On Sunday (belated happy Father's Day to all the daddies out there, by the way) a homie and I made dinner plans for the last night of Dine About Town. As usual, it was my job to choose the restaurant, which was not an easy task as this particular friend happens to dislike all the foods that I absolutely love. I finally decided on some fine Italian dining at Zingari Ristorante just off of Union Square. I haven't had me some good Italian food in a minute and the menu didn't seem half bad. Plus, it was close to Muni, which meant I wouldn't have to drive and lose my rock star parking (always a plus in the city)!
So, I made the trek out to the financial district and was about 15 minutes late for our reservation. However, once I got there we were shown to a table without any wait. My initial reaction of the place was kind of... mehh. There were two different dining areas. I'm not sure what the difference between them was, but the side we were on was small and... well, boring-- no windows, no art, nothing to catch the eye (except some funky wallpaper pattern). I didn't get a chance to see the other side, but my guess is that it wasn't that much better.
On to the food. I did the prix fixe menu (which it looks like they do on any ol' night), whereas my friend stuck with one dish from the regular menu. I started my dinner off with a zucchini basil soup (the soup of the day). I'm not big fan of zucchini, but it was the most appealing antipasti on the menu. To my surprise, it was delicious. Creamy-smooth (although the waiter mentioned that no cream was used in it), light and very flavorful. I'd recommend it.
For secondi, I had the Rigatoni con Salsiccia (rigatoni pasta, Italian sausage, Grana Padano cheese in a roasted tomato cream sauce). Sounds pretty good, right? It was tasty, yes, but not as good as I thought it would be. Actually, the sauce was a little bland and there wasn't any salt or pepper on the table for me to remedy that. It was, however, well-proportioned. The serving size wasn't too big to the point where it just hurts after finishing the entire dish, but was just enough so that you're a nice-- what I like to call-- "happy-full." The ingredients themselves were also well-proportioned in the dish, which I appreciated. I hate when I don't have enough meat/noodle/sauce in every bite!
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Dinner Talk: Zingari Ristorante
CAMPAGNOLO SUPER RECORD is back! 11 SPEED is here!
So im in the middle of a NEW bike build... a new road bike.. (BMC TEAM MACHINE in swiss colors) now i currently have a half FSA / SHIMANO ULTEGRA build on it... why? well im waiting... and waiting for this looks like its gonna be worth it! check out the new CAMPAGNOLO SUPER RECORD 11 SPEED grouppo
Lately alot of new groupos have been released or debuted, i have yet to cover all of them because there are just too many and dont really wow me so easily... Shimano 7900, Shimano Di2, Sram RED, Campagnolo E whatever i dunno... but 11 speed Super Record might just be the ticket that gets me to switch over from being a devout shimano rider... to... well.. switching over to the darkside if you must...
switching over to the great return of SUPER RECORD....
Well as you can see the hoods have a changed appearance. Seems like Campanolo took some styling cues from its arch-nemesis Shimano, and vice versa... Seems like Dura ace 7900 shifters copied Campy ergo hoods.
In any case im sure the styling of the hoods and how people feel about it will get a great batch of mixed reviews.... for me? well im gonna go ahead and say.. yea its hot...
but what really gets my vote is the graphic down the lever that lets you know... you got 11 gears and clicks ready to go!
Now the huge debate all over the world is of course.... WHEN is enough enough? how many gears do we really need? is 11 necessary? well im gonna have to say that this has been the debate for years... 6,7 speeds? moving to 9 ? going to 10? riding compact? now 11? as the range of gear ratios get closer... finding that magical ratio gets easier...
but what about durability? how much thinner narrower smaller can the chain and cassette really get?
how about weight? pretty soon we will be riding on paper thin cassetes with spaghetti chains...
and at what cost? if bike parts arnt already expesive enough.... $3000 frame sets... $1000 wheels... $1000 other misc parts... $2000+ groupo? hmmm... people always think im working on a motorcycle when i tell them, "yea my bike parts cost $$$$"
well.. as my kid bro always says... you gotta pay to play.. and 11 speed is something i definitely want to play with!
now a compact 11 speed will be even sweeter... and make it sub 2000 grams while we are at it... and you really got yourself a customer...now if it will be record which i can afford that will be another question.... but according to sources 11 speed will be available on Super Record, Record, and Chorus.
i think bikes stores should start selling bicycles like they do cars... awkwards back and forth negotiations... a nice little lounge to get refreshments... test drives.... in house financing... service and maintenance drop offs...oh wait... they already do do that.....
