The Monkey Buddha

Choice

2012-01-27T00:42:00.000-05:00

Questionnaire

by Benjamin Patterson

My answer would definitely be....

maybe [ ]

I also came across this very relevant quote by crazy wisdom master RAW on The Daily Grail:

"Do not try to give either/or answers
in a multiple-choice universe"

~ Robert Anton Wilson

Monkeys & Mortality

2012-01-26T23:44:00.000-05:00

There are many things I enjoy in life, but bizarre creations & monkey pictures always make my day.

I saw the masterpiece below on the Tumblr blog JUST_MONK3Y.
A pensive ape, wearing a fez hat with the the all-seeing eye, is holding a human skull.

Using the mind-boggling power of Google Images & Search ("ape+fez+skull"), I just took 30 seconds & tracked down the creator of this superb image, Jean Labourdette. The title of the work only adds to its awesomeness:

"The Artist's Unconscious Mind (Self-portrait)"

by Jean Labourdette

Perhaps the ponderous primate is wondering about the nature of the process we call consciousness that experiences our mortal existence...

Perhaps he is thinking about bananas...

Also on that blog, I saw this funny vintage print of a cheeky monkey trying to make moves on a human circus lady.

I looked up the artist, E. Gayac, but there's not much info other than that he was a Spanish postcard artist.

State of the Union 2012

2012-01-25T21:17:00.001-05:00

Last night, I watched the premier piece of political pageantry in American politics, The State of the Union address.

This version posted by the White House has additional infographics accompanying the speech:

Some people will inevitably complain about it being just another speech by Obama & his teleprompter that, according to his critics, no President has ever used before. Personally, I think The Long-Legged Mack Daddy has done as well as anyone can be expected to in his position.

The one credit I've always given our previous President, George W. Bush, is that he's the reason I got interested in politics & government affairs as a young adult.

His administration was like a car wreck that I had to watch, in horror. The GOP's policies were horrible overall, and Bush was himself was a continual disaster & embarrassment in the eyes of the world. The real President at the time, Dick Cheney, was widely regarded with the same affection as The Emperor in Star Wars.

NEVER FORGET!!!...

Therefore, it's nice to be able to sit through these State of the Union speeches & not feel like the leader of the country is an inarticulate ignoramus.

Obama's clearly not perfect, but he's a helluva alot better than Bush or any of the current Republican candidates. If anything, he hasn't been forcefully progressive enough. Actually, the points where Obama & his administration are at their worst is where they try to continue the policies of the Bush White House. However, he campaigned as a moderate Democrat (not a liberal) and realistically has to deal with the conservatives in Congress & "The System" in general.

Haters gonna hate, though, so there are people who get sucked into the Fox News & right-wing talk radio (((brain-warp))) who think Obama's a muslim socialist who was born in Kenya & deeply hates America. I read the comments for articles on Fox Nation & Red State with the same sense of morbid curiosity as someone visiting an insane asylum. ...but, hey, all views should be taken into equal consideration, right?
Fair & Balanced™!!!

Obama, like all Presidents, is faced with a tremendous job & there are plenty of decisions to criticize or praise. I generally agree with his articulated vision for the country. If he had a greater degree of cooperation from Congress, the country would be improving at a much faster rate. The alternative is the traditional, disastrous Republican ideology, which is basically the privatization of everything & welfare only for multi-national corporations & the top 1%, sucking up America's wealth.

I'm pretty cynical, but I still think voting is an important civil act. I'll almost certainly be voting for President Obama, regardless of what obscenely rich knucklehead the GOP finally nominates.

Day in the Life of a Graphic Designer

2012-01-24T19:20:00.000-05:00

On Ffffound! I saw this retro-looking graphic by Amerikan Made Prints.

It's a very funny poster & I can relate to alot of it. Thankfully, my life as a graphic designer isn't quite as crazy!

Amerikan Made Prints:

"Another Day. Another Dropshadow"™

click to enlarge

The Magic of Bob Ross

2012-01-22T23:25:00.001-05:00

Recently I caught a bit of this documentary about the late, legendary landscape painter & TV personality, Bob Ross.

Bob Ross was on public television when I was a kid, and later became a hero for me & some of my friends in high school.

Part of the reason I admired him was due to my love of art, but his laid-back demeanor & hypnotic banter could make anyone feel like they were in a Zen-like state of mental relaxation.

His descriptive imagination & his seemingly magic technique could instill a sense of wonder not just for art, but for the natural world that he was recreating in his paintings.

One of my friends recently sent me a video of his young daughters transfixed while watching an old episode of The Joy of Painting. Though he's no longer with us, Bob's gentle spirit still has a calming effect on people of all ages.

After seeing some of the documentary, I decided to have some fun & imagined myself in his painting. I wish I could've been lucky enough to meet him...

"Paul Mic in the Mountains"

not by Bob Ross

Ancient Greek Punishment Games

2012-01-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

This could also be called 'The Game of Life'

Continuing on the idea of completely un-playable, not-so-fun games... I saw this on Neatorama and thought it was a very funny idea:

Let’s Play Ancient Greek Punishment

These simple 8-bit style games put you in the role of characters from ancient Greek myths who were punished by the gods with eternal torment.

I've been interested in ancient mythology since first learning about the Greek & Roman stories in grade school.

These impossible games simulate the torturous afterlives of the following characters:

• Sisyphus
• Tantalus
• Prometheus
• Danaids
...and my favorite, which is actually a philosophical paradox & not an eternal punishment:
• Zeno

Truther Toys

2012-01-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

Continuing on the topic of having some fun with conspiracy theories from my last post...

I saw a link to these totally crazy "Truther Toy" parodies that take some of the more nefarious conspiracy theories floating around, and made them into games & other not-so-fun products for kids.

Conspiracy Cards:

Truther Toys

Having years of experience designing products for the toy & game industry, I can confidently say that NONE of these concepts will ever make their way into the toy aisle, at any store!

My favorite, however, is probably the Bank$ters Monopoly Press, which is a goof on the illusory, abstract nature of our entire monetary system:

click to enlarge

Right now, perpetual Presidential candidate Ron Paul & his fanatically loyal supporters are probably the most visibly vocal opponents in this country of the Federal Reserve & the entire fiat system of debt-driven currency. Although I find some of Congressman Paul's policy positions to be questionable, the private control of the issuing of money is one aspect of economy that is untenable & definitely needs major reform.

Although auditing the Fed, while creating more transparency & accountability in the highest levels of the financial sector, would be a good thing- his obsession with gold-backed currency seems antiquated & impractical in the digital age.

Like all things, the global economy & our systems of exchange will continue to evolve- perhaps into processes that we may not be able to even imagine today.

Reality Sandwich:

Sacred Economics

Conspiracy Theory Rock: Media-opoly

2012-01-17T19:26:00.001-05:00

This "TV Funhouse" skit by Robert Smigel (aka Triumph the Insult Comic Dog) is as true today as it was a decade ago when it was made for SNL.

The power of the giant multinational corporate conglomerates still disproportionately influences the media, the economy, & the government.

Any attempt to reign in the inevitable abuses committed by these impersonal, profit-driven monstrosities through regulation is usually met by screams of "Socialism!" or "government overreach!" by those with little sense of business ethics or social responsibility.

This particular segment was never used on the show, for obvious reasons.

Conspiracy Theory Rock: Media-opoly

The Satirical Genius of Stephen Colbert

2012-01-14T17:18:00.000-05:00

Stephen Colbert transferring his "Colbert SuperPAC" money to Jon Stewart.

I've been a regular viewer of The Colbert Report since the first episode. He was one of the funniest 'correspondents' on The Daily Show, and (in my opinion) has far surpassed Jon Stewart has the greatest political satirist alive... maybe ever.

The NY Times magazine had this great article that gives a look behind the persona that he has meticulously crafted.

NY Times Magazine:

How Many Stephen Colbert's Are There?

His roast of Dubya in 2006 was a legendary performance & guaranteed him a place among the Gods of Comedy.

Google Video

2006 White House Correspondents Dinner

However, since then he has continued to bring an insane amount of wit & cutting insight to every show. His character is a consistently brilliant parody of the know-nothing plutocratic jerks who can usually be found on right-wing media like Fox News, as either guests or pundits.

Recently on his show, he has been masterfully utilizing all the great comedic material being provided by the buffoons running in the GOP primaries.

