Saturday, November 19, 2011
Music - Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Darkest Light
Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Darkest Light. Some funk for your soul. Play it loud, now go be bold. Loosening up your stool, making your insides cool. Pa da da da daaam....uhm, ta da da da daaaaam.
Music - Liam Bailey - When Will They Learn - TRUTH & SOUL RECORDS
Liam Bailey "When Will They Learn" - TRUTH & SOUL RECORDS. Brit soul man Liam Bailey. Something about LB brings to mind a young Bob (Marley, that is); the lullaby voice, the genuine human-connect vibe, the feeling of universality and authenticity.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Occupy Wall Street Two Month Anniversary: Protesters March To NYC Financial District, Plan Day Of Events
Occupy Wall Street Two Month Anniversary: Protesters March To NYC Financial District, Plan Day Of Events. Could it be, that from the cries of dozens has come a movement of thousands? Time will tell, but the whole world is in motion. People are tired even when they don't know they're tired. They may not be organized in their wants, they may not a list of demands or a formal agenda, but they know that something is grievously wrong with the way their lives are going, something is missing when they can no longer find work after months or years of trying. Something is wrong when wages have not only stagnated but the value of their dollars have declined, while the cost of living continues to rise. They may not know what they want -- YET - but they know something is wrong. And when the consciousness of a mass of people begins to coalesce around a singular idea or desire, that is the start of a movement.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Music - GAGE - "Pardonne-moi" - So sweet and sexy
GAGE - "Pardonne-moi". French-Canadian artist Gage, aka Pierre Gage, of dual island heritage: Jamaican and Haitian, and reflecting the cocky confidence of those two fiercest of fierce Caribbean nations. Flashes of D'Angelo swim to the surface in this video, but vocally Gage inhabits the terrain of Heidi's banana-hammock wearing hubby, a French-speaking Seal. The song is lovely and the video ends with a sizzle. Ck it out.
Music - French singer Imany - I've gotta go
Imany I've gotta go. Splashes of Chapman (Tracy) and sumthin' else. Good snuff.
French singer and former model Imany (Nadia Mladjao).
French singer and former model Imany (Nadia Mladjao).
Music - Angolan singer Cabo Snoop - Prakatatumba
Cabo Snoop - Prakatatumba. I like this for all sorts of reasons, not least of all the artist and his dance.
Funny or Die - Thanks, Bank of America! for not completely effing us over
Thanks, Bank of America! from Funny Or Die. Not drop dead funny, but slow realization 'That's the banking blanking truth funny.' Give it a watch.
Props to Julio Artuz, 15-Year-Old Student Who Records Teacher Verbally Abusing Him, Calling Him 'Special'
Julio Artuz, 15-Year-Old Special Needs Student, Records Teacher Verbally Abusing Him (VIDEO). Irony of ironies, the headlines labeling Julio Artuz 'special.' What don't the journalists writing the story get? Julio was p.o.ed in the video because the teacher did just that: called him special. RUDE and missing the damn point! Anyhoo.... SMDH. (Just look at the pain in the child's face.)
Moving on to the bigger story: Fist bump to this kid for having the balls and the smarts to film this teacher cursing and humiliating him.... Who guesses that there are too many other teachers who engage in the same type of bullying. (Not saying all, or even the majority. There are many excellent teachers. It's the losers like this DOUCHE who ruin it for them.) Julio just wants to be recognized as a 'regular' kid, not as someone with 'special,' needs. The fact is that Julio may just be a 'normal,' kid, per say. Unfortunately low-income kids, particularly low-income black and Latino boys, are disproportionately tracked into special education classes. This tracking often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading to high drop-out rates and a correlation with incarceration. So, I can understand Julio's desire not to be labeled as 'special,' and likewise I would not be surprised if he is yet another instance of a young boy who may need greater academic supports, because of any number of reasons -- a poor academic foundation or little hands-on support -- and who may have been tracked into special ed because it was the easy thing to do. (Read the excerpt below and click on the link, also below, to read the entire article, and to learn how this applies to Latinos and whites.)
According to an article in the Sociology of Education: 'Disproportionate Representation in Special Education': 'Certain groups of students are routinely found to be overrepresented (compared to their share in the school-aged population) in special education classrooms. For example, Dunn (1968) estimated that 60 percent to 80 percent of students identified as disabled were from low socioeconomic status (SES) or ethnic minority households. Most of these investigations have examined the extent to which children of racial/ethnic minority heritage are disproportionately represented (e.g., Donovan and Cross 2002; Dunn 1968; Hosp and Reschly 2003; Mercer 1973; Oswald et al. 1999). Oswald et al. (1999) reported that African American children were about 2.4 times more likely to be identified as mentally retarded (MR) and about 1.5 times more likely to be identified as emotionally/behaviorally disturbed (EBD) than their non–African American peers.
Disproportionate representation may be especially likely to occur for those types of disabilities that rely more on a teacher’s judgment and contextual factors (e.g., LD, EBD) than those types that rely on relatively more objective criteria (e.g., MR, visual impairment; Coulter 1996; Donovan and Cross 2002).
