Penny Rant

The interwebs coughed up this gem for me today.  It's author John Green discussing reasons to eliminate the penny from circulation with great humor and intelligence.


FYI - John Green is one half of the creative force behind the Nerdfighters video blog, where he, along with his brother Hank, exchanges regular video commentaries that most often pretty funny and insightful (for nerds).  They started this exchange as a way to communicate long distance without texting or emails.  It's a great idea to try resist the temptation to resort to "lazy" communications such as texts, emails, and Facebook in favor of more engaging and well thought out pseudo "face-to-face" video monologues. My dad has strongly encouraged me to work hard at regular (daily or weekly) intentional communication like this to better stir up the exchange of intelligent ideas, as you see here.


Anyway, John Green hates pennies. Check it out.





HT: Freakonomics Blog

Reflections On The 9

Do your mind a favor and take a second to check out the video below.  It was put together as a history project by a 9th grader, Shea Higgins a few years back.  It ended up winning a well-deserved state award.  Yep, it's really over 9 minutes long, but watch it anyway...

I had posted this on Facebook a couple days ago, but I think the weight of it missed most of my "friends", which comes as no surprise given Facebook's general use these days

(*FIBA Alert! - I am a FB junkie like everyone else, and am prone to spend hours looking at complete strangers' pictures, making fun of people I barely know, telling everyone what I had for lunch, and complaining about how hard life is as I sit on my couch at midday, Pepsi in hand, bored to death with the digital conscious of the ENTIRE WORLD. But still, if FB is your source for substantive information and provocative thought, well... you're probably not reading this.)

This video is relevant now due to the recent death of Jefferson Thomas, on of the 9 students who first integrated public schools in Arkansas. And as I read news of Thomas' passing and in turn took in this moving story, I couldn't help thinking a couple of things:


- To those who subscribe to the idea of a present-day "Post-Racial America", where race no longer matters, or even is noticed anymore, I would ask of you to remain cautious in your optimism so that you are willing to acknowledge that the way some people feel about race in America lags well behind the reality of race in America. Have we come a long way in the 56 years since Brown V. Board of Education? You bet! I am living proof of this fact every day. But as I tried to explain to my wife the other day, I feel sometimes as though there is some sort of collective conscious shared by black Americans that causes us to sometimes be less hopeful, even in the face of great advancement and personal success. We all still gasp when hearing news of a warranted or unwarranted police shooting of another young black male. We all seethe when some idiot drops the "N-word" and then tries to justify it. We all shake our heads in dismay when racial epithets are displayed or a noose hung from a tree at an American university. I would argue that most intelligent and compassionate people respond in the same way as I do, but I would also argue that for some unexplained reason, I feel experience in a way a white person doesn't. No doubt, I've experienced racial discrimination, but never any threat to my personal safety or well-being, and yet something wells up inside me and I become much more defensive that I probably need to be. I'm guessing that if I feel this way, other black folks do too, so cut us a break.


- To those who continue to claim that racism will never end until black people are given a level playing field in all areas of life, I would say this: Slavery is over, reparations are not coming. Yes, there are many people who do not want you to succeed, and there are many more who don't even care. But our collective history gives us many examples of those who succeeded in spite of the opposition, which by the way, will ALWAYS exist in some form. Here's a not-so-secret secret: Freedom from slavery doesn't mean that the former master is now obligated to pay for "services rendered' (as much as I wish it did). It doesn't grant the the slave a right to anything other than what freedom grants: freedom. It doesn't mean we must triumph over the former master to secure our new way of life. Freedom from slavery means only that there is no more master. Right or wrong, the field doesn't get any more level than this. It doesn't get any more fair than a Federal order to integrate public schools. Learn a lesson from the Little Rock Nine and take the field!


I put my kids on the bus this morning and thought for the first time about what it means that they can attend public school and have the opportunity to educate and better themselves. It's an impossible opportunity without people like Jefferson Thomas showing us how it's done.  


Yeah, Lady Liberty has a scarred face, blurred vision, and often walks with a limp, but she's still the best lookin' gal at the dance.


Stay grateful...

No-Man's Land

Look, as I clearly explained in my last post, the MinuteCynic is pretty much the pinnacle of manhood. There's no scientific proof, but I put it out there for debate and there were no objections.  I'm going with it. 


Though the sheer magnitude of my masculinity is obvious, I'm secure enough in it to submit to the needs of the family and take on the newly appointed role of Family Chief Operating Officer Mom, while Wonder Woman returns to school to hone her skills.  It's what the family needs right now, so I'm on it.


