#dallasagainstwhitesupremacy

I'm duty bound as an immigrant (living in the world's greatest liberal melting pot) to call-out all white sheet fanatics and their supporters, who sit by silently playing race games behind closed doors.

If you disagree with the following footage and commentary, then Russia is willing to offer you asylum. Racist illiberal types consider this your safe place, where you can openly preach hate-mongering without progressives getting in your way.

Earth to white supremacists, we're all Africans!

Ever since June 16, 2015 when the would-be Führer uttered 'Mexican rapists', I told anyone who was willing to listen that this poor excuse for a human would be a racist conspiracy theorists dream come true as President. I warned you, and now you have got what you deserve - I'm talking to you redneck America! I get that your Supreme leaders love of Russia has confirmed what you wanted all along: a Russian style oligarch running the country who hates gays, Jews, blacks and everything in between. (Even Armenians with dark features have been beaten to death in Russia by Neo-Nazi groups). The President is David Duke's brother from another mother, in fact, as of today the KKK will bestow upon the Führer a new title: Grand Wizard Donnie.

I'm not a fan of watching the news (they keep telling us that we'll be slaughtered at any given moment), but here in the U.S. they're obsessed with having a TV in every venue, so unfortunately I've been exposed to the world ending. One thing I've picked up is that people can be cruel, no matter the pigmentation of their skin. Where I live, people get caught up in this sensationalism by blaming 'those Mexicans and African-Americans' for crime, until I point out all the white folk that have created havoc on society - school shootings, child abuse, bombings, wife-beating (even Steve Bannon has beaten up on his wives).

People can display bigotry all they want, at the end of the day humans share 99.9 % of DNA. Case in point, some would call me a pasty white Caucasian, until I explain to them that I share part of my DNA with the Chinese. To all those racist Armenians out there, sorry to burst your bubble, but you actually share blood with folk that your parents lecture you about not marrying. The irony is not lost on me that many children of immigrants in the U.S. are defending 'white' America. I recommend you study your family tree and genetics, then come back to me. Go back far enough and you'll make a shocking discovery, we all evolved from Africa. Again, being narrow-minded and being focused on what's on the outside makes it hard to understand these cold hard facts.

I get that the majority of humans lack critical thinking skills, no, looking up information on your phone to seem intelligent doesn't count. If we're going to argue about which race is best then we are no more evolved than owls, one of the dumbest creature around. We don't choose the color of our skin or physical features. That's right KKK, when in the womb there is no magic button that makes you pop out white and non-Jewish. One things for sure, your ancestors came from Africa - deal with it!

As a Dallasite, I'm ashamed that Robert E. Lee has a park and statue in his honor just two miles from where I reside. Those not familiar with Dallas, let me just it sits adjacent to Turtle Creek (an affluent part of town), which proves once again money cannot buy integrity. No one can be bothered to get out of their expensive European cars (funny how rich Americans drive prestige cars from socialist countries) and lack the time to denounce this abhorrent relic to a disgusting racist. I'm proud to have given a big two thumbs down to this atrocious landmark.

The 43rd President was lambasted, and rightly so for being an illiterate warmonger. I will never forget his lack of compassion (Hurricane Katrina), cruelty (two wars that brought back bags of soldiers and slaughtered countless innocent woman and children), Patriot Act (so much for being a freedom lover, more like stalker-in-chief). It's only fair that the current Neanderthal-in-chief is equally scolded for bringing shame to these United States.

If you or anyone you know voted for or defends the 45th President, 48th Vice President (of gay conversion fame) or any politician that is pro-gun and thinks healthcare is not a right, then please disown them, even if you share blood ties. You could die at any minute, so why have being associated with inhumane creatures on your conscious.  If you need to have a laugh, remind yourself that these folk and their supporters highlight their Christian values (somehow they have no idea what compassion is, maybe Jesus' teachings are too progressive for them). Satan can't wait to welcome these fraudsters to hell.

Big D odyssey

Today marks two years of living in one of the great (if not greatest) cities in the world! It now has a worthy place among my favorite cities (Barcelona, Philadelphia and Vienna you have been warned). I've traveled far and wide, and even though Dallas doesn't have thousands of years history (like my beloved Yerevan), it has a unique mix of modern metropolis and pioneer town infused with the African-American and Hispanic culture that adds so much vibrancy.