He has also been busy exposing the ludicrous process & laws behind elections in our country. At the forefront of his crusade to highlight the absurdities of our political system has been the 'Citizen's United' decision by the Supreme Court.

NYT:

Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit

Basically, it ruled that current election law allows corporations to be considered "people" when it comes to political speech.

Therefore, through supposedly unconnected groups known as Super PACs, unlimited money can be raised by supporters of candidates. There is no requirement to disclose how much has been raised or where it came from.

Therefore, he started Colbert SuperPAC to show the process behind forming these legal entities which are having such a detrimental effect on the democratic system.

This week he made a surprise move to hand over the operation of his Colbert SuperPAC to Jon Stewart. By doing this, he has opened himself up to exploring a run as a candidate in the South Carolina primary election!

This should be very interesting... & hysterical!

The Colbert Report: January 12, 2012

Full Episode Link

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Design Like Nobody's Watching

2012-01-10T21:09:00.001-05:00

I saw this funny design lesson on This Isn't Happiness:

Design Like Nobody's Watching

by Grant Snider

Vermin Supreme, a Tyrant You Can Trust

2012-01-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

On a couple websites I saw links to this video of a maniac who turned an otherwise boring public forum into an insane spectacle.

So I finally watched it, & the brazenly wacky Vermin Supreme is truly a sight to behold.

He is apparently a political activist of the crazy kind & has somehow been allowed to run in the Presidential primary in New Hampshire.

Gawker.com:

This Unkempt Boothead

Is Terrorizing New Hampshire’s Diners

His jingle that he sings around the 5:00 mark and then glitter-bombing anti-gay activist Randall Terry is worth sitting through the rest of the madness.

I'm totally entertained by absurd happenings such as this.
Madmen such as Vermin Supreme briefly lift the veil off the artifices of accepted social mores & our general perceptions of reality.

Despite my enjoyment of crazy crap like this, I can't imagine how anyone would actually let "Mr. Supreme" near public office. Most people prefer a state of order over mayhem- even if it's an order that's corrupt & dysfunctional.

Last night, Stephen Colbert was skewering GOP candidate Rick Santorum. They showed a clip of Santorum being confronted by.... a crazy man wearing a boot on his head!
I had a friend over who exclaimed, "Look at that crazy boot-head!" I couldn't remember the name at the time, but I knew it was ridiculous & ended up looking it up online.

When the primaries move on from New Hampshire, who knows if the Vermin Supreme phenomenon will continue...

In the long line of 'out-there' politicians, Vermin Supreme is on a different level.

See also:

Mike Gravel

Basil Marceaux

Guides to Creative Thinking

2012-01-05T08:22:00.001-05:00

I saw this list on Visual Bits & thought it had very good points:

Rules of a Creator's Life

I also came across this excellent article in The Atlantic that sums up the mysterious creative process:

How to Think Creatively

The four steps outlined in the article definitely reflect how I usually approach design projects or problems in general:
1. Saturation - expose yourself to as many different possibilities & solutions as you can
2. Incubation - take time to reflect & simply think about the project or problem
3. Ilumination - the often sudden mental lightning strike of an idea
4. Verification - re-evaluate the approach you are taking and weigh the pros vs. cons.

10 Technology Breakthroughs of 2011

2012-01-04T21:17:00.002-05:00

This is a little late, but here is a good list of some really mind-boggling innovations that have been emerging recently.

Gizmowatch:

10 Incredible Technology Breakthroughs of 2011

I never stop being amazed at the ability of the human mind to physically realize what it can imagine. My Dad always comments about how visionary Star Trek was back in the 60's, but he doesn't even know just how much of that sci-fi tech is now really being developed.

Infographic:

Star Trek is Just Around the Corner

When I see things like 'Brain-like CPUs', 'Cloud Computing', 'Auto-Repairing Circuits', & 'Nanorobotics', it's clear that an 'Apple iThink' computer is closer than ever.

From Paul's Portrait

New Year's Party!

2011-12-30T17:39:00.002-05:00

This party looks awesome...
I can't wait to go!!!!!!

Happy New Year!

Top Internet Memes of 2011

2011-12-30T08:15:00.001-05:00

Among the many wonders that the Internet has provided humanity is the endless supply of useless yet entertaining memes, which is the closest thing to a "fad" in the Digital Age.

I've found some excellent lists of the top Internet memes of 2011.

Scumbag Steve, of course, is likely to show up (uninvited) at the top of any list... because he's a scumbag.

Know Your Meme:

Top Memes of 2011

Know Your Meme:

My Mixed-Up Family

2011-12-29T10:18:00.000-05:00

Due to a storm, the power has been out at my house for a couple days.
Until I can get back on my computer at home, I'm posting my contribution to the 'White Elephant' game my family plays on Xmas Eve.

Basically, everyone brings a wrapped present to add to the game. Then everyone picks a number & takes turn picking a random present from the pile. My family all have a twisted sense of humor, so some of the presents end up being bizarre or crazy.

This year I was having trouble deciding on what to do for a gift.
Then, in a flash of inspiration, I decided to Photoshop the group pics from Thanksgiving to make insane mixed-up family portraits.

The one with all the guys is really funny because of all the baby heads.

I like to set the bar really high when it comes to creative gifts...

(My face is in the middle, & I'm all the way to the left in the original photo.)

Click the image for a bigger version:

Santa vs. Jesus

2011-12-24T13:04:00.001-05:00

It's time to celebrate the winter solstice holiday & specifically the beloved traditions of Christmas.

During this special time, let's not forget to take time to reflect on the deeper meanings of the holiday tradition...

Santa VS Jesus by ~Pazero

Santa, American Christmas Devil

2011-12-23T20:45:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure if the background story to this grotesquely insane, but awesome depiction of Santa Claus is true, but it's appropriately crazy:

Paper Pusher:

Crazy Christmas Cards from 1955!

Creative Governing

2011-12-21T22:08:00.005-05:00

Obviously the title of this post is not describing current American politics, especially when it comes to Congress.

If anything, the reason the government is so dysfunctional is that there are not nearly enough creative thinkers on Capitol Hill.

As a graphic artist, I can appreciate the sentiments in this article reflecting on the need for true "intelligent" design in our politics:

Seed Magazine:

On Governing by Design

With the utterly incompetent & reactionary GOP caucus in the House of Representatives, it's now near impossible to get anything legislatively productive done. Their hatred for Obama & anything that progressives remotely support overrides their ability to approach problems from a reasonable perspective.

They are currently paying a political price for their inability to do anything than obstruct what even their Republican colleagues in the Senate are trying to accomplish:

CBS News:

House GOP takes a Political Beating in Payroll Tax Fight

It's just a shame that these battles aren't spent on issues that actually impact the fundamental problems facing the economy & government. Congress can't seem to do any more than put band-aids on an amputee.

In honor of this most recent political fiasco cause by the knuckleheads in the House, I dug out the graphic below of Paul Ryan's Republican-backed plan to privatize Medicare & throw America's senior citizens to the mercy of Wall St. & private insurers.

The right-wingers are an endless source of horrible, absurd ideas that benefit nobody except the wealthiest citizens and corporations.

Anyway... for all it's faults, one thing I can appreciate about the Obama administration is their appreciation of thoughtful design & its general outreach to the design community.

Recently, the White House had a poster contest for the proposed jobs bill, which was predictably opposed by Republicans. I spent a few hours to put together this design in the hopes I could win & get a copy signed by the President. Unfortunately, I wasn't a finalist. Oh well.

Using the iconic logo of the Obama campaign, I tried (in my best 'minimalist propaganda' style) to illustrate what the government should be doing - Working *FOR* America... trying to unite Red & Blue and everyone else for common goals...

L....O....L!

Natural History

2011-12-20T08:27:00.000-05:00

This animated GIF, featuring two closely related ape-creatures, is a funny take on Leonardo da Vinci's canon of the human form.

That classic drawing is also known as the Vitruvian Man:

Weapons of Mass Creation

2011-12-14T22:50:00.002-05:00

I saw this cool print design on OMG Posters!

If we had more energy & money going into creative pursuits, instead of vicious cycles of destruction, the world would be a much different place.

Although I recognize all of the old-school visual art tools inside the 'creativity bomb', the only design tool I need nowadays is the Apple computer.

