apps to doing something I NEVER wanted to do -- administrative BS. And since the semester has yet to begin, you'll have to wait a bit for installation 2: grading tedious college exams submitted by legitimately unmotivated students.

Yvette as...:

Dizzie Gillespie -

Groucho Marx -

I'd rather a country of elitists...

2008-08-25T11:50:00.006-04:00

...or 'What Americans don't know may hurt me.'

My fav response: "OK. I'm a little bit mixed up over the Palestinians and the Israelis...Which one is throwing the rocks?" (@ the 3:37 mark)

Tell 'Em Why You Mad, Muffie!

2008-08-21T15:28:00.012-04:00

No part of the article in this week's New York Observer was news to me. It really just highlighted a conversation I had some months ago with the inter-nation-al Saudade about people and their "isms." Everything has to be pissing contest - my 'ism' is worse than your 'ism' - and no progress is ever made. People split up into smaller and smaller factions in a futile (and illogical) attempt to further isolate themselves in an increasingly connected and inter/ra-dependent world (think: micro Law of Group Polarization ad infinitum or this). The consequences are never promising but apparently AWW (Angry White Women) don't care. Just ask Michelle Obama after she was referred to as Barack's "baby's momma" on FoxNews.

I feel that I don't need to regurgitate what Tim Wise put out there as he was far more eloquent than I could ever be with this topic. Suffice it to say that I could barely finish reading the article with all the nonsensical statements being made and propagated as a legitimate agenda (sort of like the legitimacy of a certain occupying nation-state, but I digress). They have PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) PAC and seemingly endless Clintonophile blogs making such demands from the Obama campaign that range from the incredulous (he should renounce the nomination) to the inane (Clinton's name should be on the roll at Denver to "help with the process of emotional 'catharsis'" stemming from her loss in the primaries). Really. You can't make this stuff up.

All this confirms 2 things for me:

#1 - The feminist movement is largely a movement for white women (I've thought that since grade school and pretty much get a confirmation every couple of years),
- and -
#2 - I don't want a woman president. I don't even want a black president. But after that whole "catharsis" statement I feel like we'd become a nation under the spell of Dr. Phil-(psycho)therapy. And I abhor daytime TV. Plus, isn't it just easier to blame all our issues on the white man?

LES: Midnight Marauder

2008-08-20T14:35:00.008-04:00

Just got my copy of Midnight Marauder: The Art of Lesean Thomas. Pretty damn dope. I can't stop looking at the redesigned Mumra (see: Thundercats). I so wish this project wasn't canceled. (Another lamentation to go along with the ATCQ Pumas that never surfaced. Sigh.)

Only caveat: Typography errors and editing oversights make the text practically illegible. Next time let me know, homie! I'll do all that for FREE! ;-)

Currently 'Jockin' Jay-Z'

2008-08-19T19:23:00.003-04:00

Cute. Thanx, Affie...

Break out the Herrerano!!!

2008-08-18T12:31:00.006-04:00

Panama won a gold medal! And of course, there's already a bootleg music video.

Congrats to Irving Saladino. Hey, Crys, doesn't he look vaguely like one of our cousins...?

'Affectionate Wink' My Ass

2008-08-13T15:00:00.025-04:00

[Rant]
The Spanish media is spinning this as some sort of P.C. Gustapo attack perpetrated by the British (and U.S.) media against the innocent athletes and ad producers who thought this was an 'affectionate wink'- an "expression in Eastern eyes" was the phrase - to a sponsor and their Olympic hosts. A bit playful, but harmless. Anyone who takes offense is confused.

Interesting defense.

It brings to mind an incident that happened on Canal Street just this past winter. A group of friends from out of town came up and went to do some shopping in Chinatown. Some young white kids, likely tourists, were on the corner taking pictures. One girl decided to strike a pose in front of a store sign written in Chinese ~~ideograms~~ graphemes mimicking this same stance - fingers pulling back tightly at the corner of her eyes.

Cheese!

I think not. The photo session actually stopped one of our guests in her tracks. She couldn't believe what she was seeing and was even more aghast at the (non)response of most people on the street; she was from the south and didn't think actions of this ilk - whether deemed outright racist or merely insensitive - would be remotely acceptable in NYC. Although the sight of 5 black women staring dead at this young girl frightened her into "straightening" her face (and photographer & co. to turn around, flushed) I don't think she understood all the fuss, much like Paul Gasol and his Spanish teammates.

"Some of my best friends in Toronto are of Chinese origin," explains Jose Manuel Calderon, point guard for both the Spanish Olympic team and the NBA's Toronto Raptors.

Now where have I heard that one before?

Imagine some white kids (or Asian, or other non-blacks) on the corner of 125th and Malcolm X taking pictures pulling their lips apart so they appear bigger, real Sambo-esque, then explaining that they were just doing 'African lips' as an affectionate gesture signifying their surroundings. Their lips would probably be naturally enhanced after the ~~beating~~ molly-whopping they'd receive but the point is this:

Just because an action is racist doesn't make you a racist (see: Jay Smooth). Recognition of, and apologizing for, inappropriate and hurtful behavior does not equal a conviction in the fictitious Supreme Court of Racism. Your name and address won't be added to some database for public perusal and you won't be banned from working with kids (though some of you need to be). You won't be stoned to death (though some of you need to be). This is where (and why) the disingenuous defenses and incredulous looks crop up. No one is trying to terrorize you but they may be trying to point out some effed up behavior/attitudes that need adjustment. Stop being scared and start paying attention, damn it!

Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. (Or did I?)

And yeah, an apology is always better than a shift of onus.

[/Rant]

----

Suggested reading: Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White (Asian people get ~~offended~~ ANGRY too. Surprise, surprise.)

The Police (No, not NYPD...well, kinda)

2008-08-10T20:36:00.014-04:00

It was definitely a crazy week. From seeing Nas/Jay-Z and a full Tribe reunion @ Rock the Bells, to a last minute outing to see The Police live @ MSG for their last show EVER (Sting, Andy, and Stew even brought out the fat lady to sing in case you didn't get the memo), I'm really still absorbing it all. (Thanks for a GREAT time Stevland and Beauregard!)

Awkward (ironic) moment: Going from RTB where every other artist had a "F#!k the Police" song/element in their set, including obligatory bird-flips, to MSG where The Police had the actual NYPD (band) on stage to open with a percussion-heavy "Message in a Bottle." I definitely felt, in the words of my 'buela, "in betwixt in between."

...

RIP Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes

Rock the Bells NYC 2008

2008-08-05T08:58:00.028-04:00

ATCQ @ Rock The Bells NYC from Canela_NYC on Vimeo.

Words really can't express. I mean, it was Tribe's first show in NYC since 1998 and my first time seeing them perform together since 1992. Couldn't ask for a better show (well, LONS coulda sucked it up and reunited and Jungle Bros. coulda came out and there coulda been a full Native Tongue reunion but that's just me being greedy).

Who(else) I saw: Murs/Kidz in the Hall (shouts to the bruhs who performed lumped up and persevered thru technical difficulties)/Dead Prez/Immortal Technique + Pharoah Monch/The Pharcyde/De La Soul + Dres + Q-Tip + Biz Markie/Mos Def + Talib Kweli + Pharoah Monch (2x)/Rae + Ghost/Meth + Red + EPMD + Slick Rick + Keith Murray + DJ Kool/Nas + Jay-Z (YESS!!!)/A Tribe Called Quest + Busta Rhymes.

I'm still hoarse. Incredible show(s). Video is shaky but representative of the incredible energy. I'm still smiling (and sore). More pics to come but for now here are a couple, courtesy of Mr. Pereira -

(This is about to be my desktop.)

See more here.

Read more here.

Happy Little Trees (No Narc) - Ode to B.R.

2008-07-31T11:36:00.008-04:00

It's been a rough few weeks so I haven't posted half the stuff I was supposed to and slacked off on some personal projects I need to get back to. Yesterday all the pressure I've been feeling finally kicked in and I needed a day to get my chi straight. (Can you get chi straight? Or do you use it to get straight? Whatever...)

Anyways, I ended up channel surfing, vacillating mostly between PBS stations and FoodNetwork, when I heard that all too familiar soft, folksy voice and caught sight of the signature billowing 'fro of oil paint Zen master, Bob Ross. Before I knew it I felt an inner calm come over me as I eagerly (yet patiently) awaited the appearance of happy little trees, in a mix of sap moss, van dyke brown, and "just a touch" of dark sienna. (They appeared shortly after he finished dotting the sky with happy little clouds in titanium white.)

Bob: Let's put a happy little tree right at the base of the mountain. Right back here. You saw him there, didn't ya'?

Me: (enthusiastically) I did!!! I did see the little guy RIGHT THERE!!!!!

So perceptive. You always knew just what I needed/wanted to see, Bob. Thanks.

...

My 15 Minutes, thanks to Afton SuPaFly Snukka.

