Prop This! By The Headless Banker

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:32:12 -0700

“By Presidential decree, I, Barack Obama, hereby proclaim that no citizen of the United States of America may spend a single dollar of his/her money without my consent and approval. Some of you may be wondering why we have to do this. The answer is very simple. Too many of you have been spending money on applesauce, and I don’t completely understand applesauce, so no one will be allowed to purchase anything at all.” Scary thought, isn’t it? Well ladies and gentlemen, that is what the latest Senate “reforms” are out to do with the Volcker rule, an outright ban of proprietary trading.

Proprietary (“prop”) trading is a term used in banking to describe when a firm's traders actively trade stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, their derivatives or other financial instruments with its own money as opposed to its customers' money. Why would a firm do this? Well, the same reason you would invest in the market – to make a profit. The sheer idea of banning prop trading is one of the most preposterous things that anyone on Wall Street has ever heard. To you commoners, it might seem very complicated, and being such, you have put your faith in Congress to sort through the mess and tell you what is good and bad for you (in Economics, we call this outsourcing…kind of like what you do when you call the mechanic to fix your private jet). Well good people of America, you’ve been hoodwinked. You see, Congress doesn’t understand it any more than you and instead of trying to understand what is going on, they have decided to ban it outright. If your lawmakers in Congress were to tell you that you weren’t allowed to invest your savings, you’d probably tell them to take a hike, right? Of course you would.

Yes, there are conflicts of interest that can arise from prop trading, but there are security measures in place to prevent that from happening. Do people break the rules sometimes? Sure! But just because your drunk uncle Larry keeps spending all his money on-what is it that you people drink- Pabst Blue Ribbon, doesn’t mean the government should dictate how you spend yours. Uncle Larry will drink himself to death, or he’ll be broke and living on the street. Doesn’t sit well with you? Fine, deal with his alcoholism, not his spending habits.

The good news is, it looks like the Volcker rule is facing some stiff opposition from some members of Congress and Wall Street alike. I’m just shocked that some elected officials even thought of this idea in the first place. Then again, look at Arizona.

Theatre Review: South Pacific By Ariana Mufson

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:12:13 -0700

Never having seen the Rogers & Hammerstein’s Pulitzer Prize winning drama South Pacific on stage, I jumped at the chance to attend the Lincoln Center Theater production at the Ahmanson (playing until July 17) which won seven 2008 Tony Awards in New York. The revival features a different cast but the same staging as the award winning production. As the overture began, it was clear I was in for a treat. Everything is top notch, from the direction to the lighting to the cast. This is must-see theater at its best.

The play takes place in World War II, on a tropical island in the South Pacific. Mainly occupied by the native Melanesians, the island also becomes a base for the US Navy to plan attacks on the Japanese. The show begins with US Navy Nurse Nellie Forbush (Carmen Cusack), as she falls in love with French plantation owner Emile de Becque (opera star Rod Gilfry), who has come to the South Pacific to escape his past. Everything seems perfect, but Nellie’s own prejudices against the natives prove a problem when Emile reveals a secret.

Meanwhile, Navy Airman Joe Cable (Anderson Davis) is deployed to the island to enact a dangerous mission to spy on the Japanese, and falls for a native girl, Liat (Sumie Maeda). He too falls prey to his own racial prejudice. While the former romance is more central to the show, the latter still provides plenty of emotional moments.

The musical’s main themes of love and race give rise to beautiful music, including the haunting “Bali-Ha’i” and the famous “Some Enchanted Evening,” sung to perfection by the masterful Gilfry. Gilfry’s operatic background could be a hindrance, but instead his aristocratic demeanor becomes part of the character and a pleasant contrast to the southern charm and humor of Cusack’s Nellie. Their chemistry is electric, and their duets blend in perfect harmony. Nellie’s solo numbers also soar, and bring a welcome light heartedness to the show. The group numbers are also a highlight, and the catchy tune “There is Nothin Like a Dame” sung by the navy ensemble is wonderfully choreographed and uses the stage to its fullest extent. The touring company exceeded my expectations, and I was delighted and enthralled.

