Here’s the background: an old sermon given by Obama’s former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, pops up suddenly and causes political turmoil. Obama gives a speech distancing himself from Rev. Wright. Then, after a month of silence, the Reverend makes further comments. Finally, Obama denounces the Reverend forever. That’s the brief version, you can click the […]

My buddy posted about this interview with N’Gai Croal, and I found it fascinating. Here’s the background information: (1) Capcom released a trailer for the latest installment of Resident Evil, (2) the game takes place in either Africa or the Carribean, and has a white protagonist, (3) the trailer depicts a white man gunning down […]

The BBC reports here that Sweden will not follow its Scandinavian neighbors by banning so-called sexist advertisements. Denmark and Norway limit the use of sexuality in marketing, but Sweden feels this is an imposition on free speech. The BBC explains:
“Basically, if something is offensive or it makes the viewer feel uncomfortable when they look at […]

So, I work at a restaurant. I was hired as a host and told I would become a server. I am currently in between these two roles, alternating shifts between them. Serving is a wonderful job; I make excellent money to have conversations, treat people with respect, and occasionally carry plates of food. Hosting is […]

This didn’t make any sense to me until I watched it for the fifth time and noticed the huge Mentos ads in the background. I guess I should change the title of this post to “evidence that society is run by companies,” but that might be want for subtlety.
But seriously, don’t we have better things […]

I was on the train the other day, isolated between my headphones, on a mission that was taking me south to Little Village. I thought I detected a strange sound, like a loud buzzing, but ignored it because I was listening to Brother Ali. It got louder, though, and I realized it was a human […]

Last night I put the new Atmosphere album on my ipod, and went out for a walk. I usually bike, but I wanted to give this album my full attention. My steps were slow and purposeful as I dissolved into my headphones. I think I love Atmosphere because they manage to perfectly capture what I […]

Here is an indisputable generalization: businessmen LOVE cappuccinos. If your travels have not yet revealed this to you, do not lament. Nobility is nowhere to be found amidst starched shirts, close shaves, and foamed milk. Those who have witnessed this spectacle will recognize it as a morbid curiosity. In attempting to understand it, we come […]

You’ve probably encountered this blog, Stuff White People Like. Its posts describe stuff white people like. And it turns out, white people like Stuff White People Like.
The blog is well-written, and its posts are actually relatively amusing. But a discerning reader can’t help but come to the conclusion that the author isn’t actually talking about […]

I have been a John Carpenter fan since I got to watch a midnight showing of The Thing at a local theater back in Madison. The other night I returned home, exhausted from working and biking all day, to find one of my roommates watching They Live. The first thing I saw was a paranoid […]