This is my column for the Feb 12 issue of Seawanhaka.
For some people (musicians), the Grammys are the most important day of the year.
For others (music geeks), they are just fun to watch and later rip to shreds.
Still others couldn't care less that they happened.
I guess that puts me into the "geek" category. Despite my relative lack of interest in most popular music, I am more than happy to park myself on the sofa and take in the entire three-plus-hour-long telecast.
Honestly there were very few bands that I wanted to see win and even fewer that I wanted to see perform. Even still, as soon as I got home from work Sunday evening I glued myself to the television to watch the ceremony.
I think maybe I was curious to see if I would have to spend the coming days spouting off, righteously indignant, about who should have won but didn't and who won that shouldn't have.
Coming in late, the first performance I saw was Al Green, Justin Timberlake and company singing "Let's Stay Together." I missed U2's performance and coordinating light show. Green and Timberlake put on a good show, one that could have easily included only them. Keith Urban and Boyz II Men were a little excessive. They were the coconut flakes atop an otherwise decent-tasting cupcake: I know there are people out there that enjoyed them, but I'm happy to scrape them off and just eat the frosting underneath.
There probably isn't a bakery-related metaphor to point out that the act was thrown together at the last minute when Chris Brown and Rihanna pulled out. It's true, however; "Let's Stay Together" was filler.
The other performance I really want to mention is Radiohead playing "15 Step" with the University of Southern California marching band. Even if you separate out the fact that, of all the artists that played during the ceremony, they are essentially the only ones I actually listen to, it is still fair to say it was among the best of the evening. It was the only time I was inspired to turn the TV up loud enough to potentially disrupt my neighbor.
Maybe it's my inner nerd talking, but I loved their use of the USC band. That song in particular lent itself well to the use of a drumline and it's a unique way to perform. Instead of yet another collaboration between superstars, Radiohead brought in a style of music far outside their own and worked it seamlessly into their performance.
For the most part, the award recipients were expected and uncontroversial. There are few places to argue with the decisions made by the Recording Academy.
That is, of course, until you get to Coldplay.
Under normal circumstances I could dismiss their wins with a roll of the eyes; just another trendy band getting awards because of their popularity. This year, however, their nominations and wins were actually offensive.
It’s no secret that Coldplay is under fire, both legally and in the media, because of plagiarism allegations surrounding their hit song “Viva La Vida.” Guitarist Joe Satriani filed a suit claiming the band stole a guitar solo from one of his songs, plus Brooklyn band the Creaky Boards released a YouTube video comparing elements of the same song to one of their own.
Until this, honestly, I kind of liked “Viva La Vida.” Ironically, it sounded different and new compared to other songs playing on hit stations at the same time. Of course, one could argue that it doesn’t take much to sound unique compared to what is played on hit stations at any given time.
True, they are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but listening to comparisons between all the songs makes red flags go off left and right in my head. And that is what makes their award success particularly bothersome.
If they really did plagiarize these melodies, that puts them only moderately higher than Milli Vanilli on my personal grand ranking of Grammy winners.
The irony really shines when you think about exactly which awards they won. One of the categories Coldplay took was Song of the Year, which is for songwriting. While their lyrics may be original, songwriting also encompasses melodies. Even if they didn’t steal their riffs from anyone, if they are similar enough to garner accusations, they probably aren’t fresh enough to deserve awards.
Even if the legal ruing decides that the melodies are not similar enough to be considered plagiarism, this song - as well as the band that “wrote” it - is essentially tarnished forever.
I can’t be the only one who now hears Coldplay’s music and wonders what other bands are out there, hearing versions of their own melodies and not receiving a dime or any recognition for them.
Maybe that’s harsh, but in a creative field there’s no room for that.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Obama's First Press Conference
I wrote this for my news reporting class. It is also in the Feb 12 issue of Seawanhaka.
President Obama held his first press conference Monday to discuss the merits of his proposed economic stimulus plan.
During the hour-long event the President spoke somberly about the task ahead, speaking with less flourish than previous speeches and focusing on the arduous process of repairing the economy.
He outlined the main points of the bill and answered questions, addressing concerns ranging from bipartisanship to consumer and government spending to the economy’s effect on U.S. relations with the Middle East. He discussed the possible complications that could arise without quick action.
“If you delay acting on an economy of this severity, then you potentially create a negative spiral that becomes much more difficult for us to get out of,” the President said. He pointed out that Japan made this mistake in the 1990s and as a result saw almost no economic growth.
Obama repeatedly stressed the importance of job creation and preservation.