My manhood is also secure enough for me to say this: household/family/kid management isn't very easy.  Not exactly breaking news, seeing as how women have trying to pass on this message for um, centuries.  Diapers, cooking, dishes, diaper, cleaning, laundry, diaper, and breaking up fights are the highlights of my days now.  Not that the tasks themselves are that hard, but its their CONSTANT nature which tend to grind me down to the soul.  It'd be nice to just shut the family down for a few minutes a day, but apparently, parenting doesn't come with "break time", which is unfortunate.  Odds are, Cain killed Abel while Eve was just trying to get like, 2 seconds in the bathroom to herself.  I'm just sayin', stuff happens fast.  No matter though, because I'm able to manage the days with class and poise, caffeine and Skittles, and the MC house runs like a well-oiled machine, 1998 Dodge Durango (stupid car)


Anyway, part of my new duties now include spearheading the household shopping effort.  I'm having a blast with this because I love to spend money, and the kids love going to Target (shout out to my main checkout dude Wayne @ the Champlin SuperTarget.  Friendly, speedy, nice to my kids, and bags like a champion.  Keep doing your thing Wayne).  Plus, its a nice change of pace to squeeze in between laundry and cleaning.


So, a couple of weeks ago, I tell Wonder Woman that I'm going to Target and to get me her list of essentials, which she dutifully provides.  Thinking nothing of it, I get ready to head to the store an hour later or so and THAT'S when I finally double check the list..


Wait what?  I don't even know what tha... Oh HELL no! No, no, no, no, no.  She MUST be joking.  There is NO way, I'm gonna put THOSE in my cart.  What if Wayne sees that? He's not gonna think I'm cool anymore!  Awww maaaaaaaan....


Bottom line, my wife needed feminine products, and I was the lucky soul with the shopping list for the day. I wasn't scared - I told you, I'm a man.  It's just... inappropriate or something.  Nevertheless, I marched off to Target determined to complete my mission, having spent 28 minutes studying the packaging, brand name, box color, and odd terminology I could expect to encounter once I entered "the aisle". I arrived at the store with Baby Boy in tow, and was pumped because Wayne was in full effect on checkout lane #17, and Pepsi was on sale, but it went downhill from there. 


I had thought that I could execute some kind of "drive by" maneuver in "the aisle", swooping in to get the item in need, and swooping out - total elapsed time, 1.63 seconds. Apparently, the manufacturer of my wife's brand of product had decided to change the package, and I couldn't find it after 2 "drive bys" down "the aisle".  In full panic, I took a deep breath and just stood there for what seemed like days and tried, in vain, to find what I had come there for.  It was awful.  Cold sweats, heart-rate about 368 - total elapsed time, 6 minutes. Fail.


Not a total failure though.  After standing there for so long, marinating in my own humiliation, I noticed 7 or 8 women walk by, begin to turn into "the aisle", become totally startled, and quickly walk off.  Sure, I never did find the elusive hygienic commodities, but I stumbled upon a liberating truth for men everywhere:  WOMEN DON'T WANT US IN "THE AISE".


For all the complaining about how a "macho man" gets reduced to tears when asked to enter the sacred merchandising zone to pick up some "product" for the significant lady in their life, the fact is simple: "The aisle" is sacred to women too.  No woman wants to buy her most personal stuff with a random sweaty guy looking over her shoulder.


So, the next time your lady tries to put you to the test, accept the challenge.  Step into "the aisle" and own it.  Hold your head high with the knowledge that they are more afraid of you, than you are of "those things".  


Do it.  It's what a man would do.

Testostermobile

The MinuteCynic is a new man. For the past 10 days, I've had the pure pleasure of having the ultimate in manly motoring taking up residence in my garage.  Yes, it's the pickup truck, the working man's best friend and the cowboy chariot.  Sure, sports cars are cute and all, but a guy drives a Corvette because he's trying to look like a man.  Dudes drive trucks because they ARE men.  Big difference.


What's the big deal you ask?  I would have asked the same question 2 weeks ago when I borrowed my father-in-law's motorized beast of burden.  I've had some projects around the yard that needed attention, and my recent frugal attitude has made me quite the do-it-yourselfer.   2 weeks ago I was a mere timid overgrown boy, thinking: perhaps I can maybe shuffle some dirt around the yard, if it's not too much of a bother.  But after I summoned all my courage and asked my wife to ask her dad if I could use his truck, everything changed.


