EXECUTION

             A Pulitzer Prize, causing astonishment, shifting the views of a whole country, evoking outrage, conjuring sympathy for the “bad guy”, inducing disgust; a single moment in time is rarely this powerful. The only question left is how did Eddie Adams manage to snap a photo of such a climatic point in a situation that only lasted a milli-second? This of course is the photo: General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong. It is simple title that says it all, nothing elaborate nor something to ponder upon, contrary to the effect the photo has on it’s spectators.
               Adams won a Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography because of the influence it had at the time. The photo sparked outrage and fueled the anti-Vietnam war protests going on at the time. Strangely enough Adams regretted the impact the photo had saying:

               “Still photographs are the most powerful weapon in the world. People believe them, but photographs do lie, even without manipulation. They are only half-truths ... What the photograph didn't say was, 'What would you do if you were the general at that time and place on that hot day, and you caught the so-called bad guy after he blew away one, two or three American soldiers?”

                 So what distinguishes a sterling photo from an icon? One is contingent upon quality, the other its effect on audiences. However, what makes a photo a masterpiece is an integration of both aspects. Qualities that this work does possess. Whether the photo was well focused or Eddy Adam was skillful at dodging and burning, the contrast is laudable. At first glance the main focal point is the gun and victim due to it’s sharp contrasts.
                 Already up there with such photos as In the Heights and Flag Raising on Mount Suribachi, General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong is also comparable to works such as Edvard Munch’sThe Scream and Michelangelo’s David in the partnership it holds between quality, recognition, stimulation and representation of the times. The photo might only represent two decades in American history but its concept of the brutality of war are timeless and universal. Although this piece should be put into context, intense sensations are conjured without background knowledge. All from a single frozen piece of time.

APPAULING

             With crab fountains, hind leg walking lizards, flying fish, bubble people, zombies, mussel people, nun pigs, ice skating creatures, bird people, and more, Bosch’s Garden of Earthly delights has one thinking if he was on drugs back while painting this in the beginning of the 14th century. In a time where artists were painting biblical scenes, Jesus and mother Marry, Bosch decides to take the notions of heaven, earth and hell to the chopping block and butchers it with a knife of obscurity and absurdness.
            The triptych is painted in oil on a wooden square that has 2 rectangular panels that unhinge to reveal the artwork. The unopened front is a bleak depiction of earth before animals were created. God is on the top left and above him is an inscribed quote from Psalm 33 reading "Ipse dixit, et facta sunt: ipse mandávit, et creáta sunt"—For he spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. Inside, each panel has a simply depiction of heaven, earth or hell, when viewed left to right. Makes sense. But upon further inspection the painting falls into a pit of ridiculousness, the further you go the more abject things get. The painting leaves the spectator wondering why heaven contains black pools, why the girl on earth has flowers up her heinie and why is there a tree house man. Sure Bosch exhibits great painting capability and fits an abound amount of objects in this work, however it seems like a cluster of eye candy approaching the title of Kitsch as opposed to avant-garde.
            No black people in hell, huge ears that are holstering a knife, people pouring into an egg, 3 headed peacock-birds, the list of nonsensical rubbish continues on and on; these appalling images could fill pages. Inspecting this painting will be the only way to envision this chaos, which I do recommend to look into if one would like to chuckle at what a perverted PeeWee Herman would paint if he had artistic abilities. It is just hard to believe that art historians think this was painted for a wedding.

