There is more Barack-fashion related talk on the blogosphere today as Obama's jeans come under scrutiny. Earlier spotted wearing what are known as "mom jeans" in the good ol' US of A, Barack has apparently upgraded to a trendier set of darker jeans after reporting "I got a hard time from all sorts of blogs who said I looked like Urkel." Urkel indeed.
This blog prefers him in the not-so-trendy helmet/old bike/old jeans/old sneaks look... I guess it makes him look more personable and corny-dad-like.
Meanwhile there has been a ridiculous amount of merchandise released with the focus being the candidates, their VPs and pretty much
anyone related to the campaign.
Anyone.
This website is keeping track of their sales and released products as a sort of pseudo-consumerist poll gauging consumer interest in the candidates. Needless to say Obama is streets ahead as consumers are gripped by Obamamania. Obama products account for almost 50% of weekly sales, McCain is sitting at just under 20% by comparison.
Labels: fashion, US Elections 2008
Top 5 Songs of the Week:
1. Singh is Kinng - Bas Ek Kinng
2. Bachna Ae Haseeno - Bachna Ae Haseeno
3. Charlie Feathers - That Certain Female
4. Rufus Wainwright - A Bit of You
5. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan - Jiya Dhadak Dhadak
Labels: music
The Subprime Mortgage Crisis - The Blame Game
It has come to my attention that this talking point has, of late, started to descend (or ascend?) into blame game shifting tactics.
Having read some stuff, here are my thoughts.
The Subprime mortgage crisis cannot be blamed on poor or minority homewoners. It cannot be blamed on Jimmy Carter's
Community Reinvestment Act of 1977. Poor or minority homeowners actually have far better default rates than rich white people. It cannot be entirely blamed on Fannie and Freddie. The CRA act, Fannie & Freddie, none of these things were directly responsible for things like "No Money Down Mortgages" or banks
not verifying income or payment history of mortgage applicants. That is ridiculous. Read this and this.
Some theorists think that the bailout was always implicit, that Fannie & Freddie were always working under an implicit Government guarantee and that this is part of the problem. Maybe. But Fannie & Freddie certainly cannot be blamed for the whole fiasco.
Wondering where the blame should lie? Apart from all our collective stupid heads and the heads in the financial institutions how about this?
"Three officials, more than any others, have been responsible for preventing effective regulatory action over a period of years: Alan Greenspan, the oracular former Fed chairman; Phil Gramm, the heartless former chairman of the Senate banking committee; and Christopher Cox, the unapologetic chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Blame Greenspan for making the case that the exploding trade in derivatives was a benign way of hedging against risk. Blame Gramm for making sure derivatives weren't covered by the Commodity Futures Modernization Act, a bill he shepherded through Congress in 2000. Blame Cox for championing Bush's policy of "voluntary" regulation of investment banks at the SEC." [
Slade]
Slade in fact does bring up an interesting point. Libertarians and economic rationalists are the ones that are running around playing the blame game with anything and anyone apart from the obvious. Deregulation and lack of oversight. No matter how much we pretend that markets are perfect without government intervention and that Adam Smith's invisible hand is strong enough to carry us all... it just ain't true people.
"The worst thing you can say about libertarians is that they are intellectually immature, frozen in the worldview many of them absorbed from reading Ayn Rand novels in high school. Like other ideologues, libertarians react to the world's failing to conform to their model by asking where the world went wrong. Their heroic view of capitalism makes it difficult for them to accept that markets can be irrational, misunderstand risk, and misallocate resources or that financial systems without vigorous government oversight and the capacity for pragmatic intervention constitute a recipe for disaster. They are bankrupt, and this time, there will be no bailout."[
Slade]
Labels: sub-prime mortgage crisis and aftermath, world happenings
OK I have a lot of crap to get off my chest today.
Firstly, the disgraceful slandering of Dubai for the prosecution and possible imprisonment of Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors on Jumeirah Beach. For those that have heard already, these two were sort of having sex on the beach... ahh what fun. Then they sort of realised that the UAE had strict
laws about that sort of thing and sort of found themselves arrested and charged. The whole world has kicked up a fuss, including several major newspapers and the blogosphere, about how: "oh its so unfair... oh oh *hand wringing* this is a clash of cultures... Dubai shouldn't tempt people to its shores with fun and then put them in jail for having it... oh oh" which is just bloody stupid as
this Editorial from The National points out:
"They broke the law: it’s as simple as that. The behaviour of Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors on Jumeirah beach in Dubai would also have been against the law in London, Paris and New York. Not only that, it would have been against the law in the fleshpots of Las Vegas, Amsterdam and Bangkok. That is why they were arrested, that is why they were prosecuted, that is why they were found guilty and that is why, if their appeal fails, they will go to prison."
