Racism in America 3

Sidenote: I know, I know, but I couldn't help hold this one back. It'll be a quickie.

Previously on "My $0.02"................

Racism in America/ Black Eye of the Tiger 2

Black Eye of the Tiger

and

Racism in America

This health care bill is really devouring talk radio, news stations and turning the uninformed masses to madness. I still hold it under the microscope so I'll hold off on my ticker tape parade. I'm a Chronic line-in-between reader and master of connect the dottitry.

Sidenote= connect the dots lalalala is one of the greatest songs to sing ever bc of its gratuitous usage of lalalala.

Ppl always talk about "bringing america back." back to what? a time when you can burn, beat, lynch and hang, not necessarily in that order, black ppl and the law did nothing about it? a time when rape was something ppl looked the other way to? a time when women only had a "place" in the home and kitchen? a time when a person had to live their life in secrecy bc of their sexuality? a time when you could beat the crap out of your wife and kids to no reciprocity? a time when blacks, asians, latinos and anyone one darker than a khaki off white hue were not allowed to work eat, or live in certain areas?

Sidenote: And then the socially oblivious wonder why ppl have such a problem with the confederate flag.

So when ppl say "bring back america" or "destroying america" what type of america are they talking about? What are they REALLY saying?

MESSAGE!!!!

Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 5

Previously in My $0.02................... Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 1

Followed by.................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 2

Then..................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 3

and............................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 4

Here's a baby. Look at the baby!! LOOK AT THE BABY!! Cute aint she? (Scientific studies of extensive researching stuff state that cute babies are soothing on the eye and make ppl more susceptible to accepting theories) One of my newest cousins. Can you believe this little jerk doesn't like me? YET!? She's one of those stoosh "Imma play shy in front of company" types. But the one in the back is one of my favorite little girls in planet. Now its one thing to be ignored by the newbie (she'll come around sooner or later), but my fav was in another world bc as you can see, she was enthusiastically programming all her contacts into her new cell phone. This led to a very intriguing discussion btwn us about usage and habits of why a 12 old needs a cell phone. Which leads me to theory #5:


Theory #5: Everyone has cell phones

This might seem minoot, but technology impairs our memories. When I was in high school, I had about 40 numbers memorized at the tip of my tongue at any given time. Now, if you lose you phone, you might as well be in a tunnel on Mars. Pop quiz: without looking at your phone, how many phone numbers do you know by heart? PS, you parents or home phone doesn't count. Don't cheat...well it doesn't really matter bc if you are cheating, its pretty self evident that you failed this little social experiment.

I recall correcting a teachers spelling in high school and I always remembered him saying, "wait until you're out of school and have been using spell check for a few years" and I laughed at his warning. Now, how many ppl can get through a document without that red squiggly line? On top of the mental address book, I also had everyone's birthday memorized. These days, if I didn't sign into Facebook, you more than likely won't get a birthday greeting from me.

Kids do not need cell phones for the same reason students don't need calculators. I'm old school so as far as I'm concerned, until letteration starts popping up and your math class starts looking like some english class typos, you don't need a calculator. WHY? Bc you impair, or rather, stunt your learning growth in the embryonic stages of cognitive thinking. Let's be clear. 70% of what you learn up until grade 12 is utter bs and will be of no use to you in life. It's not the content thats important, its the methodology of learning. If you bifurcate the two and focus solely on content, sans the methodology, you birth a generation of droid who basically are programed with RAM (random access memory) and no hard drive (long term storage) mental computation.

I digress.

Why are cell phones problematic? Other than all the reasons I stated above? The brain is like any muscle, and lack of usage leads to atrophy.......after development. Lack of usage before development can lead to impotence if not paralysis (didn't I tell you guys I had no regard for the english language? It's misuse and mishandleage? - quote from my open mic slam days - TEEHEE!). I mastered 258 ways to cheat and not get caught without technology. Who knows what tomwreckery the youtes are doing these days?

I won't even touch on smart phones. When we have a generation that can't answer a questions with any critical discernment bc we've replaced "thinking" with "googling." Sad forecast. An armada of smartphone in the hands of dunce users.

LOST Prioritahs and Principalities.