....Class and race effects (either at the individual or school levels) on special education placement are further complicated by the greater exposure of lower income, African American, and Hispanic children to those factors that themselves contribute to disability identification. Such factors include biological trauma (e.g., low birth weight, poor nutrition and child health) and increased exposure to environmental toxins. They also include “social trauma” such as being raised in poverty or by a single or teenage parent. Additional risk factors include parents who are high school dropouts or second-language learners, depressed, disorganized, unemployed, or incarcerated and who reside in high-risk neighborhoods. These factors may result in the lower cognitive and behavioral performance displayed by low-income minority students when they begin kindergarten (Blair and Scott 2002; Carey 1999; Downey, von Hippel, and Broh 2004; Duncan, Brooks-Gunn, and Klebanov 1994; Duncan and Magnuson 2005; Farkas and Beron 2004; Farkas and Hibel 2007; Fryer and Levitt 2004; Guo 1998; Guo and Harris 2000; Phillips et al. 1998; Smith, Brooks-Gunn, and Klebanov 1997; Tach and Farkas 2006). The lower academic performance of low SES and ethnic minority children elevates their likelihood of special education placement.' Click on the link below to read the article.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Music Video - Linet a.k.a. Size 8 - Shamba Boy
Linet a.k.a. Size 8 - Shamba Boy (Official Video). Time we in the West knew more about Size 8. She's a charmer. Just learned about her myself, and am glad for the introduction. She's the complete package: voice, personality, stage presence, and the X-factor: charisma. Ck her out and peep two other tracks by her below.
Guns Across America- Handguns at Happy Hour | Mother Jones
Guns Across America Mother Jones. Excerpt: 'Thanks to aggressive tactics by gun-rights activists, more states are allowing people to pack heat in bars, parks, and even on college campuses.' Click on the link to read Rick Schmitt's Mother Jones article.
Music - Buddy Guy & Ric Jaz - I Just Want To Make Love To You
Buddy Guy & Ric Jaz - I Just Want To Make Love To You. Buddy Guy performs at B.B. King Blues Club &Grill in New York tonight, Nov. 15th, 2011.
Music - Gary Clark Jr. - When My Train Pulls In
Gary Clark Jr. - When My Train Pulls In. Search Gary Clark Jr at the to of the page to hear other music by this artist. Gary performs at NY's Mercury Lounge on Dec. 13th.
http://www.garyclarkjr.com/.
New Track - Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again (audio)
Michael Kiwanuka - 'Home Again' (audio). Something special. From Michael Kiwanuka's new EP Home Again; due out January 1st, 2012. Home Again is the Brit artist's third release. Michael Kiwanuka plays at Joe's Pub in NYC on Dec. 8th.
To learn more visit:
www.facebook.com/michaelkiwanuka
www.twitter.com/michaelkiwanuka
http://www.michaelkiwanuka.com/
To learn more visit:
www.facebook.com/michaelkiwanuka
www.twitter.com/michaelkiwanuka
http://www.michaelkiwanuka.com/
City Reopens Park After Protesters Are Evicted - NYTimes.com
Police Oust Occupy Wall Street Protesters at Zuccotti Park - NYTimes.com. Hundreds of cops and seven hours later, a judge rules that the protesters have a right to protest in the park, but cannot occupy it. On day 59, this attempt, part of an orchestrated multi-city effort to break the protest, has not only failed, it has probably amounted to a B-12 shot in the arm of a movement that was about to be weakened by cold and snow.
Article excerpt: 'Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on Tuesday defended the decision to clear the park, saying “health and safety conditions became intolerable” in the park.
He also told a City Hall news conference that in approving the police operation, he had had to balance concerns about free speech against concerns about what had been happening in the park.
“New York City is the city where you can come and express yourself,” the mayor said. “What was happening in Zuccotti Park was not that.” He said the protesters had taken over the park, “making it unavailable to anyone else.”
Q: Isn't Bloomie a child of the 60s? Ain't this a paradox? To know that someone who is a product of that revolutionary time, and who has presented himself as a fairly liberal liberal, will be forever linked with a city of riot-gear dressed cops and a repressive action anti-free speech action against its citizens? And all this coming right before Thanksgiving? Guess he can kiss those presidential ambitions goodbye.
How they did it: In secret, in the dead of night: Police Clear Zuccotti Park With Show of Force, Bright Lights and Loudspeakers - NYTimes.com
Police Clear Zuccotti Park With Show of Force, Bright Lights and Loudspeakers - NYTimes.com. So this is how they did it? To paraphrase the words of Jake Booth, the 3-year old toddler in the Jimmy Kimmel halloween prank: You sneaky mayor!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Music - Kanye West with Fergie - All Of The Lights 'live' - SWU Festival. SMDH? Genius or Clown joker? Kanye pumping nonblack crowd to chant 'Our n---a dead!'