It's all coming together now ;-)

Daily Activity

2008-07-23T10:04:00.008-04:00

See how many Blaxploitation, cult films, and classic album covers you can pick out in this DJ MURO + Martini jawn. Great fun to break up the mundaneness of a gloomy Wednesday morn...

And can someone tell me what these are gonna look like?! I need some red, black and green kicks to go with a shirt I got. Please and thanks!

Pro-Lestats Unite!

2008-07-22T16:52:00.009-04:00

Emerging from the hell that is the NYC subway during this current heatwave I encountered a group of "activists" handing out these buttons and signing people up to "protect Vampire rights" at Columbus Circle.

At first I thought it was just a group of eccentrics (or maybe students of an improv class) but after going to the site - conspicuously sponsored by HBO - I realized it was just a marketing ploy. Guess there's a new series or something coming up. I dunno. Still don't have cable. It was funnier and far more interesting before I knew HBO was involved but alas such is life. Full of disappointments. And sly marketing.

Strange (Ecological) Bedfellows?

2008-07-17T16:39:00.010-04:00

If the green movement made it's appeal more economic than moral it would certainly find itself in odd company but those alliances could prove essential to their cause. Take T-Boone. T. Boone Pickens is a good ol' boy, born in Oklahoma, raised in Amarillo, Texas, and an oil man through and through. Those are his words and the words of my director/friend whose family grew up with 'T-Boone' and had the fiscal prescience to invest in his company, Mesa Petroleum. (Early retirement is always a nice gift to get from friends. Hint, hint.)

Anyways, T-Boone is now pushing a new energy plan that incorporates wind and solar resources and diminishes the dependency on oil. What's the deal? Trust that it's not totally altruistic (he has invested significantly in wind and solar energy initiatives) but just because you can make money from it doesn't make it or you evil. His presentation may not be as exciting as out-takes from I survived a Japanese Game Show but if you sit still, and stay awake, long enough you may just learn something. And as nice as T-Boone may sound with his patented southern drawl, don't forget he practically invented the hostile takeover so don't make him strong-arm you into solar, son!

[Update: If you think modern wind turbines aren't attractive or aesthetically interesting, maybe we could rig these for energy instead of grain. I can definitely see them doting the countryside in Pennsylvania and maybe even a couple in Central Park. They can generate energy and serve as tourist attractions. And after all, the Dutch did pioneer settlement of the "New World" (historic architectural relevance), are experienced in harnessing wind power, and on another note, build better levees. Yes, I had to throw that in.]

iPhone mania

2008-07-10T10:50:00.006-04:00

And so it has begun...

I initially was gonna dead my Verizon contract and go iPhone too but the higher service rates (and, from what I hear, worse service) on AT&T, coupled with weaker battery issues and the fact that I'm NOT a line-stander - don't these people have JOBS? - is kind of killing the high.

I guess it will have to be a game time decision. If anyone does happen to get one manana, feel free to let me know how that works out. Please and thanks.

The Cake Nazi (or Don't Let Them Eat Cake!)

2008-06-25T17:33:00.015-04:00

Who ever heard of a bakery with empty shelves?

Ever since his appearance on FoodNetwork last summer, it's been increasingly difficult to snag a red velvet cake, slice, or even a cupcake @ Cakeman Raven's in BK. Now it seems you can't even get a sniff of the buttery smooth goodness. A colleague of mine drove to the shop to order a cake for a departing member of our team (just try calling that phone number they give you) and was not only told that she couldn't get the order she wanted BUT she can't even get a slice as they no longer bake on site and won't have any available until 6:30pm - and NO cupcakes! Anyone who's been there knows of the infamous hordes that can line up waiting for a slice. With limited supply and no on-site baking there's even a slimmer chance of you getting a taste.

Shrewd negotiator that she is, we did end up snagging a couple of 9" rounds for the event (instead of the sheet cake we wanted) but with all that effort we're thinking future endeavors may not even be worth the hassle. Yes, the cake is crack. But, as they say, CRACK IS WACK. Gotta kick the habit sometime. When you keep chasing a high with diminishing returns, well, that seems like the perfect time to quit.

Cake = $100
Gas = $4.03/gallon
Having to barter your way to PAY for a good including getting the manager's cell phone number to ensure delivery of product = WAY TOO MUCH B.S.

~RIP Red Velvet Cupcakes~

Guess I'll have to settle for the RV cupcakes @ Daisy May's BBQ. The cake isn't as moist but the icing is divine. They're on the D.L. tho' so ask for them 'cause they're not on the menu.

Note: This was yet another reason to listen to New York I Love You and lament the good ol' days...

[UPDATE: Not only did my colleague not get a slice when she went back @ 6:30pm on Thursday but come Monday morning there was no fulfillment of her order. NO CAKE FOR YOU!!!]

The Tudors

2008-06-22T14:56:00.010-04:00

Starting last year when the ads started appearing all over subway stations, I vowed I would never watch The Tudors, as the posters seemed to depict some sort of period porn. That was easy enough as I don't have cable. But alas a few weeks ago I was chillin' in Jersey w/ the fam when my girl Doris got me hooked - on the season finale no less! This weekend I was again in "Joisie" (w/ no cell phone service) and managed to watch the entire season thanks to On Demand. I can now say that at least the ads weren't misleading. Intrigues, violence, and period porn. Some like it rough.

School's out for summer...

2008-06-19T15:00:00.018-04:00

Let the games, I mean grinds, begin.

For those who've been getting the mixtapes from me (a la megaupload), here's your chance to catch the homies Tanya Morgan live. They are now part of the Freshly Dipped lineup along w/ Hiero, et al. With plenty of dates all over the place I'm sure you can catch them somewhere between now and August. (Unless you're overseas. Gomen, Seiji!!!)
...

Mark your calendars NYC - 7/13 @ SOBs - ABM extraordinaire Che Greezy w/ Wale and Blu. Not familiar? Get familiar here.

Sample treat from the upcoming Everything's Good Ugly - Gift Wrap
...

One of my faves lately has been Dollar $ign Language by Spec Boogie (proof: check my lastfm charts). Get your free download from Digital Gravel now. Check the Lessondary show @ Knitting Factory NYC on Monday. Then tell me New York I Love You isn't the truth.
...

Donwill project w/ DJ suhBURB. Enigmatic. Unexpected. Eff a tracklist. Just download and enjoy.
...

With SupaFly down south getting those real estate g's (there's still some to be had if you convert to rental properties or sell them for Euros or RMBs), Saudade getting her garment district hustle on (T-shirts coming soon!), and Miss Harvey doing her Lois Lane thing @ the NY Post, I feel like I should be doing something other than writing this blog. Alas, here I am.

Happy Juneteenth, lest we forget. Wonder how that would have worked out in the age of the Internet...

Lessondary @ the Knitting Factory NYC

2008-06-17T14:49:00.004-04:00

That's right, kids. Only $7. That leaves plenty of leftover allowance for drinks and media purchases so don't be stingy. Come out and support!

Outdoor activities for G-fiers!

2008-06-17T11:24:00.015-04:00

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of the term gentrification indicates the displacement of lower-income people by middle- and upper-income people in a community. So how do we explain the G-fiers that have been camping out in the parking lot of the new BK IKEA for days to get a free Ektorp sofa that retails for only $399 to begin with? Let's just say they love the outdoors. And these types of activities bring people together. Let's here it for the G-fiers!

For more on the IKEA urban campsite, go here.

I wonder if anyone featured in the Sunday NY Times article They Heart (the New) BK is out there? Probably not. They have spots in places like 110 Livingston. What am I thinking???!?!?!

To quote BKMC Spec Boogie, "things ain't looking too good now that things ain't really that bad."

You said it, bruh...

P.S. - I likey the Loosie site. Pretty clever, guys ;-)

Adventures in design

2008-06-13T12:14:00.005-04:00

Stumbling across things like this both inspire me and make me wish I were a rich kid. Imagine growing up in a home where you have your very own built-in treasure hunt? Who needs TV or a PS3 or Nintendo DS?! Just roam around the house discovering stuff.

Of course after every clue has been uncovered and the puzzle solved you have to redesign it. But money spent on intriguing and interactive design is better than money spent on frumpish and rote DirectBuy showroom replications. Ah, the inhumanity...

Darian Dauchan

2008-05-29T16:18:00.009-04:00

We caught this man at the Nuyorican last Friday for a semi-final slam. Although we couldn't stay to the end - it was graduation weekend for the one and only Afton-Supafly-I-got-an-Ivy-League-Master's-Degree-BITCHES!-Snukka so lots of escapades going on - I really hope he won. I haven't laughed so hard at a spoken word joint in a while. I even bought his cd. (I support the brother BUT if you really want it, e-mail me and I'll hook you up with a copy since I can't find it for sale online.)

Side note: He even impressed the fabulously pertinacious, self-described poetry "hater" Mrs. B to the point of admitting to having a good time. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is not easy.

...

