.

Body Language Arts

2008-08-04T09:54:00.000-06:00

In each face to face human interaction there is an observable energy transmitted via body language and non-verbal cues. More and more I find myself getting "real" content by reading between the lines on peoples foreheads. Interpersonal communications experts confirm that body language is responsible for roughly 80% of what we communicate.

Will this new information help us pick our next President? Can the way a candidate speaks, change our attitudes more than What he/she actually speaks about? Some might argue that they make their political choices based solely on issues and facts rather than personality, or general demeanor. In a Nation focused on the "looks" of runway models, super heroes and celebrity glamour, it's hard to imagine anyone as completely immune to the powers of a candidate's public speaking skills and basic like-ability. So what does this mean for Barrack and John?

I have been reviewing video of each candidate some times without volume to access what they are saying sans words. McCain seems to hold a commanding presence during his speeches, with plenty of podium hitting. His brow furrows in an aggressive expression frequently, and he has a token micro-squint that he breaks out at tough moments. During verbal pauses, he blinks in rapid succession while simultaneously creating a "semi-forced" toothy grin. Face coding experts say blinking can equal lying. While answering questions he often wanders around the podium a bit. Perhaps this is an effort to literally get "closer" to the audience, showing that he is a straight talker.

As I reviewed video clips of Obama, I noticed a look of quiet self confidence (though some might see it as a look of quiet self righteousness). He lifts his chin just slightly, while giving a barely discernable half squint. Is he looking into the future? During loud applauses from raucous crowds, he lifts his hand, controlling the commotion with calm body-leadership. Obama does not move around the stage much, mostly staying grounded behind the podium. His brow can furrow during serous moments but more often it is neutral and relaxed, showing that there is hope.

Take a look at the candidates, no really. Turn the volume down low on the TV and just take a look at there body language. There body language speaks so loudly that you don't even need to hear the words. Read between the lines in their foreheads.

Yard Sign Language

2008-05-29T19:48:00.000-06:00

Election time is rolling around again here in Albuquerque, you can tell by the swarms of signs littering busy intersections in residential areas. What is the purpose of political campaign signs? They rarely disclose any relevant information on the candidate. Most of the time they don’t even display a photograph of the person. So what’s the point?

It amazes me that wanna-be politicians pay for huge billboards and thousands of yard signs that say almost nothing about there values and why we should vote for them. Its just plain crazy to me when I see a jumbo billboard with nothing but “vote for candidate X”. How can someone justify spending that much on advertising without sharing just a little bit about themselves? I find myself wondering “why should I vote for you? Because you have a big ass billboard and a huge budget?” Gimme a break.

Now, I’m not suggesting that all campaign signs need to include a detailed life story with an index and bibliography, but they need to give us something. A quote perhaps, maybe even what they plan on doing once in office. What a concept.

As you cast your ballot this season, ask yourself- am I voting for this person because they will best serve the community? Or am I filling in a circle next to there name because I remember the dazzling font and color combination on there signs? Chances are it’s a little bit of both.

Have the Terrorists Won???

2008-05-18T18:16:00.000-06:00

It’s been seven years since the September eleventh attacks in New York City. Airports have increased security measures to the point where nail-clippers and toothpaste are not allowed in carry on bags, but are we really safer?

On my last trip on an airplane, I could not help but notice all the new security procedures. Waiting in line to receive my boarding pass, an airline employee informed me that I would not be allowed to carry any outside water bottles into the gate area. I reluctantly disposed of my half full bottle of water, ticket in hand.

As I made my way to the security bag screening area, I smelled something kinda off, something downright funky. Feet. The smell of stinky feet. “Sir please remove your shoes and pass them through the machine, it’s mandatory, “the airport security guard grunted in my general direction.

After passing through the metal detector barefoot, I imagined all the new ultra mutated hybrid super- fungi breeding in the thin corridor of carpet I just treaded over. My mind swirled with images of Al Qaeda athletes foot attacks, the likes of which have never been seen before.

Heading to my gate I was reminded by a slightly terse automated voice that the terror level had reached “orange” and I should keep an eye on my bag at all times. I looked at the person next to me suspiciously. Was he eyeing my bag? No offense buddy, but we are at orange level, you never know.

Have these new measures made us safer? Do you feel safer? Or just inconvenienced to the point of “terror”. Personally, I feel dehydrated, and I think my feet are starting to itch. Call homeland security, we better bump the terror level to red.

