About the future, hope, and yes we can

Last - and only - time I visited NYC was 1972. We visited a teacher in his classroom in the Bronx. The school - PS-something or other - was rundown, in need of paint, and appeared abandoned. Jaime, the teacher, was a friend of the guy, Bob, who took us on the trip. He reflected on how much he loved teaching but how difficult it was to focus and ultimately "teach" the kids within the environment.

I'm not naive enough to think this video is representative of every HS in NYC. Or in the US. These are obviously gifted children. The classroom size alone reflects a special group. Racism is not simply solved.

It is solved through one speech, one election, one YouTube video, one group of people, one conversation.

One at a time. One little instance at a time.

It's Tuesday - The Bag Begins Bursting

Today - everywhere I look people carry water bottles. Chris Jordan is an artist in Seattle whose work puts consumerism into stark perspective. He's big on statistics though he calls it "Running the Numbers". Check out his photo about 1/4 way down the page link. His statement strikes at our humanity:

My underlying desire is to emphasize the role of the individual in a society that is increasingly enormous, incomprehensible, and overwhelming.

This is NOT about guilt - its about doing what's best for the planet. Jordan uses his images to help us consider the value of one. I'm not a big water bottle user - I'm a re-user - but damn am I gathering to-go coffee cups! I can see that next week will find me becoming a travel mug coffee drinker. Wonder what the barista will say? If its anything like the response from the grocery store when I use my own cloth bag, it will be a humorous time. They look at me like I have 2 heads - which I don't....yet :)

Yesterday's trash: coffee cups, paper towels, yogurt container (non-recyclable so far as I can tell), napkins, mixed paper, miscellaneous mail...my bag is bulging. The custodian at work is going to think I'm on holiday! No trash to pull! HA

For hi-resolution - go to the originating site from Cornell University.

Paul Potts can sing - for real

Cord Silverstein, Marketing Hipster, posted first on Monday and again on Friday this week on Paul Potts, a mobile phone salesman in UK. A great conversation going on over there. What I really dig about Cord - and Marketing Hipster - is his bold approach and wide range of topics. He posts about a lot of things and you know where he stands on them. Here's the video of the semi-finals on the UK's "Britain's Got Talent" - the final is Sunday, June 17:



If this performance does anything for you be sure to view the first one (2,000,000 views). This WILL chill you! It appears Britain has an "undiscovered" opera singer. My comment at Marketing Hipster alludes to my skepticism about Paul being newly found talent. The show plays up his lack of confidence - Cord's main point, too. The producers have chosen to portray him as an underdog and everybody loves the underdog (see Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs). I might have chosen a focus on his persistence and desire - a touch more humanistic is my approach. But I'm not a television producer.

His voice is astounding and well trained. He has had marvelous teachers. I have a feeling his PR machine is about to explode should he win the competition. Carphone Warehouse - where Paul works at the moment - has him pictured on their home page. Don't you just love opportunities to market! It appears they need a little server help at the moment as the links to Paul Potts video aren't working.

I don't see any way he doesn't win. Paul - and Britain - knows he's already a winner. Next week the world will know. Whether opera can stick in popular culture might be the next big question.

Women in Art !!!

I'm not a huge YouTube junkie...but, on occasion, am knocked out by what's there. Eggman is a film maker. I have no idea how he does it. He has a sizable following AKA community. And we're all about community in this neck of the woods.

When I hear talk of school districts, in the US, cutting art programs, I want to scream. Creativity is in far too short supply. This video reminded me of a print in my cube. The only DaVinci portrait in the Western Hemisphere (oh, those lucky Italians!) - Leonardo's Ginevra de Benci - is housed in Washington, DC. It is blow your mind elegance and beauty. If you ever get a chance - see it! The video is under 3 minutes - it gave me chills. Please enjoy it!

And if you've a mind to it...leave a comment on who might be your favorite artist :) - this time around any era will do!