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Keepin' It Real: Banksy x Danger Mouse
Been doing a lot of vinyl shopping lately. One of my recent cops was this pair of limited edition 12” (pictured above and after the jump) with cover art by none other than Banksy himself. Only 1,000 copies were made and it comes in 4 colorways (beige, green, gold, and silver). Unfortunately I could only get my hands on a gold and a silver but I can’t complain cause this is the cheapest possible way to own a limited edition Banksy. 
Production credit goes to “DJDM” who is most likely Danger Mouse (DJ Shadow is rumored to have had a hand in this project as well but that is less certain). Banksy and Danger Mouse have collaborated multiple times before including the now (in)famous Paris is Burning stunt from 2006 when they doctored hundreds of copies of Paris Hilton’s album and snuck them into UK record stores to be bought by unsuspecting Paris fans (don’t feel too bad for them… a handful of the ~500 copies sold on ebay for a few hundred bucks).
So I know a lot of people think Banksy is a sellout but that’s an unfair label, imho. Yes, he’s a bonafied superstar whose works are now fetching 6-figures at art auctions. Yes, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt own a couple pieces. A lot of people in the street art community are uncomfortable with this kind of popularity and are wary of the artform becoming overly commercialized and exploited (like breakdancing in the 80s). In my opinion, that’s all part of the point! So-called “urban art” has always struggled with legitimacy in the high art world. Aside from Basquiat, few graffiti artists have really been embraced by the “experts”. Highlighting this point is the 2005 Banksy stunt which involved Banksy putting on a fake beard, sneaking into a bunch of NYC museums, and hanging up his works (complete w/ placards) next to “legitimate” pieces.
In my opinion, this was a big “f*ck you” to curators and art historians who refused to accept street art as a legitimate form. To me, this stunt was basically Banksy saying, “F*ck the conventional channels of getting art exhibited. This sh*t is art whether a curator says so or not!”
Some would argue that now that Banksy finally IS getting attention from the elite, he can no longer be considered a street artist. It’s a good point. In fact, when I went to his “Barely Legal” warehouse show in 2006, I did get the feeling that his works sort of lost their context by being presented legally on canvas and arranged on walls as opposed to being out in the wild, illegally painted on buildings and billboards where anyone can view them. Call it urban site-specificity.
Can a piece only be considered street art if it’s out on the streets? Is the point of street art NOT to be accepted by the elite? Is it Banksy’s point that this SHOULDN’T be the point? Or am I just missing the point completely? Who knows.
That said, Banksy has undoubtedly brought street art to a very broad audience and has forced people to at least consider it as a legitimate artform. Though I understand the reasons for the backlash, I think it’s unfair to turn on him just because Urban Outfitters is selling his book. Dude is a living legend. His influence (and arguably Blek’s) is apparent in a whole generation of artists’ work.
But I digress… Here’s a snippet of the aforementioned Danger Mouse. Though it’s a nasty beat (and with all due respect to the Mouse)… this purchase was all about the album art.
MP3: DJDM - Keep It Real/Laugh Now - Track 1 (snippet)
(holler if you want the full track)
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In His Drive to be Number One, Kanye Might Find it Lonely at the Top
The minute we arrived, there were a couple different lines going
all the way around the sports arena and out to the parking lot.
The line was filled with hype beasts, women asking Kanye to have their babies (so their shirt said), girls who were dressed way to inappropriately for a concert (seriously, dress and heals when you have standing room on the floor?!), and of course plenty of people wearing "KANYE GLASSES"
Next up was N.E.R.D. It very well could have been the acoustics but you couldn't make out a lot of their lyrics unless you knew the songs, the balance seemed way off. That aside, they put on an energetic performance that got the crowd hyped and even played their new song Everybody Nose.
The last opener was Rihanna. I'm not a big fan of her music. I don't think she's bad and making music or anything, I just personally though the best part of her set was her hilarious outfit that pretty much mapped out all of her erogenous zones. I have never seen someone try to do so much on stage (with dancers and everything else going on) and have it do so little for the performance.
