NPR - Prison Economics Help Drive Ariz. Immigration Law

Morning Edition on NPR recently produced a great piece uncovering the direct relationship between Arizona Senate Bill 1070 and the prison industry. They also explain the secretive group called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the power it holds on state and federal legislation.

Listen to the podcast or read the article here.

Inspiration of the Week: REDU's Re:form School in NYC

Here's Lupe at REDU’s Re:form School, three days of events in NYC to call for the reform of the American Public Education System. The project sounded amazing, I would really love to do something like this in LA someday.

"We believe that by speaking the same language as the youth we teach, we can engage them in a discussion about sophisticated issues in their own communities and around the world. Through integrated technologies in the classroom, we’re able to do this in a more dynamic way than ever before."
- Re:Form School

Jake Shimabukuro - Blue Roses Falling

I really need to step my blog game up. I somehow for got to post this video I made in June of Jake Shimabukuro playing Blue Roses Falling in Hawai'i Kai.

I've been so inspired by the location musical performance videos on La Blogotheque that I've been wanting to try something like this for a while.

This particular performance was pretty spontaneous. We were shooting a recording session with Jake at this decked out studio in Hawai'i Kai, there were three huge fans (the kind that blow air) trying to get the weed smell out of the studio lounge that Kanye had supposedly left the night before. Anyway,there was this amazing private dock behind the studio and we asked Jake to play a song.

Blue Scholars - Lumiere

Blue Scholars inspired by The xx. Photographer John Coyne inspired by Blue Scholars. Keep that energy movin!

Last Minutes with ODEN

I'm not really a dog person but this film got me. Good film making all around. It invokes so much emotion and can trigger different memories for each person who watches it. And all in only 6 min.

Last Minutes with ODEN from phos pictures on Vimeo.

Youtube Video of the Week: Phoenix-Fly

Okay, so technically this is the Vimeo video of the week but who cares, these dudes can fly!!!

The Tillman Story

I'd been waiting to see this film ever since it was revealed that NFL player turned US soldier Pat Tillman had been killed by his own men in Afghanistan. The film exposes the US government's cold blooded cover-up of Tillman's death and the attempts to exploit the mourning felt by Tillman's family and others throughout the country to propagate patriotism and support for escalating the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Tillman Story opened my eyes to the absolute control our government has over the military and media to propagate wars, manipulate it's citizens, then profit in the forms of billion dollar arms contracts, higher TV ratings, and launching political careers. This film has a lot of potential to expose the above realities to a much broader audience, including college and NFL football fans.

Bambu - Who's That?!

This is what happens when Bambu jacks Das Racist for their "Who's That? Brooown!" beat produced by Sabzi, then gets a big craving for some donuts...

Remembering Hank Gathers

Bo Kimble's left handed free throw has to be one of the best moments in college sports. I just got a little teary watching Guru of Go on ESPN's 30 for 30. I don't know how big of an impact Hank Gathers' death had in other parts of the country, but as a 10 year old in LA, it was one of the first times I was really saddened by the death of someone I didn't know personally.

Raider Hater

Ahh, beating the Chargers is the gift that keeps on giving! Niner fans, get your tissues ready!

A Song For Ourselves at the Pacific Rim Film Festival

A Song For Ourselves returns to Santa Cruz for the Pacific Rim Film Festival. Wish I could make it up for the screening. Fall in the Cruz is beautiful.

PACIFIC RIM FILM FESTIVAL
Sunday, Oct. 17th at 10p
Del Mar Theatre
Santa Cruz, CA.

Suicide September

The number of teen suicides in September caused by anti-gay bullying is up to 9. So many things need to change on an institutional and personal level. As a straight ally, the recent deaths are a wake-up call for me to speak-up and challenge the homophobia in my personal day to day.

Youtube Video of the Week: Worst Tattoo Customer

"don't get persnippity with me!"