Kanye West with Fergie - All Of The Lights [live] - SWU Festival. Hard to figure Mr. West out. Is he light speed traveling past society's age-old beliefs, taking his audience with him to other levels, whether they are prepared to or not (though from the looks of things they sign up readily enuf). Transforming use of the ol' world catch phrase nigg- into a new framework? Or is Ye on his way to imploding Dave Chappelle style; where the artist starts out tongue in cheek chastising his viewers about racist or rigid beliefs, then seems to be adopting the beliefs and participating in the ism he'd accused his viewers of? Is West genius or madman? Now so caught up in trying to win back approval one plus year post Swiftgate that he bends over backwards to show how much such distinctions no longer matter? I'm your friend really; we on the same page; that shit with Taylor, that was just in the moment; I'm bigger than that, bigger than race; neither race or gender can contain Ye. Really now. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how part 15 of Kanyisms plays out.
Music - this is EGO - My Victory
this is EGO - My Victory. This is from a new Hip Hop artist out of Newcastle (UK). Ego Trip. Give it a listen. I've heard one or two tracks, kind of haunting and poignantly melancholic. One track, So Far, So So.......has the artist actually questioning his ability and lack of success? No helium swag, overinflated b.s. Just a real convo with real emotions behind it. Think most can relate to that. I like the beats and feel Ego has something to say. In future, though he may come harder, or need to, for right now, he's definitely on his way.
http://www.thisisego.com/
www.twitter.com/thisisego
www.facebook.com/thisisego
Music - Wretch 32 ft Etta Bond - 'Forgiveness' - BC Radio 2 Live Performance
Wretch 32 ft Etta Bond - 'Forgiveness' - BBC Radio 2 Live Performance. I quite like this; the lyrics, melody, whole bit, a bit of sad, sweet and sour all mixed in.
New Music - The City That Sleeps | ReneeDion - Fave of faves - Do yourself a favor & listen
The City That Sleeps ReneeDion. Too funktified for regular folks, re-imagine this, re-consider this: the art of the cool. ReneeDion is on some true artz-ified shish, taking it further, way further, taking music, taking art ahead. Just sooo damn smooth! Look back in hindsight twenty years from now and see her as that artist whose impact was such that she led/created a nu school of music. Underground or overground she rules. That chick! svuL ti. Just Luvs IT. Download The City That Sleeps: http://reneedion.bandcamp.com/.
Your Chance to Win a Flyaway to See B.o.B Perform in NYC - Facebook contest
Your Chance to Win a Flyaway to See B.o.B Perform in NYC on Nov. 29th. Click on the link to learn more. I can't vouch for this. I got the e-mail and figured I'd pass it on, check it out for yourself.
Friday, November 11, 2011
HuffPost: UCLA Operation Mend Reconstructs Severely Burned Military Faces (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
UCLA Operation Mend Reconstructs Severely Burned Military Faces (PHOTOS, VIDEO). Click on the link above to view nineteen images of soliders who've been badly burned and received transformative plastic surgeries. As we close out Veterans Day and prepare to return to our lives, let's take a look at what some of them experience. Young men and women who will forever have their lives transformed. We don't have to agree with war, to acknowledge that the price they've paid so that the rest of us could have clear consciences -- complain, protest, abhor -- has been too high. Take some time to advocate on behalf of veterans. Write, call or e-mail your senator or congressional rep and urge them to increase medical coverage for veterans, to provide them with the mental and health care they need to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, to get employment and, or return to school; to receive aid to help them in the transitioning. All of us are culpable, but only they carry the weight.
Sending good will their way and hoping that they have the strength to triumph over the challenges and that they get the support they need from their friends, loved ones, and the nation. Kudos to Ron Katz , Operation Mend and the team at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center who have given these soldiers a second shot at a life.
Sooo Random - Notorious B.I.G. calms down crying baby
Notorious B.I.G. calms down crying baby. Pretty darn funny. It's obvious the dad is a Hip Hop head. Ck his rhythm; totally on point. LOL. Wonder if this little girl is going to find this funny when she gets older, or if she'll even like Rap. Sha-dite, Rap may not even be around by then. Crazier words have been spoke.
Detroit Free Press: Penn State's Mike McQueary might be protected as whistle-blower | Not good enuf, McQueary must go. Fire him now
Penn State's Mike McQueary might be protected as whistle-blower as scandal fallout continues Detroit Free Press. Read the Detroit Press article on why McQueary may remain at Penn State. This explanation does not work. Mike McQueary alerted his superiors to a crime against a small boy. That was a good thing, but where he failed abysmally was in not ripping that boy out of predator Sandusky's clutches and stomping a mudhole in his ass. That would have been step one.
Step two would have been to alert the police immediately and to have had Sandusky carted away to prison. This would have saved the boys who were victimized in the years to come. Even had McQueary chosen to tell his superiors first, after saving the child, had they then not taken action by alerting the police, he could and should have done so.
