Celebrating Haiti Lotus on Dr.Martin Luther King's Day 2010

'The most curious aspect of this story is that no one has said a single word to recall the fact that Haiti was the first country in which 400,000 Africans, enslaved and trafficked by Europeans, rose up against 30,000 white slave masters on the sugar and coffee plantations, thus undertaking the first great social revolution in our hemisphere. Pages of insurmountable glory were written there. Napoleon’s most eminent general was defeated there.'

Fidel Castro

January 16,2010

Dr.Martin Luther King

Riverside Church,NYC

April 4,1967

Earth-Tremors in Boston, Nuclear Bombs in Port-Au-Prince

We here at TigerHawk have been concerned about the trajectory of Barack Obama's Presidency.We make no claims of political punditry, yet we have a clear grasp of US political dynamics and history.Everyone knows ours is a posture of 'Critical Support'.We hate where we are presently as 'we told you so' is in order.However, let's go south to the former 'Pearl of the Antilles', former St.Domingue', now called Haiti.The western portion of the island Hispaniola, shared on the east with The Dominican Republic.There is so much to absorb and process after the 7.0 earthquake, we feel we're at an existential moment for lovers of the Caribbean history and it's peoples. We will here now on this blog post, a work in progress tie some threads not often explored.First things first.Our heart-felt thoughts and prayers with the resilient and courageous Haitian nation.A one Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault mercilessly unleashed devastating power on Wednesday January 12 near 5.00 p.m as the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates rubbed each other.Reports on the ground suggest several Hiroshima type destruction magnified.Worse the fragile Haitian infrastructure was unprepared with most concrete structure lacking steel re-inforcement.Building regulations is not a government priority in a place of subsistence material living by millions.Tiger refuses to watch the TV images.We knew of the pain in Haiti pre-quake. Our hearts with the spiritual children of Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean-Jaques Dessalines and Henri Christophe.The former slaves who became generals and bested the elite of Napoleon Bonaparte, the British military and the Spanish Empire. We return to the significance of Haiti beyond the continuos refrain of 'the poorest country ' in the Hemisphere.Really? How come? Anyone checked out the reasons for this conclusion so comfortably and smugly bandied around with sense of exasperation and hints of 'it's a waste' sending aid as 'they always have corruption and waste'? Other popular questions are why the eastern half of the island fares better? We will happily return the favor.But first off to Boston, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be precise.The noble Senate seat held for 46 years by Edward Moore Kennedy is now occupied by a one Mr.Scott of pick up truck fame.This is an earthquake.If we were David Plouffe, the general of Obama's brilliant 2008 win, we would be collectivelly and royally pissed.What a waste of a vision , a loss of a momentum and our oppurtunity for historic transformation.Barack doesn't even realize the link between Massachusetts and the destruction in Haiti.The portent of his Presidency un-ravelling.Remember, we here are critical supporters.That's why we're so alarmed.Hold your seats while we the TigerHawk crew break it down.

Breaking It Down.Haitian message for Barack.Reversal of Fortunes

Now, back to Haiti.We felt Fidel Castro's article of January 16,2010 most timely.In the midst of media framing and covert agendas regarding white supremacy and cultural dynamics, Senor Castro reminded us what these elites obsess about concerning Haiti.The successful African slave rebellion which was the earthquake of the time. The climax came  in 1804 when the Haitians declared the first Black Republic .

'Obama Should Never Forget The White House was Built by Black Slaves'

Uruguayan Writer Eduardo Galeano

In July 2009,newly minted US President Barack Obama made his first official international summit.Trinidad was the venue and the occasion was The Summit of the Americas. 32 democratically elected governments and 800 million Hemispheric citizens were the focus of the gathering.Much anticipation was in the air , Cuba and Venezuela topics of concern in relation to US hemispheric agenda.Cuba , not being an 'elected' government was absent, but was supported heavily for lifting of US trade embargo.A famous video clip surfaced of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Obama in intense one on one.Chavez gave Obama Galeano's book 'Open Veins of Latin America : Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent'

The summit was long on pageantry and ceremony , but short on action and results with a lame communique', reflecting Obama's refusal to lift the 50 year embargo.A bitter disappointment for the Hemisphere. One must note that Obama's presence as the first American of African descent struck a chord in the whole hemisphere.The collective Americas psyche is of a paternal White authority ignorant and indifferent to the regions issues, history, causes and culture.Les Gens de Couleur.We list a few books in the left margin here under TigerHawk library.We now note Hugh Thomas'  'The Trade :The story of the Atlantic Slave Trade :1440-1870 ' .We add S.Klein's ' African Slavery in Latin America and the Caribbean'. These two works make clear the broad reach of the Slave Trade in this Western Hemisphere, much more than is currently recognized. Haiti or St.Domingue was France's treasure allowing the pre-Revolutionary 'ancien regime' to be the wealthiest nation in Europe. Perfume, cotton, sugar were a few of the commodities that slaves planted and harvested for France.

Trinidadian author C.L.R James in 1938 wrote the detailed account of Haiti's Slave Revolt called 'The Black Jacobins : Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution'. We highly recommend this narrative despite James' flirtations with Trotskyite notions in critique of the class issues in France and the island.We come to know the giants Dessalines, Christophe and of course L'Ouverture.

The Haitian warriors , recently enslaved, defeated the best of late eighteenth century Europe's crack military. Some where in London's British War Museum the story is recorded. Napoleon's brother in law LeClerc along with veterans of Napoleon's campaigns in Egypt and Europe were bested in the Caribbean by these Africans.The Spanish even threw in a brigade or so to maintain appearances of Empire.They too were destroyed.One must be fair and acknowledge the impact of dysentery and other tropical illnesses on the Europeans. We know however the same diseases did not stop Cortes, Pizarro and the Conquistadores from ravishing Mexico and South America.A century plus an idealistic native of L'IndoChine in Paris pondered on the Haitian guerilla strategies for his own people.Ho Chi Minh harassed the Imperial Japanese Command, and took the brunt of the globe most powerful military arsenal-The US Military.

The 1804 Earthquake of the Americas

We must know that the declaration of a Free Black State of former slaves shook up Europe and the Americas. An earthquake with aftershocks centuries later. In Creole earthquake is Te Tremble'.The Earth Shook.After 13 years of bloody war on the island of Hispaniola , the world knew of the new black reality.Political and diplomatic black sovereignty.Toussaint had been deceived and imprisoned in France, while his trusted General Jean-Jacques Dessalines became Emperor before his assassination 2 years later. Henri Christophe another general took up the mantle.One is reminded of the Toyotomi  and Nobunga warlordism in 1580s Japan before the stability of the 1603 Tokugawa Shogunate at Edo. A national identity was forged out of war.The presence of the former slave hold out was not well received by the colonial and slave holding territories. The British in Jamaica and Barbados were always on the lookout for a Messiah like Toussaint to disturb the docility of the slaves.The American slave-holders had sleepless nights with one eye open and guns ever ready. The Pony Express  mail service abruptly stopped black men from riding, lest they find a secret means of communicating rebellion across wide American distances.

Napoleon totally broke after an exhausting 13 years fighting in the Caribbean sold vast lands west of the Mississippi to the young US government, in a stroke magnifying the terrritory of USA. The Haitians preempted the State of Israel by centuries announcing any former slave who reached the island's shores was granted citizenship and maybe some land.That there sent the powers in Alabama, Jamaica, Cuba, Brazil,Louisiana totally berserk.These Haitians were messing with the stability and authority of the Plantation society.Further , in 1815 Simon Bolivar after evading an attack in Jamaica came to Haiti looking for money, arms and men to liberate New Granada (Colombia),Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama and Peru from the Spanish Empire.The then Haitian President Alexandre Petion , willingly obliged the American patriot with the promise to free the black slaves and mulattos at the moment of American liberation.Bolivar reneged on the deal, but Hugo Chavez never forgets the historic ties between Haiti and the South American independent Republics.

The comment is often made with a whiff of smugness, 'Haiti is so poor'.Any one ever asked how come? Let us tell you a piece of the tragic story.In 1825 France's Charles X sent an armada of 14 heavily gunned ships and thousands of troops, demanding Haiti pay France 150 million Gold Francs for ending slavery and the slave-based free labor working the same plantations. Gun Boat Diplomacy French style.Again the Japan/Nihon parallel is fascinating.US Commodore Perry placed his 'black ships ' in Edo Bay in 1853,prying open Japan to world trade after Tokugawa Ieyasu's closure of circa 1603.Hazards of Island peoples. No croissantes were not the alternative prize. Destruction and re-introduction of slavery.That was the beginning of a century plus tragedy of Haiti's economic gutting and political corruption as International Bankers, including New Yorkers got on the Debt gravy train.Every peasant Haitian was taxed to help pay for the equivalent of $ 21 Billion US.

Ache',Paz Y Luz,

TigerHawk

Remember : Audio version of Blog read by link in Right Hand Margin.

(A work in progress)

Candomble from Bahia(Yorubaland),Brazil

Our early and faithful TigerHawk blog readers know we have always sang praises for Brazil's cultural and musical influences.One of the first posts 4 years ago was a tribute to Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim.A loss to Architecture and a gain to the world's music.There have been others over the years.We have shared the essence of Candomble processes especially early in the new year, when the women in Bahia go to the water and remember the blessings of Yemanya (Iemanja),the Yoruba Goddess or Orisha .We have mentioned the excitement by Angelique Kidjo in an interview to fellow L.A -based Yoruban DJ Nnamdi.Our Paris/NYC-based Benin vocalist was in rapturous joy informing the speechless international-renown journalist/DJ that YorubaLand was in Bahia, Brazil.She heard the sounds, smelt the food and saw the vibrant colors as if in West Africa.

We have always come back to this well of spiritual and musical healing in Brazil.We have honored Clara Nunes and showed how Bebel Gilberto, Joyce,Luciana Souza, Luciana Mello and Rosalia de Souza just a few ,have in their popular music sang songs of devotion, Cantos de Candomble.We highly suggest Gal Costa's double CD of recent years entitled 'Cantos de Jobim'.We particularly love Joyce's tribute to Jobim's longtime collaborator Elis Regina on 'Astronata-Songs of Elis Regina'.The majesty and the inspirational essence cannot be denied in all this music from Brazil's mix of African and Portuguese heritage.It is reported often that Tom Jobim and Baden Powell spent that memorable weekend in Bahia and with much beverage and joy wrote many of the standard Afro-Sambas.Tiger has a special love for 'Canto de Ossanha', the Candomble devotional hymn originally channeled through Baden Powell.Three different versions are deliberately included for Tiger's pleasure.Choose your preference.We must mention Black Orpheus/Orfeo Negro , that breakthrough film in 1959 which spread the samba idea world-wide.

