Currently listening to...

My last few entries have been all about politics.  So I thought I changed it up a bit.  Fear not, I will write something about the race speech by the senator of Illinois. I'm just letting marinate a bit.  Moving on... a while back I shared whatever music I was obsessing about during that week. I haven't stopped obsessing, just got lazy about blogging about it.  So I thought, I would bring that back.  Kinda like bringing sexy back, except not.

In the past 24 hours, I've been obsessing over a song titled "This Years Love" by David Gray.  I had heard the song multiple times while watching Crazy/Beautiful. The movie is easily in my top 25.  Don't ask.  What can I say? I have soft side or so I tell myself.  I never looked up the song after watching the movie.  This most likely because I usually don't have computer in front of me when watching TV.  However, yesterday, the dream app that is Pandora played the song for me and I've been listening to it ever since, except the the two hours to listen to Diane's Rehm News round up.

To be honest,  the lyrics are predictably sappy .  They involves being hurt but then finding that right person after a long  period of loneliness and hoping it lasts. Quite frankly, I don't think you cant make all off without reading the lyrics.  Despite its predictability and the overly sappy lyrics, it's a beautiful song.  The piano play in the grabs and hold your attention while Gray's voice is soothing. The combination is just unbeatable.  I found a youtube video.  Take and judge for yourself.   Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.  In the meantime, I 'll go back to listening to the song.

 

p.s. If you're big fan of music of all kinds, you should follow the guys at theplugg.com.

 

Technorati Tags: Music,David Gray,Crazy/Beautiful

30 minutes why I'm for Obama

If you've been following my blog, you know that Barack Obama is my candidate for president.  I even went down to South Carolina to volunteer for him.  I also volunteered when it was time for the DC/MD/VA.  However, I have yet to take the time to  explain why I favored Obama over McCain and Clinton.  While I was searching for the right words and the right way to present them to you, I found two videos by Professor Lessig (blog) of Stanford law and founder of Creative Commons.  He was recently drafted to run for US congress in the 12th district of CA but decided against it because his opponent, Jackie Speier,  has been one of the most popular state legislator for the last 30 years.  Instead, he decided to focus on his new project, change-congress, which he will unveil this week at the Sunlight Foundation.  Needless to say, I will be in attendance.  At the time he was considering running, I would have moved to CA to help out with his race though he probably did not need it.

Regardless of what comes of his political future, Lessig's videos basically express my thoughts about the election,more specifically about Obama's candidacy, more eloquently than I ever could.  Take a look below.

First video - 20 minutes or so why I'm 4 Barack

Second Video - 10 minutes on whether Hillary can win

While Lessig  makes several good points as he often in his lectures, the most poignant is that it's time to pass the torch; it's time for a new path; it's time for a new generation of leaders.  To borrow a much overused phrase of this electoral season, it's time for real change. It is my hope that in January 2009, Obama will be able to borrow to words from JFK and say "Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike that the torch has been passed to a new generations of Americans." 

Technorati Tags: Obama,Lessig,Election 2008,Change Congress

Who has the best American Story: Obama or McCain?

While following analysis of the election results on CNN, I posed the question question "Who has the best American story Obama or McCain?" on Twitter (which updates my Facebook status to the dismay of some) and the following email conversation ensued. I obviously removed the name and email of the individual with whom I had the conversation.

Friend:

Pretty hard to beat wasting away in a POW camp for years in service to one's country. Much as I love Obama, I'm going with McCain on this one. I'm disappointed he didn't decisively knock her out tonight. This race needs to end already, it's driving me crazy with all the hoping and waiting.

Henri:

I think it's pretty much a wash. rags to riches vs. army boy?

Friend:

Maybe so. But we've had rags to riches already recently (hello Bill Clinton). Been awhile since there's been a certified war hero. Though I wonder how much Vietnam will resonate against a much younger opponent. Not like he'll want to draw endless amounts of attention to the fact that he's so much older.

Henri:

Vietnam didn't help Kerry (website) and didn't help McCain in 2000, if nothing else people have become less sympathetic to the story and like the military even less. Rags to riches story always make you feel good.  Especially for a black man.

Friend:

Yes, though I think nothing would have helped Kerry, he ran a pretty poor campaign. Rags to riches is more relatable, something so many of us aspire to. But McCain still gets my vote simply on the merits of the story.

Henri:

Fair enough.  I'm not picking sides on this one. Just tallying the votes.

Obviously, both candidates have very compelling stories and McCain's service is to be commended at every turn.  However, I really believe that if  each candidate properly tells his life story(barring any swiftboating)neither will have and edge because of it.  Your thoughts?

 

Technorati Tags: Election 2008,Obama,McCain,Kerry,Swiftboating