J.R. Ewing would be proud (I had to play up to the stereotype). To think my parents had Dallas on in the living room growing up, I blame them for my move! Now that I mentioned one of the greatest fictional characters to grace our screen, how good is the opening credits to Dallas the TV series (1978-91). Here's the updated version (when the series was rebooted in 2012) - now this is how you market a city in under a minute.

Big D has many claims to fame...Many of America's prominent companies call it home, such as AT&T (world's largest telecommunications company), Southwest Airlines, Texas Instruments, also Exxon-Mobil has its headquarters in the Dallas suburb of Irving. Outside of being a corporate mecca, it's known for having the world's richest sporting club (Dallas Cowboys), America's priciest estate (Crespi Hicks), nations largest light rail network and urban arts district. One of 13 U.S. cities with a presence in all 4 major professional sports (as a hockey tragic this is of utmost importance). Has some funky neighborhoods catering to all cultural tastes, an abundance of biking/walking trails for outdoor enthusiasts (home to the nation's largest urban forest) and being part of a Metroplex brings with it another great city on its doorstep (Fort Worth), plus picturesque towns like Grapevine nearby. To top it off, it's within striking distance to Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and the diverse Texan cities of Austin, Houston, San Antonio. Personally, I've been a skyline fanatic ever since I was knee high, so seeing the city lit up during a sundown bike ride never gets boring.

On the downside it's home to arguably America's worst president (soon to be dislodged by the current bumpkin-in-chief), this will forever give Dallas bragging rights over New York. I happen to reside 1.5 miles from the George W. Bush Presidential library, let's just say it has confirmed my suspicion that being commander-in-chief requires a third graders mental aptitude. The most annoying sporting fans, as the Cowboys are referred to as America's team, their supporters think they have the right to shove it down your throat! As someone into 4 seasons, it definitely lacks in that department, 100 days of 100°F weather with a few days of snowy days just doesn't cut it. Although it does get some famous ice storms - anything that reminds me of one of the best films, 'The Ice Storm' is acceptable. Having random chats about where I'm from still takes up way too much time at the check out counter. Just as well I'm an interpreter, lets just say translation is needed when explaining what a rockmelon means in an Australian accent to a Southerner.

Who knows where I'll be in the future...One must move constantly around before death, as life's way too short! Whatever happens, I can look back fondly on my time in the heart of Texas. Oh dear, I just started humming the classic Dallas anthem, 'Deep in the Heart of Texas'. Time to stop writing, before I start singing it out loud!

The best films (according to yours truly)

Fresh off the list of the greatest TV shows, I've compiled a list of 50 of my all-time favorite films (38 from the English-speaking world and 12 foreign language). As a film connoisseur, I will always choose art over box office success. The following can be classified as controversial, offensive, intellectual, emotionally draining, quirky, even uplifting. Most importantly they will haunt you (in a good way), whether through impacting on your daily life or challenging you to interpret the many hidden meanings that require more than one viewing.

21 Grams (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2003)
A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)
Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014)
Bully (Larry Clark, 2001)
Capote (Bennett Miller, 2005)
Dancer in the Dark (Lars von Trier, 2000)
Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2001)
Elephant (Gus Van Sant, 2003)
Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977)
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
Exotica (Atom Egoyan, 1994)
Fargo (Joel Coen, 1996)
Frozen River (Courtney Hunt, 2008)
Ghost World (Terry Zwigoff, 2001)
Happiness (Todd Solondz, 1998)
History of Violence (David Cronenberg, 2005)
Lars and the Real Girl (Craig Gillespie, 2007)
Inland Empire (David Lynch, 2006)
In the Bedroom (Todd Field, 2001)
Into the Wild (Sean Penn, 2007)
Magnolia (Paul Thomas Anderson, 1999)
Me and You and Everyone We Know (Miranda July, 2005)
Melancholia (Lars von Trier, 2011)
Milk (Gus Van Sant, 2008)
Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson, 2012)
Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
Mystery Train (Jim Jarmusch, 1989)
No Country for Old Men (Ethan and Joel Coen, 2007)
Requiem for a Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)
Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino, 1992)
Storytelling (Todd Solondz, 2001)
The Ice Storm (Ang Lee, 1997)
The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)
The Station Agent (Tom McCarthy, 2003)
The Sweet Hereafter (Atom Egoyan, 1997)
Thirteen (Catherine Hardwicke, 2003)
Welcome to the Dollhouse (Todd Solondz,1995)