“My initial measure of success is creating or saving 4 million jobs,” he said. “That's bottom line number one, because if people are working, then they've got enough confidence to make purchases, to make investments.” He stressed that 90 percent of the jobs created will be in the private sector, performing tasks that the nations needs like repairing infrastructure and levees and making buildings more environmentally friendly.
The President addressed concerns from his opposition that included the question of whether spending over $800 billion was an appropriate stimulus. Critics have expressed concern about increasing consumer spending as well as the idea of government interfering closely with the market.
Obama replied to a reporters question regarding consumer spending by stressing that this spending was not the main cause of the economic situation. He cited irresponsible bank behavior as the main problem, especially the risks that some financial institutions took with their clients’ money. This led to credit problems and uncertainty which led to the current problems.
“Our immediate job is to stop the downward spiral,” the President said. “And that means putting money into consumers' pockets, it means loosening up credit, it means putting forward investments that not only employ people immediately but also lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth.”
In discussing concerns on partisan opposition, Obama suggested that politicians put their differences aside and working on the things that people really need. He addressed partisan politics as a general problem in Washington.
“I think that old habits are hard to break. And we're coming off an election and I think people want to sort of test the limits of what they can get,” he said. Obama suggested putting aside the mentality of working toward the next election and focusing on the tasks that lie ahead.
Reporters drilled Obama on non-economic issues as well. Foreign policy was another key topic, with questions asked about Iran and Afghanistan. The President addressed concerns about U.S. relations with Iran as well as the dangers of a nuclear program anywhere in he Middle East. He stated interest in rooting out terrorist cells hiding in the region and engaging in peaceful talks and other diplomatic tactics with Iran and Afghanistan before anything else.
Veteran press corps reporter Helen Thomas asked the President a similar question about terrorist cells in Pakistan, which he jokingly called his "inaugural moment." Obama responded that Ambassador Holbrooke is in the region establishing a relationship with the various countries and reminding them that they are in as much danger as anyone else if terrorist cells or unfriendly nations develop nuclear programs.
President Obama's proposed stimulus plan passed the House and the Senate in two slightly different versions. The next step for the government is to work to reach an agreement between the variations on the bill so they can move forward.
President Obama held his first press conference Monday to discuss the merits of his proposed economic stimulus plan.
During the hour-long event the President spoke somberly about the task ahead, speaking with less flourish than previous speeches and focusing on the arduous process of repairing the economy.
He outlined the main points of the bill and answered questions, addressing concerns ranging from bipartisanship to consumer and government spending to the economy’s effect on U.S. relations with the Middle East. He discussed the possible complications that could arise without quick action.
“If you delay acting on an economy of this severity, then you potentially create a negative spiral that becomes much more difficult for us to get out of,” the President said. He pointed out that Japan made this mistake in the 1990s and as a result saw almost no economic growth.
Obama repeatedly stressed the importance of job creation and preservation.
“My initial measure of success is creating or saving 4 million jobs,” he said. “That's bottom line number one, because if people are working, then they've got enough confidence to make purchases, to make investments.” He stressed that 90 percent of the jobs created will be in the private sector, performing tasks that the nations needs like repairing infrastructure and levees and making buildings more environmentally friendly.
The President addressed concerns from his opposition that included the question of whether spending over $800 billion was an appropriate stimulus. Critics have expressed concern about increasing consumer spending as well as the idea of government interfering closely with the market.
Obama replied to a reporters question regarding consumer spending by stressing that this spending was not the main cause of the economic situation. He cited irresponsible bank behavior as the main problem, especially the risks that some financial institutions took with their clients’ money. This led to credit problems and uncertainty which led to the current problems.
“Our immediate job is to stop the downward spiral,” the President said. “And that means putting money into consumers' pockets, it means loosening up credit, it means putting forward investments that not only employ people immediately but also lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth.”
In discussing concerns on partisan opposition, Obama suggested that politicians put their differences aside and working on the things that people really need. He addressed partisan politics as a general problem in Washington.
“I think that old habits are hard to break. And we're coming off an election and I think people want to sort of test the limits of what they can get,” he said. Obama suggested putting aside the mentality of working toward the next election and focusing on the tasks that lie ahead.
Reporters drilled Obama on non-economic issues as well. Foreign policy was another key topic, with questions asked about Iran and Afghanistan. The President addressed concerns about U.S. relations with Iran as well as the dangers of a nuclear program anywhere in he Middle East. He stated interest in rooting out terrorist cells hiding in the region and engaging in peaceful talks and other diplomatic tactics with Iran and Afghanistan before anything else.
