The Greatest Thing This Week

The greatest thing I've discovered on the internet this week most certainly has to be this.



This is the full, uninterrupted of the 1983 film War Games. And the only way i knew it was there was by stumbling across this article. It lists 74 films that have been uploaded, in their glorious entirety, to youtube.

Have at ladies and gents!



peace.

An Economic Tragedy

From The Associated Press:

'Dismal' prospects: 1 in 2 Americans are now poor or low income 

Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans — nearly 1 in 2 — have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income.

The latest census data depict a middle class that's shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government's safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.

"Safety net programs such as food stamps and tax credits kept poverty from rising even higher in 2010, but for many low-income families with work-related and medical expenses, they are considered too 'rich' to qualify," said Sheldon Danziger, a University of Michigan public policy professor who specializes in poverty.

"The reality is that prospects for the poor and the near poor are dismal," he said. "If Congress and the states make further cuts, we can expect the number of poor and low-income families to rise for the next several years." 

Read more here.

It's been a while since I've made any mention of political or social issues here, but I simply could not let this one slip under the radar.

In what world is it acceptable for nearly half of everyone in this county lives at or near the poverty line?  Where's our heart, our compassion?  What happened to, "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..."?  What happened to our sense of innovation and revitalization?  Is this who we've become?  REALLY?  How much deeper into the abyss of economic drudgery will the childish and selfish tendencies of the Baby Boomers take us (They're the ones in charge right now, ya know.)?

I truly hope this all comes to a head soon.  I can guarantee this, it's going to be quite dangerous when it does.  In fact, it already is.



peace.

The Voices We Know

I've always wondered who this guy was.

(Forgive me.  Apparently, my video embedding is on the fritz right now.)

Tonight, I made it my mission to find out.  His name is Charlie Pellett and he is a news anchor for Bloomberg Radio.  Here's a really good article highlighting his work during MTA's change over from spoken to recorded transit announcements.  And if you'd like to see what the guy looks like, have a look here.

Mission Accomplished!

peace.

Emcee of the Month: Rocky Rivera

For reference to these comments, see here.

As I've mentioned many times before, the first hip hop that really inspired me arose from the efforts of northeastern and southeastern rap artists. So whenever I heard hip hop from the west coast, it always struck me oddly. I just couldn't wrap my ears around the sound of west coast dialects, and I feel I missed out on a lot of good music due to that barrier.

What makes this track so fun for me is that, for the first time I can remember, I am attracted to the west coast speech sounds in a completely new way. It doesn't feel nearly as foreign as it did 12 or 13 years ago. And I don't know whether it's Rocky Rivera's doing or simply the development of my sense of hip hop performance, but it sure is nice discovering the ability to enjoy west coast hip hop.

Thanks Rocky.

peace.

Emcee of the Month: Rocky Rivera

There's nothing like a bunch of lowriders on hydraulics in a hip hop video.

Here's the homegirl Rocky Rivera featuring Davinci in the clip for "SF CITY RETROSPECT".

I'll be back on the next one to make some comments. I hope you enjoy!

peace.

...For the Kids.

This is one of the most amazing and heartwarming videos I've seen in quite a while.

You know, I've heard my share of complaints from older folks about their inability to understand hip hop lyrics. Many say the words are too indistinguishable or that they move too fast for them to decipher what's been said. For me, this video beautifully illustrates a core aspect of rap performance that is much more important than lyrical comprehension. Rap lyrics are the textual conduit for the rapper's percussive and melodic aesthetic. In fact, I would argue that what an emcee says in a verse is rarely as important as how s/he musically shapes the verse into something pleasing and exciting for the listener.

"It's not enough to know which notes to play, you have to understand why they need to be played." George Carlin commenting on the blues

This brilliant kid has already made this discovery (as kids will do if we simply leave them to their explorations). As soon as he reaches the age of adding lyrical content to his already sophisticated sense of musical awareness (and if he keeps rapping), he's going to be an absolutely magnificent emcee.

peace.

Mr. Bean

Tonight after our show, I got into a wonderful conversation with my castmate Dave about certain influential comedians throughout history. All of the greats came up; Charlie Chaplin, Peter Sellers, Buster Keaton. You know, the usual suspects. Then I mentioned to Dave my attraction to Rowan Atkinson, particularly my interest in his work in Mr. Bean. Have a look.

I remember being an eight or nine-year-old kid and watching Mr. Bean episodes on HBO with my parents. All of us would almost literally be on the floor laughing at this stuff. Rowan is an absolute master of an absurd and ridiculous brand of honesty and impoliteness. Dave said that Atkinson may be the best clown he's ever seen, primarily because he also works in the grotesque, which is an aesthetic that usually repels the audience. The ability to develop a character that is both repulsive and attractive is no small feat.

There are complete episodes of Mr. Bean on youtube (They wouldn't let me embed them!). I wholeheartedly encourage you to give them a look. Bring oxygen.

peace.