Obama - Enough "Sole" For All Of Us

Lately I have been hearing a lot of people saying that black people are only voting for Barack Obama because he is black without listening to the issues at all. Really? Is that really what people think? Do people really think that everyone is that superficial? I don't think all black people are voting for Obama simply because he is black (or half black). Obama seems to have a more compassionate and charismatic style that seems to resonate with many people in this area. I see that McCain has many more years of experience than Obama, but that within itself may be the reason people are turning away from him. Many people may associate him with "old politics" and they way the government has been run for the last 100 years. Obama is clearly saying that it is time for a change... change in the way we govern ourselves, change in the way our great country is perceived in the world, change in the way we take care of our own citizens.

McCain has been in this country's service for many years. This country owes him a substantial amount of gratitude for all he has done and had to endure... but do we owe him the presidency? No. Yes, he brings a wealth of experience to the table, but in his shining moments on the "world stage" he demonstrates his sound decision making by selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate. I am not going to reiterate all of the reasons why she is not qualified for such a position, because they have all been beaten to death by this point. The McCain of yesteryear would have been a great candidate, but unfortunately that is not the McCain that this grueling presidential campaign has produced (or exposed). The point is the people of America DO NOT WANT ANOTHER 4 YEARS OF BUSH!!! The U.S. and our economy can't take another administration which turned a surplus in our budget to a deficit.

I don't think anyone is saying that either of the two candidates are perfect, but when actually taking their polarized positions in perspective, Obama supporters feel he has a plan which is more sound. Black people have been voting for Caucasian candidates since they have had the right to vote, and many do feel that certain Caucasian voters will not vote for Obama because he is black (or half black). There has always been racism in this country. However, it has been brought to the foreground because for once in the history of our country there is a serious candidate for the presidency that isn't Caucasian.

New Eminem - I'm Having A Relapse

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet. Eminem's flow is sick. I have always been a fan of the way he rhymes and rides the beat, but his albums never really impressed me too much. Now, after hiding out for a number of years (no he is not dead) Eminem is back with a little teaser of a joint. The new Shade 45 release is only about two minutes long, but within that brief period you begin to remember what made him great before... even over a beat which isn't all that great. Hopefully there will more be tracks forthcoming. Download link and video below.

Eminem - I'm Having A Relapse

Brazilian Girls Show + 42O = Great Night

I receive an email and a call saying I have a pair comp tickets for the Brazilian Girls show Friday night at Terminal 5…Awesome! This is a band that I would pay money to see because of their outstanding live shows, and I am getting in for free. Despite their name, nobody in the group is actually Brazilian and there is only one woman. The band’s music is extremely hard to classify within a specific genre because of the various types of rhythms that they use. And to top it off, the lead singer, Sabina Sciubba, sings in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German. It is truly an international, electronic experience.

When I get to the venue and walk in, I am immediately pulled in by the immense crowd’s energy. There are huge groups of people chatting, dancing, drinking, and pretty much ready for a great time…not to mention the cliques of amazingly flawless-looking women all over.

The band takes the stage to an uproar of applause and cheering. For the next hour and a half the Brazilian Girls take us through a whirlwind of spectacular vocals, pounding beats, and a wide array of dizzying lightshows and musical arrangements… even including a couple of songs with a live marching band on stage. Sabina took control of the show from beginning to end, despite the fact that she is visibly pregnant, and left the crowd yearning for more when their set was done. The band came back on stage for a short encore set and ended the night with one of my favorite songs… the whole crowd sang along “Pu**y, Pu**y, Pu**y, Marijuana”.

I leave Terminal 5 and at this point am in no mood to go home, so I head up to Amsterdam Ave and hit one of the spots I haven’t been to in a while, 42O. The d.j.was awesome, the crowd was great, the vibe was cool and the liquor was… tasty hehe. All in all it was one of those perfect NYC nights.

MoMA Visit - Francis Bacon

I recently visited the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NYC and felt as if I was being drawn back particular work of art over and over again. It was a 1946 masterpiece by the artist Francis Bacon named “Painting”. This symbolic painting is located on the 5th floor in an area lit from above by spotlights, protected by glass, and not far from a large window which added additional natural light. This piece is also accompanied by another of Bacon’s works named “Study of a Baboon” which seems to compliment the first work.

I was at once arrested by its dark linear style and color scheme. The macabre scene depicted in spectacular fashion, made me ponder what the artist must have been thinking while creating such a work…what he was trying to tell us. The funeral or butcher shop-inspired work immediately brought several things to mind. The colors he chose to employ in his work, shades of red, black and burgundy conjure up visions of blood, death /mortality and gore. The chunks of beef near the painting’s forefront made me think of that Christmas poem but with a dark twist…“all the bodies are hung by the chimney with care”. The cow carcasses hung in an almost crucifix-like formation I found a bit disturbing. The ominous mortician/politician at the right with the partially obscured face grasped my attention at once. What makes this figure so alluring and simultaneously repulsive is the fact one can not make out his entire countenance. By shrouding part of the face with the umbrella Bacon succeeded in turning him into every politician or mortician. Through anonymity the viewer is free to imagine any politician they choose, resulting in the figure being even more menacing. By painting politician/mortician in those surroundings and placing an eerie grin on his face, Bacon alludes to the fact that there is a morbid inhumanity beneath this figure’s polished exterior.

I believe, given the time period when he created the painting, Bacon was influenced by the events of the then recent World War 2. There was general public mistrust of politicians at the time. I believe Bacon was trying to show us that “evil” politicians create wars leaving dismembered bodies and death in their wake. The purpose of arranging the two large carcasses in the form of a crucifix are meant to signify the human sacrifice that the sinister politician is willing to endure to further his own plans.

Obama / McCain - Shake Hands with "That One"?

Yes, they are opponents for the same coveted prize. Yes, they have obvious fundamental differences in their proposed policies. Yes, they even have stark differences in their delivery and individual style. But, there comes point when we must take a stand and speak up about what we perceive to be blatant disrespect. Last night during the 2nd presidential debate, John McCain, in his usual condescending tone, referred to Barack Obama as “That One”. No matter how heated a debate may get, or perturbed a candidate may be there is no reason to refer to your opponent as “That One”… especially on the world stage being watched by millions of viewers. Now maybe I’m wrong, but I think the term “That One” is used to belittle someone, or to portray them in a way that would make them equivalent to the many faceless people we walk past on a daily basis (a nobody).

It seems like McCain’s handlers have told him to abandon the word “maverick” and instead embrace calling everyone “my friends”. Is this supposed to make us view him as one of us? Will this egregious pre-election ploy make us feel all warm and fuzzy, and convince us that McCain has our best interests at heart? How long before “My Friends” becomes “Hey You” and “Those People Over There”?

Regardless of my political affiliation, I believe Obama has worked very hard to be in the position he is currently in and deserves a bit more respect than he was shown during and immediately after the debate. To top everything off McCain also refused to shake Obama’s hand afterwards. Wow! Video below of the nonexistent “handshake”:

Simpson - This Time... Guilty!

I understand that everyone was upset about the decision 13 years ago, but this trial had nothing to do with the other. I am in no way defending his actions or the outcome, but I can’t help but notice that every comment I've heard or read has nothing to do with this most recent trial, and everything to do with the resentment and anger that many people still had harbored inside them following his previous murder trail. This would also lead me to believe that since so many people still had those feelings within them, it would be almost impossible for OJ to find an untainted or unbiased jury... which pretty much undermines the idea that he could ever receive a fair trial. Just something I had been thinking about...