Can you hear the 'Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats.... Hooooo!'

Great fan made trailor of a Thundercats movie.... It's amazing what they can do with technology... As reported by NYMag here, its not actually real.... but super fun none the less.

A Hard Case.......

UPDATE: This video has been removed at the request of EMI due to copyright issues. Interesting use of the law - post video's when profitable, remove video's when a liability.... I guess you can have your cake and eat it too.....
-----------------------
As recently reported, Joe Satriani is filing suit agains Coldplay for plagerism... And while these types of suits are typically difficult to prove, the below video does a pretty good job of summing up the argument.....

The Master of Space and Time - Leon Russell

What a way to end the Thanksgiving weekend - with two hours of rocking Leon Russell.... If you haven't heard of him, or if you thought he was dead, let me stop and say; no he's very much alive and rocking - so listen up!

We saw Leon up in Norwalk Connecticut at a very cool, refurbished country playhouse called the Infinity Theatre. It felt like we we're going back in time (and looking around at the audience we probably were) - but it was totally fun and the music was great. The sound was great, the seats were comfortable, lighting was minimal but effective - overall awesome!!!!

Let me just say Leon is the man...... He looks EXACTLY like he does on the record cover! Huge beard, white suit, white snake skin hat, sunglasses (that flip up!).... And while he may look like a combination of Gandolf the Grey and Yoda - his hands still move well over the piano keys and his voice remains slightly high and surly.... And his show was great! While I had hoped for some interesting stories - as my wife said - "real musicians don't talk. They play music and that's how they speak." Well, she was right - Leon didn't say a word until the end - he just played - one hit after the other.

But when he did speak - we listened. At the end of the show Leon said; "Well, this is about the time we're supposed to walk off the stage, wave and say good bye.... You clap - we walk back on stage - we play some more..... Well - I'm too old for that shit. Wy don't you all just imagine we walked off stage and we'll play some more... OK?" We definately thought that was OK!!!

Leon's band also rocked - a truly random group of guys from in or around Oklahoma.... There was:
- The young guitar player who looked like 'son of the blues bros.' (amazing slide guitar)
- The older bass player who was still wearing the uniform of the 80's jazz bass player
- The blind second keyboard player who never seemed to be looking anywhere but none the less, hit every key perfectly (he totally rocked!)
- And the drummer (who unfortunately was hidden behind his drums, but he rocked too!)

The only disappointing part of the night was the fact that Leon didn't have a chance to play either "Tight Rope" or "Queen of the Roller Derby" (my wife's favorite song) - but otherwise amazing! What a joy and pleasure to see a great musician take the stage in a small and intimate (great sounding) venue.....

Perhaps I can make it happen again when he's back in NYC in March!

Kill Your Television (ignore all the plaid shirts)

suggests Happy people spend a lot of time socializing, going to church and reading newspapers — but they don’t spend a lot of time watching television."

Not so bright in this morning light

It was a long evening. Too long in fact - and while I share some of the blame (don't believe everything you read/hear/are told), I continue to wonder why no one can put on a good show anymore. Here a few questions to think about.

1) Why can't a venue ever post the actual time a band will go on? Originally it says 7pm. When I arrive they say 9pm. They actually go on at 11pm.

2) Why can't opening acts not be terrible? I think this is a pretty low bar. Just don't suck. Unlucky for me, the opening acts last night did suck. The first act was monotonous, droney, repetitive and electronic. The fact that they looked like poster children for American Apparel didn't help them either.

The second act, while slightly more creative, with some ability to use a looper, was also too redundant and overly dramatic. Chill out. relax - its music. And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the guy at the bar - the only guy actually talking during the show - wouldn't shut up. His voice was an additional track to an already annoying song.

3) Did you do a sound check before you got on the stage? This seems to be a recurring theme lately. I know the economy's bad but I'm sure there must be someone in your crew or at the venue who can perform a sound check and ensure all the levels are correct. This will benefit everyone.

