Zennie's Zeitgeist

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Michael Phelps | Olympics' Star Michael Phelps Is A Cool Muthafucka
2008-07-19 05:29:00
I had the pleasure of meeting six-time US Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps today at Stanford, California when I was there for The Bank Of The West Classic tennis event, and was impressed that he was such a nice and normal person. So this video is about that and the cool video he made for me -- with my coaching -- at the Bank Of The West Classic. Hey, Phelps may get all the ladies, but that's cool. Michael Phelps is a cool muthafucka. If you see him in Bejing, tell him that. Make a t-shirt saying that. More athletes could take a page from his book, and just be cool and nice people.
More About: Olympics , Cool , Star

Bobby Jindal Recall Drive Ends - Louisiana Legislator Pay Raise Vetoed
2008-07-18 18:22:00
Just a month ago, a drive to recall Republican Governor Bobby Jindal was announced because the Gov was going to approve a pay raise for legislators, and it was observed that he didn't want to upset them.Well, Jindal's vetoed the bill that would have increased pay, so the recall effort was ended. You can read about the decision on the Recall Jindal website called "Recall Bobby".
More About: Louisiana , Drive

Denver' Has Too Many Non-Union Businesses To Capture Convention Business
2008-07-17 18:24:00
According to The Union News, Denver , Colorado, the host of the 2008 Democratic National Convention , has too many non-uniohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.lin k.gifn businesses to take advantage of all of the available convention business. Chris Lopez, the communications head of the Denver host committee, and in my video, says that:union restrictions and the needs of people planning events might be limiting who gets convention work. For example, printers used by the DNCC must be union shops and there's only a handful of such businesses in Colorado.The Rockymountainnews reports that print shops must be union, but there are scant few in Colorado, so those that aren't don't get work. Well, time for Colorado to "union-up."
More About: Business , Capture

Brandon Keating Show - How Do you feel about where HipHop is going?
2008-07-17 15:29:00
I keep hearing people saying "HipHop is dead" or "HipHop is dying".  With so many artists these days coming out with what is known as "ringtone" raps, a lot of people who grew up in the 80's and 90's have finally had enough and are complaining about the way HipHop is now. I must admit, for a minute, I was one of those people. But if you look at all music genres, you will begin to realize that they all change over time.  You can not have it one way for the rest of eternity. I have received several hundred emails asking me what my stance on HipHop is and where I think it is going.  Without typing an entire essay, I will share my video of my thoughts.Please feel free to comment on what your stance is.
More About: Show , Hiphop , Feel

Vanity Fair's Alex Shoumatoff Mug Shot | Arrested at Bohemian Grove Hiding
2008-07-17 10:15:00
Vanity Fair's Alex Shoumatoff Mug Shot | Arrested at Bohemian Grove Hiding Behind Redwood Tree Exclusive Photo of Vanity Fair Editor Alex Shoumatoff arrest at Bohemian GroveThis is a major follow-up to our story on Alex Shoumatoff's arrest at Bohemian Grove yesterday. Wearing what he believed to be appropriate attire to join the rich and famous at the Bohemian Grove, Vanity Fair writer Alex Shoumatoff is seen here in his official Sonoma County Sheriff Department mug shot. He was captured trying to hide behind a redwood tree wearing a Pebble Beach pullover and day-old stubble. This is a sure sign that Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair editor, provided Shoumatoff with what he believes is ?west coast attire.? My, how out of touch they both are on the left coast: Everyone out here knows that when you?re powerful and slumming in California you put your wornout Brioni or Loro Piana jacket on and couple it with $400+ jeans or perhaps some Ralph Lauren khakis. Then, should you really be ...
More About: Vanity

Obama raises $52 million in June - average donation $68.
2008-07-17 09:57:00
Talk of voters growing less confident about Obama ?s campaign message seems to have been premature. To the chagrin of pundits suggesting the bloom was off the rose for the Obama campaign, donors contributed $52 million in June . The combined coffers still reflect a GOP advantage, and Obama's 50-state strategy will need more funding than McCain.read more | digg story
More About: Donation , Million , Average

