Dine with Foucault.

While studying for the upcoming exams I had the quite obvious urge to listen to The Weakerthans brilliant "Our Retired Explorer Dines with Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961" Song.
And I even discovered that there is a fun video for it:

Watch out for the guy with the red rose.

Would you do that if Barack was watching?

Seriously, would you still do whatever you're doing if Barack Obama was watching?

(via)

The 30 Second Commute.

Even though Obama - and the reporting about President Obama - should be shifting away from personal, celebrity gossip to actual policy and hard work, there is a pretty interesting bit on nyt.com about the new management and the President's attempt to combine work an family:

“Even as he is sober about these challenges, I have never seen him happier,” Mr. Axelrod said. “The chance to be under the same roof with his kids, essentially to live over the store, to be able to see them whenever he wants, to wake up with them, have breakfast and dinner with them — that has made him a very happy man.”

50 People in London

This latest installment of 50 people, 1 question is all over the Internet already, of course, but it's just too beautiful and touching not to share:


Fifty People, One Question: London from Crush + Lovely on Vimeo.

(via The Junction)

Quick Thought .... on Naming.

Does the shift from the male positive, common use appliance Walkman to the unisex/non-gendered name iPod exemplify a general shift away from gendered, male positive naming?

Can't Block This Popup.*

So, finals time is coming up again. When I need a break from my cultural studies fix at the English dept. library, I head over to the great Team Love library. Recent great discovery: Popup from Glasgow. Their indie rock, constantly shifting between pop bliss and chaos, satisfies both the rhythm obedient and emotional I.
And there's a nice video as well. Enjoy:

This saved my (mon)day.



*Yeah, I know, it's bad-word-play-day.

"Are Poems True?"

Stephen Colbert discusses meaning, metaphores and J. Alfred with "inaugural poet" Elizabeth Alexander:

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Elizabeth Alexander

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

(via Silliman's)

President Obama.

Barak Obama is finally sworn in a President of the United States of America. This image from the New York Times, found here, expresses way better than the glossy, celebratory images from the actual inauguration ceremony what I see in him and what kind of President I hope he will be. (Btw: Thought the speech was good, but not breathtaking.)

Now, in regards to his presidency: I fear the worst, hope the best. He will definitely not be able to the expectations - the tasks are just to hard, the expactations to high. But a decent attempt would be great.

Listen!

The greatest thing about the Bush - Obama transission isn't that finally a politician moves into the White House with whom I actually agree on a few issues. I'm especially looking forward to being able to listen to. His speeches. Press conferences. Statements. I don't think I will agree with every single Obama utterance, but it'll at least be bearable again to listen to him (if not even enjoyable). I had a hard time listening to Bush speak - not just because of what he said, but also because how he said it - and that means a limited ammount of first hand information I could base my own opinion on. With Bush, I could only stand the soundbites. With Obama, I'm actually looking forward to the (possible) end of soundbite politics. That's change I want to believe in.

Speaking of speeches: His speech on election night was pretty amazing, possibly historical, also in form, not only content. That sets up pretty high expectations for tomorrows inaugural address. For starters, here is Obama's brief speech during the inaugural celebration concert .

G-Unit or P-Elect

Really interesting short documentary (10 min.) by Byron Hurt comparing the contrasting male gender roles represented by Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent, and Barack Obama.



(via merely thinking)

Dick and - Obama?

I can't help it. I've been looking at Nixon's speeches during the 1968 campaign for a class today, and I have a eerie déjà vu when listening to some of the arguments. I can't help but notice some similarities between Richard Nixon and - Obama. It's really odd, but it's the strategy of claming to speak for the Americans themselves (in Nixon's case: the silent majority) and claiming to go beyond party limits for the sake of America and the necessity of a 'period of negotiation' because "there isn't a place in the world where the United States isn't worse off than it was eight years ago".
I'm not saying there are actual parallel between them (also not that their speeches of performances are similar). But it just struck me as pretty odd, if not creepy.

"Is that what my voice sounds like?"

Shameless self-promotion: You can check out - and download - 'our' new EP called "Pocket Poets, Pocket Dances" at our website www.unionhills.de (Click on "Liebestöter")

Enjoy - and feel free to comment.

Presidential deja-vu.

We're back to "If you don't do exactly what I told you now, we'll be screwed forever"-politics. From the New York Times:

Just hours earlier, Mr. Obama called for speedy passage of the stimulus measure, warning that the recession “could linger for years” if Congress did not pass his plan within weeks.

Quarter Life Crisis

...and your mother said:
"Your party ended
pretty early, didn't it?"

You just spilled your coffee.