"Weapons of Mass Creation"

by Angryblue

Picasso's "Guernica" in 3D

2011-12-10T14:02:00.001-05:00

I have a large 6 ft. print of "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso hanging over my TV.

The painting is a general condemnation of the violence & atrocities of war. However, it is a specific reaction to the bombing of the Spanish town of Guernica in 1937, during the Spanish Civil War.

I've spent alot of time studying it & it's possibly the piece of art I've looked at the most.

Below is a really cool animation that splits the painting into the extra dimensions that Picasso envisioned. It highlights the many details of the design that tell the story of death & destruction wrought on innocent civilians.

It brilliantly ends with the focus on the tiny symbol of hope in the chaotic hellscape, the lone flower at the bottom center of the composition, emerging from a broken sword.

Keeping Things in Perspective

2011-12-07T08:24:00.001-05:00

I try to remind myself of this fact on a daily basis:

Seen on The Chive

Weekend Monkey Lounge Wear

2011-12-04T16:48:00.001-05:00

Only the finest in multicolored ape-man apparel...

Political Infographics

2011-11-30T21:26:00.001-05:00

Since I posted about the Death & Taxes chart, 2 more political graphics have caught my eye.

The first one was actually put out by The White House, comparing the proposals in Pres. Obama's Jobs Act to the consequences of the GOP's plan.

I'm no mindless Obama drone, but I think he's clearly a helluva lot better than Dubya was. If you watch speeches by the 2 presidents & you still think Obama's the worse one, then you've got problems. Obama's not nearly progressive enough for me, but I would much rather have him stay office than ANY one of the Republican candidates... even that half-genius/half-idiot Ron Paul.

Some critics would argue that this chart's just another piece of Obama Marxist propoganda, but it seems to correlate w/ the news I've been seeing coming out of Congress.

People could use more graphics like this that outline policy differences in a clear way, as long as they are accurate.

What a Jobs Plan Looks Like

click for larger

I also saw this well-made infographic on iab.com , outlining the percepual and factual differences of the Occupy Wall Street protests & the Tea Party political movement:

Faceoff: Occupy Wall Street vs. Tea Party Movement

click for larger

Lincoln: Capital vs. Labor

2011-11-28T22:02:00.001-05:00

Since I'm on the topic of populist messages by great Presidents, I came across this quote by Lincoln:

"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital.
Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed.

Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.
Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection as any other rights."

I would take issued with the last line of the quote in the text, though. I don't think that an conceptual tool like 'capital' should be considered to have rights at all, as individuals or groups of people do.
...that's like saying that computer software has rights.

It could also be argued that capital can be created from sources not normally considered "labor".

The creation of intellectual property can be considered a form of labor, if it leads to further production of goods & services.

What is definitely NOT productive labor? Financial schemes that do nothing but extract value from the economy, for the benefit of manipulative firms & their executives.

FDR Speech at Madison Square Garden 1936

2011-11-26T21:11:00.001-05:00

I felt like doing something EXTRA-exciting, so I was watching a history lecture on C-SPAN.

The lecture was by Professor Stephen Ortiz of Binghamton University. The topic was New Deal programs & the Roosevelt administration.

C-SPAN

The New Deal

There was an excerpt played of this speech at Madison Sq. Garden by Roosevelt a little more than 75 years ago.

President Obama's political instinct is to continually attempt compromise with the Republican party & corporate America.

FDR, however, openly declared war on these right wing factions, who he asserted were preying on the American worker:

"We hadto struggle with the old enemies of peace--business and financial monopoly,speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, warprofiteering.

They hadbegun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendageto their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money isjust as dangerous as Government by organized mob.

Neverbefore in all our history have these forces been so united against onecandidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me--andI welcome their hatred.

I shouldlike to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces ofselfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have itsaid of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master."

Giving Thanks

2011-11-25T07:18:00.000-05:00

I'm thankful our Thanksgiving turkey didn't look like this:

Violence vs. Silence

2011-11-21T22:03:00.001-05:00

People love to complain about the government, Wall St. & how "The System" as a whole is corrupt.

When people actually get out, organize, & try to do something about it, there are inevitably critics who feel like the status quo is better than actually trying to make major changes.

I think the Occupy protests are, overall, an effective force to initiate social and political change. I'm old enough to fondly remember the massive Iraq War protests during the Bush Dark Ages. The broad, sustained nature of the current Occupy protests are now having a large impact on the nation & the world.

Although the movement is fueled by future debt slaves, aka. "college students", there's also alot of labor unions & public workers involved, too. It's more than just a bunch of kids sleeping out in tents in parks. Like any large movement, there are bound to be wackos along with the people who are trying to do the right thing...

What should be the focus, are the stated goals of the movement-at-large:

The 99 Percent Declaration

The basic ideals that the people want to address are: democracy, justice, & freedom from oppression in it's many forms.

Most people don't expect a free ride in life, but we should all expect to have some protection against being exploited or preyed upon.

So, it's very disturbing to see the bizarro world we live in- where the forces that are supposed to protect the people are violently used against peaceful citizens & students who are trying to assert their rights as citizens and human beings.

Why are the victims (The protesting, debt-saddled American people) being criminalized instead of the perpetrators- (the financial & corporate players who have defrauded the country)?

To have any credibility with people interested in the nation-wide movement, President Obama needs to emphatically condemn violence against peaceful protesters. He's publicly sympathized with the sentiments of the protesters, even if he is a partial Wall St. beneficiary. Regardless, he should take action, or at least speak out, to prevent this kind of extreme assholery. It should not be tolerated from any law enforcement in this country, especially against unarmed students & innocent civilians.

This officer is basically a grown-up version of South Park's Eric Cartman- "Respect Mah Authoritah!!!!!"

UC Davis Protestors Pepper Sprayed

Later on, the chancellor of the school finally emerged to a creepy walk of shame by a silent mass of students staring her down.

It was a powerful, silent reaction to a petty, violent action:

Of course, nothing is sacred... so anything that causes outrage is now also a target for all the ridicule that The Internet has to offer:

Photos of Animal Eyes

2011-11-21T08:11:00.001-05:00

Life & biology are sources of endless amazement. Being a visual artist, the form and function of the eye, in particular, is something I find fascinating.

I saw this link on Neatorama to a cool set of close-up photos of eyes from the animal kingdom.

Suren Manvelyan Photography

The Vicious Circle of Life

2011-11-15T21:27:00.001-05:00

This cartoon I saw on Neatorama is a funny look at the nagging sense of "sooo much to do!" that most people experience on a daily basis, but especially professionals or creative people.

Vicious Circle

click to enlarge

My last post was about the inevitability of Death, too... but I'm not trying to be macabre. Being constantly aware of one's own mortality is simply the most effective way to appreciate Life.

I truly enjoy life & have been fortunate to have a very productive career as a graphic artist. However, there are always projects or visual art that I'm thinking of continually but just don't have time to even start. Although I sometimes sketch or write down ideas, most of them are archived in my head until I get to it.

Despite the constant urge to create, I try to remember there's no way to do everything I'd like. Therefore we sometimes have to stop, try to calm the whirlwind inside our head, put things in perspective, & take time to breath while we can.

The Last Day Dream

2011-11-11T08:12:00.001-05:00

Whether or not it's all just a last spasm of brain activity, I always try to remember to make it count.

We only have one shot at this life, and we waste so much of it... all we can do is live it up the best we can.

seen on Ffffound!

Old Man

2011-11-10T01:33:00.001-05:00

The Need for Public Works Projects

2011-11-09T21:55:00.002-05:00

I've posted before about the Civilian Conservation Corps, a government program in the 1930's-40's that created work for Americans in meaningful public projects.

PBS American Experience:

The Civilian Conservation Corps

Sen. Lautenberg from my home state of NJ has proposed a modern Works Progress Administration or WPA, which was another New Deal initiative by Franklin Roosevelt.

Raw Story:

New Jersey Sen. Lautenberg says it’s time for a new WPA

This is the kind of government intervention that should have been implemented awhile ago, instead of shoveling taxpayer money into The Great Casino on Wall St.

Politico:

Report: Fed lent Wall St. $1.2T more

I also think there needs to be more of this kind of attempt by Rep. DeFazio to put a reign on some of the shenanigans going on in the financial "industry":

ThinkProgress:

Calling Wall Street A ‘Gambling Casino,’

Democratic Rep. DeFazio Proposes Financial Transactions Tax

How Many Photos Have Been Taken?

