This blog is RETIRED. (fo' now.)

THIS IS MY NEW BLOG. CHECK IT.

2nd blog

I love sharing my music/interests with people, but I have been reluctant to share it here. This blog, I feel, is more of an extended format, whereas my new blog is more for short thoughts and references. I'll be posting videos, pictures, links and all kinds of crap there for you to enjoy. You can check it out here.

Don't worry, I'll be keeping this blog still.

thanks all!

woa

as I was driving around tonight, I heard this read on the radio.


"Between the World and Me" by Richard Wright

And one morning while in the woods I stumbled
suddenly upon the thing,
Stumbled upon it in a grassy clearing guarded by scaly
oaks and elms
And the sooty details of the scene rose, thrusting
themselves between the world and me....

There was a design of white bones slumbering forgottenly
upon a cushion of ashes.
There was a charred stump of a sapling pointing a blunt
finger accusingly at the sky.
There were torn tree limbs, tiny veins of burnt leaves, and
a scorched coil of greasy hemp;
A vacant shoe, an empty tie, a ripped shirt, a lonely hat,
and a pair of trousers stiff with black blood.
And upon the trampled grass were buttons, dead matches,
butt-ends of cigars and cigarettes, peanut shells, a
drained gin-flask, and a whore's lipstick;
Scattered traces of tar, restless arrays of feathers, and the
lingering smell of gasoline.
And through the morning air the sun poured yellow
surprise into the eye sockets of the stony skull....

And while I stood my mind was frozen within cold pity
for the life that was gone.
The ground gripped my feet and my heart was circled by
icy walls of fear--
The sun died in the sky; a night wind muttered in the
grass and fumbled the leaves in the trees; the woods
poured forth the hungry yelping of hounds; the
darkness screamed with thirsty voices; and the witnesses rose and lived:
The dry bones stirred, rattled, lifted, melting themselves
into my bones.
The grey ashes formed flesh firm and black, entering into
my flesh.

The gin-flask passed from mouth to mouth, cigars and
cigarettes glowed, the whore smeared lipstick red
upon her lips,
And a thousand faces swirled around me, clamoring that
my life be burned....

And then they had me, stripped me, battering my teeth
into my throat till I swallowed my own blood.
My voice was drowned in the roar of their voices, and my
black wet body slipped and rolled in their hands as
they bound me to the sapling.
And my skin clung to the bubbling hot tar, falling from
me in limp patches.
And the down and quills of the white feathers sank into
my raw flesh, and I moaned in my agony.
Then my blood was cooled mercifully, cooled by a
baptism of gasoline.
And in a blaze of red I leaped to the sky as pain rose like water, boiling my limbs
Panting, begging I clutched childlike, clutched to the hot
sides of death.
Now I am dry bones and my face a stony skull staring in
yellow surprise at the sun....



I had to pull over and just go, "woa".

:)

I still have alot of work to tackle before I leave this place, but honestly I'm so looking forward to graduating! I'm so happy. I can't wait until the summer.

Finally after years...

I'm seeing Radiohead! Tuesday August 12th, Camden on the Waterfront...I'll be there! So pumped!

..

I once held her in my arms,
She said she would always stay.
But I was cruel,
I treated her like a fool,
I threw it all away.

Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand,
And rivers that ran through ev'ry day.
I must have been mad,
I never knew what I had,
Until I threw it all away.

Love is all there is, it makes the world go 'round,
Love and only love, it can't be denied.
No matter what you think about it
You just won't be able to do without it.
Take a tip from one who's tried.

So if you find someone that gives you all of her love,
Take it to your heart, don't let it stray,
For one thing that's certain,
You will surely be a-hurtin',
If you throw it all away.

bubbas bones

when you cut the tie
half the pill snapped in my mouth.
my stomach's at ease;
my jowls water with sickness.
you stole my fire and now you're walking away.
but its ok, it was yours to have all along.

I miss the life of your cabernet lips
and your hpnotiq eyes,
but its because i forget,
that under the tinsil,
the christmas tree's dead.

television

At the beginning of last post I had a strong impulse to express my significant disdain for television, but I didn't because I knew it would just be a distracting tangent....but I still feel like sayin' it! I really hate TV!