So after the three openers, the crowd is hyped, the stadium is packed and everybody is just waiting in anticipation for the main event. Now let me preface this with this:
So while everyone waits upwards of an hour (with the same loop of songs playing over and over), the crowd grows anxious. Finally the curtain raises and the crowd goes nuts. Kanye then wastes no time putting on the most energetic and wild spectacle I have ever seen at a concert, complete with flashing lights, an erotic robot, holographic dancers, fog machines , a corny story line, and a live band. He even found a way to change up the way that he delivered lines or the way he sung the chorus so it didn't feel like you came to a giant CD listening party.
He finally did it, he reached stadium status. Kanye's drive and perfectionism showed in his performance, not only in every little detail of the concert, but in his inability to let the little things slide. Right at the start, some of the light boards in the floor went out and Kanye could not stop looking at them. He had a hard time moving on and often would go over in interludes to yell at the controls guys. He would, in mid song, yell at a camera guy to get in the correct position (as it was all choreographed out). I think most people wouldn't have even realized this had they not been sitting in my position but I did find it interesting, although distracting at times.
The one thing that urked me the most about Kanye's performance was the total lack of any
Kanye put on an amazing performance (that's an understatement) and it was definitely worth the money but it got me thinking. Kanye is more popular than he has ever been. He is getting radio play like never before, wilin' out on fashion even more and taking himself to new heights in everything he enjoys doing. I honestly think that even with the amount he is being embraced right now, people are still not ready for what he is capable of artistically. During the performance I couldn't help but notice how detached his performance seemed to be from everyone else's, how everything seemed so separate.
I realize that this is just one opinion and it's pretty hard to please everyone in the crowd. I'm sure Kanye is not about to leave anybody behind and, if nothing else, he will inspire those around him to step their game up, but he can't control their ability to keep up.
More than anything I am over analyzing the shit out of the greatest show on earth currently touring and for all I know, the SD show was the only one like this. Then again, have you listened to his new single? Either way, if you missed out, I guess you better hope a DVD comes out!
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KOGA/MIYATA + THEO BOS = The Million Dollar Bike
well i guess with a crew like NASA + other aerospace engineers + countless hours in wind tunnels that alone will surly bring up the bill on that R/D real quick! i ALWAYS have discussions with friends about how the cost of bicycle parts arent as cheap as one would think... human powered, very simple in design, no major moving electrical components, etc... yet quest for light, stiff, and aero are never ending!
+++CHECK OUT A LITTLE VIDEO ABOUT THE WHOLE PROJECT+++ 
Koga has spent three and a half years developing a revolutionary frame for Bos, who narrowly missed out on the gold medal at the Athens Olympics four years ago.
Ive always thought of Theo Bos as a beast. now he gets the best bike and the best stage to prove himself.... looks like im gonna be up at odd hours of the days trying to catch a glimpse of the olympic track races... and rooting for my boy!!! go get em Theo!
also while you are at it swing me one of those track bikes so i can throw it on ebay! actually who am i kidding im sure you will cash in like SARAH HAMMER and toss your bike on ebay once you are done! her LOOK 496 track bike ended up fetching a few thousand on ebay recently...
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Sojourner Cafe: Santa Barbara, CA
It's been about a month since I decided to go vegetarian. I don't miss the beef/pork/poultry stuff all that much, but I have to admit that my new diet is seriously lacking in variety. After five weeks of living on assorted veggies, tofu, and veggie and tofu soup, I thought I'd check out a local vegetarian-friendly restaurant and get ideas for meals that I could eventually try cooking at home. The establishment: Sojourner Cafe.
Located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, the Sojourner features a laid-back atmosphere, interesting artwork on every wall, and a menu of mostly vegetarian and organic dishes. I sampled the golden indian dhal with wild rice and yogurt and chutney on top... it was actually more delicious than I thought it was going to be, and surprisingly filling. The dessert menu is excellent (the desserts are labeled by ingredient for folks following vegan diets). I highly reccommend the the chocolate macaroon torte and the vegan chocolate fudge brownie!