And finally, a BIG CONGRATS to the J-School crew! It was fantastic getting to hang with you guys and see you come through the whole process (a/k/a madness) together! Um I'm sure there are pics all over facebook and myspace of the post-grad shenanigans. Saudade, when you get back from the T(dot) we are hitting up SI for some Ralph's Icees and Brother's Pizza!

"Love's Gonna Getcha" (c) KRS-1

2008-05-19T15:05:00.011-04:00

As of late, one of my many obsessions has been trying to figure out why I buy only certain brands - sneakers (Nike, Adidas, or, occasionally, Asics in the form of Onitsuka Tigers), underwear (Vickie's), detergent (Tide). Am I just a brand whore? Or do I really feel that there is a significant difference in quality?

I tested out my strength this weekend by going into a Duane Reade & buying the store brand heavy duty foil instead of the Reynolds brand right next to it. Hey, I'm saving like a $1.50, right? That's a $1.50 more added to the 'I'm treating myself to dinner at Masa' fund. But I almost couldn't do it. At the register I had to fight my impulse to run back and exchange it for my trusted, familiar blue-metallic package with the pink corner (notice use of 'my'). After a brief struggle, frugality prevailed and I brought the "impostor" home but I can't comment on the quality as I haven't yet opened the package. I think I'm scared.

I'm also reading "Lovemarks" by marketing magnate Kevin Roberts, a very likable (lovable?) book about the future of brands or, rather beyond them. It's as much about Mr. Roberts' love affair with consumers as it is about marketing products and services and that's how it should be - there's a relationship there that needs to be examined. But maybe, like most relationships, we rely a little too much on packaging and "gut" feelings without examining our decisions. Do I really think Tide is the ONLY detergent that can get my clothes clean? Is it solely because my mother used Tide and therefore linked to feelings of nostalgia? Why do I sneer at my roommate (LOVE YOU!) when she dares to put a store brand, or merely a brand I don't use, in the cart? Why do I not trust anyone besides myself to go grocery shopping? (Again, LOVE YOU!!)

Dunno. Maybe it's just part of my OCD, I say to myself then I come across this in the NYT. The skinny: dead brands are being revived not only as items for consumption but as "pieces of Americana."

Fade in KRS-1 talking about "love with material items..."

I went to an LRG/Courvoisier event at Reed Space this past week, looked at their maxim "A positive social contagion" and wondered aloud (again), 'what's so positive about conspicuous consumption?'

Dunno. I'm sure it has something to do with perspective. Maybe I'll work this all out by the time I go down there today & pay way too much for a passport case I'll use sporadically and that matches nothing other than the inside of my HP bag, which I "love" but also paid way too much for.

Ah, another song pops into my head - "This is how you get got" (c) Mos.

This Week(end) in NYC...

2008-05-12T10:21:00.019-04:00

Lots of chillin' and inspiration this weekend....
My boy Wil, ever the lucky bastard, happened upon this De La Vega gem on the street -
disposed restaurant chairs turned street art on a random, rainy NYC night. Best in a series of rarities.
...

More inventive art in "Studio 54." A salvaged original by Beau, the renaissance man.
...

Apparently there's a politician running for office who throws mini-parades along B'way to rally support every weekend. The sound is anything BUT mini so, roused from bed by car horns and cheers this lazy Sunday morning, I decided to go out on the fire-escape and take some pics. Whoever he is, he'll literally kick corruption in the ass, or so the banner says.

...

Which led to going on the roof and making a new friend...
His name is Waldo.

...

Ending on a good note, Beau, Afton and I watched Sordid Lives. No describing it. Just watch it. And yes, that is Jeff Bridges in a bra with Delta Burke looking on.

Colbert v. Rain Dance-Off

2008-05-06T16:19:00.001-04:00

Enjoy.

Green pill, please.

2008-05-05T14:37:00.006-04:00

I give up. I want to be stupid and happy like the rest of the morons out there eating up everything being served to them - whether it's a debate over whether or not Obama was discretely flipping off Clinton (above), complete with 3 news correspondents debating the "gesture" while repeatedly slowing down the clip, or a gas-tax holiday proposal with as much legs as the No Child Left Behind Act (remember that one?!). It's got to be good with such a sensational, unbelievable title! Or how about paying farmers to grow food for fuel and NOT consumption, as both food and fuel prices continue to rise and people are starving. Now even drinks with High Fructose Corn Syrup are gonna cost more. I WANT OUT!

If, when someone tells you "I want the oil companies to pay the taxes this summer" and you shout "YAY!" without thinking (in the least) about what happens when the summer's over, please tell me what Kool-Aid you were drinking. 'Cause I want some. And I'm not even going to be picky about it. Grape, orange, kiwi-strawberry, red...I don't care. Just give it to me and give it to me NOW!

When one of our politicians can say, without fear of castigation, that they would "obliterate" another sovereign nation on actions it isn't even capable of, much less taken, but that country's president can't even come here and participate in an academic forum to which they were INVITED without meeting with demonstrations, threats, and an inhospitable, possibly antagonistic, introduction for making remarks that may or may not have had military intent (albeit they were definitely about LAND but whether of actions or origins is what is debated), is more than a bit disingenuous. It wreaks of the ignorance toward national and foreign policy, the meaning of diplomacy, history, context, objectivity, critical thinking, and, well just about any form of rational behavior known in human existence. But it is indicative of one thing that is VERY human: SELFISHNESS.

My best friend and I were actually having a conversation about this last week. He was a bit despondent about his job - not the work he's doing but the lack of work and concern conspicuously displayed by his colleagues. He decided that if he could adopt a more cavalier or selfish attitude, then he could be "happy" too. Of course, he's not going to change his work ethic or reconfigure his moral compass to become a different person but there it was. The answer to at least not being angry, if not happiness, was to adopt a similar attitude as those around you. Or to lower your expectations. For some reason we felt that we just couldn't do it.

At the end of "Twinkle" on Erykah Badu's latest New AmErykah Part One: 4th World War, there's a powerfully reverberating interpretation of Peter Finch's Network monologue and I'm not sure if it's Keith David or not (sounds like him to me), but when he says "you've got to get MAD!" I think, well, I've been mad but if everyone else around me stays happy, then what good does that do? That, in turn, make me more upset. Someone asked me what I wanted from people. Simply this - read, think, analyze, act accordingly. Maybe if we took the time out on an individual level to do this there wouldn't be much need for group civil disobedience in the way of protests and demonstrations. Or maybe there would be but it would be organized, sensible, and have clear and distinct purpose and value.

And, lastly, I want my sanity back. And if I have to get that by swallowing (pause) the green pill, then at this point, I might just do it.

*PS - back to the whole Gas Tax Holiday thing - if you can't find ONE economist to publicly back something that aims to be essentially a type of "economic stimulus" plan (even by PAYING them), then your proposal REALLY sucks. Just an FYI...

(Oh no!) More Retro...

2008-05-01T10:31:00.008-04:00

I know, or I think I know, that this is prolly more of a poke at himself, the forces of image and the impact of pop culture on well, everything hence the term, but it's still scary.

I've heard Mr. Mayer is very tongue-in-cheeky but I hope this "project" doesn't last long; the consequences of reintroducing such an accessible style could be pandemic! For those of us who grew up in the '80s, I feel I can safely say the hair of that decade is definitely one mode we don't want to revisit. I mean, what's next? The return of big hair and the crimper a la Taylor Dayne?! Oh wait, Fergie already tried.

On Be(ing) a Nigger

2008-04-25T10:59:00.007-04:00

Wish I had video from the show last night @ Bowery Poetry Club where Kasim Allah performed the above poem that sparked an impromptu exchange between myself and Autumn Marie (of The AM Group and more) juxtaposing it with Nas' "Be A Nigger Too".

Though brief, you always learn something in the exchange process. She commented about the need for more comprehensive dialogue on the subject - an inclusive discourse ranging from Dick Gregory to Randall Kennedy. I definitely agree that any discussion needs to incorporate contextual understanding, historical and social analysis as well as a basic understanding of relationships between collective memory and language, especially the American lexicon, historical (re)imagination, identity politics and what it reveals about how much we actually understand our past and present.

I also think (read: wish) at times that the debate would go away. Somewhere between the "burial" of the word and the glittering embossed matching outfits worn by Nas & Kelis, I became completely disengaged. In all honesty there really are much more important things to talk about.

But since it's not going away sometimes I indulge myself in the convo and run into refreshing perspectives. I mean, my boy B @ The Liberator thinks Nas "ripped it" and Autumn suggests another listen. I must admit, I did "cringe" when I heard it but I'm sure I'll listen to it again; living in NYC and having several Nas fans as friends, I'll damn sure HEAR it again. I'll let you know when/if the "cringe" factor changes.

One thing that won't change no matter how many times I hear it - my deep appreciation for Kasim's representation. If I were to ever co-sign forwarding anything, this video is definitely one of them.

I wonder...

