You'll get no pomp and circumstance from me...

No drama...

No rants...
No attention towards controversy...
No questions...
No suggestions...
No criticisms...


Yet.

Simply....

Welcome.

I'm not buying into the Obama hype...

Literally.

What's really up with all the Obama shirts, buttons, socks, headbands, window shades, couch covers, doggie sweaters, sneakers, turntable slip mats, etc.?! It's getting ridiculous. What's next...the Obama Condom? "Change your love life for the positive...with the Obama Condom!"

I first noticed the trend to get paid off of Obama's name with Rolling Stone magazine's commemorative edition. It even contains an Obama poster. You know...like Word Up! or your favorite teen or video game magazine. RS pretty much backed Obama from jump so I didn't see the reason behind this issue. Yeah, yeah...money. I get it. But when do we take a step back and start respecting what we believe in without having to make a buck from it? Beyond the understandable t-shirts and such, I think it's just too much as the example of product out there just hasn't slowed down. For example...

Hennessy Cognac has a limited edition "44" bottle available. Ummmm.....why? Won't there be enough Hennessy being poured on the 20th? The absolute need to cash in on this President is embarrassing. Don't get me wrong...I understand the popularity, potential and celebrity of this man...but his campaign was based on change. Wouldn't it have been cool if the advertising & marketing teams within these companies had paid more attention? Wouldn't it have been cool if the change that Obama spoke of started with our greed to get paid on everything we do during every breathing moment? As far as I'm concerned, it's greed that's gotten this country in the quicksand for which it finds itself. From The NY Times:

The maker of Hennessy Cognac, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, is using numerology rather than language in its promotion, selling 180,000 bottles, priced at $30 each, bearing seals and labels on the front and back emblazoned with “44” and phrases like “In honor of the 44th president” and “In honor of the presidential inauguration.”

The company plans to make donations to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund for each bottle sold, said Andy Glaser, senior vice president for Hennessy at Moët Hennessy USA in New York, with a goal of starting two four-year scholarships through a minimum donation of $50,000.

Nice gesture. The labels of the bottles will be emblazoned with phrases like “In honor of the 44th president” and “In honor of the presidential inauguration.” In my humble opinion, it would've been a true honor had all the proceeds gone to the College Fund. Even in this recession, liquor is doing just fine.

Again, thanks for reading...

One love,

Bigg Russ

P.S. Thanks for the original NYTimes.com article from which I first heard about this. You know who you are...

Yeah, you know what it is...

Getting Over Race...

What an amazing concept, huh? I'm not even sure if it can happen...but I find myself wondering more and more everyday if I can work towards that. Not in the, "Oh, I don't see you as [insert color here]. I just see you as a good person..." type of demeaning way. I'm trying hard every day to teach myself to not prejudge someone on sight based on any one particular characteristic. I'm just as guilty as many for doing this on occasion but I hear the first step to recovery is admission, yes?

Please check out this interview with Debra Dickerson. Methinks she and I are on the same page. I'll know more once I've purchased her book, The End of Blackness. After you've read her article, take a look at some of her reviews:

NY Times

January Magazine

The Village Voice

Another word for synonym...

My brain is moving a mile a minute. I feel like Raymond Babbitt, 'cept I'm fully aware of my surroundings and I'm very much over Jeopardy. I consistently read the news and ask myself, "Is it just me?" I can't possibly be the only one finds the unfortunate humor in everything. At one point, I wasn't. My sister once admitted to asking herself the same question very often. We're busy with our lives now so I don't really know if she's still asking. I could, of course, ask her...but this feeling of being alone in my questioning is rather soothing.

Like right now, in fact, I have so much to share...but wonder how much of it is really worth sharing? It's like filing through a Rolodex of information but never actually choosing a card. How does one combine his shared love of hip hop with his love of oxtails, peas & rice? What would I really be accomplishing by telling Zune owners that having a non-working Zune for a few days due to a leap year date issue really isn't ruining their lives? Does anyone really care that Isiah Thomas, whose tale is uncommonly similar to Mayor Dinkins', might have actually done exactly what he was hired to do as GM? Is it really beneficial to anyone that Yugo's are probably the only thing I've ever searched for on eBay and didn't find? And what's more interesting is that Yugo line production just stopped in 2008?! (Really...who was still buying these things? Can I still buy a Sterling?)

I bet Alex Trebek didn't know any of that. He probably couldn't list the original members of Mantronix either. But that's neither here nor there.

All that being typed, what am I to do? How does one prioritize thought when finding a matching pair of socks proves to be just as frustrating as doing taxes? Maybe I should seek therapy. But then again, is thought prioritization an accredited course at most colleges? If so, how does one choose a thought prioritization specialist? Is there a non-anonymous thought prioritization meeting every Tuesday that has thought prioritization specialists listed on a cork board? Let's face it, it's easy for people to say, "Hey...seek help. Go see a shrink." No offense, shrinks. I just don't know how to spell psychiatrist and continue to wonder if it's a "psychologist" that I need to see. Personally, I think you guys do the same thing...but the iatr and olog simply put you in different pay brackets. You know...like Q-Tip and Jay-Z.

Anyway, I'm sure whatever it is I'm searching for, trying to figure out, looking to accomplish, hoping to find, pining to own, running away from, etc. will make itself known shortly. I just hope it's not one of those it's been under your nose the entire time kind of things. That would only serve to annoy me. So much so that I would probably give myself something else to find. I'd make sure it's my #1 priority too.

One love...

Bigg Russ

Just when I thought dying of natural causes was bad...

John Travolta's son, Jett, died just after New Year's due to complications regarding his seizures. The full story hasn't come out. Regardless, it was plastered on every front page of every newspaper and website that felt it necessary.

I didn't mind the coverage. Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children. I sincerely believe that.

But what about the controversial shooting death of Oscar Grant by police (video)? The deceased was unarmed and handcuffed. Will this get as much coverage?

Sadly, I think I know the answer to that question. Maybe if O.J. were involved...

- Bigg Russ