Although the second act is weaker than the first, the pacing is easy to forgive with such an all around solid production. Even the most dramatic moments at the climax didn’t feel heavy handed, thanks to the nuanced direction which draws you into the characters and songs. The themes resonated even after the show was over, and I found myself humming “Some Enchanted Evening” long after I had left the theater. As long as you want a night of unabashed romance and old fashioned over the top musical fun, South Pacific will not disappoint.

Ariana Mufson, a Boston native, studied English and Film at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Awarded the Akiva Goldsman prize in screenwriting, Mufson then accepted the Ford Fellowship in Wesleyan's Writing Program, before moving to Los Angeles to work in film and television development. She has reviewed theater for Curtainup.com since 2004 and in 2009 became a founding member of "The 4th Wall Geffen Playhouse Arts Alliance" which provides and encourages experiences that enrich, challenge, inspire and motivate Young Hollywood in both creation and patronage of the arts.

Deepwater Horizon: The Unthinkable Price of Hubris By Lance McFaddin Gilliam

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:55:37 -0700

We are all shaped by place. In Los Angeles, a city with a huge transplant community, you’ll frequently hear someone has “gone Hollywood” or is so “East Coast.” These are frequently flippant statements but they speak to the greater truth that, no matter where we go, we carry with us a piece of home, wherever home may be. I grew up in Texas, about forty five minutes from the Gulf Coast. Down there, the Gulf of Mexico is more than merely a body of water; it’s a part of your collective consciousness. It’s where we saw the ocean for the first time. It was our first wave, our childhood family trip, our high school weekend get away. We spent an hour in the car, an eternity for a child, driving to the marshes to try and catch a glimpse of a crane, alligator or nutria. We lucky Texans, Louisianans, Mississippians, Alabamans and Floridians know the Gulf and the wetlands it feeds as something magical, something glorious. Well, “Sic transit gloria.”
The town of Eton in southern England is a long way from the American Gulf Coast. Eton is the home town of BP CEO Tony Hayward. Hayward has been the target of a lot of scorn lately; it isn’t every day that the President of the United States implies he’d like to “kick your ass,” or at least that of the company you manage and for which you provide the public face. This comment produced a lot of hand wringing across the political echo chamber on both sides of the Atlantic (even from those who were, presumably, big fans of Dick “Go ‘F’ yourself, Senator” Cheney), but I think President Obama was saying what the citizens of the Gulf Coast were all thinking. Contrast this sentiment to that of Tony Hayward who, according to an interview with USA Today on June 1, said that “There’s no one who wants this thing over more than I do, I’d like my life back.” Bad news, Dr. Hayward, you cannot have your life back and, frankly, you do not even have the right to ask for it back. The fishermen of the Louisiana coast will likely never have their lives back. Even if we completely dismantled BP tomorrow, Dr. Hayward would be able to retire comfortably, albeit in shame, to his stately manor in Kent. The average citizen of the Gulf Coast, living paycheck to paycheck, big catch to big catch, or tourist season to tourist season doesn’t have that luxury. I know that there are many thousands of average citizens who also depend on BP and the offshore drilling industry in general, but the true victims of the Deepwater Horizon disaster will be those citizens who lived in harmony with the fragile ecosystems which are currently being destroyed.
How did it come to this? There is much to be found between the lines of the realistically stark pronouncements of Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen: the Gulf Coast as we knew it is now a thing of the past. There is no putting the proverbial toothpaste back in the tube and we have no one to blame but ourselves and our hubris. Yes, we should hold Tony Hayward and BP accountable for their irresponsible management. Yes, we should absolutely bury Transocean for their third and most tragic oil rig explosion since 2002. We must have justice and when we do it will feel good, no doubt about that, but we have to examine the deeper causes as well. When America wanted to extend its territory to the Pacific, they called it “Manifest Destiny.” When we sought to connect our vast continent and tame the very forces of nature which range it, we spent years building a remarkable array of dams and highways; true testaments to the indomitable American spirit. We have conquered our continent, yet we refuse to rest. American exceptionalism drives us to press on. We seek to plumb the depths of the oceans and in doing so we have become Icarus, flying on wax wings too close to the sun. Technology and determination will never make us invincible; we will never be immune to disaster. As much as September 11, 2001 showed us that we are not militarily invulnerable and inspired a serious introspection (amongst many, at least) about how we regard diplomacy and defense, so must this most recent disaster make us take a serious look at our own limitations. We can punish the malfeasance of the bad actors, of course, and there’s plenty of blame to go around, but that will not solve the problem. If any good can possibly come from this tragedy of unfathomable scale, it must be a serious moment to step back and see our limits. We cannot continue to press inexorably forward. If we intend to make progress that progress must be more Hegelian, more dialectical: our thesis, that of limitless growth, has now run into its anti-thesis with a sickening gush, and we must now find the synthesis that will carry us out of our suicidal hubris.
Next week I am traveling back to my home in Houston and intend to take a day trip to the Louisiana Gulf Coast. I do not know what I will see, smell or hear there, but I do know what I will find. There, in the marshes and on the beaches, I will find the fruits of our boundless ambition, the gooey, foul smelling, tar ball, fruits of our ambition.

