Middle Ground

People are sick of the two party system. They wish the candidates could put agendas aside so they could come to an agreement.
This agreement occurs at a mystical land called the "middle ground."
The middle ground represents the median, in America's case, the middle class. The problem is, the middle class is disappearing. We have a lot of poor people and a handful of rich people. The middle ground serves no one.

Diabetes

It's not a weight loss program; it's a disease

Nipples

Okay, let me get this straight.

This is okay, because the nipple is covered. Her whole boob is out there, but a meticulously placed pasty keeps everything PG-13.
Let's move on.

In this case, the nipple is totally okay. Guys nipples are different than woman's nipples.
So then...
What if I took Gosling's nipple and placed it over Lil Kim's pasty?

Is this still cool? If so, imagine the possibilities? I'm thinking of manufacturing my own line of male nipple pasties for women. Place your order today.

MS Walk

 

 

Legalize It All

I was at a fest and played a game where I won my choice of 2 American Apparel shirts. One said, 'Legalize LA' (immigrant rights) the other said, 'Legalize Gay.' Those are both causes I feel strongly about, but it's not cool to make me chose, especially with a crowd. If I choose the LA one, it's obvious because I'm hispanic. I couldn't pick the gay one because, I hate to admit it, having someone (a lady) have a slight suspicion that I'm gay doesn't help my cause. So I went with the obvious LA shirt, and helped to fulfill every stereotype about chauvinistic hispanic men.
Gracias.

Patriotic Propaganda Turns My Stomach...

But I love the honor among soldiers. There is something so pure about duty and brotherhood. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen was the folding and presenting of a flag at my great-grandfather's funeral. Unfortunately, most of these images are used to push the agendas of the corrupt.
Not in this case.

The Social Music Player

Back in the day, people used to have one stereo. It was big, wooden, and set in the living room. Usually, families sat around it together. Everyone had to listen to the same thing. Ever since the Walkman, people have been listening to music on a personal level. While you probably don't want to listen to Metallica with your mom, we may have lost something with the disappearance of communal media. There's something neat about the shared experience of listening to something together. How much of the music loaded on your iPhone would you be comfortable playing in front of your family? How much of that music would everyone enjoy?

New Orleans, We Have To Talk...

It's not okay to hurt people. It's not okay to reward it. It's worse to celebrate it.
Saints fans, you'll miss out on this upcoming season. It's a shame, coming off such a great year.
Hornets "fans", you no longer deserve your team. Hard hits are a part of sports. It's against the rules, but it happens. Acting like an ass is too far over the line.
Damn, New Orleans, we were in your corner.

Choice vs Born This Way

I don't get the, "Born this way" argument; It's supposed to convince people into accepting gays because it's some kind of "unavoidable circumstance?" That sounds like a weak justification from someone with questionable values. Why can't we accept people because it's their choice? You know who's "born a way?" Black people. Can't we just be cool with people now matter how they are, for whatever reason?

Setting Us All Back

Last night, they Grammys allowed Chris Brown to perform, and even gave him an award.
It's one thing to forgive, it's another to forget. Why is he off the hook already? Why wasn't this a bigger deal? The most important and basic rule I learned growing up was to never strike a woman. What's going on here? I'm baffled.
Rihanna could have, should have made the moment bigger. She should have gave an exclusive to Newsweek. Her bloody face should have been the cover. Besides a firsthand account of that evening's events, the magazine should have been filled with articles about abuse. Stories. Statistics. Options. Proceeds could have gone to organizations that combat this. This was a moment to shine a light on an all too common problem. A teaching lesson for America's youth.
Instead, Twitter is filled with women remarking, "Chris Brown can beat me up any day." I hope that the majority of these are a sad attempt attempt at humor, but I worry otherwise.
I'm not talking about careers here, I'm talking about humanity. Decency.
Chris Brown is no longer the only one to blame here; his lack of remorse has me convinced that he's delusional, and needs serious help. I don't have the patience.
Rihanna has also proved that she also lacks a grasp of reality. She sells girls a false sense of empowerment. A victim becomes more pitiful if they refuse to stand up. I doubt the people around her have her best intentions at heart. Those aren't the people who can help her.
The new loser is the Grammys, and the entire music industry. They allowed him to strut on stage, applauded him and awarded him with trophies. These are the people who try to shame you for downloading MP3s.
We're in real trouble, here.