Helen Mirren's Hot Body At 63 Proves Hotness Knows No Age
2008-07-17 06:13:00
The great actress Dame Helen Mirren allowed herself to be see wearing a two-piece bikini and the industrialized world went nuts. Helen's body is a prime example that hotness knows no age anymore.Helen -- if you don't know her name -- was the actress who won the Academy Award in 2006 for her role as the Queen of England in "Queen" and has played several meaty and in many cases sexy roles. But her greatest role may be as octogenarian sex-symbol. At 63, she's got a body that rivals that of someone 30 years younger than she is. Ok. I'll go as far as 35 years younger.Here's my video:
More About: Body , Hotness

Props to Nas
2008-07-16 20:00:00
Props to Nas for a song on his new untitled album. The song, ?Black President,? is another in a line of non-campaign related pro-Obama songs created by and for the youth movement. If DefJam or Nas or iTunes, even, loved us, just a little, we could put the song or an as-yet-to-be-created video here for you. But, alas, they do not and we cannot. So run over to iTunes and check it out for yourself. We'd love to know what you think. *Cross posted to AshPolitics.

Vote For It! '08 | www.voteforit08.org | Hip-Hop Summit Action Network
2008-07-16 15:37:00
I found this great video and simply am posting it to help get out the message before the DNC Convention. It features LL Cool J -- who's made a huge comback (don't call it that) and Russell Simmons, among others. The description reads:VFI08 is a joint initiative between the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), and online ad network and marketing company, CPX Interactive. The overarching purpose of the joint initiative is to serve as a call-to-action to America's youth vote, emphasizing the importance of connectivity to the growing national political spirit and the necessity of empowering one's self thru the exercise of the most basic responsibility...that is the right to vote.Here's the video:
More About: Vote

Vanity Fair Editor Alex Shoumatoff Arrested, Embarrassed at Bohemian Grove
2008-07-16 08:40:00
Vanity Fair Editor Alex Shoumatoff Arrested , Embarrassed at Bohemian Grove He Plans Hit Piece on Bohemian Club Tree PlansAlex Shoumatoff, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair magazine, tried to sneak into the exclusive Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio, Calif., this week. He was hoping to get an inside look at the exclusive retreat of some of the world?s most prominent CEOs, business leaders and politicians. Of course, he stuck out like a seersucker suit at a funeral and was promptly handcuffed and arrested. Most embarrassing for him: he was arrested by a part-time security guard whose day job is a plumber. One could say he was arrested at ?plunger-point.? Shoumatoff was attempting to sneak in to the 2,700 acre grove. Unfortunately, it?s hard to sneak in when you weight 375+ pounds and are prone to being arrogant and dropping names like dimes. Clearly, when captured, Shoumatoff couldn?t muster the right names to drop and he was detained, handcuffed and arrested by Sonoma County Sher...
More About: Vanity Fair , Vanity

John McCain Cindy McCain Satirzed In New Cartoon
2008-07-15 13:49:00
John McCain Cindy McCain Satirzed In New Cartoon In a response to the New Yorker's questionable taste of a cartoon on Senator Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, we have this new cartoon showing Senator John McCain in a wheelchair and his wife Cindy feeding him a tidalwave of pills to calm him after the election of Senator Obama as President of The United States.
More About: John

Senator Barack Obama's NAACP Speech : Video and Text
2008-07-15 03:15:00
CRW_6803, originally uploaded by Joe Lamb.This is the video and text of Senator Barack Obama's speech on Monday before the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Cincinnati. Video : It is always humbling to speak before the NAACP. It is a powerful reminder of the debt we all owe to those who marched for us and fought for us and stood up on our behalf; of the sacrifices that were made for us by those we never knew; and of the giants whose shoulders I stand on here today.They are the men and women we read about in history books and hear about in church; whose lives we honor with schools, and boulevards, and federal holidays that bear their names. But what I want to remind you tonight ? on Youth Night ? is that these giants, these icons of America?s past, were not much older than many of you when they took up freedom?s cause and made their mark on history.Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was but a 26-year -old pastor when he led a bus boycott in Montgomery th...
More About: Text , Speech

