Hello Human

Flashback: 1st Day on the Grind...Redux

2009-12-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

Last year when I returned to work from a 5 month recovery, I came back to work during AdWeek. The day I came back was the 1st day of it. And it always launches with a party/show at the Nokia Theatre. Lucky for me, I got a pass, and half of my favorite group EVER was performing. Making me feel like I was back in 'A'...

I remember it being so good to be back to my normal life again. The ordeal made this night very special to me. See the original post here...

-Rodney

Good/Bad idea...

2009-12-14T11:15:00.000-08:00

Hey, if powdered milk is possible, why not vodka? That's how I roll...

MOSCOW: Good news for vodka lovers as you can consume your favourite drink just like any other solid food, without the hassle of carrying heavy glass bottles.

Russian professor Evgeny Moskalev of Saint Petersburg Technological University has evolved a technique that allows turning alcohol into powder and packing it in pills. The new technique can solidify any kind of alcohol, including whisky, cognac, wine and beer.

“Dry” vodka can be wrapped in paper and carried around in a pocket or a bag. Vodka in form of a pill would come handy at parties when “consumers” would be able to calculate their exact required dosage.

See the article here...

-Rodney

Appreciation AKA Astonished: Willard Wigan. XXXXXXXXXSmall

2009-12-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

“It began when I was five years old,” says Willard. “I started making houses for ants because I thought they needed somewhere to live. Then I made them shoes and hats. It was a fantasy world I escaped to where my dyslexia didn’t hold me back and my teachers couldn’t criticise me. That’s how my career as a micro-sculptor began.”

Some of the amazing pieces are as follows.

And even the device designed to view these pieces...

More can be seen here.

Wow. Astonishing...

-Rodney

In this corner- We have reigning champ Rachel Maddow....

2009-12-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

She is relentless...Love it.

-Rodney

Power to the people...on Bikes Part 2

2009-12-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

In action...

-Rodney

DNC Healthcare Video

2009-12-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

I am not really sure how I feel about this. Classic libra-ism going on with me on this one.

Via Politico:

One of the 20 finalists in health care video contest run by Barack Obama's campaign arm features a mural of an America flag splattered with health care graffiti until it's covered completely by black paint.

In the video - which is accompanied by the sound of a heart monitor pumping and then flat-lining - words such as "pre-existing conditions," "homeless" and "death panel" ultimately obliterate the flag, which reappears on screen seconds later with the words "Health Will Bring Our Country Back to Life" on the blue field where the 50 stars usually are.

According to the Organizing for American Web site, the 20 finalists in the "Health Reform Video Challenge" were chosen by a panel of "qualified" Democratic National Committee "employee judges."

A contestant whose video didn't make the final-20 cut complains that a video "defacing the flag" won't do much to help President Barack Obama or the Democrats sell health care reform.

-Rodney

Hmmm...Man vs Machine.

2009-12-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

Okay I am gonna throw myself on the chopping block for this one. And I may not be the first to even make this statement. In fact, I am sure of it.

I was riding home from work tonite on the train. I have my iPod on 'Shuffle Albums'. (Which I highly recommend if you have a ton of music and you rarely ever give proper listen to an LP) Kanye West's 808s and Heartbreak came on. I may be alone in this, but some of the songs are really good irregardless of the current state of Auto-Tune Hate. But I am listening, and it is sounding so good to me. I almost hear what he was thinking and feeling. And I kinda begin to see a little brillance in the album. I am starting to get it.

Let me begin by opining on something. Machine was created to ease the workload and burden of man. At first I think it was merely created to ease, then as time passed the expectations changed to efficiency and productivity. Quality control kicked in and then perfection was added to the list of expectations. The human ideal is perfection. We can't be it, so we have high expectations of machines, which we created for this purpose. To achieve it.

Fast forward a few generations and here comes Auto-tune. Designed to correct the pitch of a human's voice to make it appear perfect when it falls a little short. Some of us have perfect pitch in spades. But in the spirit of 'We can't be perfect', those that have perfection in some areas, tend fall short in many other. (Whitney, sorry had to throw that in there)

Modern society and western culture places a high regard and expectations on the famed. Celebrities hold so much value and weight in our society, that they are expected to be "Perfect". Perfect in the sense that they are expected to give us product (entertainment), consistently, efficiently and without flaw. Entertain us, consistently, regularly and without moral blemishes. Like a machine essentially. Churning out goodness and ideals and perfection. It's even interesting, that when a machine messes up, we discard the product and throw it out. Or send it T.J. Maxxx to be marked down. Haha. But the tolerance for a machine messing up is exponentially higher than the tolerance we have for our celebrities. The machines we created to entertain us. Let's face it. A tv is cool and all. But it's just a box without "celebrities" to look at. I mean PBS and History channel only goes so far.