Mobile Vegan By Claude Morton

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:25:49 -0700

Being lost and starving sucks! Being lost, starving and a vegan really sucks. Finding a vegan friendly restaurant while traversing much of the world is down right impossible at times, which makes having a well balanced diet on the road very tough.

With less than 2% of Americans being vegans in the United States, finding a square vegan meal anywhere between Iowa and Colorado can become a great vegan-survival getaway, forging for any fruits, vegetables, grains, and berries unscathed by meat or diary products.

Even finding people who know what vegans are in most of the plane states becomes like a real life Jay Leno Tonight show skit, where most Americans seem intellectually-challenged by the simplest of questions.

Dare tell folks you’re a vegan in Oklahoma, Texas, or Montana, and you just might end up being what’s for dinner. I once had an Oklahoman tell me he has never had vegan before but they do have ostrich in the back if I wanted to try that instead (he wasn’t kidding).

Fortunately, for vegans there exist some fundamental tools for anyone daring to travel to dietetically-challenged states or countries: the Internet, along with your choice of any Yippie essential hardware, can be your roadmap to a full belly. The following websites: VegGuide.Org, Happycow.net, and SuperVegan.com (for NYC), are great places to start.

Over the last ten years I found VegGuide.org to be the most complete and accurate list, but the user reviews and ratings found on Happycow.net come in handy and have led my starving stomach to some killer vegan restaurants on the east coast and in Canada.

I will warn that some of these restaurants use of the term “vegan” and “vegan-friendly” loosely, and for hard core vegans, I would stick to restaurants strictly labeled vegan or else you’ll be taking a dietary-risk.

If you do find yourself using these websites while on the road or in your home state, make sure you jot down numerous restaurants in your search for sustenance as vegan restaurants come and go like the life-span of a baby cow raised to become veal shanks. Happy travels!

Movie Review: “MacGruber” By Ariana Mufson

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Saturday Night Live skits rarely make a successful transition from TV screen to wide screen. MacGruber is no exception. Possibly the worst film in recent memory, I was shocked when many reviews were split 50/50. Thankfully, theater goers ignored the movie during opening weekend, and it had the worst debut for any movie in wide release so far in 2010.

Whereas the SNL sketch may elicit a few chuckles, the film version feels like an over the top parody that doesn’t even know how to properly make fun of its source material. Sure, MacGruber is a blatant reference to MacGyver, but the key to the sketch was that MacGruber (played by Will Forte) is the opposite of a suave, resourceful, bomb-detonating hero; he’s a wreckless idiot, whose haphazard attempts to diffuse a bomb with everything from feces to a rubber band never end up working—he and his colleagues most often end up dead at the end of every sketch.

The problem, then, in making MacGruber into a feature film is that the main character must LIVE if the story is to continue for 90 (unbearable) minutes. The plot never makes this plausible—MacGruber is introduced as a decorated member of the military, but when he’s given a menial task he’s clueless. That he has survived this long leads one to believe that he must be smart, but instead he makes mistake after mistake after mistake. Frankly, it would have been more interesting to watch MacGyver. Whereas spoof comedies like Austen Powers (starring SNL alum Mike Meyers) have the sense to make every character over the top, MacGuber grounds the supporting characters so that he’s the only one that feels out of place.