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Would Serve Obama
2008-07-15 02:50:00
In this video, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger tells ABC' "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos that he would indeed serve in an Obama Administration if he were called to do so. "I will take his call now, and I will take his call if he were President. I don't think this is one of those things where you can be partisan."
More About: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Zennienet.com - The Newest Social Tagging System
2008-07-15 02:27:00
If you use Digg, or Reddit, or Mixx, then you're familar with "social tagging". Now, there's a new system right here at Zennie's Zeitgeist, and will soon be on our other blogs: Zennienet.com Try it.
More About: Social , System , Tagging

Tony Snow Remembered On "Face The Nation"
2008-07-15 02:21:00
A person who passed too young, former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow , was remembered on CBS' "Face The Nation ":
More About: Bush administration

Chicago Tribune / LA TImes Shrink - Tribune Co Fires Staffers
2008-07-15 01:06:00
On the very day the New Yorker jumps the shark, the Tribune Company announces firings, including the editor of the Chicago Tribune and the publisher of the LA Times . The reason: readers flow to online sources and advertisers go with them.
More About: Fires , Chicago Tribune

New Yorker, Jesse Jackson, Ralph Nader Use Racism Against Obama
2008-07-14 15:18:00
In this installment in my video series I discuss the New Yorker cartoon of Barack and Michelle Obama and how it compares to Jesse Jackson 's "nuts" gaffe of last week (which I contend was not a gaffe and was a deliberate action), and Ralph Nader's most unfortunate statement that Senator Obama was "acting white." I feature New Yorker Editor David Remick's explaination of the creation and use of the cartoon, and provide commentary. I then explain that all three actions were examples of "jumping the shark" -- using race to get attention for their message, but doing nothing to improve the American condition in the process.
More About: Barack Obama , Racism

New Yorker's Cartoon Of Barack And Michelle Obama An Outrage
2008-07-14 13:06:00
If you've not seen this cartoon for the New Yorker,then here it is in all of its glory. It shows Barack and Michelle Obama in all of the stereotypical garb and poses that bigots and racists -- same thing -- have complained about. It has Michelle as a terrorist doing the "fist pump" and Barack in radical muslim garb.Why?What's the point of this? A number of outraged Obama supporters have flooded the listservs on this matter, and one person John Hay of TellingThoughts.com took up an email conversation with the cartoonist Barry Blitt:t appears as though ?The New Yorker? is now running for cover over their outrageous and highly defamatory Obama magazine front cover. Possibly grounds for a costly New Yorker payout after Senator Obama gets the election out of the way.Below is the New Yorker cartoonist?s response to an emailed complaint over the cover. It was posted early today by an Obama supporter MK, on one of the Obama site threads.***************************New Yorker Cover Ar...
More About: Cartoon , Michelle Obama

Blogger Influence Studies Miss The Point - Print Media Is Dying
2008-07-14 11:28:00
I happened over to Flopping Aces, a political blog, and noticed their reference and post on a study that questioned the infuence of bloggers in politics. The study was done in the "olden" days of blogging, circa 2006, and so is already questionable because there were 2 million blogs then, versus over 100 million today. But the main point missed by Flopping Aces is that with ad dollars moving toward the Internet, and reporters being laid off left and right, blogs remain the one place to go to get news. Yes, biased -- for example, we tend to be pro-Barack Obama -- but that is why people surf blogs. The bottom line is that the way we're getting our news is changing fast and in this sea of alteration is difficult to question the power of blogs. We're at a point where almost every major news channel on television looks like blogs for news, then uses their content or story idea to some degree. That fact is not in the study's discussed.
More About: Media , Studies , Blogger , Print

"Yes We Can" - Tribute to Obama By Maria Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt
2008-07-13 18:44:00
"Yes We Can" is the new musical and video tribute to Senator Barack Obama for President by Maria Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt. I was asked to co-produce and distribute the video on behalf of Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Raitt, and Joel Joseph of Studio B Recording in Sausilito, CA. It's not to be confused with the first great "Yes We Can" video and song by Will-I-Am, which is a terrific and pioneering work of its own. Also see www.yeswecanthevideo.comHere's the video:> On Metacafe. > On Google > On My Space> On Crackle> On Sclipo> On Viddler> Dailymotion> On AOL"Yes We Can" by Zennie Abraham is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.Based on a work at www.yeswecanthevideo.com.Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.yeswecanthevideo.com.> On Yahoo
More About: Tribute

