Doriano Carta

Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr. is an amazing new series that uses the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 12 renowned Americans — professor and poet Elizabeth Alexander, chef Mario Batali, comedian Stephen Colbert, novelist Louise Erdrich, journalist Malcolm Gladwell, actress Eva Longoria, musician Yo-Yo Ma, director Mike Nichols, Her Majesty Queen Noor, television host/heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, actress Meryl Streep, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.

I think learning about our past is the best way to learn about who we are today and quite possibly shape our future as well as that of our future generations.

Here’s the complete first episode…

Even though I’ve been a Windows and PC guy my whole life, I truly admire and respect everything Apple and Steve Jobs has done through the years. I never get into debates with self-described MacHeads. Not because I fear I would lose the argument, but because (pardon the pun) it’s comparing apples to oranges. There’s also room enough for both kinds of computers and many more so it’s dumb to argue about it. Some people prefer Linux so does that make PC and Mac lovers wrong? No. We’re all different and all have contributed tremendously to the computer age.

Here’s a wonderful documentary called MacHeads that shows the inner sanctum of being a part of the MacWorld. I enjoyed learning more about this insane passion they have for Apple products. I have to say that I am not totally unbiased because I have—like most of the world—become a fan of the Apple iPod and iPhone. While I haven’t changed my religion (yet) and switched to the Mac, I can finally understand why so many people love it so much.

This is an excellent companion piece to another movie I saw and reviewed about the Mac community called Welcome to Macintosh. It was another interesting and informative look at why folks love their Macs.

Note: Look for Twitter A-Lister Guy Kawasaki who appears several times in MacHeads. He worked for Apple a couple of times and not surprisingly was in charge of Mac Evangelism managed a massive list of fanatics. Some things never change, huh?

Here’s a collection of the best suggestions for the Google Buzz development team from knowledgeable people.
I will add to this list so check back often. I’ll even add my own thoughts and suggestions.

Here’s a suggestion forum where we can submit suggestions on “How to Fix Google Buzz”
Official API Bug Submission Center
Official Google Buzz API Group
Official Buzz and Contacts Support Forum

• Louis Gray “Filter, unfollow or get out of the way”
• Robert Scoble “Google copied the worst features of Friendfeed”
• Thomas Hawk Digital Connection “10 Ways FriendFeed is Better Than Google’s Buzz “
• Jesse Stay “What Buzz Needs to make a Sting in Facebook”
• Steve Reubel “I Still Don’t See Google Buzz Going Mainstream” (updated list on Buzz!)

Here’s my Valentine to the world. One Tribe by the fantastic Black-Eyed Peas! What a wonderful song and beautiful message. Despite all the differences we see and hear every day, underneath it all, we are all one tribe…one family. It might sound corny and naive but we are all part of the human race. Crank it up and enjoy the music. By the way, Universe means One-Song, Uni-One and Verse-Song.