Apparently, the Sojourner Cafe has been voted "Best Spot to Dine Alone" by local papers several times in the past. I don't understand that hype, but I did really enjoy my meal and the staff was friendly. The menu truly opened my eyes to different dishes that I want to attempt at home (WTH, Polenta Royale? Gingered Tofu Wonton Pillows?!), but with the affordable prices here, why cook when I can just come back again and again...
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What I Have Learned as an Engineer: The Construction Site
As a young engineer, you get a pretty decent amount of shit from some of the older engineers. It's normal for a newbie in any field to get this but step onto the job site where contractors are building your equipment, and it's a whole other ball game.
One of the things that bugs contractors the most is having an engineer (especially fresh out of college whose experience is usually solely theoretical) who has never changed a tire, much less coordinated the construction of a major plant, come up to him and try to tell him how to do his job. My first bit of advice is to speak as little as possible, this provides less opportunity for ridicule. Once you have internalized that, I've got 5 simple tips to make walking onto the job site easier.
First off you will need a hard hat. Whenever you go anywhere that will require a hardhat, they will have them to borrow. Besides the obvious problem with borrowing one, that it might be used by 100 other people who have sweat in it, another problem is everyone will know you borrowed it, it's cheap, you didn't bother taking the time to fit it correctly and it looks awkward.
When you go to buy one for yourself, make sure you steer clear of the fiberglass ones, although they look nice, they are usually reserved for the foreman on site. My suggestion when buying a
Once you have the bought the shoes, I would recommend wearing them around for a while before stepping on site. Once you have water sealed them, rub dirt all over them and then clean it off, I would recommend doing this at least a dozen times (and I mean really work the dirt into the shoe). After you have done this, walk down to your local hardware store and wander down the isles, dropping anything you can find on them: hammers, 2x4's, a kitchen sink, whatever. Once you have done this, you are ready to take em on site.
The next thing you should pick up is a good piar of safety glasses. These should look a lot like sporty sunglasses, not like the ones your dad wore in shop class.
The final tool you will need is a good tape measure. Resist temptations and stay away form the ultrasonic, laser guided or the battery powered ones. The batteries will run out and you will never replace them. A solid, 25' long measure is probably the most you'll need. It's very important that you know how to use this properly. I would practice with this pretty regularly until you are a pro. Go around and measure everything in your house at least 3 times. Measure every crack and crevice. Hell, get your roommate involved and have them ask you to measure random things. You need to do this so when someone on site asks you for a length, you can draw that thing off your belt and slide it into position quicker than they can grab a pen.
My last tip is to take some hands-on classes (welding, shop class, electrical, anything). Stay away from inspector classes. The only thing a General Contractor hates more than "Made in China" is an inspector. You need to have some hands on experience so that you are comfortable out there whether you are handing someone a tool or yanking a piece of equipment apart. The last thing you want to do is giggle when someone asks you to hand them a pair of dikes...
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Original or Remix 2.0 ::: {wah-lay}
So a couple weeks ago agent adrian hooked you all up with some mpFrees and showed us how original tracks aren't necessarily the best. Going off of that idea, I wanted to spread the word on this.
Now, (as some of my ¢
ollective colleagues know) I'm not much of a radio fan so I may be a bit biased on this track. If you ask me, it's a definite upgrade from the original. But either way I've had Wale on heavy rotation for a while now and can't deny that he's got skillz. His mixture of hip hop and go-go music is solid and will definitely get your body movin'.
But recently, I've noticed that there are still a good amount of cats out there who aren't up on him, which was the inspiration behind this quickie post. For those of you who asked, I've linked his mixtape... and for those of you who haven't done so yet, give him a listen.
Also...
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PUFF DADDY DID NOT CHANGE HIS NAME! GO OUT AND VOTE! lolz
Lols i woke up seeing this all over the place.. Puff daddy did not changed his name! who the hell cared in the first place... but then again he goes on his youtube page to send this personal message to the people! and better yet...he says even crazier things!
lool at all these quotables! "im rich bitch"..."i can call myself whatever the fuck i want"..."go out and vote"..."i make hit records and hot clothes"
ok i dont want to take anything away from diddy ima fan... well more like puff daddy and ma$e days... and even though i love to hate him... i cant... haha... now im sure some other colleagues here on the blog will have other opinions of diddy.. but hell.. ima just say it.. DIDDY you the man!!!
