Eminem and Others Mourn Proof

Rapper and D12 member DeShaun Holton, better known as Proof, was shot and killed last Tuesday, April 11, outside of a Detroit night club. The shooting suspect, Mario Etheridge of Detroit, was arraigned Saturday on weapons charges, but not for the murder itself. Detroit police are claiming that Etheridge shot Proof only after the rapper shot Keith Bender, Etheridge’s cousin. Bender died from his wounds on Tuesday.

Hundreds attended Proof’s funeral service today, including a slew of Detroit rappers, most notably Eminem. Proof was one of Eminem’s closest friends and was the inspiration for the Mekhi Phifer character Future in the Eminem biopic “8-Mile”. At the service, the rapper noted that “without Proof, there would be no Eminem, no Slim Shady.”

Fellow Detroit rapper and Eminem confidant Obie Trice, who was shot in the head on New Year’s Eve, was also in attendence. “I want to talk to the black men living in the hood. We’re killing each other, and it’s about nothing,” he said.

Nintendo Bringing Back Some Classics

Though Nintendo has not yet announced a release date for their new console, tentatively named the Revolution, the company has promised an exciting new gaming experience. In September of 2005, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata unveiled the controller for the console, which is radically different from the two-handed thumb-tiring controllers that have dominated the gaming world for decades. The Revolution controller looks like a TV remote and has a limited number of controls, which breaks from the recent trend of console controllers with a multitude of buttons. According to NIntendo, "the intuitive, pioneering interface allows players to run, jump, spin, slide, shoot, steer, accelerate, bank, dive, kick, throw and score in a way never experienced in the history of gaming".  Personally, I think the design is bizarre.  It seems spreading the controls across a long, 8-inch space may prove hard to handle.  Then again, people were skeptical of the original Playstation controller when it came out, and it has become the paragon.

Possibly even more exciting is the announcement that the Revolution will enable players to download classic Nintendo and Sega games originally designed for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, and Nintendo 64, among other consoles. The selection will include over 1,000 Sega games alone, along with NES classics such as "Super Mario Brothers" and "The Legend of Zelda". At the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, California last week, Iwata explained that "this new approach is like stepping onto an unexplored continent for the first time, with all the potential for discovery that suggests. No one else can match the environment we're creating for expanding the game experience to everyone. Our path is not linear, but dynamic". Iwata did not touch on pricing, and information on Revolution's technical specs is limited.

Click here to check out some pictures of the Nintendo Revolution

Check out the Revolution's controller

Weather and Islam and Debauchery, Oh My!

CNN: Winter Weather Records

This slideshow features information on extreme winter weather. Each slide explains a different record, from the most snowfall in a day (63 inches in Colorado in 1913!) to the largest snowflake ever seen (15 inches wide and 8 inches thick). I like this because, unlike many photo galleries, I actually came away from this one with some new (albeit trivial) knowledge. I certainly won’t be moving to Oymyakon, Siberia (the coldest inhabited village in the world) anytime soon. Kind of makes Albany in February seem mild.

MSNBC: “Sectarian Bloodshed”

These spectacular and emotional photos highlight the recent surge of violence between Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites. The pictures selected for this gallery are extremely proficient in portraying the chaos that has descended upon the Iraqi people. In covering the “reconstruction” of Iraq, the mainstream media has been reluctant about showing death and gore, but those elements are so prevalent in Iraq today that there is a certain necessity in showing this type of material.

MSNBC: “Mardi Gras Returns”

This gallery features a wide range of people enjoying the various festivities of Mardi Gras and, in some cases, using the celebration as a forum in which to make a statement. Much of this year’s revelry has, ironically, been focused upon Hurricane Katrina and its catastrophic aftermath. This includes no shortage of criticism aimed at FEMA. The photographers did an excellent job of displaying more than what we see in the “Girls Gone Wild” commercials. Plus, no slideshow is complete without Willie Nelson.

New Legislation Seeks to Send Abortion Issue to Supreme Court

With the recent appointments of conservatives Samuel Alito and John Roberts, anti-abortion advocates are looking to push the issue back into the Supreme Court. An important step in that drive came last week, as the South Dakota state legislature passed a bill which bans all abortions in the state unless the mother’s life is in danger. A similar but less restrictive bill was recently passed in Mississippi as well.

“The idea is for this legislation to get challenged and move its way up the court system and up to the Supreme Court. We want it to be challenged,” said Cheryl Sullenger, outreach coordinator for Operation Rescue, a national organization opposing abortion. “We believe the new composition of the Supreme Court is the most favorable we’ve had in decades. We’re anxious to have a test case come up there and see what happens.”

“If it’s a fight they wanted, it’s a fight they will have,” declares the website of the Planned Parenthood branch servicing South Dakota. In a statement released on February 22, the day of the vote, the chapter’s President and CEO Sarah Stoesz stated “criminalizing health care for women, especially victims of rape or incest, goes against the basic values of the American people”. Planned Parenthood has vowed to seek an injunction if the ban is signed into law by South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds.

Despite the obvious conservative slant that the Supreme Court has taken on, it will be difficult for anti-abortionists to reverse Roe v. Wade and 30 years of subsequent rulings. According to UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh, the Court wants to appear consistent, even with the new appointments. Additionally, the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision was based on a woman’s right to privacy- a right which is part of individual liberty. In a time when Americans are increasingly worried over civil liberties, pro-choice advocates will likely find that this reasoning proves effective in keeping the Supreme Court from overturning the landmark decision.