Even at a younger age, when most kids spent their time watching it, I usually found myself doing something else. In elementary school I probably watched it the most, especially after school, but after that I usually could find something else to do.

TV has always been too loud and flashy for me. After an hour of watching TV, I always feel tired, wasteful and listless. I also find TV to be completely vapid, disgusting and content-less. You would think that television, as the central form of entertainment for Americans, as well as an industry with a large pool of bodies eager to work, would capture the best writing and talent for broadcast. But it doesn't. TV continues to spew inane drivel and thoughtless concepts at Americans with increasing frequency. From American Gladiators to American Idol, I am continually dumbfounded by the fact these shows actually appeal to an American audience when its apparent how little thought or talent has gone into the show.

how we should eat

A couple weeks ago, in a rare moment while slopping down some chili at the kitchen table, I turned on the TV to something I actually liked. It was on Book TV, a segment on C-SPAN (yeah I know, I'm a dork). The author was David Pellan, and he was doing a signing for a new book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. In the broadcast he stood at a podium at the front of the store, answering various food-related questions from the sizable Borders audience. It was pretty interesting stuff. I watched for a bit, but once the all the chili fit into my tummy, I needed to lay down. So I clicked it off, and that was that.

The next week I walked into my local Borders and coincidentally the first thing I saw was his book on the display rack. Intrigued, I decided to sit down with it for a couple hours to see if I could shake out some goods. Now, I didn't actually read the whole thing, however, I skimmed it pretty thoroughly and I took some notes. In the final three chapters, Pellan lays out some simple eating tips for people to follow. They aren't crazy or super scientific; they're simple and easy to follow. Here is some of his advice.

-Eat mostly plants. Many plants are naturally high in antioxidants (to counterbalance the pure oxygen produced during photosynthesis). Antioxidants are good for you because they stimulate the liver to produce enzymes to break them down, as well as other toxic chemicals that are in the body. So if you eat a greater variety of antioxidants, it heightens the variety of enzymes produced to help break down toxins. Good stuff! Eat plants!

-You are what you eat eats too. Obviously. One thing Pellan points is that "Free Range" on egg cartons doesn' necessarily mean the chickens have had access to grass. "Look for 'Pastured' or '100% grass fed'" he says, because "yellow eggs/butter means more beta cerotine", which is good for you.

-Cook if you can. This I thought was interesting. Researchers find that people who prepare their own food, regardless of their socio-economic position, are 10-15 pounds lighter than people who eat out. This includes, says Pellan, not just fast food eaters, but wealthier demographics that frequent restaurants as well.

-Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. Go-Gurt? Twinkies? Pop-Tarts? Anything that would get nanny's wrinkled brow of confusion probably does not belong in the cart.

-Avoid foods that make health claims. Sweet and Low, Zero Calorie Wheat Thins, Diet Coke...all that gets the boot. Basically Pellan points that artifical sugar alternatives are generally unhealthy and are not worth the crappy taste.

-Avoid food that are: Unfamiliar, Unpronounceable, More than 5 in number and anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Makes sense. Good general rule, I say.

-Eat with a friend. Under-eaters tend to eat more, and over-eaters tend to eat less. It's good for both parties.


There were a couple other things I wrote down, but I think that's enough. So what do you think? Are these good rules? Is he missing out on anything? Let me know!

Peace out kiddos.

Where's the Music?

Anyone who's into music like I am would probably describe their progression as a journey. For me, my journey started in elementary school with my first two CDs: Green Day's Dookie and Blues Traveler's Four. By middle school my tastes remained in the sphere of Green Day, mainly with other pop-punkers like Blink 182 and Fenix TX( yeah, remember them?). Then one crucial day came during the summer of 8th grade when I saw a DVD of Stevie Ray Vaughan at a family party. At that time I had only begun playing guitar, and when I saw Stevie I was immediately blown away by his galvanizing licks, incredibly tone and, what I thought at the time, his very "black" voice for a white guy.

