I need some help on naming the canoe. I am thinking of something that has to do with monsters or mythological creatures. But I am getting stumped. I want it to be cool and somewhat smart. It is just a canoe but that means I can go off in some other directions (such as swamps, canals, rivers etc). Here goes a few that I have come up with, but what are some of your ideas. Email them on over. Thanks.
The Mermaid Of The Swamp
River Rat
Calypso's Keep / Kalypsó Keep
Charon's Secret
The Ferrymen Of Hades
Njord Watch
Seas the Day
Upon first inspection of Into The Wild, I was enthralled by Chris McCandless - His ideals, his gumption, his reckless abandon for exploration. I can see a lot of myself within Chris; we share some of the same opinions, the thought of adventure is overwhelming and general disregard to what other think resonates in us both. I would dare say that even a few years earlier in my life Chris and I shared even more in common. The world was more black and white back then. Individuals fit into one category or another. Right and wrong was easily defined. As I got older those black and white ideals were filled with grey. Shadows lurked in the darkness and rays of light show through the cracks. I dare to say that Chris McCandless would not have made some of the decisions that were made if he had a few more years under his belt.
Or is that what his path was really about? Holding on to the black and white world, not to be influenced by the surrounding grey matter? Living in "Alexander Supertramp's" reality.
I was taken "Into the WIld" with Chris McCandless' tale. Like most adventures the first leg of the journey was filled with admiration, excitement, longing and bewilderment of the courage Chris exhibited to go at it the way he did. As the path grew longer and longer and the scenery started to blend together, I found myself questioning my original fascination with Chris' tale. Growing worrisome of all of the mishaps along the way I found myself growing a strong dislike for the ignorance that McCandless exhibited. His ignorance turned into my distaste for his ideals and the path he chose to take.
Now as I walked out of the woods and have stepped away from the tale, I see Chris in a whole new light. McCandless arrived at where two roads diverged in a wood, and he, chose neither the one with wanted ware or the one less traveled. He made his own path. And to him, that has made all the difference.
Probably not but it a question worth asking. On MTV Hits this month they are playing old Yo! MTV Raps videos and clips. It has been great checking out all of the stuff I grew up and it makes me miss it. However I have had the opportunity to check out two newer rappers putting out some good stuff.
The first guy only has one song that I know of that is actually good and reminds me of classic hip-hop. Check out the video for Sheek Louch's Good Love.
The second is Lupe Fiasco. He has just released his second album, The Cool, after getting a little play from a hit 2 years ago, Push Kick. A more grown up album it balances hip-hop rap street stylings with soulful groves reminiscent of that of Gnarles Barley. He has good flow, a diverse vocabulary and credentials of playing for/with Tribe at VH1 Hip Hop Honors. Right now he is getting a little radio play so you may have already caught some of the songs.
Thanks to Paul for this. I found it uplifting in many different ways. Check out will.i.am had to say about it all after the movie.
The Yes We Can Song
by will.i.am
I was sitting in my recording studio watching the debates...
Torn between the candidates
I was never really big on politics...
and actually I’m still not big on politics...
but 4 years ago, me and the black eyed peas supported Kerry...
And we supported Kerry with all our might...
We performed and performed and performed for the DNC...
doing all we could do to get the youth involved...
The outcome of the last 2 elections has saddened me...
on how unfair, backwards, upside down, unbalanced, untruthful,
corrupt, and just simply, how wrong the world and "politics" are...
So this year i wanted to get involved and do all i could early...
And i found myself torn...
because this time it’s not that simple...
our choices aren’t as clear as the last elections ...
last time it was so obvious...
Bush and war
vs
no Bush and no war...
But this time it’s not that simple...
and there are a lot of people that are torn just like i am...
So for awhile I put it off and i was going to wait until it was decided for me...
And then came New Hampshire...
And i was captivated...
Inspired...
I reflected on my life...
and the blessings I have...
and the people who fought for me to have these rights and blessings...
and I’m not talking about a "black thing"
I’m talking about a "human thing" me as a "person"
an American...
That speech made me think of Martin Luther King...
