Liu Bolin, Scene and Herd in China

I'm not only drawn to the unbelievable amount of skill that Liu Bolin's exhibits in his work, I'm educated and amazed by the political commentary that the subject matter suggests.

 

 

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Urban Camouflage: Liu Bolin, The Invisible Man

via WebUrbanist by Steph on 12/5/09

In a world of Photoshop and special effects, artistic craft wrought by hand is getting harder to come by. But Liu Bolin doesn't need any fancy technology to produce the jaw-dropping illusion of invisibility – his urban camouflage photography is all paint and pure talent.

The Beijing-based artist spends hours studying his chosen locations and painting himself and other subjects, while carefully taking perspective and texture into account for spectacular results that render them almost invisible.

But Liu's work is more than just a cool-looking feat of trompe l'oeil. In the past, works depicting anti-government imagery, including some in which his Chinese subjects are in the grips of police officers, have resulted in the Chinese government shutting down his art studio.

"In my photography, historical statues, costumes and architecture become symbols of that which confines us," Liu says. "I am expressing the desire to break through these structures. I portray subjects that seem to disappear into these structures and become transparent. The subject is released from social constructs and he is free."

"Living in the red hot China, I feel that I am not in control of my own life. However, I have an indescribable burning desire inside of me. Art is a weapon that helps us untangle the chaos in our lives. I hope that my artworks can calm people down during this period of constant change, but at the same time, inspire people to re-evaluate our environment and reconsider the problems arising in our society. In this transition period, I can hear the voice of Hamlet whispering, "for in the sleep of death, what dreams may come."

Urban Camouflage Clothing, Art and Design

Camouflage isn't just for natural environments - it can be used surprisingly effectively in urban surroundings as well. Click Here to See More

 

 

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Kris Kuksi’s Recycled Toy Sculptures

Kris Kuksi is THE aesthetic truth for 2010, so say I.

 

 

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Kris Kuksi’s Recycled Toy Sculptures Will Scare the Kids

via INHABITAT by Ariel Schwartz on 11/19/09

The beautiful thing about upcycled materials is that the end results often bear no resemblance to the original items. Such is the case with sculptor Kris Kuksi's toy sculptures, which are constructed out of old toys, statues, and mechanical parts.

Read the rest of Kris Kuksi's Recycled Toy Sculptures Will Scare the Kids

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Post tags: Art, Artist, eco-art, green design, kris kuksi, recycled toy sculptures, sustainable design, toys, upcycling

 

 

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We're all Duned

A talented young architecture student named Magnus Larsson has come up with a wonderful plan to very literally solidify the efforts of the Green Wall Sahara initiative. In his ingenious plan, microorganisms would be used to teraform the dunes on the southern border of the Sahara into a porous wall that shelter Sub-Saharan Africa from the ever expanding desert. I found it hard to believe that this could be even remotely possible at first, but after listening to him explain the project in a TED conference presentation and visiting his detailed website, I think that this could quite possibly the first of many Sand cities that the international community could build in "third world" countries across the globe.

Rocking chair that powers your reading

I really enjoy these newfangled human-powered designs. It's good to start thinking about alternate energy sources within the framework of our everyday lives and how we want to live, and not necessarily how we are living right now.

William Kwamkamba and the Wind

Unbelievable ingenuity and intelligence.

Didn't Choo know?

While we're on the subject of H&M. They have had the unbelievably brilliant idea to finally feature a well-known fashion accessory designer/label in their stores for a limited time starting this November 14th. But that's not all. Not only will there be a line of the obligatory women's accessories (bags, etc.) there will also be items available for the discerning, yet wallet conscious gentlemen.

Fashion-able

I really like this new user interface that international retail giant H&M is using to present it's fall collection. Usually the photos in an online 'catalogue' are static and designed to move or transition from one photo to the next in fun little ways, but they have actually embedded little videos that allow each look to be gently blown by a breeze. Unique and actually useful in getting an idea of how the fabrics will behave in real life. Good job corporate giant, spend that money on artwork and programing!

Random party pics

Got till he's gone

I believe this media frenzy around Michael Jackson's death is a
response to the memories and emotions that his music evoked. People
are realizing that the source of all that unique and powerful talent
is gone.

The air up there

Click on the title to view a slideshow of NYC's new Highline park. Wonderful design, great location and grand purpose. Say hello to my new lunch hangout.

The relief rush

Every day, about an hour after lunch, everyone in the office gets the
same feeling. This feeling can only be described as the, OMG I have to
go right now feeling. Maybe it's the coffee from breakfast colliding
with the vitamin water from lunch, maybe it's just that we've all
reached maximum capacity. Who knows. What we do know is that no one
wants their coworkers to catch them doing their serious business. What
to do? I propose that we stagger our lunches so that the inevitable
intestinal pile-up happens in a way that keeps us from embarassing
bathroom revelations. Done.

