Another great party at the Insight Society house. Over 200 people came over to celebrate Lange’s birthday and keep the house warm. Definitely a night to remember.

OK, I thought Sarah Palin was going to do better. Now I’m thinking she’s just not prepared to be in the position she’s in. She looked incompetent in the way she answered every single question on this video. Even if it was edited to only include answers that made her look incompetent, it’s hard to take away the fact that the answers were still terrible. She was not prepared and rather than saying “I’m not ready to answer that question”, which she should have been, she dived into “belaboring” her answers which resulted in nothing more than hot air.

If a single reporter can do this much damage to Palin’s image, I wonder what’s going to happen in the future to the overall image of McCain’s campaign. Palin is starting to look like a small boost to McCain’s campaign that eventually will end up doing more harm than good.

I’m just really disappointed on the way she talked because I really wanted her to look good. I wanted the first woman running for Vice President of the United States to look better than the rest of than her counterpart. The same way I want the first African American to be nominated by a major political party to run for President of the United States to look better than his counterpart, and he does.

Governor Palin didn’t have a passport until last year… OK well that makes her ignorant about other countries in many respects. It doesn’t really matter that much, except that her ignorance comes out in the way she speaks. Speaking of America as this “force of good” and people that travel to other countries are now part of a privileged culture? I don’t get that. I guess thanks for somewhat insulting all passport holder across the nation. All she had to say was “Yes, not until last year I’ve got a passport and I am glad I now have one because it will be put to good use now that I will be traveling to other countries more often and meeting with their leader.” What’s wrong with this answer?

The part about her foreign policy experience with Russia is hilarious. I guess it would be like me saying Panama is the center of the world because of its canal. “If you want to cross oceans you have to come through us… we own the waters.” Yeah, right…

Esto es de una de las primeras veces que estuve en casa de Anahi y entre platica y juegos nos pusimos a hablar de la forma como Mike corre.

I remember this series used to come out on Saturdays only. I like how he’s always coming up with solutions to problems just by using the things he had around him, but I could never stop wondering why he was always trapped somewhere. Nobody would shoot him, just put him in a room and tie him up.

I would have loved to see somebody put a gun on his head and be dead serious about shooting him in three seconds and MacGyver just reaches into his pocket and makes a weapon out of three pennies, a nickel and a nail clipper in two seconds. That would have been a real cool trick.

All these cartoons are bringing me back… After watching Chip & Dale I always had a new idea. I would go around the house looking for empty bottles and other things I could use to make small airplanes, helicopters, cages to catch animals, anything really… This and McGiver pretty much had the same aftereffect on me.

I was talking to my brother about the cartoons we used to watch growing up and it was funny that after all these years we could still remember the tunes from the beginning. Chi chi chi Chip y Dale, rescatadores!

Since I was a kid I’ve always liked to watch things that would spark my imagination or teach me something. It’s not something I really do on purpose, it just ends up being that way. Tintin is one of those cartoons that would spark my imagination. It started as a Belgian/French cartoon so I’m not sure it ever got to the U.S. but I would imagine so if it made it to Panama. Here’s a full episode.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

I liked this cartoon when I was a kid. I never understood why he had a laser coming out of his ass, but I dreamed about having powers like his. I wasn’t one of those kids that would try to cut himself, but I wanted to know if I was really a robot on the inside so I would press hard on my skin to try to feel wires. I used to think that I was special like that. At night my parents would come into my room and reprogram me, make me a little bigger, and eventually with time they would give me my super powers. Ha!

Smoking is bad for the body, no doubt. I had a girlfriend that was addicted to smoking and she tried to stop several times, but she couldn’t. I used to smoke with her sometimes. I started smoking when I was a teenager because I wanted to look cool and be a part of the group. What I realized after a few years is that nobody actually starts smoking because they need to. There is a reason why people cough the first times they try to smoke. It’s not natural for our body so it’s basically telling the person, by coughing, that it doesn’t need the smoke. It has been years since the last time I smoked and I don’t see myself doing it again. Maybe once here and there just for the hell of it, but never on a daily basis or anything like that.

But here is the thing: if a person is happy smoking then OK, it’s their life. If a person is not happy smoking and wants to quit then I wish them the best of luck. The only thing I ask if for people that smoke not to do it around me. I don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke.

I’m in the library studying for my Intercultural Communication test this coming Wednesday. Right now I’m reading up on what is needed for a culture to exist: beliefs, values, norms, and social practices.Here are the meanings:

• Beliefs: the basic understanding of a group of people about what the world is like ow what is true or false.
• Values: what a group of people defines as good and bad or what it regards as important.
• Norms: rules for appropriate behavior, which provide the expectations people have of one another and of themselves
• Social Practices: the predictable behavior patterns that members of a culture typically follow.

So if these things make a culture, to be able to understand other cultures we all need to be aware that what we’ve been thought to believe is not necessarily what everyone believes; that what we consider to be good and bad may not apply to all cultures; and that we shouldn’t expect everyone to do or act the same way.