Kennedy...
and Lincoln...
and all the others that have fought for what we have today...
what America is "supposed" to be...
freedom...
equality...
and truth...
and thats not what we have today...
we think we are free...
but in reality terror and fear controls our decisions...
this is not the America that our pioneers and leaders fought and
died for...
and then there was New Hampshire
it was that speech...
like many great speeches...
that one moved me...
because words and ideas are powerful...
It made me think...
and realize that today we have "very few" leaders...
maybe none...
but that speech...
it inspired me...
it inspired me to look inside myself and outwards towards the world...
it inspired me to want to change myself to better the world...
and take a "leap" towards change...
and hope that others become inspired to do the same...
change themselves..
change their greed...
change their fears...
and if we "change that"
"then hey"..
we got something right...???...
1 week later after the speech settled in me...
I began making this song...
I came up with the idea to turn his speech into a song...
because that speech effected and touched my inner core like nothing in a very long time...
it spoke to me...
because words and ideas are powerful...
I just wanted to add a melody to those words...
I wanted the inspiration that was bubbling inside me to take over...
so i let it..
I wasn't afraid to stand for something...
to stand for "change"...
I wasn't afraid of "fear"...
it was pure inspiration...
so I called my friends...
and they called their friends...
in a matter of 2 days...
We made the song and video...
Usually this process would take months...
a bunch of record company people figuring out strategies and release dates...
interviews...
all that stuff...
but this time i took it in my own hands...
so i called my friends sarah pantera, mike jurkovac, fred goldring, and jesse dylan to help make it happen...
and they called their friends..
and we did it together in 48 hours...
and instead of putting it in the hands of profit we put it in the hands of inspiration...
then we put it on the net for the world to feel...
When you are truly inspired..
magic happens...
incredible things happen...
love happens..
(and with that combination)
"love, and inspiration"
change happens...
"change for the better"
Inspiration breeds change...
"Positive change"...
no one on this planet is truly experienced to handle the obstacles we face today...
Terror, fear, lies, agendas, politics, money, all the above...
It’s all scary...
Martin Luther King didn't have experience to lead...
Kennedy didn't have experience to lead...
Susan B. Anthony...
Nelson Mandella...
Rosa Parks...
Gandhi...
Anne Frank...
and everyone else who has had a hand in molding the freedoms we have and take for granted today...
no one truly has experience to deal with the world today...
they just need "desire, strength, courage ability, and passion" to change...
and to stand for something even when people say it's not possible...
America would not be here "today" if we didn’t stand and fight for
change "yesterday"...
Everything we have as a "people" is because of the "people" who fought for
change...
and whoever is the President has to realize we have a lot of changing to do
I'm not trying to convince people to see things how i do...
I produced this song to share my new found inspiration and how I've been moved...
I hope this song will make you feel...
love...
and think...
and be inspired just like the speech inspired me...
that’s all...
Let's all come together like America is supposed to...
Like Japan did after Hiroshima...
that was less than 65 years ago...
and look at Japan now...
they did it together...
they did it...
"We can't?...
Are you serious..?..
WE CAN!!!
Yes we can...
A United "America"
Democrats, Republicans and Independents together...
Building a new America
So I am brainstorming a few names for the Tech conference in April. This is what I have come up with this far. I will have to narrow them down but its a start.
SHOUT South
Digital Feed
FEED South
Tech South
South East Tech Conference
VOICE
Digital Voice
D.I.Y. Tech South East
Digital Dixie
Digital Break
Media Construct South East
Tech Support South
Dish Out
The Southern Media Dish Out
Digital Graze South
The Southern Tech Graze
Digital Nurture South
DigitalNET South East
Digital Crossroads
If you know me then you probably know that I don't mind to work. I will help out in whatever way I can on many different levels. I have different motives for helping out as well. Money, sex, power...
You may not know that I am into Consumerism. I buy and sell things. I think that you as a consumer should be well informed about products, companies, policies etc. I believe in shopping locally, supporting home grown businesses and the likes. However I don't think you should shop at these places just because they are local businesses. You should be getting something out of it in return. For instance I got to a local pet store, not because they have everything that I need but because they know who I am there. I pay a little more for customer service and a smile and I am fine with that. But if said pet store ever treats me as if I am less of person cause I don't know that you can't put that type of fish in with that other type I will take my business elsewhere.
