While the Bay Area FTB delegation was going about its daily grind - riding BART, meeting work deadlines, picking up kids from school, doing laundry, catching up on sleep and other mundane activities, our Colorado correspondent, Buzzy Jackson was on the streets of Denver witnessing history in the making. For those of us who couldn’t be there, I present to you the “on-the-ground” perspective from a Mountain High DNC embed. (Yes, it’s a bit longer than our normal fare, but what else are you going to do on a Friday before Labor Day Weekend? So, take some time to read a damn blog. In fact, take a swig from that fifth of Jack Daniels you’ve got stashed in your desk. You’ve earned it - that’s what Labor Day is for.)
M. Meschery
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Dateline: Denver, DNC 2008
The solution is public transportation. And I don’t mean the solution to global warming; I mean how to get to downtown Denver during Convention Week. The crowd waiting for the bus with me at the Boulder Park-n-Ride was your typical slice of liberal Democratia, Colorado-style: three middle-aged, shockingly fit married couples; eight college kids who greeted each other with salutations such as, “Dylan - how long did you stay at the street theater last night?”; three senior citizens who, judging by the tenor of their conversation, were clearly more radical in their politics than anyone else present; and me and my three year-old son, Jackson, who were off to demonstrate on behalf of MomsRising.org - a group that advocates for issues important to children and families (i.e., everyone) - such as the need for equal pay for women (Women without children make 90 cents to a man’s dollar, but mothers make just 73 cents, and single mothers make even less — about 60 cents to a man’s dollar.) Needless to say, everyone on the bus was white - that’s what I mean by “Colorado-style.”
When we got to Denver, the first thing I heard - literally, the first thing - was the rumbly-crumbly voice of Old Man Brokaw, opining from the elevated media tent at Union Station that resembled the junior high science project version of the Mars Rover. Somewhere, way above us - yet curiously right there with us - Tom Brokaw hovered. Sort of like Mars itself. I once had the opportunity to sing the official song of Tom Brokaw’s hometown, “Yankton, Pride of the Dakotas” to Tom himself (and yes, fellow FTBers, I took that opportunity), but that was a long time ago and I didn’t think there was any chance of scoring a laminate from him by reminding him of it, so I moved on. Read More »
Enough mourning Dubs fans. We can pour some out for our fallen soldier Monta, but now’s the time to lift our glasses for the (finally official) Democratic Nominee for President of these here United States of America, Barack Obama! Yes, there are bigger fish to fry - especially when that fish represents the future of our planet. You remember our planet, the small blue-green orby-thing in the Milky Way Galaxy that won’t have any fish left in its oceans if we let John McCain become president.
I don’t know about you, but I want a candidate who won’t just beat John McCain, but will smash on his wrinkled little dome. I’m pretty sure that if McCain tries to meet Obama at the rim, this will be the outcome. The idea for this piece of photoshop craftsmanship from FTBer, G. Dolin, came from this interview I saw with Spike Lee yesterday on the convention floor. Mr. Lee seemed very ho-hum about the whole thing until the interviewer asked him about his T-Shirt, which had a cartoon on it that Spike described as “Barack Obama taking it to the hole and dunking on McCain.” You could tell by the tone in Lee’s voice that the basketball analogy hit home.
And so it is for the rest of us, especially those of us that got to experience the “We Believe” movement here in The Bay, and for folks like FTB-er D. Turman who was in the house when the original photo of Baron Davis posterizing AK47 was snapped. We know that anything is possible and that we can upset the setup if we, not only “Believe,” but show up to the game to blow up the decibel meter. Let’s send some of our Bay Love eastward to Invesco Field for tomorrow night to get that place roaring, and make sure the crowd just gets louder all the way ’til November. Don’t trip fam. Basketball can wait.
In the latest blow during a difficult summer for Golden State, Ellis — just awarded one of the biggest pay raises in league history — will be sidelined at least three months, possibly four, after suffering a severe high ankle sprain in his hometown of Jackson, Miss.
Ellis underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn deltoid ligament in his left ankle, after he informed the club late last week that he had injured himself working out. More specifics about how Ellis sustained the injury were not immediately available.
I believe this may be the work of the infamous “monkey’s hand” curse. Will someone please put an end to this dark Nganga witch-doctor so intent on crushing our spirits?
I didn’t think I’d live to see this day. Sir Charles Barkley is making sense, yet again.
Firstly, abandoning his right leaning ways and supporting Barak. Then, in this interview on CNN, calling out the McCain backing Democrats as “idiots” and speaking straight about America’s seldom-mentioned, yet always present isms.
First of all they (Hillary supporters that say they will vote for McCain) are idiots because if you’re either a Democrat or not. I mean, you’re looking for a reason not. If you’re saying that you’re a true Democrat, you should vote for the Democratic candidate. And the truth of the matter is that there always going to be some people that are not going to vote for Barak because he’s black. Let’s throw that out there.
…There are certain people in America that are never going to vote for a Black president. And that’s just the truth of the matter. It’s sad, but that’s just the truth.
Wow. I have to say that I totally agree with Chuck on both counts.
I admit it. I really had no idea who Pipecock Jaxxon (aka. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, aka. The Upsetter) was until his insane collaborations with Mad Professor. And, even then, that was by was of a Massive Attack introduction.
But, since then, I’ve heard Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry called the father of Dub. Working from his back yard Reggae cauldron, The Black Ark, the infamous producer has created some super-sonic achievements with the likes of Bob Marley, Junoir Byles, the Heptones and yes, The Clash.
Perry, who always sports a beard (sometimes red), and has been know to don a wizard cap (long before Harry Potter brought them back into vogue) is performing at The Indepdent this Thursday and Friday, the 28th and 29th. Check him out if you can.