I thought this was a rumor at first bc there were people theorizing that Obama planned his speech in December to deliberately trump "A Charlie Brown's Christmas," but verifying this was just sad.

"Obama Won't Bump Lost Premiere"

...President Barack Obama's State of the Union address will not bump Lost's final season premiere, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said at a news briefing Friday.
"I don't foresee a scenario in which millions people who hope to finally get some conclusion with Lost are pre-empted by the president," Gibbs said, answering a question relayed by ABC Radio's Ann Compton. "You can quote a senior administration official."

SERIOUSLY GUY!??

Isn't this why we invented Tivo and DVR? Isn't this why you're popularity skyrocketted after purchasing said technology? Like yall don't spend extra time by your dvr/tivo friends? You waited a couple months, another day or week is really going to kill you? I already can see the campaign ads in 2012: "He postponed a Charlie Brown Christmas AND the final season premiere of LOST.....Obama.....bad for tv....bad for America."

We are really LOST as a ppl when we are more concerned with the outcome of fictional characters than we are with the outcome of our own reality.

Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 4

Previously in My $0.02................... Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 1

Followed by................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 2

Then..................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 3

Now........
I'm going to re-enact a few of the many traumatizing yet vital, character forming moments in my childhood:

Dramatic Dramatization 1

Me: (full of glee) MOM!! DAD!!! LOOK!!! I GOT A 95 ON MY TEST!!!

Parent A or B interchangeably: Where's the other 5 points??

Me: (absent of glee) [actually attempting to rack brain to answer pointless question]


Dramatic Dramatization 2

Me: (full of glee) MOM!! DAD!!! LOOK!!! I GOT A 98 ON MY TEST!!!

Parent A or B interchangeably: Where's the other 2 points??

Me: (absent of glee) [actually attempting to rack brain to answer pointless question]


Dramatic Dramatization 3

Me: (cautiously) MOM!! DAD!!! LOOK!!! I GOT A 99 ON MY TEST!!!

Parent A or B interchangeably: Where's the other point??

Me: (ambivalent....despite not learning that word for another 20 odd years) [walks away to play with toys or draw]

Sidenote: I actually did get A's and 100's from time to time. What's that you say? Ticker tape parade? Hang my test on the fridge? Not me. If I got a "good," "nice," "very well," keep it up," that was epic.

So my parents taught me inadvertently....in a low budget Pavlov fashion, two valuable lessons. First, how to deal with disappointment/rejection/defeat, and secondly slash most important of all, never settle for your current, average or bare minimum. Have you ever been at a point in your life where you want to fight a teacher for giving you an A- minus, but in the same week you get religious for the first time in your life and beg God, "if I can only just maybe get a 'D'"....... Am I the only one who's ever heard the phrase, "D is for D-ploma?" Got you in the teacher or professors office looking like the crackhead from "Menace to Society."

That's bc both mindsets are that of a winner: never settle and never give up. Granted, I may have cursed my parents under my breath many a time as a child and could possibly blame them for my "prodigal son" derailment years, but in my life (and I've been telling my students this for years) it doesn't matter what you do in that first 95% if you can't execute in that final 5%. And if you don't believe me, ask the '07-'08 New England Patriots.



So what is today's theory on why kids are so DUMB today?

Theory #4: Winners are Losers and Losers are Winners

I was shocked to learn recently about a soccer game... and then I found out other sports do this too......... they gave out trophies...................... TO THE LOSING TEAM!!! Are you kidding me? What happened to trash talking and rubbing in the losers face? I cringe to think where I would be today, how un-creative and lame my life would be had it not been for fierce and vicious name calling as a child. What incentive is there to win now? To keep on playing in the last 2 minutes when you're down one score?

It's not just sports. Some schools have a passing mark of 50 or 55! And the saddest thing is, college aptitude exams have a FAAAAAAAAAAAR higher passing bar. It's like we're setting our children up for failure. I recall the passing mark being 65 when I was a wee lil lass. And even that is quite horrible, in hindsight. That means my generation was subconsciously programmed that 65% of our possible output was/is acceptable.