Inspired by the video, the majority of my high school career orbited Stevie musically, from influences to emulators, to guitars and technique. And to this day, with the exception of Radiohead, there has only been one other "significant" band in my musical saga, and that is Medeski Martin and Wood. Coming out of an-unhealthy Phish obsession towards the end of high school, the avant-garde jazz trio Medeski Martin and Wood appealed to me more than ever. Their funky grooves, unpredictable live performances and respectable jazz background had me smiling, bobbing, and dancing awkwardly more than ever before.

At first I wasn't so keen on the free-jazz experimentation they would do, as I thought it just distracted from funky dance grooves. But after a while I began to dig the freedom of their experimental flights and I began to see the refreshing qualities of dissonance. After all, music (like life) is all tension and release, the more interesting and protracted the dissonance, the more resplendent the consonance.

So it is from this point that I began my journey into jazz. From my obsessions with Soulive, Lettuce and Herbie Hancock, to my more traditional visits with Miles and Coltrane, I thank you MMW for setting the course. For any readers who are interested in jazz and are unsure of a place to start, I would most definitely suggest checking out Medeski Martin and Wood, either recorded or live. For me I started by seeing live shows then eventually listening the records later. Either way they're alot of fun and worth checking out for anyone. And, if you have kids, MMW just released a children's CD called Let's Go Everywhere thats apparently pretty cool. NPR just released an article calling it a "perfect introduction jazz." I haven't heard it yet, but I'm sure it is.



NPR article about the new cd.

,,,

you might see me on your crossroads
When I'm a-passin' through.
Remember me how you wished to
As I'm a-driftin' from your view.
I ain't got the time to think about it,
I got too much to get done.
Well, I'm a long time comin'
An' I'll be a long time gone.

If I can't help somebody
With a word or song,
If I can't show somebody
They are travelin' wrong.
But I know I ain't no prophet
An' I ain't no prophet's son.
I'm just a long time a-comin'
An' I'll be a long time gone.

lettuce is back!

Last night Lizzie and I went out to the bars.  First we went to BBQ, but there weren't many people there.  NOXCUSE, a middle-aged cover band, was playing when we arrived.  They weren't that bad, but at BBQ the bands are always located too close the bar, making conversations and ordering drinks a bit of a challenge.  In less than an hour we were sick of the noise, so we headed to Tiff's for a quieter environment.  Unfortunately when we got there another band was playing.  Woof.    Anyways, during the course of the night I ran into Petey, my friend/concert buff.  We sat down at the bar for a little, just bullshitting about different upcoming shows.  Then he mentioned that Lettuce was getting back together and playing in NYC.  This caught me by complete surprise!  Lettuce has to be the raddest, baddest funk band I have ever heard.  Its like a love child between Tower of Power and Headhunters, except on steroids.  Eric Krasno, my guitar hero, is in it, as well as the amazing Adam Deteich, (plays with the John Scofield Band, Wyclef Jean, produces for Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, The Game, J5..etc.).  Basically its gunna be insane.

Tickets are only 14 bucks right now, so if you're vaguely interested, let me know!  Its at Sullivan Hall, which I'm pretty sure is the old Lion's Den on Sullivan St. (where i bumped into Mike Gordon!).  Grab a friend and come with me!

Lettuce funk- myspace.

                         website.

child-rens?

Last week Gilman had a bunch of the old neighborhood crew over to celebrate the second coming of American Gladiators. The turn out was pretty small, just Gilman, Adam, Melissa, Alex and I, but still it was nice. We bullshat for a while about a bunch of random things, then eventually we started telling stories from our childhood again. Growing up in Wellington East was a blast. Our neighborhood used to be one giant roving gang of kids. Kevin my brother was always the youngest, but everyone else was either my age or older. There were no cell phones or text messaging. The way to find out where everyone was was to hop on your bike and drive around the neighborhood looking for the house with all the bikes parked in front.  Ahh those were they days..

At Gilman's we sat around for a while just telling stories and laughing, it was so much fun. There are certain stories that never get old, like ones about our great battles and fort expeditions in the woods, or the time Adam got a black eye from Alex. Every time I laugh so hard, its as if it just happened. Although our nostalgia was short lived that night , I always enjoy revisiting times from the old Wellington East Gang.

