Journalist Edward Luce has written an article "A Fearsome Foursome" that is the talk of political circles. He openly discusses what has been bantered about in private dinner parties inside the Beltway. Luce's article is one of those rare ones that comes along and suddenly crystallizes everyone's private concerns about Obama's inner circle. After an arguably weak and indecisive year, people have been seeking answers and solutions so that the Democrats are not hammered in the coming elections. Few stars have emerged in the Obama team among the Cabinet as if they have been kept under wraps. Well, apparently they have been intentionally hidden from the public.

In the Financial Times (FT.com), Luce writes:

Pundits, Democratic lawmakers and opinion pollsters offer a smorgasbord of reasons - from Mr Obama's decision to devote his first year in office to healthcare reform, to the president's inability to convince voters he can "feel their [economic] pain", to the apparent ungovernability of today's Washington. All may indeed have contributed to the quandary in which Mr Obama finds himself. But those around him have a more specific diagnosis - and one that is striking in its uniformity. The Obama White House is geared for campaigning rather than governing, they say.

In dozens of interviews with his closest allies and friends in Washington - most of them given unattributably in order to protect their access to the Oval Office - each observes that the president draws on the advice of a very tight circle. The inner core consists of just four people - Rahm Emanuel, the pugnacious chief of staff; David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, his senior advisers; and Robert Gibbs, his communications chief.

Luce continues:

With the exception of Mr Emanuel, who was a senior Democrat in the House of Representatives, all were an integral part of Mr Obama's brilliantly managed campaign. Apart from Mr Gibbs, who is from Alabama, all are Chicagoans - like the president. And barring Richard Nixon's White House, few can think of an administration that has been so dominated by such a small inner circle.

"It is a very tightly knit group," says a prominent Obama backer who has visited the White House more than 40 times in the past year. "This is a kind of 'we few' group . . . that achieved the improbable in the most unlikely election victory anyone can remember and, unsurprisingly, their bond is very deep."

The article then illuminates on Obama's failure to communicate about healthcare and to use his Cabinet:

"Historians will puzzle over the fact that Barack Obama, the best communicator of his generation, totally lost control of the narrative in his first year in office and allowed people to view something they had voted for as something they suddenly didn't want," says Jim Morone, America's leading political scientist on healthcare reform. "Communication was the one thing everyone thought Obama would be able to master."

Whatever issue arises, whether it is a failed terrorist plot in Detroit, the healthcare bill, economic doldrums or the 30,000-troop surge to Afghanistan, the White House instinctively fields Mr Axelrod or Mr Gibbs on television to explain the administration's position. "Every event is treated like a twist in an election campaign and no one except the inner circle can be trusted to defend the president," says an exasperated outside adviser.

Perhaps the biggest losers are the Cabinet members. Kathleen Sebelius, Mr Obama's Health Secretary and formerly governor of Kansas, almost never appears on television and has been largely excluded both from devising and selling the healthcare bill. Others such as Ken Salazar, the interior secretary who is a former senator for Colorado, and Janet Napolitano, head of the Department for Homeland Security and former governor of Arizona, have virtually disappeared from view.

Administration insiders say the famously irascible Mr Emanuel treats cabinet principals like minions. "I am not sure the president realises how much he is humiliating some of the big figures he spent so much trouble recruiting into his Cabinet," says the head of a presidential advisory board who visits the Oval Office frequently. "If you want people to trust you, you must first place trust in them."

There are tons more insights in Luce's article and I urge you toread all of it by clicking here.

From London's "Daily Mail" comes the marvelous story of the amazing encounter of three cheetahs with a baby antelope. Every once in a while the animal kingdom presents us with a story that makes our hearts melt. In October of last year, photographer Michael Denis-Huot came upon the cheetahs in Kenya's Masai-Mara. The cheetahs had company. A tiny antelope was there with them clearly intended for dinner. But evidently either the cheetahs were tired or full after the chase or maybe it was the lovely baby eyes of the antelope. Either way, the baby antelope is the luckiest animal in Africa. After patting it and licking it, the cheetahs simply let the baby get away. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

When you think of Africa and its people you have to think of Pieter Hugo. The South African photographer has traveled the continent chronicling the intricacies of its beautiful people. Using Cape Town as his base, his works are etched into the memory of many. His haunting photographs of the "Ghosts of Rwanda" and his concept of human circus with "The Hyena and other Men" leave us breathless with unforgettable images. Yossi Milo Gallery continues its excellence by inviting back Hugo for his second show starting later this month. The winner of the 2008 "Discovery Award" does not disappoint.

Trekking to Nigeria for the second time, Hugo takes us deep inside the world of "Nollywood." Say what? That's right, Nigeria has the third largest film industry in the world and pumps out over 1,000 movies a year. Unknown to the rest of the world, these films go to the heart of everyday issues in Africa with a richness envoking the stories of their lives. With his magical camera, Hugo captures the actors in these films with a starkness that is haunting. When I first saw the photographs without knowing about Nollywood, I assumed he was photographing the eccentrics among all of us. Some made me uneasy and restless since I have such a love for Africa. Knowing their background as actors made me relax and celebrate the art of this remarkable photographer one more time.

Pieter Hugo's photos are Africa, and as such, he has become the photographer of record on the lives of Africans. We can all name the photographers who bring memorable shots of wildlife but Hugo is the first to emerge as a genius in capturing the heart and spirit of the African people. For that we all owe him a huge debt of thanks.

Yossi Milo Gallery opens its second Pieter Hugo show on February 25 and it will close on April 8. The gallery is located at 525 West 25th in New York City. Do yourself a favor and head down to Chelsea and see a remarkable man's extraordinary talent on full display.

