Who Awards the Nobel Peace Prize Anyway?

Have you heard the story about the runner-up for the Nobel Peace Prize?
Irena Sendlerowa
1910-2008: May 12 marked the death of a 98-year-old lady named Irena.

During WWII, Irena received permission from the Nazis to work in the Warsaw ghetto as a plumbing/sewer specialist.
She had an ulterior motive...
Being German, she knew the Nazis' plans for the Jews and smuggled infants out in the bottom of the large tool box she carried. Larger children were placed in a burlap sack in the back of her truck. Also in the back was a dog that she had trained to bark each time the Nazi guards allowed her out of the ghetto and back in.
The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog, and its barking covered any noise made by the infants and small children. Irena managed to smuggle out approximately 2,500* children before she was finally caught... on 20 October 1943, she was arrested at her home. She was taken to the notorious Gestapo headquarters in central Warsaw and tortured. During the sessions they broke her legs and feet but she refused to reveal any names.

"I still carry the marks on my body of what those 'German supermen' did to me then. I was sentenced to death" Irena Stated

But her colleagues "managed to foil the plan after they bribed a Polish-speaking German officer with a large backpack full of dollars. On the drive to her execution site the officer knocked her unconscious. He stopped the car and left her bleeding on the roadside...The following day, unaware the execution had not taken place, the German authorities put up posters all over the city announcing she had been shot..."

Irena kept a record of the names of all the children she smuggled out of that Warsaw ghetto and kept them in a glass jar buried under a tree in her back yard.
After the war, she tried to locate any parents who may have survived so she might reunite the child with its family. Most, of course, did not survive the Holocaust, and the vast majority of the surviving children were placed in foster homes or adopted.



Last year Irena was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but she lost to Al Gore, who won the award for presenting a slide show on Global Warming. Heartwarming, isn't it???

Oh Al Gore, its not your fault that you won. You did do a good thing in telling everyone how hot it is outside. Its not your fault that you beat out a women that had her Arms and legs broken to save 2500 helpless little children in the most wretched war of recent memory... Al, if you actually did deserve that award, you would drop that Nobel Peace prize off at the Museum at Auschwitz, dedicate it to Irena and get that burden off your shoulders, who wants to be the person that steals the award from one of the most amazing humans that ever lived? At this point... no one thinks you deserve it. -Sincerely Samuel

MY Question is: Who awards "The Nobel Peace prize"?? They have obviously switched judges since Mother Tereasa,Nelson Mandela and MLK received the award.

In memory of Irena Sendlerowa

* Oscar Schindler saved 1200
*Thanks Rita for bringing this to my attention.

My Howe Shirt

An Image I took of my amazing friend Heather was converted onto a T-Shirt for Howe Clothing Company
I think it turned out slick!
Now that I've found out what it looks like, I need to get my hands on one before they run out! I heard that this shirt is the owners favorite of the season.

T-Shirt and the original shot are in the images above. Shirt is called

"Love EM & Leave EM"

Cheers to my work on T-Shirts (Especially on a Howe shirt! I love their stuff!!)



-Samuel™

The Lakers

Oh my! I suppose its about time to come out and say it, I've been holding it in for awhile and only my close friends know this, so here goes... I AM A HUGE LAKER FAN!

Its not that I haven't been a fan for the past 4 years. Its not that I've been ashamed of being such a fan (its just I've been too busy to write anything about my obsission)Anyways, this whole season I've been hooked! And it helps that they're on track to win big this year, also its nice to have newly aquired Pao Gasol, as well as a nearly healthy Kobe "Beef" (errr, bean) Bryant...Anyways, our team is good this year, so go support them.
So if you live in LA (or know where the Lakers play when they come to your town),buy 2 tickets, then strap on some purple and gold, pick me up and then we'll go to the game:)
Now that they're doing good, ticket prices have soured and I'm stuck watching stats on my computer, or being anti-social and peaking at the play-by-play on my Apple iPhone during a study or meeting...So point being; I need press passes; to sit courtside and shoot pictures of the pride and joy of Los Angeles, Kobe,Pau,Lamar,Fish and hopefully A.Bynum soon!

Alright, enough about that, I feel relieved thats off my chest!


Good luck with your Roadtrip lakers, you have your work cut out for you!
New Orleans,Houston,Dallas and Utah...4 of the top teams the NBA has right now.
Lets sweep this trip!

P.S. Poor LA. Clippers... I wonder if they could move to San Diego... or Long Beach?