We recognize that he told someone in authority and that was a good step, but it wasn't good enough, not by far. This is why he must go too, along with the gang of collaborators. It's not enuf that Paterno was released, and the university president and the others. The man who saw the crime and did NOTHING -- nothing in the moment and nothing in the months and days after in terms of telling the cops -- cannot be allowed to continue in that job. To do so is to disrespect and continue to devalue the children who were assaulted and victimized. It is to diminish and devalue all children. And it will also aid in further undermining and diminishing Penn State.
In order to begin to regain their good name and self-respect, and that will be a long process, Penn State must fire McQueary now.
Music - Rihanna - You Da One
The second single from Rihanna's Talk That Talk, due out Nov. 21st. Another catchy infectious track from the Princess of Pop. RiRi keeps steady churning out the hits. Click on the link below to hear.
Veterans Occupy Wall Street | The Nation + A Shoutout to the Vets
Veterans Occupy Wall Street The Nation. Click on the link to read The Nation article on why Veterans occupying Wall Street is a natural marriage.
Comment: On this Veterans' Day, we send a shoutout to the veterans who have sacrificed life, limb and peace of mind for this country. Though we don't support war, we recognize that many of them don't either, but that often many believe they are simply supporting their country and protecting its freedoms and interests.
Veterans die and are maimed so that we can continue our way of life, and even when we call ourselves pacifists, or opponents of the Iraq or Afghanistan Wars, by virtue of living where we do we have virtually co-signed our government's decision to go to war and to stay there. Veterans take the heat so that we can continue to live comfortably outside of the kitchen.
They often come back to unemployment, broken families, maimed bodies and minds, drug addiction, poor medical care, and little support from the government that sent them overseas. So on this Veterans' Day, we send a shoutout to the Vets, we call on the government to do more to provide them with medical and mental health services upon their return, to provide them with jobs, education and the other supports that they need to enable them to reintegrate into their families and society as successfully as possible.
Music - Betty Wright - You're A Hoe and You Don't Know - The deft tell-off, hilarious
Betty Wright - You're A Hoe. Although I don't believe in the philosophy of 'Hoes,' that is, of dubbing anyone a 'hoe;' I mean, who am I to judge what you should do, or not, as long as you're safe about it and not disrespecting yourself. Still, I do think this is a pretty suave and deft tell-off. Callin' you out your name without you even knowing or taking it personally. Smooth Betty; go gurl!
Best Assessment of Penn State: PoliticsNation w/Al Sharpton: Former Fed. Prosecutor Wendy Murphy Calls Penn State 'Perp State, 'Who walks away from a child being raped?' Nitwits protesting Paterno's firing, why aren't they protesting Sandusky, why aren't they supporting the kids?
msnbc tv: Inside the Penn State investigation. If the video doesn't pop up, click on the link to watch. This is what it's about: Children, young boys, versus the interests of an institution. Kids being raped, quite probably many of them, quite possibly repeatedly, over many years, versus protecting the interests of Penn State. No one cared about these kids. Kids who were vulnerable, disadvantaged and seeking mentors and responsible adults to guide them. There are no words.
Music - AWOLNATION - Sail
AWOLNATION - Sail. See Awolnation at Webster Hall, NYC, November 21, 2011.
www.awolnationmusic.com/.
www.awolnationmusic.com/.
Music - Theophilus London - Love Is Real
Theophilus London - Love Is Real. Another great track by Theophilus London + sweet video. ? though, the last scene where the male lead lays the girl down -- yeah, it's a metaphor for falling in love and all, but -- how freaking scary is that? (This is why you don't go out with motherchuckers you just met.)
Music - Phlo Finister | "BANG BANG" + Crown Gold EP - Give a listen
Phlo Finister | "BANG BANG" from 3qtr on Vimeo.
Crown Gold by 3qtr
Phlo Finister hails from LA, the celebrity fashion stylist is an up and coming singer with an innovative look and sound. Glancing back to 60s fashion icons Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick, and inspired by 90s R&B acts Aaliyah, Deborah Cox and TLC, 19 year-old Finister describes her music as R&B with a pop sound. That may be but the music as much as it gives the nod to old classics - 1960s Nancy Sinatra 'Bang, Bang, My Baby Shot Me Down (the apex of cool) with the throbbing back beat of Mobb Deep's Shook Ones Pt.II - is edgy post-mod with a darkness and freshness to it that pays tribute to a dark bass underground sound.
Phlo Finister hails from LA, the celebrity fashion stylist is an up and coming singer with an innovative look and sound. Glancing back to 60s fashion icons Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick, and inspired by 90s R&B acts Aaliyah, Deborah Cox and TLC, 19 year-old Finister describes her music as R&B with a pop sound. That may be but the music as much as it gives the nod to old classics - 1960s Nancy Sinatra 'Bang, Bang, My Baby Shot Me Down (the apex of cool) with the throbbing back beat of Mobb Deep's Shook Ones Pt.II - is edgy post-mod with a darkness and freshness to it that pays tribute to a dark bass underground sound.