 

Nothing makes Americans more insane than sex. They can deal with vivid images of war, starving children and horrifying disasters but God forbid we should expect them to relax about anything that hints of sexuality. In public life, if sex is involved, off with their heads! Despite the fact that everyday Americans practice a wide range of sexual fantasies - regardless of ideology or faith. Many of those who are quick to judge others and cry "Shame!" often have a closet full of dark sexual secrets or fantasies -complete with AA batteries.

Just travel to Hollywood, Florida and ask cop Mike Verdugo or maybe I should say, former cop Mike Verdugo. He is a prime example of the need for all of us to come to terms with the undeniable fact that human beings are sexual people with a wide range of interests. Verdugo was the first openly gay member of the Hollywood, Florida Police Department. For ten years, he performed with the kind of excellence that would make any law enforcement officer proud. He served on the SWAT team and worked in dangerous undercover work to bring a halt to the drug trade in the area. For the entire decade he served with a distinguished record free from any taint or controversy. While suffering some harassment being a gay in the department, it did not stop him from serving with honor, courage and integrity. Verdugo is exactly the kind of policeman we all would like serving in our city.

That is until recently when the shocking discovery was made that before he entered the department, Verdugo actually had a personal life. That means he had adventurous sex. And some of it ended up on film. Wow. That is simply shocking isn't it? One can imagine the thousands of criminals that would flock to Hollywood, Florida if they had that knowledge. The whole system of law enforcement must have been placed at risk. After all, we know with 100% certainty not one of any of the other officers ever had adventurous sexual escapades. Yet statistics tell us that such sexual activity is widespread and it seems a way of life now for couples to take pictures of themselves for their own personal enjoyment or gratification.

Turns out that about six years before joining the Hollywood Police Department, Verdugo did a 'soft porn' and appeared naked in the film. Now, I have to be honest with you here. If I looked like Verdugo, I might be tempted to walk around naked all the time including shopping, meetings and picnics. However, as soon as the pictures were discovered, Verdugo was fired after ten yeas of distinguished service. Am the only one that thinks this ludicrous? He never posed naked as a police officer. We spent tens of thousands of dollars training and developing him over the ten years to create the kind of expert law enforcement we all want. And now he has been officially banished for strictly Puritanical reasons.

Forget the criminals he brought down or the drug dealers driven out of town; the moment we saw his 'magic wanger' with his hands tied, he was toast. Verdugo has taken all of this to court and gone public with his case. He has my admiration and respect. The man just continues to show the kind of courage he gave us every day as a first rate police officer.

Growing up there was a spectacular movie directed by Jules Dassin called The Naked City released in 1948. That led to a television series from 1958 to 1963 based on the film. There was a line that I loved and every week the television series opened with, "There are a million tales to be told in the naked city." Now living in Hell's Kitchen just one block from Times Square I have a new understanding of that line. Sitting in my home or in the front window of "The Glass House Tavern," I can see those 'tales' unfold everyday.

Have fallen in love with my neighborhood and observing people. There is the guy who walks around every night with a lovely black and white cat sitting on top of his head. The cat sits comfortably balanced as people from the outer reaches of earth line up to have their picture taken with him. Tips, of course, are always appreciated. In the Naked City there is the Naked Cowboy but he is not really naked. He can be found in Times Square in his 'tighty whities' strumming the guitar badly. Times Square is now closed to traffic, so you can sit in an ugly folding chair and watch the characters flood into the crossroad of the world. Brave enterprising folks make money posing as the Stature of Liberty or Charlie Chaplin.

On my street three Broadway plays are open: "Rock of Ages," "Race" and "Time Stands Still." If I time my dinner just right at the Glass House Tavern, I can watch the three distinct crowds heading for each show. David Mamet's "Race" brings the older more intellectual theater crowd who live in the city and can talk about theater for days. "Times Stands Still," which has Alicia Silverstone and Laura Linney in it, draws a younger, hipper but still intellectual crowd that usually makes an evening of going to the theater. Then there is "Rock of Ages" with its 1980's soundtrack that draws everyone from tattoo bikers, to Jersey young people and girls with skirts up to their ass .

As the theaters empty, along come the late night folks packing the bars and clubs between the theaters leading up to Times Square. Right across the street is a three story club with the roof containing a patio. Clearly they have different 'special nights' for their space and one night it will be gay men lined up outside, then the African-American community with hip rappers or Latins swaying to the beat even before they get inside. Often, even on weekdays, they don't get out of the club until 3AM or even 4AM. I have to wonder what kind of jobs they have and what they must be like at work the next morning. Then I smile and remember when I was younger all the 'all-nighters' I used to pull.

From Turkey Hollow to Hell's Kitchen is quite the change. I love my life and the diversity I have experienced throughout my years. And I just love my new neighborhood. It feels like home.

As Jonathan pointed out when he sent this latest gem, beauty is everywhere around you. Just look around your home and find the little items that bring joy to you. This lovely photograph captures just this point. Is it a crystal from a chandelier or is it just a simple string of beads? To me, it appears as a sophisticated scientific look at neutrons or other mysterious little cute things in science!

John Carroll University refuses to include their LGBT students in the Universities non-discrimination policy. No longer willing to wait patiently until the University administration is suddenly enlighten, the students staged a sit-in at an University basketball game. Have a feeling we are going to see thousands of our best and brightest young people willing to engage in non-violent civil disobedience over the next year. Thank God for their courage and convictions and let us all support them. Because quite honestly, I have run out of patience too. Thanks to JoeMyGod for the video and the initial story.