We were privileged to see Bebel Gilberto perform at the Hollywood Bowl this past September.Seu Jorge was sharing the bill with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.What a magical evening.We met Seu backstage, but Tiger's pen failed him and Seu exclaimed 'It not working'.We have a scratched autograph from a Brazilian Prince who continues the spirit of Nasciemento and Baden Powell and Caetano.

We will be adding to this playlist, but we sincerely hope it inspire you and gives you as much pleasure as we feel to share.

P.S.To be a part of our cool and fun collective of multi-cultural events, contents, flava etc :) e-mail to tigerhawk2012@gmail.com Subject VIP

Happy New Year 2010.

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk

Winter Solstice 2009 ...

Today Monday December 21 we entered the season of Winter.On the Pacific coast it occurred at 9.47 a.m.As practicioners of the organic traditional, we here at TigerHawk celebrate and recognize this natural seasonal change.The shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.Tomorrow, like clockwork, as a pendulum reaches an extreme, the days begin to lengthen inching towards the Spring Equinox on March 20,2010. No accident that the world of Christendom celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ within a few days of the Winter Solstice, perfect alignment with earlier tradition such as Egypt and Sumeria.We are in good company.

Introducing (again) Dr.Burning Bush..Speaks on H1N1 and Health Care Reform

Dr.Burning Bush aka Dr.Barney has become a respected and trusted friend of the TigerHawk project.A well travelled and well read gentleman of culture and taste, Dr.Burning Bush is also a retired medical practitioner.Our readers may recall an earlier exchange between Dr.Barney, his wife Lady Sher and Tiger over Obama policy.We proudly introduce this deep thinker and caring American to our global audience.As this morning the US Senate blocked a Republican Party attempted filibuster with 60 Democrat (& Independent) votes, President Obama may get a Christmas gift of a Senate bill by Christmas Eve.No moderate GOP such as Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins to give a bi-partisan Christmas cuddly vibe.The self-destruction by Democrats was over and the reality of a split Senate is here. We preferred the Medicare expansion in lieu of the Public Option, however we reluctantly support the outcome.President Obama shared the victory in an on-line letter earlier.

"Finally, this reform will extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who don't have it.

These are not small changes. These are big changes. They're fundamental reforms. They will save money. They will save lives."

Remember, we give Barack Obama 'Critical Support'.We present Dr.Burning Bush a few days earlier.The sacred Winter Solstice.We expect this premiere writing on-line by our distinguished gentleman will be followed by many more.

Enjoy

Dr.Burning Bush on H1N1 and HealthCare Reform

Filibuster Proof Winter Solstice Soul Music

We applaud Senator Harry Reid and the Obama White House(notably Jim Messina) for getting the Filibuster-proof 60 votes.No moderate Republicans to make a bi-partisan affair like  for the Stimulus package.So be it.Tiger remembered the Four Tops' hit 'Are You Man Enough' and felt a Soul music playlist is in order, as Barack Obama attains a major legislative advance.We played Curtis Mayfield's 'Move On Up' last year after Obama's historic electoral victory.Will we get back to that vibe?

Happy Holidays.Enjoy!!

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk

Cantos de Les Africaines(Yin of Africa)

'To live is to create.To live is to espress, and to express you have to create.Creation is never merely repetition.To live is to express oneself freely in creation.'

Striking Thoughts

Bruce Lee

Folks, we here at TigerHawk embrace the multi..May it be media, culture,genre or language.Songs of the African Women.So the above heading may not make the grade with a language teacher blending Spanish/Espanol with French/Francais.Last post we revisited Marie Daulne (Zap Mama) whom we met at Los Angeles' Grand Performances on August 15,2009.In fact we were at the Albita show at same venue,where our Cubana brought so much energy to the Bunker Hill Saturday night crowd, we saw The Orishas manifest in the form of the Venice Beach Drum Circle playing the traditional Yoruba from Cuba and Candomble via Brazil.How did all these people wearing no shoes get from the beach way out there to concrete corporate canyon Down Town?Yes y'all the Orishas son En Calle de Los Angeles.Mucho mas Poder.Power.Dancing continued in the Grand Avenue Plaza normally vibrating to the power of corporate finance and conservative suit and tie.Not that night of Cubana Albita who sang praises to San Lazaro/Babalu.The children of Africa of every color were dancing and beating the rhythm.Ritmo! Toca! The well-suited security detail sensed best to leave the revellers alone and tactfully negotiated an agreed time to disperse.Midnight.Unprecedented.Spontaneous.We we there.Just then DJ Nnamdi, the world renown Yoruba DJ , promulgator of African music and journalist, popped up and commanded.'Be here August 15.I'm playing.Zap Mamma.Zap Mamma' He repeated and moved ahead in a clandestine African strut with his asleep baby daughter over his shoulder.We looked at the schedule for 2009.No Zap Mama.We were privileged to inside 411(info) two weeks out.We thanked the Orishas.Mama Africa and her diaspora and children, wonders always.Subtle, mysterious,effective.Always on Time.We will share the Zap Mama experience and meeting in another post.Exhilirating and empowering.

The women of Africa have been represented over the years at this Grand Performances series in L.A.An outdoor amphitheatre overlooking the edifices of modern finance and business dominance.Not on these nights when we claim it All as ours.Music is the weapon observed Yoruban Fela Kuti.Younger son, Seun Kuti(backed by Fela's Egypt '80) had shaken up the solemnity of prestigious Bunker Hill in 2008,fellow Yoruban Nnamdi again the opening DJ.The synchronicity was too much as 'by accident' Nnamdi while reporting for the BBC on Michael Jackson's effect saw Tiger in NoHo and audio recorded the TigerMan for that special weekend world broadcast.Also, the Down Town Art Walk encompassed the nearby blocks and street dancing exploded in a Michael Jackson tribute as reported here .Energy , spontaneous, breaking out where we were conditioned to be sober and proper.We Love it!!

Sara Tavares from Cabu Verde(Cape Verde) via Lisbon,Saoud Massi from Algeria via Paris, Maria de Barros also from Cabu have brought the Yin of Africa in song and dance over the years.Amana Melome' is based in Hollywood and Rome.The favorite stop every Summer in a North American Tour.Of course NYC has Central Park.But talk to the Africains and Africaines as we did.L.A is special.Magical.The mysterious Vibe is here.One need just check the Reggaeton party crowd , nominally Mexicans moving on the dance floor with the passion of the islanders from Cuba and Puerto Rico and Panama isthmus.Something is in the air.Remember Cubana(then almost 80 years old) Celia Cruz 'La Vida es Una Carnavale' topped the charts in US & Mexico out lasting local Mexico City stars like Thalia (new Mrs Tommy Mottola).

We posit.Yes, we here at TigerHawk dare go out here and present an idea that The City of Angels is also the City of the Orishas as other Yin influences from China, Thailand, Japan,Vietnam and Hawaii converge here with African diaspora.This we suspect is what the African artists and musicians feel and sense.The Ghost in the Machine is Yemaya and Oshun(and other Orishas) in Down Town L.A Skyrises and the children on the streets beating the drums and vibrating the memory of joy and healing.It's ok with us if you either disagree or don't feel us.We're just putting down what we recognize.

So we compiled the following playlist.Angelique Kidjo is a member of the African family, herself Yoruba from Benin via Paris and now NYC.A gracious ambassaor.She and Marseille-sourced sisters(Cameroon/French) Les Nubians were early year performers at Grand Performances.Their music is an education and tribute to African history.Makeda whom Israelite Solomon desired and entrapped, to Senegalese Scientist/Scholar Cheikh Anta Diop,the sisters proudly shares these icons with the world.We were compelled to add 'Yamore' to the playlist.What a beautiful song of African melody and feeling with the Parisian flavor of accordion.Performed by the Malian of Royal descent Salif Keita and joined by the mother of Cabu Verde popular music,Cesaria Evora(Maria de Barros' mentor).We experienced Salif at the Santa Monica Pier a few beautiful Summers ago.ENJOY!!

'What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them-that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.'

Inauguration January 20,2009

President Barack Hussein Obama

Another Look at Obama..Jump starting Barack Chronicles.

Yesterday Thursday December 10,2009 US President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo,Norway.The speech of acceptance ws itself an indicator of our 44th US President's impact on our collective psyche.The right wing heavies like Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich applauded while the liberal base was embarassed at the notion of 'War to make Peace'.Fascinating as the same day international progressive journalist Alexander Cockburn wrote a strong article impeaching Obama for abandoning the liberal constituency.We shared the writing via e-mail and in the process realized that there are levels to Obama yet to be understood.In our e-mail we expressed continued 'Critical Support' for the Obama Administration and declared pleasure with the 'Net Neutrality' policy and hoped that the Medicare expansion for 55 year olds was an Obama initiative in lieu of 'Public Option'.

We have decided to re start the 'Barack Chronicles'.Many months have past and no entries.We confess confusion at the Obama Administration and our responding position.All is clear now.We have a good idea at the Harvard lawyer's modus operandi.We were never vested in him politically as much as we admired the Hero aura in the brilliant campaign to win the White House.

We reviewed our last entries in the Barack Chronicles and were stunned at our observations and views written in 2 separate pieces on February 20, 2009.So much has changed in the dynamics since , yet the fundamental elements are still there in place.

We share them again .

Obama and Our UnCharted Course...Icon,Institutions and Ideology.

http://sites.google.com/site/tigerhawkmichael/obamaandouruncharteredcourse

Barack's Canada and Stimulus Victory...The Week when Obama changed gears.

Grab the link from main page here

Chronicles in the Age of Barack

Happy Holidays

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk

Remember..This ENTIRE Blog is on AUDIO!!

P.S/Addendum @ 4.00 p.m Saturday December 12,2009.

The beauty of the African music created and enhanced the original playlist.Les Nubians pay tribute to Fela Kuti in 'Lady Shakira', Angelique recognizes Mother Africa aka Mariam Makeba doing a cover of 'Malaika', and Angelique as always shares her Yoruba faith in 'Babalao' and 'Iemanja'.Again the power of the Orishas in this digital medium is felt.South African Dave Mathews pays respect to Angelique in 'Iwoya'.Zap Mama brings to polyphonic and polytonal world of the Congo Rain Forest and the resident pygmies.

Cantos de Les Africaines

Ache'

The Arts and Wellness Festival moved to 2010!!

Friends, after review with our dynamic staff we agreed to postpone our Arts & Wellness Festival to early in 2010.

Stay tuned for details.

Taste of Zap Mama.

Summer 2009 was musically satisfying here in Hollywood/Los Angeles.We saw great artists close-up and want to share our experiences.

Today we kick off with a bit of Zap Mama(Marie Daulne from Belgium) who stole our hearts at Grand Performances Downtown L.A on August 15,2009.A wonderful spirit up close as well.

Yaku is one of the gems from Marie's 'Ancestry in Motion' sharing the sounds of the Congo Rain forest.

Yaku by Zap Mama

Happy Holidays

Ache',Paz Y Luz.