Time to learn

Why is it that every summer, we declare a season of change and newness for our social lives? Only to fall back into comfortable ways of sloth and missed opportunities. Even though I have a big project to complete this summer, I don't have the energy to visit museums and parks and shows like I would want. But, I plan to do something about it. Instead of allowing the important educational stuff to lose in the lottery for time against the important work stuff, I'm going to combine them. Done.

I can't tell you how disappointed I am at western union.

Lisp'n Here!

Is it just me or do a lot of tv personalities have very noticeable lisps and speech impediments. I just need to know two things. Number one, did they get hired becuase of their unique consonant expressions or in spite of them and, number two, do they even recognize or realize that they are not producing certain letters from the correct and agreed upon places on the tongue, teeth, and lips? Kevin Pereira is one of my favorite aural offenders. I really enjoy his presentation of gadget news and digi-globe cultural memes. I'm just not sure how much of his ths in place of s I can stand.

Have we reached a point where, certain things like perfect diction/pronunciation don't matter anymore? Maybe I'm being too harsh and people like Kevin are aware of their difference and simply aren't able to do anything about it. If that is the case, then I am truly sorry. If it's not, then I'd like someone to explain this whole thing to me. I used to have a horrible stutter, and it drove me mad to listen to it, so I worked hard to slow things down and get them out of my mouth right or not at all. Perhaps that's why I'm a little sensitive.

Modern Speak

So. I've noticed that a new way of constructing meaning has come about in pop culture lately. People talk differently than they used to. My best guess as to the origins of this new lexicon is that it is a direct descendent of ubiquitous technology use. Although I myself have a hard time figuring out the code, I thought I'd try and begin a little dictionary to help acquaint the public with the subtle nuances of modern speak. Here we go.

So = Listen, you may enjoy this

like = reminds me of, you know, obviously or perceived to be

Here's the thing = I beleive, the core concept is, I've noticed

Acronyms = easy ways to confuse others and avoid details

worst ever/ best ever = too lazy to describe with elaborate adjectives

I'm swamped = drowning a dirty mess

hot mess = a bad situation thats been festering for a bit

very _____ = resembles, can be compared to

There will be much more to come. I'm going to keep an ear out for new sayings.

Mommy was Right

In one of the first scenes in Mommy Dearest, Joan Crawford, played by the incomparable Faye Dunaway bathes in her ultra-luxurious bathroom. We see her wash her face in scalding hot water and then use ice water to rinse away the grime. Why would someone torture themselves like that everyday? I'll tell you why, because it works. I've recently taken to using the steam room at my gym after each workout. I sit in the steam room for as long as I can bear it and then I rinse in a super cold shower. The heat opens up my pores and encourages my body to sweat-out toxins while the cold water closes pores up again. My skin feels fresh, clean and tight. At first it was a little uncomfortable, now I look forward to it as part of my daily ritual.

From H to O

I'm very fortunate to work in the Chelsea Market, where there are a lot of opportunities to interact with the various communities of people that live and work in the area. Recently, I've been witnessing an amazing fundraising program and art exhibit inhabit the first floor of the building. It's called Charity Water and it's a non-profit organization that helps to provide clean water solutions to people in developing nations. In the fountain that serves as a sort of centerpiece for the Chelsea market, they've constructed a working wishing well to collect money for their cause. I think it's genius. Charity water brings heart and organizing together to make clean H2O a reality for men, women and children everywhere.Please help support them by visiting the photograpy exhibit in the main hall and making a donation online today. You have to, I've already put some coins in the fountain and made a wish.

Is Goth Green?

Latex, old lace, leather, found items, homemade and recyled, goth designers are really making a comeback with a wild assortment of new ideas about what erotic-wear, cos-play and everyday should look like. I'm really interested in finding out how green these creations can be.

Global Chicken Crisis

While grabbing a bite to eat at a small chicken joint in scenic Crown Heights Brooklyn, I snapped this pic which illustrates the new mentality of the American businessman or woman. What else can I say? I'm still learning about the minutia of the Global Economic Crisis through media majicians like NPR's This American Life. Check out episode #375 for a detailed explanation of the crisis from the perspective of failing banks.

Unboxing is Porn

Ok. Am I the only one that thinks this whole unboxing phenomenon is a little strange? Think about it. People buy new stuff as soon as it hits the streets, then they meticulously document taking it out of it's packaging and using it for the first time. I remember when reviews were just about how the product worked and whether consumers should fork over money now or wait until something better and cheaper came along. Now, "reviewers" unbox items and talk about the form of the product, the weight, how it feels in their hands and the sexiness of the design. (Yes, I've heard people use the word sexy) Current trends, and cache have begun to precede function and practicality in these matters. I'm not saying that I don't enjoy a litttle 'Gadget Pron' as G4 calls it. I just wonder what this means about our relationship with technology. Are we using technology to get to know each other and ourselves or are we actually beginning to have feelings for objects?