I will never forget the moment he smiled and tossed me the keys frowned and asked me if I knew how to drive a stick, to which I replied that I did, and then he smiled and tossed me the keys proceeded to give me a lengthy lecture on the delicate intricacies of a manual transmission.  Comforted by my attentive gaze and affirmative bobbleheading to all his questions, he then smiled and tossed me the keys commanded that I check the tire pressure regularly and broke down the required procedure in such a way that my frail, kindergarten-like mind could somewhat grasp the concept.  With a deep sigh, he finally smiled and tossed me the keys reluctantly allowed me to wrestle his truck keys from his firm and meaty grip.


**In keeping with the strict regulations contained in FIBA (the much-ignored Fairness In Blogging Act) I'm compelled to reveal that I have been involved in several very strange accidents in my life.  None of these were my fault of course, but unfortunately, a couple of them did take place in my father-in-law's vehicles.  Weird huh?


Listen, the minute I sat behind the wheel of this dude machine, I was instantly ushered into a higher consciousness of manhood.  Suddenly, there wasn't much I couldn't do anymore.  What to do with all the bushes Wonder Woman (my super-awesome wife) dug up and stashed behind the house?  Toss 'em in the truck and haul 'em over to the dump.  How are we ever gonna grow mammoth leafy greens in the garden this summer?  Why, I think a load of compost in the truck oughta do 'er.   The flower beds need  a yard o' black dirt? Lemme git over there to the landscape supply and have the boys in the yard dump a scoop 'er two right in the back there, and watch out for mah tool box son.  You best believe the dude driving the bobcat looked me square in the eye when he told me to come on back and he'll hit me with another scoop.  Nobody looks you in the eye when you have to ask if delivery is available.  Nobody.


There's a whole new level of respect people have when you pull up in a truck.  Obviously you're a man who's about the business of hard work.  I mean, look at all the stuff in the back.  You're really doin' stuff.  Plus, there's nothing like the nod you get from a fellow pickup truck dude - or even better, the 1 finger wave.   Go ahead, try a 1 finger wave in your Camry, and see what happens.  Nothing, that's what.


Being a pickup man means having to endure the envious looks from the non truck guys too.  I see you there Mr. I-gotta-shovel-my-dirt-into-5-gallon-pails-'cuz-my-wife-will-yell-if-one-speck-gets-on-the-carpet-of-her-2004-Chevy-Malibu.  I also see you, the how-the-heck-am-I-gonna-get-this-lawnmower-in-the-trunk-of-my-Prius guy.  I felt your shame when you had to ask the guys at Home Depot to please cut your shelves into 3 foot sections so you could get 'em home.  Truck dudes take their lumber whole and cut it at home with power tools.  In fact, whyn't ya gimme that 8.. naw, 10 footers'll do just right.  I'll just toss 'em right here in the truck.  No sweat.  A pickup man doesn't gloat in others' envy though.  That ain't manly.  A truck dude just takes his cargo and hits the road.  After all, he's got stuff to do.


This all sounds a little bit over the top, I know.  I can't explain it, but its all true.  You just feel different in a truck as your manstincts (man-instincts) begin to activate.  For example, I needed to head up north to get myself a load of firewood, and I just knew the right soundtrack for the trip included some Allman Brothers.  I started wondering if all the truck stuff was going to my head until my baby boy starts bobbing his head and singing the track.  Until you've heard your 19-month old KILL it on Midnight Rider well, you just ain't had him in a truck.  I started to doubt my manstincts theory later that night when I had my oldest son in the truck to pick up some lumber and he was talking nonstop about Harry Potter and wizardry or some not-that-manly stuff.  But later, when I took him to get some ice cream, he walks out of the store without skipping a beat, opens the tailgate and hops up into the truck bed.  Then, chewing on his spoon with a faraway look in his eyes he says: "Yeah dad, this night was pretty ok."   That right there is something a truck guy says...


After a week like that, it was no surprise when I informed Wonder Woman that we're gonna be getting a truck sometime in the near future, and there were no objections.  No doubt, WW digs my swagger 7 days a week, but she was for sure enjoying how I made that truck ride low with landscape supplies.  Ladies don't mind a little sweat when its mixed with the scent of sawdust, deck stain, and a little charcoal  Trust me on this.