TigerHawk

Bonus (once more) Bandy Bandy Video with Zap Mama and Eryka Badu

Invitation to Arts and Wellness Festival

Fellow pioneers,originators,and independent spirits we here salute your steadfastness in our era of 10.2 % unemployment and US Healthcare Hysteria.

We here at TigerHawk are issuing an end of 2009 present.

Our own Arts and Wellness Festival.

Saturday December 12,2009

Special (TBA) location in Hollywood.

The line up is incredible as we publish this post:

A Shaolin Warrior from Henan province,China and his US martial arts ensemble(mainly female).

A popular Hollywood Vocalist hot off a House of Blues performance.

A Chiropractor/Acupuncturist who is also a Black Belt in Tae KwonDo.

DownTown L.A's hottest Live portrait artist.

and more added every week.

We will screen a Film which was shown @ Cannes, France with reception and Q&A with producers.

For RSVP seating and reception please e-mail tigerhawk2012@gmail.com.First come, first served.

Subject:Tiger's Arts & Wellness Film Screening and Reception.

Other festivities are planned during the duration of the Film in our Inspiring Special location.

TigerHawk bonus: Soulful playlist.

We are encouraged by Obama's nuanced play for 'public option' in healthcare reform legislation.We can say we have been reading the 44th President while maintaining a posture of 'Critical Support'.

We share a soulful playlist when America's music was more optimistic, inspiring and frankly more beautiful.

A glimpse of the vibe and flava of our upcoming Arts & Wellness Festival and other events in 2010.

Enjoy.

Click link for a separate page of Playlist!!

Ache',Paz Y Luz.

TigerHawk.

So don't you forget (no way) your youth,
Who you are and where you stand in the Struggle.

'So Much Things to Say'

Bob Marley

TigerHawk's appalling statement.

The following is a summary of a heated exchange TigerHawk engaged with a respected and dear friend  Dr.Barney of the Burnin' bush and wife Lady Cher.

Dr.Barney : Tiger we are seeing the limits of the US Presidency.You forget Obama is just there 8 months, but 8 years of W and decades of powerful interests.He is a political genius and making chess moves we don't understand.

Tiger :Barney, I'm not naive, please don't insult my intelligence.What I'm saying is he's been to eager to appease the right wing and quick to abandon the democratic coalition , the bedrock of his campaign.At the core, I'm an FDR kind of progressive.He ain't give us no bones.

Dr.Barney : Give me an example...

Tiger : Look, when the criminals removed the duly elected President Zelaya of Honduras, the Obama Administration fumbled and stumbled about negotiations, while the OAS unequivocably condemned the assault on democracy in our Hemisphere...

Dr.Barney : I wasn't too pleased about that but you see what I mean, the President is not as strong as we think.

Tiger : W had no problem asserting his agenda internationally including wars....Even when not elected in 2000

Dr.Barney : Let's not forget the differences and not follow the 'hatred' being spouted by these extremists.He's better than W..

Tiger :Barney my real issue is Barack after the stimulus package passed for $787 billion, he squandered precious political and desperate financial capital when he and Geithner gave the banking sector over  $ 1 trillion. We know there is more needs for unemployment and the physical economy and another round of stimulus may be needed.Further, homeowners now after the banks enjoyed their TARP funds can't get rasonable re-financing and credit is tight.What was the point? Why is he currying Wall street?

Dr.Barney : OK Tiger, what you're saying there is no difference and you rather elect a Jeb Bush ?

Tiger : Right now, the way he is going at least we know a Bush agenda and can respect  the focus and consistency.Yes.

Dr.Barney : Tiger, you're had unrealistic expectations and you are now being unreasonable. I can't believe you said that.

Lady Cher : Tiger, I'm appalled.

Carving our Space

'The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit.'

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Inaugural Speech March 1933

"Should he(Obama) win the White House, and it's winnable, will he be  FDR who challenges Wall St's dominance or will he be as they say in Latin American political circles a violin: Placed by the Left but played by the Right??"

TigerHawk

September 15,2008

Our consistent and loyal readers of this blog recall we came to Barack Obama as a subject after the Denver Democratic Convention and before the mid-September 2008 Financial Crisis.They will also remember we stressed the idea of the Hero's journey as posited by American anthropologist Joseph Campbell.

The past 2 months have been most uncomfortable as we observe this early Obama Administration.We even suspended our Barack Chronicles, as we correctly anticipated a deluge of post-Inauguration hype and controversy coupled with  contradictory even counter-productive policy.We are now poised for the Congressional Health Reform debate and still Obama falls short of our FDR ideals.In fact the so full of high expectations Obama Presidency seems to be now more a 'violin'.

What happened? Future historians may dissect the path to this moment .We all know that Bill Clinton brilliantly practiced political 'Triangulation' whereby he out flanked the Republicans and then gave the grateful centrist Democrats a place on his bus to pass legislation.We suspect the genius Obama is practicing political 'Trigonometry' where the liberal Democratic agenda is devalued, the Blue Dog conservative Democrats are appeased, and the Republicans are invited to drive the bus.We are told it is bi-partisan.

We here at TigerHawk have conceded that Barack Obama and his guru team of Axelrod-Emanuel-Jarrett is beyond our intellectual and ideological compehension , and we hereby abandon attempts to read the US political tea leaves.We are not even holding our breath for a 'public option' in the signed Health bill, secretly hoping Obama pulls a W and inserts the needed public option after the contentious Conference Committee.That will salvage our hopes of his Presidency being redeemed of its populist and progressive impact.Instead we have committed to 'Carving out our space' as Obama does his sacred mathematics.We will still grant Critical support.Emphasis now on critical.We will not condemn and demonize him as the Fox news and US Right are doing calling him names like anti-Christ and Hitler.However as political sophisticates we will examine the essence of his programs and legislation on a case by case basis.From there we pursue happiness and liberty.There is much work to be done at home in US and abroad. Wall St's precipitated economic meltdown pushes higher unemployment as the Dow jones flirts with 10,000.We are of the Paul Krugman School of Economics which believe the $787 Billion stimulus was a good start but more is needed, and precious political and finance capital was squandered by investing $1 Trillion in the banking sector.These finance institutions now boast 3 rd quarter profits while Main At Americans still suffer economic anxiety and pain.We here at TigerHawk look to US and global democratic and popular groups who walk a bold and visionary path through and beyond the finance created economic downturn.

Sustainable is the Way

We are encouraged and excited by positive and disciplined Americans who tout an alternative vision to the Corporate path embrace by the Obama circle.We had hoped the Administration would have been in the forefront , alas was just a promise.We will note however the Obama Administration' strong re-affirmation under the new FCC Chairman of it policy of Network Neutrality.We thank them publicly, as we here at TigerHawk are beneficiaries of stable digital media creations and productions.We give credit and support where it is due as in this case.We are excited to share with our readers analysis and prescriptions of our global material condition.When we see the absurdities such as China buying land in Africa to feed Chinese and Africans starve, we remember we have no time to be distracted by the dictates of US corporate power agenda, and Obama 'Trigonometry'.Fellow Americans have heeded the clarion call for justice and sustainable economics.We are pleased to share the work of Yes! Magazine, devoted to such ideas.We expect to continue in this vain while we revive the Barack Chronicles to keep abreast of this Democratic Administration where so much high expectations once resided.

What the F...(WTF)??

We share the attitude of Oscar winner Tim Robbins of Culver City's Actors' Gang.When informed by sober and realistic accountants and staff that the economy signalled a demise of his theatre group, Robbins exclaimed WTF? Further our star of 'Shawshanks Redemption' and 'The Player' added

'...This is exactly the time, when things are falling apart,when the economy is bad, it's time to drop ticket prices,it's time to create free nights, it's time to figure out how to produce even though the economics says 'don't produce'......'

We here @ TigerHawk echo Robbins sentiments exactly.In fact in an additional L.A Times interview while acknowledging the ravages of what he termed  'the crap economy', our American hero invoked the name of Franklin Roosevelt's Federal Theatre Project (FTP) which not only gave employment to actors, directors, writers and other stage craft, but via vaudeville and such raised the spirits of millions of Depression-era Americans. We strongly believe this is the essential mission of our generation of artists, musicians,DJs, film-makers and company.Maybe somewhere out there a quintessential American production, concert or play will wake up the Franklin Delano Roosevelt asleep somewhere in Barack Obama's soul.

Ache',Paz Y Luz,

TigerHawk

Our Sirius Time

The August 1-7,2009 issue of The Economist's cover story features Barack Obama's image and captioned Çrunch Time'.We here at TigerHawk totally agree.Many recent events and hints are out there,and last Friday's weekend retreat to Blair House by The Obama Administration and advisors signalled Team Obama recognize the pivotal moment.The essence of the cover story is that the coming 3 weeks are the moment of truth for the ENTIRE Obama Presidency.We concur.When this blog started on our Obama journey in September 2008, we attached ourselves to the Joseph Campbell 'Hero' notion.Barack Obama was the first political subject explored by TigerHawk since our blog debut August 2005. Now a full year later, the mysterious 'Hero' energy envelopes Barack Obama.Let's take our Hawk's Eye view here.Riding the thermals and air gradients we survey the history time-lines in play. President Obama had another birthday on August 4.

Julius Caesar's great nephew Octavius was anointed Caesar Augustus by the Roman Senate and the first Roman Emperor.Pax Romana started with this Roman.Further in recognition of glorius military victory, the same Senate which murdered Julius granted the month after Julius'(July) the name August.Equal 31 days for each ruler's month.In the words for the occasion it was noted he had conquered Cleopatra's( and Mark Antony's) Egypt in this sixth month , formerly Sextilis of the Roman calendar,he also stabilized the contentious Empire.The August reign covered 27 B.C to 14 A.D.

Sirius Time 2009It is intriguing that even then Egypt figured in Roman political calculations,cemented by Julius Caesar and then his ally Mark Antony's love for the Ptolemy desendent Cleopatra.Patriarch Ptolemy being one of the 4 trusted generals of Macedonian Alexander the Great.The Roman Empire basically absorbed the Greek civilization, so Egypt was a worthy jewel for the Latin glory.The wise Egyptians intuited the link between the summer flooding of the mighty Nile and the Heliacal(with the Sun) rising of Sirius(The Dog Star).Sirius which represented Goddess Isis is larger than our Sun, and in our Dog Days of Summer is thought to enhance the Earth's heat. (Editor's note:We feel obliged to mention that the Dogon people of Mali knew of the Sirius A and B Star system and their creation myths were transmitted to French anthropologist Marcel Griaule , in the early 20th century.The Dogon awareness of Sirius caused esteemed scientist Carl Sagan to lose his scholarly cool and cast demeaning aspersions on the Dogon experience).

