If the Bush Administration Ran a Gift Shop

Abu Ghraib coffee table, by Phillip Toledano.

Over the course of eight long years George Bush's presidency has provided us with searing images of human brutality and suffering that will haunt the American conscience for generations. Artist and photographer Phillip Toledano created a series of installation artworks for the exhibition America the Gift Shop, that takes those images and crystallizes them like souvenirs of the Bush Administration. Toledano notes that, "We buy souvenirs at the end of a trip, to remind ourselves of the experience. What do we have to remind us of the events of the last eight years?

According to Toledano 's site he created the "products" to reflect “the current foreign policy in the fun-house mirror of American commerce.” As Toledano told Vanity Fair, he hopes that “as we draw near to the election, this work may remind people of what the current administration has done, and choose not to elect someone (McCain) who would happily give us more of the same.”

Thankfully, none of the "products" are actually for sale, so no one will profit from these scenes of American imperialism and barbarism. View more of the "products" at America the Gift Shop .

What do you all think? Thought provoking or too far?

*Tip of the fitted to Vulture

Ludacris' "Politics"

Obama has come out against Ludacris’ new song “Politics” calling the song "outrageously offensive". The Obama is trying to distance himself from song which calls Hillary Clinton an irrelevant bitch, says the only chair McCain belongs in is a wheelchair, and calls Bush mentally handicapped.

"Ludacris is a talented individual but he should be ashamed of these lyrics," said Mr Obama's spokesman Bill Burton. Burton added: "As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he doesn't want his daughters or any children exposed to."

While I understand Obama is trying to steer clear from attacks on other candidates, I think he’s really coming down hard on the man he told Rolling Stone was one of hip-hop’s "great talents and great businessmen". Before announcing his presidential bid, Obama meet with Ludacris in 2006 to discuss youth issues. While I might not always agree with his lyrics, Ludacris does a lot of community outreach and has been mobilizing people to vote for Obama since he first announced his candidacy.

The hip hop generation promises to be one of the most powerful voting blocs this November so I hope this doesn’t alienate these really important young voters.

Source: BBC News

Oliver Stone's W

Oliver Stone's new Dubya bio pic W portrays Bush as a hard boozing, drugging, party hound. Josh Brolin looks great in the role. It looks like a raucous film and its no surprise that Josh Brolin, Jeffery Wright (who plays Colin Powell), and 5 crew members got arrested for getting rowdy in the Louisiana bar the Stray Cat during filming.