SORRY I am getting a little off subject... Now where was I...
So how do the two fit together: working and consumerism? My wife asked me to help her out on Black Friday. The catch is it was from Midnight till 8 in the mourning. Now I found it redicioulous that society has gotten to the point that people actually feel the need to go and buy crap on a certain day. Let me go out there and state that American's who shop on Black Friday are some of the most pathetic creatures on earth. Either they are too stupid to realize the bait and switch technique that is going on or hate themselves that much that they have to drag their family at 4 in the mourning to buy a toaster oven. It is very depressing.
I did however join my wife at work on midnight of Black Friday. It was simple decision for me. She works in retail. She is the store manager of a pretty successful store and she is good at her job. But because she is good at he job, the job demands more and more of her. Being that Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for her I thought that I could help her out, spend some time with her and get a first hand look at all of the mindless shoppers that I have grown to loathe. I did my part, got to spend a few extra hours with her and formed even harsher opinions of people. I would have to say it was a petty successful day.
If you want a good look at what somebody else thinks read this post by Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist:
I heard this song about 4 months ago on AOL Music On Demand. Since then I haven't been able to find it anywhere. Wouldn't you know it that in my music care package from Emerson this gem was found. Located as track number 1 on Disk 2 of Cornerstone Mixtape #93, "Classic" stars Kanye West, Nas, KRS One & Rakim. What more can you ask for?
Thanks to my pal Emerson I never have to look too far when it comes to finding something to listen to. He just sent me a package of goodies.
Here goes my first impressions.
The Budos Band: The Budos Band II
An elaborate collection of beats and grooves sure to take you back. Its Blacksploitation mixed with Latin vibes. Sit back and enjoy. Top class all the way.
Wiley: Playtime Is Over
European Hip-hop. Not much to say other than when you here it you know exactly where it comes from and not just because of the accent. Noting original but nothing bad either.
Baby Elephant: Turn My Teeth Up!
New joint from Prince Paul himself. It is exactly what you would expect from Prince Paul. Great collaborations with artist the likes of George Clinton, Yellowman and Reggie Watts. Crazy beats, overlaid tracks and space grooves.
Dudley Perkins: A Lil' Light
Produced By MADLib, this is truly a hidden gem. Gritty by design, the beats flow like rain water through a storm drain picking up the daily grind along the way. With a style and flow like O.D.B. but something that is uninque to him, Dudley Perkins brings in a new form of Champaign Grime.
It's late fall in the year of 2007 and little does the mass know but strange things are a foot. Before our very eyes media as we know if forever changing. The major players have weighed in and the new media partners are slowly gaining ground. The outcome is uncertain but Lets see how it all fits together.
The Stories Basics
The world wide web is starting to empower the powerless, the creative, the little guys all with the necessary tools to take on the big media giants head to head. Companies, individuals, technology and media outlets once thought to be separate are crossing paths. Everything is connected.
Possible starting point of it all:
Hollywood writers go on strike. Big TV networks fill up empty space with reruns and more crappy "Realty TV." The mass population turn the channels off.
Act 2:
More and more people find out the web is more than just MySpace. They discover that they can get media free, onDemand, and how they want t delivered.
People rediscovered music. How to connect to it and make their own choice of who they like.
Musicians rediscover music. Musicians abandon the "big label" philosophy and start putting out music that matters again. They retain all of the rites to their songs.
DIY really takes hold again. People discover that they can do stuff for themselves because the answers to their questions are at their fingertips.
Niche markets pop up everywhere. Markets and ad channels open up like never before. The long tail starts a new funnel of interest.
OnDemand all the time. Google, Apple and yet to be named more and more powerful tools to gather, distribute and view media.
Big media companies start to die. Some reinvent themselves to actually cater to what the mass population wants.
The Ending:
Who really knows but it is defiantly worth staying in tune for.