CUBA: Final Note

Final Note


This trip is and has been the most emotional trip I have ever taken… actually the 2nd most emotional!(Banda Aceh can't be beaten if we are talking about harshness and adventure) This Cuba trip has been a life changer as well.
Would I do it again?
…I’m not sure….
there were times I wanted to give up, times I wanted to throw in the towel and call it quits. But I didn’t’ (plus I couldn't) and now I feel the rewards.
Cheers to adventure, 2 cheers for being uncomfortable and risking much, 18 cheers for priceless memories, pockets full of info & new knowledge & most of all, cheers to Cuba & A Coming Change...

The End…
…[The adventure] To Be Continued


Luis walking on the street with me



another roof shot of me.

Extras:

• The Cubans: Luis & Leslie (Pronounced Lay-Lee)(see B&W picture of Leslie below) Thought I should be a famous singer. My voice is better then my pictures? (Ahh Ohh! I may be in trouble if that’s the case)

• Ralph is the heartthrob now. Everyone wanted to see pictures of him again & again.

• I’ve inspired the crew of students to get in shape. We walked up 18 flights of stars everyday at least 3 times a day. Elevator was broken . now they are going to do it even when it works. Also go to the gym.

• I sleep & eat more then these people.

• Buses seat 40 but can holed up to 85 people, you often breath 3 other peoples breathe before getting a fresh one. Really easy to get sick.

• Fires are everywhere…not sure why…burning garbage, brush, ect.

• The sun is hotter here. Burning made easy.

• Downtown Habana has no beach…just a Grande Wall

• Pens suck here (mine jiggles a lot) That’s why I use tape.

• My English is horrible now. I now talk w/ an accent.

OH! & Cheers to getting back home safely!


Leslie in the doorway.

Relaxin on some steps after walking miles and more miles.

Goodbye Cuba.
I'm outa here!!!

Shot of the Week (3.7.2008)

I like this shot.
Its wild, its colorful, its ironic. What time period was this taken in and why was Samuel in that period? These are questions you may never get the answers for...but at least it gets that extra percentage of your brain working.


This image was taken with my Canon 5D, with 580flash attached to 4' flash cord. (all canon products)

More to come shortly... I'll get on the shot of the week thing here.
By the way, if you were at the Bachelors Ball (where this image was taken and would like to see all of the images, email me HERE

My Metallic Nike Dunks

Wanna know whats HOT?


My new shoes.
I love um.
Gotta love the metallic.
I'll fill you in as I get requests to appear at parties wearing these new kicks and get paid... no, not like a stripper graham, geeez.

Thought for the day:
Obama is still workin it. No worries.

La Playa 2

Feb 3,2008 Habana, CUBA

I spent yet another day on a Cuban beach! Which means another 2 hours of crowded bus rides...(from Hedado to the south eastern beaches) and this time I mean it was CROWDEDDDDD!!! I am literally making a statement in saying that I would breathe the breath of at least 2 new people everytime I inhaled... it was like a rolling box of humans, nothing but humans... i imagine being hauled to jail would be a somewhat similar feeling, except at that point you don't have to fake like you're enjoying it.

Alright Samuel, no more complaining...
Look why I took that wretched bus trip.
La Playa!!!

This was a highlight of the trip.
and the highlights inside the best day include:

1. Havana Club white rum (mixed with lime sodapop...mmmhmmm!)
2. Getting berried in the sand. (I would show pictures, but they are too graphic in terms of particular sand phallus' they attached to my sand body)
3.Ummm...the topless cuban women...(Sorry you had to read that mom)
4.The water. It was beautiful!
5.Getting to know my cuban friends more.
6.Relaxing and getting tan and then really tan and then burnt. (I wasn't that burnt and it quickly turned into a golden tan.)

taking some slick pictures!

heres a few.

My Cuban Familia

Castaway styled beach front property.

The other Cuban beer. its muy fuerte! Heres a picture of me enjoying myself...are you getting upset that I'm having so much fun without you??? haha

YES! i was as happy as I look.

It was a fun day and it was topped off with more homemade food, relaxing in the girls bunk bed rooms and watching the coast erupt from the crashing waves against the brakewall.

Tomorrow I return to Mexico City...I'm sad...but excited to return to Long Beach in 2 days!