Black Dogs. more like Street Dogs

           Breaking into houses, garages, cars and stealing valuables after someone bought a stereo from you or let you into their home sounds like a normal “come up” on some cash for teenagers Patrick, Keith, Alex and Pete. These kids are probably not your average rebellious teen.
           Black dogs gets underway by instantly hit the reader with a controversial music opinion, as the narrator, who we later find out is named Patrick, almost instantaneously begins with “the greatest band in the work: Black Sabbath.” The reader then learns that Patrick is visiting his home town after he “skipped town,” but other then that nothing is revealed. Subsequently we meet Frenchy... ugh... Pete, who is an avid music enthusiast and artist that works at a record store. Another friend, Alex, is mentioned to be returning home, however the details of this affair are kept away from the readers prying eyes. Instead the pair drive to pick up their other friend Keith, who turns out being a car stereo instillation specialist at a shop where the owner also hires him to “uninstall(s) them in the middle of night” for a cut of the profit. After this touching piece of information and a heartwarming story of breaking, entering and stealing, one realizes that these guys are not the type you want your kids around; they are probably up to no good. The fact that you find out Alex is returning from jail exacerbates the suspicion.
            The third chapter derails completely, enough to make any passenger confused. After the seemingly random story, the story jumps to Alex’s coming back from jail party. His family is introduced and it becomes clear where all the criminal behavior stems from. While Patrick is waiting for Alex he begins to mingle with Danny, Alex’s uncle, who is the lowest of the low in the family. Not only that, but we also learn that it is Danny who is apparently responsible for Alex’s ordeal. This is where the pieces of the story begin to resemble a picture as things start to be explained and the featured scheme is established. “I want to rob Led Zeppelin” Patrick utters.
             Once again the story decides to derail in chapter 6, but not to worry, phrases and plot pieces are mentioned, disappear and reappear later on. This being comparable to a magic show. Chapter three’s relevance is elucidated and we find out how Alex ended up in jail and why Patrick skipped town; a slapstick scenario involving an albino snake.
            The wheels of the plan begin to turn after Frenchy successfully receives attention from Richard Cole, Led Zeppelin’s manager. All gears begin to move but one, as a super rare guitar is now a necessary.
            From there that is about the only thing that results remotely as planned. The group’s plate piles up as the story takes off from there. It starts off with the robbery of a pawnshop that is owned by a bloodthirsty, bible reading biker gang gone wrong. However things do not look any better at the carnival, where a huge (and hilarious) fight breaks out. Over and above, police are added into the equation, things never seem in the right place, trouble with “the New York fucking Giants” ensues, betrayal lurks and a desperate attorney general makes an odd request. By the time of the climax, their plate looks more like a buffet.
            Although Black Dogs constantly rambles and references rock and roll, the book will fill the needs of any admirer of action stuffed books, the kind that look like your momma’s Thanksgiving turkey stuffed to near explosion. From the first page, everything slowly creeps in, with the plot not all being hidden behind door number one. Every chapter ties together well, even when something seems out of place. The chapters do not just conclude with the completion of a thought, but instead opening a door to another, and when you start that new chapter, it is hard to stop.
           A health mix of talk and action keeps one enticed in the quick read rather then thinking ahead, keeping the reader from having those pesky “that was so predictable” moments. The overall writing was plain and simple but worked well with the story, action scenes read quick and remained intense, while chatter read smooth and easily understandable. Even though there was a lack of embellishments that “showed” the story rather then telling it, there were parts that evoked clear visuals. The line “A long tattooed finger pointed right to me, the skull ring glistening in the neon lights” shoot out. Other lines such as “the future is uncertain and the end is always near” really set the mood.
            Black Dogs was certainly an enthralling page turner that holds on to you till the end like a Hendrix solo. Jason Buhrmester did a grant job of slowly building the story up, uncovering bits and pieces at a time, thus evoking a sense that the reader is a new addition to the group of friends. Nonetheless the end you left saying that “these low life mother fuckers deserve to be in jail.”

Top Floor Left Wing Film Review

Between a rock and a hard place.  

          There has always been a job where people hate you and Francois just happens to have one of those jobs, a bailiff. As he starts out his day in the Persian projects of France, collecting money, possessions and evicting unprofitable residents. In his first assignment of the day he runs into Mohand, a middle aged man who sent his payment in late, which is unknown to Francois. With the help of the police, the ostentatious Francois attempts to push his way into the apartment to collect profitable items so the void of absent rent money can be filled. With all the previous ruckus, Mohand's disconnected teen son, Salem, has woken up and in a sudden display of paroxysm, grabs Francois as a hostage and pushes the door closed behind him. The audience is left clueless; just like the police, Salem's father and Francois. Even thought Mohand is averse to the idea, the decisions are made by the gun wielding Salem. From here the serious story ensues into an inextricable but mirth situation.
            This drama/comedy takes an enticingly heated situation and submerges it in a tank of comic relief that blurs the line between drama and comedy. Whether this was done suitably is up to ones personal preference, but it left me thinking that the writer/director just did not have enough material for a full length drama so they decided to throw in a barrage of one liners that did leave me laughing. From color code jokes to marriage quips the story never becomes too serious, which seems to be the problem. The only thing that kept Top Floor Left Wing from falling into a 3 Stooges ordeal are the progressions of the characters and scenes.            
            The story does do an excellent job unfolding a series of bizarre situations and relationships. An example being the stand off itself, which goes through multiple stages, each with a beginning and climax leading up to the next level. The uncovering and development of each of the 3 main characters (diligent performance by Salem's actor) in such a tense situation made sure one is constantly hooked, if the jokes or plot had not been doing their job. The most engrossing being the transformation of the father and son's relations.        
            As the plot progressed, everything began to fall into place with an elegance that does not expose every little detail at once but instead unearthing a fossil at a time, with more beneath and then ending hysterically. The movie lets you choose a favorite character rather then focusing on one, a sense that is exacerbated by the fact that the movie does a great job of following multiple characters; from Salem, to Mohand, to Francois and the police chief. This was done by cuts and steady pans that felt natural, unlike the jumpiness of the show 24.            
            Top Floor Left Wing had its moments but had me leaving the theater wanting something more powerful and memorable. French socioeconomically and race issues undertone the whole movie but do not turn into anything more and come off as more of a fictional setting then an actual problem. In addition, the extraneous female police officer character and the occasional superfluous scene just has you saying “hu?” The jokes were undoubtedly humorous, but they were so abundant that I could not take anything too seriously. If Top Floor left Wing were made just a little differently, it would have a lasting impact rather then the “ehh” it currently holds.

