Pursuit of Happiness

This cover of Kid Cudi's Pursuit of Happiness by the indie-rock group Barbara is so melodic and peaceful... it pretty much instantly puts me in a good mood.

I'm on the pursuit of happiness

And I know everything that shines ain't always gonna be gold, hey

I'll be fine once I get it, yeah

I'll be good

The Next Empire

Great article in The Atlantic about the Chinese push for resources in Africa. The Chinese also built major railways to Tibet recently to transport valuable minerals and metals mined in the mountains there. Apparently, they've been doing the same in Africa, just as the Europeans did for centuries.

The Next Empire by Howard French, The Atlantic

All across Africa, new tracks are being laid, highways built,ports deepened, commercial contracts signed—all on an unprecedented scale, and led by China, whose appetite for commodities seems insatiable. Do China’s grand designs promise the transformation,at last, of a star-crossed continent? Or merely its exploitation? The author travels deep into the heart of Africa, searching for answers.

Read More...

The Eternal Style of Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly is beautiful. Growing up, the musical High Society was one of my favorite movies (still is), so Kelly found an early spot in my heart. Just saw this slideshow on Vanity Fair about an exhibition on her next month, and thought I'd pass it along. Enjoy.

Eternal Style of Grace Kelly by Laura Jacobs

Next month, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum will feature a collection of Grace Kelly’s clothes and accoutrements, from her Philadelphia society days to her Hollywood stardom, to her Monegasque princesshood. VF.com matches classic shots of our May 2010 cover subject with images from the exhibition.”

How Bizarre?!

This song is great, a throwback from all the way back in '96.

The video? Well, it's bizarre. How bizarre, you ask? Bizarre.

Zoltan Mesko

After the NFL draft, I was going through the Patriots picks, and was surprised to see that they had taken Zoltan Mesko, a punter from Michigan, in the 5th round, an entire round earlier than the next punter drafted.

Turns out that Zoltan was a team captain, and lead the Big-10 in yards per punt. With a 6'5, 230 lb frame, he was also a running threat, and a 4-year letterman.

These facts were nothing after I Youtube'd the guy. Training camp isn't months from starting, but I might have a new favorite Patriot.

XX - VCR

This song, and video, just does it for me.

Found it thanks to Max and crew @ Wine & Bowties, check 'em out.

Sakuri Matsuri

This Weekend, come check out the largest Cherry Blossom Festival outside of Japan at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

List of events below:

http://www.bbg.org/sakura2010/

Aliens may pose threat, says Hawking

Sorry for the recent hiatus from the blogosphere, but I was in the process of switching coasts.

Maybe I should have been changing more than that, if what Stephen Hawking recently said is correct. Looking to start a colony on a different planet?

In a new series about the Universe on the Discovery Channel, Hawking said humans should fear a potential alien encounter, and he believes that their existence is virtually guaranteed.

[Hawking] suggests that aliens might simply raid Earth for its resources and then move on: "We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach."

He concludes that trying to make contact with alien races is "a little too risky". He said: "If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans."

Humans Should Fear Aliens: Huffington Post

You Better Shop Around

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles really kill it in this single from 1960 - and I was super surprised to find such a quality version of the music AND a live performance on Youtube. What a find.

Till next week, Salut.

Sam

Financial Reform

To understand what’s really at stake right now, watch the looming fight over derivatives, the complex financial instruments Warren Buffett famously described as “financial weapons of mass destruction.” The Obama administration wants tighter regulation of derivatives, while Republicans are opposed. And that tells you everything you need to know.

Since the 1930s, we’ve had a standard procedure for dealing with failing banks: the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has the right to seize a bank that’s on the brink, protecting its depositors while cleaning out the stockholders. In the crisis of 2008, however, it became clear that this procedure wasn’t up to dealing with complex modern financial institutions like Lehman or Citigroup.

- Paul Krugman, The Fire Next Time

The Media is gearing up for the next big battle in Washington, this time over proposed Financial Reform. But the objectives of reform are so clearly in the interest of the American people and our national economic solvency, that the Dems seem "giddy" at the thought of Republican opposition. November here we come?

Brian Beutler elaborates on this in his article on Talking Points Memo, Make Our Day! Democrats Giddy Over GOP Opposition to Financial Reform:

About a week or two. That's how long Republicans have to decide how they ultimately want to play their hand on financial regulatory reform. According to numerous Democratic aides and key senators, the GOP will either have to join forces with Democrats on a bill that hews very much to the White House's demands, or they'll have to do their best to block a bill that enjoys wide popularity. But as much as Democrats want to change the rules that govern Wall Street quickly and smoothly, they also love the politics of moving the bill forward without GOP support and letting Republicans publicly justify their decision to protect hated financial institutions from the regulations they oppose.

Aides go further, admitting that they'd relish the prospect of putting Republicans on the side of big banks in opposition to reg reform. In stark contrast to their approach to the year-long fight over health care reform, Democrats now say broad bipartisan agreement isn't worth it if it sucks up too much time, and needlessly weakens the bill.