Going Green (With Envy)

2008-05-01T17:22:00.000-06:00

With all the focus on “eco-celebs” it can be easy to forget the millions of low-income citizens who only wish they could afford the environmental peace of mind flaunted by their favorite movie stars. Hollywood has good intentions, but I’m pretty sure the film actor’s guild will not be responsible for saving the planet.

Let’s estimate, and say that roughly ten percent of Americans are moving forward into the new green economy, this means 90 percent are left behind in the grey pollution based economy. 10 percent is a good start, but if we want to avoid a climate crisis, we need to bring everyone on board.

Perhaps we can learn something from the cellular market. Up until about 1998, for the most part, only the upper-class could afford cell phones. Now, only ten years later, seeing a homeless person on a cell phone is quite common. The mobile market expanded quickly, keeping prices low, and plans simple. Cell phones are no longer a luxury of the elite; they have evolved into an affordable means of communication for everyday people.

I see the next wave of environmentalism evolving in a similar way. Currently, solar panels and electric cars are reserved for the “eco-elite”. For the rest of the population, “going green” is an abstract idea that is just out of reach. So the challenge we face now, is how do we recreate the cell phone model with hybrids and solar panels? How do we keep plans simple and prices low?

Ten years from now I want to see a family having a birthday in the park, inflating a “fun-jump” with the power of the sun. Ten years from now I want to see a homeless person driving a hybrid. Who knows, maybe that same person can get a “green collar job” manufacturing wind power turbines. Eco-equality seems like a far away dream, but hey, ten years ago you probably never thought you’d own a cell phone.

Community Diss-Service

2008-04-23T21:11:00.000-06:00

When I mention the words “community service” what comes to mind? Criminals perhaps, in bright orange mesh vests picking up trash on the side of the freeway. Unfortunately many teenagers experience this kind of community service as their first major form of discipline. So basically we are teaching them that giving time to help the community is a punishment, reserved for outcasts and law breakers. What is wrong with this picture?

As child psychologists know, in attempting to discipline groups of kids, it is more effective to give rewards and positive acknowledgement for good behavior, than to give attention to bad behavior. I’m not sure if the same science carries over to young adults, but I would guess so.

What if- instead of using community service as a penalty- we used it as a reward? Imagine you are a high school freshman sitting in English class. You finished your writing assignment, did some extra credit work and now the teacher is handing you a “community service pass.” With this highly coveted “pass” you are allowed to miss thirty minutes of class to help clean up the school park, enjoy a short break and get some fresh air. Your classmates are all jealous because you have the privilege of doing service work for the neighborhood.

Its no easy task to fundamentally change a broken system, but if we don’t lead the way, who will? I envision a future where the words “community service” makes people think of student body presidents painting park benches and valedictorians proudly picking weeds in a community garden. Bright orange mesh vests optional.

Burque Bus Bling

2008-04-17T10:16:00.000-06:00

So what is the deal with the painfully obnoxious new bus advertisements here in Albuquerque? If you live here, chances are you have seen the double length city buses sporting casino, fast food and used car lot ads printed directly on them. You may have seen the city bus covered in a gigantic full vehicle “wrap” promoting diamond jewelry. At first glance I was slightly taken aback as I stood at the bus stop gawking at the jumbo bus covered in casino poker chips and roulette wheels. “Wow,” I said to myself, “how in the world did that get approved.”

My mind started firing questions at a mile a minute. Was there a vote? Since it is public transportation, it would seem logical that the public would have some say in the matter. What if a local strip club wanted to put pictures of half naked women covering the bus? What about liquor companies? I suppose if they are paying for the ad its all fair game. The main question that comes up for me is; where do we draw the line?

If our buses are covered top to bottom with full color ads promoting gambling and fast food, should we as citizens be concerned about the implications of these potentially-destructive images on our cities population? Or maybe it’s worth it because all the ad revenue is helping to improve our public transit system. Hey, if the casinos, bars and tobacco companies put there graphics on the buses we could afford a half-decent public transit system. It’s a trade off I guess, no pain no gain.

Flat Brimmed Hats....by Cyrus Gould

2008-04-02T14:37:00.002-06:00

What is it about flat brimmed baseball hats that has lead to there continued popularity in the urban fashion scene? They are not very comfortable, they look a bit silly, and they cost more than most baseball caps. They are on the heads of rappers like Jay-Z and 50 Cent, and they sit atop the crowns of punk rock kids and skaters alike. The flat brim phenomenon is breaking down barriers between genres, races and class lines. But why, what is it about these designer hats?