In 2009, the Full moon in Leo for Sirius was this past Wednesday August 5.Barack celebrated birthday on Tuesday.When the first African-American President visited Cairo, the street merchants sold T-shirts claiming Barack, new King Tut for the World.We never got the scoop, but the young King Tut-ankh-aten(living image of Aten) became Tut-ankh-amum(living image of Amum).The name change is most profound and political.King Tut's father Akhanaten attempted imposing monotheism based on the Sun.The vengeful and powerful priest-hood switched the young man's allegiance to a more priest friendly poly-theistic theology.Tut moved the capital from his father's power centre at Armana, to the priests' preference at Thebes.The young ruler passed away at nineteen in 1349 B.C,engendering a murder mystery. The modern day Cairo merchants must know why they believe Obama fits that misguided boy-King's role.

August Currents..Flying with Hawks..

Four years ago on Aug 12 this here TigerHawk blog was launched.Our premiere post was inspired by the majesty of overhead Hawks as Tiger recovered from a mysterious ailment and was transformed into TigerHawk.We had no idea where we would end on our journey,but strongly felt that the convergence of Digital Publishing opening for individual content, net neutrality and broad-band proliferation, the moment was oppurtune to creatively espress and share on-line.This has been a most miraculous and humbling experience.We committed at the go to be responsible and be inspirational, non-partisan, informative, yet stimulating. Our audience growth and support are testaments to these goals being manifest.We say a loud Thank You to our readers Old and New.

We have striven to be responsive and relevant to the moment and have been serendipitiously led down surprising avenues.Our focus on Barack Obama evolved in such vain as Joseph Campbell's ideas of Hero in human mytholgy triggered a unique contemporary narrative.The Egyptians placed much value on the Hawk, with Heru (Horus) sometimes with a Hawk's head.Many cultures believe this high performance aerial predator to be a messenger from the heavens. The military prides their most deadly apparatus with Hawk power such as TomaHawk missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and Global Hawk remote control aircraft.

The breezy Los Angeles morns and afternoons can displace the summer heat in August ,and we know why L.A keeps us enthralled.Totally magical.Timeless currents we call August currents.We fly with the Hawks.Once a violinist friend was rehearsing for a TV show and the director needed the artist to cover a popular Johhny Gill song carefully for a beauty contest segment.The director then agreed the violinist was then free  to do his thing.Our heavily accented Latin violin master suggested You mean I can  FLY!!'. We feel that way .R.Kelly won Grammy for the said notion.As American as Apple Pie.Freedom.

"Let God Let Loose

What no Man can take from Us,

Freedom!!"

Tuskegee African-American Airmen on formation Flight Take-off

Courtesy Layon Gray's

Black Angels over Tuskegee

Layon Gray's Moving Tribute to the Black Tuskegee Air-Men.

Right this moment we are almost moved to tears as we recall that scene in a play staged in North Hollywood recently.We are determïned to interview the amazing writer/actor/director Layon Gray and The Black Gents of Hollywood.The Whitmore-Lindley is a modest smaller theatre in NoHo Theatre district on Magnolia Blvd.The play 'Black Angels over Tuskegee' is now off to North Carolina for the national African-American Theatre Festival, but the band of black thespians took our hearts.Economy of dialogue yet colorful and eloquent,Gray brought to life the mental , emotional and spiritual struggle of those Black Airmen,the Red Tails in WW II who fought 2 wars.In tha air over Nazi Germany and US racism.The engineering and technical skills demanded are deliberately exposed by Gray, showing the calibre of educated young black men who volunteered , sat a rigorous exam,bore racial hostility, and took a risk for a better career oppurtunity in a pre-Civil Rights America.The scenes on the tight stage are brilliantly choreographed to show the disciplined flight formations and their brotherly radio banter during combat and loss.Tear-jerking.A Red Tail survivor at a performance volunteered that Layon Gray was so accurate , he wondered to whom he spoke  as this veteran never got a call.

CAST

1. Derek Shaun          Jerimah
2.  Demetrius Gross     Percival            
3. DonnSwaby       Theodore
4. Layon Gray         Quentin
5. Thom Scott         Abe
6. Jay jones            Elijah
7. Doug Purcell     Major Roberts
8. Narrator    Antonio D.Charity        

Layon Gray and Black Gents of Hollywood, we salute you as we honor the Tuskegee Air-men.You were Free.They were Freer.Free like the Hawks!!

To Be Continued..A Work in Progress now...

August 2005 TigerHawk blog posts:

The Power of Jobim

Brando signature...Quemada?Quemaida/Burn!

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk

Grand Performances Heat Up!!

The upcoming weekend the Grand Performances music concert series hosts Latin heavy hitters.Cuban 2 time Grammy winner Albita is up Saturday July 18,evening @ 8 p.m.We've seen her before elsewhere.Traditional Cuban Son generously flavored with the Yoruba religious sentiments are her rhythmic signature.However Albita's resonating Cubana vocals are authorative and command attention.The music is infectious and moves the crowd.The program indicates that the charismatic female vocalist of New York's Yerba Buena, Cucu Diamantes represents on Friday, July 17 @ 8 p.m.Friday @ noon showcases Colombian Justo Almario and the Afro-Colombian Ensemble.Over-all  a pulsating and entertaining weekend of Latin flava.

We designed a play-list as a tribute to Michael Jackson  sharing our favorite tracks which we consider gems seldom played in radio-rotation.

It is July and it is Hot.

Stevie Wonder created 'Hotter Than July' in 1980

N.B A special Stevie work as it is both influenced by Bob Marley,and is making a tribute to the Reggae Prophet, while honoring Dr.Martin Luther King's birthday.Early in the Reagan Administration Stevie Wonder was on the front-line demanding a King Holiday and liberation of Apartheid South Africa.'Happy Birthday is a driving reggae composition for King.

We present Mucho Mas Caliente Con Michael Jackson(Much Hotter with Michael Jackson)

We combine these with samples of artists at the Grand Performances, and a few dashes of Stevie's 'Hotter.......

Mucho Mas Caliente con Michael Jackson

Mucho Mas Caliente con Michael J

Happy Bastille Day to the les citoyen(ne)s de France!

Enjoy

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk

Downtown L.A's Art Walk..a must do!!

Summer is in full swing and many exciting fun events to take our minds off the political and economic issues.In fact , we here suspect a corporate conspiracy in L.A where everyplace presents FREE Live music and entertainment.Is this a sophisticated social'pressure-cooker valve like Trinidad and Brazil where Carnival gives the favela and Laventille denizens fantasies of rulership and equality?As a San Francisco conspiracy researcher says, food for thought, grounds for further research.We will add the list of happenings here as confirmed .We never want to let a good,Free party go to waste.

Talking about parties,yesterday, the second Thursday of the month, we here experienced a fun and surprising L.A street Party going on.The venue is the hard-core Down-town Los Angeles which in recent years was deemed 'skid row'.The wonders of developer tax abatements and gentrification. Buildings formerly closed and disrespected, now have a face-lift and sport the lease ads for 'Lofts'.Many so-called hipsters now navigate their canine companions through streets formerly deemed a Demilitarized Zone, fit only for armed LAPD and their worthy criminal nemeses.More lights, new restaurants,more 'Public Safety'personnel on bicycles.Look Pops, I can walk the streets with no mace!

These very refurbished concrete towers now house a generation of Art galleries.Yesterday was the monthly L.A Arts Walk. We had a blast.50 plus galleries open their doors to the uninitiated and connoisseurs alike to sample the global cutting edge  art, particularly Digital Art.

Artists of Impact

We viewed a lot of art, particularly in early afternoon to beat the after 7 p.m wine guzzling party set.A few we decide to mention for their deliberate use of art as a tool of social and political empowerment.After all , we are TigerHawk.Synchronicity was as often in play.A few years back we met a gentleman at Barnsdall Art Park who demonstrated a European-made camera-phone , which he used to create digital video .He was since flown to Paris to represent Los Angeles' Digital Art community. Yesterday that gentleman Rex Bruce was in the curator seat of The Los Angeles Center for Digital Art,as we entered his 5th street gallery.There was a vague recognition which became concrete with salutations all around.After a few years we finally got to his place. 'Limbo' was the theme of featured artist Hector Mata.Embracing Catholic ideas of displaced souls, Mata digitally photographed the marks of the US/Mexico border and numerous items left in the Arizona desert by Mexican migrants attempting the dangerous trek northbound.Mata's intention is laudable:To put a human aspect to the faceless travellers whose precious belongings are clues and evidence of their individual efforts.We spoke briefly to Peruvian Mata and he explained that he took 2 years and much miles to research and document these stories. A bald-headed man of intense energy, he definitely saw the art as a vehicle to raise awareness to this contemporary South West narrative.

By this time a mysterious very red-headed woman in white shorts and a toy-like camera,became our walking companion along L.A's streets. We  first crossed here path at Bert Green Fine Art Gallery at corner of 5th and Main streets.Bert Green is the director/curator.The artist we most viewed was Barron Storey.A series of illustrations almost comic book like featured 'Çard-board Zombies who come for our Piggy Bank'.A comment on the on-going economic melt-down and its human/social dislocations.A sober and attention-grabbing series of frames.Our red-head fellow traveller whom we call Ms.R accompanied us to the new Rowan Gallery.Here we met painter Andrew Cortes and his photographer brother David.The bed products firm HUG for Home Urban Gear had contracted Andrew to design their bed linen and such. Senor Cortes, a slim and pleasant student of Cal State University Long Beach impressed us. Unpretentious and open , he reflected his layered paintings and their depth.Brother David was there to assist and network.Ms.R having lived in Prague,Czech Republic was impressed with Korean-American Kate Hers who did a video work in German with English subtitles.Kate signed a contract in German to only communicate in german while in Berlin for a stipulated period.The subject of the displayed video.Ms.Hers was presented at the Compact Space on 6th st.

Robert Vargas uses Charcoal

It was nearing 6.30 p.m and we had promised our friend Robert Vargas who had earlier co-incidentally' walked by, to return to his charcoal portrait session.Robert is a special person.He once sketched TigerHawk using charcoal at the counter of a trendy Los Feliz eatery and got numerous paid requests for same.A former Conga Room music booking agent, Mr.Vargas is a major force in Los Angeles' exposure to World music the past 15 so years.Of Lakota heritage,Robert is a powerful and mesmerizing persona .Robert was surrounded by a crowd, more than half women as he sketched a sitting lady. On his hands and knees several persons were amazed by his accurate portrayals in charcoal , including Ms.R. While a three piece rock/reggae band and DJ performed.

As the evening moved on  Robert captivated more sitting models, male and female, including TigerHawk once more.the crowd grew larger , coming from Main St now promoted as 'The Old Bank District'. The streets took on a Carnival vibe with dancing in response to the DJ playing Michael Jackson, James Brown and other funky tracks.All the galleries were packed, all hot and much0 vino.The office crowd showed up and the traffic reflected L.A's multi-cultural mix.Many Asians,Whites,tourists,Latins.Formerly skid-row street mainly showed black and some brown faces. Restaurants with their side walks patrons were packed.Were we really in Los Angeles? Or in Europe ?It all seemed so surreal.