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh!
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!
Woah-oh-oh-oh-ooooh!
Oh-woah-oh!
One Tri…
One Tri…
One Tribe, one time, one planet, one race
Its all one blood, don’t care about your face
The color of your eye or the tone of your skin
Don’t care where ya are
Don’t care where ya been
Cause where we gonna go
Is where we wanna be
The place where the little language is unity
And the continent is called Pangaea
And the main ideas are connected like a spear
No propaganda, They tried to upper hand us
Cause man I’m loving this peace
Man, man, I’m loving this peace
Man, man, I’m loving this peace
I don’t need no leader
That’s gonna force feed a
Concept that make me think I need to
Fear my brother and fear my sister
And shoot my neighbor or my big missile
If I had an enemy to [enemy]
If I had an enemy to [enemy]
If I had an enemy, then my enemy is gonna try to come and kill me
Cause I’m his enemy
There’s one tribe ya’ll
One tribe ya’ll
One tribe ya’ll
One tribe ya’ll
We are one people
Let’s cast amnesia, forget about all that evil
Forget about all that evil, that evil that they feed ya
Let’s cast amnesia, forget about all that evil
That evil that they feed ya
Remember that we’re one people
We are one people
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One tribe, one tribe
One tribe, one time, one planet, one [race]
Race, one love, one people, one [and]
Too many things that’s causing one [to]
To forget about the main cause
Connecting, uniting
But the evil is seen and alive in us
So our hopes are colliding
And our peace is sinking like Poseidon
But, we know that the one [one]
The evil one is threatened by the sum [sum]
So he’ll come and try and separate the sum
But he dumb, he didn’t know we had a way to overcome
Rejuvenated by the beating of the drum
Come together by the cycle of the hum
Freedom when all become one [one]
Forever
One tribe ya’ll
One tribe ya’ll
One tribe ya’ll
We are one people
Let’s cast amnesia
Forget about all that evil [evil]
Forget about all that evil [evil]
That evil that they feed ya
Let’s cast amnesia
Forget about all that evil [evil]
That evil, that they feed ya [feed ya]
Remember that we’re one people
We are one people
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One love, one blood, one people
One heart, one beat, we equal
Connected like the internet
United that’s how we do
Lets break walls, so we see through
Let love and peace lead you
We could overcome the complication cause we need to
Help each other, make these changes
Brother, sister, rearrange this
The way I’m thinking that we can change this bad condition
Wait, use you mind and not your greed
Let’s connect and then proceed
This is something I believe
We are one, we’re all just people
One tribe ya’ll
One tribe ya’ll
One tribe ya’ll
We are one people
Let’s cast amnesia
Forget about all that evil
Forget about all that evil, that evil that they feed ya
Let’s cast amnesia
Let’s cast amnesia, forget about all that evil
That evil, that they feed ya
We’re one tribe ya’ll
We people, we people
One tribe ya’ll
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
One people, one people [One People]
Lets, lets cast amnesia
Lord help me out
Trying to figure out what its all about [what its all about]
Cause we’re one in the same [one in the same]
Same joy, same pain
And I hope that you’re there when I need ya
Cause maybe we need amnesia
And I don’t wanna sound like a preacher
But we need to be one
One world, one love, one passion
One tribe, one understanding
Cause you and me can become one.

Soul Meets Body by Death Cab for Cutie is an infectious tune that grabs my attention whenever it’s on. I didn’t know what it was all about until I read the lyrics but it’s a great song all the same. It reminds me of Jon Anderson and YES in a lot of ways. They’ve been around a long time (since 1997) but they’re finally gaining some big time recognition which is great.

"Soul Meets Body"
I want to live where soul meets body
And let the sun wrap its arms around me
And bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing
And feel, feel what its like to be new
Cause in my head there’s a greyhound station
Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations
So they may have a chance of finding a place
where they’re far more suited than here
And I cannot guess what we’ll discover
When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels
But I know our filthy hands can wash one another’s
And not one speck will remain
And I do believe it’s true
That there are roads left in both of our shoes
But if the silence takes you
Then I hope it takes me too
So brown eyes I hold you near
Cause you’re the only song I want to hear
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
Where soul meets body
Where soul meets body
Where soul meets body
And I do believe it’s true
That there are roads left in both of our shoes
But if the silence takes you
Then I hope it takes me too
So brown eyes I hold you near
Cause you’re the only song I want to hear
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

Here’s the official theme for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics called “I Believe” by Nikki Yanofsky.
I love Olympic themes which are usually inspirational and majestic and this one does not disappoint.

My favorites of all-time were from the Atlanta Summer games in 1996 (yes, my home town so I am biased). We had not one but two amazing themes. “REACH” by Gloria Estefan and “The Power of the Dream” by Celine Dion.

I also love “Dreamer” from the China games of 2008 by Chris Brown.

I BELIEVE

There comes a moment when my heart must stand alone
On this lonely path I’ve chosen
like a house that’s not a home
sometimes when I feel I’ve had enough
and I feel like giving up
you willed me to be all I can be
now nothing can stop me
I believe in the power that comes
From a world brought together as one
I believe together well find
I believe in the power of you and I
This is the moment we have dreamed of all our lives
Well be the change we wish from others
Well stand tall for what its right
And in my hearts there’ll be no doubt
The arms of the world will come reaching out
And embrace me to be all I can be
Now nothing can stop me
I believe in the power that comes
From a world brought together as one
I believe together well fly
I believe in the power of you and I
I believe the time is right now
Stand tall and make the world proud
I believe together well fly
I believe in the power..
I believe in the power that comes
From a world brought together as one
(Of you and I)
I believe together well fly
I believe in the power of you and I
(power)
I believe the time is right now
(Oh you and I)
Stand tall and make the world proud
I believe together well fly (Together well fly)
I believe in the power of you and I
(I believe in the power of you and I)

Here’s the original version of John Hiatt’s classic “Have a little faith in me” which has been covered by many artists such as Michael English, Joe Cocker, Delbert McClinton, Chaka Kahn, Mandy Moore, Patty Larkin, Bill Frisell, Jo-El Sonnier, Ilse DeLange and Jewel for the 1996 film soundtrack Phenomenon. It is also featured on the soundtrack of the movie Love Happens.