Feb 2, CUBA journals: 18 Stories

Feb 2, 08
Today Was A Good Day

I spent most of the day (noon – until now) w/ the university crew.
Its so nice to be around my generation again. I walked to the market, bought veggies for dinner, soda & cervesa. Each cervesa is 1 cuc. Which is a lot to the Cubans. So I felt rich buying 10!
The girls live on floor 18. Each floor has 17 steps, the elevator is currently broken. 3 times up and down and my legs are once again done for! (306 steps to the top x 3 times = 918 steps!)
This culture is sooo different! The water only flows into the sinks, toilet and showers for 2 hours each day* 6-8pm I was able to experience the stock piling of water for the other 22 hours when agua didn’t flow. Another thing I take for granted.
The rooms in this place aren’t furnished. Only a set of bunk beds per room. “oh how nice it would be to have a couch right here” I said at least 4 times. Dinner making was interesting, especially preparing the lettuce…which took nearly 30 minutes for one head. Such filthy lettuce! Leslie (one of the girls, who looks like Christina Ricci) helped me hand wash each leaf by pouring water over it w/ a cup! Yeah, salad never will taste the same.
We went on the roof. 280ft up. Mini fences (small, not meaning plenty) I took pictures of the sunset, caught a pigeon & sipped Cuban Beer. An Amazing highlight indeed.
I’m not sure how many people keep sugar under their bed in Tupperware besides these Cubans. Although I may start when I get home.
Great day indeed. I also ate 2 hamburgers I helped make (or burn one) I need to edit some pictures.
Good night indeed.
Remind me to talk politics. (or at least Write it.)


Cheers

*Not sure if this was just for their building or for the whole neighborhood...I doubt this is for the whole city.


18 stories of pure workout

The Market was in an old shed down the street. Unmarked and unclean.

Bright Colors Dominate Habana

I was starving, so Leslie made me a hamburger...
yeah, this is how they make um!

As you can tell, I ate the hamburger...now I'm happy.

Best meal ever! I ate even more then the night before. Maybe I can gain a few of those 10 pounds I lost while trying to spend $8 a day!

Cristal is sexy, don't you agree?

Rooftop sunset viewing. These fences wouldn't do well in CA. insurence companies would flippp!

Yeah, they would really flipppppp!


My Cuban friends quickly got used to the many images I would capture.
Rooftop relaxing.

More relaxation.

The pet Pigeon and my crew.

Havana: Miguel and la Casa Madre

Havana, CUBA: Feb 2nd (morning excerpt)

Supposed to meet Miguel @ 10am. Still not sure of the exact time here even. Sometimes its 2 hora different then my iPhone, now I guess its only 1 hora ahead. It feels like this place plays by its own rules… its weird. (its actually 3 hours different)
Anyways I kept checking the window for signs of him…but nothing…due to the time confusion I’ve been having.
Finally I spot him. I’ve decided no more walking (I've averaged around 20 miles a day, or so my feet would complain)…plus I think he wants me to be blessed/converted by/to his “afrocubano” religious leaders- so I grab a shirt and some shorts to give to him. This is the last time I will be seeing him. I pick out a matte black long sleeve striped shirt & those hideous cut off jeans shorts (they'll think they're nice in cuba) + 40 pesos (I finally found out the money thing! 25 cuban pesos = $1 cuc but they look similar… its truly bizarre) he seemed happy to get the stuff. Plus the money was big time to him. I wish I could have given him more.
Returning to mi casa, the casa madre wasn’t happy w/ me giving stuff to him (she must have seen me do it) she said a lot of things… I understood peligro (danger) & cuidado (careful) I nodded and tried to explain he’s my amigo & he’s showed me around a lot.
Anyways, I’m not sure I like this woman she acts like a pissed off mom & wears too much make up & perfume (if that’s what you would call it, more like "Glade" bathroom spray to me) she gave me hot milk & café and some hard as a rock white bread & butter for breakfast. Shizz! I’m hungry! I haven't been spending more then $8 a day the past 2 days, so I may be able to get another good meal and a souvenir to take home w/me. The university kids want to make me dinner too! So that’s slick! I’m meeting up with them @ 12 noon.
I need to eat something and maybe go workout until then.

Catch you later!

-S™




Miguel in his room.

Afrocubano
(A little freaky if your coming to me for answers)

This is a little example of how we communicated the first day.

Keep in mind, these are excerpts from my recent trip journal... if you want to read more, you'll have to go back in my blog posts... if this is confusing... awesome! US citizens aren't confused enough...so this might be new to you.

Fidel Resigned!!