After all that talk, I began thinking about the neighborhood now. There are rarely any kids any more, it seems. At first I thought it was because there aren't any younger families around, but in reality, there really are. Where are all the kids? where do they play? How come I never see backyard football games or kids running around outside? Thats all we used to do! I feel like my grandpa when I say things like that, but I honestly get sad thinking that video games are all kids ever do any more. What stories are kids going to tell about in 10 years? "Yo Joey, remember the time we beat Tony Hawk for the third time? or "Hey, remember when Guitar Hero came out?" What crap. (our grandparents probably say the same thing about us, ha). All I know is when I'm a parent, I hope I never end up letting my kids veg out all day.

nerdin' it up

Learning, nerding, whichever you choose, I like reading up on things. So with my Christmas money I went out and bought this book called The Intellectual Devotional, and I have been enjoying it thoroughly. Designed like a prayer devotional, it is a book that has a lesson for everyday of the year, dedicating each day to one of the "7 Fields of Knowledge". Monday is History, tuesday is literature, wednesday is visual arts, thursday is science, friday is music, saturday is philosophy and sunday, expectedly, is religion. What's neat is that each entry actually provides some substance on the subject, so you're not left with a vague summary. There's a nice little ribbon so you keep your page, and the pages are cut at with frayed edges that feel nice (all kinds of amenities, i know!) Apparently there is an American History edition, now thats something I would most definitely want, you know, maybe as a birthday present or something, wink wink. ha ha.

new site

I've had this site design quite some time now and I'm thinking its about time for a change. I was proud of myself for designing this site back in '06, but now I'm starting to get tired of it. The font is hard to read on certain computers, the image header is off-centered on some browsers, and the color scheme is too dark for my taste. I started developing some concepts for a new site, so hopefully by the end of the semester I will have a new one up and running. I'm not sure how long SJU allows students to keep their accounts after graduation, but I would assume they kick you off after a couple months...which means I'll have to find a host. This isn't a bad thing, I'll probably have more flexibility with the site. Hey maybe I can get the actual paulstaats.com name! that would be kick ass. But anyways, this is all future talk for now. to be continued...

how come i've never heard of this?

Browsing around Radiohead's website this afternoon, I came across this article they have posted as a news link. Apparently there is a 25-foot thick, 55 acre toxic lake that is located in Brooklyn near Greenpoint that continues to creep towards the city. Discovered in 1978 by the Coast Guard, the toxic mess of oil, solvents and poisons is guessed to be anywhere from 17 to 30 million gallons- "3 times more oil that the Exxon Valdez spill". Yikes!

In 2005 officials tested the soil in the area, the dirt was so concentrated with methane and other toxins that "if they dug it out with a shovel and tossed it on the ground, they could have been found guilty of the illegal dumping of toxic waste."

why isn't this more of an issue?

http://nymag.com/news/features/32865/

yum yum talk

We got my mom a panini maker for Christmas, but I guess it was kind of a present for myself too because I use it almost everyday. It's basically a George Forman Grill except the pivot adjusts upward for really tall sandwiches that you don't want to crush. The outcome is almost always spectacular. I gotta say, if there was a course in Panini construction, I would most definitely get an A. But then again, if there was such a course, I would be protesting it as well. Why? Because I hate the word panini! its so obnoxious! My family uses it all the time and its infuriating, especially when My dad says it with his especially-slow, grating version: PAH-NI-NI... Its like nails on a chalkboard...and we're all cats, who can make sandwiches. Seriously, there's something about the succession of sounds in that word that is just irritating. So, to Girls who hate "panties", I can now say I feel your pain.

But people, we don't have to endure this pain any longer. To all the Panties-haters and panini-haters alike, its about time we unite together in common purpose to rid the world of these corporatized words and bring back the underwear and sandwiches we grew up with!

toyboat.toyboat.toyboat

As you may know, over the weekend there was a confrontation between Iranian speed boats and U.S. Naval ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Theres video online of the incident unfolding; the speed boats were certainly provocative, weaving between the cruisers as they moved, one time sending a computer-sounding, ominous message: "You will explode after a few minutes". Yikes. But whats more yikes is that this seems like another reason for Bush to start rattling his saber. In a press conference responding to the incident, he called Iran a "threat to world peace"...later revisiting the NIE report, saying how it gave him more of a reason to consider Iran a threat.

ugh. Why does President Bush always have to antagonize Iran? Yes, they're a threat, but why can't he hint at peaceful negotiations, trade agreements, non-violent measures to rest our differences? Military presence/potential action, I think, is something that gives power to our diplomacy, so it should give Washington more of a reason to be stressing diplomacy and negotiations. When the NIE first came out it seemed like foriegn policy might be heading in this direction, but no. The Bush Administration has refused to let down from its relenting, war-faring position and seems to be continuing with it today. Bush heads to the Middle East this week, lets just hope he doesn't stir up any more trouble than we already have.