I hope we get that truck soon, 'cuz I got stuff to do, like finish up my kids' sandbox.  In the meantime, here's hoping my man at the landscape yard still looks me in the eye when I roll up in my 4-door, midsize family sedan with an above-average safety rating, and ask if delivery is available.

Sound Quality Vs. Convenience?

Joseph Plambeck writes an interesting article in the May 9th New York Times about the idea that the current technological age hasn't done much to support sound quality in music.  He touches on a few pretty key points:


 - Major advances have taken place in recent years to improve the fan experience in most media formats except music.  No doubt digital music has completely broken the music industry wide open, but whereas TV's, Blue Ray, home theater, etc. has revolutionized the movie experience as it relates to quality, digital music has merely made listening to music more convenient.


 - Portability has transformed the music listening experience.  Do people listen - actually listen to music as an experience in and of itself anymore.  I do, but is it common?


 - Music has increasing become more song focused rather than artist or album focused. I don't feel it's necessarily a bad thing...

With the rise of digital music, fans listen to fewer albums straight through. Instead, they move from one artist’s song to another’s. Pop artists and their labels, meanwhile, shudder at the prospect of having their song seem quieter than the previous song on a fan’s playlist.

... unless the music is recorded at volume and compression levels that detract from the art.  Music is still art, no?

Buzzkill

It's been a busy day y'all.  One of those unexpected busy days where you thought there were only a couple things on the list, but then they end up taking quadruple the time with half the results.  But, it's all with good purpose - tryin' to drum up some work, and wrap up some house projects now that it looks like the MC fam may be taking in a new tenant.  I am bushed though...
So, I sit down to hit the interwebs and find some interesting nuggets for personal inspiration and blogging material.  Usually, I'm hoping for some obscure news story or some really cool music news from my stash of sites to impress my MB's (Music Buddies).  Tonight though, for whatever reason, I hit CNN.com.  This story is what I saw first, and let me say, what a shame.
Those of you in my age bracket will know that tossing the pigskin as a kid, if you wanted make the big plays, you tried to be Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, or Barry Sanders.  But, if you wanted simply be the baddest mama-jama on the field, it was LT all the way.  A little piece of my 8 year-old self died today.
THEN, front and center is this piece on "transracial" adoption addressing all the hubbub surrounding Sandra Bullock's recent adoption of a black baby.  It's not too often that the MinuteCynic stumbles on a topic on which he is a true expert, but today is the day.  As a black man raised by a white family, let me summon all my experience and wisdom on this subject and weigh in on the blogospheric turmoil:


STOP IT.


No, seriously.  Everybody take a deep breath, take 2 steps back and just.... chill.
Yes you, Ms. "she's-just-doing-this-as-a-publicity-stunt", shhhhhh.  And you, Dr. "If-more-black-folks-stepped-up-for-adoptions-she-wouldn't-hafta-do-it", simmer down. And especially you, Ms. Rita Simon:

"But love is not enough," said Simon, a professor of justice and public policy at American University in Washington. "You really have to make some changes in your life if you adopt a child of another race."

Shut up. Please.


Closed circuit to black folks: If you want to really address an issue of black babies and how they may or may not be treated in America, save your venom for this guy:

NFL Running back Travis Henry.  Vital Stats: 

11 babies, 

10 different  women, 

6 different states, 

2007 NFL Contract: $25 million

2007 Automobile expense: $100,000

2007 Jewelry expense $146,000
Current child support owed: $170,000 per YEAR
0 Child Support Dollars paid

Do your thing Ms. Bullock.  You'll be a great mom.  Even if you're not the best at it, you do your best, and Louis will someday be honored that somebody cared enough to call him "Son".  Gwon 'head, kiss that chubby baby....

?uestlove Interview

Check out this really nice interview with Questlove of The Legendary Roots Crew.  In it, he talks about how and why The Roots decided to take the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon gig (which had us fans scratching our heads for a minute), and the kinds of opportunities it's brought the band.


For musicians, there's a good lesson here about being really good at what you do so that you are ready for big opportunities.  Also, about how being versatile in addition to being skilled can take things to a whole new level.  The Roots have managed to turn what was a standard late night house band gig into being an integral part of the (arguable) comedic success of Fallon's show.


For anyone, there's a good lesson about striking when the iron is hot. From the Fallon gig, to recording/touring The Roots, to his steady DJ work, and the band supporting other major artists, etc. Quest and the crew are maintaining a pretty frantic pace.  They understand taking advantage of opportunities, and owning everything they do - with style, of course.