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NEW BIKE DAY!? RVCA X CINELLI X BARRY MCGEE X PISTA X TRACK FRAME
Ok so i promised myself no more bike posts for a hot second... but shit.. its summer time.. and i get this email from good ol BRAD @ RVCA... (brads the VP brand manager @ rvca.. and he loves life) ok... so check it out.. he sent me pictures of what heaven looks like..
the details on the bike? well this is straight from rvca
50 limited edition bicycles have been produced to celebrate this collaboration and provide access to the public to purchase a commemorative piece from the Pressure Show, debuting on Thursday 19th June at VASF in San Francisco.
Available in 3 frame sizes (54, 56 or 58) and showcasing artwork by world renown artist Barry McGee, they are sure to become a collector’s item in the years to come.
Cost per complete bicycle - $3,700.00US
Cost per frame kit – $2,100.00US
25 units of each have been produced.
Please note that unit cost does not include delivery charges.
For further sales enquires please contact Brad Blankinship on bblankinship@rvca.com
so click here and peep the frame
These frames are based on the geometry of the CINELLI SUPER CORSA PISTA... very classic frame from a great Italian company. they are simply beautiful, even though i wish the frameset was cheaper, its not. and to some it maybe worth it just to have something this special. and the other bad thing is that they dont have my size... can i get away with a 54? maybe.. but id love to have my exact size 52.. especially if i was spending that kinda cheese...
oh and to brad... thanks for ruining my work week.. instead of concentrating on what i have to do.. i will now have dreams and visions of riding this rvca x cinelli through fields filled with daffodils and daisies toward a party with free booze and orgies while topless big breasted women cheer me on and throw confetti in the air....
enjoy....
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Yves Saint Laurent : Remembering a Legend
Well its been a few weeks and ive been meaning to make a post on this.. So better late than never... A few weeks ago a good friend of mine from LVMH group (the brand house for LOUIS VUTTION etc...) told me that designer extraordinaire Yves Saint Laurent has passed away.
Yves Saint Laurent, one of the top French designers of the 20th century, died last night (June 1 2008)in Paris, a source in the fashion icon's foundation said.
Laurent, like Lagerfeld, Slimane, Jacobs, etc have always influenced my style and taste... and basically they been killing it lately. Bridging high fashion to everyone and everyday use. reminding me why i love clothing and fashion and design in the first place.
As of lately YSL has been releasing very interesting pieces for ready wear and accessories... my favorite has always been the sunglasses and shoes... simply because im too broke to afford the clothing, but hell atleast i can get a little taste and get something right?
A personal favorite has been the YSL ROLLING SNEAKERS... a good friend already has the black patent ones from 07/08 season, and with the success of the sneaker, YSL decided to roll out some more colors in the ROLLINGS! yayy... HERE IS a little catalog scan to check out what im talking about... The shoes retail for about $410
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RIDEZ REVIEWZ: CRITICAL MASS SAN DIEGO MAY 08
May 30th 2008 (last friday of the month) was SAN DIEGO CRITICAL MASS. me and some friends treked all the way down from LA to SUNNY SD to take part of probably one of the best critical mass's ive done in a while. LA and OC's critical mass has become more of a headache than just fun to ride, the turn out at san diego was intense, as well as the different types of riders that showed up. check it out...
We pretty much showed up right on time and met at the fountain. some friends went to get some drinks at a local liquor store before we went to ride. (just to note TILT and riding does not mix!) By about 8 pm the fountain where we met was packed!
Overall the route and ride was pretty chill, san diego police acts more of an escort than a force trying to stop it, of course you will get the occasional knucklehead that will purposely try to run a red light or defy the law of the police, but it was nice to ride through such crowded streets see san diego from a different perspective and pretty much roam free.
Our route was pretty simple from what i remembered, we started out from the fountain, headed slighty north through HILCREST then down this huge hill washington street i think. over by the SD airport, then through GASLAMP. afterwards and loosing most of my friends we ended up regrouping at some random ALBERTOS across from a Liquor store and went to HAMILTONS TAVERN. Ended up throwing down some beers by like 9/10pm ish and ended up riding home pretty drunk... now i dont advise you try this at home kids, but it was kinda fun, stupid , but fun. actually really funny, but then at the same time really stupid.. well you get the idea.. here enjoy the vids.. and hell thanks again san diego for such a great ride....
as LAVAR would say "YOU DONT HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT"
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2¢: “This is our moment.”