So on to my point in all this.

So I am listening, I hear a Robot singing the emotions of a human. Emotions such as pain, loss, emabarassement, and weaknesses. A machine. A techonology- an old one, but techonology indeed. And it dawns on me the social commentary that is being laid out here.

With that expectation of perfection, they are at fault-by us, their public, when they display any type of vulnerability-i.e. veering off the path of the 'Perfect and Narrow'.

Think about the pressure you feel about underperforming at work. What is your boss gonna think of you? Your co-worker? And you don't have millions of fans. No one interviewed you on ET for putting together a killer Powerpoint. The tabloids didn't cover the story of you saying the wrong thing in a client meeting and costing the company a few ten thousand in revenue.

So I hear Kanye singing in this robotic voice. Essentially masking the pains of human existence. Real life shit. Realer celebrity shit. The commentary becomes a bit clearer on the "Pinnochio story". He is singing as if he is a machine. Human emotions. Throwing his public for a loop, because these emotions can't be real. They are coming from a machine. Right? Our celebrity machine. Machines don't feel. And every now and then just like the defect products that come off of the machines that we created to make perfect little things, celebrity machines defect and mess up.

All that to say, I hear a commentary there. Why do we expect so much from our celebrities? Why do we expect our fame machines to perfect? This point is driven home with the last song on the cd. Ironically- it's the only song on the cd sans Auto-Tune. He is a human again, speaking the pain now. And it's live. A live track. ALIVE. Human. A real boy.

That's my piece. I'm just saying...

-Rodney

Hmm...Okay this is better than the 50 one.

2009-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Re:Blog:
"Launching December 9th is Vevo, a new Online video network. MTV premiered in 1981 and changed the music landscape, and Vevo might just do it in the 21st century. Rumored to have 4 major labels providing content, Vevo promises to provide a venue for the music video industry and its advertisers.

“Professionally made music clips are by far the most popular fare on the Web’s No. 1 video site, accounting for 14 of the 25 most viewed clips ever. The labels involved with Vevo boast a combined total of about 15 billion views on YouTube.” (who knew?)

For more on the story check out Cnet."

-Rodney

Appreciation: Jose Bedia

2009-12-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

This makes me happy. I discovered this from a post from Leah. I feel something happening when I see this...

José Bedia was trained in a traditional academic style, but his work promotes his interest in the indigenous cultures of Africa and America. The artist lived and worked at the State University of New York Collegue at Old Westbury, and with the Dakota Sioux on the Rosebud Reservation. Bedia returned to Cuba, where his work was influenced by native Cuban religions. He currently lives in México.

COVER
José Bedia, La Habana, Cuba, 1959

Wherever gone, so it will be, 1992
158,7 x 195,6 cm
Oil on canvas

I appreciate...Period.

-Rodney

Sade...That's it. Nothing else needs to be said.

2009-12-08T19:15:00.000-08:00

-Rodney

Quote of the Day: Patrick Wolf (Daily Obsession:)

2009-12-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

This is kind of a cheat. Cause I just did a 'Daily Obsession' late sunday. I wouldn't want you to think I am the obsessive type now would I? When it comes to this suff, I kinda am. So I did this as a Quote of the Day because a line in the song. It's quite right for the current state of things.

"Was it worth all that war, just to win?"

But what is really awesome, that after reading the lyrics...It's now an official DAILY OBSESSION.

Interesting that I found this cd just by randomly walking into the Virgin Megastore, back when a cd was actually something you bought and HELD(When it was open). I rarely ever just pick up cd's and buy. The cover art worked. I couldn't tell you why?

But wouldn't you want to listen?

Voila...Not disappointed.

-Rodney

Power to the people...on bikes.

2009-12-07T18:07:00.000-08:00

http://gothamist.com/2009/12/07/sources_cops_nab_men_trying_to_repa.php#comments

This is insanely effed up...14 blocks removed?

http://gothamist.com/2009/12/01/city_to_remove_14_blocks_of_bedford.php

-Rodney

Daily Obsession: Illinoize...The entire record. Period.

