Taxes, will.i.am, Mali, and rainy days: some links
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I came across a raft of interesting stuff this week that doesn't fit into any of my "official" blogging responsibilities, so thought I'd just post it all here. My friends are thrilled, now that I have Matador to spill my every thought to, I almost never send out forwards or mass emails anymore... 1) Paying Taxes: It's "The Canadian Way of Life" - Canada Revenue Agency (that's our equivalent of the IRS) unveils a new marketing campaign aimed at convincing new immigrants that tax compliance is a really awesome form of cultural participation. Hmmm.... 2) Rainy Day Travel - My latest piece over at Vagabondish, offering cheap/free alternative travel activities on rainy days. 3) Those Cotton-Pickin' US Subsidies - New dispatch from Stephanie Nolen, one of my favourite working writers, about the impact of American subsidies to US cotton farmers on their Malian colleagues. I've read similar stuff about American rice production, and the so-called "rice dumping" that went on after the tsunami - sending free gifts of American rice to rice-producing countries as a form of aid, when the real help would have been to buy up those countries' bushels of rice instead... 4) Yes We Can - The latest YouTube phenomenon, will.i.am's celebrity-laden take on Obama's instant-classic, the "Yes We Can" speech. I held out for a long time, but now, I admit it - I am officially swept up in Obama-mania. The funnest part about the video (besides trying to name all the cameos!) is really what it represents - the way people from all walks of life across the US seem to be waking up and getting involved and excited for the first time in, well, probably my entire lifetime. That in itself is worth celebrating. |
I feel you on Obama. I've become a pretty big fan myself. Everything about him seems to inspire, including the fact that he hired a 26 year old to write those damn good speeches.
Eva-
You rock, as always.
First, I'm glad you posted the Yes We Can video here. I admit that I cried when I saw it, though I can't fully explain why, and I keep finding myself singing "Yes We Can, Yes We Can."
Second, on another occasion, I'll see if I can dredge up some of the information I have on US subsidies for Cuban agriculture-- ah, yes, it exists. In fact, curiously, some of the most conservative US Representatives and Senators support lifting the embargo expressly to facilitate agriculture trade.
"I admit that I cried when I saw it, though I can't fully explain why"
I got a little teary too, but the waterworks really got started when I watched the full, real version of Obama's speech. I think Scarlett Johansson's musical stylings distracted me in the first video!
The original, by the way, is here for anyone who's interested. Skip to minute 9 or so if you just want to get on with the "yes we can" part: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe751kMBwms
Here's what will.i.am wrote about Obama's speech and the process of the song:
The Yes We Can Song
by will.i.am
I was sitting in my recording studio watching the debates...
Torn between the candidates
I was never really big on politics...
and actually I’m still not big on politics...
but 4 years ago, me and the black eyed peas supported Kerry...
And we supported Kerry with all our might...
We performed and performed and performed for the DNC...
doing all we could do to get the youth involved...
The outcome of the last 2 elections has saddened me...
on how unfair, backwards, upside down, unbalanced, untruthful,
corrupt, and just simply, how wrong the world and "politics" are...
So this year i wanted to get involved and do all i could early...
And i found myself torn...
because this time it’s not that simple...
our choices aren’t as clear as the last elections ...
last time it was so obvious...
Bush and war
vs
no Bush and no war...
But this time it’s not that simple...
and there are a lot of people that are torn just like i am...
So for awhile I put it off and i was going to wait until it was decided for me...
And then came New Hampshire...
And i was captivated...
Inspired...
I reflected on my life...
and the blessings I have...
and the people who fought for me to have these rights and blessings...
and I’m not talking about a "black thing"
I’m talking about a "human thing" me as a "person"
an American...
That speech made me think of Martin Luther King...
Kennedy...
and Lincoln...
and all the others that have fought for what we have today...
what America is "supposed" to be...
freedom...
equality...
and truth...
and thats not what we have today...
we think we are free...
but in reality terror and fear controls our decisions...
this is not the America that our pioneers and leaders fought and
died for...
and then there was New Hampshire
it was that speech...
like many great speeches...
that one moved me...
because words and ideas are powerful...
It made me think...
and realize that today we have "very few" leaders...
maybe none...
but that speech...
it inspired me...
it inspired me to look inside myself and outwards towards the world...
it inspired me to want to change myself to better the world...
and take a "leap" towards change...
and hope that others become inspired to do the same...
change themselves..
change their greed...
change their fears...
and if we "change that"
"then hey"..
we got something right...???...
1 week later after the speech settled in me...
I began making this song...
I came up with the idea to turn his speech into a song...
because that speech effected and touched my inner core like nothing in a very long time...
it spoke to me...
because words and ideas are powerful...
I just wanted to add a melody to those words...
I wanted the inspiration that was bubbling inside me to take over...
so i let it..
I wasn't afraid to stand for something...
to stand for "change"...
I wasn't afraid of "fear"...
it was pure inspiration...
so I called my friends...
and they called their friends...
in a matter of 2 days...
We made the song and video...
Usually this process would take months...
a bunch of record company people figuring out strategies and release dates...
interviews...
all that stuff...
but this time i took it in my own hands...
so i called my friends sarah pantera, mike jurkovac, fred goldring, and jesse dylan to help make it happen...
and they called their friends..
and we did it together in 48 hours...
and instead of putting it in the hands of profit we put it in the hands of inspiration...
then we put it on the net for the world to feel...
When you are truly inspired..
magic happens...
incredible things happen...
love happens..
(and with that combination)
"love, and inspiration"
change happens...
"change for the better"
Inspiration breeds change...
"Positive change"...
no one on this planet is truly experienced to handle the obstacles we face today...
Terror, fear, lies, agendas, politics, money, all the above...
It’s all scary...
Martin Luther King didn't have experience to lead...
Kennedy didn't have experience to lead...
Susan B. Anthony...
Nelson Mandela...
Rosa Parks...
Gandhi...
Anne Frank...
and everyone else who has had a hand in molding the freedoms we have and take for granted today...
no one truly has experience to deal with the world today...
they just need "desire, strength, courage ability, and passion" to change...
and to stand for something even when people say it's not possible...
America would not be here "today" if we didn’t stand and fight for
change "yesterday"...
Everything we have as a "people" is because of the "people" who fought for
change...
and whoever is the President has to realize we have a lot of changing to do
I'm not trying to convince people to see things how i do...
I produced this song to share my new found inspiration and how I've been moved...
I hope this song will make you feel...
love...
and think...
and be inspired just like the speech inspired me...
that’s all...
Let's all come together like America is supposed to...
Like Japan did after Hiroshima...
that was less than 65 years ago...
and look at Japan now...
they did it together...
they did it...
"We can't?...
Are you serious..?..
WE CAN!!!
Yes we can...
A United "America"
Democrats, Republicans and Independents together...
Building a new America
We can do it...
"TOGETHER"
Please visit www.yeswecansong.com
Thank you for reading and listening...
will.i.am
Scarlett (for whom Francisco was a private chef!) is going to be releasing her own CD in the spring. Just read that in the paper.