We're All Working Too Much

The 8 hour work day needs to become a remnant of the past. It's a concept left over from the industrial revolution. We needed manufacturing and we needed long hours. Today, not so much.
Think about everything you do in an average work day. Do you really need to be in the office for 8 hours? Think about all the time lost waiting for other tasks to be completed before you can move on. How about all the time spent taking breaks or winding down in between tasks? Do you think you can do your job in only 5 hours?
The 8 hour workday is too demanding. You have to get up 2 hours before you start, it takes an hour to get home, and another hour to unwind. Better get 8 hours of sleep or you'll be useless tomorrow. What's that leave you with? About 5 hours. 5 hours to read a book, watch tv, prepare dinner, clean the house, help your kids with their math homework. I know it gets done everyday but it just seems to demanding.
A shorter work day would go a long way to improving our quality of life.

This Makes It Quite Clear

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

MLK

Overheard at a KFC Marketing Meeting

"People! KFC has asked us to produce a new commercial for their Black market. I want ideas."
"Why do they even need a commercial? They're going to buy it, regardless."
"Don't worry about it, it's an easy job. Brain-dead stuff. Work with me, people."
"Hhmm... A Black commercial... We can do Southern. Southern Black has made a huge comeback since that thing in New Orleans."
"Popeyes is doing it."
"Oh, yeah."
"What about young Black. You know, hip?"
"No. No violent stuff."
"No, I meant cool and sophisticated. Like 'Ebony' magazine, you know?"
"I'm pretty sure they stopped publishing that."
"I like it. Today's Black customer wants to convey a sense of maturity, sophistication."
"Guys, to tell you the truth, I'm a little uncomfortable with this whole conversation..."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, should we really be talking like this?"
"Oh, I see. We should be saying African-American, right?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"I'm not saying that; too long."
"Wait! We have just a word for this... Damn. What was it?"
"Urban?"
"Yes! Urban! Urban people love chicken!"
"So, cool, black- I mean urban- people enjoying chicken, in a social setting..."
"We'll play some smooth R&B in the background, but nothing overly ethnic or cultural, just generic shit."
"Do you think we should mix in a few other ethnicities. Puerto Rican? Maybe some type of Asian? The beer and insurance companies seem to be doing a lot of multi-racial stuff lately."
"Naw. If we just use Black actors it will be cheaper."
"Make sure we add some sexual overtones. Those people really sleep around."
"We'll run heavy rotation during NBA games and on BET."
"I'm liking it, people! Sounds like our work here is done. Let's break for lunch."
"Where to?"
"California Pizza Kitchen?"
"Just try and stop me."

Down with Down Syndrome

A typical conversation:

Person 1: Congratulations! How far along are you?

Person 2: Oh, about 7 months, now.

Person 1: You must be so excited. Do you know what it is yet?

Person 2: No. We decided not to find out. As long as it has 10 fingers and 10 toes we'll be happy.

Person 1: Amen!

Does anyone else find this sentiment to be more than a little unnerving. Good health is often a blessing or a stroke of luck. Like any other advantage, it is also the source of prejudice and persecution. If your baby isn't a picture of perfection, what then? Will you love him less? Will you deny him the promises you made before his birth? If the color, creed or race of our child no longer matters, why does his capability?

As the older brother of a learning disabled girl, I've seen first-hand the difficulties in raising a special needs child. The demands are numerous and tolling. If given the opportunity I, and hopefully her parents, wouldn't change a thing about her.

The cynical part of me also suspects that a parent's worries are not solely of the wellness of the baby, but instead of the life-changing consequences of having a special needs child. I'm disturbed of the notion that a parent can resent a child, due to illogical fears and shame. Hopefully I'm wrong about this. 

On that note, props to Target.

My Digital Dilema

*The following is purely hypothetical

After reading this article on Louis CK, and the innovative way he is delivering his art, I started to reflect on my role in digital piracy. In high school, I used to buy burned CDs for $5 a pop. My freshman year of college was spent using Kazaa, Limewire and a few other flavors. Then came torrents, which allowed us to download larger files at greater speeds with a higher success rates. This is when I truly discovered music. The Beatles, Dylan, The Beastie Boys; the artists that greatly affected and shaped my sensibilities. Nowadays, I pirate nearly all of my content. Music. Movies. TV Shows. Games. Software. Comics. Books. Before I knew it, I had filled up a 500 GB hard drive with digital content, most of which I never payed for.

And now I'm starting to feel bad about it.

There are three main reasons I, and many others, pirate content. I/we use these reasons to justify our actions, in an attempt to make ourselves feel better.