Race Rant by: Pretend Angry Black Man

People who know me, know that one of my more guilty pleasures is to make an issue of race, especially when it's completely unnecessary.  Yeah, everybody finds it pretty annoying when somebody is always whippin' out the race card on everything.  But, in my defense, it can be really funny watching somebody blush and backpedal on a perfectly benign statement that I've "interpreted" as racist and confronted them with.  Even better is watching all their friends silently back away in disassociation.


Aside from the personal amusement, I also keep working my "Angry Black Man" routine as a bit of a backhanded and not-so-gentle reminder that even in serene Midwestern suburbs, racism still exits.  I'm really not a big there's a KKK dude in the bushes guy baby, but I can't really buy into the "It's 2010 man, I think we're over that by now" argument that I hear alot.


Exhibit A:  2 University of Minnesota - Duluth students are in a whole mess o' trouble for making racist comments about an African American Student who was studying in the library with them.  Not only were these girls insensitive and ignorant, they were idiotic enough to post their dialogue on their Facebook pages.  I linked to this article from the UMD Statesman because its the only media source I found to actually print some of the comments.:

The alleged comments state racist remarks including, "ewww a obabacare [sic] is in the room, i feel dirty, and unsafe. keep a eye on all of your valuables and dont make direct eye contact.... i just threw up in my mouth right now....," and "were two white girls.. she already has her 'nigga' instinct to kill us and use us to her pleasure..."

Nice going ladies.  Ain't you heard?  We got a black president now, nobody thinks like that anymore!


The money quote actually comes from Helen Mongan-Rallis in this article from the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

"The outrage [is] that white people would act so surprised that this happened," said Mongan-Rallis, who is white and a native of South Africa. "For people of color, this is not new."

As much as I hate to agree with the token white-person-who-is-more-offended-by-racism-than-people-of-color, she's right.  This type of thing happens all day, every day.  In my experience, the average black person isn't all that interested in discussing racism in America all day long, but it is insulting to hear that our country and world is now so far advanced morally and intellectually that racism has become a figment of our imaginations.

Speaking of "advancement", I stumbled upon this gem the other day under the title: "Black People Genetically Predisposed to be Less Intelligent?" Oh yes, I had to bite.

The article is long and pretty wordy, but the story seems that a Harvard law school student put her foot in her mouth at a dinner party, and is emailing the author to defend herself. Here's her position:

"I absolutely do not rule out the possibility that African Americans are, on average, genetically predisposed to be less intelligent. I could also obviously be convinced that by controlling for the right variables, we would see that they are, in fact, as intelligent as white people under the same circumstances. The fact is, some things are genetic. African Americans tend to have darker skin. Irish people are more likely to have red hair. (Now on to the more controversial:) Women tend to perform less well in math due at least in part to prenatal levels of testosterone, which also account for variations in mathematics performance within genders. This suggests to me that some part of intelligence is genetic, just like identical twins raised apart tend to have very similar IQs and just like I think my babies will be geniuses and beautiful individuals whether I raise them or give them to an orphanage in Nigeria. I don’t think it is that controversial of an opinion to say I think it is at least possible that African Americans are less intelligent on a genetic level, and I didn’t mean to shy away from that opinion at dinner."

Soooo good.  I'll go so far as to grant that intelligence may indeed be genetic, but I don't believe it needed to be said because, what's the point?  What are you trying to prove? Money quote:

Nevertheless, because of and in spite of this era of racism without [self-identified] racists (Bonilla-Silva, 2010), we must remain committed to a notion of racial realism (Bell, 1990) as well as racial idealism, pushing onward and upward against the individual and collective ignorance of our colleagues. Let us use this opportunity to elevate the consciousness of our faculty, students, and staff and build a bridge connecting what we do in our privileged enclaves of the academy with the context of what is happening in the broader world.  

Nobody wants to be a racist.  Nobody really is a racist anymore these days.  I can't agree with the concept of "racial idealism" which I assume looks something like a Benetton ad, but I find it hard to believe in a disembodied "racism fairy" who rides on the wind making racist things happen that are nobody's fault.

I bet if you asked those 2 UMD students a month ago if they were racist, they likely would have thought you were crazy.  Now, everybody knows they're racist, and I bet they wonder what all the fuss is about.

I Think I'm Doing This Wrong: Reason #6,505,482 Why My Wife Is Awesome

I've made about 28 resolutions to improve on my blogging regularity.  So far, all of said resolutions have been impressively successful simply because I never clearly stated what "improvement" meant, and for how long this "improvement" was going to last.