PF's sound is driven as much by her look, as the music. Reminiscent of an urban Sade with a Jodi Watley mashup, the artist is strikingly androgynous and lovely; like an exotic transgender beauty.
Looks aside, her music offers up something appealing and intoxicating, a mixture of cool and dark so magnetic it should not be denied. At 19, without major studio backing, her six-track EP Crown Gold is self released, so give it a listen. Phlo Finister has a vision that is worthy of support.
Might I add, how much I luv the look of the video? The whole movement and style: spare, classic cool, the black and white film noir effect -- the post-androgynous model - 'is she female or a really hot she-male' appeal in overdrive -- and the driving, hypnotic backbeat with a subtle undercurrent of violence. Double snaps; luvs it!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
About Thirteen Years Overdue: News - PSU trustees fire Paterno and university president Spanier
PSU trustees fire Paterno, Spanier. This is late and it's much too little, but at least it sends an unequivocal message that there will be serious consequences to pay if institutions or organizations fail to protect youngsters on their premises or fail to report individuals who they know or believe may be guilty of the sexual abuse of youngsters. Joe Paterno Fired: Penn State Football Coach Removed By Board Of Trustees After Scandal.
Hopefully it sends a message to youngsters who will hear the news, that they are valued and that there are dire consequences to pay for those who would abuse them. Likewise, let's hope kids get the message that no matter how powerful an individual may seem, they are no more important or valueable than a child, and that it is a child's right to say 'NO!' to someone who tries to seduce, molest/sexually violate them, and to report them to the authorities.
Let's hope this brings some sort of justice and peace to the kids, some of them now adults, who were violated and possibly that it helps to erase any inner conflict, humiliation and self-anger about why it happened to them.
Paterno and all those who knew of, and or witnessed the abuse, beyond the consequences of their employment or the justice system, must now look at the bare facts of what they did, and confront the man in the mirror.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Video - Afghanistan – touch down in flight: A Different Look at Afghanistan
Afghanistan – touch down in flight from Augustin Pictures on Vimeo. A lovely film to close the night out; an intimate look at the people of Afghanistan.
Fearless Inspiration: I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies ). Free segment on Vimeo - You've got to see this
I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies ). Free segment from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo. WTF? When I see shite like this I know human beings can do anything we put our minds to.
Official blurb accompanying video: 'Hey Outdoor Lovers, We would like to offer you this excerpt from our feature documentary - A 40 minutes Feature documentary will be available on 11.11.11 at 11 a.m for download on my video blog sebmontaz.com.
Highlining pioneers Tancrede and Julien have come to the spectacular and atmospheric cliffs of the norwegian fjords to try and turn their ultimate dream into reality.
The talented pair have cemented their friendship over the past years exploring the sport of highlining, from the heights of the alps to the skyscrapers of Paris. They now prepare to take their sport in a totally new and radical direction. Join this unique group of friends on their journey to discover the true meaning of freedom. Where living simply, laughing, having fun and exploring new places are all essential ingredients in their voyage into the unknown.
Proceeds will go towards the Frenchies' next exciting adventures. My Face Book page: facebook.com/pages/Seb-Montaz-Video-blog/149892381710213
More about the Skyliners team: facebook.com/pages/Skyliners/270006826367436
Director/Editor: Sébastien Montaz-Rosset
Sound design: Michael Denny michaeldennymusic.com/
Music kindly offered by
Uddhava facebook.com/Mattouaki
Drunksouls drunksouls.com
BEST VIEWED IN HD AND FULLSCREEN (with scaling off)
SMH at the college students rallying on behalf of Joe Paterno. What don't they get? 10 years ago they were the same age as the kids being violated by Sandusky + Video: Joe Paterno Rally: Penn State Coach Talks About Scandal From His Home
Joe Paterno Rally: Penn State Coach Talks About Scandal From His Home (VIDEO). Pathetic, sad, the many college students rallying on behalf of legendary coach Joe Paterno. Irony of ironies is that these kids were between 7 and 10 ten years ago when the predator Sandusky was allegedly trapping young boys (around age 10 and 11) in the school's shower and sexually abusing and debasing them.
SMDH at Joe Paterno talking about his seventeen grand kids. Now he's going to start praying for the kids who were abused, the way he and his wife do for their grandkids every night. Therein lies the problem, in the years since he found out Joe never bothered to imagine what his grandkids would have felt like had they been the prey of the monster Sandusky. He failed to imagine what those children's grandparents would have felt like. Yes, Joe, they would have felt the way you would feel if your progeny were being violated.
So is that what this boils down to? A failure of imagination or of humanity? An act of cowardice or callousness?
And to hear how fans and the sports crowd speak of Paterno and his legacy of integrity when it came to football at the school. Integrity in football, but not in life. Didn't know that integrity could be divvied up like that and compartmentalized, but hey perhaps the rules are different for a career-winning football coach lauded by millions for his genius at strategizing on the field.
Far be it from me to say that even the biggest winners at life can make for lousy human beings. As for Paterno, he could have come out a true winner by naming and reporting this child predator to the cops, instead he did not, and so now can go down in the history books as one of the winningest coaches ever, with a little asterix by his name.