Thank Thick

Well, I think we've finally made it to the next bend on the winding road of body-type preferences. Glamorous A-list stars like Queen Latifah, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Salma Hayak and the Kardashian girls have made the media notice the benefits of having voluptuous curves. There was a time that anyone without a wiry thin silhouette was quickly reminded of our obsession with abnormal, ultra-ideal/stylized body types. Now, a little thickness can be regarded as a sign of beauty, substance and empowerment. How did that happen? 

I think it could be a shift in the way that women consume images themselves. For years, there was a sense of shame attached to the growing rates of obesity in America. When reports recently surfaced exposing adolescent obesity rates and prevalence of child diabetes, the American family took notice. More and more people are tuning into shows like The Biggest Loser and other health oriented media offerings that question notions of  body image and eating habits. It's a classic case of media saturation and awareness. Talking about something loud and long enough and people will begin to act on it. Instead of just being body-crazy we're finally body-conscious. Looking at ourselves truthfully and being able to say this is healthier than that because of these reasons is smart and a skill that we're being forced to learn so that we can teach it to our obese, diabetic kids. Lesson learned. Thank you thickness.

Fasianismic

Asian fashion designers are really getting their due. Since Michelle Obama rocked a few Jason Wu numbers and designers like Yohji Yamamoto, Thakoon and Issey Miyake are seeing a boost in interest. They certainly deserve it. In the past ten years or so, fashion capitals like Paris and Milan have had to relinquish power to budding centers of post modern culture like Beijing, Hong Kong, and of course, Tokyo. China's increase in wealth and economic strength brought on by America's steady downturn has opened up the floodgates for new sensibilities and aesthetics to gain in value throughout retail markets. In times gone by, America was the undisputed cultural hero, dispensing hip hop and hollywood to the world, now, America finds itself consuming visions and images of itself born elsewhere. 

American Idol quandry?

Is this show classified as a reality show, televised singing contest, game show? What is it exactly. I was sitting there watching the judges cut people for the top 36 and it seems so subjective and random. Do we really trust Randy, Paula, Simon and that new lady to choose who we should be into? I vote no. I vote no to this mystical, secretive, selection system people!

Feeling the Squeeeeze!!

I can't believe how much this recession is effecting me. Now, it may just be that I've somehow greatly overestimated my own earnings, but even so, the impact on my career alone has been jarring to say the least.  I've been transferred from a consumer pharma agency to a professional one. Although I certainly enjoy the challenge and have benefitted from learning new skills and the biology surrounding a whole new therapeutic category, I can't help but feel like a fish out of water at times. How can I make my mark and build on my past successes if I'm constantly moving from one venue to another, from one profession to another? It's all quite frustrating really.

Money has never been my forte. I've always believed that if you work hard and honestly, you should be able to make ends meet. Now, I'm looking for a second job. I don't know how to explain it.

Surprise Ending

So, I'm on the subway platform, waiting for the train, listening to one of Brandy's unreleased songs, Surprise Ending. A train that I don't want comes and the doors open. A young white woman rushes towards a door just as its closing and it closes in her face, startling her enough to make her drop her cell phone. I gasp, she gasps, and we stare in horror as it falls right into the crack between the train cars and the platform. The train speeds away. She and I stare in horror. She looks around for help, people gather and join us. We look down in horror. There it is, on the ground next to the tracks, but not the third track. So I just hop down, grab the phone, pass it up to her and then hop back onto the platform. She calls me a life-saver and I go back to listening to my music. Surprise. That's the end.

H.R.H.

What if I started a new monarchy? What if I could get people who are interested in a cultural experiment that explores what a modern day monarchy would feel like to meet up and hang out?

IN AWE of OBAMA's INAUGURATION

I've just arrived home from the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States of America.  I spent a few days in our capital, Washington D.C., going to parties and talking to people about this important moment in history. Now that I'm home, I feel very different about the various events that I was fortunate enough to have been able to be a participant. While riding home on the bus, I overheard a young American student say to another passenger, "...It's like America is cool again...". That sentiment, scares me a bit. After analyzing this new precedent from the angles of race, class, civil rights, immigration, age, etc., I wonder if political pundits, cultural theorists, and other academics will ponder the question of why now, and how do people, white and black, American and foreign, really see this moment, experience it and re-tell it?  Are we Americans just getting a "cooler" president, or are we getting this  "new era" that I'm already hearing about on the news? Why can we ask a black president to do things and create changes in a way that we've never demanded from other leaders?

