January 20, 2009
Martin Luther King could never be president. Not because of racist attitudes of America in the 1960s (those haven’t changed all that much), but because he was an enemy of the state, not its benign friend– not a smiling visage on a t-shirt, or a McDonald’s advertisement. We ought to be careful to whom we compare this man, who never hesitated to call out the injustice at the heart of American existence. (more…)
December 31, 2008
I am not sure what exactly this has to do with the theme of urban research, or archiving the city, but I must mention the greatest (urban?) youtube phenomena of 2008: copying Beyonce’s music video for her song “Single Ladies.” My two favorite “repeat performances” are by these fabulous men.
What I love about these performances is the precision, the attention to detail, the sheer perfection of the copy. At the same time, each of these performers infuses the song with personal soul, attitude and humour, in the style of the jazz greats, giving a new meaning to the otherwise trite, (hetero)sexist sentiment of single ladies having to “put a ring on [that special finger].”
And, of course, you gotta love the fashions!
To more love and beauty in the new year. Happy 2009!