The back story - why I'm writing and the band in the picture (which is dark and you probably can't make anything out).

Brightblack Morning Light - been a fan for years. Missed them the first time they came through NYC a few years back so I was determined to see them live. Little did I know I would need every ounce of that determination just to make it to their opening song. And needless to say, once they did take the stage things improved.

In fact, Rachel Hughes (keys) was excellent. While the keys are a driving force on the CD, it was even more evident on stage. Additionally, their use of other non-traditional instruments such as a strange flute like thing as well as a xylophone-like thing were also very cool. Lights - very trippy and they even had a smoke machine... A little gimicky and if it wheren't for the crowd - probably would been pretty cool.

Shineywater (guitars/vox) however - back to the mixing point above. He looked like he was having fun and from what I could hear it was probably ok - but that was the problem. "Probably".... Turn it up buddy - it's a concert - people came to hear you!

Anyway - I arrived with high expectations and left defeated and exhausted....

Oh wait - I didn't even get a chance to rant about the crowd.... Needless to say, I needed every drop of determination and perseverance to make it through the night...... Perhaps we can catch them in some Kwanzaa hut up in VT after a day of skiing - with hot cocoa in hand and a smoke in the other - now that sounds superior.

Big hugs go out to my wife for going with me. She showed true grit and didn't complain once. She left that up to me.

-----------FOLLOW UP-----

Interesting Video


EVEN BETTER "Comment" from Brkln Vegan Website:

"I banged that chick in the video. Her name's Mary and she lives in Oakland."

Get your sex bomb on down in the living room

And that living room is Bill's - Bill Saxton the man with the Sax.

I had the pleasure of seeing Bill a few weeks back and what an evening. Great music - great crowd. Awesome. He's even on MySpace and check out the review below...

Enjoy and thanks Mart-nitski for the heads up on this hidden gem.

Frommer's Review

Imagine hearing great live jazz in your living room. That's about as close as what you will experience at the very intimate and special Bill's Place. Bill is Bill Saxton, a jazz saxophonist extraordinaire and a Harlem legend. Saxton was a Friday night regular for many years at St. Nick's Pub and has played at clubs all over Harlem and downtown. In late 2005 he opened his own club in the parlor level of a brownstone on West 133rd Street. In the 1920s, 133rd Street between Lenox and Seventh Avenue, with a number of speakeasies and jazz joints up and down the block, was the original "swing street"; a 17-year-old Billie Holliday was discovered singing in a club on 133rd Street, and the block was the model that West 52nd emulated and tried to imitate in the 1940s and 1950s. So it's appropriate that Saxton's place is on this historic block -- the jazz heard here is also the real deal. There are no frills at Bill's Place: Come into the parlor, find a seat -- there aren't many, so reservations are a must -- and groove to Saxton's pure bop sound. Alcohol is not served, but soft drinks are available and you can bring your own bottle. Open on Friday and Saturday only. On Friday Saxton and his quartet perform while Saturday is reserved for legends and emerging talent.

“Como Se Dice…Como Se llama? (OBAMA, OBAMA)”

It's been 48hrs - OMG this is amazing! Get the lyrics and MP3 here.

Interesting Evolution

Big Package. Little Box.

What in the world do people do in New York - and hasn't anyone been reading the news? I thought the world was coming apart at the seems. Apparently the folks at The Box in Manhattans lower east side didn't get the memo.

In fact, at a recent birthday party on a tuesday night, I was surprised to find the place empty at 11pm. Damn, I thought - this place must be on the decline (its actually been open for several years now). After a quick tour provided by my friend..... Interlude - the Box is a converted sign factory and is one the cooler spaces I have been to in NYC.... We sat down to have a drink and await the show - yes there's a show.... And it doesn't start until 1am. 1 am?????? And when it does begin, hold on..... Now I am no expert in burlesque, but it was plenty fun, oversexed and got the crowd to its feet. By the end of the night, folks were hanging from the rafters....