In a more promising story, the New York Times published a report that NIE effects might have stirred some internal conflict between the Ayatollah and Ahmadinejad. The article suggests that the NIE report has reduced the perceived threat of immediate US action, allowing Iranian officals to refocus on domestic issues and infrastructure. Up until now the religious authority in Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, has been a strong supporter of Ahmadinejad, but recently the Ayatollah has been particularly "disappointed with Mr. Ahmadinejad’s economic performance, which has led to steep inflation in the cost of basic necessities, from food to rents to property values." The article cites that inflation has risen from 16 percent in 2006 to currently 19 percent. President Ahmadinejad has also, for the first time, admitted to rising prices without blaming enemies for making it up.

Ahmadinejad has been a strong Iranian populist with wide support from both the Ayatollah and the Iranian people since his rise. Viewed as a strong religious man, promising the Iranian people "justice", President Ahmadinejad seems to finally be facing some political tension in his country- and it wasn't from increased military pressure. With an internal divide between the Iran's two central figures emerging, and with its economic problems becoming recognized, it seems to be a perfect opportunity for new diplomatic dialogs. But with our boy Bush heading to the Middle East, the prospect of a step forward seems unlikely.

chai-aye-ayeeee

After years of drinking coffee, I think I've had enough. Coffee doesn't make me feel healthy anymore (jitters, yellow teeth..). So, being fresh for a change, I found this tea that my mom was given a while ago. Its Roobios Chai by this company Teavana that sells "gormet" tea in the mall. I had no idea about it until I had my first cup several weeks ago, and Boy is it awesome! Its super-floral red tea with vanilla and cinnamon and I think jasmine in it. Its great because it wakes you up without the caffeine of coffee. It's high in antioxidants and other minerals, so its healthy too. My mom's gift came with a 17 oz. loose-leaf filter, so I've been using that to make it. Just throw in the tea, pour in some hot water, let soak for 3 mins. then place the filter on top of a mug and all the tea filters through and into your cup. yum!

Rooibos Chai isn't that expensive. But if you go there, watch out, they have some really expensive tea that is priced per 2 oz....not by the pound as you might assume by the tag (It'll get ya). Still, 2 oz. is a decent amount of herb, ask any hippie, but for tea, I would say it makes at least 20 cups of tea. So if you're up for it, go pick some up and try it out!

Found it!

A couple posts ago I was curious about that instrument that Johnny Greenwood plays, Its called an Ondes Martenot. Developed by French Telegraphist Maurice Martenot, OM (we'll call it) was invented in the 20's as a cross between a keyboard and a Theramin. Apparently its a 6 octave instrument with a string suspended in a space in front of the keyboard. You actually move a ring up and down the string, right in front of the tone you want to play on the keyboard, and because of its dual tone generators, it actually produces the note that you stop in front of. The sound is then amplified through four devices: "a principal loudspeaker, a reverb loudspeaker, a metallic gong and a "palm" with strings. The sound is a haunting vibrato similar to a theramin, but my guess is the Ondes Martenot is easier to play and more precise.

Apparently Johnny Greenwood has performed with the instrument live only once, but you can hear it recorded on a bunch of their albums (and Johnny's new solo album).

ye

I have so much shit hanging over my head, I'm finally looking forward to making something of myself. Being organized, having money (to get by) and being successful at school, I'm gunna do it all. I ain't screwin' around any more. here we go!

concerts!

let me know if you want to go to any of these!