After an undoubtedly long and arduous primary season, the verdict is finally in. Tempers flared, punches were thrown (some below the belt), and blood was shed… but in the end, after all the votes were counted (and yes, Michigan and Florida, they were), Barack Obama is the Democratic Presidential nominee.
As a believer of Barack and an avid follower of the election, it has been mentally and emotionally exhausting. The highs of Iowa and the February streak were soon followed by some big losses and deflating controversies. Though it certainly proved to be a challenge staying above the fray, Obama kept on the high road by running a dignified and respectful campaign centered around hope and progress rather than preying on people’s ignorance and fear. As exemplified by the monumental speech he gave addressing the Rev. Wright flap, Obama had clearly chosen to put his stake in his belief that the American people were sophisticated and thoughtful enough to be treated like adults and that they would understand that almost nothing in the world is, for lack of a better term, purely black and white. He bet on the American people and he won.
Like so many others, I thought it was in Hillary’s and the Democratic Party’s best interest that she gracefully bow out when it became clear that Obama’s lead was insurmountable. It irked me to no end how comfortable she was with the fact that her chance of winning depended on the superdelegates overruling the will of the people. But I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt anyway. After all, perseverance and belief in oneself are traits we can all admire. But as the election dragged on and she refused to concede even after all the votes were in, those admirable traits gave way to downright lunacy and narcissism. By all accounts, Barack clinched the nomination last night and she STILL couldn’t admit defeat and throw her support behind her party’s presumptive nominee. Isn’t it exactly that kind of disregard for reality that has gotten us into the mess we’re in now? It just defies reason. Maybe she’s trying to stay long enough to recoup some of her campaign’s $20 million debt? Who knows. Let's hope it's true that she saves face on Saturday.
Ever since it started looking like Obama had the nomination locked up, I’ve been back and forth over and over again about whether or not I thought Hillary should be his running mate. For a long time, I thought it was a good idea. I mean… I’ve had plenty of criticisms of the way Hillary has run her campaign. She and her staff resorted to lying, manipulation, fear mongering, and other sneaky tactics that come with a scorched-earth battle plan. But, however marred her image has become by her misguided and damaging campaign strategy, Hillary has had a political career to be proud of. She has done great work in the name of equality and justice for all (especially in regards to healthcare). Not to mention, as she certainly wasn’t too shy to remind us last night, she has 17 million passionate supporters that can help the Dems bury McCain in November. Hillary has served her country well and I believe that she will continue to… but it’s clear to me now that it’ll just have to be from somewhere other than the White House.
It’s truly unfortunate that Hillary made a dream ticket impossible. It could have worked… but too many things were said and done by her and her inner circle that run contrary to Obama’s central tenet of changing the system. If these primaries have reminded us of anything, it’s that the Clintons are masters of old-style Washington politics.
Mere months ago (it seems so much longer, though, doesn’t it?) Hillary was practically already considered the presumptive nominee. Nobody could have guessed that the charismatic yet relatively unknown young black senator from Illinois would overcome the Goliath that is the Clinton political machine. Some said he was too inexperienced to win. Some said he was overly idealistic and naïve. Some said he was too black. Nevertheless, some believed. But now isn’t the time for “I told you so.”
On the contrary, now is the time for “we’re on the same side.” Sure, some are deeply hurt that their candidate didn’t end up on top. A lot of women in particular feel betrayed by a country that claims to view them as equals, and understandably so. It really is sad that a country that so highly regards itself as just and fair-minded has yet to elect a female president. Those women should take solace in the fact that Hillary really could have been the one. Yes, there were sexist forces in the media and elsewhere that were working against her, but not so much so that she wasn’t a legitimate contender for Leader of the Free World. Ultimately the fault was her own, not her gender’s. Though she clearly made great strides on behalf of gender equality, she just wasn’t quite the right candidate for the moment… but we now know that the time is near.