And what a crowd - models, actors, punks, suits.... Typically NY.... And, damn crowded too!! Did I mention there was a a line to get in still at 2:30....

Anyway. The fun ended at about 4 and continued to deteriorate when my alarm went off at 8 (had to sleep in...)...

But overall - what a night.... Happy birthday Eyeballs!

The trailer you won't see on TV

Two of my favorite past times - Star Wars and Porn.....

A bit of a Beck handed compliment.....

Last nights concert at the United Palace Theater (which is an amazing venue, visually), was a little disappointing. Despite arriving late and missing the opening act MGMT, I held out hope that the evenings entertainment would more than makeup for my tardiness.... Needless to say, it didn't.

While Beck was ok, and the band looked the part, the overall sound was not good. You couldn't make out the vocals, feedback was a bit of an issue and overall, everything sounded mudled. While I don't blame beck (I blame the sound guy), I was a little suprised he didn't care more about the overall performance - especially when everyone paid $50+ a ticket.

As for how engaged he was with the crowd, this too was disapointing..... At a few moments it felt it might break out from the duldroms, but it never did. The encore was barely an encore. Goodbye, hello, goodbye.... That about sums it up.

The highlight of the night were the three songs of the Sea Change album - perhaps the venue accomodates a more stripped down sound better.... But for whatever reason, these seemed to highligh his ability to shine as a solo artist, free from all the gimmicky electronics and indie back-up band....

I realize he's probably tyring to just fulfill his recording contracts and obligations - but it felt a little like showing up to work rather then the original and passionate artist Beck is known to be....

Thank you to BrooklynVegan for providing the full set list.

Loser
Nausea
Girl
Timebomb
Minus
Soul of a Man
Mixed Bizness
Nicotine & Gravy
Que Onda Guero
Hell Yes
Black Tambourine
Devils Haircut
Think I'm in Love
Modern Guilt
Orphans
Walls
Missing
Chemtrails
Golden Age
Lost Cause
Lonesome Whistle
Where It's At

Encore:
Gamma Ray
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
E-Pro

Unfortinately, its not a game....

Wall Street seems to have dropped the ball.... Again.... Check out these video games from 1987. I can only imagine what the folks at today's publishers will come up with ...

Grand Theft Auto meets Gordon Gekko? The both share the same proposition - "Greed is Good" (until the bottom drops out)....

dirty Diesel - so clever in the edit studio...

Diesel SFW XXX
by svenstar07

The folks at Diesel are throwing some parties around the world - in case you missed that part of the video. If this video is any indication, they should be pretty wild... Always ones to be pushing the envelope as well as everyone's buttons, just like the charectors in the video, this little piece is now flying around the internet....

Good heads up Agency Spy....

I have joined the heard

and purchased an iphone. I must admit, despite some minor kinks - it really is a super phone.

After spending the last year (or two) in denial, it rocks. It works better, is designed better and looks better than everything else on the market.

Still a little pricey, but you have to splurge once in a while.

After a long night, I woke with goggly eyes (that felt like this)

The waters of Bali, Indonesia, are home to this otherworldly creature, a peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus). The shrimp feeds by smashing open its prey until it can feed on its tissue.

Thank god for friends

After a long Thursday night of birthday Parties, when my stomach is feeling sour and my head is rather obnoxious, its nice to be reminded that we all have friends. BG - thanks for the heads up on this one. Happy Bday!

Suck on this.... Suckers (NYC)

Up and comers, Suckers, played with the Dragons of Zynth last night at the le Pousen Rouge in NYC. Despite only having a few songs - the band put on a great show. Great enthusiasm, a cool sound, and gimme a break - anyone who wears face paint and can rock out gets my vote.

Keep an eye out for their first EP - they just got into the studio this month.

Download some free tracks here, or check out their page.

Sometimes we all need to talk it out

And, another one bites the dust.

As reported in the NYTimes, Coney Island's Astroland park will be shutting its doors for good this year.