Bloody right, first rule of international travel states, know the law of the country you're in, respect it, and don't break it. We all know that British expats are not going to leave Dubai because they want a piece of that money pie as much as anyone else does but, for every British idiot who leaves... there will be more than enough expats from all over the world ready to pounce on his job (me included).
Read here
another absolutely brilliant piece from
Tony Karon, in the National, on the geopolitical after-effects of the global financial crisis. He rightly points out that most people blame poor stewardship on the part of the US for the crisis, that right now the US is nto taking any innovative steps in leading the world out of it and that this will strongly change the global financial, and geopolitical, landscape. Karon explores the aftermath of the bailout and its likely effects on several other pressing issues.
In US Elections related news... I very much am hoping that I can soon say that it's all over red rover for Mr. McCain. Not only has Obama just shredded all sorts of records with his
$150m September donation figures (remember he rejected public funding!) and
gathered a rally of over 100,000 people in Missouri but he has just landed
the endorsement of Colin Powell! Colin Powell is not only a Republican and one of the earliest proponents of the war on Iraq, but he also happens to be one of the most popular politicians in the US (not to mention
an accomplished rapper)... surely this is End Game.
Fashion/Design-wise, I came across this awesome looking stool. Yes it's actually a soft scuplted Hercules' head that this chap is sitting on. I want one! You want one too? Buy it
here.
Also get a sneak peak at the
new Converse Spring collection. I'm not a huge fan of what I've seen so far but new Converse is always an exciting thing. I find the platinum chucks on the left rather interesting but I don't think they're anything that I would wear.
And finally, Mr. Sachin Ramesh
Tendulkar has overtaken Brian Lara as the highest run-scorer in the history of test cricket. 12,000+ runs and counting. I, like many Aussies, am not impressed by the thorough shelacking that has been dished out to our team in the second test so far, and am growing rather worrisome about this series... but hats have to go off to the little master. It has been an amazing innings, still not out and still yet to see when and how he will hang up the pads - no doubt it will be a grand event.
Labels: cricket, design, dubai, fashion, US Elections 2008, world happenings
Some more cool stuff from the internets today. If anyone else is into stencil art, here is an
absolutely amazing set from C215, a Pais-based stencil artist, set in Karol Bagh, India. He may be the first stencil artist to have stencilled the streets of India... but either way his work is absolutely awesome.
According to Anchorage Daily News,
"A legislative investigation has concluded that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power in pushing for the firing of an Alaska state trooper who was once married to her sister, or by failing to prevent her husband Todd from doing so."
For those that are not so clued in on this story called
Troopergate
"Branchflower was investigating Palin's involvement in an effort to get state trooper Mike Wooten fired. Wooten was involved in a nasty divorce from Palin's sister. Palin and her husband, Todd, have accused Wooten of threatening Palin's father."
A recent symposium called
al-Qaeda 3.0 has established some worrying facts about the situation with al-Qaeda these days. The general consensus around
the Washington establishment is that the Surge and the recent "successes" in the war on Iraq have weakened al-Qaeda but it seems that this is hardly the case.
Check this from
the Wonk Room's Matt Duss
:
"Because of the redirection of focus and resources to Iraq, Al Qaeda’s top leadership was allowed to escape to Pakistan, from where they continue to support insurgency in Afghanistan, and continue to plan attacks on the West. Also reiterated at today’s event was the extent to which the invasion and occupation of an Arab Muslim country has served to confirm bin Laden’s propaganda, which appeals to a sense of grievance among many young Muslims. Another consequence of the Iraq war — one which has yet to be widely reported but which I think is going to become extremely important in the next few years as its effects become more apparent– is the phenomenon of fighters leaving Iraq, bringing their ideology and experience and establishing new fronts in other countries."
Considering that the Washington Establishment is so misguided about the impact of this War, or, at the very least, is so eloquently and elaborately continuing to try to pull the wool over the eyes of the American people (and the People of the World), what will it take to end this? Many of the people that started this war and continue to be proponents of it now serve as advisors on the McCain campaign. When will people wake up?