On Tuesday, President Bush issued a statement disagreeing with the South Dakota measure. Bush is against abortion, but makes exceptions for rape and incest, which the South Dakota bill does not. This points to another problem for anti-abortionists: if they want a favorable decision in court, they will have to begin with less restrictive laws.

“Dinosaur” Rock’s Jurassic Park

According to a recent Rolling Stone article, an increasing number of young people are listening to classic rock- bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The article cites a study done by ratings surveyor Arbitron in which it was found that 9% of 12-17 year olds listened to classic rock radio during any given week in 2005. While many more teens are tuning in to contemporary rock, pop, and hip-hop stations and buying records accordingly, a steep rise in classic rock listenership has been noted since 2000. This increase has been attributed mainly to the increased popularity of file-sharing programs like Napster and Limewire. Many are also pointing to the recent “drought” in quality music. In response to the influx of cookie-cutter contemporary rock bands, kids have been eating up Zeppelin and The Who.

Reading this article has given me newfound faith in my peers. When I was in high school a few years ago, only a handful of my classmates could even name a Beatles song or a Pink Floyd record. Now, Dark Side of the Moon is on every rock fan’s iPod. It’s comforting to know that the work of these artists has transcended generational boundaries. Only a small group of modern bands- Radiohead, Incubus, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to name a few- have created a catalog unique enough to stand the test of time.

I’ve always asserted that it is important not to forget the influence of classic rock bands. Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen were the prototypes for the current wave of singer-songwriters like Jack Johnson and John Mayer. Without Pink Floyd, there would be no ambient space-rock, no Radiohead. Without Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Iron Maiden, there would be no heavy metal. Without The Who, The Stooges, and The Kinks, no punk rock. Without The Beatles, nothing would be the same.

Thankfully, the younger generation has picked up on the greatness of these acts and will pass it on to their children. I, for one, can’t wait for the day when my grandkids hear “Stairway to Heaven” for the first time.

Cartoons and Chaos

“We’re facing a growing global crisis that has the potential to escalate beyond the control of governments and other authorities,” Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said today. Why? Because of this:

According to Al-Jazeera, Rasmussen has asserted that the recent row that has overtaken the Muslim world over the cartoon, depicting the prophet Mohammad in a less-than-politically correct light, has developed into a global agenda. He attributes this agenda only to some “radicals, extremists, and fanatics”, noting his own desire to “work together in the spirit of mutual respect and tolerance”.

What boggles my mind is the fact that this issue has escalated to this point. Had an American paper published this or, say, a cartoon depicting a black person committing a crime or adhering to some other stereotype, the outrage from the public (not just Muslims) would have been great enough to kill the piece. The fact that it happened in Denmark, however, has allowed the cartoon to circulate much more. This includes Norwegian papers re-printing it, bringing upon their country the same protests that Denmark has seen.

While I’m a vehement supporter of First Amendment rights and am not uber-politically correct, this cartoon is just wrong. The racial profiling and abominable discrimination of Muslims since 9/11 is appalling enough. Now, many are essentially asserting that we have the right to depict the most important figure in Islam as a suicide bomber. If this right does indeed exist, then my suggestion is that Muslim papers run a cartoon of Jesus funneling money from the pockets of a Christian congregation. An Iranian newspaper apparently shares my sentiments.
Ironically, the “radicals, extremists, and fanatics” that Rasmussen has spoken of have taken to protest through violence.  Thus far, ten people have died as a result, most of them protesters themselves.  This outcry has reached as far as the Philippines and has exacerbated security concerns in Afghanistan.

President Bush, that diplomatic genius, has reportedly offered his “full support” to the Danes. This also perplexes me. Shouldn’t Bush, who has rallied for the rights of Muslims (in his words, not his actions) be denouncing this insult and expressing some kind of sympathy towards the Muslim community? Of course these violent protests should stop, but the majority of Muslims are not violent people. Many have resorted to banning Danish and Norwegian products, or verbal protests.

My point: don’t publish cartoons or articles that inherently insult over a billion people. But also, don’t start attacking troops and burning flags because you have been insulted. And don’t do anything that George Bush does.

Kobe Bryant Makes an Interesting Point

It seemed that Kobe Bryant may have been following in Wilt Chamberlain’s footsteps regarding sexual controversy. After his 81-point performance last Sunday, however, Bryant has received a more favorable comparison to the Stilt. En route to carrying his Lakers to a 122-104 victory over the Raptors, Bryant’s dazzling offensive show put him second to Chamberlain on the NBA’s all-time single game scoring list. Chamberlain scored an even 100 points against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.

When he was asked Monday about his accomplishment, Bryant announced that he is “a little embarrassed, actually”. Bryant asserted that team effort and morale are more important than individual records. The comment is significant considering the Lakers’ mediocre 23-20 record and their third-place standing in the Pacific Division. Bryant is the only player on the team who averages more than 14 points per game. Fortunately for Los Angeles, Bryant is leading the NBA with 35.9 ppg.

Underplaying his own strength, Kobe noted, “I’d much rather go out and score 25 points and get 10 assists and see everybody in a rhythm, everybody in a groove.”

It’s refreshing to hear a professional athlete- especially one of Bryant’s caliber- express sincere regard for his team’s overall performance. In his case, it’s understandable; Bryant has become as accustomed to playing late into the playoffs as Derek Jeter. With Shaq’s recent exit to the Heat, the Lakers have been fashioned as a largely one-man team. Kobe is obviously feeling the pressure of continuing to dominate the league and simultaneously lead his relatively young team back to the Finals.