It’s such a simple yet powerful message. It truly makes you think and feel. So many people are cynical and skeptical these days, it’s become difficult for anyone to have faith in anything or trust in anyone. While blind faith and being naive can be dangerous, I think it’s far worse to be cold and untrusting. It’s better to believe in the good that does exist in all people most of the time and stop focusing on the negative that does appear in everyone from time to time.

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark
And have a little faith in me
And when the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try
And have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
And when your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darling, from a whisper start
And have a little faith in me
And when your back�s against the wall
Just turn around and you, you will see
I will catch you, I will catch your fall
Just have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Cause I’ve been loving you, for such a long, long time
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
Cause for us, there is no end
And all you gotta do, is have a little faith in me
I will hold you up, I will hold you up
And your love, gives me strength enough to
Have a little faith in me
Hey hey
All you gotta do for me girl
Is have a little faith in me

I’ve always liked Jim Brickman but I never heard of Adam Crossley who sings on “Beautiful World”. I heard the song today while shopping for a new suite and had to use Shazam to identify the song because I really liked it a lot, especially the singer. What a joy this is. Checkout the live version below along with the wonderful lyrics. I love these lines

It’s time to wake up
and when you finally open your eyes and ears
You’ll see and you’ll hear us sing
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world we’re all here

Beautiful World (We’re All Here)

Strawberry lips shining in the summer sun
Canary-tips glowing there for everyone
You fell asleep under the cherry tree
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world we’re all here
Your winter skin warming in the summer sun [summer sun]
We know within you will stay forever young [forever young]
You fell asleep under the starlit sea
It’s time to wake up
The moon is high above you
We’re all here ’cause we love you
And when you finally open your eyes and ears
You’ll see and you’ll hear us sing
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world we’re all here
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world we’re all here
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world
It’s a beautiful world
You fell asleep under the starlit sea
It’s time to wake up
The moon is high above you
We’re all here ’cause we love you
And when you finally open your eyes and ears
You’ll see and you’ll hear us sing
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world we’re all here
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world we’re all here
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world we’re all here
La La La La La
It’s a beautiful world [It's a beautiful world]
It’s a beautiful world

Here’s the album version

Every once in a while I like to search for a movie to watch online at Netflix but sometimes it’s tough to find anything worthwhile. That’s why I love InstantWatcher which exposes a ton of streaming movies on Netflix that I never would’ve seen otherwise. That was the case with “Don’t You Forget About Me” which is a documentary about four young filmmakers who travelled to Chicago in search of the reclusive John Hughes (before he passed away in 2009 of course).

What I liked about this movie was the fact that they interviewed a bunch of people from John Hughes’ movies. It was fun seeing what they looked like today. Stars such as Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Annie Potts, Andrew McCarthy, Kelly Lebrock and Mia Sara. It was also very cool to hear all the kind things they had to say about John.

The other thing that I liked a lot were the interviews with current filmmakers such as Kevin Smith, Jason Reitman and the guys who made Napoleon Dynamite. They each shared their personal feelings about how much they loved John’s movies and how much their films were influenced by him. For example, Jason Reitman (Nominated today for an Oscar for Up in the Air) said he loved Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and could never have made it any better.

There were other good segments featuring Chicago film critic Roger Ebert and Jim Kerr from SimpleMinds who shared the story behind the song “Don’t You” from the Breakfast Club. John really loved music and used it well in his movies. The soundtracks were critical to his success.

I’m not going to give away the ending the documentary. I was glad that these young filmmakers didn’t make their movie about them but more about John Hughes. I love that they filmed a great deal of young people that all shared how much John’s movies mean to them, even today, a quarter century later.

If you have a Netflix account you can watch it right now.

Here’s the trailer

Here’s the Simple Minds song just for grins and giggles