2008-04-25T09:41:00.009-04:00

what makes people so damn morally and ethically callous, ignorant, and selfish that they think they can replace one person's life with another's? Random comment made to a friend regarding the verdict in the Sean Bell case (paraphrased):

Friend: I don't believe they were completely exonerated.
White Guy: Finally getting them back for O.J.
Friend: How many Black men do you have to kill to get us back for O.J.?!

Not only was WG's assessment reckless and irrelevant but I would like to know what made him feel so personally vindicated when two of the three officers being charged weren't even white? Was it simply the fact that a Black man was killed and the killers were viewed as being part of a superior social strata, one which WG obviously identifies with?

Questions that probably can't ever be sensibly answered yet asked anyway...on anti-humanism.

On Anti-intellectualism:

RIP Sean Bell

Thinking Retro? Say No Go! (c) De La Soul

2008-04-21T18:01:00.025-04:00

All things come and go in cycles but I must say - ENOUGH ALREADY! I don't know who you want to blame for the retro movement in Hip-Hop - hipsters, Kanye, a combination of both or just a lack of imagination in general - but it's gone too far. While I am happy to see the appreciation shown to throwback music and style in general, it's just too damn kitschy now with all the fake dooky-ropes, TIGHT pantalones, and neon colors walking around. I thought the high-top fades kids are sporting (again) were the worst of it until this weekend. It seems this retro thing is now making headway in...FACIAL HAIR!

The above is an ACTUAL person, in an ACTUAL place, with ACTUAL mutton chops. (Don't believe me? Just ask AG.) There have also been recent sightings of:

HANDLEBAR MOUSTACHES
Strictly for cartoon villains and older gentlemen of British lineage. Unless your name is Snidely Whiplash or Dick Dastardly, or you belong to this club, shave it off, off, off, off!*

DESIGNER EYEBROWS
"Three cuts in your eyebrows/tryna wil' out" (c) Jay-z
Wasn't cute then, isn't cute now. Looks like some sort of pattern-obsessed hair mites took chunks out of them.

JHERI CURLS
It's all fun and games until somebody gets some Activator Gel(TM) in their eye. And although I wasn't able to get an actual picture of current violators, I've seen several running a muck over the past few months. In each case, if I was indeed too close, I crossed the street, walked briskly by, or dipped into the closest Starbucks/Pinkberry/bodega to avoid Jheri Curl juice-related injury. This is just a hazard to furniture and the environment in general and should be made illegal.

So the next time you think about bringing back a style - a mullet or Charlie Chaplin moustache for example - watch this episode of Scrubs first, then think "how could this possibly affect society?"

Please and thanks.

*For you young OGs, yes, that's another De La reference. 10 Kool Aid points if you can guess the album.

Colbert in Philly

2008-04-17T17:59:00.004-04:00

Big show for the Roots? Or Biggest show EVER for the Roots??!

[Is Thought on the run for stompin' that white dude in 75 Bars?]

I like her. I really like her. She didn't need that much volume in the 'do but she'd be a hell of a better presence in the White House than Mizz Rice.

Duet #2. Guess it's official. The new MJ and Paul McCartney...

This Week in NYC...

2008-04-15T10:05:00.018-04:00

Checked out the homies Tanya Morgan @ Knitting Factory on Thursday where DonDub showed everyone how to walk his way.

Had some of this too...

"It'll get you DRUNK!" (c) Samuel L. Jackson

Ironically, due to technical difficulties (read: too much drunken debauchery and my overbearing moral compass), I missed Tha Alkaholiks. I'm still sick over that. But at least Jay Smooth cared enough to share some footage of Jeru w/ Tha Liks.

...

1st Saturday's @ the BK Museum last week was PACKED. I mean it was absolutely the most non-museum type crowd in a museum I've ever been in the midst of. I think I still have bruises...

Reasons: a) it was free, b) the Murakami exhibit just opened, and c) DJ Muro was on the ones-and-twos. He got there late so while Saudade and I were waiting we did get a little bored -

but once he got on, he managed to play what, to my recollection, was the best 3 1/2 minute Jackson 5 set I've ever heard. He also brought along veteran MC Twigy, who peppered his JapanEnglish with plenty of 'Mutha fuckas' for the crowd to enjoy. All this before they blew the power. But it was still clear - Muro loves the kids. And the kids love Muro.

It's Spring Again (c) tha Biz

2008-04-03T10:00:00.008-04:00

Well at least in Japan. Sakura pics compliments of my boy Seiji...

This Week in NYC...

2008-03-27T19:13:00.023-04:00

It was a mob scene for real @ the NYC listening party for The Roots' Rising Down. If you look closely you may be able to see Mel D. Cole w/ the serious tight face on as the door people wouldn't even let the OKP photographer in! (Hint: right hand side, white hat.) Eventually the cops came and shut down the door.

Which led to drinks and discussions elsewhere w/ Gooch a/k/a tha Renaissance Man and Afton Supafly Snukka.
We talked about everything from the industry to China. And when you think about it, what conversation that begins with industry talk DOESN'T end up being about China???

(Mo' was busy admiring his kicks.)

Luckily I was still full from Soba Totto. Who knew buckwheat noodles could be so tasty???

...

The Shibata Zeshin exhibit opened @ the Japan Society this week. I would have taken more pictures but the gallery police were extra cranky. My favorite was Lacquer Panel with Waves and Crayfish. The detail, textures, and patterns are just amazing.

...

Planet B-Boy opened for a limited screening @ the Sunshine theatre. My boy Ricky and I were discussing comparisons to the seminal Hip-Hop doc Style Wars. Very well done and highly recommended.

And for the record, dude from Ichigeki w/ the crazy tick moves was my favorite...

Aaron McGruder, you're my hero. (c) Cameron Frye

2008-03-19T19:23:00.003-04:00

This is "banned" but South Park is untouchable...???

Table Tennis, anyone?

2008-03-19T16:00:00.014-04:00

Don and Von of Tanya Morgan hardcore @ the PT3 Tourney...(???)

Table Tennis pandemonium @ Powerhouse. I was surprised Don was there given his general disdain for events that could easily be part of the Hipster Olympics. But he had fun w/ bike & beer(below).

Normally I woulda dismissed this myself but my daddy plays table tennis. He started playing as a Marine in Vietnam so I KNOW real men play it too. [Note: he's 65 and STILL coulda whooped most of those hips...I mean players off the tables. He's retired but still breaks out the table every week.]

All in all, it was good times - and GREAT chicken satay skewers! - plus I got to see D&V before they embarked on their tour. Check out dates near you on their myspace and download the mixtape HERE.

I even met Jesus but that's another blog (Waiting for the Resurrection...?!)

Tech Porn

2008-03-19T14:59:00.011-04:00

We FINALLY got one! I know. Late pass. But it should be noted that I work in academia. (Translation: We're always behind.)

[Note: It's supposed to be going, uh, in and out, but it seems that the .gif file doesn't seem to want to cooperate. Sorry about that.]

Gotta love Stephen Colbert

2008-03-19T14:43:00.004-04:00

Best coverage of the Obama speech. Hands down...

Best Duet of 2008. Hands down...

Best Definition. Hands down...

99 Cent Party (a/k/a Che-nanigans)

2008-03-13T18:56:00.010-04:00

I don't have many pictures from the party as I realized that dancing and photography aren't things that can necessarily be done at the same time (unless you call what came out "experimental photography"). If so, maybe I CAN do something with these:

Or maybe not...

All I know is 2 for 1 drinks were jumpin' off, Che brought in the trombones, and I was a bit too busy Swingin' It for serious stuff.

Awards (that shoulda been) presented last night:

Best execution of a sample I never thought of - Spec Boogie Bed Stuy, produced by Von Pea

Joint that makes you pop-lock in public - Tanya Morgan How Low

What Not to Wear (even IF you're on stage) - Checkered Spandex

Pensive moment - Saudade trying to hear the Indie Rock on the bar tender's iPod. (If that guy with the trombone would just play a little softer...)

We are becoming a nation of illiterate f*cks! (c) Phonte

2008-03-07T16:17:00.008-05:00

C $tor33 @ Ngadge3t...

Identity Politikin'

2008-03-05T12:08:00.013-05:00

Been a pretty busy couple of weeks with all the cultural goings on in NYC. I managed to make it to a couple of films from the Rendez-Vous Cinema with French Films series, one of which was the arresting Regarde Moi (Ain't Scared), directed by Audrey Estrougo. I won't do a whole summary or review here but if you get a chance I suggest you check it out. It adeptly deals with the issues and subsequent polarizing effects of identity politics, and the possibilities to transcend them. Yeah, it's definitely about conflict and transcendence. At the Q&A afterwards with the director it was clear she was frustrated with the mostly American audience's preoccupation with an underlying love story as well as their attempt to compare her film to La Haine and other French Beur films (to which the director brusquely and brilliantly replied that it is more akin to Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing - "not very French I know").