Vendors on the street yell at me "HOPE, 5 dolllars!". I shudder. Blacks and whites over 40 introduced themselves to one another and began civil conversations in public. I smile. Barack gives a speech that nearly moves me to tears. I beam. I read that her considers his white speech writer "his mind-reader". I cringe. There is something here that has me puzzled. I know that I have issues with race. I grew up in a small town in the south, there is no question about how my family's experience of sharing social spaces white people has been. So why can't I just accept that America is finally embracing a person of color for who they are, and not what they imagine them to be?

I have every confidence that Barack's presidency will outperform anyone alive has seen come before it, I just whether or not we're witnessing the seeds of our hopes being sown or the fruits of our labor being harvested.

fabric on a window

I had some scraps of fabric that I was saving to make pillows laying around during the holidays, after I put up a new curtain, I found that it was too sheer and needed some help, so I tied these scraps together to look like drapes and such. Yes, it looks a hot mess, but I think the way that its done is interesting and has a toga kind of feel to it. I'll take it down when I get sick of it.

Another Brandy Tragedy

I have to go ahead and get this off of my chest once and for all. Brandy  has gotten a raw deal. There, I said it. And not just by the entertainment industry, and music fans everywere, but by her own management. In the past year, I have downloaded about 12 or 13 unrealeased Brandy tracks that never made it onto any of her albums that were AMAZING. Some of the best R&B I've ever heard period. Don't believe me, just listen to SWEET NOTHINGS , FOLLOW ME, AFTER THE FLOOD, ESCAPE, FEEL SO GOOD, LIST, etc. 

I know AMAZING. Now, here's the thing, anyone who knows anything about music can tell you what she's done for her genre and how the quality of her work and her instrument have only improved over time. Period. So why is most of her best work not being included on her albums. I'm confused. Who has it in for her? This las song I'm going to post was the straw that broke the camels back for me. I need answers after this. I emplore the interweb to respond to me, and tell me why this is happening. I think we all deserve the honest answer to this artistic tragedy. Now, I'm going shut up and let Brandy talk. Listen to the emotion and skill that puts into yet anothe unreleased, superlative piece simply entitled, FREEDOM.

 

I saw the train comin' for me with the force of a million marching
I felt the eyes of so many, the whispers and shouts about my belief in us
I see the cloaks on the judges, flaws in the judgement, beast in the dungeon that dont scare me
And I'll say it on a mountain, say it all in public, hold a press conference to speak about my freedom

Just us - lookin' upon a city of towers soaring
Just us - standing our ground in a crowd of lions roaring
Just us - I won't be held, I won't back down no more
Just us - Freedom
Just us - Freedom

I flew away this morning, what if I ran away and never came back
And all of the fame means nothing, it's all a game and the gladiator just won't win
And I see cloaks on the judges, flaws in the judgement, beasts in the dungeon, don't look scared to me
And I'll say it on a mountain, say it all in public, hold my head high, I'ma speak about my freedom

Just us - lookin' upon a city of towers soaring
Just us - standing our ground in a crowd of lions roaring
Just us - I won't be held, I won't back down no more
Just us - Freedom
Just us - Freedom

Free to run on the water
Free to believe, free to love
Free to speak their mountain off the ground(?)
I believe in us

Just us - lookin' upon a city of towers soaring
Just us - standing our ground in a crowd of lions roaring
Just us - I won't be held, I won't back down no more
Just us - Freedom
Just us - Freedom

My Freedom
My Freedom
My Freedom
Freedom, Freedom

Holiday Hope

So, '09 is finally here, and all of the promises I made to myself in '08 are either coming back to haunt me or coming to fruition. My multi-pronged consulting agency and design studio, my trip to a foreign land, my improved budgeting skills, my relationship acumen, my this that and the other... What will become of these idioms, these internal insinuationans and assertions? Well, I can't say much about what will happen, that's one thing is certain. However, I can describe the events that have already occured that give me permission to hope for more good to befall me in the near future.

This Christmas, my immediate family came to visit me here at my apt. here in Brooklyn. Not only did they come to visit, they stayed for much of the holiday season. I was ecstatic. My mother and two younger brothers put everything else aside and sacrificed their plans to come to New York, one of them, for the first time. Their visit was a Christmas gift to me that can only be called a blatant act of goodwill. Ever since my brother brought to my attention the strain that distance and lack of communication was playing on my familial relations, I've been determined to interact with them all with much more vigor and sincerity, no matter what the consequences. We all know that certain things about family can be unpleasant, but the benefits of staying close, truly close to your family always outweighs the cost. I'm very grateful to them for putting themselves through difficult and expensive traveling during a recession to help repair old bonds and foster new ones. 

Thanks

Wake up call

My job is hard. I really think that this is the first time in a long time that I've been intellectually challenged by my work. Professional pharma advertising and corporate communication is drastically different from consumer work. I'm reading things and handling information that I would have never been entrusted with at the consumer focused agency. Now, the downside to all of this new responsibility and intellectual stimulation is a glaringly obvious lack of creative writing! Hello! What kind of copywriter, rarely gets a chance to actually write something?