Well, I have a theory. It seems to me that this fad is the direct result of the physical and social environment we have created on earth. We have depleted earth’s ozone layer, this means the sun’s rays shine brighter and are more harmful to our skin. The “larger than usual” flat brim provides ample shade for the face, helping to quell the destructive cancer causing properties of the sun.

Another sort of urban pollution is advertising. City dwellers are exposed to hundreds if not thousands of advertisements in a given day. Messages flash before us begging our attention, on busses, bus-stops and billboards, they are everywhere. With such a huge amount of ad content, how is the current urbanite expected to absorb all this “visual junk-mail?” A better question might be; how are they expected to ignore the barrage of ads?

The large flat brim usually sits low on the forehead, just above the bridge of the nose. The brim is effectively a “blinder” that blocks overhead billboards and signs, cutting the “ad-assault” in half. Also, the hat puts direct pressure on the “third eye” which is where the base of the brim rests on the forehead. This pressure point is known to cause a soothing effect during situations of stress or sensory overload.

In conclusion, flat brimmed hats are more that just a fashion trend. The design of the headpiece is a direct reflection of the environmental conditions that exist in large cities. Kids are sporting the headgear to combat skin cancer, and to remain calm amidst the advertising overload. I need me a flat brim hat ASAP.

The NEW Movement...by: Cyrus Gould

2008-03-27T13:49:00.001-06:00

I’m sick and tired of retired weekend activists and white bearded anti-war extremists saying that young people are lazy and disconnected. “You should be out marching to protest the war,” they say. “Back when I was your age, I used to march ten miles per day to protest the war in Vietnam, and I did it barefoot, uphill booth ways!”
Things are changing in this nation, and on this planet. It may seem to the untrained eye that kids “now-a-days” are just sitting on there hands watching movies and surfing the web. This is simply not the case. The truth of the matter is that technology and new communication methods have changed the way burgeoning activists, and new school social justice workers operate.
To certain outdated uber-liberal-hippie-ish-baby-boomers, interacting in online communities may seem below the radar, it may even seem bourgeoisie, but for the herds of new young doers, it’s the fastest, cheapest, easiest way to share ideas, event info, music and strategies. Online organizing is constantly expanding the range of possibilities for effective political actions. And go figure, them youngins are hip to it.
Does this mean going door to door to talk with people about important issues is done and gone? Has the “phone-banking” of yesteryear been replaced by automated email blasts and robotic telephone messages delivered en mass via “celebrity de jour”? The obvious answer to both of these questions is no. online networking will never be as effective as a face to face, person to person contact.
What the internet can provide is a great way to get tons of people informed and involved. So really, it’s an additional tool in the arsenal of community organizers, helping facilitate the vital face to face work that happens on people’s front porch. That’s what I call hitting home.
Perhaps we should be taking to the streets with homemade signs instead of sitting glued to a lap-top organizing the next phone-bank. My gut tells me no. Personally, I’m ready to see some real change for the better. We can go march down the streets till we all have sun-burns and tired feet, but why not spend that time organizing an action that will get a great candidate into local office? This is the new “movement”. I’ll text you with the details….

Cyrus: The Youth Shift

2008-03-24T17:29:00.000-06:00

When I first told my friends I was voting in the democratic caucus, they all laughed. But now they are asking me who they should vote for. For quite some time in the U.S, the term Young Voter was nothing more than an oxymoron. Voting used to be for old folks and teachers pets. My, how times have a-changed. Now more than ever new voters are taking the reigns, and getting the attention of candidates, who have done there darnedest to shape there messages to woo hipsters and Wu-Tang fans alike.

Voting is not passé, quite the contrary, voting has become “the new black”, a way to say “screw the man!” So while twenty something’s are chatting about debates at coffee shops, presidential wanna-bees are busy coloring themselves young. Who would have ever thought that a future president would be endorsed in a Hip-Hop music video? It’s kind of amusing to watch the old farts scramble to get the approval of a growing informed youth population. It reminds me of eating out with my dad when he said (with perfect enunciation), “this is a dope dinner, we should eat here more often.” Did he just say dope? It was amusing then, and it’s painfully hilarious now.

White House hopefuls have been exchanging blows and jabs not only on television and radio, but more recently, on youtube.com. Who watches youtube? Not your grandma, that’s for sure. The Internet as a whole is straight up youth turf, and they know it. This new young powerhouse is tired of business as usual. We want politically incorrect sketch comedy and poignant cartoons. We want our news sources to be interactive, current and on-demand. It’s a huge shift, but ultimately, politicians have adapted amazingly quickly. It’s only a matter of time before I log onto myspace and see Chelsea and Hilary Clinton in skinny jeans doing the soulja boy!