Identity politics is nothing new and actually, despite the outcries of pluralism and the creation of a global "community", it is becoming increasingly visible. Check out the prevailing Clinton/Obama debate, and we've all heard Gloria Steinhem's take on it numerous times.

Maybe we'll never be able to move beyond polarized dichotomies of existence but the discussions and possibilities hopefully won't fade either. Nowarian gives an always unique take on the temporal vs. static aspect that moves beyond (cold) theory into (warm) relativity. For further discussion, check out The Liberator Magazine's blog and brush up on some Buber while you're at it.

Bye, Bye, Bao 111

2008-03-05T11:53:00.007-05:00

Lots of goodbyes this week (bye snow, bye thermals, bye Gary). Grainy picture I know but Saturday night the focus was on food and drink and not image. I had the pleasure of going out with the Fam to Bao 111 on it's last night. Rumor has it that the beloved Vietnamese DL spot is merely relocating to the West Side, which works for me, but no confirmations as of yet. Until then, I'm gonna have to go to Bao Noodles to satisfy my cravings for Vietnamese tastiness. My only suggestion to BN - PLEASE add the Taro Chips and Lollipop Chicken to the menu. I'm having withdrawal symptoms already!

Thanks D for putting us on!!!

Farewell, Ultimate Dungeon Master...

2008-03-04T14:00:00.005-05:00

Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, passed away today at the age of 69.

I know it's a real geek moment, but the Elven Sorceress in me had to say goodbye...

This Week in NYC...

2008-02-26T17:58:00.017-05:00

Unlike DonDub a/k/a Mr. Grinch, I LOVE snow, especially when it's all fresh and fluffy and white. Now that it's turned to nasty gray sludge, here are some memories from the bestest snow storm to hit NYC this year -

The scene @ 2am - What is it/a blizzard?/Well then what type of blizzard is it? (c) Super Lova Cee and Casanova Rud

Central Park @ Columbus Circle

I love it when snow shuts down NYC streets.

Sidenote: I don't believe in cold weather. I don't think it should be cold outside unless snow is involved. My mantra: If there's no snow, there's no point. Write that down...

Too bad no one wanted to come out and participate in the massive snowball fight in Central Park I was planning. I know too many crotchety old people.

Happy Valentine's Day from the Frogs.

2008-02-14T01:09:00.005-05:00

This video was made possible by the generous digital camera donation of the Brown Family Foundation. Thank you Mama, Papa, and Li'l Sis B!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...Pancakes?!!!

2008-02-14T00:34:00.021-05:00

In addition to the whimsical winter wonderland that NYC was briefly on Tuesday, it was also National Pancake Day! For those in the know that meant a FREE Short Stack at an IHOP near you. (And yes, jeff, there is an IHOP in Manhattan.(c) 1897 The New York Sun). It was great. Those who braved the weather were on OneThreeFive & Adam Clayton Powell ordering Short Stacks and water. No Joke. But after bombing my interview @ the Consulate General of Japan, friends, snow and pancakes were all that I needed to pick me up and remind me what life is really all about - snow, food, and fun.

En homage, here is Boyz II Men's "Let It Snow" and a picture of pancakes. Enjoy people.

Mmmmm Mmmmmmm...Tasty.

P.S. - I remember purchasing the same sweater vest B. McKnight is rocking in this vid for my first college sweetheart from Structure a/k/a the men's version of Express before the 2 became 1. Eek.

Love + Sex w/ Robots

2008-01-31T16:38:00.002-05:00

Swiped this from Freakonomics. I really miss cable. Anyway, David Levy (not to be confused with Dahved ‘Rockin’ You’ Levy) was on Stephen Colbert discussing his book “Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships.” He predicts in approximately 5 years, humans will be having sexual relations with AI and maybe 40-50 years before they get to be deeply emotional. It made me think of this ShojoBeat manga Absolute Boyfriend about a company who manufactures droids for hire as, well, the perfect mates, hence the title.

So there just might be a Night Tenjo in my future after all.

(2/6/08)P.S. - Just got the book. I will delve into it and give a full review...sometime in the near future. You know how I feel about deadlines.

It was all a dream...or was it?

2008-01-15T18:09:00.001-05:00

I’ve been sick for the past few days and haven’t had much sleep thanks to a mucus membrane with a protestant work ethic, but I did get a couple of hours in last night. Just enough, actually, to get in a really good dream about food, friends, and, of all things, records. And I mean vinyl LPs, not just whole, concise recordings. I had a dream that I was in some sort of depot waiting for a train, bus, boat, something. That part wasn’t clear. What was clear was the presence of a vendor with a booth selling only albums. I went over and he happened to have a new De La Soul release that was a double LP and even had the lyrics printed on the sleeves (an added treat I LOVED as a kid). The album was on sale for $149. Yes, that was the price. Why? ‘Cause it was a double LP with the lyrics printed on the sleeves. And vinyl was rare - like rare white truffles in off-season rare - hence the price. I spent the majority of the dream debating whether or not to buy it while most of my friends were eating a posh meal you wouldn’t dream of having even in a depot in the heart of Paris. I have no idea how it all came together but sitting home today wheezing through last week’s issue of Time magazine, I find an article in the Life section titled Vinyl Gets Its Groove Back. As the title suggests, it’s about the resurgence in the interest of LPs for auditory aesthetics and sentimental reasons. They even talk about the issuance of colored or image-printed LPs, which were called "picture discs" back in my day. I had several – including the Motown MJ & Jackson 5 one that came with a sequined glove and Eddie Murphy.

Could this be the boon that the recording industry needs to get back in the game? Who knows? I just wish this resurgence came in time to save old favorites like Beat Street (R.I.P.) in downtown BK or Rock-N-Soul in the city. Places I spent innumerable hours after school thumbing through seemingly infinite rows of records, going through genres like Pac-Man, enjoying the process of seeking and finding without knowing exactly what I was searching for nor what I would find.

So if albums are back in vogue, here’s to a new De La Soul double LP, just without that $149 price tag. That way I can indulge in gastronomic endeavors AND buy records.

Generosity – it’s a NY thing. Subtitle:

2008-01-15T17:37:00.003-05:00

Last week started out as a pretty unimpressive first week of the New Year. Back from sunny but oddly chilly Florida, it was commute, work, and more work. That was until Wednesay. My roommate and I decided to meet a couple of new acquaintances and check out the Bob Dylan psychological biopic I’m Not There, which was playing at the Film Forum. Starting out late, we attempted to take a cab from uptown to the theatre, which proved to be an adventure as the cabbie didn’t know how to get to Houston and spoke very little English. Great. Just drop us off downtown and we’ll get a yellow cab from there. Only the Yellow Cab driver doesn’t know exactly where the theatre is or how to get there either. After playing GPS for an additional 10 minutes we finally get there. The cabbie tries to return my twenty asking if I have anything smaller. Before I punch him in the back of the head, my roommate steps in to mediate the situation so we can hop out, meet our cohorts, and find seats just as the movie begins. We finally settle down in our seats and I realize the boy playing Dylan/Woody Guthrie in the opening vignette is Marcus Carl Franklin, who enigmatically played the child protagonist in Lackawanna Blues. I was excited and while his performance was thoughtful, endearing, and insightful, it wasn’t enough to save this movie for me. I mean, I understand what they were doing with extracting and expanding different personas into their own characters, etc. but it turned out to be one long LSD trip for me and in the end, I no longer cared. That being said, it wasn’t terrible. Just not worth the ticket price AND double carfare.

Afterwards, my roommate and I went to a McDonald’s Express around the corner. She was hungry and doing what all hungry people at Mickey D’s do – profoundly exasperating over static choices on a very limited menu. She asked me if I wanted anything to eat and I commented, in my usual over-dramatic cynical way, that I could not possibly make such a decision when my life was so clearly in “shambles.” Well this sparked a comical and engaging conversation with two patrons ahead of us in line that ended with them asking what the night was worth in order to make it a good night. I responded that the whole night was worth $10, after which one of the gentlemen proceeded to give me the difference and said ‘now you’ve had a good night.’ He refused to take it back so all I can say is thank you. Thanks for reminding me that, especially in NYC, anything can happen to completely turn things around, even a hardened, cynical attitude like mine.

1st Cab downtown = $25
Yellow cab to theatre = $5
Movie Tickets = $22
Kindness of strangers = $42*

[*Disclaimer: copyright concerns with MasterCard prohibited use of the term ‘priceless.’]

F.Y.I. - This still doesn't change the fact that I will NOT eat McDonalds.

2008 in High Fidelity

2007-12-31T15:57:00.001-05:00

After polishing off a bottle of Riesling I came across the movie High Fidelity playing on some random cable channel. It got me thinking – why couldn’t I grow up, meet and fall in love with John Cusack? I’ve loved him since Better Off Dead, of course with Say Anything marking the epoch of his detached and afflicted but earnestly affable love-sick character roles, and yet, here I am. No John Cusack and it's almost 2008. I guess the forces at work in the universe didn’t see us as a match. *SIGH*

Then to add insult to injury, U2’s Joshua Tree concert was on VH1 Classic. I must admit I had a massive crush on Larry Mullen, Jr. (drummer) but I didn’t realize – or fully appreciate – that The Edge was clearly the draw. He was the backbone – his riffs, his background vocals – laid the foundation. And he had great hair.