Always the drum and base. Lyrics from the streets. And those Reggae riddims.
Gd.
Oh, and don’t sleep on the Champions. Heavyweight Dub that is. San Francisco-based Dub, slash, Electronica, slash, Hip-Hop freshness.
It was Spain’s Andalusian Caveman vs. USA’s Urban Sophisticate on Sunday and trim and neat ruled the day. The Passion of The Gasol was not enough to lift Spain above its overall bad form - on the court, in publicity photos, and with the beard clippers. The USA went into the finals with only a slight edge in the facial hair category. Spain and Argentina had a fair amount of scruff under the chin and even Germany tried to up it’s game by adding US-born Chris Kaman and his goatee to the roster (not without some controversy). The Chinese and The Angolans didn’t really stand a chance, did they? And I don’t know about the rest of you, but the Iranians were a big disappointment for me with this one. Anyway, so it should be, Lebron’s bearditude has lead the US men to a well-deserved victory. Plus, wasn’t it nice to see Deron Williams show up with some man-shadow, adding another valuable beard to come of the bench? All I have to say is it’s a good thing for the rest of the world that Baron Davis wasn’t in Beijing, then it would have been a total beard world domination-type blowout. So, if you had to select the US Beard Dream Team who would it be? I’ve got my starting five. Who you got? Our operators are standing by.
M. Meschery
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It’s true. The well-groomed men of the USA Basketball team have their gold. But, it was painfully clear that Spaniards “mas macho” beards gave the Redeem Team some real fits. Perhaps those wild Gasol beards are worth their weight in whiskers. The team obviously came with some fire and serious intensity. Including the hairless wonder, Ricky Rubio, who at 17 and may still be going through puberty.
Now, regarding those “ism” issues. Spain has some work to do. Because, no matter how well they play the game of basketball, that type of sh*t will make you look uglier then Marc and Pau Gasol’s facial hair on Kerri Walsh and our dear Misty May.
It must be kind of cool to be Hammer - to be completely culturally irrelevant, and yet have significant relevance in popular culture for having a name that is synonymous with being completely culturally irrelevant, and the more relevant he tries to make himself, the less relevant he becomes which somehow magically makes him still relevant. I think there’s some mathematical equation for this phenomena and if I was, like, Good Will Hunting, that’s what I’d be working on. In fact, I’d put Hammer in the new giant particle super collider that they just built in Switzerland and twirl him around in that thing, slam some positrons into him and figure this whole thing out. I think we might be able to come up with The Grand Unified Theory of Everything by colliding Hammer into a Grape Now and Later or something.
While perusing Juxtapose, I ran across these stunning portraits of Obama by fine artist David Choe.
The posters are part of an ongoing series from our good friends at Upper Playground. Much respect to the Playground – they’ve done a great job of circulating Obama promotional materials to millennial hipsters. I’m sure many of you have seen the T’s with Shepard Fairey’s contribution (Progress and Hope) that they printed up.
Yesterday, the great Gene Upshaw died of cancer (only diagnosed the week before) at his home in Tahoe. With his passing we lost more then a Raider great. We lost a little swagger.
NFL Players Association aside, I cannot help but remember the man as player. His patented mean mugs and the excessive amount of tape that encircled his arms. Along with Art Shell, the Alpha Phi Alpha was the heart, soul and the essence of the Oakland franchise. Gene was firmly at the core of the Raiders “winning tradition” and the Silver and Black’s menacing pirate identity.
While Gene himself never put points on the board, the offensive team captain unflinchingly protected, and cut a wide berth, for all those that did.
Plainly speaking, the dude was a winner. And so he helped make the Bay a winner too. Playing in three Super Bowls, over three decades, all for one team. His fearsome play (and tremendous stache), represented Tha Town for the entire 15 seasons he played the game. And, in all that time, Gene only missed one game. Upsheezy was ‘bout it. A true gladiator.
So, Gene, thank you. You inspired us. From the great Mall of Eastmont, to the Valleys of Vacaville, to the furthest reaches of the County named Contra Costa. Yes, you inspired a multitude of backyard BBQ’s, pumped fists, high-fives and countless cries of “OH, HELL YEAH!”
FTB salutes the indomitable competitor, who brought boldness, self-assurance and a winner’s poise on many-a-Sunday (and some Mondays), from 1967 to 1982.
RIP Mr. Upshaw.
Fellahs, pour a little out for Gene. For his family. For the players he represented. And Yay Area too.
Gd.
Now, make the jump for a little memory lane. Read More »
This is the worst slang battle I’ve ever seen. My grandmother could beat this kid in a slang battle, and he’s going to go against Forty Water? Actually, the whole “slang battle” concept is just so-so. You could pretty much make some ish up and call it slang. Like this idiot’s “goon” line for “crab rangoon.” Oh yeah, that’s a common colloquialism. Errbody up in tha club talkin’ ’bout crab rangoons. The kids these days just love they ‘goons. Pathetic. I mean, Forty makes up slang all the time, but dude has the platform to syndicate his slang until it gains some popular usage - at least here in The Bay. What does Billy Hoyle from Boston have? A blog? A blog cannot make you Shakespeare nor E-40. “Goons” will never be in any dictionary, including the urban dictionary. Forty Water, on the other hand, is like the Noah Webster of the urban lexicon. Watch, in about 20 years Forty’s words and phrases like “Fo Shizzle” will be more than commonplace, imagine the Press Secretary asking “Can you smell me?” at a White House Press Conference? I can. BTW - Forty’s new album is called “The Ball Street Journal.” Might want to cop it to find out what these crazy kids will be saying in a few years time.
