Revelation

I recently had a sit down with my grandmother which started with talking about the proposed health care bill and ended on our family history. My conversation with my grandmother always start with one topic and end with a new understanding of our family tree and history.

Growing up I have always assumed my identity was straight forward. My last name was Italian (actually Siciliano di Ustica) and my mother was Trinidadian, therefore, I was Trinidadian-Italian-American. However, I knew deep down there was French-Cajun in my blood but I never sought to find out just how much, until now.

Through much deliberation it was finally understood that I am more French (Cajun) by way of Nova Scotia than Italian. This is a revelation because my family has always self identified as Italian. I pointed this out to my grandmother and even she has admitted that this is the case it was never really understood. My guess, it is the way of the "West", one takes their father's last name therefore you take his identity as well. Needless to say, a lot is left out, especially in America culture and identity politics (it is my opinion). Therefore, for 26 years of my life I have been mistaken. This does not however change anything about my love for Italian culture, i.e., way of life, music, food and language.

It is important to note, this does not change the fact that I am half Indo-Trinidadian. Just the other half is a little Siciliano di Ustica and mostly French-Cajun.

Political Simulacra

I am truly impressed with the conservative political machine right now.  Not impressed with the tactics or the message, but by the abundance of meaningless power.  This is the age of "political simulacra", defined by the engagement of mass amounts of people for a cause that has no substance and virtually no factual truth.  It is truly astounding that so many people could be caught up in the black hole of health care politics and know virtually nothing about the "real" issues at hand.  There are legitimate concerns that need to be addressed, just as President Obama took upon himself to do (and he is doing it very well, I must add; watch the Portsmouth town hall, it's incredible politics).  Yet, the simulacra is still winning (read ‘Public Option’ in Health Plan May Be Dropped: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/health/policy/18talkshows.html?ref=us).  Rather than an education tour of America, the "town hall" meetings instantaneously morphed into political refuse, where fear-mongering and hooliganism reigns supreme.  And behind it all there is a media juggernaut that is watching its deeds spread like wildfire.  We are suckers, the lot of us, tuning in to the mass political simulacra.  

The Culture Wars are back

We are back in the 1960s.  I thought that it was kind of scary to have lived through the 1950s during the last eight years, but I am equally tired of living through another failed "Great Society".  Here we are at the cusp of one of the greatest chances in our lifetimes to overhaul our society to face the onslaught of a broken economic system, a failed health care system, and a threatened environment (to name just a few).  Yet, all we do is fall into deep partisan rancor, splitting each other apart through lies, deception and slogans of totalitarianism and fear.  It is terrible to think that we might never, and I repeat never, get any "real" reform in this country.  Yes, we have staved off some of the more extremist factions of our society from ruling the majority, but we have also shot down some of the best policy that our people can devise.  And that is where we are today.  We would rather go through another cruel cultural civil war than actually reform our society to meet the challenges of our modern world.  Is it deception, or is it true mediocrity and, dare I say, "idiocracy"?  

If it were only this simple...

If it were only this simple...

New Orleans, LA, USA

Dick Hyman: The best name and one of the best songs

Yes, Dick Hyman is my man.  I stand by him until the end of the universe, the Dick or the Hyman all the way.  Enough absurdity, his song "The Minotaur" is one of the titan's of electronic music.  It has one of the most pronounced solos on the Moog, with so much flare and such class that it deserves the greatest of praise.  Not only this, but it cleanly fits into that great category known as Psychedelic music.  Yet it comes from a suit wearing square that would fit better on the moon than at Woodstock.  Truly, a cross cutting genius.  And thanks to Robert Moog (RIP, sweet electronic prince) for making the device that saved the 20th century.

A joint post from The Playground and The Psychaedelic Playground (the new project of dj Naked Twister)(PS. Click on the header for a link to Amazon for a listen; sorry it's the only free site I could find for this one)

More Health Care Posts: Ok, this one is actually good and funny

This is good stuff by Brian Unger (comedian, writer, and a satirist).  Figured I would just quote him and let it speak for itself:

"The health care debate is toxic, revealing a lot about us as a nation. And it feels embarrassing — like the whole world can see our underpants. Or hear us fighting in the kitchen.

First, most of us can't describe accurately the details of the health care reform now under debate. That makes us look stupid or too busy to care.

Second, most of us can't describe accurately the health care or insurance we currently have, so that makes us look kind of stupid, too, or lazy.

Some of us don't care about people who don't have health insurance, so that makes us seem unsympathetic or super lucky.

Most of us don't understand that we're already paying for people who don't have health care — which makes us too busy to care, in denial or merely rich.

Some of us — a lot of us — already receive health care under some form of government plan, but don't believe in health care under some form of government plan. That makes us hypocritical or selfish. In some camps, I hear that makes us patriotic.

A lot of us are a combination of these things: too busy, lazy, a bit stupid perhaps, lucky, unsympathetic, in-denial, really rich, hypocritical, selfish ... and patriotic...."

I can't agree more.  It's hard to hear things like health care reform is "downright evil" and not get sick to the stomach.  I can't tell if I will be called a socialist, communist, progressive, or a storm trooper the next time I open my mouth.  (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/08/08/2009-08-08_sarah_palin_facebook_posting_claims_obama_health_care_would_create_a_death_panel.html)

Save Charity Now!!!

Charity Hospital

New Orleans, LA, USA

Charity is not just a historic landmark for New Orleans. It was the hospital that provided medical care for those who could not afford Ochsner Hospital. While I have nothing personal against Ochsner, my concerns over health care and the access thereof upsets me to no end. How many people have to suffer?