Well, here’s to a prosperous 2008 full of endless possibilities people. Cheers!

I’m wide awaaaakkkkkkke. I’m wide awaaaaaa-aaaaaakkke. I’m not sleeping…(c) Bono

This is for the Hater in You (c) heavily lifted from Shalimar

2007-12-27T17:07:00.001-05:00

Jay Smooth recently posted a blog about the inner-hater that keeps you from creating and being productive. Well recently being last week sometime. Just as in his blog, I have as of late been suffering from the ol' blockitis (not just writing but pretty much anything) and I'm a bit late on the up-take. Part of the reason is the holiday season which I spend in Florida with mi familia. While I love being around them and basking in the sunny and warm weather (will post pics to piss you all off soon), it is a kinda no-man's land out in Southwest Florida and it lulls you into this trance-like state where the most I do in a day is play with the dog and maybe play some table tennis or go swimming. Then when I zip over to the east coast, well, there's many a distraction least of which is South Beach and Wet Willie's. To be honest though, that's just part of the problem.

Jay asks that maybe as a community of people with (some) shared interests we can collectively talk about this prohibitive beast that dwells within us and share some of our tips that get us over. Well, my little hater mostly just says you're really not that smart or creative and your writing isn't that good (which is why I'm still freelancing????) so just stick with your day job(s), homie.

The problem looms: how do we combat that self-defeating attitude that can leave you positively paralyzed? For me, deadlines help most. I have NO self-discipline. So if I set a deadline, or one is set for me, I usually agonize until the last minute and pull it out just in time. The issue with that is I always question whether I might have done better had it been done earlier, if I had given myself more time. But the truth is ideas come when they do and not a second before (at least with me) so there's no need to hypothesize after the fact. Besides, if I had finished it too early I'd be wringing my brain over how to make it better, does this sound stupid, should I bother handing this in, etc...

Case in point - right now I should be working on a package to send to a prospective employer that's due before January 1st. I'm blogging and reading blogs. And let's not talk about the phone conversations about today's events - Former PM Bhutto's assassination - and the possible/probable effects. I've started it but I'm nowhere near finished. Maybe I'll get working on it after I post this.

Then again, I might not look at it again until Monday.

Mary J. Blige is ruining My Life!!!!

2007-12-21T19:25:00.003-05:00

OK well maybe that's a BIT of an overstatement. But really, I tried to go to the Apple Store opening on 14th and 9th Ave a couple of weeks ago and you would have thought they were giving away iPods AND free cheese (some people actually DID think they were giving all patrons free iPods) with all the chicks and their babies/toddlers/kids in tow. Lines were Great Adventure peak-season RIDONCULOUS with police estimating somewhere between 1,500-2,000 people! Now I heard about the opening because Apple sent me an e-mail. Little did I know that MJB was going to also be making an appearance and the event had been announced on Hot 97. Needless to say I never got in.

Fast forward to December 20th. My last night in NYC before flying down to Florida to be with the folks for the Holidays and I have yet to get my mom her gift. She loves the Ocean set from Carol's Daughter so I figure I'll go to the store on 1-2-Fifth and pick up a gift set. I rush uptown from work to ensure I get there before it closes and there's a line down the block just to get in. Of course THAT night would be the night the seemingly ubiquitous MJB was doing her in-store. RATS! (c) Tati. I ordered a set online but it was too late for X-mas day delivery. Now I have to buy supplementary gifts so my mom will have something under the tree. What's next Mary? You gonna shut down Whole Foods when I wanna get some brie and chicken apple sausage?! Or how about the ER @ St. Lukes-Roosevelt so if I injure myself at work they gotta take me up to St. Vincents?!!!

Sigh. I guess it could be worse. I could be hard up for Wii...

My Favorite Things Pt. II

2007-12-19T13:00:00.001-05:00

Went to the My Favorite Things party @ APT last night and while I was not thrilled with the open bar (Tiger Beer???), it was OPEN BAR so no complaints here (I did have 2 and I don't even drink beer). 'Tis the season and all.

At around 10:30pm the omnipresent href="http://blog.honeyee.com/jeff/">jeffstaple got on the 1s & 2s and started playing some classics - old Keith Murray, Nas, Jay w/Primo, pre-therapy Mary. But what I really enjoyed were the old Tribe joints he played - album cuts from the seminal debut People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (you HAVE heard this one, right, Lupe? j/k). It sparked a discussion about the album, how its slept on and people always screw up the title. To be honest, I don't care if it's slept on or not. The truth is the album - and joints such as the Jungle Brothers' and other Native Tongue joints - served as the soundtrack to my adolescence. Who else besides Tip was talking about Global Warming pre-Al Goremania? I actually impressed my HS Science teacher Mr. Rubenstein (What up, Mr. R?!) with the quote: "Ozone layer loses flavor/here's the edge that you will savor" (c) Q-Tip. He was surprised that rap was even dealing with such issues; making us "young leaders" aware, as he put it. Who knew I'd be listening to Luck of Lucien, Youthful Expression and Description of a Fool, mouthing the lyrics with all the excitement of a school girl, sitting at a bar damn near 20 years (eeek!) later??!

So thanks, Jeff. And thanks Tribe. Fun times, indeed.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2007-12-18T17:00:00.001-05:00

How about some American Gangster Smash-ups?

Fav Album (of the year)

+

Fav _________ (fill in applicable noun) =

#1 - VonPea - American Angst-er
ZSHARE (.rar)
MegaUpload (.zip)

#2 - DJ Kay-Ris - American Samurai [Note: Cover art is kinda lazy but I can't resist Jay-Z & Mugen!]
MegaUpload (.zip)

Also try:

American Gangster + Fav Beer
American Gangster + Fav sandwich
American Gangster + ahh, you get the point!

Season's Greetings!

Jan. 31st, BABY!

2007-12-18T16:24:00.001-05:00

Pending cessation of the writer's strike, Lost will be starting up again real soon. Sheesh, seems like forever. And I'm not saying they don't have legitimate gripes but really, you are KILLING me! No new Daily Shows or Colbert Reports??!!! I'm forced to watch Bill O'Reilly myself and make my own political satire (which is pretty funny but not 'fun' since I actually have to create it). "Can't we all just get along?" (c) Rodney King

Japanese-inspired dancehall song by Patexx

2007-12-17T11:15:00.001-05:00

So there is this reggae song by Patexx based on a Japanese comedian named Koji who dances around like Mr. Bean and says things like "sonnano kankei ne" or "it really doesn't matter." I told you this Japanese Reggae thing was taking over. HAHAHAHA. Check it out -

And this is Koji -

I can't wait for an official video!!

Funny stuff...

2007-12-17T11:06:00.002-05:00

Just what I needed on a Monday morning! Shout out to Ava for sending me this. You made my week!! LMAO

Reminiscing (10 years since Love Jones)

2007-12-16T19:14:00.001-05:00

Today is ‘Comatose Sunday’, as my roommate and I have coined it. It’s the day where nothing gets done. Hell, I may not even get out of bed save for restroom and refrigerator trips. I officially woke up around 3pm (officially = getting out of bed and staying awake for more than 10 minutes). I recently repurchased a classic – Love Jones with Nia Long and Larenz Tate – on DVD so I decided to pop that in. Wow. I really didn’t know how much I missed this movie. But why? What makes it a classic?

Well, it truly is a synthesis of all the right elements coming together at the right time. The story and cast, the soundtrack, the mood, the cinematography, everything came together perfectly to effectively tell the story of progressive young people dealing with love, relationships, and life within the cultural context of the urban (read: Hip-Hop) ‘90s. The soundtrack didn’t even have to feature any rappers; the lone Fugees song was the sparse, acoustic guitar-dominated “The Sweetest Thing” sung by Lauryn Hill. But we know that everything Lauryn sings is still Hip-Hop. And the inclusion of such jazz standards as Duke Ellington and John Coltrane’s “ In a Sentimental Mood” and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra’s rendition of “Jelly, Jelly” doesn’t take away from the Hip-Hop element. More so, it adds a history to it, functioning as a foundational and connective piece holding together Refugee All-Stars and Cassandra Wilson, references to Gordon Parks and gritty pictures of Chi-town residents circa 1997. The movie has a melody created by elements like blue-hued morning-after scenes, a casual and realistic script, understated character wardrobes that give you a sense of style without being over stylized, and of course the music. The recipe worked so well it served as the blueprint for subsequent movies dealing with the same themes, to varying degrees of success (see The Wood or Love & Basketball and then see, or don’t see, The Brothers).