"The artists aren't hurting for my money"
Although there is some truth to this statement, using it as a justification is folly. I've spent thousands on concerts, merchandise, movie tickets and music games, giving the artists more than what they would have earned through CD sales. However, who am I to determine what someone should earn on whatever goods I purchase? If the CD or DVD is out of my budget, then I don't get to have it. Ultimately this argument says more about me than anyone else.

"There is no other way to get this content"
This argument was the origin of the bootleg. People used to trade tapes of concerts or martial arts movies not aired in the US. Nowadays, everything is everywhere. Even the most obscure live performances or Japanese game shows are only a YouTube search away. The problem comes with current stuff that is limited in release. A handful of mainstream TV shows won't allow their content on Hulu's portable players, and some acts like AC/DC won't put their music on iTunes. Well, if they don't want to make their content easily available, maybe they don't deserve my (hypothetical) money.

"I download to keep up to date"

This is probably the biggest reason I pirate content. Every week, I download a few TV shows and comics. I feel that if I don't consume this content quickly, I'll fall behind in the public discussion. But, I've realized I can't keep up with everything, nor should I try to. I have stacks of books I've never read and Netflix has more content than I can ever consume. There's more than enough stuff out there to distract me. And every time I download that latest single, I start to feel that I cheapen the my digital library. There's only a few groups I truly love, but they have become buried by thousands of flavor-of-the-months. Do I download because I can't afford to acquire the content, or do I acquire the content because I can download?

After all is said and done, I don't know what I'm going to do? Do I delete my entire digital library, and build it back up through legal purchases? Do I just by legal stuff from here on out? Do I stuff a few bucks into an envelope and send it to the artists? A combination of these? I don't know, but I feel like it's something I'm going to wrestle with for a while. 

Giant Strollers - I Blame Yuppies

If you were a baby in the 80s, there's a good chance your stroller looked like this:

Simple, compact, light, portable and easily foldable. Urban design and it's finest.

Remember all those those Yuppies who put their careers ahead of having families. Well, they finally all started having kids in the late 90s. 

The result is this:

Giant. Fucking. Strollers.

Why so big? I'll tell you why: It's because they needed something to show off when they left their SUVs at home. 

Unfortunately, like the SUVs, the giant strollers have left the posh neighborhoods and have flooded the hoods. You ain't right unless your man drops $500 on a stoller for your, "little king." 

The worst part about them is they're hard as fuck to maneuver on the bus.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Since the death of Steve Jobs, I've had some time to reflect on what his work has meant to me. I've found it difficult to fully express the impact he's had on my life, and this entry is an attempt to satisfy that feeling. I don't wish to eulogize the man, there are people in far greater a position to do so. I don't feel it necessary to justify his contribution to human culture. Truth be told, if you don't already realize his impact this article may not be for you, or simply put, you just don't get it. What I am trying to do is come to terms with the fact that I feel an incredible loss, not a loss of a CEO, or a inventor, or even a man, but the loss of a pioneer.

For a while now, I've come to terms that there are three people, whom I've never known, yet have had a profound impact on who I am; Martin Luther King Jr., Jim Henson, and Steve Jobs. They are now all gone. Each of their lives cut short in the middle of their most important work. And that is what bothers me the most; Steve was in the middle of some of his most important work. King died long before I was born, I only know him through history books and documentaries. I grew up with Henson's work, but I was too young to realize who he was, or when he had died. I only know that he was a big part of my childhood, and his death closed the chapter on that era of my life.

But Steve... I knew Steve.

Sure, when I was 6 and my family had a Mac in the living room, I had no idea who was behind it. I only knew that I had this cool little box that let me paint crude pictures of houses and trees. I became aware of Jobs much later, after I graduated High School and started playing around with computers more seriously. I, like many others, fell in love with Apple. And those who truly love Apple know what I'm talking about. You don't like your Mac, you love your Mac, and you learn to love Steve.

Here was a guy who did it all. He brought you great products with amazing design, but most importantly, he gave them purpose. These machines weren't intended to make us work faster or easier, they were mean't to allow us tho do more, to do greater. Steve often talked about living at the intersection of "Technology" and "Liberal Arts", and I thought that must be the greatest place to be.

Which brings me to my greatest concern:

Where do we go from here?