SMDH at Joe Paterno talking about his seventeen grand kids. Now he's going to start praying for the kids who were abused, the way he and his wife do for their grandkids every night. Therein lies the problem, in the years since he found out Joe never bothered to imagine what his grandkids would have felt like had they been the prey of the monster Sandusky. He failed to imagine what those children's grandparents would have felt like. Yes, Joe, they would have felt the way you would feel if your progeny were being violated.
So is that what this boils down to? A failure of imagination or of humanity? An act of cowardice or callousness?
And to hear how fans and the sports crowd speak of Paterno and his legacy of integrity when it came to football at the school. Integrity in football, but not in life. Didn't know that integrity could be divvied up like that and compartmentalized, but hey perhaps the rules are different for a career-winning football coach lauded by millions for his genius at strategizing on the field.
Far be it from me to say that even the biggest winners at life can make for lousy human beings. As for Paterno, he could have come out a true winner by naming and reporting this child predator to the cops, instead he did not, and so now can go down in the history books as one of the winningest coaches ever, with a little asterix by his name.
HuffPost: Airline to Offer In-Flight Porn
Porn Is Ryanair's New In-Flight Entertainment. Just what we need when flying, even stickier seats, heavy breathing and drooling co-passengers.
I've never heard of Ryan Air, I don't know who they are or which airlines they operate (hopefully it's not USAir of American or any of the big companies.) I have a hard time (no pun intended) seeing this implemented. Even if your fellow passenger is not heaving for breath in the seat next to you or oogling you through the corner of his or her eyes, even if they are at their discreet finest, I still don't want to have a porno watching passenger sitting beside me.
Other scenario: they relegate all the porn watching to a certain class of flyers, so only those who want to watch porn will be allowed in that section. That sounds fair enough, that way only the porno pirates will be seated next to each other (no, I'm not judging, I could give two ishes if someone likes to watch other people do it.) Even so, I can near guarantee that most folks don't want to know or imagine that there's a porno cabin on deck with porno peepers who can just get up and walk around.
What's the difference? Suppose thirty percent or more - make it 90% - of the people we fly with now, watch porn in the privacy of their homes or hotel rooms. What's the diff?
The diff is that watching porn often leads to elevated states of excitement and an intense desire to experience what the spectator has just observed. No, I'm not speaking from experience.......hardy, har, har, har... but I am speaking from a common-sense perspective. And frankly I don't want to be cooped up in a cabin that's half or a third of the length of a city block with a bunch of hyper sexualized men, or women for that matter.
Ryanair is known for some outlandish tricks and statements, though, so maybe this is more of the same; an attempt to capture some air time without footing the ad bill.
What do you think about porn 30,000 feet above ground?
BREAKING NEWS: Heavy D Confirmed Dead At Age 44 | Bossip
What was cool about Heavy was that he always made reference to his Jamaican heritage and incorporated it/reggae into his music. As a fellow yardie I had respect for that. Heavy lost weight and now here he is several years later, dead. Hmm? Daaaammn! No, that's not a lesson in why you should just keep eating if it makes you happy. Maybe he got a few extra years becaues he lost weight; maybe his death had nothing to do with anything related to weight or clogged arteries or such. It's surprising and sad, either way.
Dwight Arrington Myers made music that many people liked. He touched a lot of lives that way. Our condolences to his family and loved ones. R.I.P. Heavy D.
Funny how the mainstream media outlets don't seem to have picked up on this yet. Just the blogs. Kinda crazy, cuz Heavy D was a notable part of American culture in the 90s. So it be's. You'll be missed HD.
Damn, ain't nuthin' promised. Just live your life.
Click on the link below to read the HuffPost article on his death + condolences from fellow celebs.
Monday, November 7, 2011
R.I.P.Joe Frazier: Former Heavyweight Champion Dies At 67
Joe Frazier Dead: Former Heavyweight Champion Dies At 67. Looks like the final ending to the Thriller in Manila,' is being written. Rest in Peace Joe Frazier.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Music - Ben Howard - The Wolves
Ben Howard - The Wolves. Got turned on to Ben Howard courtesy of the very good blog - WePlugGoodMusic. Give a listen to him here and below. Brings to mind Ed Sheeran, not the style, but the deft musicianship and songwriting. Lyrics like scuba diving, in pursuit of depth and meaning.
Music - Lucy Rose - Middle of the Bed
Lucy Rose - Middle of the Bed. It gets better. Starts out slow and unsure (on your part), but quickly gets good.
www.lucyrosemusic.co.uk/
www.lucyrosemusic.co.uk/
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Why Predators Often Come Dressed as Friends: Jerry Sandusky, Former Coach At Penn State, Is Charged With Sexual Abuse of Young Boys - NYTimes.com
Jerry Sandusky, Former Coach At Penn State, Is Charged With Abuse - NYTimes.com. Parents watch your kids: This is why no matter who the individual or their position, and especially because of their position, if you're a parent or guardian you can't trust somebody with your children just because they have a 'big' position. Those folks have the greatest opportunity and access to abuse. I always keep my eye extra open when it comes to certain folks and kids.