Amores Perros (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mexico, 2000)
Head-On (Fatih Akin, Germany-Turkey, 2004)
Import/Export (Ulrich Seidl, Austria-Russia-Slovakia, 2007)

Incendies (Denis Villeneuve, Canada-France, 2010)
Lilya 4-ever (Lukas Moodysson, Sweden, 2002)
Maria Full of Grace (Joshua Marston, Colombia-USA, 2004)

Shi gan (Time) (Ki-duk Kim, Korea, 2006)
Talk to Her (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain 2002)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel, France, 2007)
Three Colors Trilogy (Krzysztof Kieslowski, France-Poland, 1993-94)
Y Tu Mamá También (Alfonso Cuarón, Mexico, 2001)

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Cristian Mungiu, Romania-Belgium, 2007)

It's tough picking a number one, but If someone put a gun to my head I'd go with a joint decision - 'Blue Velvet' and 'Happiness'. Lynch is one of those rare film makers that let's his imagination run wild whilst taking viewers on a journey to the unknown, much like what Salvador Dali was to the art world. Solondz is unapologetic when it comes to exposing the facade behind the so-called white picket fence of suburbia. 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly' is my pick for foreign. The words harrowing and powerful are often bandied about to describe indie cinema, well, this film is the barometer when it comes to an emotional gut punch.

With the advent of cinema style TV shows and online production companies, it's not easy capturing the attention of the public, especially when most are interested in simple plot formulas. With all the saturation it's difficult for quality art house film to be made, let alone consumed at a theater. Let's hope the time comes when we put down our plastic gadgets and take a few hours to inhabit a world that challenges our psyche.

The greatest TV shows (in my humble opinion)

Time to go off tangent! This time, instead of going nuts over geopolitics, I'm going to focus on another area that gets me fired up - artistic expression via a screen.

With Twin Peaks in its third season after a 26-year hiatus, it's as good as time as any to list my all-time favorite TV shows. This is a subjective list by yours truly, you're welcome to use this as template to open your mind to series you haven't seen or spark debate among your circle as to what defines greatness on screen.

Like with any piece of art it's up to one's own interpretation. For mine, quality screen art is defined by challenging the viewer to question the world around them, ultimately showcasing why art is vital to the human condition, whether as a controversial drama or a dark comedy. If a TV series is chasing ratings or simple solutions to place the viewer in a superficial world then I have zero interest. Here are the best I've seen in each category (and in some cases still watching), followed by my top 10.

Comedy

Arrested Development (2003- )
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000- )
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005- )
Nighty Night (2004-2005)
Schitt's Creek (2015- )
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (2009)
You're the Worst (2014- )

Crime drama

Better Call Saul (2015- )
Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
Fargo (2014- )
Hannibal (2013-2015)
Justified (2010-2015)
Rectify (2013-2016)
The Shield (2002-2008)
The Sopranos (1999-2007)
The Wire (2002-2008)
True Detective (2014-2015)

Drama

Big Love (2006-2011)
Lost (2004-2010)
Nip/Tuck (2003-2010)
Orange Is the New Black (2013- )
Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
Skins (2007-2013)
The Handmaid's Tale (2017- )
The Insider's Guide to Happiness (2004)
The Leftovers (2015-2017)
Transparent (2014- )

Fantasy

Carnivàle (2003-2005)
Game of Thrones (2011- )

Limited-run series

11.22.63 (2016)
John Adams (2008)
Sinchronicity (2006)
The Kennedys (2011)

Period drama

Deadwood (2004-2006)
Halt and Catch Fire (2014-2017)
Mad Men (2007-2015)
Masters of Sex (2013-2016)
The Americans (2013- )

Psychological horror drama

Bates Motel (2013-17)

Science Fiction

Black Mirror (2011- )
Legion (2017- )
Orphan Black (2013-2017)
Westworld (2016- )

Serial Drama

Twin Peaks (1990- )

Thriller

Mr. Robot (2015- )

My top 10, each one of which can be my favorite on any given binge session. If I was forced to choose a number one, I'd have to go with Twin Peaks. As an 11-year-old I watched the first season, and from that day David Lynch hooked me into his eccentric world uncovering the layers of American hypocrisy.

Black Mirror
Carnivàle
Fargo
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Mad Men
Mr. Robot
Six Feet Under
The Americans
The Wire
Twin Peaks

Here's to many more years of real art broadening our horizons, who knows, it might even get you excited about embalming!