Keep in mind what I just said before you watch this video. It’s a perfect example of what I’m talking about.

Here are some of the comments posted by people who have seen the video. You can check them all on YouTube.

• “gross! these people are gross!!!!!”
• “I am chinese… But thank god I am not from China. And i Really DIS the China Killers! Everytime I see a China ppl, it would be like I hate animals written on their face. China ppl are disgusting and cruel. Unless they show us they can change I will always Condem China. There is such thing as retribution, believe it or not, it is true. Let’s wait and see what will happen to these ppl.”
• “Those ppl r brought up thinking it’s okay to eat dogs, just like you were brought up thinking it’s okay to kill cows, chickens, pigs n’ all other animals to feed yourself, so who the fuck r u to play god?! just becuz u have a dog as a pet, doesn’t mean someone else don’t have a pig as their pet, killing is killing, no matter wut kinda meat u choose to eat! so would you all stop bitching abt chinese pp eatting animals cuz so do u!”

Paul Merton in China Dogs to Eat

Paul Visits a place the chinese didnt want him to see a Area where there are Dog Resturants.

Aristotle Onassis is someone I’ve admired as a business man for a very long time. What I like about him the most is that he was an immigrant in Argentina and made his way to having billions of dollars as a businessman.

I’m watching a movie about his life right now. It’s called “Onassis: The Richest Man in the World.” I don’t like that it skips on all the business details, like when he first started on the tobacco business and then the oil tankers business. I didn’t know he had to sleep with a man for his dad’s freedom when he was a teenager. I also didn’t know that he left Greece because of a fight with his father, I thought he left because of a war. It doesn’t really matter though… the personal details of his life are not really what I care about. Like I said, I wish the movie wouldn’t have spared on the business details of his life.

His story inspires me in a way. I like to read about businessmen because it keeps my dreams reachable. It won’t matter if I’m old and still pursuing my dreams, the KFC guy did it when he was old and so can I.

This is cool right here. When you can sound good on a live performance I think you’ve done a really good job as an artist.

I didn’t know anything about this girl Niia, but she can do her thing. Playing the piano, singing and sounding good… nice. She looks good too.
I didn’t get what the song was about until I read the lyrics. It talks about a girl who became a prostitute.

This is an interesting video on Lupe Fiasco talking about racism. I like to think that everything is possible so I wouldn’t say racism is always going to exist. The possibilities are slim, but let’s say that all human beings are faced with an attack by aliens from another planet, then I think we will see how quickly racism disappears even if it is just for a day. It’s kind of what happened after the terrorist attack in the U.S. on 9/11, everybody was feeling more American than anything else. Although unfortunately some people started looking at anybody resembling Middle Eastern features as a terrorist.

I don’t know much about Martin Luther King and Malcolm X so I’ll start reading up on them soon. And yes, I won’t live a lie either. I won’t be that guy that doesn’t take action if I have to. As for the word “nigga”, I personally don’t use it because I don’t understand it but maybe some day I will.

Duck Tales was one of my favorite cartoons growing up. I still like it actually, is just that I don’t sit down to watch it anymore.

I used to watch it in Spanish though so I didn’t know Scrooge McDuck had an Irish accent until I watched this clip. His name in Spanish is Tío MacPato and the show is called “Pato Aventuras.” The name of his nephews are Paco, Luis and Hugo. This brings me back…

Here are a couple of videos in Spanish.

I used to know the whole song from the beginning of the show and my favorite part was when Scrooge McDuck would swim in his pool of gold coins. I always wanted to have a pool of gold coins so I could swim in it. Now I just want it, I don’t think swimming in it is going to be as easy.

Michael Richards (aka “Kramer”), from the Seinfeld TV show is just a dumb ass. To make the sort of comments he made in front of hundreds of people is very stupid. Not only that, but he’s also a dumb ass for thinking that way. But I have to say thank you though. Now I know how he feels about me and my race.

To Michael Richards:

All you accomplished was to put yourself on my blacklist. I will never patronize you. After all, I should have a fork stuck up my ass, right? Well you try to do that Mr. Richards. Meanwhile, I’ve mention your name a few times on this post and that’s all I have. Talking about you is a waste of my time.

By the way, he later apologized to all “Afro-Americans” for his comments.

Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West and Pharrell formed a group called CRS. They made a song called Us Placers. As far as I know, this is the only song the group has, but it’s good. I like the lyrics. One thing I noticed about this song is their breathing. Especially Lupe Fiasco’s. He’s saying a lot and taking very small breaths.