HAVANA — Fidel Castro, bedridden for 19 months, on Tuesday gave up the almost unlimited power he has wielded in Cuba for nearly 50 years, but whether the surprise announcement represented a historic change or a symbolic political maneuver remained unclear.
It is expected that his brother Raúl, 76, will be officially named president, and some experts consider him more pragmatic.

Raúl Castro has talked about bringing more accountability to government and possibly working to improve relations with the United States. But since taking over temporarily in the summer of 2006, he has largely operated in his brother’s shadow, and, except for facilitating huge investments by Canadian and European resort developers here, he has brought about little change.

It was not clear what role, if any, Fidel Castro would play in a new government, or whether he would retain other powerful positions, including head of the Communist Party. But he signaled that he was not yet ready to completely exit the stage.

-NY TIMES

I think its pretty exciting that this is happening...yes, I wish I was still there when the news broke (just 10 days too late!!) If the Cuban government can merge their current culture with some US styled freedoms and economy (minus the trillions in debt the U.S. has to China) they will be in good shape sooner then they could have hoped.
My friends in Cuba are yet to respond to my questions of change and their added responses... but I'm agreeing that not much will change as long as Fidel is Alive. So much is centered around dying for your country...like their old school coin with Che's head adorning the front reads "PATRIA O MUERTE" (Patriotism or die)* I think that time (a few years) is needed, but your future looks good my Cuban friends!

Also, due to this sudden surprise, it has sparked 10 times more interest in my photojournalism work. I'll be signing a contract with Zuma Press sometime this week.

Cheers to a new future! (Cuba and the United States) Lets just hope that our futures blend... although it would be nice to set a ban on American fast food in Cuba... its so refreshing not to see a McDonalds, or KFC...those restaurants are a big reason why our country has a spare tire around its waist.

Alright, I'm out!

-S

P.S. More journal entries to come from Cuba. Hopefully some imported Cuban Rum mojitos too!
P.S.S. LBpost.com added some images of mine CLICK
* Thanks Tanya T. for the translation of my coin.

Cuba: Hardcore Alley Stickball

Feb 1 – Part Dos (or 2) “stickball”


That medical tape I brought has once again proven its worth (maybe even its weight in Gold?) First the pen(for journaling), now for béisbol! I was watching some older boys (14-20) Play Stickball in an empty lot. After about 15 minutes of watching, their ball got stuck/lost in a nearby tree. After a few moments, I remembered the tape in my pocket. I pulled it out and to their excitement offered to make a new ball. They asked ¿Cuánto? (how much?) I denied payment & I was immediately thrown into the outfield(which felt much like a small field of pavement littered with random divots and health hazards, I guess you can thank Fidel for free healthcare, although it may not be worth it) (see playing field in image above). I played w/ them nearly 2 hours. I’m sore. Between innings I would do pull ups called (barro) in espanol…or something like that, I asked a small child that was watching me "¿Cómo se dice pull-ups?" I asked him as I pulled up another. He replied "Barro"...but I really find it hard to believe...I'll look it up online when I get back to the states.

Anyways, I hit 3 huge hits that sent the ball over a building each time. Only one the team called a homerun, even though the others were good on regulation… then again that was my first time playing stickball. I liked it mucho gusto? I’m off to go get dinner… maybe meet up w/ those pseudo flirters HAHA. I need to hear some musico and have another mojito! Adios for now!



I didn't bring my camera to the alley to play, but I'll dig in my archive for an image of the place I joined a team to play.

I'm getting more and more tan each day. This Cuban sun is hotter then most. I'm enjoying it, especially mixed with exhaust and a warm breeze coming from florida.


Writers NOTE: This is a journal excerpt from my trip to Cuba a little more then a week ago. I am currently in my LA Studio.

X Games practice or just wild Sunday?

Went to Saddleback Church today.
Not impressed with Rick Warren. Felt like I was getting one of many sales pitches for his book. Ultra theme park feel. A friend of mine Sheena Fiktarz (One of my Alumni Brides) led worship. Shes extremely talented and I hope she puts out an Album. The main highlights of the day were:

1.Chillen With Audrey (Mi Novia)
2.Watching Kyle Loza practice for the upcoming X-Games
3.Getting a rush of my own from jumping of the crane into the foam pit. (See video below)

Heres a few pictures from Kyles jumps.





(Pause Blog music before starting)

I made it outa the pit alive and I'd do it again... prolly not a back flip though.