Over a late night dinner,which Robert generously sponsored, the multi-talented man revealed the social and politcal dynamics of the new art scene in downtown Los Angeles,where he has lived for 5 years.Suddenly, the link between his physical hard work on his knees and the street poor and working classes became clear.Mr.Vargas was making a powerful statement of 'Walking the Walk' by example.Work, physical demanding work is his life.We here say to Senor Vargas...Saludos y Mucho Gusto.(Subscribe to the RSS feeds for updates).

TigerHawk Music BONUS...Our Summer 2009 Artist Pick...Maxwell!!...He's Back Y'ÁLL

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BLACKsummersnight

Ache,Paz y Luz

TigerHawk

Editorial Event!! Michael Jackson Memorial at Staples Center ,Los Angeles.

Live at 9.00 a.m Pacific Time Tuesday July 7,2009

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cbs-news

We are today Monday July 6,2009 coming off a strange US July 4th which was on a Saturday, and Friday the extra Holiday .Really Michael Jackson's untimely passing was in the ethers.Tiger felt a sense of deja vu.hin Manhattan,NY in December 1980, Michael Jackson in BelAir,LA 2009. Lennon away from recording and releasing 'Starting Over' , Michael Jackson not touring for so many years and returning with 'This is it' concert series. We have the L.A Staples Center the epi-center of NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers, the scene of a global event-The Michael Jackson Memorial. AEG who cemented the 50 concert UK deal with Jackson  own the Staples, the venue of the last recorded rehearsals. Los Angeles is once more the ground zero of Global Media.

For us here at TigerHawk, the synchronicity and timing is pointed.We were preparing a special Music playlist of Artists scheduled to perform here in L.A this July for the Grand Performances downtown a few blocks from Staples.A wonderful and diverse line-up to enhance L.A's summer vibe. Well, as Stevie Wonder penned his 'Hotter than July' project in 1981, we were going to call the play-list 'Mucho Mas Calinte..' After all we are in July and the music is mucho caliente.

Now , as Michael's loss is in this July moment, we've change it to 'Much Mas Caliente con Michael...' We have been fans of Michael Jackson since the Jackson 5, and like many appreciated the fusion with Producer Quincy Jones on 'Off the Wall' and 'Thriller'. Since the latter Michael took the producer's reins with mixed results of overall albums, yet always beauty, brilliance and musical gems.The Special Edition of Thriller recently released contains fascinating insights by Quincy and Rod Temperton on the intriguing creative process behind this muti-Grammy winning classic. Our select play list are selections from these works we feel are under-played on radio and clubs.

We can discuss other aspects of Michael's cultural and iconic impact at another time.Today we honor his work and memory.

Michael,Thank You for the Music.

Enjoy.

'Mucho Mas Caliente con Michael J ' playist from us here at TigerHawk

Ache',Paz Y Luz,

TigerHawk

Femi Kuti opens Summer 2009 at Hollywood Bowl

Friends welcome to Summer 2009.Sunday June 21,2009 was the Summer Solstice here in Hollywood/Los Angeles.the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Yoruba cosmology and traditions,Eleggua is the 'Opener of the Way'.One of the seven (7) significant Orishas.He is equivalent to St.Michael The Arch-Angel.So it is most welcome and appropriate that Yoruban from Nigeria ,Femi Kuti, son of the great Fela Kuti opened the Hollywood Bowl Summer 2009  season on the Solstice.TigerHawk was blessed with a seat a few feet from the stage, able to sit near Santigold, who along with Raffael Siddiq entertained the capacity crowd.All respects to these 2 artists (an autograph from Philly's Santgold was obtained), but Femi was whom the 12,000 audience mainly came to experience.

We were not disappointed, however we believed there was un-necessary adjustments of the sound levels by the Bowl's engineering to mollify the hillside neighbors, resulting in Femi's continually signalling to raise the volume.Honestly, something was taken away from the full impact of the West African's polyrhythmic and horn sections. Yet we were thrilled by Femi's juggling; blowing on the saxophones(tenor and alto), playing the key-boards, dancing and belting out emotional vocals of Africa's redemption, human sagas, and social justice. Cuts from the new album 'Day by Day' were interspersed with his cult standards such as 'Blackman Know Thyself' , Sorry Sorry'  and 'Beng Beng Beng'. What energy and joy.A powerful start to our Summer 2009 in Los Angeles.Femi is continuing in his father's footsteps of political and social controversy in Nigeria.The Lagos authorities had just recently closed one of his night clubs.Thank you Yoruban for the benediction and blessings.Ache'.

Shakespeare causes a Tempest in Hollywood.

One of TigerHawk's joys SummerTime in Hollywood is the Independent Shakespeare Company outdoor series.A few years back we wrote here on 'Richard II','Mid-Summer Night's Dream' and the Scottish play (Mac....). This week David and his crew threw up the outdoor stage at Barnsdall Arts Park. Shakespeare's later play , 'The Tempest'dealing with the island tropics and the magical is the opening curtain tonight Friday at 7.30 p.m.We can't wait.Henry V continues the royals series and sure to shed light on English societal mysteries since the Normans and their Conquering William grabbed the British Isles in 1066.Last year 10,000 plus attended the series. RSVP is highly encouraged.

Shaolin warrior XJ and a new Tiger Fighting style

We have all heard of the legendary Shaolin monks who through discipline snd virtue defended the honor of China, challenged tyranny and brought highly effective martial arts to the Chinese people.This is not legend but fact.Their danger to Chairman Mao's brain-washing was such that he ordered more fires and persecutions of Shaolin monks much as the Manchus and Ching dynasties.TigerHawk as a beneficiary and supporter of the arts had met a group of Shaolin warriors a few years back through Master Hugh(originally from Jamaica). Fate would put us again in contact in China Town at a Vietnamese-Chinese temple.Now again in Hollywood TigerHawk 'stumbles'upon young Shaolin Master XJ training students in his shealth-regimen and fighting techniques.We recognized each other immediately.'Too much co-incidence'.

This week as TigerHawk stopped by to say hello to XJ, he noticed his students perform a very dynamic and graceful choreography of arm and leg moves.Intuitively TigerHawk sensed a familiarityand asked XJ the name of the forms.XJ smiled and said 'Tiger'.Óne more time, please?''.'Tiger'', he repeated. Amazing.Í created this particular combination, can you help me edit the video?' People, Tiger will soon share the 'Tiger'fighting form from Shaolin warrior XJ on these pages.In the interim here is XJ's site with his history from the legendary Henan province and his personal path expressing 'The Way'.Remember Yoruban Femi exhorts us to 'Fight to Win'.

Ache', Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk

P.S We share in the loss and memory of 'King of Pop' Michael Jackson.

Los Angeles (California) Economic Melt-Down worsens...

We here at TigerHawk have clear observations on the current economic malaise which has spread in pandemic proportions globally.However knowing the idea of thinking globally and acting locally, we are rivetted by the state of California's fiscal crisis, and the corollary local emergency of the municipalities such as our own Los Angeles City. We can quicky surmise the equation. A collapse in the L.A Housing market, plummeting home/property values wiping out equity, lower property tax revenues, less money for City Hall to function.Well, the scenario depicted has reached Emergency magnitude in Los Angeles City (apparently the County is in the black),with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa now the Unions' adversary number 1.

Tiger's personal network in the City of Angels covers much geographical, socio-economic, ethnic and professional ground.Thus we're able to access real-time intelligence on the temperature in this great metropolis to match any corporate media reporters.Yesterday one of my favorite librarians, who I will keep anonymous, whispered that they were  (all City workers) on furlough starting in July , losing 2 full days a month without pay.A 10 % loss of income. 'I'm one of those people who lives below my means, but most of my friends are looking for other extra jobs to make -up the loss of income,' she whispered matter-of-factly.'I intend to enjoy myself and explore more of L.A this summer..from the beaches to your events, Tiger.' She stated emphatically. I was both honored and troubled. The Library Lady, one of my favorite in our City of Angels had her program together.But I found out later that other City employees were in a state of stress.My friends;clerks,gardeners and janitors,art instructors- all working class champions were up for not just furlough of 26 days a year, but total job elimination.Firing!!

In response the L.A unions have blasted Mayor Antonio with protests and other civil dis-obedience tactics etc. (A special Dog-Team is shadowing the man for personalized picketing through the city.He just was observed with a new newscaster lady-friend.Might get interesting very soon).In passing we must mention the recent terrorism inflicted on good teachers of the LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School district)who were threatened with lay-offs in July, in spite of Obama's stimulus package.I also have teacher friends who are affected.Some survived the lay-offs, some did not. What a state of early 21 st century modern society where teachers and librarians along with janitors and gardeners are sacrificed for fiscal and market dictates.We can see the demeanor on the trains/buse and in cars on the L.A Freeways.It's not All good. We are here focusing on L.A, not the state of California (which is in dire straits).Note the degree of our collective confusion as the Governor 'Terminator'Arnold is a Republican facing a $24 billion short fall and L.A's Mayor Antonio a Democrat with $500 million budget gap.Bi-Partisan economic chaos.Curses on all our houses?

Disclosure..We here are totally dissing the established Finance and Economic orthodoxy as the melt-down is a stunning indictment of their rigid ideology and methodology.Hence we are quite intrigued with reports from Milan,Italy of the 2 Japanese gents stopped with Billions in ther possession of US Bonds.Could this be a way out for California and other municipalities? Could it be TigerHawk's Bail-out/Stimulus Plan on the way? We will keeo you posted.Here is the info..:)

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/2-japanese-...

(Just Friday.June 12 the LA Public Library posts the notice that due to mandatory furloughs all City branches are closed the 2nd and 4th Fridays , starting July 10,2009).

Music and Cinema relief for Summer L.A!!

We here at TigerHawk embrace the arts and music as immediate tools to comfort in our era of fiscal melt-down and ideological madness. We are pleased to be kicking off the annual L.A Festivities with tonight's Opening of Grand Performances downtown at the California Plaza.The 2009 season Cubana Son singer Albita is included.A must attend night. As usual, GP over-lap with the Los Angeles Film Festival which opens June 18,2009 in Westwood.A John Malkovich production about immigrant children to be screened.We will post a new Summer Calendar of all the exciting events.We say tell the politicos to get a life and stop believing they 'runnin' thaangs'.All they running is the modern social compact into the ground.A few fun items are the 24th Annual Israeli Film Festival,The Dances with Films Festival and the SilverLake Sunset Junction, where Isaac Hayes was booked for his last gig, which he never made.