That's really too bad because NYC continues to lose those things that have made it unique. I wonder, within all this change, which direction we are going - getting better or worse?

As I mentioned last year, everywhere you look it seems someone is trying to sell you something. That, or they're building a new hi-rise condo and are trying to get you to move in.....

I was talking to an a high school friend the other day who is a carpenter. He made the observation that tradesman, crafts persos or carpenter was not included on a profile page he had completed for facebook, myspace or someother. This impressed upon me, more than all the articles I had read to this point, the fact that America truly has become a service economy. One in which very few people actually make anything. Instead, we spend our days "working" to get everyone else to buy the things someone in a lower paid country made...... Uhhhhh.

The folks at Astroland made something. Unfortunately for them, they sold their space (they didn't even sell what they had made). But alas, this is were we stand.

A nicer guy......

I feel for Tom Brady, I really do.... It totally sucks to go out like that....

But when it comes to Belechick, well, this type of thing couldn't happen to a nicer guy. It was a perfect ending last season and now we're off to a perfect begging....

(he's so caring in this pic...)

Dickhead, seen in an aqauatic environment

slow couple weeks and I thought a good laugh was in order.

Thanks P. for sharing!

Another nightmare - little Gordon?

Gordon Ramsey - one of TV's most volatile chef's is known for his fresh attitude and tasteful comments. In this little ditty of a video, see how lil' Gordon got his start in the restaurant review biz...

The Worlds Greatest Olympian

Congratulations to Michael Phelps - the worlds greatest Olympian. Here are some other athletes I felt deserved attention.

Thanks to Burner for the heads up!

And the mashups keep comin'

Cheer up (with) Charlie?

It's a bird eat bird world out there.

Band for hire. Weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.

Top 50 albums of the first half of '08

Compiled by NPR's All Songs Considered, below is a running tally of top albums this year.

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Skateboarding... Even your old man will like.

Dad's chair.....














Our chair.....















Made by Skate Study House.....

Is there anything you can't do with LEGO's?

I can't decide if this is sad or funny - depending on my mood I can see it both ways. Either way, it demonstrates that with a little creativity you can do almost anything with LEGO's.

Innocent juicer or racist epitaph?

Minimalist juicer or three-dimensional caricatures of Chinese “coolies”.... Read about the campaign to "drop the juicer" here.

You be the judge.

Thank you "culturally concerned anonymous tipster" for bringing this to our attention.

A lost Dawg? Or just a mongrel?

I recently watched the movie Grateful Dawg about one of Jerry Garcia's side projects - a collaboration with David Grisman. Lots of great mandolin, country and cool old americana music. If you're into this kind of think, I highly recommend it.

And then today, I thought I saw a third dawg on the NY Times website! Sadly, the truth of the matter is that long, scraggly white hair and a beard can hide even the ugliest man..... (Radovan Karadzic was caught - a very bad dude, read it here)


Makes you wonder - what did all those old men do that made them hide behind a beard?

Batman(s) & Friends

The buzz is building for the latest iteration of the Dark Night. The movie was pegged to be block-buster even before the tragic death of Heath Ledger and overall, fans of the caped crusader will hopefully be treated to an even more visually stunning presentation than any previous - several scenes are shot in Imax.

I too will be standing in line and can't wait for this movie. To help build the excitement, below are some fun pics of Batman and friends through the ages. See the full 91 images here.

Enjoy and see you at the movies.

That said, perhaps even more fun are the bad guys!

See the Big Lebowski in a new way

Do you know what you're looking at? Every image from the film layed out in succession. A digital thumb print, per se. See the original file here. Very cool - kudos.

And I Rand, I ran so far away........

Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and the Fountainhead was also one of the main developers and proponents of a moral philosophy called Objectivism. Disregarded at the time, it was later embraced by conservatives.

