Alex Geana

Getting behind Obama

I've been a Clinton supporter for a long time, although not on this blog, in person. I've donated money to her campaign and I've watched the race unfold. I've shed a tear or two as I've seen her lose. There are many factors at play. Dean should be shot. But that's another post. Also, because we as Dems strive for fairness. Well, We're more likely to lose elections. The cut-throat Republican way, sort of ensured that the conservative guy would win. Is that better ... I don't know, but they have more time to rally their wagons and troops. More time to dig up dirt, simply more time to win.

The last primary was divided on race. Bigotry has sadly one many elections, recently and in the past. This will not change. What must change is the Clinton camps need to artfully swing support his direction. I don't know how this can be done. But it must be.

As Democrats we can not have a hobbled nominee. That only plays to the Republican strength of being able to forgive and forget for the party good. Something we can not seem to do. People are already talking about swinging their vote to Nader in disgust of altruism.

If we can not grow a political spine, we will surly lose an election that should be won by a landslide and also must be won for the good of the country.

 

The Exhibit

Here's a You Tube look of the show I was in. Chelsea Through the Eyes of Photographers. I'm toward the tail end, the large piece in the alcove. Check it out.

fresh

In April it felt like the universe insisted my old life be washed away, a little like the non-existent showers that showed up in May, or the cycle of fortune. In May, I'm rebuilding. Even though the weather itself has not cooperated with the age old pattern of death and re-birth. My life surly has.

Outsourced

I kept the blog silent because I was losing my job, outsourcing. I wanted to write about it many times but that would have been the worst thing possible, my old company, is strangely secretive, I lost a promotion because of a hearsay story, that showed up on Huffington Post about my need to wear black and white, the possibility that I would say something to endanger my ability to collect unemployment or truly dent my future. Well, I tend to blog about things that I shouldn't, so silence is better.

In the end I screamed at the human resource director, simply doing the dirty dead of the company. "This is how our democracy crumbles. we are forced to sign our rights away." Seven people lost their jobs due to outsourcing, the company glossed over the strangeness of losing employment, in some cases, some in the mail room had worked for the company for twenty years. In lue of severance the new opportunities, were, sort of offered, with a different company. For me the Deja Vu of my NASDAQ days, was too great.  I have seen this massacre play out before. I did not want to be in it's path again.  Because the company i was working for, simply deferred the task of firing it's long term charges, to another. Where there is no longevity. I will never again, trust a corporation, unless I am the head of it. The laws themselves favor the employer and only a lawsuit remedies the wrong. Instead of encouraging responsibility and what is right. Employers are asked to roll; the will-they-sue-me-dice.

Re-Building

Financially my book is in danger, I'm trying to come up with freelancer work and it's going better then I expected. Yet, the quest to come up with my old, meager salary is strong. Yet, for the first time in my life, I'm actually surviving because of what I write, how I think, the relationships I've brought into my life, it's strangely invigorating and wonderful. Maybe just maybe ... I'll transition to a company, where I can write. This is in the ether, the transition will take a bit. I'm innately hopeful. I must be.

Success

I don't know which to put first, as two recent successes. The fact that I was mentioned and recognized by the New York Times as a playwright, yes, you have to hunt for the quote, yet they said it. The back of my head has also been made famous, in the slide show. 

At the Chelsea Hotel my work was front and center, although I fear that it went over some people's head, it took up an alcove in a stunning place. I gave lots of interviews, I'll see if any press is generated, I did give an interview to a videographer. The blog Bubblegum Pop mentioned it. Thanks! It was a wonderful and mesmerizing evening, to be included with such developed and great artists. I'm clearly honing my voice, yet it's going in a strong direction. I want to tell a story through photo and poetry, in an innovative and great way.

Now I can update my blog more often, because I've dealt with this odd transition, so hopefully I'll be able to make it. This time.

The state of our money

In my moment of temp hiatus, I'm still reading tons of blogs. The news that our currency's starting to falter is understandably concerning and the fact that the chairmen of Bear, who's one of many, who's caused this mess, is actually getting a pay out, this get's a massive WTF. There seems to be no wrong doing, but it's still insane, to make $61 Million when everything is collapsing.

American tourists with dollars turned away from currency exchanges in Amsterdam 

The U.S. dollar's value is dropping so fast against the euro that small currency outlets in Amsterdam are turning away tourists seeking to sell their dollars for local money while on vacation in the Netherlands....