2011-11-07T23:45:00.000-05:00

I enjoy taking photos, for personal events & also for art's sake.

Paul Mic's Gallery

Much of our memories, especially of the distant past, are facilitated by old photographs. I've got alot of photos from the days of film, but since the era of digital cameras the ability to take pics is relatively unlimited.

Here is a calculation of the total number of photos that have been taken. The total estimated number, 3.5 trillion photos, is probably going to be dwarfed in no time.

How Many Photos Have Ever Been Taken?

Of course, there is also the digital wonder of Youtube, which is also increasing its archive of videos at an exponential rate. The total library is constantly growing which makes it tough to precisely calculate at any one time.

We are creating an ethereal repository of human experience. As long as the digital network (or its futuristic offshoot) is functioning, mankind's memories will remain intact.
Ultimately, all this information is nothing but light. However, as long as all our data needs to be stored in physical drives or servers, it's always susceptible to cataclysms in the physical world.

Eventually, when we are each inevitably implanted with an Apple iThink, our lives will be continually recorded from one or multiple perspectives, perhaps in true 3-D using holographic data.

Death & Taxes 2012

2011-11-04T07:21:00.000-05:00

This is a great interactive graphic that is updated each year by designer Jess Bachman.

Death & Taxes

It's a clear visual representation of how the US federal budget is allocated & makes it easier to visualize where our tax money is spent.

There's a full screen button for easier viewing.

Stephen Colbert tries to occupy the Occupy Movement

2011-11-02T22:24:00.001-05:00

I've talked before about the Occupy Wall St. protests. Personally, as long as it remains generally non-violent I think the overall goals are eminently reasonable & are helping to guide the national discussion toward relevant issues.

The 99 Percent Declaration

Of course, nothing is sacred when it comes to the satirical genius of Stephen Colbert. This segment was really unfair to the motivations of the movement, but it's hysterical.

He demonstrated the power of absurdity & cynicism to these young idealists- by expertly playing the part of the self-absorbed, plutocratic a-hole.

Colbert Super PAC - Stephen Colbert Occupies Occupy Wall Street

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Colbert Super PAC - Stephen Colbert Occupies Occupy Wall Street Pt. 1

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T19:47:00.000-05:00

This weekend I had a couple Halloween activities planned, so my costume was Zombie Steve Jobs:

Steve Jobs has been one of my personal idols, so it's not really meant to be mean-spirited.
I just thought it was a little crazy & very easy to put together.

Friday night I was out with friends & entered the costume contest for the hell of it. The guys who were judging thought it was funny, so I ended up getting 2nd place... much to my bewilderment. I was up against girls wearing things like sexy police & FBI costumes, so I thought they clearly should've won instead.

Although the $100 prize for 1st place would've been cool, I happily took the runner-up prize- a large Eagles mirror. Although it's a cool prize, I have nowhere to hang it, so my brother's getting it for Xmas, since he said he wanted it.

Words to Live By

2011-10-28T19:01:00.002-05:00

I'm starting off the weekend with George Carlin aka Rufus from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Advice for the Ages:

"Be Excellent to each other.

Party on, Dude."

This reminds me I've been meaning to compile a post w/ my unofficial history of the word "Dude."
The entire world owes my Dad, Big Paul, credit with resurgence of this totally excellent word.

Mind Control

2011-10-26T07:15:00.002-05:00

seen on The Chive

I was looking for this one about the crackling ears, but the rest are all good examples of our perpetually selective awareness:

Timeline of the Universe

2011-10-20T19:11:00.000-05:00

On Reality Carnival I saw this mind-bending timeline that projects future cosmic events from the year 10,000 until the theoretical end of the Universe as we know it.

Timeline of the Universe

Of course, I don't really care what happens to the universe after I die since I won't experience it.

It's interesting to think about, though, how long into the future mankind will be able to extend our brief cosmic existence. To do so, we have to extend our presence outside the solar system so we're not at the mercy of what happens to this particular planet. At the rate we're going, it may take a looong time to begin traveling between the stars.

However, there's also the possibility that both the ancient gnostics & South Park were right- that Earth is a cosmic prison that human beings are trapped in... FOREVER.

Pinewood Derby
Get More: SOUTH
PARK more...

There's also a section of the website that outlines the history of the known universe.

History of the Universe

A State of Occupation

2011-10-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

This weekend, the growing Occupy Wall Street protests spread to cities around the world. It seems that a large number of people have finally had enough with the crooks & buffoons that have been acting as overlords.

In my opinion, this movement is our country's progressive answer to the misplaced priorities of the Tea Party- which was fueled by fear & anger toward the government, but with a blind eye to Free Market abuses & no realistic approach to generate solutions.

Speaking of the Tea Party, this is an insane video of possibly the most empty-headed teabagger out there, actress Victoria Jackson. She's mingling with people in the Occupy Wall St. crowd & boldly displays her insufferable ignorance. I don't know how anyone can talk to her seriously. Could it possibly be performance art on her part?!? I'd recommend forwarding to about 2 min in. Her voice is hard to take, despite the excellent answers by the people she interviews.

The Tea Party has attracted (rightfully) angry Americans looking for alternatives to the 2 party system. However, that movement has mostly been a pawn of big industry, namely Koch Industries, & big media, namely Fox News. That's why the Tea Party's main stated goals are cutting government programs, lowering taxes & reducing regulations. Their desired policies mostly benefit multinational corporations, not the average person.

However, the knee-jerk reactionaries raising hell in the Tea Party were actually ahead of the curve in openly expressing general frustration with a system gone mad. These Occupy Wall Street protests are the result of everyone else in America finally reacting en masse to the many dysfunctional elements of society that have metastasized into systemic failure.

The driving vision of this recent upwelling is not to just initiate reform, but to fundamentally change in the way society operates. Everything is so screwed up, maybe this kind of organized, widespread nonviolent protest this is the only way to start the wheels turning toward real progress.

After reading through the '99% Declaration' policy points, I think these are definitely the right issues to be focusing on. These groups of people are trying to effectively address the problems at their root cause. This is actually a rational & pragmatic platform... not the stoned ramblings of bongo-playing hippies:

The 99 percent Declaration

Traditional apologists for the elitist tendencies of the status quo are having a hard time adopting the reality of this popular movement into their worldview. America's biggest knucklehead, Fox News' Sean Hannity, is the standard bearer for being wrong on every single issue.

These two U.S. Marines have the right advice for anyone like him, who is foolish enough to dismiss the growing unrest in this country:

Meditating Monkeys

2011-10-13T22:42:00.001-05:00

Although I generally don't approve of scientific testing on animals- I can't resist a story about monkeys being trained to meditate.

io9:

Marmosets can meditate (and are immune to the placebo effect)

Soon, there will be an army of Monkey Buddhas...

Neuro Report:

Neurofeedback Training on Sensorimotor Rhythmin Marmoset Monkeys

Remember You Will Die

2011-10-13T22:18:00.002-05:00

Some people may see art highlighting the reality of death as macabre.

However, it is a supreme method of achieving awareness & appreciation of Life as a temporary gift, which we have to make the best of.

This idea i saw on this isn't happiness might be a little too much reminding for me, though...

Accurate Clock by Mr. Jones

We Are All Part of the Same Thing

2011-10-13T07:20:00.003-05:00

This is a very cool poster made of string art that's an interesting study in typography, negative space, color, & materials.

It's a statement of the philosophical idea that the universe is a singular, unified phenomenon. The apparent separation of reality into different aspects is a mental illusion.

"We are all a Part of the Same Thing"

by Dominique Falla

The Future of Apple?

2011-10-10T21:39:00.002-05:00

I'll end my personal tribute to the legendary co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, by looking forward.

As a college student, one of my senior design projects was to design a computer of the future. This was around 2000, & our labs had the original iMacs & G4 Powermacs. Cell phones weren't common at all & the Internet was just becoming the eminent communication & information tool it is today.

My design for a futuristic computer used a portable handheld device w/ peripherals like a touchscreen monitor w/ embedded speakers & an immersive eyepiece that that was another interface option.