In her own words:

My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.
—Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged 35th anniversary edition

However, a more accurate expression may be:

"Objectivism holds that reality exists independent from consciousness; that individual persons are in contact with this reality through sensory perception; that human beings can gain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation; that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or "rational self-interest"; that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights, embodied in pure, consensual laissez-faire capitalism; and that the role of art in human life is to transform man's widest metaphysical ideas, by selective reproduction of reality, into a physical form—a work of art—that one can comprehend and respond to."
— Wikipedia


In an interview from Playboy magazine in 1964, (read the full interview here) we can see the roots of how this philosophy arrives at a "you're with us or your against us" attitude.

PLAYBOY: In Atlas Shrugged you wrote, "There are two sides to every issue. One side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil." Isn't this a rather black-and-white set of values?

RAND: It most certainly is. I most emphatically advocate a black-and-white view of the world. Let us define this. What is meant by the expression "black and white"? It means good and evil. Before you can identify anything as gray, as middle of the road, you have to know what is black and what is white, because gray is merely a mixture of the two. And when you have established that one alternative is good and the other is evil, there is no justification for the choice of a mixture. There is no justification ever for choosing any part of what you know to be evil.

So you be the judge. Right or wrong? Or somewhere in the middle, unless you're an objectivist....

Live Vampires

Vampire Weekend video's. Pretty good stuff. Love the strings. From Pitchfork archives.

Shine on you crazy diamond!

Very cool promo video for Kubrick, from the BBC. "See the world through the eyes of a master." Very cool.

Bubbles of Troubles

Everyone loves to pop - now you don't have stop... Check it out!

(annoy your office mates....)













thanks D.

Show em' up - pt. 2 (Black Angels)

These guys rock! Keep an eye out - they'll be getting more press than blog chatter soon enough.

If MMJ is big news, big venue (RC), we saw these guys rock in a totally different way. Way out in Brooklyn, at Southpaw. These five rockers from Austin proved psychedelic rock is still alive and well.... With strobes, feedback and screams, they put on a tremendous show.

Deep drums, feedback galore, catchy riffs and a great singer, they left the crowd sweaty and wanting more. Despite only having two albums under the belt, they sure know how to put on a show.

They're on tour now, so check out their website for tour dates and if you can catch em', don't miss em'.

Interested hearing this obscenely loud sound - check out the Futurist.

Show em' up - pt .1 (MMJ)

It's concert season people and I'm doing my darndest to see some great bands. Two shows have been memorable.

The first got a lot of press - My Morning Jacket at Radio City Music Hall.

These guys killed it! And, let me say there is not a bad seat in Radio City. I should know - we were in the third tier, last row..... Literally, the last seats.... And while the band looked a little smaller than I would have liked, they put on a show...

The ticket said doors open at 7 and show's at 8. Hmmm.... No opening band. 8 o'clock show???

Well, I didn't want to be the asshole who shows up late and glad I didn't, because at 8:10 they took the stage. With a few words of hello they tore into what would be four continuous hours of song. FOUR HOURS! No talking, no bullshit - just rockin' out.

From the first note, the crowd was on their feet. And after the four hours of dancin', rockin', drinkin' and smokin' everyone was tired. And I can only imagine how the band felt.... Check out the set list - reads like a 'best of' with the full Evil Urges album sprinkled throughout.

Evil Urges, Off The Record, I'm Amazed, Highly Suspicious, What a Wonderful Man, Touch Me Part 1, Sec Walkin, Golden, Thank You Too, The Way That He Sings, Two Halves, Phone Went West, Aluminum Park, Steam Engine, Smokin From Shootin, Touch Me Part 2

Encore:
Bermuda Highway, Librarian, Wordless Chorus, It Beats 4 U, Dondante, The Bear, Lay Low
Run Thru, Anytime, One Big Holiday

Seven words where just enough!

Good bye George - you insulted one generation and inspired another. In our laughter you made a country reflect on its identity - and you made us laugh.... Again and again.

very funny man.

Rough Trade

Breaking up is hard to do. But this site makes it just a little easier by turning that bracelet or ring into some quick cash. Turn hurt feelings into happy greenbacks.