(Lupe Fiasco)
Yeah, Just a lil bit (just a lil bit) And it goes
Lifestyles of the rich and famous
Bought a big house and a whole lot of rangers
A fresh new couch and a whole lot of trainers
A closet full of clothes and some brand new dangers
And
Some Mexican floral arrangers
A great big TV that’ll entertain us
Some colorful commissions for some high paid painters
Someone to take the wrap so that I stay stainless
And
A new relationship with a banker
Two pinky rings for my manicured fingers
A trained German Shepard that bark when it’s angered
To watch my possessions and look out for strangers
And
A 50 foot yacht with an anchor
Young supermodel that shall remain nameless
Ups and the downs, the sames and the changes
All the money in the world don’t make it painless (no)

(Chorus)
(But they love it and they love it)
The more you try to erase me
(And they love it and they love it)
The more that I appear, oh
(and they love it and they love it)
The more, the more you try to erase her
The more that You appear

(Kanye West)
(Plain Pat what up?)
Lifestyles of the broke and famous
Let you know how crazy this game is
Look at all the new beautiful faces
At home supermodel, myspaces
Long for their shot on the TV screens
American Idol never seen these dreams
Just last week they want to see ID
Now they got you in VIP, huh?
How many people almost famous
You almost remember what they name is
Like “Hey, didn’t you play in..? No it couldn’t be, quit playin”
I try to keep that balance
After MTV that’s a Real World Challenge
Back on that train
Never to be heard from again…

(Chorus)
(But they love it and they love it)
The more you try to erase me
(And they love it and they love it)
The more that I appear, oh
(and they love it and they love it)
The more, the more you try to erase her
The more that You appear

(Pharrell)
G.R.I.P P.I.M.P
I, any spelling bitch come on that’s me
I bring a burning sensation to the urban eye
Like an eye-drop of Turpentine
You can listen to the serpent, fine
But the earth got gas once it burps its fine
Someone around me they talk about the grease
Not G.H.G, how to cook a quarter ki
Talking all nasal, he aint over that cold
No glove scrub, Manny just over that stove
Perfect paradigm
Wrong place wrong time
Should have been Phizer, GlaxoSmithKline
Number one chemist
Look at him no blemish
Egg shell off white like a DuPont finish
Young, dumb, high strung, who could handle us
I wonder how Gods gon’ paint today’s canvasses
Cause who knew that day that man would just
Go to VA with a Tec and spray campuses
What a way to see the cover of Time
I know that ***** wish he was standing in line
To see it….As if he didn’t do it.

(Chorus)
(But they love it and they love it)
The more you try to erase me
(And they love it and they love it)
The more that I appear, oh
(and they love it and they love it)
The more, the more you try to erase her
The more that You appear

Copyright notice: These lyrics are not mine.

I was studying Jay-Z’s flow on this video. In my opinion, this is the best track out of the Linkin Park/Jay-Z collabo. Not to say the whole album wasn’t sick, but this one is fast and the transition from Rap to Rock is mean. If you haven’t heard this song yet, you need to.

From what I’ve been reading, the approximation to the mic makes the voice sound deeper. Jay-Z was very close to the mic and yes, his voice is deeper on the final song than on the video. Which means the type of mic he used was cardioid.

I really think Jay-Z’s strength in his flow lies primarily on him memorizing the words. It gets rid of one more thing to have to think about. I’m saying that because the tempo was much faster on this track compared to the original. Still he’s keeping up with the beat with no problems. Of course, he has practiced a lot and maybe he did a few takes before ending with the one on the video, but still very impressive.

I pay attention to what Tupac was saying. It is very true that rapping, just like any other genre, is about poetry. What makes the poetry fit different genre is the way it is said and what type of music accompanies the beat. For a while I’ve been thinking that rapping was something else, and the more I get into it, it ends up bringing me back to my passions. I’ve always had a passion for poetry and getting in front of people and reciting. Since I was a kid in elementary my Speech class was one of my favorites. I was a part of the Poetry Group in high school and won prices in it.

Same thing with music: youngest student to ever make it to the music band. I used to play the alto and tenor sax. I was involved with choirs at school and church. Used to play the piano and the guitar for years also although I never took them too serious because they weren’t an instrument I wanted to play at the time.

Now it’s all about getting back to basics. Putting the two together and of course making it hot. It’s just going to take a little practice, but that’s something I know how to do well.

This is a good video.

I’ve spent a few hours studying Jay-Z’s Blue Magic, Tupac’s California Love and Still Ballin’. Mainly looking at the lyrics and trying to come up with some guidance for better riding. I came across something huge I think. I’m not even going to say what it is, but it’s going to help me a lot. This is definitely going to help me sync my lyrics and beats together.

What I learned today actually helps me make better beats too. At some point I will start calling my beat master pieces. The biggest thing right now is going to be working on the vocals. Still got a little nasal congestion so that’s on rest for now. Step by step though. I need to simplify the “One Night Stand” lyrics so it can fit into my beat and start working on a flow.

I feel like I still need to learn some new things about writing lyrics before I go ahead and start writing again. I don’t want to be redoing my shit a million times whenever I learn something new. So I’m going to keep studying this guys a little bit more and then do the lyrics. Maybe I’ll start tomorrow. I’ll be looking into Notorious B.I.G. Every time I study him and end up learning something new. His freestyle is sick. I haven’t heard anyone get close to him. If I ever get into free-styling, I want to sound as good or better than B.I.G. Check this video from YouTube so you can see for yourself what I’m talking about. The dude is coming up with shit on the spot and skipping the cuss words just for the radio… that’s some true shit if you ask me.