As such, the audience is left confused, and the attempts at humor feel out of place, unwarranted, and regurgitated. What laughs there were in the audience came from the occasional pithy one liner—but they were few and far between. By the time the film ended, I was rooting for MacGruber to finally end as the sketches so often do—with everyone being blown up. Frankly, when the credits rolled it was a relief. If anything, the film is more proof that SNL skits should stick to TV.

The Politics of Sports By Elena Cruz

Mon, 24 May 2010 14:39:10 -0700

There are times when sports and politics collide. Usually it’s individual athletes speaking out on an issue or endorsing a candidate. When a whole team, league or players association jumps into the political ring, it’s hard not to notice. Personally I prefer the two to stay separate, but there comes a time when it’s unavoidable. This is the case with the Phoenix Suns and calls for Major League Baseball to pull the 2011 All-Star Game from Phoenix.
Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver announced that for Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, the Suns would wear jerseys saying ‘Los Suns’ to show support for the phoenix Latino community and protest against Arizona’s new immigration law. The Phoenix Suns previously wore the ‘Los Suns’ jerseys wore in March part of the NBA’s Noche Latina campaign. The Spurs were willing to join the Suns with their own ‘Los Spurs’ jerseys but were unable to get them in time for the game. Sarver has spoken out against the law, joining a growing group of opposition. I think it’s a bold move by an organization like the Suns and the National Basketball Association. The fact that it’s game two during the playoffs makes the gesture grander then during the regular season.
The NBA like Major League Baseball has a diverse fan base that includes Hispanics. Hispanics also make up a 30 percent of MLB players, a number that has increased over the years. MLB caters to its Hispanic fan base by providing Spanish versions of their websites. MLB has strong ties to the Hispanic community not only in the United States but also in Latin America. Arizona’s immigration law caused players and managers to speak out.
The baseball players union issued a statement saying ‘The recent passage by Arizona of a new immigration law could have a negative impact on hundreds of major league players who are citizens of countries other than the United States.’ Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said that if was asked to go to the All-Star Game next year and the Arizona law was still in effect he wouldn’t go. Recently organizations like the Rainbow Collation have written letters to Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig asking him to pull the 2011 All-Star game from that state. Selig initially said he wasn’t going to make a decision about pulling the All-Star Game from Phoenix.
In a press conference May 13, Selig gave a round about answer to the 2011 All-Star Game. Saying, “"We have nine [minority] managers, 10 last year. Five general managers, that's an all-time high. In 1992 when I took over [as Commissioner], 2 percent was our minority participation. Today, it's in excess of 24 percent. Obviously almost 40 percent of our players are minorities.” Selig went on to say “We're a social institution. We've done everything we should do. It's our responsibility. We're privileged to do it. And we'll continue to do it. I'm proud of that. That's the issue and that's the answer.” For now the 2011 All-Star game is going to still be in Phoenix.

Dude, Not in My Beer! By Claude Morton

Mon, 24 May 2010 11:37:32 -0700

Ever have that situation where your out on the town or at an event and someone offers you something to eat or drink that just makes your stomach churn? Being a vegan is a lot like that on most days. One of the most vivid memories I have of such a day is when I was drinking a glass of wine, a glass of wine that flooded my taste buds in a symphony of rancid funk.

That complex sweet garbage nastiness flavor usually associated with animal fat, butter, sour cream, and most cheeses along with a fishy musk infiltrated my sinuses like some anti-histamine created by BALCO Laboratories!

My initial thought was, "What in the hell is wrong with this wine and the person who served it to me?" And then my paranoid delusional side instantly pointed the finger towards someone spiking this wine with animal products.

Out came the WiFi internet ready device of my choice, and before I could finish writing this sentence, the answer was before my unbelieving eyes on Google.

A good number of beers and wines have anything from pork products to dried blood to milk and eggs and yes even fish involved in their production. Not a huge believer in all things biblical but if this isn’t a sign that the end is near, I don’t know what is. Why in wine and beer, and what have I ever done to deserve such cruelty?

As I researched the reasons behind this insanity, the vegan dream killer known as history reared its ugly head once again. The use of animal products in beer and wine goes back thousands of years when people used everything they could salvage from a slaughtered animal in their daily lives. They use such things as bone charcoal, pig’s hooves, egg whites, caseins, and fish bladders, not to gross you out but to refine the “impurities” in your beer and wine, like yeast, natural grape skins and stems.