I'll post the renders I made of the concept when I get around to it. Anyway, that project inspired me a few years ago to imagine an Apple-branded computer of the future, called the Apple iThink. It's been featured on websites & magazines around the world.

Apple iThink

My "iThink" concept pics & the imaginary specs are at the bottom of the post. I'm determined to update the graphics one of these days.

I've been talking to people this weekend about the impact of Steve Jobs and Apple & no one can really say for certain how the computer interface will be improved after the touchscreen. Perhaps 3D or holographic technology is the next step. However, interfaces that connect directly to the brain seem to be inevitable. Then, our thoughts may be augmented by digital systems. Maybe our memory & perceptions could even be enhanced.

Here's a list of links to stories that I think herald the coming of future devices with iThink Tech:

CNN:

The Future of Brain-controlled Devices

BBC:

Chemical computer that mimics neurons to be created

PopSci:

The World's First Commercial Brain-Computer Interface

Wired:

Pentagon Turns to Brain Implants to Repair Damaged Minds

Design Mind:

Envisioning Your Future in 2020

Discover:

How to Plug in a Brain

PopSci:

New Brain-Machine Interface Taps Human Smarts to Enhance Computers' Abilities

BoingBoing:

Method for wiring chips with nerve cells

MSNBC:

FDA approves computer chip for humans

Huffington Post:

IBM 'Synapse' Chips Mimic Human Brain

Apple "iThink" Technical Specifications

• Size:
1.5 x 1.5 x .5 inches

• Symbiosis™ Neural Interface:
Direct brain-computer link means your mind and computer are one!

• Intel Fusion™ Quantum Processing:
Uses the power of the atom to instantly compute at the speed of thought.

• Holographic Data Storage:
The iThink’s tiny internal holochip has a staggering individual capacity of over 666 Yottabytes (1000^8), for seemingly infinite augmented memory

• Intra-neural Communication:
Mentally allow or block any kind of signal you want to send or recieve instantly over the wireless iThink global network

• Perceptual Immersion:
Images, sound, & other data are projected virtually into your sensory fields by directly connecting into your brain’s activity

• Integrated GPS and Google Earth:
Receive directions and location information anywhere on the planet, and the ability to be located in case of an emergency

The Design Zen of Steve Jobs

2011-10-08T16:45:00.001-05:00

Since Steve Jobs has been one of my greatest heroes & inspirations in my adult life, I'm keeping the memorial vigil going here for the weekend.

I've seen good articles & videos about him, but I want to concentrate on what truly made him & Apple what they have become. In essence, it was his understanding of beautifully simple design- both cosmetic & functional.

10 Lessons on Design

We Can Learn From Apple

Due to his interest in Eastern philosophy & sensibilities, his approach to product design has been called Zen-like, for good reason.

CNN:

The Zen of Steve Jobs

Zen is essentially a study of one's own self & the mind in a pure experiential context, unfiltered by our inherent preconceptions & cultural baggage.

I think this kind of deep understanding helped Jobs' focus on the practical relationship the user had to any of his Apple products. He had a unique vision that allowed him to know how people would think about features & use them, in a sense being empathetic to their needs.

Yahoo News:

Steve Jobs' Mantra Rooted in Buddhism:

Focus and Simplicity

Apple has been great at minimizing user frustration, while simultaneously maximizing productivity. Despite the inevitable imperfections in any given device, the technologies that he popularized seem almost miraculous when seen with fresh eyes. The fact that their capabilities are almost taken for granted is an even greater testament to the way the amazing tech was designed to be interwoven into one's everyday life.

It's truly a shame that we didn't have a few more decades of Steve Jobs' vision to enrich our culture, but hopefully his legacy will continue to guide Apple & the tech industry for year to come.

The Golden Ratio

Steve Jobs, Legend of the Digital Age

2011-10-05T20:12:00.003-05:00

On the news tonight, I saw that Steve Jobs passed away.

Although it will be said millions of times, he was a true genius and a visionary who literally changed the world.

My own career and entire creative life has been influenced by the great functionality of Apple computers. I've 'converted' all my siblings to Mac & it's superiority to Windows is clear to me.

Although I don't have an iPhone or iPad yet, I've long recognized the revolutionary potential of portable digital devices. Apple has had a major part in making tech, and therefore the human network, more mobile.

What set Apple apart was the minimalist design approach & ease of use. Steve Jobs revolutionized the tech industry several times over and led Apple to becoming one of the most important companies in the world.

I hope that Apple continues to fulfill the vision implemented by its founder, in order to improve the lives of people around the world. I'm forever grateful to Steve Jobs for sparing me from Windows hell.

Bad Lip Reading

2011-10-04T19:27:00.000-05:00

This is a hysterically stupid idea.

Bad Lip Reading

Lab Chimps Freed

2011-10-04T19:03:00.001-05:00

Empathy is the ability to mentally & emotionally connect to another being.

The inability to experience empathy is a trait of a psychopath. I think that avoiding cruelty towards other living things is a primary moral rule. However, I'm also a realist. I know we live in an insane world, where unimaginable suffering exists all over the globe, at all times.

I think that keeping sentient wildlife encaged & tortured in experimentation is immoral, regardless of the scientific value. The whole issue of factory farming is another animal issue I'm not going to get into now, but generally we should be finding ways to reduce suffering, not increasing it.

Anyway, this story about lab chimps being outside for the first time is proof that these animals are consciously experiencing life basically the same as we are. They are feeling, seeing, hearing, and reacting to their situation. To inflict prolonged pain on such creatures is not justifiable & can't be good for the soul.

Daily Mail:

Lab Chimps Freed

After Being Caged for 30 Years

Designing the Cereal Box

2011-10-03T07:20:00.004-05:00

I saw this humorous infographic about the product design process. Most creative professionals can probably relate to this.

click here

for full size image:

Crazy Greed

2011-09-28T23:49:00.000-05:00

I think this trader is being honest to the extent that he's giving a clear glimpse into the mind of a sociopathic financial parasite.

He's also right that without checks on their power & influence, Goldman Sachs and the other 'too-big-to-fail' banks & investment firms are an unstoppable cancer draining the wealth from society.

I don't enjoy working with numbers, so I would never work in the financial industry. Trading stocks & managing investments would be like my nightmare job, it just seems so crazy. Maybe, to some extent, it is:

Daily Mail:

City Traders Can Be More

Reckless and Dangerous Than Psychopaths

Obviously, not everyone who works for a bank is a greedy lunatic out to pillage mankind.
However, the fact that the looting of our country by these corporate vampires has gone completely unpunished has given rise to the 'Occupy Wall Street' protest in NYC that has been going on for almost 2 weeks.

Occupy Wall Street

The great populist of our time, Michael Moore, was on MSNBC live from Wall St. earlier & stood up for all the working people who are preyed upon by the nation's banking institutions. He's right on the money, so to speak.

Here's Part 2

of the interview

The only thing I've ever been a part of that could be a considered a protest was the awesome huuuuuge rally in DC organized by Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert.

"The Rally to Restore Sanity" 10-30-10

I've got a good job & need to pay my bills, so I've got nothing to get really pissed off about. However, I'm glad there's all those activists who are there. They are helping to bring awareness to the massive injustices happening on in our county, so people feel empowered to speak out and take action against them.

Afghanistan's Strategic Importance

2011-09-28T21:31:00.002-05:00

This has been known for awhile, but I'm sure this has nothing to do with anything...

NY Times

U.S. Identifies Vast Mineral Riches in Afghanistan

Scientific American

Afghanistan's Buried Riches

We all know the real reason we have dumped trillions of dollars into the foreign occupation of a mountainous wasteland is to protect us from these dangerous terrorist training camps:

Right?

Robert Downey Jr. on Monkeys

2011-09-26T19:29:00.001-05:00

Another great find from The Chive

The Question of Life

2011-09-22T22:01:00.001-05:00

I saw this cartoon on The Chive, asking the eternal question:

Besides the weird mutant humanoid that's supposed to be a baby, this is a great illustration.

It perfectly captures the perpetual inability of human beings to fully appreciate the only time that really exists - NOW.

I wake up every day with the realization that I might not make it to the next one. Truly accepting your own mortality in an immediate way helps increase awareness and acceptance of your own experiences.

I know I'm here to simply.... live.

The Vitality of Rest

2011-09-20T19:03:00.001-05:00

On FFFFOUND! I see lots of crazy styles of typography, some with interesting messages.