Nonetheless, I'm still falling short of my personal goal to write more frequently on topics of personal significance.  This time though, I have an excuse.


With the economic roller coaster hitting home pretty hard these days, the MinuteCynic family has had to readjust a few things.  Sure, the lifestyle is forced to change some, so our usual family whirlwind vacations trips to the park have had to be replaced with fantastic getaway weekends trips to the park.  Luckily, the MC fam is a pretty mature bunch, and has adapted pretty well.


I realized during my last bout of unemployment, that the concept of having a "career path" with a stable company may not be as clear of an option as I once thought, or even in my best interest.  Learning to recognize unique opportunities, take odd jobs, and leverage myself as a reasonably educated guy with a well-stocked bag of skills has been my daily objective.  It's really helped me learn to leverage my knowledge, experience, and creative ideas for phatt dollaz a paycheck.


The latest twist in our ever-developing saga is that Mrs. Cynic has gone back to work temporarily (because an opportunity came along which fit her skill set) leaving the Man of The House to be the person in charge who has to make all the decisions and do all the work  Mom.

So, I was pretty unprepared for the role reversal...


How unprepared were you?


So unprepared that after a mere 2 days of trying to clean up after the MinuteCynic horde, feed the baby, wash a load or 2 of clothes, and make a couple dinners, I was exhausted yet fairly arrogant about my performance - until I realized I hadn't showered, eaten, read an email, returned a phone call, or really done anything at all.  I'd only had to call my wife 4 times a day to ask her how I'm supposed to complete a simple task like calling my kid in absent to school.  It really hit home when my daughter actually said "Um... Dad, that's not really how Mom does it" as she informed me that my 1-year-old threw an empty cup at me because he wants more milk...


Ha haaaa... you suck.


The final straw (hopefully) was tonight when I stood, holding a damp dish towel, scolding my wife about not helping me while she zoned out behind her laptop screen.  It wasn't until she started smirking at me that I realized what an ass I am. (In my defense, when I zone out and don't help around the house, I have the common decency and tact to slink off to some remote corner of the house).


Sweet Beans, I'm sorry.  You're amazing.  Let's trade jobs again though....

Mini Mixtape: Why Hip-Hop MUSIC Is Cool

There's really no hiding it:  I'm a Hip-Hop music fan.  It's kinda my thing. From the first time I heard the Sugar Hill Gang's epic Rapper's Delight as a little kid, I was hooked.  Surprisingly, my parents embraced rap music and encouraged some of my personal exploration.  When my peers discovered Hendrix, Metallica, and Pearl Jam, I was immersed in A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and Dr. Dre.  


Like so much of music these days, rap music is horribly represented in the "mainstream" by awful beats, terrible MC's, and generally crappy product.  As a result, I get pretty tired of the "Rap is crap" statements that are fairly prevalent, at least in the circles of people I run in.  While I understand the sentiment, to me, it's akin to me telling my music buddies (MB's) that I dismiss rock music because, I mean, have you heard Nickelback? They are really bad the worst band ever.


As a growing musician, Hip Hop continues to inspire me not only because of quality MC's who clearly display their mastery of rhythm and poetry, but also the pure genius of the DJ's and producers behind the scenes creating musical masterpieces.  Nobody denies that these beatmasters are sampling clips of others' music to "write" their songs, but sometimes the question of "stealing" is raised on this topic.  I tend to feel the opposite.  In my mind, the top echelon of producers are really paying homage to what they feel are great songs and artists, and often times, bring virtually unknown music to light.


I've said a lot to get to my point.  Check out a cut from one of my favorite groups The Pharcyde:





I know... real dope right? Yeah, everybody knows that.

But...

What everybody does not know, is that track, Runinn' was produced by the late and VERY great J Dilla, a producer and rapper with beats supporting some of the most popular tracks by Q-Tip, Common, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, etc.

What everybody does not know, is that the sample for that beat came from the song Saudade Vem Correndo by Stan Getz and Luis Bonfa of the 1963 album Jazz Samba Encore.

Sure, Stan Getz isn't all that obscure to a musician perhaps. But J Dilla knew the song, and knew it well enough to pick out 4 bars at approx. 2:05 into the song that he could work with to compose a chart topper for The Pharcyde, more than 30 YEARS after the original song was recorded.