I guess if you’re going to live like a caveman, you’ll also be drinking like one. For the rest of my vegan buddies and anyone else interested in experiencing beers and wines from the 21st century, Barnivore.com, is a great place to check up on your next drink. Then you can avoid having that rancid fish flavored slim covering your tongue from the gelatin created from sturgeon (those are fish bladders used to make your wine “better”) - Bon appetit!

Really, I’m Just a Stepford Wife With Hairy Armpits By Aria DesRoberts

Mon, 24 May 2010 11:24:33 -0700

I prefer to think of myself as a non-conformist, a Bohemian, and on particular grandiose days, even a revolutionary. I read Kafka and Nietzsche, have my nose pierced, have traveled to third-world countries seeking reprieve from consumerism, sometimes don’t shave and hardly brush my hair. But what I prefer to think isn’t the truth. The truth is, I am more like a Stepford wife with hairy armpits. I only stayed in those third-world countries for a few months and I came home to a house in the suburbs on a street that looks like every other street, and just to top off the cliché, I have a yellow lab and a baby. And, really, a lot of people have their nose pierced, anyway. I am no revolutionary. I might use recycled toilet paper, but in all the ways that truly matter, I am just like everyone else on my cul-de-sac.

Or maybe I am wrong. Maybe the little things matter tremendously. Maybe those small everyday differences add up to make us each undeniably different from the next. We are certainly labeled by the sum of those small differences. And maybe I make assumptions about the people who live in suburbs. Scratch that, I KNOW I make assumptions. I have never looked at their armpits or toilet paper.

And I am not quite sure what it is about being like everyone else is so off-putting to me. We are humans, there are over 6 billion of us, and at least in the western world, all of our experiences seem to fall within a fairly narrow band of variation. As Maya Angelou poignantly pointed out, “We are more alike, friend, than we are unalike”. Yet, I desperately want to be different, unique, brand-new. Or, closer to the truth, I want people to think of me as different, unique and brand-new. I think, if we were being honest, all of us want to be seen that way. It is never considered a compliment to be told you are just like everyone else.

So, really, we all the same in wanting to be different. Is that right? Or am I wrong again? Because it also seems the opposite is true: we all want to belong, feel part of, feel known. And I guess this is the contradiction of being human in this day and age. We are inherently dichotomous: Ying and yang, freedom with safety, love without restriction, meditation while drinking Starbucks, hybrid SUVS, hippies living in the suburbs. We are steadfastly individual, just like everyone else. And perhaps the revoluntionaryness I am seeking already exists in all the little, subtle, differences. I am already distinct, even if I wasn’t the only tract home on the block with prayer flags.

Movie Review: “Ironman 2” By Ariana Mufson

Fri, 14 May 2010 18:41:26 -0700

It’s May, or in Hollywood terms: the start of summer movie season. Arriving in theaters last Friday, Iron Man 2 had a great deal to live up to. Its predecessor, Iron Man, gave a well-needed boost to comic book adaptations and broke box office records in one fell swoop. Luckily, by monetary standards, the sequel did not disappoint. Domestically, it succeeded in ousting the first installation with a $133.6 million opening weekend.

From a creative standpoint, director Jon Favreau again delivers a solid film, due mainly to the acting from Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark), Gwyneth Paltrow (Piper Potts) and newcomer to the franchise Mickey Rourke (the villain, Ivan Vanko). Although the film could certainly use an edit, overall it succeeds in rising above standard popcorn fair. Moreover, it is more entertaining than all of the spring studio offerings thus far.

Plot wise, Iron Man 2 does an excellent job of filling us in on the six months since Stark’s announcement to the world that he is, indeed, Iron Man. Still, the exposition heavy beginning wastes time that could have been put to better use in rounding out the ending with more action and tension.