Labels: art, india, street art, US Elections 2008, world happenings
Top 5 Songs of the Week:
1. Josh - Josh Naal (DJ Jitten Mix)
2. The Rosewood Thieves - Heavy Eyes
3. Rang de Basanti - Rang de Basanti
4. Jon Foreman - The Cure For Pain
5. White Rabbits - The Plot
Labels: music
I love the Guardian. They somehow manage to make sarcasm cool again and not 'the lowest form of wit' as it has often been accused of being... I call bullshit on that one. Sarcasm is awesome. Here is
an excellent blog entry written by Steven Wells that calls Sarah Palin out on the pop tragedy, tabloid fodder, shock politics that she bloody well is. Respect.
"The pop tragedy that has been Sarah Palin's gloriously entertaining fortnight in the limelight will no doubt be compared by lesser scribes to the crash'n'burn trajectories of Buddy Holly or Mama Cass. They do the story a disservice. It took Jesus Christ 33 years to be born in a blaze of media hype, have an entire nation hanging on his every word, and then be crucified in front of a jeering mob. It took Sarah Palin just two incredible weeks, making her not only more rock'n'roll than Jesus, but more rock'n'roll than rock'n'roll itself."
In fashion-related news we have
a very rough critical appraisal of the Givenchy show at Paris Fashion Week, from Cathy Horin at NYT. Which is good, I never liked those bastards anyway. The fact that they are selling discount wallets for 50 Bahraini Dinars (ard $150) at shady looking outlets in forlorn corners of Seef Mall, hawked by Egyptian sales assistants that don't speak English, is proof in the pudding really... how far you have fallen, I predict Givenchy will be the next Pierre Cardin.
"I don’t think the explanation for last night’s rambling Givenchy show is that Riccardo Tisci just has too many ideas and doesn’t know how to “focus.” I’m beginning to wonder if he has any ideas at least that are original...
There was not much design value in the clothes, and some things showed surprisingly little finesse..."I agree with the lack of finesse comment. I mean if you look at each of the pictures I've posted here, you can see what he's trying to do but I can see these clothes stretched onto 15 year old Marias at whatever shitholes they are passing off for clubs now at Crown Entertainment Centre. Granted, Givenchy will probably still appeal to the nouveau riche crowd, particularly loaded Russians that need to flaunt their recently liposuctioned legs and whatnot. And none of this is a good thing.
Robin Derrick is a creative director at British Vogue and is also a photographer. His latest work, dealing with cut flower arrangements is pretty cool. Although minimalist in a way, his combination of colourful, chaotic-yet-systematic flowers arranged over a black canvas, I personally find quite visually powerful.
According to
Wallpaper* online:
"The post-production phase on each image took around 100 hours, and it shows. Up to 15 original transparencies were shot and then combined, in part, to elicit the sharpest elements for the final print."and it shows.
Labels: art, fashion, photography, US Elections 2008
first from
Milan Fashion Week...
notice the beautiful evening gown on the left with a slightly exaggerated bodice, I'm also rather a fan of the burgundy/reddish mini-dress with the shell embroidery, all from Mr. John Galliano.
"The message was sexiness, luscious color mixed with neutrals, and lots and lots of leg. (Mr. Galliano had just two pants outfits, and they were black leggings.)"
I'm also a fan of the Balmain stuff, check out this pic. I've always been a fan of acid-wash jeans and that french military (i dunno if its really french but its def military) jacket is really very cool.
In the aftermath of
the US Presidential Debate last week we have seen a lot of analysis in the papers and news media, mostly calling a stale-mate. But did people notice the ties? Oh my God, the ties. Obviously male US Presidential candidates (as they so far have always been) have no other way to really differentiate their outfits... though I am waiting for the day when someone rocks up in something cool like a tweed suit... so far they havent even broken into pinstripes yet.
Things have been interesting on the tie front though. Check out the pic: Obama has gone for a dark purplish/red tie, red being the traditional Republican colour and blue being Democrat, he seems to have gone somewhere in between... McCain has gone for a colourful stripy tie... woah.... I know he's a maverick but that thing is blinding!
Further on the politics front,
the BBC has done a poll on how
the War on Terror is going according to people in various important countries and it seems to be a resounding 'not great'.
"Some 29% of people said the “war on terror” launched by President George W Bush in 2001 had had no effect on the Islamist militant network.
According to 30% of those surveyed, US policies have strengthened al-Qaeda."
Furthermore:
"In Pakistan, where much of the battle against al-Qaeda is being fought, just 19% said they had a negative view of Osama Bin Laden’s organisation."
Ummm.... that's bad.
Labels: fashion, US Elections 2008, world happenings