Students would do so much better if school work was more life-applicable. Teach children percentages in kindergarten. Ask a student if they'd be ok, with 65% of their allowance? If you were on a plane and the pilot announced that they landed safely 50-65% of the time, you'd either jump out the plane yourself or have a heart attack.

And how excited would you be if there was a doctor on board....... who saved 65% of his patience?

Obama covering all ends

"Tucson transgender woman now serving Obama administration"

According to the Boston Herald, Obama has just appointed the first openly transgender woman to federal government. This week Amanda Simpson began serving as a senior technical advisor to the Department of Commerce.

I think the most fascinating part of this story is a quote that said "It shows that this president is serious about hiring an administration that looks like this country." The other fascinating part for me was that I never knew there was a National Center for Transgender Equality. Despite the gay roommates, classmates, co-workers and dating a girl who lived on Greenwich Street for a year, my ignorance to the gay community is still vast and wide.

I tell you one thing, this man is covering his bases for 2012 hotdamnit! He already made a huge impact amongst women and Latinos with Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who's most controversial attribute was the enunciation of her last name. At this rate, this Obama dude will lock down most of the majority vote by the end of this year. He's shown he has resolve on war, the economy is a constant focus, and he's keeping to his withdrawal and healthcare campaign commitments.... best he can....despite that evil party in the house that wont support him.........................THE DEMOCRATS!!!

Yeah I said it!!

Racism in America/ Black Eye of the Tiger 2

Sidenote: Ok, some may call it lazy that I'm doubling a sequel, but if the two weren't intertwined, I wouldn't exactly have much to talk about right now would I?

Previously on "My $0.02"................
Black Eye of the Tiger

and

Racism in America

Now....... as I stated before

"The American media loves nothing more than bringing down a prominent black person from glory........YEAH I SAID IT!!"

Extreme? I've been told......and then I saw this:
Where does one start? With the fact that it was done before the incident or that it was done without Tiger's participation?
Now it's possible that going to architecture school within an art school has made me a little over analytical about graphic imagery. I might read too much into a bare-chested photo of a person (forget race, the image of a bare cheste black man has no historic context of barbarism) who is almost always portrayed in a polo shirt if not some other professional/casual attire. I might be o.d.'ing when I say the cold color scheme of the backdrop and blue filters combined with the metallic free-weights are reminiscent of an inmate in a prison yard. I may be a little over the top to imply that the otherwise contradictory scully hat (scully = knit hat, ppl in different regions call it different things) which otherwise makes no sense, is the crowning cherry on the top to create the hoodlum, thug, criminal, bandit, villain persona. Heavens no! No way that could possibly be intentional. I work out all the time...well... used to.... (notice it's been a while since a "Staying Motivated in Gym" installment but that's another conversation) and I have shoulder length hair, so I can imagine how cold the head of a clean shave athlete must get while working out.....in the same climate that prompts one to take off their shirt....... which in itself is not at all symbolic of stripping anyone of anything...other than clothes........especially in the context of his current affairs. That's too far fetched.

And I'm absolutely confident that such an accredited publication mogul like "Vanity Fair" would be so versed in the power of still images that if any of these absurd insinusations were ever possible, it would have come up at least once before it made cover or even made it to print. It's not like EVERYTHING isn't scrutinized, analyzed and discussed down to the composition, colors, position and size or type of fonts. There's no way any publication would be either so oblivious or aware of this and still okay the article. Cus we all know how bad contraversy is for magazine sales. Who would want that?

I'm not trying to say anything, I'm just saying. Observations, is all. Oh! This will DEFINITELY be continued....

This brain fart has been brought to you by the letter "T," the color Orange, The New York Public Library, sarcasm, AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU!!!!

EPILOGUE....or perhaps, rather prologue-ey, after-the-fact but actually written long before-type-thingy....

Why does this all feel like deja vu? Bc I had this same debate almost two years ago when Vogue had "Lebron Kong" on the cover. I was told then that I was too over the top so I wanted to share with you all a post I wrote at the time in my discussion group "Vital Issues 'n' Stuff with Charles" (apparently forgetting I actually had a blog at the time).