That said, buyer be ware - bad karma may not be far behind.

Even the big man needs insurance

"Why every guy should buy his girlfriend a Wii Fit"

What a video - so fun, so original.... And thanks to AgencySpy, we can recognize the true genius of this video - Advertising!

Damn! Can you believe it - now that's an idea I can get hip too!

The bitch about blogging

You can't always have your cake and eat it too - Emily should know (article). She was Queen of the blogosphere and the first to throw mud and begin a dialogue about "other people". But when the tide turned and it was time to switch sides, it wasn't so much fun to be the one under the microscope.

While the story is interesting, I agree with some other readers when we question why it deserves a spread in the NYTimes magazine when there is so much other "important" news out there. See comments.

By reading this, I feel we indulge her just one more time... But then again, if you're reading my blog I guess we're all guilty...

That said, don't expect to read about my love life here... Just some random tidbits of "interesting".... (i think).....

Cards can communicate more than your name

Very cool list of non-traditional business cards. Certainly more interesting than the one in my pocket that I hand out. Perhaps, not the most easy to fit in a wallet but they definately make an impression.

Can you do the can, can.....

Terrific graffiti exhibit in london, curated by none other than the king of controversy, Banksy... The cans festival.

Out of the darkness, behind the light

Super cool images by Bill Henson. A bit like the exorcist meets the Great Gatsby or similar society folk. Either way, the images are both narrative and spooky... You could write some great stories about these characters. Read an interview with the artist here.

This is not where I work

despite my dreary office (at least I have a window), my curiosity about work space is none the less invigorated by these pictures of advertising agencies. So minimal . So cool. So different? But are they - which ones are truly innovating on the way we interact and work and which ones are merely putting a a new dress on a old pig. Either way, check them all out here and let me know how your work space compares.

Solid Gold

Super hot new website to support the Atmosphere album. Check it out here, specifically the gallery.... Tag it up and "paint that shit gold!"

I'll eat your kitty!

X-Rays are amazing and demonstrate that you can fit a square peg into a round hold. Read the full article here!

Get on the Cani-bus!

The good Ganj is finally getting some respect and more importantly, research dollars and positive attention. Find out what the candidates have to say about here - pot is good (NYT).

Several states have already come around and more are sure to follow - good news for everyone!

The force is with you and so are we!

Bells & Butterflies

I have never been a huge fan of Julian Schnabel but he definitely earned points with this film, in my book. While the story is both tragic and inspiring, it was Schnabel's vision that delivered a film both poetic and dynamic. From the visual perspective of the protagonist, to the artful use of color, montage and angle - even the music was great - the overall film experience was terrific.... Cudos to Julian - much more interesting then plates! Check out the NYTimes review here.

fah in the cah - nah!

Polaroid Picture

Fun band. Great Video. We miss you Polaroid and wish you didn't cost $36 a pack on ebay......

Tongue Tied

does anyone else feel dirty when you watch this???

In a MySpace world, it's good to know someone is keeping the riff raff at bay.

Despite people's desire to share everything, its good know there is a line of demarcation between "notable" and irrelevant - even if that line is an editor at Wikipidia.

Check out this article from Ars Technica and see for yourself if you make the cut.

Sometimes you fell like a whore... Sometimes you don't.

Politicians love them both. Note the similarities to what's going on in the back room. Original post here, very funny.

The truth about working in an ad agency
1. You work weird (night) shifts...
Just like prostitutes.

2. They pay you to make the client happy...
Just like a prostitute.

3. The client pays a lot of money, but your employer keeps almost
every penny...
Just like a prostitute.

4. You are rewarded for fulfilling the client's dreams...
Just like a prostitute.

5. Your friendships fall apart and you end up hanging out with
people in the same profession as you...
Just like a prostitute.