Well, I do get to write here, in my blog.  But that's just not good enough for me anymore. I'm getting back into a grove, I'm finishing up old projects and consolidating some of the really old ideas into the my new ideas. It's just got to work. 

More shameless Brandy fandom!

Check out the amazing vocal riff at the end of this song, It's really subtle, but when you hear it, it will remind of you of Ella and the creative singing of olde.

Kluster Focus

A few months ago, I attended a NextWeb conference in New York and helped present eyebees.com to the Web 2.0 community. I was particular impressed by the kluster.com presentation given by a lively group of young entrepreneurs.  After the event was over I promptly registered on their site and forgot all about it for some time. Now, after trolling the internet, I've once again come across this dynamic group and their unique formulae for collaboration. They're now working on a project with TED to grant a wish. You have to read-up on it to really get what's going on here, but I think that it will be well worth your time. Check out more about this project by clicking on the title of this post or here.

Two events, One cause

So, of course, everyone now knows that Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th president of the United States of America. The son of a white American mother and a Nigerian born father, he is the first American president with African heritage (that we know of). I voted for him and I'm very glad that he won the election.

Now, let's talk about what this means for the millions of Americans that will now be looking to him for leadership in this, our hour of need. After watching the election at a friends house in Queens, NY, myself and two friends walked back to the train station to get home, chatting about the historic event along the way. My two friends, like me, are black men in their late twenties. On our walk, we came across another young man making his way somewhere after the election, a white man. We saw him coming toward us on the side walk just as we were about to reach an area where the path thinned between a fence and a tree. The three of us began to adjust our alignment so that he would be able to pass, but before we could complete the new formation, he swiftly ducked into a gateway in the fence. The three of us then stared in amazement as he ever so slightly nodded, urging us to accept the entire sidewalk and not slow or alter our footsteps. So, we obliged, looking at each other in disbelief.

On the same night, I was making my last connection to the J train at Canal and I overheard and saw another interesting event on the night of Obama's election. Ahead of me on the downtown Q platform there were two young black men, leaning against the wall and two young, white people walking past them. I didn't see what happened, but I'm guess that there was some sort of collision or accidental bump or something. One of the young black men yelled out to the young white guy, "...Oh, why you frontin', Obama '08..." or something of that nature. The young white guy's retort was, "...Oh, excuse me I'm sorry..." or "...I said, excuse me..", I can't remember. The young white woman turned around and asked the young white man, "...What did he say?.." and the white guy began to tell his version of the story. The white man and the white woman never stopped walking.

I've had a little bit of time to think about both of these events and I can't help but come to the conclusion that it's only the tip of the cultural iceberg that America has hit. Now that a minority is at the head of our national government, the social rules and regulations around privilege, respect, authority, communication and power can all be rethought and re-enacted in a very visceral way. No more hypothesizing about what it would be like to have black skin sitting behind the desk in the oval office. No more looking up the ranks of prosperity, and leadership and seeing white faces with a few people of color in the background. Oh No. Now, another type of experiential reference is directing the nation, and we'll all have to look at what change really is and how it's lived day to day.

Will black people in America feel emboldened a prideful now that the president is also black? Will white people feel devalued and unsure of their place in the nation now that someone who looks like a person that many of their ancestors would have owned is telling them what to do and how to do it?

Stay tuned.
I most certainly will be watching. Very, very closely.

QWERTY QUERY

Technology these days can really stack up on a guy if he's not careful. You begin to collect things that you either use rarely or never at all. My cell contract of two years is coming to an end soon and I plan to switch over to another carrier and get the iphone. I think it's a good idea because I'd be knocking out two birds with one stone (i think killing is too strong a word).

But here's the ever present dilema. How do I pay for it? I thought about waiting until my birthday, but that seems so far away even now at the end of October, a month is a long time to string out a contract you don't want anymore. Then I thought, I don't use my DS or PSP much anymore, and there are new versions of both availalble now anyways, so why not sell them to raise the funds? Then I'd still have to save up later to buy the new versions of both, or one of the gaming devices. Now that I think of it, you use a phone everyday and it's helpful in emergencies, but the ds and psp are just for fun, and usually only on long trips. I think I'll sell them both.

All airborne!

Air Art from flip on Vimeo.

Next stop, anime-style gunships and post-apocalyptic society rebuilding!

That's nice, I think?

i found this chair at a yard sale in upstate new york . i re- upholster ed the seat with a thick knit and painted it white to make it younger and less formal. now that i think of it, i should have taken a before pic to make the reveal more dramatic. oh well, next time.

another late pic from my trip to the moma with a friend.

one big guard dog wouldn't be as cute, would it? only in chelsea.

The big picture.

Beached from Keith Loutit on Vimeo

Maybe this is how God sees us sometimes. Who can quibble over insignificant differences when our commonalities are so eloquently displayed? The artists name is Keith Loutit.