You wroteon March 27, 2008 at 3:09pm

I think its utter naivety to say that Vogue did not put any thought into this obvious racial slap or was oblivious to any racial connotation. Before I even read this post the the first thing i saw in a half second glance is King Kong.
Example: Lebron signature (or at least one of em) is the white head band. Where is it? What are the colors of the Cavs uniform? Red, White or Navy blue. Why is he dressed in all black. I could sit hear all day and tear this image apart.

Vogue was either conscious of the racial image they were depicting and knew they could veil it in the age old guise of "oh you're just reading into it...people are too sensitive about race" or they realized the racial association that was perceived and either didn't care, or counted on it to spike sales. If you really, truly believe a magazine that is the bible of fashion and image was not cognoscente of this, I have a bridge for sale that you should take a look at.

Despite my love of sesquipedalian salads and semiotic symphonies, one thing we've heard a trillion gazillion times, when word fail, a picture says a thousand words.....


UPDATE: OF COUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSE!!!! NO WONDER!! ITS THE SAME PHOTOGRAPHER ANNIE LEIBOWITZ!!!!!!

Sign of the times. [Throw back]

Prologue:
I was actually looking for this post to reference-link it in my last blog, however when I couldn't find it, I realized that I wrote it on another website. This is one of the first blogs I ever wrote (that I still have record of). It's been almost three years but I had a similar experience when I told you guys about Virgin Megastore closing down. So many memories gone....well, lets take it back.....

Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 1:47pm | Edit Note | Delete

The following is a random brain fart/potential topic starter. Some of you may or may not know this but I have a "little" fascination with tracking businesses, marketting, technology and trends. Feel free to expound.


FYI, TOWER RECORDS IS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, THEY HAVE A SALE OF UP TO 30%.

How does a staple of pop culture just fade away? Kinda sad when a company can't keep up with trends, and the moving world around it renders it obsolete. Pesonally, I'm partially responsible. I haven't bought a cd in 4 years (and it was a capoeira cd with music I couldn't find online so add 2 years for regular music). I haven't purchased a movie in 6 months since I installed a 300 gig Hard drive and discovered blockbuster online.

Imagine how many people are losing a job and thier way of life because of recent shifts in technology? Talk about history repeating itself, we're witnessing the modern day vinyl record and camera obscura.

I once heard a story which I find hilarious and relevant (imagine it in a jamaican accent)

A man met his friend who appeared disturbed. Naturally he asked, "why?" His friend was about to be deported. Once again, "why?"
"I tried to stow-away on a boat to England. I painted my body green and hid amongst the green bananas"
"So how did you get caught? How did they find you?"
"Well, by the time the boat got to England, I was still green and all the bananas turned yellow."

Moral of the story: this world is constantly changing and if you don't grow, change, adapt and evolve, you will be exposed.

-My $0.02

I also revisited it again at some point last year......

I ran across this old post and I laugh about its parallel to today's context. I originally thought about it bc of ppl who keep crying over the new facebook, but tower records is a good example of how corporate greed can sink an empire.

A CD cost approximately $0.49 to burn (and that figure is from the 90's so its pennies today) and money is taken out of the artist's share to pay for the art design and publishing.............SO WHY THE HELL DO CD's STILL COST $16-$20!?!?!?!?

October 1, 2008 at 3:28pm · Delete

Killer savings on VCR's, the best darn vinyl records ever and other antiquated technologies going down the tubes.....PART II

Anyhow, so today (actually yesterday), I hear a commercial on the radio for HIGHER RESOLUTION DVD PLAYERS! Not blue ray or hd-dvd, DV fricken D aka the VCR killer.

Sidenote - I have two vcr's, both underneath something in some nooks of my home collecting dust. I have a theory that anyone who still has a vcr thats still connected and not dusty and under the age of 40 (some over) keep it for the sole purpose of porn. Imagine letting go of your 10-20 year stash? Thats quite the collection... but thats another conversation...