I love this movie. And watching it today made me realize it had been 10 years since it was released. Not much is the same – I’m no longer an undergrad living in the comfort of my parent’s home within the insular circle of familiar faces and places, the WTC is no longer part of the NYC skyline, rap music, at least in the U.S., doesn’t give me the same feeling it did back then, and I’ve become a total cynic about love. With the influx of hipsters came nostalgia-infused clothes but that didn’t bring back the soul. As much as I like to look at the Retro Kids wearing their big gold ropes, tight pants, and kangols (which go further back than the ‘90s) I know I can’t get those days back. And I don’t necessarily want it all back. Yes, it was cool to have multi-colored outfits back in the day but I DO NOT want Cross Colours coming back…EVER! (Note: THIS IS FOR YOU, NIGO OF BAPE FAME! Don’t let Pharrell talk you into it!) S-Curled hi-top fades can stay back there too. But I do miss the feeling of hearing that one “new” song, or glimpsing that one person, that would make your heart skip and your mind wonder in awe on an almost weekly basis. Going to the Village on a Saturday and not knowing who you might meet while checking out the stock in Unique or copping a button, medallion and incense at House of Nubian. The sounds you might “discover” in Tower Records or the new street drawings you might peep on the sidewalks, the smells and ciphers going on in Washington Square Park when the rastas, skaters, etc…still chilled there. Now when I do go out it’s usually to a lounge or some event for networking purposes where you end up seeing the same people. Most of the little shops I used to frequent are gone now. The park is still there, patrolled by police cars and mothers/nannies with double-strollers. Funny how most of the things I did back then had no purpose but plenty of meaning and now most everything I do has a purpose but not necessarily much meaning. I’ve pretty much gotten used to the dull void of uniformity though and only sometimes muse to myself “Where’s the love?” © Jay-Z.

In the movie there’s a scene where a group of friends are talking about love in the poetry lounge they frequent when Darius (Tate) proselytizes that “love is about the possibilities,” possibilities representing the unknown inhabiting the temporal space between moments of significance. Hence when people talk about no longer being in love they’re actually conveying that they’ve “exhausted” those possibilities. It was then I grasped why I love this movie – not merely for sentimental aesthetics but because it gives me that feeling, the hope that there are still possibilities out there.

12/16/07 6:58 PM

10 Marriages 1 Chick

2007-12-14T13:23:00.002-05:00

WTF?!!! I can't have ONE successful relationship, much less a marriage and this chick has 10?! I really need to rethink my life...

Read full story here: http://www.local10.com/news/14853316/detail.html#

Wild Style Street Art Exhibit NYC

2007-12-14T10:51:00.004-05:00

This exhibit opens Saturday, Dec. 15th @ Gallery 151 (151 Wooster). Includes the work of pioneering artists like Basquiat and the homie Fab 5 Freddy so check it out if you get the chance.

Gallery 151
151 Wooster (near Prince)
Tues. - Sat. 10am - 6pm
Exhibit: 12/15/07 - 2/15/08

Some treats from Shing02

2007-12-04T14:58:00.002-05:00

For those that don't know, Shing02 is an emcee/artist/activist from Japan via the Bay Area in Cali. s02 is an artist I've been listening to for a while now (waaaaaay back since "Black is Beautiful" circa 2001 actually). If you ever watched Samurai Champloo, you're familiar with him as he did the opening song for the series. These are just a couple of collaborative efforts he's put out lately.

And to hear G.A.M.E. with Ghostface and a host of other folks (2 versions), go to:
http://www.e22.com/game.

Enjoy!

Red or Green Pill?

2007-12-04T14:41:00.001-05:00

Staying home sick from work gives me way too much time to read. Reading gives me way too much information about life outside my little cozy (albeit disorganized) world. Having too much information makes my head hurt. Hence the phrases “knowledge is power” and “ignorance is bliss.” I think we should just combine them since they make so much more sense together. Anyway, let’s go full-on into the rant, shall we?

I begin my morning with a cup of ginger tea and New York magazine. The cover story, “Rudy [Giuliani] vs. New York,” should be enough for the day I think but I venture into other areas of the issue anyway. But first, the Giuliani article –

• Giuliani’s plan for a “2,000 mile immigrant-repelling border fence.” Is it me or does anyone else find this phrase EXTREMELY offensive. When did Mexicans (‘cause you know this isn’t going up along the Canadian border) become the equivalent to mosquitoes? Why not just call it the Mexican-zapper? I mean, that’s what it translates into after all. He’s not even trying to dress it up and the latter is pretty catchy and easier to remember. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if Terminix is one of the contractors he’s willing to look at.

• In my last semester as an undergrad I took an Econometrics course. Some people said I was crazy for it but it actually turned out to be one of the courses I appreciated the most. For the final project we had to come up with a regression that proved a theory. If you’re not into stats and quantitative analysis, don’t worry. It’s real simple – come up with some variables that look at data over time and use that to come to a conclusion about something. My theory was that then-Mayor Rudy G. was not all that responsible for the increasing economic health & growth of NYC and therefore was not all that responsible for the drastic drop in crime, as most crime and economics are closely related. This was, of course, the total opposite of what he was so apt at professing. Well I took the data from either a 10 or 20 year period (can’t remember and can’t find the project for the life of me!), ran the regression, and lo the stats came back indicating that the economic health of NYC was on the upswing before Rudy G. came into office and crime was decreasing both locally and nationally. The murder rate not withstanding - that took a 74% decrease during his tenure, a rate similar to large cities around the country at that time – the most notable changes in crime and economics occurred BEFORE he took office. Prof. Osakue thought it was an excellent project and predicted a future in quantitative analysis. I might have missed my calling. Fast-forward almost 10 years later and now New York magazine wants to site “a large body of research indicating that crime would have shriveled” without Rudy G. being Mayor and Bill Bratton as NYPD Commissioner. REALLY???!!!!!!!

Suffice it to say there’s much more ammo in the Giuliani article to point out his flaws but the fact that he is even a Presidential candidate, and until recently, the front-running Repulbican nominee, speaks volumes about the situation in this country regarding what people should know, what they need to know, and what they want to know, and what they’re willing to hear.

Moving on…

As a New Yorker (born and raised), some of the “improvements” the city has been undergoing have been disheartening to say the least. Is not seeing colored crack viles dotting the sidewalk like skittles a good thing? Of course. Does NYC still have character? Sure. Is whatever character the city has left slowly being sucked up and deposited who-knows-where? Hell yes. With the big development and real-estate boom in NYC has come the fashionable (read: RANDOM AS HELL) renaming of neighborhoods. For example:

• North Harlem = NoHa
• South Harlem = SoHa
• Bed-Stuy = Stuyvesant Heights/The Heights
• South Bronx – SoBro (REALLY???!!!!)

And now (drum-roll, please):

• South of Macy’s = SoMa

Yes. You are reading correctly. Don’t believe me? Read it here.First, I didn’t even know south of Macy’s was a neighborhood. (Isn’t it all Herald Square and then south of that is pretty much Chelsea??) Second, I really take offense to the renaming of NYC neighborhoods to L.A.-sounding acronyms that you really can’t say seriously without throwing in several ‘like, you knows’ and flipping your hair. WTF?! SoHo and NoHo are enough. I still say East Village, West Village, and LES but that’s just me. I don’t necessarily cringe when people use SoHo and NoHo. I’d rather that actually than they pronounce Houston (HOW-ston) HEW-ston. But come on already! I feel like plenty of people want to live in NYC already. We don’t need these ridiculous names to sell apartments. Or to change where people feel they are. When you go to the corner bodega and it smells like hemp/hesi/rice and beans/stale beer, you know exactly where you are. Maybe I should just not read anything, except manga, celeb mags, and the NY Post. The Matrix is probably a pretty fun place to live depending on the pill you take…

J.A.M. Awards

2007-12-03T18:22:00.002-05:00

Front row at the J.A.M. Awards last night I realized just how long ago Jam Master Jay was murdered – 5 years ago on Oct. 30th to be exact. Big Daddy Kane was performing at the Hammerstein Ballroom that night and broke the news to the crowd that “something” happened to Jay. There was no definite word yet about his death but the mood immediately took on a very somber tone, especially with Kane paying respect to previously fallen Hip-Hop artists right after the announcement. The First Annual J.A.M. Awards, held as a tribute/concert/benefit for the JMJ Foundation, was also at the Hammerstein Ballroom but the mood was decidedly different. The event brought out all types – hipsters, retro kids, backpackers, old school heads, whatever – and they were ready for a show. To my surprise the actual event started pretty promptly even if a third of the crowd was still on line outside. That probably had more to do with the location being union (can’t pay those overtime charges!) than anything else. A brief introduction of the event was given by DMC and Jam Master Jay’s wife, Teri Mizell. Three awards, one each for Justice, Arts, and Music, were presented to honor the legacy that Jay left behind and Hip-Hop has continued. Of course, performances were interspersed between the awards.

