Maybe I should start by compiling my first official rant. I mean a lot of bloggers do it, so I figured I'd join the bunch since so much goes on in the world on a weekly basses that really catches my attention, whether it be positive or negative; little or big. So here goes nothing...      

The Good:

      For starters, I am extremely elated and content that Usain "Lightning" Bolt has won the 2008 Beijing Olympic Men's 100 Meter Final with a New World Record Time of 9.69 seconds winning Jamaica it's first Olympic Men's 100 meter Gold Medal. Usain is an outstanding athlete and is a great inspiration to all sprinter alike. Whilst Bolt took the Gold Medal, Richard Thompson of Trinidad took the Silver Medal, and Walter Dix of the United States took the Bronze. Check out some pictures and a short "Unofficial" Video clip with more specific details below... 

Alan Abrahamson of NBC writes, "In the most outrageous display of speed to ever burn across the Olympic Games, Usain Bolt of Jamaica rocketed to gold in winning the men's 100m dash in 9.69 seconds -- not only a new world record but the first time in the history of human beings a man has run the distance under 9.7 seconds without a significant tailwind. 

Incredibly, Bolt, 21, could have gone faster. With a full seven strides to go, he dropped his arms and let them fall outstretched to his sides, appearing almost to run sideways as he played to the sold-out crowd of 91,000 at the Bird's Nest.

Just before the finish line, he started high-stepping and, for good measure, executed a chest-thump. All that, and still -- 9.69 seconds. Bolt simply ran away from the rest of the best of the world."

      With Usain Bolt making history on the men's side, the Jamaican women also made history as little-known Shelly-Ann Fraser won the 2008 Olympic Women's 100 Meter Final running a 10.78, and was followed up by her fellow country mates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart, who both finished in 10.98 and both collected silvers medals giving Jamaica the first sweep of medals in a women's 100 by any nation at any Olympics or world championships.

"I was speechless yesterday for a while. Today I cried," Jamaica's minister of sport, Olivia Grange, said Sunday, after watching Fraser win. "Little Jamaica - our country is blessed with some of the best, if not the best, talent you can find."

These outstanding and impressive displays of hard-work pose, determination, and athleticism gave Jamaica the first sweep of men's and women's 100 golds at any Olympics since 1988.

AP Sports writer Howard Fendrich reports that The United States protested the results in the women's 100, asking that the race be reviewed because of a possible false start by American Torri Edwards - who wound up last. The appeal was swiftly rejected, and the biggest consequence was that the Jamaican women would have to wait until Monday to receive their medals at a postponed ceremony.

"Not that a ruling for the U.S. would have made much of a difference. The Jamaicans, particularly Fraser, were so much better that it's hard to imagine the outcome being much different if the race were run again." - Howard Fendrich

More Good...

      Secondly, over the past week I have seen numerous advertisements for some of televisions hottest and most intriguing shows (many of which happen to be my personal favorites) previewing their new up and coming seasons scheduled for this Fall and early 2009, and I am glad to say that I am very excited and can't wait to see what's in store. These are some of the shows that most certainly make television worth watching regularly in our day and age: LOST, House, Heroes, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 24, The Office, etc.

      I am particularly a big fan of the shows LOST, House M.D. and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and am slowly growing into a big fan of Heroes, and The Office, and not much of a big fan of 24 (though it is a great series). The only down side it that I  as well as other fans have to wait until January 2009 for the new season of LOST (which is my favorite), but will soon have some of my television show cravings filled by the new seasons of House M.D. and Heroes this September, and am currently satisfied and kept at bay with the current season of CSI (Season 7) which is definitely another great season thus far.

       With a whole new line up of seasons launching this coming Fall and in Early 2009, two brand new television shows will be introduced to the mix; NBC's Crusoe and Fox's Fringe. Both show previews really caught my attention and interests and I'm looking forward to seeing these two new shows and what they are all about; as they both look pretty interesting and seem to have fairly compelling story lines and structures and also seem to bring something new to the table.

Hopefully they live up to the high expectations and provide good quality viewing pleasures and add to the mix of great television shows. Check out the preview trailers for the new up and coming shows Fringe and Crusoe below...

FRINGE

When an unlikely trio uncovers a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable events, they discover it may be part of a larger, disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology on FRINGE.

CRUSOE

Crusoe follows the novel and it's treasured tale of adventure; this high-action, fast-paced, thirteen part series will combine for the first time the pace and energy of network television while remaining faithful to the authur's original classic story.