2009-12-06T07:57:00.001-08:00

I have been rotating this record for a bit lately. I now have even become re:obsessed with the Sufjan albums. Take a listen. This is just one of the great songs. Tor x Sufjan x OutKast....How can this go wrong?

get it (here). The instrumental version is insane.

-Rodney

Frogger: The 5th Ave Edition

2009-11-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

So I am riding home tonite. My absolute favorite part of my day. I mean, I bike TO work just so I can bike home. I mean this is my 'plezshah'! And I recently fell in love with 5th Ave. I know once past midtown it's like gravy. It just oooozes. I'm like Mike. I just be easin' on down the road.

Tonite would be a little different. I get close to 23rd st, and all lanes around me are clear. I see green lights for at least 5 blocks. So I gun it. Did I tell you I am in the brand new smooth Green Bike Lane. I am gunning. It's flat too...Just like NY'kers do, they just walk into the street even when they don't have the walk sign. My lights are green. All of a sudden I see people crossing the street. Not 1 or two. More like 30. It's like church just let out and they are crossing to the gates of heaven. I start screaming... MOVE!!! GET OUT OF THE WAY!!! WATCH OUT!!

Some people move out of the way...One girl panics. She stops. I try to get around her. So I aim to her backside. Not much damage could be done there right?

This is what I saw next...She goes flyin'. FLYIN'

She hits the ground and people have stopped and are looking. I just so happen to hit her right in front of a NYPD police car. The passenger side door opens up. I am like "really?". People are asking if she is okay. She is not crying and says she's okay. When the cop asks if she is okay, she burst into tears. I am like "really?". You were just okay. They asked if she wanted an ambulance, she said no. They put her in the back of the car.

Cop: Are you okay?
Me: Yeah, I'm fine.
Cop: You don't need an ambulance?
Me: (Pointing to my big ass goofy looking helmet)

At that point a woman walks by that was with them says, "I try to tell 'em don't be crossing the street like that."

Cop: What, your brakes don't work?
Me: Yeah they are fine.
Cop: You didn't see her?
Me: I saw her. I screamed for them all to move. But you know how people do. my lights were green and they just cross anyway. She panicked and stopped. I tried not to, but I hit her.
Cop: Yeah, I knw what you mean. Well I at least need to get your info.

I hand him my license. He jots info down and I ride off.

This is pretty much the scene....

-Rodney

Daily Obsession: The xx. A new favorite band of mine.

2009-11-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Pleeease believe me. Please belieeeeeve me!

-Rodney

Hilarity: Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No by James Blagden

2009-11-22T21:38:00.000-08:00

I have been shown this twice in the last two days and it does not get any less funny. Enjoy...

-Rodney

Daily Obsession: Dayumm...Cee-Lo's Big Ole Words

2009-11-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

Listen. Read. Nuff said.

-Rodney

Julian Hibbard: Another reason why my buddy is better...

2009-11-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

than yours...This little treat. "The Noir A-Z" Published by Mark Batty Publisher

English photographer Julian Hibbard offers an adult take
on the alphabet book in The Noir A-Z. Replacing whimsical
sketches of kids in letter shape with provocative pairings of
word and image, Hibbard has concocted a dark and voyeuristic
vision. An element of risqué and danger consumes each letter,
tying the images into a loose narrative. The images are sexy.
They are also just complex enough to pull emotional strings
through an easily read composition. O for 'observed', for example,
seduces the reader into spying on an innocent woman. In many
of the images Hibbard manages to tie the reader to the scene as
active participant and not simply observer. That, in part, is the
art of Noir A-Z. And, in full, the fun of the book.

Nick Schonberger

Wallpaper

Julian has been working on the images for this book since before I met him a few years back. And I still find new inspirations and beauty within his heavily loaded, and well thought out photographs.

Well, last week he had his book release and signing at the legendary Player's Club. When I first heard the name, I was expecting Lisa Raye to be on one of those bookshelves gyrating. But it was obviously not that "Player's Club". I made a special trip home during the day to look extra 'smart'. I didn't disappoint. I made sure of that.

The following pics are from the signing...the room smelled of rich mahogany and had many leatherbound books...

What I thoroughly enjoyed were the insights into the creative process and the references which influences his approach and ideas.

He also had on display his jigsaw puzzles. Of which I have 2 of the 3. I have been so graciously given them as Christmas gifts in years past. I will complete them and frame them.