6. When you have to meet the client you always have to be perfectly
groomed...
Just like a prostitute.

7. But when you go back home it seems like you are coming back from
hell...
Just like a prostitute.

8. The client always wants to pay less but expects incredible things
from you...
Just like a prostitute.

9. When people ask you about your job, you have difficulties to explain it...
Just like a prostitute.

10. Everyday when you wake up, you say: "I'm not going to spend the rest of my life doing this."

JUST LIKE A PROSTITUTE!!!

Not a speech for the focus groups

I'm not one for for writing about politics but like the rest of country I was both surprised and impressed by Barack Obama speech last week - it completely blew me away. In part, because I didn't see it coming.

In my opinion, he was able to refresh a conversation that is on the tip of everyone's tongue but relegated to the back of the political priority list. Its emotionally charged topic that has completely divided us, yet effects everyone. Ultimately, his choice was not a quick or easy way to rally votes.

However and despite this fact, Barack put himself on display and his career on the line. His eloquence of language, his honesty in recognizing and confronting a subject that both defines and divides this country, brought a clarity of focus not seen on the political landscape in a long time - the combination of which made it that much more compelling.

I do not think anyone else could have made this speech. Most of us lack the credibility, authority or optimism to bring such disparate parties to the table. But for me, he did just that. He challenged us to face our own demons and re-framed the conversation in a way that each of us could identify with and recognize the failings of our own position.

For the last six months, Barack has used a call for "change" to rally the country - a headline I agree with but one that left many feeling a little suspicious - the word left many wondering if this was just another empty promise.

This speech however, demonstrated that change. He changed the way we can confront, discuss and think about race in America. If he can bring this same candor to other subjects, I think we may have a real leader whom we can place our trust in, once again. Although, I cannot remember ever trusting a politician (at least in my lifetime)...

I hope we have the opportunity to hear more speeches like this one. Ones that leave the aforementioned political formula behind, ditch the focus groups and rely on a persons true ability to lead, enlighten, challenge and change this country.

I also hope his message is not lost us by all the talking heads who now appear to be focusing more on who betrayed who instead of focusing on the real challenge - how we move forward. Instead of putting Bill Richardson on TV to defend his decision about not supporting Hillary, why not take this opportunity to raise the question in the classroom, discuss it over the dinner table and reach out to millions of Americans across the county in order to reignite a dialog about race within a framework that makes it possible for us to both agree and disagree?

Barack lit a match, but lets all go out and start a fire that can burn down the walls that divide us.

Off the shelf

What is up with people buying their lifestyle? Lazy. Boring. Stupid.

A catalog of personalities.

Go buy a lamp.

Don't worry. Despair, inc......

Funny? Depends, I guess.... Good stuff.

Know Respect

Everyone has it in for boxing. As Chuck Klosterman observed, "society can no longer relate to the abhorrent purity of (it)" - people just aren't afraid of being punched in the face. They feel safe behind the rule of law and the assignment of blame provided by those who exercise it, lawyers. While I in no way endorse or encourage violence, I also recognize that this freedom from fear, while providing a sense of safety, has also emboldened and empowered, people to speak and act without fear of retribution. Insult someone and you're more than likely to receive a summons than slap.

While I am not someone who benefits from an intimidating physical stature, I recognize the necessity of respect. People used to respect boxers. But I guess, like society, the sport has been changed for reason's of safety.

So I wonder - Do people respect the Ultimate Fighter (UFC) or will that sport go the way of the glove?

At the top, looking out.

I enjoy the chair lift when I snowboard. It's a time to reflect on where you're going - on where you've been - on what you've accomplished. It's a moment of calm before the world begins to fly by in a rush of energy and adrenaline, again.

I've recently completed several long "rides" on the lift. And the last few weeks and days have been such a moment of reflection. I am close enough to my past that I can enjoy the challenges, the ups the downs - and close enough to the summit that I can see the future laid out before me.

I remain anxious about the journey. I don't know what obstacles I may face on the way down. But I do know, I love snowboarding and the rush in every turn, on every jump makes me relish in the thrill of living.