Sunday, Bloody Sunday
2008-07-13 15:28:00
We have always known music is powerful - that it can affect people, reach them on a very visceral level. Here, then, is a reworking - a mashup, if you will - of a song that was already full of power and emotion. U2's "Sunday , Bloody Sunday" courtesy of YouTube and 1962verbodivino.Sunday, Bloody Sunday...I cant believe the news todayOh, I cant close my eyes and make it go awayHow long...How long must we sing this song?How long? how long...'Cause tonight...We can be as one tonight...Broken bottles under childrens feetBodies strewn across the dead end streetBut I wont heed the battle callIt puts my back upPuts my back up against the wall...And the battle's just begunThere's many lost, but tell me: who has won?The trench is dug within our heartsAnd mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart...Wipe the tears from your eyesWipe your tears awayWipe your tears awayI wipe your tears away (Sunday, bloody Sunday)I wipe your blood shot eyes (Sunday, bloody Sunday)Sunday, bloody sunda...
More About: George W Bush

Women Can Be Sexist Too: Clinton Supporters And Sexism
2008-07-13 07:49:00
This video is nothing less than a monologue on how some remaining female supporters of Senator Clinton for President are, in pointing out sexism, being sexist themselves.I point to Salon.com's Editor-in-Chief Joan Walsh as a main example and as one who looks the other way when Michelle Obama is the target of sexism and racism, but not Senator Clinton, followed by Harriet Christian, the terrible and outwardly racist Clinton supporter who gained national attention for her racist and sexist rant against Senator Barack Obama at the DNC Rules Committee Meeting of May 31st.In fact, I point to this blog "Too Sense" and the article "The Limited Empathy of Joan Walsh" where the blogger dNa writes:Walsh and Ferraro, experts both on being a black man and running for president, and presumably how easy such an endeavor is, given the vast number of black presidents we have elected. It wasn't that Obama built a top-tier fundraising organization, (from scratch) studied the primary rules and how t...
More About: Women , Sexism , Supporters

Germany Says Bush Did Not Pressure Them To Cancel Obama Speech
2008-07-12 18:22:00
As we move closer to Senator Barack Obama 's much anticipated speech in Germany , we have this report from Poltical Gateway that says Germany claims the Bush Administration did not pressure them to try and stop the Obama speech from happening,Yeah. Right. Like I believe the Bush White House had nothing to do with the "outing" of CIA operative Val Plame.
More About: George W , Speech

Tony Snow - Former Bush Press Secretary Passes Of Colon Cancer
2008-07-12 16:19:00
Tony Snow, former White House / Bush Administration Press Secretary, passed away at the young age of 53 after his battle with Colon Cancer . He will be missed. I always enjoyed his perspective and his reasoned approach. He seemed like a very good person.
More About: Tony Snow , Colon Cancer

DNC Convention Media Walkthrough At Pepsi Center - Video
2008-07-11 20:23:00
This is the video -- 35 minutes long -- of my trip to the DNC Convention Media Walkthrough in Denver, Colorado. It started with my flight to Denver on United that Monday night, which was delayed for about two hours. My intent was to get in during the day but because of the flight backup, I ended up getting in at 11 PM. The other problem is that I'd not been to Denver since the age of 14. In other words, before I knew how to drive. So my first thought upon landing was "Where the hell am I." My second view was who do I call if I'm lost? Yikes! At any rate, the people at National Rental Car in Denver, were great. They gave me a Toyota Prius for rent at a cheap rate. I was inimidated just because it's a vastly different car, but after a short training session, and a drive, I was a big fan of the car. Especially since it had a GPS device. That was a life-saver for me. Wow. I finally got to my hotel room at the StayBridge Suite in Englewood, Co. Nice big place of a room, wi...
More About: Video , Pepsi , Center

McCain Elderly Protester Removed - Brandon Keating Sr Starts With A Bang
2008-07-11 20:11:00
YouTuber Brandon Keating Sr. started off his appearance on Zennie's Zeitgeist with a bang, presenting his take on a video of an elderly John McCain protester's unnecessary and questionable treatment by law enforcement. Welcome Brandon and keep them coming! See it with a click here > BRANDON!
More About: Bang , Elderly , Protester