Legendary DJ Kid Capri opened and De La Soul was up first. I must admit,they were the group I really came to see, especially since it's been well over a year since I saw them last back at Rock the Bells in Cali. And they were Ooh ooh ooh ooh!

The Justice Award was given to Chuck D of Public Enemy who couldn’t be there but his manager accepted the award, ending his speech by asking the crowd where was the “justice” for Jam Master Jay. He didn’t get much of a response from the crowd probably because it was hard to hear him. But my guess is that it’s hiding somewhere with the justice for Big, Pac, and all those single socks that mysteriously disappear somewhere between the drier and the sock drawer, or at least that’s how the authorities seem to be treating it. But enough pontificating and back to the show –

A H.A.V.O.C.-less Mobb Deep ran through some rambunctious hits. And yes, that is Big Noyd up there. Didn’t he steal Prodigy’s chain? I can’t keep up…

Rev. Run came out, however brief, to introduce Eric Sermon and Parrish Smith a/k/a EPMD.

Yes, that is LL Cool J. The G.O.A.T. came out during EPMD’s set to do “Slow Down, Baby.” I squealed like a teenage girl and I never even had a thing for LL. Say what you will about his last (few) album(s), the man’s got charisma.

DJ Scratch stripped to his Superman shirt and KILLED it on the ones and twos while giving a tribute to his mentor Jam Master Jay, whom he credited with hooking him up with E and P.

Then the unthinkable happened. Here’s the setup – during Mobb’s set, some unruly and very drunk dudes pushed their way to the front, spilling Henney and stepping on toes everywhere. I decided that certain groups, like Mobb and, I mentioned specifically, M.O.P., tend to bring out a certain “element” in a live crowd that I am just too dayum old to deal with. I was just glad to have survived the Mobb performance without a fight. No sooner had I let that thought slip out of my mouth than they announce the notorious M.O.P. was about to take the stage. ‘Awwww, hyell naw’ was my initial though. But considering how it could’ve gotten, their performance went pretty smoothly and was far less eventful than the Mobb set. Especially since I managed to avoid the stage dives.

And then there was Snoop. Old head that he is, you know he had to come pimped out proper. Just check it:

The crowd went crazy for Snoop. He even had me Crip-walking (in place) when he did “Drop It Like It’s Hot” despite my stubborn head cold.

Q-Tip and Freddy Fox (a/k/a Bumpy Knuckles) presented the Art award to legendary Graf artist Lee Quinones, who, along with his adorable son, gave the most endearing speech of the night.

The Music Award went to Wyclef Jean who wasn’t there to accept. And that’s where my night ended. I got through 2 bars of Everlast’s performance (w/DJ Muggs and electric guitar) and had to leave. No disrespect to him but my head was completely stuffed and I just couldn’t stand any longer. Wish I could’ve made it through the rest of the night but actually I’m proud I soldiered through it as long as I did considering the amount of Nyquil/Dayquil/Ferrol I had in a 12-hour period.

So R.I.P. JMJ. Let’s hope the future perpetuates a legacy worthy of Hip-Hop and Jam Master Jay.

World Clash Game Over 2007 - NYC

2007-11-26T16:23:00.002-05:00

So I went to World Clash Game Over this weekend at Club Amazura. Needless to say a historic event if you're a dancehall fan. They had a Diamond Cup sound clash between Mighty Crown, Bass Odyssey, Black Kat, and Sentinel (from Germany). Rebel Tone, a sound from Toronto, never showed up (???) but from crowd reaction when Chin (promoter) informed them of their absence, they weren't missed much. LOL Then there were the celebrity clashes - Ninja Man vs. David Rodigan and Beenie Man vs. Tony Matterhorn. Now my favorite was the sound clash but for the celebrity clashes I must say there's nothing like seeing David Rodigan DJ. He's a middle-aged white British guy who dresses like...well, a middle-aged white British guy but he gets on stage and becomes this whole dancehall DJ personna. It's definitely something to see and it kills me every time I see it. Through an intense battle Rodigan came out on top despite Ninja Man's pre-show guarantees that he would "kill him." Rodigan had the tunes though and he went back, waaaaayyyyy back. Beenie Man vs. Tony Matterhorn - that was a strange one. I stayed the entire time ('til almost 5am) and still didn't know who won that one. I had to find out from IrishandChin.com this morning. I think by the end I was going for Beenie Man but I was so zombi-fied by then (4 Guinesses notwithstanding) that I honestly can't give an accurate account.

Now for the sound clash - my favorite going in was Mighty Crown. I even wore my Nike Mighty Crowns as a subtle sign of support. But I also knew Bass Odyssey would be a big contender. I was talking with some guys from the BBC - shoutout to the SeaniB show on Radio1 BBC - and Brian seemed to think Black Kat would come out on top (Jay - also from the BBC - and I still don't know what he was thinking). Well, to his (and most) of the crowd's surprise, Black Kat was the first sound to be eliminated (yes, even before Sentinel!). In the end it came down to MC and Bass Odyssey with MC able to pull it out with a tie-breaking tune fi tune round. Yeah, they really did it NY Knicks style with that one but came out victorious in the end (as Ninja predicted in the pre-event interview). [Side Note: I interviewed Ninja and Sami-T so I'm gonna get that together and post it soon w/ pics.] But to top that off, Sunday night on Bobby Konders and Jabba show on Hot 97, they debuted a Mighty Crown/Tony Matterhorn/Richie Feeling tune. The chorus is something like 'If you love reggae say Genki Desuka!' Seems like the Far East Rulaz are vying to rule in ah di west too. Dem have the dancehall speaking in ah Japonese! Rumor has it Fire Ball is next to break here. (^_^)

Stay tuned...

If Bill O'Reilly was a Rapper

2007-09-24T20:20:00.003-04:00

Swiped this from Jay Smooth's Ill Doctrine site (www.illdoctrine.com). Pretty funny.

The Blame Game

2007-09-24T18:25:00.000-04:00

With all the pointing of fingers going on today - Iran's the reason why Iraq is harboring more "terrorists" now than ever (not our invasion, subsequent occupation and destabilization), trans fats are why obesity and childhood diabetes are ever-increasing health problems in the U.S. (not the mass of nutritional misinformation, lack of enforcible regulations, and lack of adequate funding for relevant physical education programs in public schools - dodge ball does NOT count), and video killed the radio star (ok, that's just an '80s throwback that randomly popped into my head) - "Blame Me (Hip-Hop)" is a poignant take on social liability and responsibility in first person narrative. The visuals juxtaposed with the lyrics gives you a full contextual understanding of the statement that the artist is trying to make. And it's one of the better videos I've seen since, I don't know, maybe the days of R.E.M. (I know I'm dating myself.) And that's an exaggeration but you get the point.

Brandan (the artist) also has a myspace page if you wanna check him out. Search for Brandan1

Judgement Day and American's Priorities

2007-09-14T11:50:00.001-04:00

Having a discussion with your average American today is like talking to a tabloid. They know all about the latest issues concerning Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears and how many kids are currently in the Jolie-Pitt clan but anything of real substance and relevance is lost in the white noise of their blank stares. And as an aside, I would like to say please, please leave Britney alone. You are literally beating a dead horse with all the attention given to that...chic.

Anyway, I was having a conversation with some peers about Americans' failure to utilize the mechanisms put in place to protect their rights and keep elected officials in check. Translation: Not taking the heads of this administration - the Bush/Cheney/Rice triumvirate - to task in a meaningful way for all of their destructive and treasonous actions (lying or giving false information to the public to support an otherwise unsupportable war IS treason). On the other side of the spectrum, Prime Minister Abe of Japan resigns for various reasons. The short of it is PM Abe wasn't very popular and the Japanese people responded by voting in the opposition party to the lower Diet (read: Parliament). Now there's nothing short of killing babies randomly in the street that this man could have done to make him a worse leader than The Triumvirate we have now, yet the people responded and he resigned. Yes, America did vote the Democrats into legislative power in response to the administration's "mishandling" of the War in Iraq. But the Triumvirate are still in power while small fries like Karl Rove take the fall to pacify the masses. An article in the Washington Post sites that the Ayatollah of Iran said "A day will come that the current U.S. president and officials will be tried in an international supreme court for the catastrophes they caused in Iraq." Like Sadam.(Article) The friend who sent this article to me put in the subject header "Wishful thinking." I feel that the Ayatollah has way too much confidence in the ability of people to do what is right, even if he is talking about some distant future. In the case that I'm being too cynical and jaded, I hold out a bit of hope for people here to wake up and at least allow that to happen if not being a catalyst for action. But that can only happen when our priorities switch from "celebreality" to us, escapism to realism.

Mos Told the TRUTH!

2007-09-14T10:30:00.001-04:00

I'm a little late. Been slacking on the blog. My bad. But this was from last week's episode of Real Time with Bill Maher. This is only Part I. Don't be lazy. Watch the rest or if you have cable (lucky bastards) DVR it.