Tokesan -- Wandering Jonser

What has Bristol Palin done to deserve her own reality show? Nothing, absolutely nothing! It seems that the only thing the Palin women know how to do is to sell themselves and they are doing a damn good job of it, and bravo to us, America for buying their bullshit. As of 8:45 PM on Monday May 09, 2011, Google News showed there were 353 news stories regarding Bristol Palin getting her own reality show. I hope and really, really hope that those articles are as critical as this one. Else the writers would be rounded up with the idiotic group of TV studio executives that think her life and her dirty laundry is worth airing on television. And I would not stop at blasting the TV executives; I would extend my criticism to the corporate brand name marketers that would place their 30, 60 seconds commercials on that reality show. When and where have we lost our standards? Oh, by the way, a few weeks ago it was reported that she made over 250K on her teenage pregnancy work last year. For what? ...

I think this is a fantastic idea and China may just pull it off. If you ever been to China or followed some news other than the jives we hear in our media, you will no doubt be impressed by developments in China. Yes, they don't have "freedom" and US still refer to them as Commies. Every political setup has its negative side. That aside: - They are planning on sending humans to the moon - The Chinese pulled of the 2008 Olympic flawlessly - The constructed train to the edge of the Himalayas, elevation closes to 12,000 foot above sea level - They are building high-speed rail to connect remote parts of the country (We cannot even connect LA to San Francisco) - They build the largest dam in the world. Ok, I am inviting snide comments from the environmentalist on this one. Even when I saw PBS special on the villages, livestock and vegetation that would be submerged by the Three Gorges Dam, I squirmed. - This one is sad; China would have constructed structures that are 10 tim...

A few days ago, weeks really, I wrote on how hard it is to write and become known these days. This article from LA Times couldn't have elaborated my point much better. Still some of us who caught the writing bug cannot easily let go. One can only wonder what the "paper" publishing industry would look like in the next decade. A writing career becomes harder to scale - latimes.com Posted using ShareThis

It seems that to write a bestseller these days one has to be one of the staple writers already earned their stripes on the New York Times. LA Times or USA bestseller's list. Else one has to be a politician of some reputation or spouse of such a politician to make a dent in the publishing industry. The news that Amazon eBooks outsold paper books during Christmas 2009 isn't encouraging! Getting one's name in hardbound will keep getting tougher and tougher. People like us that values holding a good book to lull us to sleep, at end of tough days, with eyes glued to the typeset pages would, in soon enough time, look nostalgically at these days. That brings the question: are there any hopes for up and coming writers, aspirants and dreamers? I am though, especially partial to the latter group, of which I am one. If you have procrastinated penning your story (rather, typing your story), the story that will make you heard, time may be running out for you. Fact is that there are so m...

Ok, here is my own resolution. I resolve not to make any resolution at all. That is not entirely true though. Before the end of the year, while lying up in bed counting the ceiling tiles (really more effective than counting sheep) I must have come up with some 20 items that could go on my resolution. Then I fell asleep and didn’t remember when I woke up. My 13 year old asked me what my resolution was and I escaped and told him that it was to help him with his resolution. He totally bought it, he replied, “So, your resolution is to help me successful in school?” “Yep,” was my response. I can’t remember ever keeping a resolution, lucky that I am one of those peoples that never have to worry about weight – keeping certain weight or living healthy is peoples most common resolution. Most of what I will resolve to do this year is private, other than the obvious – keeping up with the bills! Resolutions are like goals, one has to keep running tab, write them down and actively commit to them. I...

Ummm, "Hip-hop is the culture of transformation" That's the first of this I am hearing. I guess it is because I am not hip. However, I agree with the article, the election may be over but the real work begins, and like Barack mentioned he will demand more of everyone of us, perhaps in little ways like the country demanded citizens participation during the world war. But I doubt the hip-hop community have the stomach for anything that altruistic. I really hope that the hip-hop community that is claiming to contribute to Obama's success will take cue from the future president - he is ever impeccable in his appearance, whether in suit or rolled up sleeves. Enough of this hip-hop fashion - saggy baggy pants, long white/black t-shirts flowing to the ankles! When I see the pictures and films from the 70s, other than skin, one can hardly tell whites and blacks apart in what the wore. And then came hip-hop and everything and people went out of their ways to look different, s...

It is quiet sad to learn of the death of Miriam Makeba, however sad, I am glad it happened while she was doing what she loved most - singing. She will surely be missed. Those of us that grew up in Africa in the 70s wil especially remember her as our first glance of her talent was at the FESTAC, Festival of African Arts and Cluture that was hosted in Lagos, Nigiera in 1977. Then only the elits and most of them resided in Lagos, were able to see her on televison, and of course that period in Nigeria Lagos had the best TV reception. Those of us that lived in the hinterland we re able to see her perform through the grainy B7W tubes. As a 15 year old or so back then, it was amazing to see her then, her fantastically beautiful back-up singers, agile dancers and her supremely soulful voice evoking the South Africa yearning for freedom in the throes of apartheid. I am glad Miriam Makeba had a wonderful, accomplished life and may she rest in peace. If anyone has the chance to see her on VHS, o...