I am especially leery of priests, coaches, camp counselors, boy scout leaders, any prospective authority figure, particularly those who have an uncanny interest in spending excessive amounts of time with lonely, single-parent or otherwise vulnerable children. (No, I'm not knocking all individuals in those occupations or roles, but you know how you'll meet individuals who hang around kids and make themselves available and some little alarm bell will go off in you. It's not loud, it's usally not for anything blatant, just 'something' about the individual and the way they interact with kids or make themselves available to kids, and that little buzzer will sound. Ten times out of ten I'd say go with it. Even without concrete evidence your alarm is going off for a reason. Trust it. Err on the side of protecting your kids and the other innocent children you don't know.)
All children, even many older adolescents, are vulnerable and unsuspecting. They just don't expect an adult to assault them sexually, and they especially don't expect an adult they trust to do so. Folks like Sandusky, and accused sexual abuser Rev. Eddie Long, hold sway over youngsters by virtue of their position and the immense power and authority they hold in those positions. Youngsters look up to them, admire them, elevate them to near god-like levels. This is why when they abuse youngsters the damage they do is inordinate....it is a raping of the child's soul, their innocence, and that is unconscionable. Child abusers, sexual or physical, deserve the severest punishment that can be meted out. For them there can be no sympathy. In the case of Sandusky he has been accused of forty counts 'related to the abuse of eight young boys.' Given that he's been working with kids for over two decades we can imagine that there are many other youngsters who've been victimized.
But what about the colluders? The folks who suspected or had evidence that this predator was living in a pedophile's paradise, and yet said nothing. There should be a special hell for them too. But it should be a hell on earth where they lose all of their position, where they are stripped of any respect, from other people and for self. It should be a hell where they are faced to confront their cowardice every day for the rest of their lives. In the case of colluders perhaps they can redeem themselves by speaking out about the predator that they knew and helping to warn other people about the signs to look for.
Sandusky, if he is found guilty should be forced to look at himself in the mirror every day but with the full ugliness of his actions laid bare. He should be forced to see and hear the children he abused tell him what a living ogre he is, what a piece of scum, how all his attempts at seduction, all his manipulation was just that: manipulation, and how in each and every instance that he assaulted and humiliated a boy there was nothing for the child but revulsion and fear. He should be forced to see the truth of the filth that he perpetrated on youngsters.
Is death the answer? Abuse in prison? Hard to say. Perhaps the only answer is to put that individual in a situation where they feel absolutely powerless and dominated, where they feel there is no escape from the hell they are in and where they are forced to beg for mercy but know there is no mercy forthcoming. Or maybe the best punishment is for them to get treatment so they can see how evil and sick they have been, and with health for them to relive the horror they perpetrated on the innocent.
Only God can judge, but society can surely set up punishments for degraded human beings who choose to degrade children. The manner and degree to which we choose to punish these individuals will speak to how we value our children. Most importantly, we must teach our children awareness of the signs of sexual predators, and we must teach them to trust themselves and their instincts and to know that their value is far and above that of any individual who would seek to have them do something with their bodies that makes them feel 'weird,' uncomfortable or ill at ease; even if that individual is priest, teacher, movie star, mentor, guardian, parent, uncle, sibling, stranger or friend.
R.I.P. - Andy Rooney Dead: Former '60 Minutes' Commentator Dies At 92 Years Old
Andy Rooney Dead: Former '60 Minutes' Commentator Dies At 92 Years Old. He was a staple of old school American journalism. Retired just a month ago. R.I.P.
Coney Island Bialys and Bagels, Jewish Bagel Shop, Rescued By Muslim Cab Drivers
Coney Island Bialys and Bagels, Jewish Bagel Shop, Rescued By Muslim Cab Drivers. Warm and fuzzy story of the day. Just a good start to the day - reading this.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Music - James Vincent McMorrow - Breaking Hearts - I don't have this album yet, but I will have it by tomorrow
James Vincent McMorrow - Breaking Hearts. Good good. Just good-good. Gushing weakens what we say, detracts from sophistication. Well, it be's what it be's, the writing, the melodies ....hell, just give the album a listen and then don't forget to pick up an extra copy for the one you love.
Video - A Year in New York on Vimeo - Dir. by Andrew Clancy - Score by James Vincent McMorrow
A Year in New York from Andrew Clancy on Vimeo. A year in
'Living in New York I'd grab my Canon 7D, or S95, and shoot footage of what was going on around me. It seemed like a never ending project and you could stay filming life in New York for a long time. But eventually I put my camera down and started to edit. Here's the end result, it's a bit rough and ready but that's life in the Big Apple I guess.
Turn up the volume or put your earphones in for the beautiful song 'We Don't Eat' by Irishman James Vincent McMorrow.