Veteran press corps reporter Helen Thomas asked the President a similar question about terrorist cells in Pakistan, which he jokingly called his "inaugural moment." Obama responded that Ambassador Holbrooke is in the region establishing a relationship with the various countries and reminding them that they are in as much danger as anyone else if terrorist cells or unfriendly nations develop nuclear programs.
President Obama's proposed stimulus plan passed the House and the Senate in two slightly different versions. The next step for the government is to work to reach an agreement between the variations on the bill so they can move forward.
Philadelphia
This is old. It's an article I wrote for the Nov 6 issue of Seawanhaka. I covered a school trip that went door-to-door canvassing in Philly the weekend before the election.
Students Get Out the Vote in Philly
Long Island University students descended on Philadelphia last weekend in an effort to turn the city definitively blue.
The LIU chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ) organized the trip for students to participate in the final weekend of the Obama campaign’s Get Out the Vote drive. Get Out the Vote has been held in key battleground areas around the country to try and encourage first-time voters to get to the polls and make sure everyone is aware of their voting rights.
Many of the participants in Philadelphia came from New York and New Jersey, both of which are expected to solidly go to Obama.
Some, like campaign volunteer Nathan Alexander, came from other countries. Alexander flew to Philadelphia from Australia in early October specifically to help with the campaign. He said he has met several others who did the same, including people from Sweden and “a lot of Brits.”
For many, this sort of long-term volunteering requires taking unpaid leave from their regular jobs to work a grueling schedule.
“It takes definite dedication,” said Alexander. “You’re up early in the morning and getting home late.” He also noted that since Get Out the Vote began he has been working seven days a week.
Paul Hogan has been working 15 to 20 hour days as a campaign organizer since arriving in Philadelphia from New Jersey three weeks ago. He spends most of his time collecting voter data and coordinating volunteers.
“I’m a community organizer, just like Barack,” he said, laughing.
Hogan uses the data he collects to implement tactics for canvassing and getting people to vote.
“Research shows that knocking on doors is the best way to increase turnout,” he said. “Philadelphia is a Democratic city but has a very low voter turnout. People work 3 jobs and just can’t get there, plus Pennsylvania has an archaic voting system. There’s no early voting and they have really strict absentee rules.”
Hogan also pointed out that his ward of volunteers was the second most successful in Pennsylvania. In one day, Hogan’s volunteers knocked on 8,600 doors around Philadelphia. A nearby ward topped that by knocking on 11,000 doors, which was 54 percent of their goal. Hogan also said that he had 174 volunteers Saturday and 45 by 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Each day of Get Out the Vote targeted a different group of voters based on how frequently they had voted in the past. Last weekend the goal was mainly to remind voters of their polling places as well as their rights and requirements.
Volunteers also sought to encourage voters to fight back if they encountered any attempts at vote suppression. Many people were already aware of nationwide scare tactics and planned to vote no matter what.
“Nothing’s going to stop me from voting,” one woman, an Obama supporter, said. Volunteers handed out fliers listing phone numbers to call in case of problems at the polls, something many people appeared grateful to have.
Attempts at vote suppression have been a problem in Pennsylvania where Hogan said Republican groups “have sent flyers to neighborhoods saying if you have outstanding debts or tickets you can be arrested for trying to vote.” Many of these tactics specifically target low-income, predominantly black neighborhoods that are likely to vote for Obama.
Such areas already have low voter turnout. While training a group headed to one of the neighborhoods, Hogan said “Philadelphia turned out 65 percent for John Kerry; this neighborhood was maybe 35 percent.” He also noted the population of Philadelphia is large enough that a solid victory for Obama could turn the entire state blue.
Many of the homes on canvassing routes had Obama signs in their windows and front yards. Canvassers were well-received by most people in the targeted neighborhoods, with volunteers getting frequent shouts of appreciation from cars and requests for Obama buttons from passers-by. There was a noticeable lack of McCain supporters in these neighborhoods.
Yuliya Talanova, president of LIU’s chapter of SPJ, said, “I was happy to see that there were a lot of Obama supporters where we went, but had hoped to see some McCain supporters as well to find out what their views are why they are voting for McCain. And hopefully to persuade them otherwise.”
Talanova organized the trip for LIU students, providing contact information for free housing in Philadelphia and helping students get in touch with each other to coordinate carpools and bus trips. She called the canvassing trip an “exciting adventure.”
“I’d really like to thank all the LIU students who went,” she said. “I’m happy that we had an opportunity to participate in this event since it has such a great historical meaning to a lot of people.”
Hard-working volunteers got a treat Saturday night when Barack Obama placed a conference call to campaign offices across the country. He thanked them for their efforts, encouraging them to increase their time investment in one last push to the election. Obama half-jokingly reminded his volunteers that they could sleep on Nov 5.
