23
Aug
It is upon us again, every four years we watch as the candidates for President take over the television, radio and print media in an effort to win the nomination for their respective parties and our vote to become the leader of the United States of America. Over the years I have heard many people (friends, family and total strangers) explain why they voted for a particular candidate and it has been full spectrum, from the way they (the candidate) smiled, to the way they (the candidate) talk (not to be mistaken with what they say), to I always vote for the republicans or democrats or whoever, or some issue that they feel strongly for or against that makes them feel compelled to try to justify their vote and choice to me.
Yes make no mistake, I was one of them, the justifiers, you know the general public that wonders if they can trust the candidate to do what they promised and be the person we believed in and voted for. And yes I know I said I was one of them. Over the years I came to realize that it did not much matter who won the election or if it was the candidate I voted for or not, that come Monday morning I still had to go to work and provide for my family, as I am sure you do. But I thought about all the research I had done to pick the correct candidate with views that I most agreed with and then it hit me that maybe my views were not that important, maybe I was thinking to small, just maybe life was a little bigger maybe the whole picture was bigger. Monday morning and I am off to work just like every Monday morning, providing for my family, my family, that was it my family, that was the most important thing, providing for them that was why I went to work, that and the fact that I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. (Not sure what or who to blame for that slip up)
New understanding of the important matters at hand, I se Continue Reading »
22
Aug
Being a celebrity is a double edged sword; it brings fame and fortune, but also jealousy and sometimes even hatred. Nietzsche, the famous philosopher and critical thinker suggested that resentment of the ‘few’ by the ‘many’ is inevitable. People become jealous of the high and mighty and will do anything to smear, tarnish, and all around ruin these authoritative figures in one way or another.
The same still applies today and the best example is that of the United States Presidential election race where the word ‘celebrity’ has been tossed around as a slanderous term. Democratic Presidential hopefully, Barack Obama, is a victim of his own popularity. Having toppled foreign governments with nothing more than his smile and verbosity, it’s no wonder that 90% of all graphic tees depicting a political figure have Barack Obama on them in some fashion.
Critics and political pundits said that Obama never had a prayer when he entered the 08′ race for president; he was after all over-shadowed by Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. But as the seasons comes to a close, we find that Obama is on top and it leaves many people dazzled as to how it happened; now his name is now chanted everywhere. Change, very much the motif of Obama’s campaign is what voters seek for America. With our huge economic deficit, weak dollar, and military blunders, American seeks a change from the Republican regime which has gotten them into this mess. This growing trend of change can be seen on the street wherever you got.
There are vector graphic tees depicting action poses of Barak Obama, or graphic t shirts showing merely passionate quotes from campaign speeches. Whatever the reason, Obama has usurped the political t shirt market without ever lifting a finger. Barack Paraphernalia does not stop with graphic tees; there are buttons, backpacks, hats, foam fingers, notebook Continue Reading »
21
Aug
New York was the home territory for two major Presidential contenders in 2008: Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton. It’s no coincidence that the city is rife with political activity - it’s the headquarters for numerous national news sources, and it’s also home to the single Zip code with the highest level of political donations to both major parties. The breadth of NYC events available to someone interested in politics means that it’s easy to sample lots of different ideologies - and maybe learn a thing or two.
The Barack Obama Meetup is one of the many NYC events that bring together hundreds Obama supporters to talk about the Senator’s plans and policies, and to share grassroots campaigning strategies. Of all of the NYC events dedicated to Democratic party politics, this is one of the most active.
For a view a bit out of the mainstream, the Henry George School of Social Science offers NYC events that revolve around the economic teachings of Henry George, who called for a single tax on the value of land. A movement that has brought together socialists, anarchists, and radical capitalists, the Georgist political movement has remained alive (and lively!) in the city where Henry George himself once ran for mayor. The NYC events hosted by the school include introductory and advanced lectures on economics from a Georgist perspective.
On the other side of the mainstream, the Junto is a unique NYC Event. Hosted by veteran trader Victor Neiderhoffer, it’s a wide-ranging discussion forum covering investments, economics, and politics, all viewed from the perspective of Objectivism. Although Junto is an NYC event, it’s named after Benjamin Franklin’s Philadelphia gathering of the same name.
The radical bookstore Bluestockings hosts numerous anarchism-themed gatherings. Unlike stereotypical anarchists, the visitors to Bluestockings’ NYC Eve Continue Reading »