Update: The wonderful song is available as a free download on Amazon for US customers t.co/gagdygsv'.
Music - White Denim - No Real Reason - So damn dope it's divine
White Denim - No Real Reason. Divine. Something about this that reminds me of 1960s movies with the teen anti-hero full of angst and testosterone and girl trouble running down the beach with a gun in his hand, looking over his shoulder. A 60s summer beach score with hints of Bossa Nova (??? can't recall what that music is called) propelled by 60s/70s counterculture turmoil. So damn dope it can't be spoken. Just ffin excellent.
Peep the live version below:
http://whitedenimmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/whitedenimmusic
Music - White Denim - Street Joy - ridikulously ridikulous - Sublime - Gloriously Sad
White Denim - Street Joy. Luv it. Nostalgic, layered, complex; a refinery of emotions. Such a cool song from a great band; their music is wicked, their videos subversive, anticlimactic and true. Just a sheer burst of heaven, am luvin this band.
Music - Onra - No Matter What - Dope Sh-t, That ish that will chump you up, swimmin' in it
Onra - No Matter What. Spotted this on PinBoardBlog. From French hip hop producer and soundscaper Onra, from his upcoming album 'Chinoiseries 2,' due out Nov. 15th. A compilation of instrumental beats taken from 'source material found in China and Vietnam.' Peep the video below to see Onra on the hunt. This shtt is so sick it will not be denied. Turnin' my insides out. Do yourself a favor and have it penetrate your organs. To learn more about Onra, visit:
http://listn.to/onrahttp://soundcloud.com/onra
http://twitter.com/onrabeats
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Horrible but hilarious: Jimmy Kimmel's YouTube Challenge - I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy
YouTube Challenge - I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy. Luv the gangsta kids: 'Are you serious? Good for you, that's why you're gonna get a bellyache for eating too much candy! You sneaky mom!' Gots to love it.
Music Video - Mattafix - Big City Life
Mattafix - Big City Life ( Official Music Video ). There's a sweetness and soulfulness to this cat's voice that demand to be recognized. The music connects, is humane, relatable, the kind of song you'd want to write or sing if you were a song writer or vocalist.
Lyrics: 'Don't you wanna know me, be a friend of mine? I'll share some wisdom with you.'
Lyrics: 'Don't you wanna know me, be a friend of mine? I'll share some wisdom with you.'
Music - Marlon Roudette - Riding Home - Official Video - Luv the track, luv, luv, luv the video
Marlon Roudette - Riding Home. Take notice. Marlon Roudette definitely deserves it. Luv the whole vibe on this track; Roudette's smooth, undulating vocals taking us for a ride down the nostalgia track. Really dig the intimacy and simplicity of the video, the splicing of the old with the new, the sepia tones, the infancy-adult mirror image split screen. Plus, the homage to his Caribbean heritage, the reggae, dub influences. Think it's kinda cool that he pays tribute to that, and in fact it's an integral part of his music.
Are all of the clips on the left actually of him and fam? The kid in the video definitely seems to be him, and the parental figs surely look like they could be his. The whole thing left me warm and toasty. Hard to get better than that.
So who is Marlon Roudette? Stateside we're a bit out of the loop regarding him, his music and musical influences. Turns out he's been around for a few years and has had a good number of hits with his former bandmate in Europe, some of them pretty major: ergo, the chart topping and empathy popping 'Big City Life.'
He's the former lead singer of Brit duo Mattafix (with Preetesh Hirji), the son of a British producer dad and an artist/designer mom of Eastern Caribbean background (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and he actually lived there for a time. Roudette's worldly approach to music is evident, and his love for reggae (Gregory Isaacs Night Nurse album is one of his favorites) has led to this authentic reggae-soul infusion.
Just really good stuff; you know he's got that kinda vibe that I call 'soul speak,' that language in the music that we can all relate to -- if we're human, that is. Check Roudette out and pick up his album if you can.
http://www.marlonroudette.com/
www.myspace.com/marlonroudette
Are all of the clips on the left actually of him and fam? The kid in the video definitely seems to be him, and the parental figs surely look like they could be his. The whole thing left me warm and toasty. Hard to get better than that.
So who is Marlon Roudette? Stateside we're a bit out of the loop regarding him, his music and musical influences. Turns out he's been around for a few years and has had a good number of hits with his former bandmate in Europe, some of them pretty major: ergo, the chart topping and empathy popping 'Big City Life.'
He's the former lead singer of Brit duo Mattafix (with Preetesh Hirji), the son of a British producer dad and an artist/designer mom of Eastern Caribbean background (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and he actually lived there for a time. Roudette's worldly approach to music is evident, and his love for reggae (Gregory Isaacs Night Nurse album is one of his favorites) has led to this authentic reggae-soul infusion.
Just really good stuff; you know he's got that kinda vibe that I call 'soul speak,' that language in the music that we can all relate to -- if we're human, that is. Check Roudette out and pick up his album if you can.
http://www.marlonroudette.com/
www.myspace.com/marlonroudette
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