2.01.08- The Bridge- World Cafe Live, Phila
2.23.08- McCoy Tyner - Gordon Theatre, Camden NJ
2.24.08- Medeski Martin and Wood- Count Basie Theater- Red Bank NJ
3.14.08- The Bad Plus - Chris' Jazz Cafe, Phila
3.09.08- Langerado Music Festival- Big Cypress Indian Reservation- FL
3.26.08- The Presidents of the United States of America- The Troc- Phila
4.01.08- Victor Wooten- Keswick Theatre- Glenside, PA
4.09.08- Explosions in the Sky- Starlight Ballroom- Phila
4.11.08- Tower of Power- Keswick Theatre
4.12.08- Josh Ritter- Metropolitan Museum of Art- NY
4.16.08- Dave Brubeck Quintet- Kimmel Center- Phila
9.05.09- Celine Dion...just kidding.


note: Langerado is at BIG CYPRESS this year...and alot of kick ass bands are going to be there( Beastie Boys, R.E.M., Phil Lesh and Friends, Josh Ritter, Ben Folds, Ani DiFranco, Robert Randolph, The National)...so considering that all my favorite bands are going to be playing at monumental BIG CYPRESS...is it ok if to dream of a Phish reunion? I wonder if anyone else is thinking the same thing...

and also, watch out for a radiohead tour, because if it happens, I'm going!

selling 9/11

its three am and i'm too lazy to get up and turn off the TV in the corner. There is some "special" on about the 9/11 concert after the tragedy. They show the concert with clips of musicians and event organizers just completely talking up the event, then about every 20 minutes there is a commercial for "9/11: Concert for NY" DVD.

who knew in 2008 we would still be selling out 9/11. There's no problem with revisiting the event, if its about the 9/11 event. This is about the concert. Selling the concert. In 2008. C'mon now.

Obama

I think its safe to say that this year's upcoming Presidential Election is of direct and critical importance to the future America and our generation. Given the current political climate and the crisis' that face America on multiple fronts, it makes no surprise why politicians have been campaigning so early this year. Considering how early and widely-covered the Democratic race has been, It's kind of a shame that I know so little about the candidates. So, last week, determined to dig up some dirt on the front runners, I dedicated three solid hours to books and magazines at Borders to scrape up some beef on some of the big-ticket Democratic personalities.

I read 5 lengthy articles from several different magazines (I think they were Time, the Atlantic, U.S. News and World Report). At the time most of the articles were about Obama's surprisingly competitive position for the Democratic candidacy. As you probably know, Barrack Obama is a young, first-year Senator from Illinois who has launched a momentous campaign that is now up with one of the most powerful forces in politics: the Clintons. Wow. Think about that: A man who has only recently decided to run for president, is not just a competitor with notorious Clinton machine, he is running after his first year, when all the other competitors have been in Washington for years planning and positioning for Presidency. One in the Atlantic talked alot about this, and it began to make me pretty excited about Barack. The article, called "Teacher and Apprentice" went on to describe how Obama in fact used advice that Hilary had given him when he first began as Senator to become successful, then he broke from the Senate to challenge her and she has been completely blindsided. How cool.

After that day at Borders I have been reading more and more about him. I gotta say, Obama really has my hopes up right now. So many people are fed up by the bureaucratic, malicious face of politics these days, its really sad. Issues and positions are reduced to sound bytes, factions and parties refuse to break from their ideological stubborness...the American people seem to become more divided and disconnected from government with each passing year. Its about time that we have a candidate who looks to clean Washington, who aims to reunite America, showing us just how similar we are than we think. Its totally true. People on both sides of the political line want mainly the same basic issues resolved, the "Big Three" being reformed healthcare, an effective immigration policy and prudent/effective end to the war. Barack is calling for a new political paradigm, urging America to let go of the Red-state blue-state divide to come together and compromise: and believe me, he acknowledges the Right quite frequently. Although he found many policies flawed, in his book Barack acknowledges Reagan for "offering America a sense of purpose", something that liberals at the time didn't provide. He also writes that, although he vehemently opposes many of Bush's policies, he knows he's a good guy trying to do the right thing.