I'd be willing to wager that more people are aware of Stan Getz' music as a result of J Dilla's homage to it. More people went to the record store to pick up Jazz Samba Encore after they heard Runnin'.

As with my earlier post on covers, beatmaking and sampling speaks volumes to the credibility of the original song, and it's a wise musician who can grasp and really enjoy the creative process of turning a 3-second idea into a dope track.

Team U.S.A (Get To Know 'Em)

This is utterly breathtaking:

Thank you, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr., Esteemed Democratic Congressman from Georgia's 4th district.

Since this is maybe 10 days old or so, I know I'm not going to win any "breaking news" or "inside scoop" blogger points, but there is no way I could pass this one up.  Originally I had intended to go with the standard "Check out yet another black man in the public eye totally ruining it for the rest of us rant", but I wanted to give this guy a chance.  So in keeping with the Fairness In Blogging Act (FIBA - It's fictional) I decided to do some in-depth investigative research a Google search.

My hard work brought me here to Rep. Johnson's official Congressional Website, were I found this gem from a press release attempting to explain the above video: 

"The subtle humor of this obviously metaphorical reference to a ship capsizing illustrated my concern about the impact of the planned military buildup on this small tropical island."


If by "subtle humor" he meant "utter idiocy" then I concur. Strike One.


I decided to check further into his congressional record, thinking the Rep. Johnson may not be the most skilled orator, but perhaps his liberal ideology has spurred him to author some prestigious legislation.  His website calls him "A hard-working legislator who delivers results.", so let's see whatchu workin' wit' Hank.  It seems that in the span of his near 2 full terms, he's proposed 18 bills and/or resolutions.  The only bill recorded as passed into public law was:


"H.R.1626 : To make technical amendments to laws containing time periods affecting judicial proceedings."


What the what?  Public-policy-for-the-people FAIL.  Strike Two.


So remember when South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson shouted out "You lie!" during Obama's speech to a joint session of congress?  Yeah, it was stupid, and Wilson received a formal rebuke from the House for his impudence.  But, more to the point, check out our buddy Hank's response to this issue:





This is our government? I don't care that he's a Democrat, as I typically reject the assumptions that come along with any such labels. I care that he is obviously unashamed of his ignorance, and not even wise enough to just shut his mouth. There is no cure for willful stupidity


Grab some pine Hank. This team don't need ya.

Class #18

I returned home a few minutes ago from a gig at a Minnesota correctional facility, and it was incredibly moving, to say the least.  A few musician buddies and I were asked to come and play a worship music set for the graduation ceremony of the Innerchange Freedom Initiative's  (IFI) Class #18.  IFI is a faith-based reentry program run by Prison Fellowship.  There have been many debates about the appropriateness of having a faith-based program in a state correctional facility, but the facts are plain: the program works.  The evidence?  A drastic reduction in the likelihood a program  graduate reoffends.  If you want to see true gratitude and real understanding of transgression and reconciliation, take some time and volunteer with some inmates and you will be changed.  Unfortunately, mainstream media doesn't tell us about this positive work taking place in prisons.


Anyway, we led some music, there were some prayers, a speech by the class elected "president" of sorts, and then each class member graduated and received their certificate - but not before standing before the room of maybe 200 odd inmates and volunteers and disclosing their crime, sentence, what they've learned, and their concrete plan to lead a changed life from today forward.  Totally humbling and moving.


A young brother serving his last 90 days of a 120 month sentence for 2nd degree murder came forward to share spoken word he prepared just yesterday.  Though, the experience is hardly the same without his voice and expression, the words are just as poignant.

"Class #18 Graduation"

Wed. March 31, 2010

18 months in class 18,

a commitment to making a faith-based change

wounded men agreeing to face they pain

refusing to just do there (sic) time

rather attempt the daunting task to renew their mind

which is skewed they find out

this isn't a place to hide out

this isn't a place to kick back

this is a place to get smacked in the face with the truth of your past

which was restin content in Lucifer's grasp

started out with 50 hopefuls - began losin 'em fast

to bootcamp and TV withdrawls (sic)

I almost quit repeatedly

they showed me a mirror and didn't wanna see me with flaws

embodied the code of the streets

wanted to keep those laws...

Took pride in being a live wire, intimidator and a beast

till Tom called me a liar, manipulator and a thief

Wait, enough of me

direct your attention to the others,

my classmates, my friends, my mentors, my brothers!

Whom, when I felt destitute, threw on a rescue suit

when my wealth of wisdom had less and less

the loot of God they had the patience to invest 

some truth... 