The House of Kuti

Finally, we must plug for The Hollywood Bowl Summer 2009 series which we attended last year.The opening artist on June 21,2009 is Nigeria's Femi Kuti,eldest son of the great Fela Kuti. You know, the Kuti men are off the chain. Last year the younger Seun Kuti was star billing for our above mentioned Grand Performances, accompanied by Fela's Egypt 80(formerly Africa 70).What a night of dance, energy, consciousness and fun.Femi knows the L.A crowd is talking about Seun, his younger sibling.So he must throw down.Yoruba -style.Ache'! He will.DNA, elementary Watson,DNA.He's a Kuti. We recommend album 'Fight to Win' by Femi.Echoes of his dad, lyrically and rhythmically , Femi on trumpet bringing the Afro-Beat.Fela paid the personal price of brutality, imprisonment and family terrorism by Nigeria's military regimes.His sons are deliberately addressing Africa's ills, not missing a beat. Afro-Beat! Femi's new album , first in 7 years is 'Day by Day'.Polished.'Fight to Win ' features Mos Def and Common.A good blending of African-American and African musical powers.Much like Zap Mama and Angelique Kidjo on their recent projects with Erykah Badu and Talib Kweli.We here are still trying to get the hook-up for Femi.Seun's project is self-titled 'Seun Fela and Egypt 80'.Egypt 80 are remnants of Fela's world class Africa 70 orchestra.They brought tears and memories to the California Plaza crowd last year.A moment to experience and reminisce. Stay tuned.

Music Playlist added Friday June 21,2009.'House of Kuti & guest Artists'.

Up with Obama Stimulus plan.

Down with Terminator Arnold and Mayor Antonio's draconian cuts.

www.twitter.com/tigerhawk2012

Ache',Paz Y Luz,

TigerHawk.

Tiger grabs a Spring Break/Interlude.....needs not 10,000 but 1 million Baracks!!

We here at TigerHawk have been left in the dust by the Obama Express.What is the deal? How many major policy initiatives are they managing simultaneously.We confess that our Barack Chronicles have been overwhelmed by the pace and magnitude of our 44th US President.So have our vaunted TigerHawk 3.0.

Back in 1989 the militant (love that media term) Rap group Public Enemy released and declared

''It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back."

About the same year P.E were the signature track on Spike Lee's 'Do the Right Thing' titled

'Fight the Power'.

We suggest that Barack Obama lighten his load by cloning or multiplying his efforts.

We know he is going to mess up in some things and we are some time going to get disappointed.

So spread the load.

We need not 10,000 Obamas(Driving Us Crazy), but 1 million Obamas.In the interim..

Our brilliant TigerHawk response?

We take a time out.

We now enjoy our Spring 2009 Break/Interlude.

Of course our Tiger vibe is all about the music .

We therfore share a special music playlist.

Tiger 2009 Spring Break/Interlude.

(Click the Play Button)

Enjoy.

Ache',Paz Y Luz!!

TigerHawk

Tiger revisits Catholic Cathedral.....Laptop mystery!!

Mi Gente,my people.Been a minute since we've posted here.Tiger experience some intrigues and his ever present laptop was stolen in Hollywood.We have been in re-grouping mode and hence a disruption in our rhythm.However, the Tiger roars defiantly .We're back.We will not be denied.In light of the diversion we enter an abbreviated and combined post here to suffice 'Barack Chronicles ' as well as TigerHawk 3.0.

We had been confused back in the early 90s when reports arrived of corporate and government officials losing their important laptops. Let's say we now have more sympathetic respect for those situations. Interesting, the hardware is of no use to the perpetrators, as a true dyed in the wool open-source/Ubuntu/Linux revolutionary, the codes are demanded to start up the machine.So who ever you are out there, we have some surprises.Just beware who's drinking latte next to you with the cute smile.

As Holy Week arrived, Tiger found himself drawn to the Los Angeles Catholic Diocese's Cathedral.The Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Angels serves some 4 million souls..The architecture grants inspiring space.Spanish Architect Professor Jose Rafael Moneo designed a  construct of no right angles, sub-consciously invoking mystical feelings.Palm Sunday, I joined the faithful in taking a palm branch as the priest gave a special 'Hosana' delivery, commemorating Jesus' Jerusalem entry on a donkey.

That week which just culminated in Easter Sunday, when Christ's resurrection is celebrated, granted a moment to reflect on the power of the Catholic church over 2 millenia.On my way to my Temple of Eastern flavor, I felt a humbling bond with these Catholic souls, remembering the amazing Jesus story.The fresh spring air added to the sense of renewal.L.A spring is most magical when the light subtly alters the senses.

Quo Vadis??

The Church of Rome is built with St.Peter's Basilica at the center of the Vatican.In fact,Peter is the chief cornerstone of the Church.He is the First Pappa.In John 13:37, Peter asked Jesus 'Whither goes thos ,Lord?' Jesus cryptically told Simon Peter that where he was going Peter could not go at that moment, but would follow him later.Then Jesus predicted the thrice denial by Peter before the cock's crow.That exchange in Latin is distilled to 'Quo Vadis,Domine?'.Peter since followed his Master in martyrdom, and begged the centurions to make his crucifixion different as he deemed himself not worthy of the same.The Romans were happy to oblige by hanging him up-side down.Roman engineering never limited.

In 1895 a Polish writer Henry K Sieliewicz wrote a series about the early Christians in Nero's Rome.The collective title was 'Quo Vadis'.Mr.Sieliewicz had researched the Roman Empire extensively, and it was his support and sympathy for Christianity that guided the masterpiece. In 1905,Sieliewicz won the Nobel Prize for Literature. 46 years later, MGM studios releases 'Quo Vadis' starring Robert Young as the centurion Vincius, and Deborah Kerr as his Christian love interest. Before the 'Sandals and Swords' genre was made popular by Russell Crowe's 'Gladiator', Hollywood captured the global audience's imagination with the excesses and dangers of the Roman Empire.As Nero persecuted and murdered the Christians for a mysterious fire in Rome,Peter experienced his doubts and almost abandoned his flock.The question returned this time to him from his Lord...'Quo Vadis ?'

So when the Catholics in the City of Angels celebrate Palm and then Easter Sundays, they make the spiriitual and emotional intersection of Simon Peter and  Jesus Christ on the edge of the Pacific., in the land of the Native Americans.

Tiger Blessed by The Cardinal....Quo Vadis for us....

As often occurs with Mr.Tiger, famous personalities and celebrities get relaxed and genuinely connect .Easter Sunday at the Los Angeles Cathedral, Cardinal Roger Mahoney was in full regalia,mingling in the cafe and passing out Easter blessings. I had been recognized several times prior, even having a discussion about my laptop and WiFi access at the Cathedral's Downtown L.A location, surrounded by Law courts and government buildings. This special Sunday, I decided to use my Social Capital and request an autograph from this world renown disciple of Simon Peter.Signore Cardinale Roger Mahoney was most gracious and generous writing 'Easter Blessing' on my proffered sheet of paper.Seeing the bold and distinctive gold ring on his right hand, I felt a sense of awe and gratitude, almost as if St.Peter himself had whispered a prayer.

I then remembered the Al Smith dinner in New York City, at the peak of the Presidential campaign when Senator Obama, resplendent in white tux, sat proudly and comfortably next to New York's Cardinal Egan.New York inaugurated Cardinal Egan's successor this week.'Quo Vadis?'

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk

Cantos de Santo for Holy Week

Cantos de Santo for Holy Week 2009

TigerHawk Special Editorial

I Michael the TigerHawk posted a similar Special Editorial on September 6,2008.The title was 'Barack's Odyssey Chronicles I:Our Surreal Moment'.We here were ourselves surprised as the previous post celebrated Jamaica's world sprint star Usain Bolt and the Jamaican 4 X 100 men's relay Olympic team.The point here is that TigerHawk blog continues to respond to and recognize significant contemporary personalities and events .We stay current and fresh with balance and fairness.We came to terms with Barack Obama's Iconic power that September 6, 2008.Within 9 days the financial universe was in meltdown. Our post of Monday September 15,2008 was recording the Wall street crisis which swallowed 158 year-old Lehman Brothers whole, and venerable 'Bull' Merrill Lynch got shelter under Bank of America's wings.US Treasury Secretary was running around like Chicken Little demanding, no ,begging for Bank Bail-out funds in Billions from US Congress.We posted a follow-up on September 25,2008.The title chosen 'Barack's Odyssey Chronicles II:Strictly Political..Barney over TINA.So much has transpired since. Barack Obama is 44th US President, a Democratic Congressional majority passed the historic $787 billion Stimulus package and the severity of the US and global economic downturn is clearer weekly.

We here are beneficiaries and advocates of Net Neutrality which allows us to post the blog. We determine to be responsible and fully utilize the digital and Web 2.0 universe to share art, ideas and information. We are fully cognizant of our historic moment both technologically and economically. Therefore we celebrate the notion that when we write or speak, it is a cathartic process. We write or speak to and for ourselves.This post today, the anniversary of Malcolm X's murder 44 years ago(also murdered on this day was Nicaragua's Augusto Cesar Sandino), has been one of the most challenging and demanding. But we're up in time for 2009 Carnavale and the Oscars.Today in Rio, Port-of Spain, New Orleans much revelry is jamming reaching a sudden stop on Tuesday night mid-night.Ash Wednesday.From that day Catholics spend 40 days of penance leading to Easter. Oh the wonders and mysteries of the Catholic Church and calendar.The Church of St.Peter hasn't been around  2 millenia for nothing.We today are 30 days out from Spring Equinox 2009 in the Northern Hemisphere. Many subtle influences are in effect.

After Obama won the elections, we posted 'Beyond Obama(ma)nia.......'.We said then and repeat now,We welcome the Space created by an Obama Administration after 8 years of Cheney, and the defeat of 2 dragons-Reaganism and Southern Strategy.Thse 2 constructs ruthlessly advanced a racist and reactinary agenda , while stuffing the pockets of the financiers and the powerful The racial psychosis was the distraction along with war which hood-winked us all into the global economic crisis today.We are not confused. Further we support Obama critically and not blindly. We drink no one's Kool-Aid and are not fans or groupies. This said, we launched on Maryin Luther King Day 2009 additions to the TigerHawk Blog properties, reflecting the historic, iconic and dynamic changes and impact Obama has wrought. We give credit wher it is due. We have been working hard on this post today as in reality it is 3 posts.The additions are TigerHawk 3.0 and Chronicles in the age of Barrack, Barrack Chronicles for short.Today's respective posts are 'Obama and our UnCharted Course' and 'Barack's Canada and Stimulus Victory'.30 days after Inauguration, we think we have a handle on what's unfolding. a unique, dynamic, unprecedented and historic era as Obama's Presidency intersects the global economic transformation.We here at TigerHawk believe we are up to the task. Some readers may be pleasantly surprised at the thoroughness and sophistication of our reports. We take this moment seriously.All are affected. All are searching for answers and solutions having been betrayed and abandoned by the Finance, Economics and Intellectual elites. They have forfeited their authority and guidance. We iivestigate here and conclude for ourselves the nature of the emerging paradigm shift.We intend to be a source of provocative yet credible ideas and information while the orthodoxy hits a dead end.In that vein we share a few articles as Carnavale/Oscar gifts today.