Special Signs ?

It took me a while to post this particular photo. It was taken at a birthday party I attentded a while ago. There is also a YouTube video that goes with it. I wish that I could explain why there is a man in a gorilla suit at the party. but I can't. I just can't.

Culture Clash (and then Bash!)

This video put together by the multimedia entertainment team of Ben & Ryan is just simply a joy to watch. It's ingenious. I've watched the original video from the SMACK DVD with the original volume, and although very lyrically impressive, it's not nearly as funny and culturally relevant. Why, you ask? I actually don't know. I'm sure if I really sat down in a corner and mulled it over for a bit, I could come up with something, but as of yet, no real explanation for its communicative power is readily available to me. I like high english, and I like a good verbal assault disguised as a logical argument I guess. It's kind of how my friends and I talk to each other really. I'll just say for now that the plausibility of it all is what makes it so humorous. The way that Ben & Ryan berate each other is completely in line with the "standard" formula for an inner city hip-hop rivalry, it just uses standard English instead of slang and rhyme. Kudos to the creators.

Let's take a closer look

A very good friend of mine forwarded me this interesting email deliniating some of the more pertinent differences between Palin and Obama. Why people are trying to compare the two at all in the first place is beyond me.




Subject: Fw: The Double Standard Lives....



I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii , raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

* Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* Name your kids Willow , Trig and Track, and you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and be President of the Law Review, and you are unstable.

* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate e representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

* If, while governor , you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.

* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude," with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA , your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.

I don't condone, but I do comiserate.

This really sums up how many Americans feel about McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin. We are at war, almost in a recession, and facing some of the most difficult diplomatic situations in a generation, and Sarah Palin is what McCain comes up with? I'm so offended! Doesn't America deserve a little more? I'm upset and apalled, but not as much as Pamela Anderson.

Violence is funny, sometimes.

This video tickles me so much. I love how the simple things in life can bring so much enjoyment.

this may just be a coincidence, but here is a front page placement of Palin wrapped in a babies r us ad . how befitting. i'm having a slow day, so cut me some slack.

Right Here, there and everywhere!

Brandy's new single is a touching teaser for her album that touts the strength of our most treasured personal relationships and how they get us through hard times. Even before I saw the video or the making of the video, I really loved the song for it's honesty and good natured message. The story that the video brings to the song makes it all the better. In the video, Brandy is an angel that has come back down from heaven to console her mother and her love interest. It's really simple and cute. Classic Brandy style. I can't wait to hear and see the rest of the album and all the other life lessons and stories that Brandy will share with us.

Here's a pic of my new block. i'm really excited about getting settled in such a great space.

i'm officially a resident of bushwick. affectionately known to some as obamawick, for obvious reasons.

If it aint Barack....

So. In an attempt to jump back into the fray with the other bloggers around the world who are actually paying attention to what's going on in the world, I watched Obama's DNC acceptance speech tonight. And in another attempt to stand out amongst all the other liberal leaning bloggers of color worldwide, I'm going to dedicate this post to what I believe are mistakes he made in his speech. It would be an understatement to say that inspirational, emotionally charged and often times educational public talks are par for Obama's political course. If anything at all besides his more obvious differences from his opponent has intensified the media coverage of this election, it has been his seemingly innate ability to move the masses with his words. Consistently.

Democrats need a wee bit of a wake up call. (In my oh so valuable opinion) The honeymoon with our candidate is over, and now we need to get down to brass tacks to clinch a victory. (Finally)

1. Barack made the mistake of being vague about fiscal policy. I know that most people (including me probably) will not understand a whole lot of number crunching tossed at them from a podium. However, we do need some particulars on how your ideas add up in the real world.

2. This speech may have been a bit short. I don't know what the usual criteria is for this kind of thing, but if you're in the company of your own supporters, why not give them what they want? Spend a little time pandering to your base to let them know you haven't forgotten them. Hilary and McCain, would never make this kind of oversight. But then again... that may be part of his plan to distance himself from "traditional" politics. Hmmm, tough one.

3. Background, Set-up, and more Background. What have you done for me lately? There was a little bit about his accomplishments as a Senator included in the speech, but not enough. I wanted to be WOWed. I want my jaw to drop in awe and amazement at the many things Barack has already done to improve the lives of the citizens of this nation. Ideology is wonderful, and Barack has certainly saturated the airwaves with some of the best political, cultural and social ideology since, well, John F. Kennedy. Having said all of this, there does seem to be a bit of a lack of hardcore facts that he uses to beat his opponent about the head with in a "whose service is bigger contest?" Perhaps he's saving all of this for November?

Well. That's it. I can't think of anything else negative to say. So... in an attempt to end this post on a positive note, I will say this. Good Luck Obama, and God Bless the choice that America will make in this upcoming Presidential election.