The Bad:

I am extremely disappointed with NBC's Olympic Coverage. They have in my mind without question displayed some of the most biased, selfish, and unfair broadcasts and coverage of the Olympics time and times again. For one thing, they act as if there aren't other athletes and countries participating in the Olympics other than Americans. Yes, it is important and necessary that a country high light and focus on it's own athletes and representatives, but it is also important to take given time to high light the accomplishments of other athletes and countries.

      The United States embodies a very braggadocio approach in almost every situation and in common fashion regularly down plays other country's athletes and put their own athletes on a towering pedestal of supreme greatness. Yes, Michael Phelps is indeed an outstanding and great athlete and has performed the unthinkable on countless occasions, but there are numerous other athletes who have waited their entire lives to perform on the Olympic stage and deserve their rightful moment of fame and glory. It seem like every single time I turn on the television or log onto the net I am bombarded with Michael Phelps Media. Michael Phelps this, Michael Phelps that, Michael Phelps here, Michael Phelps there...It's as if NBC and the media are trying to permanently brand Michael Phelps into the minds of viewers and have them only remember him and his accomplishments and no one elses......It is all honestly really starting to get extremely annoying and redundant (I bet even Michael Phelps himself is tired of all the hype and would like some breathing space).

      Secondly, the 2008 Olympic Games are taking place in Beijing, China which is 1 days times ahead of the United States, which then means that almost all of the Olympic Coverage we see on NBC (who owns the Olympic Broadcasting Rights) has already taken place, been recorded and then re-broadcasted here in the United States. So NBC purposely decides to show us what they want when they want and I find this to be highly unfair and inappropriate. How is it that NBC will have Live Coverage of a Swimming race that lasts 15 minutes long, but not show (at a respectable time of day) recorded Track & Field Events that last only a mer 10 seconds each...??? I waited all day to watch the Men's 100 Meter Heats and Final, and along that wait I must have seen Michael Phelps at least 50 times both in broadcasts and commercials...I sat through entire medal ceremonies of Bronze Medal American Athletes (particularly swimming), saw cameras focused sharply on American Athletes who didn't even win their events placing in third, fourth, fifth and below, or even qualify for final events (cough, Tyson Gay...) etc, etc. But couldn't catch one glimpse of the Medal Ceremony for the World's Fastest Man Usian Bolt, or many other events where the Unites States did not win. But NBC and a host of fans, athletes, representatives and supporters don't see anything wrong with this..............Who knows.........Maybe it's just me................

The Ugly:

      Some things just never change and it seems like the "Pants Hanging Below Butt" trend will never remove itself from our society. It is totally disgusting to see males of all ages and races walk around with their pants hanging below their butts in a bold fashion statement supposedly said to be considered as "cool"......(Shaking my head) It is really a sickening sight and very disappointing. 

      However, authorities (particularly those of Flint, Michigan, and places in Atlanta and New Jersey, etc.) have also been growing tired of this ridiculous disease like trend and have set new laws into place in hopes of cracking down upon and putting an end to sagging pants.

From: The Fashion eZine

TRENTON, N.J. – It's a fashion that started in prison, and now the saggy pants craze has come full circle – low-slung street strutting in some cities may soon mean run-ins with the law, including a stint in jail.

Proposals to ban saggy pants are starting to ride up in several places. At the extreme end, wearing pants low enough to show boxers or bare buttocks in one small Louisiana town means six months in jail and a $500 (U.S.) fine. A crackdown also is being pushed in Atlanta. And in Trenton, N.J., getting caught with your pants down may soon result in not only a fine, but a city worker assessing where your life is headed.

"Are they employed? Do they have a high school diploma? It's a wonderful way to redirect at that point," said Trenton Councillor Annette Lartigue, who is drafting a law to outlaw saggy pants. "The message is clear: We don't want to see your backside."

The bare-your-britches fashion is believed to have started in prisons, where inmates aren't given belts with their baggy uniform pants to prevent hangings and beatings. By the late 1980s, the trend had made it to gangster rap videos, then went on to skateboarders in the suburbs and high school hallways.

"For young people, it's a form of rebellion and identity," Adrian "Easy A.D." Harris, 43, a member of the Bronx's legendary rap group Cold Crush Brothers. "The young people think it's fashionable. They don't think it's negative."

But those who want to stop them see it as an indecent, sloppy trend that is a bad influence on children.

"It has the potential to catch on with elementary school kids," said C.T. Martin, an Atlanta councillor. "Teachers have raised questions about what a distraction it is."

In Atlanta, a law has been introduced to ban sagging and punishment could include small fines or community work – but no jail time, Martin said.

The penalty is stiffer in Delcambre, La., where in June the town council passed an ordinance that carries a fine of up to $500 or six months in jail for exposing underwear in public. Several other municipalities and parish governments in Louisiana have enacted similar laws in recent months.