The commercial boasts that the player boosts the resolution on your dvd's to match your hd tv. Talk about playing with the band on the titanic! Why would some companies remains so stubborn, oblivious and practice corporate suicide??? And for that matter, why the fragglerock are dvd's still $15-$25!!!??? A cd cost approx. 47 cents to burn back in the late 90's (I'll never forget hearing that on 20/20). Why do cd's still cost $12-$20!?!? Especially when most of the publishing, art and production comes out of the artists pocket....some $3-$8 per cd sold. HD-DVD accepted their fate and are selling movies for $4 :) No wonder so many companies are failing. GREED and no one's watching the trends!!!!

Sidenote - I changed my stance from my previous post! Save DETROIT!! I need to do some more homework bc I'm still not understanding how you rimjob some of the biggest American based companies in the world and the next week bailout a company with trillions in liquid assets that bought out smaller companies that went on sale during first wave of companies failings..... but thats another conversation.

We're actually only a few years out before blue ray is obsolete as well and we're all digital with digital downloads leading the way and I'll prove it. Since the proliferation of ipods, flash drive and portable 120 gig hard drives that fit in the palm of your hand, when was the last time you used a re-writeable cd? Or even burned a cd for anything but music? When was the last time you purchased film? We have websites where you can basically send someone an entire movie or photo album, or music album via websites, email and a link. To truly understand the applications you need to use an xbox 360 or a ps3 beyond the gaming features. Netflix even has a gadget where you can order movies straight through your tv. On demand, tivo...need I go on?

Sidenote - Why does America suck at all the things we invented? You'd figure Kodak would rule and be a leader in digital cameras and Ford would make the best cars on earth.......but thats another conversation.

Physical mediums are tanking in sales. These may one day become only relics or tools of the trade used only and specifically by ppl within certain industries and not daily consumption of the general public. For example, I cant think of anyone who buys film other than photographers. The music and film industry is feeling it heavily. However, they'll survive. Question is, on what level of survival.....but that's another conversation...

Killer savings on VCR's, the best darn vinyl records ever and other antiquated technologies going down the tubes.....

So a year a go (like how i start mid convo right? Ya do. You know it!) I started a convo/email thread that still goes till today discussing the pros n cons of ps3 vs xbox 360, blue ray vs hddvd. I learned a lot and just as predicted, I was on the winning side that called it for blue ray in a 9th round knock out. Blue ray is hands down the better medium so why were so many industry leaders supporting hd-dvd? According to Michael Bay (who can blow things up on screen like nobodies business like no other):

"What you don't understand is corporate politics. Microsoft wants both formats to fail so they can be heroes and make the world move to digital downloads. That is the dirty secret no one is talking about. That is why Microsoft is handing out $100 million dollar checks to studios just embrace the HD DVD and not the leading, and superior Blu Ray. They want confusion in the market until they perfect the digital downloads. Time will tell and you will see the truth."

Granted that digital download is waaaaay down the line in terms of everyday application, it is our inevitable norm. If you don't believe me, take a trip back to 1992, while we were celebrating our technological marvels such as a "megahert" (you know, that unit that seemed so high and mighty before they created...) a "gigahert" (yes! the answer to all your storage needs. today we just call em G's or gigs and take em for granted because ppl will give away billions of em for ad revenue - THANKS GOOGLE!!), with roooaring 52k dial up download speed (if numbers mean nothing to you, imagine using your computer at home or school and your profile picture taking as much time to download as... The "Ten Commandments" in HD) .....that disconnected anytime you had a phone call or would block your calls if you had call waiting. And ppl ran out the rooms whenever you turned on a microwave or got mad at you for not warning them first and feared cell phones bc they both had radiation. AAAAAAAnd if anyone did have one, it looked no different than the one in your house, with ya Zack Morris ass.

Sidenote - ppl who didn't have call waiting got on my nerves.
Side-er sidenote - Zack and Slater were in the closet. Watch that show a little closer now that you're older...but thats another conversation

Now if you could manage to find someone......aaaaand they even had a pc in thier home....aaaaaand it did more than just type (remember word processors?) and it had a color screen, not a black screen with green letters........and they even knew what the internet was........and they had internet in their homes, you had to wait until "internet time" (remember, you couldnt be online during certain hours bc you were expecting calls and you couldnt be online and on the phone at the same time) just to even check. I can do more from my phone today than I could on a home computer in 92.....sad.

This post got too long... to be continued..............