SOCIAL VOX

To the GOP, Jindal Just Ain’t Obama

socialvox — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:14:34 +0000

From Day 1, I found it comical that the GOP deemed Gov. Bobby Jindal the party’s savior. Here’s the sort of conversation I bet Republicans were having:

Republican #1: “OK, Obama is our new president. What does he have?

Republican #2: He’s smart, diverse, and young. Kinda cool actually.

R #1: Got it. The demographics are changing in America, so let’s change, too!

R #2: Exactly. Who do we have that’s socially conservative, doesn’t believe in divorce or funding stem cell research, and is smart, diverse, young, and cool?

R #1: Bobby Jindal, of course!

Obama didn’t win because he’s young. Or because he’s African-American. Or because he’s cool and knows how to operate a Facebook account. Obama won because of his message of hope and bringing the nation together. His campaign was about returning America to what it used to be: an ideal, a nation of laws and diplomacy, an example for the rest of the world.

True, the fact that he’s young, hip, and of a mixed background made him a more attractive candidate. But I think the Jindal response demonstrates that politics, and particularly the aspect of public persuasion, is still about words.

Here’s MSNBC’s take on the response:

The fact that Jindal is Obama-Lite does not automatically create a winning formula. You still need a substantive, forward-looking game plan for this country. The tax cut rhetoric and the pursuit of other Bush policies should be put to rest. The GOP will have to dig deep, and search its collective soul. If you want to do battle with Obama, his heavyweight entourage and silky smooth oratory, you better come up with something fresh.

Discovery’s Escape Artist

socialvox — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:58:08 +0000

The ingenuity that went into making this commercial is second to none. If you can find another marketing tool that packs more adrenaline and creativity into a 30-second spot, please let me know. The Discovery Channel’s escape artist certainly got my attention.

Krav Maga Martial Arts Training

socialvox — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:45:08 +0000

As someone who has trained in various martial arts for the past 17 years, I am always looking for a new form of training. The latest style that I’ve discovered is Krav Maga, the art form utilized by the Israeli Defense Forces. It combines attacking and self-defense techniques with a firearm, stamina, and a real world, life or death attitude. If you enjoy pushing yourself, and looking for something different, I think these videos will blow you away:

Films You Need to See: Tokyo!

socialvox — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:39:04 +0000

It’s important to follow independent and foreign films because they all contribute something to the wonderful world of cinema. Sometimes it’s an unknown actor who delivers a breakout performance (Audrey Tautou in “Amelie” comes to mind), or it’s a single scene that is forever ingrained in your memory (the shooting of Vincent Cassel’s character at the end of “La Haine”).

Most of these films, by their very nature, will never be a blockbuster hit. Since they do not cater to mass audiences, they possess the artistic freedom to be raw and unapologetic.They push the boundaries of filmmaking, and engage audiences in ways that a Hollywood-backed feature rarely would.

In this third installment, I have found other independent or foreign films that I feel are worthy of your time (and money). So here we go…

Tokyo!

Owl and the Sparrow

Wendy and Lucy

Student Films from the Vancouver Film School

socialvox — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:02:50 +0000

Succeeding in film is a difficult, often elusive goal. A film student’s experience is particularly intriguing because he/she may feel empowered by their boundless talent and exposure to cutting-edge technology, all while being constantly mired by the prospect of failure. That’s why I’d like to share with you a few of the projects going on at the Vancouver Film School. These are students with big talent and even bigger dreams.

“Midnight Ballet”:

“The Summoning”:

“The Room”:

“The Longest Date”:

“The Switch” (got the most hits on YouTube):

“Stone Dagger”:

Major Changes Depend on Little Details

socialvox — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:17:35 +0000

President Barack Obama knows that if he wants to improve relations between the United States and the Muslim world, he will have to focus on the details. On Day 2 of his presidency, Obama made a statement by visiting the State Department.

Within the first week, he selected former Sen. George Mitchell as the special envoy to the Middle East, and then sent him to engage in immediate peace talks between Israel and Palestine. This past week, Obama granted his first interview as president to Al-Arabiya, an Arabic-language television news channel.

Now, Obama is leaving George W. Bush’s hostile words in the past. To improve the U.S.’s image in the world, and make diplomatic efforts that yield positive results, Obama has softened the rhetoric, opting to avoid phrases like the “war on terror” or the “war against terror.”

Hopefully, these little details will render major dividends in the coming years.

The Rise of The Sartorialist

socialvox — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:17:55 +0000

Forbes.com did an interesting feature on Scott Schuman, GQ Magazine’s The Sartorialist. For those who are not familiar with his work, he has a section in the magazine where he photographs regular people on the street. He uses photography to seek out fashion trends and attitudes; it’s not Gordon Parks-style social commentary.

The Sartorialist is my favorite section in GQ. Mr. Schuman always seems to find intriguing personalities with an avant-garde and unapologetic sense of style. Take a look at Mr. Schuman’s deft critique of Russian style. He’s also unafraid to photograph and comment on women’s style, a rarety for a magazine that otherwise focuses on men (see Picture #5 in Russia slideshow). Like his muses, Mr. Schuman found a niche for himself based on his strong and uncompromising point of view.

It blows my mind that the prominent fashion photographer and commentator was once a stay-at-home father of two. Mr. Schuman, I remain your ardent follower.

Apple Commercials: Bold and Forward Thinking

socialvox — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:40:47 +0000

Apple (with Steve Jobs at the helm) is a creative force and a pioneer. Apple is more than a technology company; it is a vision that pushes the boundaries of our collective imagination, elevating us to previously unimaginable heights. Below are a few examples of their bold moves and forward thinking.

1984 Super Bowl Ad:

Think Different:

Macintosh, the Y2K solution:

The first iPOD commercial:

Continue to think differently, Apple.

Mike Wallace’s Interview with Ayn Rand

socialvox — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:57:59 +0000

CBS’s Mike Wallace interviewed Ayn Rand, the author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, in 1959. I found the interview utterly fascinating.

In Part One of the interview, she discusses the conflict between a society whose morality is based on faith and self-sacrifice for one’s fellow man (conventional thought) vs. morality founded solely on reason and selfishness (Rand’s objectivism):

In Part Two of the interview, Rand argues in favor of a separation between state and economics (laissez-faire government):

In Part Three of the interview, she contends that the only solution is a market free of government interference:

“I have no faith at all, I only hold convictions.” Wow, it takes guts to believe in a statement like that so firmly.

At a time when women did not have many prominent voices, Ayn Rand was a luminary and a courageous trailblazer.

With that said, I’m curious to know what she would have to say about the current economic recession. Fifty years ago, she called for absolute deregulation. Look at how well that’s turned out.

Nike’s “Take it to the Next Level” Commercial

socialvox — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:38:46 +0000

I found another inspirational sports commercial that I thought I would share. I love the creativity that went behind making it. I find particularly powerful the fact that the character (whom you never see presumably because that character is actually “you and I”), struggles from a competitive standpoint, but continues to work harder and harder in spite of the fame and accolades. “Take it to the next level” is the title of the commercial, but it’s also a message: push yourself, never settle, and always pick yourself up whenever the going gets tough. As a writer and storyteller, I’m very impressed that these creators could convey such a great story without words. Well done.

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