Just like the characters, this keeps one between a rock and a hard place.

7 out of 10

I dont really liek this ablum but....

                After a life sentence has been served, what does Eminem have to show for it? Recovery, where he explodes up and out of a drug, death and food induced ditch that he dug himself. He overpasses Lil Wayne who “fucked the world” and takes it to another level by pulling “his dick from the dirt and fuck(ing) the whole universe.” After going through his ultimate separation from his wife, a friends death, and a drug problem Eminem went to rehab and exits a new man, but accompanying him is an urning to build his throne back up with the momentum of this album and inertia that follows, without allowing any force to stop him.                                    
                Eminem returns and grabs the unmentionables of the “rap game” then clobbers them with a hammer, with a warning being sent out that if any potential enemies get in his way, the same fate awaits. He used Mariah Carry as an example (refer to Obsessed by Mariah Carey and Eminem’s The Warning) and then continues his bravado.
                The general feel of the album is that, like the Terminator, he is back and ready to take anything on. A few curveballs are thrown toward the audience though, as a serious tone daunts down occasionally. There are various tone changes within the album, which might be a representation of his actual emotional changes throughout his transformation. Going Through Changes is a remarkable song that takes a sample of a Ozzy Osbourn song with calm beat over it and a subtle guitar or music box melody that sets a sorrowful mood. This happens while the lyrics of lament plays the strings of one’s emotion with results of poignance. The use of a little girls voice really exacerbates this feeling at a prime moment.
               Another mentionable song has to be No Love, where Eminem features Lil Wayne but seems to be in his own world. He vocalizes “Look at these rappers, ow I treat them so why the fuck would I join them, when I beat them” in a derisible way, yet he is working with Wayne. At other points in Recovery there are surreptitious jabs at Lil Wayne.
             In additional Eminem takes all the criticism he received quite well. He admits that the preceding 2 albums (Relapse and Encore) were abject and keeps reenforcing the fact that he feels he let his fans down.
              Eminem blasts out of the art port, refurbished and with enough fuel to travel around the world once again (he was award platinum albums in multiple countries) as he spits seemingly inextricable  multiplexed verses and rhymes that no rapper can compare to, while making more references then a ostentatious critic on steroids. Eminem keeps each individual flowing like an arrow through the sky, however the overall compilation of songs are a bit turbulent. The beats and over voices really embellish upon his lyrics but in most cases there is so much lyrical geniuses that the actual music is overlooked. The composition of the fresh out rehab album has me looking forward to his future CDs. By the way a life sentence usually ends after 25 years but with parol. Just about how long he has been rapping.

Jeru the Damaja Review

Rap and hip-hop could be compared to the CTA train system, both are CTA trains but of different lines; although at one point, just like in the loop, they used to ride on the same track. This “separation,” as some see it, did not begin to transpire until the mid-1990’s. This is when hip-hop began to transform into the women disrespecting, materialistic, puffed up, huffed up, braggadocio that is commonly heard. In response, some artists have and still are speaking against the new direction hip-hop has been headed, Jeru The Damaja has been one of them.

Jeru The Damaja’s 2004 release of Divine Design, Kendrick spends good deal of time addressing many of the issues that he sees popular media and mainstream rap creating. However, he is not restricted to simply preaching these things. He melts his opinions and experiences into the music and lets it flow out into the listeners ears. The album constantly references guns and shooting, but with his gun being the microphone and his ammo being his lyrical talent.

Even though some would say Jeru’s style is stuck in the early 90’s, he continues to let the mind tingling, well thought out socio-political songs spewing out of his mouth and onto the tracks. With that, if you look back on his other music you can see that his tone was not as it once was, being a little on the calmer side.

The beats on this album on the other hand, were way to simplistic and bland. In an interview with one Melisa Tang, Kendrick did say he intended for such a back to basics approach, as it might be an addition statement against the modernizing hip hop scene. However it is a different direction then what he has done previously, working with much more catchy, ear appeasing, head bobbing beats. There were some exceptions though, like Whatyagonnado, which made me feel as if I was walking home in the middle of the night thought a shady area.

Hip hop is going down one train track with rap going down a different rail. Jeru Has already chosen a line. Now you are at the station and the train is about to arrive, which train would you prefer to take?