Again, let me brag... (Here)

Brilliance...

-Rodney

My buddies are better than yours...: Demetrious Noble

2009-11-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

You don't get a name like Demetrious Noble to end up a respectable tractor mechanic. Did I mention respectable? My best friend has been working on some things in the far off land of Rocky Mount, NC. The stories he is discovering and conveying will very soon make their way into everyone's path and attention will be paid graciously.

The following images are representative of a series he has been building called "Broken Homes". This series is upwards of 54 imagesa and counting. Amazing really. Most photographers don't take 54 great images in their whole career. And here this dude is taking them in his waking sleep.

Sometimes a photographer's brilliance is simply showing you something beautiful of what you once may have never considered.

And just to rub your noses in it...
Grandma Maggie and Grandpa James

And the following are just some other brilliant things he's been working on.

Okay I am gonna stop posting here. My feelings are getting hurt...But trust me, there's more.

-Rodney

Daily Obsession: "I heard a white man's yes Is a BLACK MAYBE......"

2009-11-16T23:02:00.000-08:00

I don't think I have EVER played this song just once. Today I played it back for 45 mins straight. Bobbing my head back and forth on the train as if I had no home training.

This isn't the real video...But the song is what I am after anyway. Enjoy.

-Rodney

Appreciation: Seatbelt Fashion

2009-11-10T13:35:00.001-08:00

"Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill, the design duo behind the Canadian fashion label Greta Constantine, revel in using textiles that Pickersgill describes as “foreign yet functional.” But although they enjoy the challenge of taking materials out of their original context, cleaving seat belts to the female form wasn’t too much of a mental leap."

-Rodney

Daily Obsession: Kirk Franklin missed the mark...

2009-11-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

"In 1965 James brown and his band released a series of earthshaking singles beginning with the syncopated rumble of " I Got You ( I feel good)" that turned soul music on it's ear with their minimal arrangements and relentless grooves. Aspiring soul bands across the country sought out to imitate Brown's intoxicating new sound resulting in a renaissance of rough-shod, independently produced music. Numero Records assembled compilation, Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymanal proves the irresistable rhythms of James Brown's funk worked their way into some of the finest gospel music of the the late 60's and early 70's. This album is truly a treasure of forgotten gems, and shoud be of interest to anyone who seeks to understand the far reaching influence of James Brown and his band."

I present to you Trevor Dandy...

And now I present my new favorite influence of this beat...
Monsters of Folk...Oh wow.

And now one you may all know... That Kid on the Moon...

This is what I think Kirk was after as far as the current contemporary sound influencing his gospel. I never really liked Kirk. Or gospel for that matter...But had I been living in the 60's, I would have been a Jesus groupie with funk like this.

-Rodney

I dig: Marc LaGrange

2009-11-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

My close buddy Nooch put me on to this guy. I am really digging his eye. These are just a few of my favs.

And of course, I see a photo everday being taken on the Robert Indiana sculpture here in NY. But I am sure they don't even come close to this...

See more (here)

-Rodney

One man's junk is another man's art...Gabriel Dishaw

2009-11-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

Think you have the bombest sneakers around? Next to these sneakers by junk-metal artist Gabriel Dishaw, your crazy, neon high-tops don’t even compare. Dishaw creates detailed shoe replicas out of metal and electronic scraps, using only glue and bending techniques to hold them together. So far, he’s created five shoe sculptures inspired by some of his favorite kicks, and although you probably wouldn’t want to wear them, they’re the ultimate statement shoe.

Dishaw's collection is made entirely out of recycled metal, bits of wire, staples, Intel computer chips, and even old typewriters. He even goes so far as to even make each shoe—which comes with a coordinating shoebox—a perfect size 9.5. Weighing in at anywhere from 5 to 20 pounds, these heavy-metal sneaks certainly weren't designed for comfort, but their eco-factor is high.

“I begin each sculpture with an idea of how can I take these found pieces of useless metal and insignificant objects and create something that everyone can understand and relate to,” Dishaw says. “I find myself looking at ordinary mechanical items to see how I could turn that something, into something else not originally intended for that use.”

See more of his work (here)

-Rodney

I Suggest: Sexy Beast Vol. 5

2009-11-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

This mix is damn near immaculate. I really suggest 1 download and a 1000 listens. Some of my favorite jams from this past summer are on this one. Get it (here)

Download the previous volumes (here). These are outstanding as well. Did I mention the great cover art?

-Rodney