See, the great thing about Barack is that he understands how problematic attacking other people can be. As I can sympathize with many frustrated liberals, angry attacks don't work because they are, well, an angry attacks. People don't listen when you come at them, but when you can open them up, acknowledge their efforts, then engage in a comprimise-oriented dialog, thats when people listen. I think Barack is doing exactly that. A great example of his approach is his outward recognition of "Good Republicans":

"Not all Republican elected officials subscribe to the tenets of today's movement conservatives....In both the House and the Senate...there are those who cling to more traditional conservative virtues of temperance and restraint"

he addresses political zealotry on both sides of the political line:

"..there is an absolute belief [by Republicans] of majority will...a disdain for those institutional checks (the courts, the Constitution, the press, the Geneva Conventions, the rules of the Senate, or the rules governing redistricting) that might slow our inexorable march toward the New Jerusalem. Of course there are those within the Democratic Party who tend toward similar zealotry...there are those who still champion old time "religion", defending every New Deal and Great Society program from Republican encroachment, acheiving ratings of 100 percent from the liberal interest groups. But these efforts seem exhausted, a constant game of defense."

In this clip he shows that he doesn't hate, despise or write-off Republicans. In the second one he honestly identifies the problematic characteristics on his side of the party line. This approach demonstrates Barack's centrist, articulate, compromising approach. I think this quality something that is very valuable for both Democrats and Republicans. He doesn't attack or insult the opposition with acerbic remarks, he expresses his views with clarity, precision and reason. As potential President with many pressing issues at hand, I think the ability to reason across party lines is something that is critical to an increasingly polarized world.

Now, some of you might be thinking that Obama sounds idealistic, or superficial. Believe me, I see where you're coming from. Even in his book he addresses it "maybe the critics are right. Maybe there's no escaping our great political divide, an endless clash of armies, and any attempts to alter the rules of engagement...or maybe the trivialization of politics has reached a point of no return, so that most people see it as just one more diversion, a sport, with politicians [as] gladiators and whose who bother to pay attention just fans on the sidelines"..." But for those of us who believe that government has a role to play in promoting opportunity and prosperity for all Americans, a polarized electorate isn't good enough. Eking out a bare Democratic majority isn't good enough. What's needed is a broad majority of Americans - Democrats, Republicans, and independents of goodwill- who are reengaged in the project of national renewal, and who see their own self-interest as inextricably linked to the interests of others."

Whether or not Obama can pull it off, I don't know. Whether his Presidential strategies on the issues can support/propel his mission, I'm not sure. But right now I believe. I believe I feel something big coming with this guy. I just hope it all pans out. :)

Obama's Book:
http://www.amazon.com/Audacity-Hope-Thoughts-Reclaiming-American/dp/0307237702/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199776805&sr=8-1

Articles to check out:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/07/roland.martin/index.html
http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/opinion/06dowd.html?em&ex=1199854800&en=276ff825dcddb28c&ei=5087%0A
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200712/obama
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200712/clinton-obama
http://www.barackobama.com/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/06/politics/washingtonpost/main3679847.shtml

music update

Ever since last semester when I saw Oh Brother Where Art Thou again, I find myself liking bluegrass music more and more. I think its a combination of the beautiful vocal harmonies and the killer banjo/slide-guitar licks thats bringing me in. Even a couple years ago I was obsessed when I saw Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer on the Bonnaroo DVD, but now I would definitely say I'm a fan. I really love the old Alison Krauss stuff, her new stuff with Robert Plant (hat strangely floats in between categories) the mandolin virtuoso Sierra Hull (who has been awesome since 16)..and also, I don't know if this counts, but I've been listening to more Bob Dylan too.

Anyways, after seeing all these great slide bluegrass players on YouTube, I've decided I want to get good at slide guitar. I already have some ability, but I would love to get really good. So those of you who are keeping track, I'm adding it to my life goals.

Speaking of slide guitar, Radiohead seeems to use some kind of weird slide instrument in a couple of their songs on the new album. If you haven't watched Scotch Mist in my last post you should...and look out for that strange instrument that Johnny Greenwood plays in the back...sometimes it looks like he's sitting down to an actual steelstring, other times it looks like some kind of one-stringed, guitar/synthesizer deely. (yes I know they're probably two instruments) but you have to agree the synth thing is a bit odd. I thought it was a theramin at first, but it doesn't look like one at all. Actually, wait a minute... maybe it is a theramin ,but he just uses a piece of string to gauge where to put his hand to get the right pitch! I honestly didn't think of that until now. Well, now you should check it out and let me know what you think!