I definitely appreciate the message on this poster:

"Sometimes

The Most

Urgent & Vital

Thing You Can Possibly Do Is

Take a Complete

Rest."

Agreed!

The Golden Bough

2011-09-17T12:21:00.001-05:00

"The Golden Bough" by J. M. W. Turner

Back in June, I posted about my summer reading list.

I just finished the 700+ page The Golden Bough by James George Frazer. I've been reading that book at work during my lunch breaks. Fingerprints of the Gods was my vacation book, & I'm almost done that too.

The Golden Bough was excruciating at times to read, but I pushed through it. Mostly, the book is a scattered list of every superstition & folk ritual imaginable. It is a repository for details of various cultural traditions & taboos, but there are so many examples it's hard to absorb it all.

The ultimate purpose of the book was to investigate the ancient rites that took place in the sacred Arician groves at Nemi in Italy. Supposedly, there was a priest-king who guarded the grove. His successor had to break a limb from a sacred tree & kill him to take his place.

However, getting to the possible history & reasons behind those sacred rites is a long, tortuous road. As I said, most of the book just becomes a rambling list of superstitious beliefs among various peoples. It's tedious to read through, even for someone interested in cultural anthropology.

One part of the book that was interesting is a chapter on the god-man Osiris of ancient Egypt. The Fingerprints of the Gods questions the astronomical connections & possible historical foundations of the Osiris legend. The Golden Bough instead looks at the link between Osiris and agriculture, especially the growing of corn.

These varied aspects of the same deity show how symbolically multi-faceted the ancient people were. Our ancestors were able to encode vast amounts of knowledge into characters & stories that could be passed down through the ages.

I judge a book by the chance I'd read it again. There were some interesting sections, but it's safe to say I don't think I'll be taking this lengthy book on again anytime soon.

Hypno-Bachmann

2011-09-14T19:07:00.000-05:00

I couldn't help myself...

Despite the dismal field of candidates, I watched the last GOP debate the other night that was sponsored by corporate partners CNN & The Tea Party, Inc.

I still think the Republicans have no chance to beat Obama if Mitt Romney isn't the nominee. He's the only one remotely electable. Some of the candidates are more far out than others, though. Ron Paul is partially immersed in a Libertarian fantasyland. I completely agree with some of his ideas, but then he goes into illogical extremes with his fictional idea of individual "freedom" which always trumps the good of society.

However, Michele Bachmann, a Congresswoman from a district of crazy people in Minnesota, is out somewhere on her own planet. Besides being one of the most untruthful politicians in DC, she basically wants to eliminate secular government & institute a theocracy based on her own warped view of reality.
It always amazes me how many of these government-hating Republicans want to be career government employees...

Anyway, I had the image of her iconic Newsweek cover sitting on my desktop, because I knew I could make something crazy w/ it. ...so, I threw this animated GIF together of "Hypno-Bachmann".

Don't look at it too long or she will suck out your soul.

Nature Sounds Mixer

2011-09-11T11:56:00.001-05:00

In my post about my week at the beach, I mentioned the symphony of natural sounds we would take in as we sat by the fire each night.

Cape May Vacation

I forget how I came across it, but I've bookmarked this awesome website. It's a sound mixer that can be used to create custom soundscapes.

Free Nature Sounds Mixer

http://naturesoundsfor.me/

There are 4 tracks to mix & you can use a variety of natural and rythmic sound samples.

I've used the mixer to make a virtual version of the audial environment that I experienced relaxing by the bay.

1. Beach
2. Crickets
3. Fire
4. Wind in Leaves

^ This is what I'm listening to right now.
There are endless combinations though, & I often use it to make ambient sound in my room while I'm on the computer, napping, or reading.

Obama's Jobs Speech

2011-09-08T22:03:00.000-05:00

Tonight, President Obama used the setting of a joint session of Congress to try and initiate some action on the country's unemployment rate & related economic problems.

The guy can give a hell of a speech & I agree with many of his ideas, but dealing with Congress to pass effective legislation is another story. Measures such as, re-hiring first responders & teachers, fixing schools, working on infrastructure, small business tax breaks, etc., should be a no-brainer. It is Congress, though... so it's hard to be optimistic. There are a few GOP knuckleheads who didn't even want to do their jobs and show up for the joint session addressing a critical national issue. These buffoons are supposed to be relied upon for reasonable compromise?

GOP Lawmakers Skipping Obama Jobs Speech

It's crazy that there are so many people unemployed when there's potential for so much work to be done. It's even crazier for people (like the cult of Ron Paul) to think that the Free Market can somehow magically solve everything. If the private sector is stagnant & the source of jobs needs to be purposeful government projects, then so be it. People complain about teachers or cushy gov't jobs with their generous benefits- but somehow a CEO for a bailed-out company who gets a bonus larger than the entire company's tax burden deserves it & is just 'living the American dream'. It's silly.

Anyway, it seems to me that creating constructive, functional public works projects would be a wise investment. Any improvement to the effectiveness of education would be an even greater benefit to society.
Both of these would also help to reduce the "entitlement" culture that right-wingers loathe so much. Speaking of which, I saw this absolutely ri-dic-u-lous video that I'm not even going to embed because it's just tooo much, even if it is a parody. I can imagine it's what some people imagine everyone getting public assistance is like.

The bottom line is: the more people who are working, in the public or private sector, the less likely it will be for the other related economic problems to develop.

If I could be their PR consultant, my slogan for Obama's campaign would be "Working for America".

Republican Debate..yawn

2011-09-07T19:30:00.000-05:00

What a Crowd

Since I like to get all perspectives on the issues of the day, I'll probably force myself to watch some of the debate tonight between the GOP Presidential candidates.

It's difficult to watch the tired old arguments of these candidates, especially after I just watched other more insightful politicians offering real solutions to the country's problems. I was watching an interview w/ Sherrod Brown from Ohio regarding job creation, who I think is right about most issues I hear him talk about. Then, on C-Span, I saw the last part of a speech on the House floor by Dennis Kucinich regarding the NEED Act that he is sponsoring.

Then I watch the Republican debate, hearing people like Michele Bachmann recite her usual falsehoods.

I'm really interested to see who ends up the GOP nominee. If they don't pick Mitt Romney they're crazy. He's the only one who most independent voters would even think about voting for. Rick Perry is just Dubya Part II & he's the only other one with any chance.

One thing I'm sure will not change from watching the debate is that I wouldn't vote for any of them. I think Obama's a far better choice, despite his faults. My biggest problem with President Long-Legged Mack Daddy is that he has not governed like the socialist far-left progressive that his opponents make him out to be. He's been more of a Wall Street-sponsored corporate Democrat, who just panders to the base on some issues. If anything, his presidency has definitely demonstrated how difficult it is to realize fundamental institutional change. However, even if he did aggressively push to enact progressive programs, he would continue to be challenged by the defiant & unified opposition.

As an Independent voter, I don't have any party interest in having Obama stay another term. I'm more concerned with the fact that each one of his Republican challengers would probably be a disaster if they were in charge.

This article by a former GOP staffer on the state of the party-at-large seemed to be pretty accurate to me:

"Goodbye to All That: Reflections of a GOP Operative Who Left the Cult"

Cape May 2011

2011-09-05T11:15:00.000-05:00

From Cape May 2011

I've uploaded a bunch of photos from my vacation in Cape May, NJ a couple weeks ago.

Paul Mic's Picasa Albums

Cape May 2011

My family stayed in a small bungalow right on the Delaware Bay. We were across the street from the beach, which is great for all the beach bums in my family.

We had a bar down the road, but we were stocked up on liquor & beer so we mostly just hung out at the house at night, by the chiminea fire. From the yard, we could hear the waves crashing on the beach. Along with the sounds of the breeze, crackling fire, & crickets, it was a very relaxing natural soundtrack.

As I explained in a previous post, I completely missed the East Coast earthquake while I was on the beach. During the week I went on a eventful fishing trip w/ my Dad & brothers, spent the other days on the beach, ate like a glutton, relaxed & drank by the fire at night, and at the end of the week we had all-you-can-eat crab fest, sitting on the pier in a thunderstorm. That was the night before we had to leave, since the Jersey shore was evacuated due to the approach of Hurrican Irene.