Fighting in the Dark

Ok,

Since some people finally commented on my social commentary, then I guess I should take the content of this blog in that direction. (** one salty tear at the realization that no one's interested in stories about me and my shenanigans, regardless of the level of hilarity **)

So, recently I worked on a radio program encouraging African-Americans to take advantages of the strides we've made in HIV treatment. It's currently still in testing and I haven't heard any official word as to it's effectiveness. But, for the sake of my community and it's health, I hope that the message reaches as many ears and minds as it can. How can I do all I can to make this come to fruition? I'll post it here on my blog and see what happens.

Fact.

Nearly 50% of new HIV patients are African-American.

Fiction.

There is nothing we can do about it.

The olympics have officially begun, so i thought a little social commentary on China was in order. This huge sticker can be seen all around my neighborhood. It suggests that America itself is being made in China.

More Evidence. "Fall" by Brandy

We're ready. Even if you're not.

First I want whoever sees this to watch this short clip and listen very closely.





Now. Let me give you the background for this post. I just finished watching a B. Scott video that talked about not trying to convince people all the time. There is no need when you know what you want and try and surround yourself with people who do the same. Recently, my friends and I were in the car, coming back home after a trip to Martha's Vineyard and we were listening to music. So, of course, Brandy comes up, cause I'm in the car, and they proceed to give it to me about her career, and what it lacks and doesn't lack and all that. I then retaliated with a barrage of accomplishments and perfectly logical reasons why they were uneducated trend puppets who didn't know what they were talking about. I know now, that all of that was unnecessary. No more tirades or rants. Just the facts. If you can't understand why I love her so much, then google her, do your own research. Listen to the old stuff, listen to the new stuff. Learn something about harmonizing and how music is actually recorded. And if after that, you still don't get it, or think I'm just some stupid fan. Then fine. Maybe she's just not your cup of tea. Even if you're not convinced. I am. That is all that matters to Nathanael LyCurtis Holley.

The return of the red-eyed.

I'm back in New York. My vacation on Martha's Vineyard was a complete success, and I truly feel better equipped to make the moves I've planned for the rest of the year. Figuratively and literally.

My only gripe, (you know I have one), is that things always seem to happen when you're away and not prepared for it. During my vacation, my bank account was having all kinds of snafu's that I just can't afford, one of my friends had a run in with the Secret Service, and the organization I used to work for was audited by the CDC. As much as I like to think that I kick my heels up with the best of them, I couldn't help but feel that I wasn't responding to these things properly. If I had been in New York there would be people I could talk to, paperwork I could complete etc. Out in the Atlantic, I was socially adrift. But that's the cost of true relaxation I suppose. Somethings got to give... right?

However, thank God for paid time off. I'm glad to be back though.

serious napping takes a dedicated mind and a lot of booze.

dinner time for the black men waiting for seafood. carefree stomachs full.

my last day at the beach. its hard to say goodbye to sanity. sigh.

me , taking care of some important business at the office today.

Techno-Babble

I'm just overwhelmed by the way that technology has become so ubiquitous in our lives. Right at this very moment I'm signing up for a voice-recognition service called Jott to help me organize all of the organization, communication and reminder services that I've already signed up for. Maybe one day we'll get it all together and prioritize our innovations so that we can get the best out of the ones that work well for us and ditch all those that merely distract us. Like this blog, perhaps?

E3 2008, is a bit of a let-down. Of course, being the simpleton consumer that I am, I wasn't invited to attend. The podcasts and blog posts that have trickled out info from the event have been all about games and updates of games, nothing really industry changing. Nothing spectacular and Aha! Then again, why would I look to E3 for that kind of major announcement.

a mathematical representation of a dragon. made out of push pins in an office conference room.

lucy on the ground at union square. with nothing but love for life.

Seeing the light

It just came to me in a flash one day recently. Amidst repetitious cliches and obvious statements of truth. To be successful, you have to engage in something that you like to do. You have to love it. You have to feel as though your work just springs from your innermost desires.

Writing and designing are the only things that really just come naturally to me. So I think I'm going to stick with them and expand my skills. I want to dig down deep into my abilities and max out the quality of everything I produce.

Excel is not my friend

Look. I know I'm not a math genius. Ever since they tried to teach me how to use an abacus in the third or fourth grade, I knew that I was in trouble with the numerals. But Excel is just ridiculous. I just want to get a sum, and it's turning into a research project. I'll just have to add a Microsoft Suite refresher course to my list of To Do's. What does a guy have to do to get organized around here. I'm not a rich man, or even a middle class family man with lots of "responsibilities". So why can't I get my finances in order? I'll tell you why. Lack of education and an egregious lack of interest. For some reason, I've convinced myself that making more money is the answer to any financial problem that I may encounter. Funny. The first think I think about when it comes to social policy and the nation's economy, is "...cut spending, and invest better..." Duh! I should be holding fast to that edict as well when it comes to my own meager earnings.