Netroots Blog Caltics Attacking Senator Diane Feinstein
2008-07-11 19:38:00
I happened to visit the Calitcs Blog , when I saw an article calling for nothing less than the censure of Senator Diane Feinstein . Why? Because of her support for the FISA bill that just past, and her alledged role as swing vote confirming, as Caltics put it, the appointments of Michael Mukasey, President Bush's torture-condoning nominee for Attorney General, and Leslie Southwick, a racist and homophobic judge.Yikes!It seems that no action has stopped Feinstein, according to Caltics.:We've tried everything to get Sen. Feinstein's attention. Phone calls. Emails. Faxes. Petitions. Protests. Smoke signals. We even launched an online petition supporting a proposed California Democratic Party censure resolution of Sen. Feinstein last November that spread like wildfire across the grassroots, with 35,039 Californians signing on in support.The censure movement also catalyzed national media attention, fueled by endorsements from MoveOn.org, Progressive Democrats of America, the Californ...
More About: Netroots

DNC Convention - DNCC Releases List of Credentialed Blogs
2008-07-11 19:26:00
Which blogs are the "credentialed blogs" for the DNC Convention ? Here's a list below. This blog also has a blog roll of them if you look to the right and scroll down. But here's the list: 2008 Democratic Convention Watch http://demconwatch.blogspot.com43rdStateB lues.com http://43rdstateblues.comAFL-CIO NOW Blog http://blog.aflcio.orgAfrican American Political Pundit http://aapoliticalpundit.blogspot.comAMER ICAblog.com http://americablog.comAsian American Action Fund Blog http://aaa-fund.comBadlands Blue http://badlandsblue.comBagnews Notes http://bagnewsnotes.comBeliefnet http://beliefnet.comBitch Ph.D. http://bitchphd.blogspot.comBlogger News Network http://bloggernews.netBlogging For Michigan http://bloggingformichigan.comBlogHer http://blogher.comBlue Hampshire http://bluehampshire.comBlue Indiana http://blueindiana.netBlue Jersey http://bluejersey.comBlue Mass. Group http://bluemassgroup.comBlueGrassRoots http://bluegrassroots.orgBlueNC.com http://bluen...
More About: Blogs , List

Faith, Hope, and the Courtship of South Carolina
2008-07-11 15:07:00
South Carolina hasn't voted for a Democrat for president since Jimmy Carter. According to Linda Hansen, the voters in the "Palmetto State" have been no use to "liberal" candidates after primary season:"Truth to tell, we South Carolinians have been jilted before we got to the altar so many times we don't bother with trousseau shoppin' any more. We've lost faith. Abandoned hope. The Dems gave up on us long ago and the GOP knows we can be had, cheap."Come senators, congressmenPlease heed the callDon't stand in the doorwayDon't block up the hall...The times? They are a-changing: In the summer of 2007 Senator Barack Obama promised the people of South Carolina he'd work for them if they'd have him. Obama's keeping his promise, which reflects his fifty state strategy. Ms. Hansen compares the state of the McCain & Obama campaigns, and while the polls suggest that McCain has the traditional lead, the mood on the ground is - evidently - not indicative of a Republican lock on the ...
More About: Faith , Hope , South , South Carolina

Freedom Of Speech has it's limitations
2008-07-11 03:07:00
I would first like to thank Zennie for inviting me to this blog and have the ability to post here. My views may not represent how you feel, or how Zennie feels. I do thank him for giving me a voice on here. Now this may be an old story, but I am still upset with it. I was completely in awe when I discovered that the McCain camp removed the Librarian from the so called "Public" event for holding a sign that read "McCain = Bush".  I was further disgusted when I learned she was cited for "Trespassing".  Yes, trespassing at a public event. Public meaning "people in general", public meaning "NON PRIVATE". If we have the freedom of speech, shouldn't we be allowed to express ourselves the way we see fit? Shouldn't we be able to express our opinions even if it does not "fit in" with the republican party?If you missed the actual video, here is the 61 year old librarian being cited for "trespassing".And here is my response. Please excuse the cursing, as I am a former sailor. lol
More About: Freedom , Freedom of Speech , Speech