It’s Downey Jr. and Paltrow who again stand out, with dialogue that caters to their chemistry and allows for playful banter. Their quips get most of the laughs, and rightfully so. Scarlett Johansson is passable as Black Widow, the undercover Shield operative, but she’s somewhat forgettable. It was hard not to wonder if Emily Blunt, who was originally cast, might have done a better job. Likewise, Don Cheadle serves well as Stark’s friend and ally Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes. While Terrence Howard played the role in the original, Favreau smoothes the transition through a little tongue in cheek humor when Cheadle enters the screen for the first time. Luckily, between this and Cheadle’s performance, he segues into the role without a hitch.

Rourke was beautifully cast as the brainy and brawny villain, but for all his character’s smarts I expected more of a climactic twist. And that was my biggest problem with the film. Although Stark has extreme inner turmoil to sort out, there’s never a real feeling of desperation or conflict. The ending especially felt rushed (as it did in the first). Even though Favreau allows for a drawn out action chase, the stakes never feel that high. For a fleeting moment there’s a bit of danger to a few of our main characters, but that’s quickly extinguished before we even have a chance to worry whether one of them will make it to the sure-to-be-filmed next installment. I found myself wishing for a bit more of Chris Nolan and his darker, moodier climaxes that are often so bitter sweet.

Then again, that’s not really Favreau’s style – and for all the gloss and glitz, Iron Man 2 does exactly what it sets out to do – entertain. In a summer movie season laden with sequels we’ll be lucky if many of the rest of them follow suit.

Information Terrorists Hijack Our Airwaves By Nomiki Konst

Thu, 6 May 2010 00:51:07 -0700

“Attention Mainstream Media! I have a challenge for you: "A Day Without the Tea Party." I challenge cable networks and their hosts and pundits, for one day, to ignore the Tea Party movement and focus on issues that affect everyday people, also known as their audience.
Which of the following issues matter to you the most?  • The 989 billion tax dollars and 5,450 lives spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. • America's growing homeless population due to the jobless rate • America's failing public school system • The OECD's recent report that shows the US has nearly doubled the average child poverty level of industrialized nations • Potential nuclear weapons in North Korea, Iran and Pakistan  Inspired by Walter Shapiro's 60-hour cable newsathon diet for Politics Daily, I recently conducted a cable news experiment to find out what issues matter to the media. My roommate just purchased a fancy-schmancy television for our living room, so what better time to conduct my experiment? Full disclosure up front: I am not a scientist, nor a statistician, nor do I have a team of experts readily available for consult. But I do have DVR, timer and calculator apps on my iPhone...”
Read the rest at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nomiki-konst/information-terrorists-hi_b_563019.html

Wall Street Confession By The Headless Banker

Sat, 1 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

People always ask me what it’s like to work on Wall Street. My answer is always the same: It’s not the devil’s sweatshop, contrary to what some might have you believe. I have a nice corner office in a very typical New York building in the heart of the financial district. I have a buxom blonde assistant, handpicked, to bring me my morning coffee and pick up my dry cleaning among various other duties. I have a cobbler visit my office twice a week to shine my shoes and a particularly leggy redhead who swings by every other week and manages to sell me another custom suit I don’t need. In the evenings, I take a black cab to my penthouse condo. I do not rob old ladies, I do not peddle illicit services and I do not suck people’s blood. That’s my lawyer’s job.

We Wall Streeters aren’t all that different from you. We have two eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth, just like you. Inside our bodies there beats a heart just like yours. We have families, homes, and cars, well…almost like yours. In fact, you’ve been married to us for decades and you probably haven’t even realized it. When you need a loan to buy that new car so you can get to work on time, we’re there for you. When you need a mortgage to buy your dream home, we’re there for you. When you contribute your hard earned cash to your 401(k), we’re there for you. Even when your boss gives you that raise, we’re the ones that make it all possible.

The media has been demonizing Wall Street recently and I just wanted to take the time to set the record straight. We are not your enemies. We are your friends, your knights in business suited armor. We will fight for your right to succeed and prosper. We don’t even ask for much in return. All we ask is that you treat us with the same love and respect that a spouse deserves (and for you to put out once in a while). You see, the secret to a great marriage is lots of love, understanding and support. Now I know what some of you are thinking; why should we be the only ones to give all this love, understanding and support to Wall Street? Isn’t it supposed to be a two-way street? Well, yes. And although you might feel like we haven’t expressed it in the last few years, we have. Allow me to explain.