Thank you!

Thank you for being a big a mess as me

from testifying, to the greatness of God's grace and blessin's eyein

tearin' blocks, transformation from bully to gentle giant

the messages tryin but Omar overcame the highest levels

using his gift of boxin to fight off the devil

To Wallace Ellis' confession that taught the class a lesson to open up

4get the counselors, the focus is us

moment after moments have touched my heart

like watchin' how far Russ has came

from lowly introvert to taking the stage to sing God's praise with Lane 

to help us understand our past

has a place and we now have a future in our path

Jose's courage and honesty taught me to no longer fear men

Castonguay went from stickin his foot in his mouth to the devil's rear end

My class, true, are mere men still slaying Goliaths daily

young Davids in training.

Aiming for more than an IFI certificate

rather a ticket with

admission to the Kingdom of God 

defeatin the odds

Cuz Lord knows it wasn't easy going

to the Q when its knee-deep snowin

Missin a warm bed and all the good stuff the TV showin

I could count on my man Scoop to say the words to keep me going

I never would've made it without John, Bruce, Walter, Randall, Steve and Richie

To ride me

I swear I couldn't wait for it to end

in retrospect I wish it wouldn't of went so quickly.

Well we are new men

with a new purpose for service and attitude

practicing honesty, humility, compassion, reconciliation and gratitude.

 - Sterling Knox - 

Mini Mixtape: Radiohead/Bilal

One of my more recent music adventures has been checking out neo-soul singer Bilal's small, but intriguing catalog of music.  His sound is similar to D'Angelo, but oddly much less commercially successful, and less well known except to those of us who cannot get enough of that Philly soul sound.


The beauty of the web from a music lover's standpoint is that once you start digging into your faves, you "can" be instantly connected to a world of musical genius that you would probably hear on the radio next week may have otherwise never known about. 


(I say "can" because I think a majority of people simply go to iTunes or Amazon or whatever, and download the stuff they heard on the radio or in some iPod commercial. A little bit of effort + Google/Myspace = really cool finds)


Today's Example:  Many of my music buddies are really REALLY into Radiohead. While I've never really put the time into listening to their music, I've always liked the songs that I hear in passing.  One of these enjoyable tunes is "High and Dry" which I feel like most people would know.





I know I'm not breaking any news here, this is a solid tune.


Ha, but THEN, I ran across a Bilal cut by producer and keyboardist Pete Kuzma who has had his fingers in a TON of cool stuff, including being Jill Scott's tour MD.  (Pete pretty much blasted to the top of my research & listen list so be looking for more content on him).  Check out Bilal's interpretation of the same Radiohead hit.





I shouldn't need to tell you that well done covers are cool, and this is one of them. (Do I hear a little Thom Yorke in the way Bilal sings this? Yes, yes I do.)


* - I also feel like I shouldn't need to tell you that a good cover song speaks VOLUMES to the quality of the original song and songwriter.  I felt as though I didn't give Radiohead enough props - 

Dis An' Dat

 - During my web-scavenging today, I ran across this opinion piece by Geoff Nunberg at NPR.org, discussing the inclusion of the phrase "under God" contained in the pledge of allegiance. Now, before everyone draws up battle lines, just wait. Geoff actually does a great job of asking the right question regarding why the words are there in the first place. He files the phrases "under God", and "pledge allegiance" as "...hapax legomenon, or hapax for short — an expression that only occurs in a single place in the language..." Point being, the phrase "under God" doesn't represent American values because it doesn't appear anywhere else in our language or culture outside of it's calculated placement in the pledge itself years after it was originally written. I'm sure Nunberg has plenty of bias in his ideas (I do not buy his arguments wholesale), but I enjoy his addressing the singular matter at hand. If you'd like to argue the merits of the United States as a Christian nation founded by bible-believing men, let's do that. It's just a different discussion is all.

 - In other "I-wish-had-more-stuff-to-be-afraid-of" news, this post from the Freakonomics Blog speaks of possible new terrorist-favorite chili grenades supposedly packed with massive doses of the most potent chili pepper in the world.  Apparently the most recent extremist weapons chatter is all abuzz on breast implants packed with explosives. (Insert adolescent anatomy joke here, if you must)

• Conspiracy theory alert! - Is it possible this "chatter" is coming from bored TSA agents who are tryin to get their grope on?  After all, weren't they just claiming they needed to see folks nekkid to ensure "security"?  I'm just sayin...