RIS is back!

...and, like T. Rex, RIS loves to boogie!

between 2 ferns

i love it.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Steve Carell from Between Two Ferns

big boi

I return, to tell you that Big Boi is amazing. I always hated that people gave Andre3000 the majority of the props for Outkast's success, when I always thought that his rapping skills were better. Then came their dual album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, and Dre got tons of accolades because of his mega-hit, "Hey Ya," but people seemed not to care that other than that and "Roses," Big Boi had made a far superior album.

Apparently, this record has been done for almost 3 years, but Big Boi hasn't been able to release it because of contract disputes. Well, now its out, and it is phenomenal. I hope he gets the credit he deserves. Oh, and check out the video for the first single, "Shutterbugg," which is awesome.

huh, mr nobel, huh.

Had sort of a strange juxtaposition of events today. Riding the subway home there was a man begging for money wearing his certificate of "Honorable Discharge" from the military around his neck like a necklace and complaining loudly about the tardiness of the government in providing the benefits owed to him. This as we were riding over the Brooklyn bridge in full view of the statue of liberty, contemplating quite what it means that Obama won the Peace prize (if anything). I was filled with a great pride and a great sadness at the state of our society. I think Obama handled the prize about as well as he could short of refusing it (and I do not think one can refuse such a thing) and his remarks were eloquent and affirming. I like the idea of it as a call to action as a badge of accountability as something he and our society must live up to. To me, his winning the Nobel, with the world in the state that it is in, seems like a desperate plea from the International community for salvation. Our society has been shifting beneath our feet for the past few years, I think many feel that, and many fear what it means. I think we all want Obama to be worthy of this peace prize. To accomplish what seems, right now, impossible, because we are all so terrified of the alternative. (interesting too that this is a few days after Iran has been revealed by the UN to have unexpectedly advanced weopons capabilities). Lately the climate among my friends has been one of disappointment in Obama, of all the ways he has not lived up to what were, when he was first elected, exceedingly wild and optimistic dreams. All the ways he has not magically transformed our society. All the realities of politics and the fallibilities of humans. And I have been in many ways frustrated myself. I am frustrated. But I do think there is something significant about intent, about rhetoric, and about inspiring hope, and I think that that shift is what the prize reflects--for the fact that we can have some hope, no matter how small, even despite the many ways our country has disappointed. Maybe our hopes are too grand, and maybe more than he can accomplish. But we have to hope that he and we can, because what else are we going to do.

Speaking of penguins...

The landmark study that demonstrated the non-inferiority of penguins to non-English-speaking humans in mathematics:

Gay Penguins!

Go penguins go!

undocumented workers

This got brought to my attention tonight, and I find it completely appalling.

Apparently, a large amount of the post 9-11 clean up was done by undocumented workers. They are now suffering from exposure related health issues and are not able to get health care. To allow them to do that kind of work, under those kinds of conditions, then not to grant them residency, let alone health care for their work related issues...it blows my mind. i think i have previously rambled on about how dismayed I am that american society has never, in its history, functioned without an economy driven by some kind of sub-citizen class. we tout our constitution and our egalitarian bill of rights, but deny people these rights simply by denying them citizenship. it is an absolutely egregious civil rights violation; it is a form of servitude. Yes they are getting paid, but not adequate amounts and not with equal rights. And then to have this issue put in the context of the 9-11 clean up--well, that's just the icing on the cake.

Anyway. Word on the street is that several organizing groups are going to start doing a big push to help the 9-11 shadow workers in the fall, and as we go into Immigration reform in 2010--so please be angry about it.