At Trenton hip-hop clothing store Razor Sharp Clothing Shop 4 Ballers, shopper Mark Wise, 30, said his jeans sag for practical reasons.

"The reason I don't wear tight pants is because it's easier to get money out of my pocket this way," Wise said. "It's just more comfortable."

Shop owner Mack Murray said Trenton's proposed ordinance unfairly targets blacks.

"Are they going to go after construction workers and plumbers, because their pants sag, too?" Murray asked. "They're stereotyping us."

The American Civil Liberties Union agrees.

"In Atlanta, we see this as racial profiling," said Benetta Standly of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia. "It's going to target African-American male youths. There's a fear with people associating the way you dress with crimes being committed." (The Fashion Ezine)

Ben Schmitt, Free Press Staff Writer says, "Flint Police Chief David Dicks has said he will not back down from his policy of filing disorderly conduct or indecent exposure charges against those whose saggy pants allow too much underwear or their bottoms to show on city streets (see diagram, above)."

“It took Pleasure to make me and Pain to give birth to me…” - Kev

Le rythme effréné de l'actualité photographique parisienne me joue des tours !

Me revoilà donc pour vous rappeler aussi que la sublime exposition "Shoji Ueda et Jacques Lartigue", organisée chez Camera obscura, fermera ses portes le samedi 22 mars prochain.

Cette exposition, je vous en avais longuement parlé dans ce billet le 26 janvier dernier. Etant une grande admiratrice de Lartigue, je l'avais trouvée particulièrement belle. Ceci d'autant plus qu'elle m'avait permis de mieux connaître les travaux du photographe japonais Shoji Ueda, actuellement exposé aussi à la MEP (cf mon billet du 15 janvier 2008, ici).

Si vous cherchez une idée de balade pour votre samedi après-midi, je vous la recommande donc tout particulièrement.

Je vous souhaite une excellente journée à toutes et à tous ;o)

La semaine dernière, je vous ai présenté, ici, le nouveau programme de la MEP. A cette occasion, je vous ai parlé d'un photographe japonais, Shoji Ueda, et je vous disais "... qui se distingue par le caractère graphique très prononcé de ses compositions, ainsi que leur grand dépouillement. Pour ma part, je ne connaissais pas, et il y a là des leçons à prendre."

Eh bien je vous en reparle aujourd'hui, pour une autre exposition organisée par la galerie Camera Obscura, qui a réalisé un très beau parallèle entre des photos de ce surdoué nippon et des clichés de Jacques Lartigue.

Je n'ai pas encore eu l'occasion de vous en parler, mais Jacques Lartigue est mon photographe préféré. Celui dont j'admire la précise nonchalance, la luxueuse économie de moyens, l'éclatante sobriété. Bref, mon modèle absolu !

Inutile donc de vous dire que, dès que j'ai eu vent de cette exposition, j'ai sauté sur mon vélo, et fendu la bise ... (normalement, à ce moment du récit, je devrais vous dire "cheveux au vent", mais ce serait mentir car je fais du vélo avec un casque !) ... en direction de la galerie. Bref, j'y suis allée dare-dare hier, j'y suis retournée cet après-midi avec mon namoureux, et je reviens pour vous dire tout le bien que j'en pense.

Les oeuvres choisies reflètent l'aspect "anecdotique" des sujets qui plaisait tant aux deux artistes. Le dialogue entre les oeuvres de l'un et celles de l'autre est aussi subtil que profond. Le tout est présenté à la façon sobre et élégante habituelle de la fameuse galerie parisienne. Cette exposition est un plaisir des yeux qui se déguste comme un dessert à la saveur délicate et raffinée.

L'autre bonne surprise ce sont les prix. Si les clichés les plus fameux, en particulier ceux qui sont signés de la main de Lartigue, dépassent les 10 000 Euros, d'autres tirages récents, avec tout de même le caché de la Fondation du photographe, peuvent s'acquérir pour un tout petit peu moins de 1 000 Euros, soit un montant très abordable pour des tirages de cette qualité.

Et si cette exposition vous intéresse particulièrement, j'attire votre attention sur le Monde 2 de cette semaine, supplément du quotidien le Monde daté de samedi 26 janvier 2008 qui reste en général en vente tout le week-end, et qui lui consacre un beau portefolio de 8 pages (cf sa couverture ci-dessous pour vous faciliter la tâche).

La galerie Camera Obscura est ouverte du mardi au samedi de 14h à 19h. Les autres renseignements pratiques se trouvent ici. Et cette exposition se déroule jusqu'au samedi 22 mars prochain.

Je vous souhaite une très bonne soirée à toutes et à tous.