Going on summer vacations with my family is something we all look forward to all year. We enjoy each other's company and are thankful for the great time we get to spend together. Inevitably, we end up with material for great (usually humorous) stories. One of the important things in life is the stories you have to share. The tales you have to tell are a measure of your life experiences.

The Art of A.I. Conversation

2011-09-01T23:17:00.005-05:00

AI vs. AI. Two chatbots talking to each other

I find this exchange of computer-generated words to be highly unsettling- especially the part about wanting a body. Creepy.

On the bright side, I'm glad to see machines using artificial intelligence will probably be too busy to destroy us... they'll be arguing with each other about crazy nonsense, just like people!

Darth Maul Costume

2011-09-01T23:05:00.004-05:00

This is a photo of me from an old ROLL of film that I just got developed. This pic is from waaaay back... on Halloween 2001. It was crazy to look at photos I haven't seen yet... from 10 yrs ago. :P

Anyway, I did the Darth Maul makeup myself & I still think it turned out pretty cool.

The glowing red eyes are natural, of course.

Hurricane Irene: The Aftermath

2011-08-30T18:55:00.004-05:00

Despite my parents & my brother both wanting me to stay with either of them, I stuck out the hurricane at my place by myself.

Being alone doesn't bother me, even in a crazy situation like that. From following the news on the storm, I didn't think it was going to be strong enough to blow the house away or anything.

However, I was bracing myself for a certain level of carnage, while stocking up on the survival essentials: jugs of water, a freezer full of ice, trail mix, pizza, & of course beer.

It started raining around 2PM on Saturday & I went to my parents for dinner then drove back afterward, before it really picked up at night. It seemed like there was non-stop rain but, fortunately, a lack of extremely violent winds. The rain didn't stop completely for about 20 hours. Around 2AM when the center of the storm was supposedly passing by, I went outside onto my back patio & it seemed like a normal rainstorm.

The next afternoon, the only damage I could see was a big tree that fell in the yard across the street. I had a couple leaks, but my house was still standing.

It wasn't till the day after when I realized how much water had been dumped on the area. There's several lakes near me, & alot of roads had sections that were flooded over.

Unfortunately basement flooded from all the rainfall, so I was sitting on my cellar steps pumping water last nite. All of a sudden a helicopter started flying overhead. My brother texted me the report he saw on Action News 6. Someone had tried to drive through a blocked section of road that had flooded & need to be rescued about a mile from me.

I've seen some Youtube videos of the flooding & it's pretty extreme. Despite the unstoppable power of nature, though, it's impressive how resilient people can be in such harsh conditions.

Vacationing Through Disasters

2011-08-27T09:56:00.006-05:00

This past week I was on vacation in Cape May, NJ with my family.

We really had a great week... but got stuck between 2 natural disasters & had to evacuate the shore a day early. Perfect timing!

Earlier in the week, the uncharacteristic earthquake hit the East Coast from the epicenter in Virginia.

US Geological Survey
Magnitude 5.8 - VIRGINIA

Amazingly, although I was at the Jersey Shore & everyone else in our family experienced it... somehow my brother & I completely missed it!!!!

I am still in disbelief that I missed a friggin earthquake. My brother & I were on the beach, which is fairly secluded & only had about 12 other people at the most along the whole stretch.

At the time of the earthquake, we were either:
1) in the water jumping around playing with the awesome Waboba ball & didn't feel it somehow.
2) passed out lying on the beach & didn't feel it while we were snoozing.

Either way it's crazy.

My other brother was with my parents crabbing on a pier & they felt it. My sister was napping with my nephews at the rental house & everything started moving. I came back from the beach to see if she was coming down & she asked me if I felt the earth shaking. I had no idea what she was talking about, & thought she was making a joke about my nephew pooping.

Anyway, then we got the news of Hurricane Irene approaching, & Friday evacuation orders were given for Cape May. So, we left vacation a day early & I've been preparing for whatever this monstrous fractal whirlwind is going to bring.

We're already getting some rain in southern NJ... so, unlike the earthquake, I don't think I'm going to be able to miss this storm.

WTF

Interactive Planetarium

2011-08-20T10:50:00.004-05:00

The infinite scale of cosmic space can make any earthly concerns seem insignificant.

I came across this interactive program that lets you view the heavenly bodies from different perspectives & times.

There are alot of customizable options & it's fun to play around with.

Solar System Scope

An amazing tool like this makes me think about the tremendous effort by ancient civilizations to track the thousands of visible celestial bodies.

It's awe-inspiring that, over many generations, our ancestors were able to record, visualize, and predict the relative movements of the myriad stars & planets using their limited technologies.

Trying to understand the vast forces of nature makes us realize our small place in the world, which is itself just a speck in the cosmos.

Cosmic Politics

2011-08-20T10:48:00.006-05:00

Saw this on BoingBoing

The Daily Show: World Class Warfare

2011-08-20T10:23:00.003-05:00

Jon Stewart & the Daily Show blew some gaping holes in some of the right-wing/Fox News talking points the other night. It's always fun to watch.

The Daily Show
August 18th: World Class Warfare

The race for the Republican Presidential nomination has been a real clown show. It's pretty bad when your field of candidates make Mitt Romney look like the most appealing candidate.

Obama has been a corporate centrist, but from the way some of these people talk you'd think he was Socialism incarnate.

I personally would like to see a Perry/Palin 2012 ticket. Then we can see who are the truly craziest citizens in the country.

Anyway, The Daily Show has really been properly tearing into the Fox propaganda lately:

The Daily Show
July 27th: GOP Special Victims Unit

Graham Hancock on Ancient Civilizations

2011-08-17T22:12:00.006-05:00

"Gold Sun Stone Pyramid"
from The Monkey Buddha Bazaar

One of the books I'm reading right now is Graham Hancock's "Fingerprints of the Gods: The Evidence of Earth's Lost Civilizations".

It's a great read... an investigation of the ancient anomalies & structures that exist around the planet. These kinds of mysteries from the fog of distant history have always fascinated me.

Graham Hancock describes the abundant evidence that mankind's past is much richer and older than traditional history allows. So far, it seems like he isn't making any truly controversial conclusions in the book (such as- everything was made by UFOs). Mostly, he simply points out the many truly unexplainable discoveries that don't fit into the currently accepted historical narrative.

Fortunately, the information we are learning about these cultures is now growing exponentially. Thanks to the expanding field of archaeology, with its improving techniques & technologies, we are learning more about our ancient heritage than ever before.

I'll talk more about the book once I finish it, but on The Daily Grail I saw this excellent video of a presentation Mr. Hancock gave about the same topics that are in the book. It's definitely worth the time to watch:

Graham Hancock Presenting at the 2012 Conference

Paths to Wisdom w/ Steven Seagal

2011-08-17T21:56:00.003-05:00

Steven Seagal imparts Zen wisdom:

I have just experienced satori.

Obviously, It Was Aliens...

2011-08-16T20:00:00.008-05:00

After talking to my brother & some of my friends recently about the program "Ancient Aliens" on History Channel, I had to make this graphic. The series attempts to investigate the world's mysteries and how they may relate to extraterrestrial visitors.

I think the show is mildly interesting, but definitely don't take any of it seriously. To it's credit, the discussion of ancient anomalies brings to light the many questions that still exist about the history of our species. The series also has alot of footage of interesting places around the globe.

However, some of the assertions made by the various "experts" are simply outrageous in their ignorance. The most hardcore of the 'ancient alien-ologists' like Giorgio Tsoukalos in the picture above, confidently assert that almost any phenomena we don't understand is UFO-related. They are as bad as traditional archaeology when it comes to underestimating the imagination & ingenuity of ancient man.

One of the worst segments I've seen was about the ancient Mayan culture. I've read alot about the Maya, & I rolled my eyes when they started talking about the sarcophagus lid of Lord Pakal. This stone lid has decoration which has been described as a 'rocketship,' but it's not:

Mesoamerica Astrology

A minimal amount of research would uncover the truth behind the art. It is a stylized depiction of the Mayan World Tree, with the underworld beneath Pakal. Doing a search for Mayan World Tree shows several images of the same cosmic motif, without the 'spaceship' appearance.

What really is amazing is the astronomical knowledge the ancient cultures knew, which they incorporated into their art & architecture.

