Keeping Myself Busy While "Nebulizing"

I finally caught the dreaded cold that has been circulating the city and as usual it hit me extra hard by causing an asthma attack. Ive been stuck inside for 2 days now, which sucks cause i actually enjoy my job. So while I get my lungs back to normal with a nebulizer and breathing treatment, I bring you "A Black Man in the Elevator".

Shoot Me

How is it that this guy (who's my age) has more money than I will most likely ever have, yet I invested $160,000 into my New York art school education resulting in a BFA? Not to mention that nobody I graduated with can get legitimate jobs and I am currently working part time to sell iPhones and the headphones being worn in this video. I think this is what they mean when they say life isnt always fair. 

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How Can Bicycles Still Be Fun? and Banksy Bitch Slaps the South

So, pretty much everyone I know that lives here in the city knows who Banksy is. If you arent familiar he is a famous world renowned British graffiti artist and is very mysterious. Not many people know who he actually is, where hes from, looks like, ect. His pieces are usually political and or based on popular culture.  

He seems to be here in the states right now and has put up some awesome pieces so far in New Orleans and Alabama. The best in my opinion was in Birmingham where he painted an image of a Klansman being hung at an abandoned gas station. It obviously pushed some buttons as most of his work does, according to Hypebeast (www.hypebeast.com) a convenient store clerk across the street stated that some local taggers came and covered it, and it was then

 removed completely. Too bad. Below are also some images he put up in New Orleans as well.

*Images from Hypebeast and www.banksy.co.uk

On another note, I think its really funny and interesting how fast bikes have become fun and popular again. The last few years the bike craze in new york as well as all over the world has taken off immensely, especially in the world of fixed gears. Here's a little video of people showing off on theirs at the recent Bicycle Film Festival in LA.

BFF Block Party LA 2008 from rossangeles on Vimeo.

Underoath

As previously stated in my last post, I have very eclectic taste in music. Putting my iTunes on shuffle around others is truly dangerous. Last time i brought you French artist "Yelle", but today I bring you one of my top 2 favorite bands, Underoath. 

They've been a favorite band of mine for at least 4-5 years now, especially after getting a copy of an album from Stuff Magazine while interning. The band originated in Florida in 98' and has been Grammy nominated which is kind of rare for a hardcore band. They are signed to Solid State/Tooth and Nail Records and are their best selling band. The last few years have brought them more commercial success with the release of "They're Only Chasing Safety" and "Define the Great Line"; which went gold and the highest-charting Christian album in the Billboard 200 since 97'. 

Did I just say Christian album? Yes, Yes I did. This is still a confusing thing with Underoath in a way. They have stated many times they are a Christian band, but as lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain explains:

 "[We are Christian but] in a different way. We’re not like your average Christian band." He further explains that Christianity is the "backbone of our lives, especially in the way that we handle certain things, but it’s not so much the backbone of our lyrics. It’s not like every song is a lesson from the Bible or something. It’s just normal life struggles."

Basically, they are all identified Christians but do not express that in all of their songs, although at shows there is usually at least one mention of God or Jesus which usually comes at the end. In any case, I do love them and Aaron Gillespie (drummer) inspires me to be a better drummer. Today a new Album was released, titled "Lost in the Sound of Separation", they have a new video which is by no means that great (many others are much better and have been Grammy nominated as well). But ill post it for the sake of posting along with some other good ones, they usually work with a Swedish director and company and come up with some interesting conceptual stuff video wise.  Im sad to be missing them playing here in the city tonight.

First video From the Latest Album:

A French Singer and My Love for Puppets

Yelle. She's French. Sassy. Wears great clothes. Her videos are aesthetically pleasing. I like her. My musical taste is quite eclectic so expect music posts that are all over the place. 

Kanye has his new video out for "Champion" which is hilarious, mainly because I love puppets. I dont know why but I really think they are hilarious. I really am a little kid...its weird. 

I know There Are More Important Things to Contemplate

Samron and Lohan. I dont really know what to make of it, but its everywhere. Do I like them? Yes, Yes I do. DO i think theyre together? I have no idea. I have a few thoughts and theories. 

If they are together, just fucking say you are already, its just makes them look like douche's/jerks, not to mention middle school kids who are trying to be obnoxious on purpose. It gets old fast. 

Part of me thinks they arent together, honestly if I couldnt hold hands or touch my said girlfriend at all in public that would drive me insane and Id be like fuck it already to be overly conscious of it like these two. They NEVER touch each other. 

I noticed something the other day that threw me off, Sam's nails. SHE HAS NAILS?! In terms of gender and sexual representation trust me im all over it, but with her giving off such a masculine image, i was really surprised to see long nails on her. Not to mention in "other departments" that would NOT be good looks. Interestingly, in the same pictures that brought this to my attention, Lohan doesnt really seem to have nails....I hope you are catching my drift, if not you dont deserve to know what im talking about. 

Im not saying that if you are masculine you shouldnt have nails, but it is rare. A friend mentioned that maybe Samron is putting up a front as well, shes not this "butch" the media and her seem to put out there. But it does help conveniently with creating the allusion that her and the "girly" Lohan are together, the whole butch/femme dynamic. I dont know if they are together but im really starting to think not. The elusivness of it all has brought them both alot of attention, im sure its not hurting Sam's amount of gigs as a DJ. It terms of Sam's "butchness" it could be very genuine, she has always sort of been that way and then she has those tattooed stars on the back of her arm, which back in the day was a way for other queers to know you were too. 

But if they are together Id welcome it for sure, I like them. Sometimes they look genuinely happy to be together. And deep down, I'd like it if they were. 

New Flicks

As we all know I am a movie fanatic, they are what I live for. I always look towards the fall for films, not so much the whole summer blockbuster thing necessarily. I did however see the Dark Knight and it was awesome as reviewed and expected. I look to movies at all times for "still images", scenes that look like they would make perfect photographs. There were a fair amount of good scenes in this movie for that. Im always looking out for what's coming up though on a daily basis. I definitely need to do some more research but for now here are a few movies im looking forward to.

 "Knowing", I have never been a huge Nicolas Cage fan, but this one looks pretty good and i have usually enjoyed him in the "National Treasure" series. It seems a little M. Night Shamylan-esque. In this film, back in the 60's school children were asked to draw their predictions for the future and 50 years later they will be revealed from a time capsule. Things get weird when one of the papers is covered in number, which Cage figures out to have predicted all disasters in the last 50 years. He is now at a point where he can see whats going to happen in the future. The big question is...what happens when the numbers run out? This one goes out to Phillip Noel in the spirit of 2012.

"Towelhead" has such an abrasive title, but it looks really good, funny yet super intense about coming of age in the states and trying to deal with heritage and overbearing parents. 

Im looking forward to "Death Race" for its explosions, the sounds of guns and other gratuitous violence, I have yet to see the original but this just looks fun. 

"Dorothy" is an upcoming horror film based in Ireland but subtitled in french. The movie follows a psychiatrist that is just getting over the accidental death of her son when she is sent to an Irish island to help a 15 year old girl. The girl is accused of attempting to murder a baby that she is caring for, at first she is diagnosed with multiple personality disorder but once she speaks to the doctor is her dead sons voice, the doctor is forced to realize there is a larger power at hand here.