BTW. I'm so into jewelry right now. Not just the usual urbanite bling, but the real rare and fun stuff. Collector Ish. I watch more GemsTV now than anything else. (at least until the Olympics start up - Way too excited!) The random ramblings of the colorful hosts drowns out my own mental exhaustion and keeps me company as if I was an elderly person in the hinterlands of our fair nation and not a young Buppy.

My friend Gym

I used to have a crippling fear of the gym, or any other athletic space where strangers were forced to perform, succeed, fail, and disrobe in front of each other. When I was a young lad in grade school, I was teased and harassed by the jocks. Although I truly do enjoy athletic competition, I couldn't seem to get a hang of the aggressive bonding culture that seems to go hand in hand with it. I just wanted to have fun, enjoy the exercise and move onto the next thing. How much more ignorant and foolhardy could I have been?
Sports and exercise are about manipulation, intimidation, and domination, right? At least that's how I used to feel. After being forced to go to New York Sports Club in the past 3 years to perform maintenance on my aging body, I've come to understand a little bit more about how the mindset of a "gym-goer" is formed. First there is the fear of public failure. Then, you have the unavoidable and obvious sexual titillation that stems from loosely clothed, sweaty bodies in motion that is simultaneously terrifying and alluring. And lastly, you have the forced socialization. Sharing space, equipment, and air with a group of people can cause one to feel pangs of sympathy, a sort of kinship of action as well as disdain and suspicion. So what is a "gym-going" brain to do? Block Block and again I say Block!
When I was younger, I wasn't able to discern negative harassment from adolescent ribbing and suffered greatly because of it. Now, I'm much better positioned and trained in the art of group dynamics. I can ignore looks from people, block my person from being offended by another person's proximity etc. Taking all of the good vibes in while actively keeping the bad vibes out is the key. In fact, I may even be well on my way to enjoying going to the gym and seeing the faces of the other people who share my new mindset about bodies and how they can workout together without having the minds attached to them colliding in misunderstanding and fear.

A Lovely Day

My favorite part of Central Park. It has an unmistakeable grandeur that illicits romanticism from all those who visit without fail. Like a time portal to another era, it brings a not so subtle formality to one's experience of the park and offers respectful acknowledgement to the natural beauty within it's boundaries. I would love to have a party there. What kind i don't know.

restrain yourself.

It just might work

Music is a unique business these days. Especially since, due to the dawning of the digital age, people have new ways of stealing it, buying it and making it for themselves. We all love music, and in most parts of the Western world, we all dream of being closer to it and its production. Pop stars, rock stars, indie hits, most downloaded favorites, who wouldn't want a piece of the action.

Well, I have an idea. There is this new website that just launched called rifflet that allows people to download music files and share them with others, finished or unfinished. What if a committee of some sort were put together to rifle through these riffs and produce an album of what the talented general public is dabbling with in their own homes? I think it could be really fun and people could share in the profits and joy of their music making hobby in a way that embraces community values and ideals instead of individual dictations of taste and substance.

I put this question to the makers of rifflet. Why not? Hit me back with why you think this could or couldn't work. I would love to see something like this come to pass.

find the time to care. trust that it doesn't take much. become different.

Don't Cut Me Off

Gabcast! Snizatch Blog #8 - Don't Cut Me Off

Career, Good news, Stuff to do

Bask in the Glow of my Non-Fame!

Hey there.

Someone named Clayton sent me an invitation to this thing called VerveEarth. It places blogs and other net-oddities on a global map so that people can pour over digital media based on geographic location. I think its a pretty cute idea. Especially, if your looking to get a feel for what spots and groups of people are into what. So check my little rss feed location button thing for SNIZATCH out.

Also. I'm concerned about the logistics involved for the May 18th AIDS Walk here in New York. I'm ashamed to say that this year will be my first year participating and I have no idea how to comport myself on a "walk". Do you talk to people on the way?Do you chant? Do you link arms and sing songs? How does it all work, and why is it a walk instead of a run? Whatever happens I'll try to prepare myself.

Please help me raise money for the NY AIDS Walk. Click on the link below to donate money online.

HELP STOP AIDS NOW!

My Art Hero

This video of my new art hero, Bruce Shapiro, is simply amazing. You won't believe his ingenious use of motion control to produce precise lines and forms. Although my main (read most productive) forms of expression continue to be dance, music and literature (not in that order), I'm simply fascinated by computer art in video games, websites, architecture etc. The one thing that keeps me from fully exploring these art forms is a cripplingly insufficient understanding of mathematics. (sigh)

likewise.

in old neighborhoods. with old friends doing new things.catching the sly fun.

can you guess what this is? in this new series of photos, i will post a pic and you tell me what you think the item is. good luck.