That's because the smaller currency exchanges -- despite buy/sell spreads that make it easier for them to make money by exchanging small amounts of currency -- don't want to be caught holding dollars that could be worth less by the time they can sell them.

[Link from Reuters via America Blog]

Bear Stearns Chairman sells everything - pockets $61 million 

Bear Stearns Cos. Chairman James Cayne on Thursday dumped his entire stake in the embattled investment bank for $61 million as it appears closer to a takeover by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Cayne sold 5.66 million shares for exactly $10.84 a share on March 25, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. His stake was once valued at about $1 billion when the stock was trading at $171.50 per share.

[Link from MsNBC via AmericaBlog]

The Dollar Collapse

Boing Boing had this great video from YouTube, featuring an economist that I've read before in the New Yorker. He's talking about the perfect storm brewing that could cause the dollar to collapse. Tragically, the sub-prime mortgage insanity could be it. Since the US gov has no real money for a true bailout. There can be many band-aid solutions but when you look at the whole Savings and Loan cost. I think it's over 3% of our GDP. America doesn't have the cash. Also, Asia is financing our debt. So when ... if ... they are unwilling to enact this bail out, then well. That's when the dollar starts to skid. I give it five years. Pending on the next President we select.

A large part of me, really really feels like stocking up on Euros in my nightstand. Now I understand why Warren Buffet has diversified his cash holdings. 

[Link via Boing Boing]

GLAAD makes the hetros scared

Our ubiquitous correspondent and intrepid reporter Terry Maloney, was on the front lines for the GLAAD Media awards this past Monday night.  Here's the write up.

_________________________________

This fotog/scribe wasn't disappointed at all about not seeing Baba Wawa...Actually, none of the celebs who refused to walk the carpet were gay! (Walters, R Jackson, K Bacon, K Sedgwick)...Bad heteros!...Only one female fotog seemed upset about the no-shows, the rest of us were like "whatever" and were off to the next event (or home)...Alec Mapa was fun, first posing with a "lookalike" fotog (short & Asian)... Alec was so much cuter and way better dressed... Then, while being interviewed for Logo (the gay cable network) he noticed a stray thread at the hem of his jacket and after joking, "That's what I get for buying off the rack in Singapore," he called over style maven Tim Gunn who obtained a pair of scissors from a fotog and proceded to trim the errant thread. Alec thanked Tim with a kiss on the cheek as we fotogs chuckled obediently....Cutie Anthony Rapp was chatty while walking the carpet, while hunky Cheyenne Jackson and master of ceremonies Graham Norton were robotic and silent (and not a bit of green on Irishman Norton on St Patrick's Night!)...Unlike past years the red carpet was not held in the same room as the reception so fotogs were unable to beg or bribe drinks from the paying guests or attempt to blend in with them (damn; I wore a suit for nothing!)...However, for the first year, GLAAD actually provided a water cooler (filled with water, not vodka) and glasses for the thirsty.

More pics after the jump.

Blog Silence Redux

If it doesn't make a noise, does it blog. Okay, I still have to do some quite important things, I'll be blogging from the fashion show. Crossing my fingers that I'll be back to blogging next week or so. In the mean time, Side Step Me is turning into something quite beautiful. 

The Fashion Show

Brooklyn Royalty invites you to their fashion show. Check out the details and their site.

This is from the Press Release "Brooklyn Royalty’s Fall 2008 collection marks an expansion of our distinctly ornate approach to tees, hoodies and accessories into the categories of denim, leather and wovens for both men and ladies. As always, our design process begins with finding the best quality materials, and constructing them in historically proven methods to stand the test of time. We add a gilded touch through signature graphics, hardware and fabric treatments that provide an edge to classic silhouettes. This season, we have moved our entire production local, to call attention to the value of an American-made product and the benefits of working together with the local community. As the brand continues to grow, we hope to continue supporting other Brooklyn-based manufacturers and designers, while exploring all the possibilities of an authentic luxury streetwear brand. "

[Previously Brooklyn Rules]
[Link to their site Brooklyn Royalty]

Touch of Silence

Okay, I have to give up the blog a bit longer, because I've found that blogging is bad when working on certain projects and dealing with my day job.

So that said, hopefully, I''ll be back, by the end of the week with very exciting news and new blog fervor. Please subscribe to the RSS feed to keep in touch.

I've finely checked our this work.

The internet was a buzz about this piece, completely thought provoking and insane. Totaly amazing in person.  AES+F tondo from the series "last riot". It's sort of breathtaking and caused much conversation around it. (yes the syntax is off on this, but i'm so hung over).