Jobs was more than a businessman, he was a pioneer, an explorer. In the last ten to fifteen years he has revolutionized the entertainment industry, computing industry, information age and publishing. All the while, making the tools available to the plain man. There are many great CEOs, most of which are highly capable at leading a company, initiating change, and nurturing creativity. Unfortunately, most of these men are reactionary, they don't have what Steve had. Time and time again, Steve took great risks, venturing into new fields, creating entire new markets. Others could only hope to answer with competent, albeit uninspired, products. They tried to replicate, but could never duplicate.

I can only hope Steve's work lasts another life-time. It's not the technology I'm concerned about, the technology will grow, faster and greater still. I don't want us to lose the sense of spirit, adventure, and even foolishness, Steve imparted. I'm sure those who were close to him or worked with him feel that. They now have their entire career ahead of them with the new mantra, "Do for Steve." I can only be optimistic that we can carry on his legacy. Not in the man he was, several accounts make clear that he had his fair share of foibles, but in what he taught us. The most important thing we can do from here on out... is think differently.

Lea Michele is Sexy, Parents Confused

Once again Lea Michele has bothered Middle-America with a sexy magazine cover. People are upset because, although she is 24, she plays a high schooler (17, I think). They claim this sends an inappropriate message to their children, and are up in arms.

One such dumb bitch, mom Kim Trefcer said, "She plays such a 'good girl' on 'Glee' and a lot of kids look up to her persona. Then she poses very provocatively on two magazine covers which makes my almost-13-year-old son very confused and offended.” -Fox News (Damn, I can't believe I'm linking to them)

I agree, if by 'confused' she meant 'curious', and by 'offended' she meant 'horny'. So, let me get this straight; this woman is upset with a cover of a magazine intended for adults but is okay letting her son watch Glee? Doesn't that show deal with teen sex, drug use, drinking and infidelity on an almost weekly basis?

Sounds like this Kim Trefcer is hating, not unlike the time Santana was hating on Rachel when she was going after Puck.

Shit! People are homeless?

By now, you all
know the story. A homeless man is saved from the streets by the
discovery of his amazing voice. After ruining his life with
drugs and alcohol, Ted Williams has become an overnight sensation.
It's the Susan Boyle story as imagined by the writers of The Wire.
Now the media is off and running with this great feel-good story.
Bullshit. This whole thing stinks. Here's why:

Condescending white man.

"I'm going to make
you work for your dollar," says the morally sound reporter. "God
bless!" responds the homeless, disheveled Ted Williams. He probably
should of said, "Thank ya, kindly sir! How bout a little chuck and
jive as you drive away. You sure look warm in that perdy car. Have
a nice day at your cushy job, motherfucker." If you want to give a
bum a buck, more power to you, but don't be a dick. The reporter
was probably thinking, "Shit, I'm gonna get canned if I don't come
up with something soon. Hey, look at that sorry, black Christopher
LLoyd looking sucker. Where's my flip camera?"

The sad
DEPICTION of the Black man.

Here's another black man
whose life was ruined by drugs. Now millions of middle America
families will see this story regurgitated on their local Fox news
affiliate. They'll feel sorry for him, and might eved say a prayer
for him at the dinner table. But at the end of the day, he's just
another crazy black man on TV. Add him to guests on Maury and
rappers on BET. This is what White America thinks Black America
looks like. It's okay, it won't be so funny once their daughter
brings Jermaine* home. *Side note. My computer doesn't even
recognize Jermaine. It suggests Germaine, German, and Germane. Have
they never heard of the Jackson 5? That's racists!

They'll build you up to tear you down.

Now
everybody is throwing dirt on his name. TMZ dug up his rap sheet
and a CNN video ends with the shocking statement, "He has 9
children!" Of coarse, bitch, he's a crack-head!

This
makes crackers feel better.

They took him to a Holliday
Inn, showered him, trimmed him up and put him in a suit. Now the
man can sleep at night, knowing he saved a black man's soul. A few
million more and Blacks and Whites should be about even. What's
worse, now they will parade him around like a show horse, whoring
him to TV shows.Even ones he's never seen.Because he didn't have a
TV.Because he didn't have a home.

The real problem goes
unnoticed.

Because of this story, people will feel
better about the sorry poverty crisis this country suffers through.
What about the teenage mom without the golden voice. What about the
man whose family sleeps in their station wagon. Can they get jobs
with the Cavs too?I know I'm hating on a really popular story right
now, I'm aware of that. I'm happy a guy has a second shot at life.
I just want you to realize what is really going on here.
Unfortunately, if I had to point this out to you, we have a long
way to go. Also, I heard he's taking his talents to South
Beach.