What is that your heart desires? What is the “American Dream?” To go from relative obscurity to wildly successful as a direct result of your blood, sweat and tears, am I right? Well, believe it or not, Wall Street is always working behind the scenes to make sure that happens. When Wall Street does well, local businesses do well. We’re that much more likely to go out every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and drop thousands of dollars the restaurants, clubs and bars that we frequent. We offer generous tips to the hard working waiters and waitresses who serve us. Whether it’s something as simple as going out for lunch and dinner more often, or something as drastic as splurging on a new car or a new home, we make a difference in the community. When the various industries that we support, thanks to our hard earned bonuses (because we make paltry salaries), do well, you do well. Those industries make money and in turn are willing to expand, which creates more jobs.

Wall Street isn’t just a road in New York. We are everywhere. Your local stockbroker, the various corporations that dot the landscape across the heartland of this great country and your local banks all revolve around the Street. Even President Obama recently echoed this sentiment when he delivered his speech in New York ahead of his push for “financial reform.” "Wall Street and Main Street are inseparable," he said. "There is no dividing line," he said. "They will rise and fall together," he said. Of course, this was after two years of demonizing Wall Street and painting us as the fat cats profiting at the expense of the weak, but still, at least he finally got it…sort of.

You don’t need to try to punish us with “financial reform” as you call it. I guess I just want you all to know that we are keenly aware that in these hard economic times, it is imperative that we all do our part to tighten our belts. Without Wall Street, there is no Main Street. Without Main Street, there is no summer in south of France for our wives and girlfriends. This is why I have sold one of my five mansions and my neighbor sold his Lamborghini. We get it.

Restaurant Review: Pizza Fusion An Organic, Vegan, “Gluten-Friendly” Take on Pizza By Ariana Mufson

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:14:51 -0700

The other night my boyfriend and I were trying to find a taco Tuesday special in our neighborhood with little luck. Instead, we landed on the idea of walking over to a place I've been dying to try: Pizza Fusion. While my boyfriend could happily subsist on hot pockets, fast food and stir fry, I've got dietary restrictions and a propensity to support as many organic and sustainable businesses as I can (especially after viewing "Food, Inc.") My cholesterol is through the roof, even though I have long ago omitted red meat from my diet, which means I have to stay away from cheese and high fat dairy--making most pizza places a definite NO. Highly processed carbs are also on the "no" list, which is another strike in pizza's direction. This makes it sometimes difficult to agree on a compromise that both us can happily eat.

Luckily, Pizza Fusion managed to satiate us both while fulfilling my desire to support businesses that cater to eco friendly practices. Their website reads: "Our mission is to uphold the highest level of integrity in all we do, from the quality and origin of our food to our care for the health of our customers and the environment." As such, their menu is 75% organic. They offer both multigrain AND gluten free crusts (unfortunately gluten free only comes in large) and many vegan options as well. Their website also boasts, "All of our meats are Certified Humane and contain no preservatives or hormones." On Tuesdays the West Hollywood location even offers $5-$10 off their organic wine selection. As neither of us were quite in the mood to finish a bottle, my boyfriend opted for an organic, gluten-free beer that was delicious. His choice was difficult, considering they offer over a dozen on tap.

For dinner, he had a cheese and sausage pizza on organic white crust, whereas I went for the eggplant on multigrain. I added chicken for some extra protein, but found it a bit tasteless and dry (I ended up picking it off). Despite the delicious smell of the cheese, and a vegan/soy cheese option, I opted for a "no cheese" pizza and it was still delicious--I didn't even get a funny look from the waitress when I ordered. To top it off, organic garlic salt and organic red chili flakes were brought to the table with our food.

All in all, we both really liked the taste of the super thin crust and farm fresh ingredients. Not to mention the fantastic service! When our waitress noticed I had picked the chicken off my pizza, she omitted it from the bill -- I didn't even have to ask. Satisfied (and both of us having finished all 4 slices of our personal pies) we agreed this will definitely become a regular on our restaurant list. Thankfully, Pizza Fusion satisfied my picky diet, my boyfriend's cheese and meat loving appetite, AND my desire to support businesses that offer organic and sustainable options.