New York, New York Fisticuffs

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 12:16 PM EDT, 28 September 2012

NYC, New York - As human beings have progressed from hunter gathers, to agrarian, to industrialized societies dominated by technology, we have become increasingly tamed through societal norms enforced by political correctness.

Today, men and women effortlessly obliterate the livelihood of others, often plunging them into difficult situations which sometimes leads to suicide.

But, these anonymous transgressions accomplished through machinations such as manipulating financial markets, enable the victimizer to emerge physically unharmed.

There are still those who operate in the netherworld of criminal enterprise, who get down and dirty by causing their victim's pain and death, but within the rarefied world of corporations and government, this type of physical violence is infrequently exhibited.

Yet, some could argue that the ruthlessness that men employ to decimate their opponents in trying to close the deal, secure the corner office, achieve more prestige, garner more money, or simply in pursuit of female companionship, is just as aggressive but usually accomplished through calculated effort.

This is why the video showing two men dressed in business casual, battling it out in Manhattan over a cab ride, is noteworthy.

It is worth watching once, if not twice, to see these men engaged in fisticuffs over who would get to ride in the cab during a time of day when unoccupied cabs are difficult to find. All that is missing in this atavistic encounter are animal skins and wooden clubs.

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Twitter: @nahmias_report Editor: @ayannanahmias

Dare To Be Different | Sugababes

Bristol Green Celebration, Photo by Charlie Marshall

A fellow blogger and follower of the Nahmias Cipher Report read one of our posts and commented on it. We returned the courtesy, and stopped by to peruse their website, the Opinionated Duck. They featured a post simply titled 'Prejudice,' accompanied by a video titled 'Ugly' by the group Sugababes.

Having just posted the article about racism, this couldn't have been a more fortuitous connection.  We don't normally post solo videos but there is nothing more that can be added as it speaks volumes by itself.

The Freudian Origins of Surrealism

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 23:53 p.m. EDT, 15 August 2011

The surrealist movement is in part based on the groundbreaking work of psychologist Dr. Sigmund Freud's theories on free association, dream analysis, and the unconscious.

By tapping into the unconscious and portraying it unfettered through painting and photography, the viewer is afforded the opportunity to live vicariously in the waking dreams.

In the Nahmias Report we have featured the works of the painters Rene Margritte, Frida Kahlo, Francis Picabia, Salvador Dali, and Max Ernst, and encourage you to learn more about these artists and view their works by following the links above.

Some may look at the work of surrealists and conclude that these people must have been mentally unstable. Quite the contrary, most of these artists refused to subvert their inner realities to the conventions of the epoch in which they were born.

They chose instead to push further into the frontiers of the unconscious by translating the ethereal mysteries of their minds on to canvassed landscapes which continue to fascinate, repulse, and intrigue viewers.

Salvador Dalí said it best, "there is only one difference between a madman and me. I am not mad."

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJx1gy3dQCE]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPgHFnN4cU4&feature=youtu.be]

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Twitter: @nahmias_report Editor: @ayannanahmias

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Marcia | Jihad Kahwajy

"Say You'll Be Mine" is the 2009 release by a young Cape Verdean singer named Marcia. As with much of the music produced outside of the US and European markets, artists may be hugely popular in their countries of origin, but barely register on the charts in these Western markets. This small island archipelago off the coast of West Africa has produced not one but two beautiful singers.

The first Cape Verdean singer to gain a worldwide following is the famed 'Barefoot Diva,' the name given to Cesaria Evora by the public. Her music and performances were immensely popular when she was alive, and with her recently passing, her music is sure to garner more interest. I can recall on many occasions asking people if they were familiar with Evora or her music, and the response was often 'no.'

As an ardent fan of great African vocalists, particularly those who paved the way for peaceful political and sociological change, such as (Miriam Makeba, Cesaria Evora, Nina Simone, and Celia Cruz) to name a few, it is an honor to feature stories about their lives and their work.

Unlike the Divas mentioned above, Marcia has yet to make her mark, but this video directed by Jihad Kahwajy and produced by Klasszik, it is a bright light on the horizon of the Capo Verde music landscape which has just watched the sun set on one of its most iconic vocalist.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Rqnrnjkbc]

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