This week is topped off by VH1's Hip Hop Honors 2007. It has become THE hip hop event of the year for me. I look forward to it each and every year. This year topped last years with Tracy Morgan as host. It's honories included Tribe Called Quest, Snoop Dogg, Whodini, Missy Elliott, New Jack Swing and the movie Wild Style. Go check it out, you'll be glad you did!
I have always been a fan of learning. I also have always admired my father for the amount of stuff he knows how to or can figure out how to do. While I am a man of many talents I do not feel as if I possess the same skill set that my father does. I may know how to work a computer, but I can't rewire the socket that the computer is plugged into. I am one of few that recognizes that my fathers generation knows far more than what my generation knows and some of that knowledge is being lost. I try and attempt to learn new things all the time (for instance I volunteered to help my friend tile his kitchen over the weekended just so I could learn how to do it). I guess Glenn Reynolds over at Popular Mechanics feels the same way. If you get a chance, swing over there and read this article. I really think he hits it dead on.
Text messaging is fricking crazy. I don't understand how kids can constantly text each other every min of the day or for that matter why they need too. I can understand why my step brother does it and why all his friends do it. They're deaf.
Now I know that I am getting older and that I will never be able to understand the "why" of things, but I can see a pretty cool marketing idea aimed at something that I will never full understand. Check out Reactee. These guys have a pretty cool idea that I could see myself sporting if I was a pansy ass unwilling to walk up to somebody and say nice t'shirt. Basically you get a custom printed t'shrit with your message and a keyword text. When somebody identifies with your slogan text text your keyword to the phone number and get a pre-recorded text message of your choice sent back to them. You then get a report of all the phone number that text you. While I can see this being used for all sorts of lame ass pick up lines, I do think this could be put to all kinds of interesting marketing ploys. You could do all kinds of "bait and switch" themes such as "See My Boobs" with a reply "Only if you buy me a Budweiser." You could also apply this idea to all kinds of niche groups and play the "long tail affect" for only people who "get it."
I think the idea is strong, it just depends on which part of the public picks it up and runs with it.
Well I am back and boy was it fun. Nothing can campare to getting away form it all for a little while. Costa Rica is still a little like a third world country but with a lot of progression. So being cut away from it all for a week was just what I needed. We saw and did a lot but at the same time did absoutly nothing. It was fantastic.
The other mourning I got up and had a new idea. I wasn't sure if this idea has been done before but I thought it was a pretty good idea.
I hate it when I go to a new city and I don't know how to find my way around. My only means of transportation is what ever the public transportation provides so I have to find out how to navigate using the bus and rail systems. My thought was to have a map quest system for public transportation. Since most public transit centers around time tables and important places it could help you with what time to be at what bus stop or train stop. It would tell you where to make transfers and what matter of transportation you would have to take next. If would even tell you if you had to walk or not. You could download the directions to your phone or pda and be good to go.
Upon further investigation the only thing close I discovered was on the Washington Metropolitan Area Website. They have a pretty sweet system. You can limit your transfers and say you only want to walk a min amount. It also gives you help and tips not to mention how much the combined fair will be. Much props to Washington D.C. It's no wonder they got picked No 1 by Wired for Top Geek City's.
I think they could market this technology to all other major cities. A useful tool to any traveler.
On the way to work this mourning I heard on the radio that an airport decided to take down 7 christmas trees cause someone asked if they could also place a Chanukkiyah up. They said if they did that then they would also have to put all other sorts of religious stuff. So instead they just took everything down.
I am not an advocate for one religion or another, however what do Christmas trees have to do with any religions? If anything they are a pagan in nature.
Paul sent me a link to a video on YouTube the other day. I know the reason he sent it to me was to check out the stylings of CRUTCH and how he gets around. However, the video was a little more than that to me.
Myrtle Beach is changing and for the better... I hope. Today marked the groundbreaking of Myrtle Beach's newest tourist draw, The Hard Rock Cafe Theme Park. My business, 803 Productions, was one of the many invited to watch the event. It was a pretty impressive event as far as press releases go. But what does this really mean for the face of Myrtle Beach?