The December issue of Atlantic Monthly featured an interview with a Mr.Gao Xiqing of China. Eye opening views of a Chinese Money OverLord who hold US and global money fortunes in his hands. Recommended reading. President Obama visited Ottawa,Canada on Thursday, February 19,2009. He noted that 2 0f his top staffers hailed from Canada. Well we have a brilliant Professor from the University of Toronto.Richard Florida is author of 'Rise of the Creative Class'.Atlantic Monthly again presents his 'How the Crash will Re-shape America'.Reader, visitors at this page, just a hint of the focus, quality and open-ness we set by example at our moment of challenge. We can prevail, however as Obama demonstrates we need spiritual and intellectual discipline. We can handle it.Feel free to contribute to this commitment here in the TigerHawk Tips and Gratuities:Gracias Pay Pal link.We thank you in advance.

Tiger's Cinematic Stimulus......Bail-out pending??

This past 6 months we have been out of the loop regarding the Oscar sweepstakes. Regulars recall we hit it cold for Martin Scorsese and 'The Departed', anticipating the Trifecta. We suspect SlumDog Millionaire will win and Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke will pull the Academy in opposite directions ,with outside issues determining the winner.However we have a Tiger Stimulus of recently acquired foreign DVDs courtesy brother Won K.Shout out bro. We eagerly share these 3 feature movies for recommended viewing. The first is the 2004 Berlin Festival winner and hispanic female nominee.'Maria Full of Grace'.Catalina Sandino Moreno's debut film stunned us all. A story of Colombian narcotics trafficers known as 'mules', Joshua Marston's first script and director's role seizes our full attention at every frame . The performances are organic and mesmerizing.shot in colombia and New York City. The second movie is my new love affair with a Director. 'The Edge of Heaven ' is a German Turkish production. winner of Cannes for Turkish-German director Fatih Akin. dissecting the personalities and culture of Turks in Germany who return to Turkey,Fatih opens a window to a new world for Americans.film-making at its raw, primal best. I'm a fan of Mr.Akin as he consciously tackles political material woven into the fabric of personal narrative. Excellent.Can't praise him enough.Finally, a surprise from Romania/Moldavia.Also a Cannes winner. 'Four months, 3 weeks and 2 days'. An economic and tight film of layering and complex characters in a difficult circumstance in Communist Romania in 1987. The Director Christian Munjiu has a bright future and great promise. Such deliberate decisions for a brave subject matter, again every frame holds our intention. An intellectual behind the camera destined to reach a world-wide audience.Enjoy and let me know your impressions.

Finally the photo is XJ, a genuine Shaolin warrior who crossed Tiger's path serendipitiously more than once, and we decided to join forces in our skills and agenda. XJ conducts classes in the China Town and Hollywood areas. Any interested students e-mail Subject :XJ. As always our e-mail is tigerhawk.michael@gmail.com.

Ache',Paz Y Luz.

TigerHawk.

Celebrating Obama's Inauguration on Dr.King Day

we premiere TigerHawk 3.0

Inaugural Party 2009

My people.Mi Gente.We are at the most dramatic and unpredictable point of US political,economic and cultural transformation in decades. The global effects are unpredictable but guaranteed to be felt.We here at TigerHawk have been overwhelmed by the confluence of events which interplay with Barack Obama's entry to the US stage. Today is Dr Martin Luther King Day, and tomorrow the amazing symmetry of the first African-American sworn in as USA Chief Executive. We prefer that title to the more belligerent and menacing Commander in Chief.

Since our last post in December , we have had many false starts as we attempted to read the direction of an Obama Administration in the midst of global finance and economic turmoil.As if these are not enough for our former Illinois Senator cum President-Elect, the election-pressured Israeli politicos decide that rockets on Sderot which claimed 4 lives in 2009, merited a military response which to date scores 1100 plus Gazan lives.Interestingly,the leaders of Ersatz-Israel unilaterally ceased 'operations to coincide with Barack
Obama assuming the levers of the commanding heights of the American imperium. Maybe they know something.(See the statement by Keren the Sabra in TigerHawk 3.0).

So we threw in the towel here at TigerHawk. Barack Obama and the tectonic shift in power he has consumed demands a new infra-structure to do these times justice.

Today on Dr.Martin Luther King Day 2009, we here are proud to announce the launch and premiere of TigerHawk 3.0. Today in the digital universe everything is 2.0.We decided on 3.0.Because We Can.Such is the sweeping power of an Obama Presidency to our collective psyche.Yes we can. Si se puede as the US Hispanics say.Further to recognize the iconic status of Mr.Obama we simultaneously unleash 'Chronicles in the Age of Barack' or Barack Chronicles for short.Also premiering today MLK Day 2009.Yesterday Obama spoke to a concert at the Lincoln Memorial invoking King's memory. Today he and Michelle Obama performed public gestures of community in Washigton D.C's predominantly black community.The man understands the power of images and postures. We're not mad at him , provided it is all to the Good.

We will be adding entries to the TigerHawk 3.0 and Barack Chronicles this week of Obama's Inauguration. The first item in TigerHawk 3.0 is the message from Haifa of an Israeli young woman I met at a Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles' China Town. Keren and her fellow Sabras had an intense discourse with Tiger on FaceBook and we agreed to dis-agree. However as a gesture of goodwill, I'm allowing her ideas to be presented here. She knows I do not agree with nor understand many points.An attempt to bridge the chasm which keeps the Gordian knot called the Israel/Palestine entangled for decades.Keren was since called up by the Reserves of the IDF(Israeli Defence Forces).We wish her safe return.

The Barack Chronicles will pick up from the 2008 Presidential victory and issues pressing on US and hence the incoming Obama Administration.We offer many fresh and stimulating angles on current events. Our 'Stimulus Plan'. Of course, we happily provide an Inauguration music Playlist to celebrate the rise of the Luo descendant to occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. a property built by African slaves, primarily frm West Africa.The Kenyans' slave activity in earlier centuries was with Arabs and in the Indian Ocean. Few made the Atlantic Middle Passage. So statistically for Obama to be of East African descent and soar to US power, we have a major aberration. All ingredients of our Hero's journey.

Congratulations to President Barack Hussein Obama!!

TigerHawk 3.0

BarackChronicles

Happy Dr Martin Luther King Day 2009/Eve of Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration.

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk.

Presidential Interregnum...Unto Inaugural Gala January 20,2009

Rihanna and Gucci Benefit UNICEF Full-Length E-film

Rihanna and House of Gucci Alliance

Holiday Greetings to you our loyal and steadfast TigerHawk Media supporters and audience. We hope you are enjoying our eclectic Obamania music playlist below.We are daily upgrading and editing the tracks , so be sure to re-fresh your browsers.We are proud our track record here at TigerHawk in BOLDLY 'calling' events/outcomes . We predicted Martin Scorsese's 'The Departed' for Oscar, Rihanna as a musical force and awards winner, and now Barack Obama as Landslide victor of US Presidential  election, and the Democrats' Trifecta of plurality in the Senate,the House of Representatives and of course The White House.

That's why you keep coming back here and you spread the good word.We thank you.We 'Take a Bow'.We know we've got something 'special' going on here at TigerHawk!!!

A key to our appeal is we approach the headlines and events from a wholistic and inter-related view.We know that  the regular media and opinion organs are vested in a specific world-view and by default an ideology which blinds them from recognizing the fundamentals of many topics/issues.We here at TigerHawk fortunately are un-encumbered by such linear and dogmatic ideology.We approximate the Zen Buddhist discipline of simplicity and clarity. Not simplistic, but simplicity.A big difference. We distill to the core essence a matter, remove the clouds of confusion, and most important share with more Light than Heat. So here, although we have an editorial point of view and preference, we throw no incendiary devices or recklessly stir up passions.More Light less Heat!! We take seriously and responsibly this Unique moment for Digital Media and broadcasting to get our perspective to a global audience. We desire to be on the Solution/results side of the equations.

Guess what?

We've barely started!!.Barack Obama's rendezvous with History and our collective Destiny is the next Journal of TigerHawk.We entitle it 'Chronicles in the Age of Barack'.A respectful tribute to that Oxford-schooled Irishman Alexander Cockburn at Counterpunch.Cockburn and James Ridgeway co-edited 'Annals in the Age of Reagan' at the Village Voice,back in the day.So much has transpired since November 4,2008.It is obviously very early, and he is President-Elect in Transition.But we have Hawk-Eye signs which we find augur well for a thrilling and bold US Administration  the next few years.Notwithstanding Clintonista appointments including HRC, we do not agree with Senor Cockburn, The venerable Nation (since 1865), and US progressives that Barack has abandoned the Good Fight.We will chop these matters up in subsequent posts.On the contrary, we suspect a visionary and stunningly daring agenda by the former Illinois Senator , more than enough to make Lincoln proud.The challenges are unprecedented in global economy, security, environment and more. However, we suspect we have an able and disciplined philosopher-king in the making.Pierre Eliot Trudeau of Canada is one of our statesmen references. After all Obama is a Harvard man, demonstrating intellectual courage, curiosity and scholarly leadership.A 21st century American Mandarin!!

Obama To open Cuba.....

So here, our loyal TigerHawk audience is a sneak preview of our predictions in the Age of Barack. We say as Richard Milhous Nixon, the uncompromising Cold Warrior opened China under Chairman Mao,Barack Hussein Obama will open Cuba under the Castro Hermanos.Sunday last The New York Times' Roger Cohen submitted a 10 page on the island article to the NYT Sunday magazine.A perfect storm in Miami and Havana is taking shape for rapprochement.Obama won Florida handily,the Cuban-American electorate less dominant now.American cutting edge Film-maker Steven Soderberg's 'Che' starring Benicio del Torre is the talk from Havana to Paris,due limited NY and L.A release this weekend.Further, as our Luo descendant Obama visits The Americas and the Caribbean, he will culturally and spiritually accelerate the healing of racial pain cause by the Trade of Slaves and the pre-Corporation called the Plantation.Additionally, as a Mulatto or Mestizo himself, Barack will 'feel' the other dimensions of US impact on the Hemisphere which predates 'Manifest Destiny' , 'The Roosevelt(Teddy) Corollary' and 'The Platt Amendment'

While the Middle East seems a proverbial Gordian Knot,an Enlightened US Administration has great leverage and influence for good in the Americas. The Hemisphere eagerly awaits the New Dawn, much like JFK's 'Alliance for Progress', and FDR's 'Good Neighbor Policy'.The food, music,dance and culture is where  we here at TigerHawk feel relevant to such a Hemispheric shift. Feel free to enjoy the rhythms in our Music player,some Cubano and Afro-Brazilian.In passing we note that the DJ House vibe  originated in Chicago.What wonderful cultural symmetry for an African-American from Chicago to visit Yoruba rich Bahia,Brazil and Santiago de Cuba and experience the commonality of rhythm and history? Michelle Obama boasts roots in South Carolina, the cradle of Africa in US with Goulah and Gychee traditions in full effect today.