So, other than bluegrass and Radiohead, I've been listening to a lot of Bill Evans. With my Christmas money I got the old 1959 release Portrait in Jazz. This album came out right after Bill recorded Kind of Blue with Miles in 1957, deeply changing the Miles and the face of jazz with his George-Russell-influenced modal improvisation. Portrait in Jazz was the first of Evan's trio work after Kind of Blue and it too was highly influential. Scott LaFaro, Evan's bass player, was one of the first bassist to move the instrument from the background to an equal position with the piano, blurring the line between soloist and accompanist. Him, Paul Motian and Evans together made one of the most acclaimed jazz trios of their time, and it definitely shines through on this album. Recently I learned "Autumn Leaves" this past summer and I have been fooling around with it alot on the piano...but after I got this album I realized how lame my version is compared to the real thing. I really do have a long ways to go, but when I listen to stuff like Bill Evans it gives me so much inspiration. I'll get good like that someday. (hopefully, ha).

scotch mist

I've been trying not to post videos on here anymore in order to keep this just a writing blog. But, I stumbled upon this video of Radiohead that I just had to put up here. It was released on New Year's to celebrate the holiday and the actual release of their new cd, In Rainbows. Its an hour long video, so if you don't have the time to watch it, you might want to wait until later. I would highly recommend watching it all the way through....there are a bunch of neat interludes and some really cool stuff towards the end. chek.it.

back on the staff

... at Chili's that is. I gotta say, for a stupid college job, Chili's is great. The staff in general is all pretty relaxed and cool, and the guests (although hostile at times) are fun to talk to. I guess I just like talking to people, really.

Tonight I was proud of myself: I made $86, had a good time, and didn't mess up when it was busy. Not a bad night considering how many months I've been gone! Another perk was when Verizon Wireless ( the business next door to Chili's) gave us extra promotional dufflebags....score! I've been needing a good duffle bag for a while now. So overall, tonight was a good night.

to do for winter break

1. Make lots of money at Chili's.
2. Read the books i've been meaning to read: The Trial and Persuasion.
3. Learn two new songs on piano.

thats it. Any more I probably would never complete it.

If you see me, ask me how i'm doing with all this...cause I actually want to do it all this time.

3rd p.

Sunday, December 16th. Finals aren't over, Paul is still studying and writing essays. Today his father and he put up their very wide Christmas tree. It was a bitch. A fat bitch that required a stronger tree stand. Eventually they succeeded. The tree remained fat, but no longer a bitch.

Today Paul also made 3 Cups of tea, 1 Sandwich and 1 dog very happy, throwing Riley a piece of roast beef from the sandwich under the table. Good boy, said he to the furry he, as the furry he drooled on Paul's knee. No longer hung-ry, Paul walked away pensively. Paul would later attempt to rhyme about this in his blog.

Realizing that he is again wasting time, Paul closed the blog and returned to his overdue essays. Woof, Paul thought and typed, shortly after he said the post had ended. In a second, more serious effort, Paul closed his blog for the night, wishing his readers a merry december, luck on their finals and...a goodnight. Goodnight!



i'm so lame, haha.

a verbal doodle

Today I went to Alexis' found art and poetry exhibition during free period. It was fun!

Found art, in case you're not familiar, is art made through rearranging, reshaping, morphing existing objects and art into an entirely new work. Found poetry is exactly the same thing, except it has to do with rearranging existing words and phrases into a new form.

At the exhibition they had three vertical banners each with a found poem done by a student. The activity was to make your own found poetry by using the work of the three different poems into a poem completely new. here's the one I did.





The army made forced marches
at unknown unknowns.

At each stop an additional story grows,
bridges leap over wounded passengers,

wounded paupers on the paths of empty.

maybe it only seems that way.
that is to say, we don't know.

It is impossible to tear oneself away from

this spectacle,
this vault.

Would there be time?
no, just bones in all directions.

It feels as if the unknowns,
trains known to unknowns,

like the poor sums
like the trains running over your ears.