Canvassing and volunteering paid off on Election Day when Obama won Pennsylvania’s 21 electoral votes by a margin of 55 percent to McCain’s 44 percent. He ultimately earned over 330 total votes, well surpassing the 270 needed to secure the Presidency.
Students Get Out the Vote in Philly
Long Island University students descended on Philadelphia last weekend in an effort to turn the city definitively blue.
The LIU chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ) organized the trip for students to participate in the final weekend of the Obama campaign’s Get Out the Vote drive. Get Out the Vote has been held in key battleground areas around the country to try and encourage first-time voters to get to the polls and make sure everyone is aware of their voting rights.
Many of the participants in Philadelphia came from New York and New Jersey, both of which are expected to solidly go to Obama.
Some, like campaign volunteer Nathan Alexander, came from other countries. Alexander flew to Philadelphia from Australia in early October specifically to help with the campaign. He said he has met several others who did the same, including people from Sweden and “a lot of Brits.”
For many, this sort of long-term volunteering requires taking unpaid leave from their regular jobs to work a grueling schedule.
“It takes definite dedication,” said Alexander. “You’re up early in the morning and getting home late.” He also noted that since Get Out the Vote began he has been working seven days a week.
Paul Hogan has been working 15 to 20 hour days as a campaign organizer since arriving in Philadelphia from New Jersey three weeks ago. He spends most of his time collecting voter data and coordinating volunteers.
“I’m a community organizer, just like Barack,” he said, laughing.
Hogan uses the data he collects to implement tactics for canvassing and getting people to vote.
“Research shows that knocking on doors is the best way to increase turnout,” he said. “Philadelphia is a Democratic city but has a very low voter turnout. People work 3 jobs and just can’t get there, plus Pennsylvania has an archaic voting system. There’s no early voting and they have really strict absentee rules.”
Hogan also pointed out that his ward of volunteers was the second most successful in Pennsylvania. In one day, Hogan’s volunteers knocked on 8,600 doors around Philadelphia. A nearby ward topped that by knocking on 11,000 doors, which was 54 percent of their goal. Hogan also said that he had 174 volunteers Saturday and 45 by 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Each day of Get Out the Vote targeted a different group of voters based on how frequently they had voted in the past. Last weekend the goal was mainly to remind voters of their polling places as well as their rights and requirements.
Volunteers also sought to encourage voters to fight back if they encountered any attempts at vote suppression. Many people were already aware of nationwide scare tactics and planned to vote no matter what.
“Nothing’s going to stop me from voting,” one woman, an Obama supporter, said. Volunteers handed out fliers listing phone numbers to call in case of problems at the polls, something many people appeared grateful to have.
Attempts at vote suppression have been a problem in Pennsylvania where Hogan said Republican groups “have sent flyers to neighborhoods saying if you have outstanding debts or tickets you can be arrested for trying to vote.” Many of these tactics specifically target low-income, predominantly black neighborhoods that are likely to vote for Obama.
Such areas already have low voter turnout. While training a group headed to one of the neighborhoods, Hogan said “Philadelphia turned out 65 percent for John Kerry; this neighborhood was maybe 35 percent.” He also noted the population of Philadelphia is large enough that a solid victory for Obama could turn the entire state blue.
Many of the homes on canvassing routes had Obama signs in their windows and front yards. Canvassers were well-received by most people in the targeted neighborhoods, with volunteers getting frequent shouts of appreciation from cars and requests for Obama buttons from passers-by. There was a noticeable lack of McCain supporters in these neighborhoods.
Yuliya Talanova, president of LIU’s chapter of SPJ, said, “I was happy to see that there were a lot of Obama supporters where we went, but had hoped to see some McCain supporters as well to find out what their views are why they are voting for McCain. And hopefully to persuade them otherwise.”
Talanova organized the trip for LIU students, providing contact information for free housing in Philadelphia and helping students get in touch with each other to coordinate carpools and bus trips. She called the canvassing trip an “exciting adventure.”
“I’d really like to thank all the LIU students who went,” she said. “I’m happy that we had an opportunity to participate in this event since it has such a great historical meaning to a lot of people.”
Hard-working volunteers got a treat Saturday night when Barack Obama placed a conference call to campaign offices across the country. He thanked them for their efforts, encouraging them to increase their time investment in one last push to the election. Obama half-jokingly reminded his volunteers that they could sleep on Nov 5.
Canvassing and volunteering paid off on Election Day when Obama won Pennsylvania’s 21 electoral votes by a margin of 55 percent to McCain’s 44 percent. He ultimately earned over 330 total votes, well surpassing the 270 needed to secure the Presidency.
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