Save for a few particularly scorned supporters, I do believe that most of Hillary’s side will come around and realize that Obama is a far better choice than McCain. After the dust settles and the pain subsides, they’ll realize that, among other things, the next President will likely nominate at least one Supreme Court Justice that will either uphold or overturn Roe v. Wade. Though some have sworn never to support Barack, I have no doubt that with clear minds they’ll recognize their folly in time for November. As Obama supporters, we must help them along and not deride them for not being on Obama’s side sooner. They had as much a right to support Hillary as they do to have a change of heart.
Though the next challenge for Obama will certainly include differentiating his policies from McCain’s (and boy are the contrasts stark), his success lies in his ability to unify and highlight people’s similarities. Looking to November, what he needs to do is to simply continue doing what he has been… reminding people that we all ultimately want the same things. He also needs to continue inspiring people to expect more from their government and to expect more from themselves.
The most amazing thing about Obama is his uncanny ability to bring out the amazing in the American everyman. As he has acknowledged time and again, change takes time and hard work. Progress won’t magically come if we get him into office. It’ll require a little bit out of all of us. So let’s get to it, people! We’ve got work to do.
MP3: Kidz In The Hall ft. Bun-B and Talib Kweli - Work To Do (Obama for America Remix)
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Hummer - The Car People Love to Hate
GM just announced that, due to the high price of gas as well as the consumer demand, they will be shifting their focus to smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles (FINALLY). Of all the large vehicles they produce, the Hummer brand has to be one of their most famous (or infamous depending on how you look at it).
The Hummer has to be one of the most loved and most hated cars on the market today. It is the car that big car people love and the epitome of evil for the more environmentally conscious consumers. It used to be that Hummers were rare, if you saw one on the street you stopped and stared and told your friends about it the next day in 1st period. As the Hummer brand grew in popularity, they revamped it, creating the H2 (a clear status symbol), and later brought out a smaller, cheaper H3 (to make the Hummer brand more affordable to the rest of the population. Hummers now are pretty common (at least in southern California) and buying one is no longer a challenge (just filling up the gas tank is).
With the falling sales, GM had made plans to move the Hummer in a more "green" direction but are now reconsidering and deciding if they might want to sell it instead. I say going green is not the answer. GM does not have it in them to make a truly green Hummer. The Hummer Brand has too strong of emotions tied to it, the tree huggers will never buy a Hummer and the Hummer drivers will never go green. Allow me to take of my environmentalist hat off for a minute and make a suggestion.
GM will take a massive hit if the sell Hummer (and that's if they can find a buyer) so I think they should take Hummer to the ultimate extreme. Take Hummer back to when you would RARELY see one on the street so that when it passes by, everyone stops to stare. Redesign Hummer so it looks more like the old hummer, harsher lines but a modern look (the new ones look plastic).
Make one version of the Hummer and make it HUGE. Make it so big that the valet has no option but to park it right in front of the valet booth, eclipsing customers as they pick up their car. Hand build each Hummer from the ground up so that they are limited in production. Put an engine in that would make the corvette jealous and give it the ability to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Don't just put Bose in the cabin, put it on the suspension too.
As far as the inside, make the Maybach Jealous. The controls in the car should all be illuminated touch screens (no more buttons and dials and forget the i-drive). The car should talk with you, not too you, and the speech should sound like a person, not a robot. Put hand stitched leather seats in the back that vibrate, recline, rotate, heat and serve cappuccino. The sound system should make the accoustic designers of the Walt Disney Concert Hall wonder if they are in the right profession. Give it enough leg room in the back to stand up an pace around. Attach your laptop to the dock and use the 30" HD screen in front of you to do your work with the high speed mobile internet so that you are always connected. The car should be fun to drive but even nicer to be escorted in.
I don't believe the Hummer's image can be salvaged at this point, so why not just exacerbate it? This isn't the Hummer for the OC soccer mom anymore, this is the Hummer that the prince of Dubai drives out of town guests around in. This is the Hummer that no longer sits next to the Mustang GT, this Hummer sits next to the Enzo. Instead of changing the car, Hummer can change its market. These ridiculously priced, limited run cars often lose money but considering the amount of money GM is losing on them now, and the jobs they have to cut because of it, it might not seem like such a bad idea.
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