Finally, Rihanna is a native of Barbados, a former British colony which boasts one of the globe's earliest Parliaments, and rare destination for US founding father George Washington. Rihanna's music has gone super-star on par with Jamaica's Robert Nesta Marley. As a woman of West Indian racial mix, she embodies the advanced social/cultural dynamics which can be an example to the USA which is still in novelty mode, over the First African-American President.We celebrate Rihanna's style and world class trend-setting.We embrace The Good,the Truth and always the Beautiful here at TigerHawk.

Dedicated to my Dear and Beautiful niece Mademoiselle A.

Happy Holidays!!

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk.

'De Hotta De Battle

De Sweetah De Victory!!'

Bob Marley

"Should he(Obama) win the White House, and it's winnable, will he be  FDR who challenges Wall St's dominance or will he be as they say in Latin American political circles a violin: Placed by the Left but played by the Right??"

TigerHawk

September 15,2008

"We here at TigerHawk are optimistic that civil society will impress on an Obama Presidency to do the right thing, as labor and communities pushed New York patrician Roosevelt(FDR) to advance the New Deal."

TigerHawk

October 20,2008

“Even if we are successful we will be facing bigger challenges than any administration since FDR,"

Manassas,Virginia

November 4,2008

Senator Barack Obama

Celebrating a new American Era...Obamania Music

(Remember to Re-Fresh for new tracks)

Stay tuned here for TigerHawk's take on the historic Obama Presidency.

Ache',Paz Y Luz.

TigerHawk

TigerHawk Music Interlude for November 4,2008

(Always Refresh for New Music added)

The Final Stretch-15 days out

A few moments ago Obama's camp revealed cancellation of campaign events for Mr.Obama to visit his ill grandmother in Hawaii.Just today the Illinois Senator cautioned NBC's Matt Bauer that despite the favorable poll number the race was 'tightening'. Campaign Obama was not getting cocky or letting their guard down.All remarkable after a weekend of major endorsements for him and record fund raising.Mr.David Plouffe,Obama campaign manager sent the video e-mail sharing the news of 600,000 mew volunteers in September to make a nationwide total of 3.1 million.Contributions for September totalled $150 million. Plouffe observed the average amount of $86.00,the primary contributors being retirees and college students.Further we were informed that in West Virginia and other states like Missouri(100,000 attended a St.Louis Obama rally) and North Carolina, oppurtunities were opening in these traditional Red states and ads were being placed.The money gave the campaign the power to respond decisively and open up on McCain's flanks taking the contest aggressively and effectively into the Republican terrain. What a different psychology from Al Gore and John Kerry, both outspent and played defensive campaigning. The grass-roots financial support has strategically altered the prospects of Obama victory as the economic malaise cools Red states to McCain.Florida is now 'in play' with Obama holding a tight lead.Significantly the US Supreme Court ruled at end of last week that Ohio's new 200,000 plus registered voters be protected from Republican court challenges to their voting credentials. A very important ruling as the record Democratic registration were targetted for GOP legal challenges to suppress the vote as in 2000 and 2004.

Now the icing on the cake. The Los Angeles Times has not endorsed a US Presidential candidate since 1972 when Richard M Nixon won a landslide over South Dakota's George McGovern.They endorsed Barack Obama this weekend online and in print.Welcome to the Digital age.Sunday morning former US Secretary of State Colin Powell crossed party lines and publicly endorsed Obama on network TV.General Powell went further and repudiated the tenor of McCain's campaign and selection of Governor Pailin, who the former Secretary deemed unqualified to be US Vice President.A stinging rebuke  for the Republicans. By Monday morn conseravtive radio-host Rush Limbaugh was imputing racial motives to Powell's decision.The current issue of Wired magazine reports that Google's co-founder Eric Schmidt was endorsing Obama and will be a public speaker in the closing campaign.We here at TigerHawk share with Mr.Google concern for preservation of Net Neutrality which allows our TigerHawk blog and other digital content the same level field as the corporate media players.

Democrats' Trifecta.....Heads must roll!!

The Republican National committee (RNC) should be nervous that Barack Obama gets all the press and no coverage of NY Senator Chuck Schumer and DNC Chairman Howard Dean.These two single-handedly snatched the 2006 mid-terms House and Senate majoritiesfrom Republican to Democratic control.The immediate result was removal of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and talk of a 'surge' in Iraq.The lame duck Presidency moved back a year early.Schumer may be out of sight but his 'work' is surely felt as Kentucky's Republican Senator and minority leader is scrambling to fight off an unknown Democrat businessman challenger.Supposedly 10 other GOP Senate seats are vulnerable in an age of Wall St meltdown, bail-out and Main St economic uncertainty.On Sunday the New York Times resident red-headed commentator Maureen Dowd wrote 'Heads must roll' as she reviewed the recklessness of AIG and the depletion of american's 401Ks and pensions.The anger is out there.There is 'Hell to pay' for America's economic quagmire.A bad season for incumbents, especially incumbents identified with financial 'slackness'.That reads Republicans.

Over in the House it's just as bad as housing foreclosures , $2 Trillion in pensions lost in 15 months and states facing budget shortfalls make a dangerous cocktail for Republicans. No wonder the clamor over the Wall St bail-out  gave the Congress pause before succumbing to Treasury Secretary's plan.The conditions are therefore ripe for a Democratic comeback in the House,The Senate and Obama in the White House.The Democrats' Trifecta.The wildest part is that the Red states believed to be in McCain column have improved Obama's prospects of going over 300 Electoral College votes. Today we hear that gasoline is just under $3.00,and  the stock market soars in response to credit  easing .These are good news for McCain.Anything to defuse the anger. If things keep up through November 4, the electorate will ignore the Bradley effect and vote hard-dore economics.Obama.A landslide is  within the zone of probability.

Krugman calls them out..what about 1907??

Last week the major European central bankers met in Washington along with the Japanese and Canadians.Later the European establishment unveiled a package of banking intervention tools, including capital infusion.Too late to save Iceland, but in time to fend off a continental run on banks.That weekend, Friday to be exact, Princeton Economics professor and New York times commentator Paul Krugman declared that Columbus Day weekend to be the deadline for co-ordinated intervention.The danger was the markets opening the following Monday in Asia, and Tuesday in US. Well,almost as a gift of appreciation,the Swedish Academy awarded Professor Krugman the 2008 Nobel Prize for Economics. The strange thing was that it was for research he submitted on international trade decades before.Whatever. To me it's like giving Denzel the Oscar for 'Training Day'.Long overdue after' Malcolm X' and 'Hurricane' , but he got recognized 'finally' when he wasn't looking for it. We disclose that Mr.Krugman has been quoted often by this blog over several months. Our Economics heavy.The mysteries of Award committees.We are thrilled for his recognition.Today October 20,in the same NYT,Mr.Krugman questions the McCain's championing of Joe the Plumber,  while most plumbers barely earn $48,000 a year and poised to benefit from Obama's tax proposal.

While we are all captive audience to the Obama historic quest, more mysterious events have been transpiring in the financial arena.For one,before the bankruptcy, Lehman Brothers after 158 years was valued at $72 Billion.. When the dust settled and UK'S Barclays Bank took ownership, the cost of the deal was a mere $258 million.Who arranged that gift for Barclays?When the $710 Billion bail-out proposal emerged from the caverns of Mr.Paulson's building, the temporary ban on selling short US bank stocks was enforced. Never in the annals of Anglo-Saxon capitalism and trading had such a rule been created.Columbus Day Monday, Mr.Paulson and co-hort Bernanke of the Federal Reserve invited the CEOs of the top 9 US banks to a meeting at the US Treasury.This was during the IMF annual meetings, so the chiefs assumed it another round of self-congratulations on teaching the ill-disciplined developng countries on finance management.You know, things like never intervening in the markets and maintaining responsible capital reserves..things that were practiced in Wall St sometime..not sure when. Anyway, the bankers were surprised(CBS' Lesley Stahl unveiled this drama on 60 minutes) to be given a three page offer (they could not refuse) of US Treasury ownership and investment in their banking companies. Note that the weekend of the Lehman and Merrill Lynch dissolving, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase suddenly and mysteriously shape-shifted into bank holding companies, ready to accept deposits etc. Newly re-incarnated Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan chiefs were now at the bankers 'seminar'.Note: Obama's capitalist supporter Buffet invested $5 Billion in Goldman as a stsatement of faith during uncertainties.Of course we assume no conflict despite Mr.Paulson being a former Goldman Sachs executive.We trust him.

1907 replay??

We all automatically look to 1929 whenever talk of finance doomsday arises.The crash that October set the stage for the 1930s Depression from which Franklin D Roosevelt responded with the New Deal of Social Security,WPA,SEC and more controls on the laissez-faire ideology.However, there was an earlier crisis in 1907 called the 'Rich man's' panic or the Bankers' Panic. Seems a few swashbuckling Financiers gambled the casino on some Western US investments which went sour. The New York Stock Exchange was wiped out 50%.The secondary 'Curb' market almost erased.The Curb(on The Street) was where the daring risk takers placed their market /casino bets.A company named KnickerBocker Trust became insolvent.Problem was many other 'respected' institutions

were in the mix. Well the man of the hour was the larger than life

JP Morgan who arranged meetings to 'iron-out' the discrepancies. Keep in mind this set the stage for the Federal Reserve 6 years later in 1913.Morgan was basically the banker of last resort. Today his name sake is prominent in these new 'bank incarnations'.Over the past weekend we have the 'incoherent' image of the US President W at Camp Daviid being 'impressed' by the French President on the necessity of holding an International Finance conference in November. When Governor Pailin accused Senator Obama of socialism today, forgetting the White House bail-outs recently in the100s of billions of US dollars, the Illinois Senator invoked billionaire Warren Buffett as a supporter.Former Carter Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker and Clinton Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin are Obama advisors.This leaves us to inquire.Will Obama be the intellectual disciple of the Finance community whose historic memory is long. These players know how to privatise the profit and spread/publicize the pain/costs.Remember Paulson running around exhorting Congressmen to sign off on a Trillion dollar blank check bail-out lest fire and brimstone of Depression rained down on all ? Barney Frank and other non-believers were not impressed.

We here at TigerHawk are optimistic that civil society will impress on an Obama Presidency to do the right thing, as labor and communities pushed New York patrician Roosevelt to advance the New Deal. Like JFK and Bill Clinton administrations we anticipate a resurgence of the arts and music. Happily here we present a TigerHawk playlist entitled 'Obama Landslide' which is a mix of inspiring  music ,more of which we anticipate enjoying during a 'Newer Deal'.

Ache',Paz Y Luz

TigerHawk