What really blew my mind, though, was when 'UFO archaeologist' David Childress said one of the the dumbest things I've ever heard on TV. While discussing the fall of Mayan civilization, he claimed it was possible that the people 'disappeared' because they were all taken off-planet in spaceships!!! I couldn't believe such blatantly false information wasn't edited out of the show.

If that was the case, how did I have a Mayan descendant driving me to the airport when I was in Mexico? It's pretty well-known that the Mayan people spread south, into Belize & Guatemala where they live today.

Anyway, to sum up my feelings on this whole "ancient astronaut" idea:

I do think there is most likely life throughout the universe.
(For all I know, Earth could be a zoo for inter-dimensional beings to observe.)
However, I don't think "aliens" should be the default answer to every mysterious aspect of human history, especially feats of colossal engineering.

Human imagination is a powerful force in it's own right.

Arthur C. Clarke on BBC Horizon

2011-08-15T18:47:00.005-05:00

In the latter part of this video from the 1960's features one of the great visionaries of the 20th century, Arthur C. Clarke.

He presciently talks about the state of current communication technology.
The concepts he discusses, analogous to modern tech like cell phones & the Internet, were just imaginative science fiction in the early 60's.

However, human imagination, manifested in works of science fiction, can often drive scientific discovery & development.

When I was younger, I used to watch his awesome TV show "Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers".

One his best known works is the epic movie, "2001: A Space Odyssey".

He was a true genius & definitely inspired me when I was growing up to try to be a forward thinker.

The Universe is Brain-Shaped

2011-08-11T07:12:00.007-05:00

This is the 1,000th post I've written since I started this blog over 6 years ago, in 2005.

"Intro to the Monkey Buddha"

Although I don't usually have time to post as often as I'd like, this is a great creative outlet for me.

Since I'm usually busy creating visual art, I'm not sure how else I would get to write about all the topics that interest me.

Anyway, for a milestone post such as this, I decided to reveal one of the funda-mental mysteries of the universe, in graphic form:

I've also added this design to my Cafepress shop, The Monkey Buddha Bazaar, featured on different items:

Cafepress:

"The Universe is Brain Shaped"

“We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts, we make the world.”

-Siddhartha Guatama, The Buddha

Dear Human...

2011-08-09T17:50:00.004-05:00

I thought this comic was pretty funny, even if not entirely accurate:

Click to see it all:

The First Web Page Ever

2011-08-08T21:21:00.006-05:00

20 years ago, the first "page" of information went online, beginning the development of the World Wide Web.

FLASHBACK:
This Is What The First-Ever Website Looked Like

When I was a kid, I thought that having to use encyclopedias & going to the library to research any given topic was a real pain in the ass. The Internet (despite the abundance of garbage & ridiculousness) has already clearly revolutionized the human race & is the catalyst for profound changes to our world.

Even for people my age and older who grew up without the capability of digital search engines, the almost magical ease of The Web is still easy to take for granted. The volume of knowledge (& stupidity) existing in the virtual realm is amazing, especially when you consider the rate at which it's increasing.

Despite all the effort and creativity that's gone into it, it's always possible that a natural or cosmic event could destroy mankind's digital archive- & everything else we've worked for- in an instant.

People are currently trying to ensure preservation of cultural artifacts like the Internet. However, it's possible that tens of thousands of years into the future, it will be something like the granite sculptures of Mount Rushmore that will have more of a lasting legacy than our virtual mountains of digital data.

On the other hand...
Maybe by that time in the future, mankind will have begun colonizing space with spacetime warp drive systems & we'll have a Galactic Internet among the stars, instantly connected through quantum entanglement.

Either way, I (probably) won't be around...
so it doesn't really matter.
:P

Shark Week Morsels

2011-08-04T21:11:00.008-05:00

Sharks, especially Great Whites, epitomize the ultimate savagery of nature. A predator lurking unseen in the depths of the sea, they cause fear in all but the craziest of people.

In honor of Discovery's Shark Week, dedicated to these awesome creatures, here's a fun bunch of random shark stuff:

Mattson Creative:

Gorilla riding a shark.
Awesome:

This is what happens
after the battle in the pic above:

Sharks in Space:

Play

"MAD SHARK" GAME

Finally,

Tracy Morgan is craaazy:

Words of wisdom

Hidden World: Zen Pond

2011-08-03T21:13:00.002-05:00

I saw this video on MindTV & was mesmerized by the views of various microscopic lifeforms.

The zen-inspired music adds an introspective quality to the footage of the life that exists all around us, but is unnoticed by our normal perception.

Hidden World: Zen Pond

The Un-restricted Hand of the Free Market

2011-08-02T21:56:00.003-05:00

Several years ago, I was at a relative's house for a BBQ.

There was a guy there who was a real "know-it-all" and was going on & on about how the government should stay out of the affairs of business and "The Free Market".

He argued that there was never a place for government regulations, or any other kind of interference with private economic activity.

A person with any common sense realizes that this is simply a stupid idea.

Being someone who enjoys discussing politics & current events, as well as having already had a few beers, I couldn't help injecting myself into his little tirade.

My ultimate point that I kept coming back to was this- without any kind of oversight or regulation, the end result of free-market capitalism is, inevitably, slavery.

I mean this in both a virtual and real sense. Most people in developed countries can be considered virtual slaves, due to the predatory elements of capitalist economies that lead to personal debt. This is probably the most freedom-restricting element of modern society.

In a real sense, also, the insatiable quest for more valuable forms of capital will eventually lead immoral people or corporations to fully exploit the human being itself- seen as just another commodity to be owned.

The other guy's argument was that the public wouldn't let exploitation like that happen. He claimed that the customers would demand ethical behavior from banks & business. This is, of course, completely absurd.

Especially at this point in time, it is painfully apparent that left to their own devices, powerful corporations & organizations will endlessly exploit people for their own financial benefit.
That is why the world economy is in the chaos it's in now.

Although government is clearly an imperfect institution, Democracy is the last line of defense against the parasitic nature of "The Free Market".

Just because I'm cynical about the Capitalist system, I don't consider myself to be a Socialist or anything like that. I prefer to think beyond labels... & to just do things that work regardless of the system it supposedly belongs to.

Anyway, our semi-friendly debate ended up with neither of us persuading the other.

However, I feel like my argument was based on demonstrable fact. The other guy's argument was basically an Ayn Rand fantasy world- that would, in reality, be an escalation of the financial disaster we experienced from the years of Bush/Greenspan economic policy. These policies were an admitted failure, and we are still trying to deal with the consequences today.

In truth, such things as the economy, budgets, & even money itself are all abstractions, nothing more than tools we use in the real world. Humans are always capable of evil, so these abstract tools can be misused as systems of control to restrict real people.

Fortunately, they can also be improved & changed as surely as we can change our own minds.

Monkey Drawing a Skull

2011-08-01T23:00:00.003-05:00

I saw this interesting picture on FFFFOUND!.

It's a watercolor by an artist named Walton Ford.

This brooding monkey genius, creating a mechanical drawing of a skull, seems to be a reflection of the artistic & scientific achievements of man.

Paul Mic's Magic Bus

2011-07-29T07:38:00.006-05:00

There was an album with a bunch of crazy pictures from my vacation in the Poconos in my last post.

There's one photo of me behind the wheel of a painted hippie 'magic bus'.
It was just sitting in a field full of other crazy crap, behind the "world's largest general store", Country Junction.

I thought it would be funny to create a psychedelic background in Photoshop,

so, I did...

GROOOOOOOVY!!!!!!!

Here's a link to the original photo.

Poconos 2011

2011-07-25T18:40:00.005-05:00

From Poconos 2011

This year my family went on our summer vacation, back to the house we stayed at last year. It's on a lake in the Pocono Mountains in PA & has become one of our all-time favorite vacation spots.

Fortunately, the weather was great all week. The heatwave blasting the rest of the East Coast didn't really catch up with us until Thursday. Even the cooling effects of the lake can't stop 100º+ heat.
I spent most of my time swimming, kayaking, fishing, or relaxing, with plenty of eating and drinking. We all take turns making dinner each nite which works out great. We all get along well, so vacations are always fun. With the family growing, it only gets more & more interesting.

The only real activity we left the house for was to go to the world's largest general store/redneck amusement park, Country Junction. They have a gigantic store full of both everyday items & more bizarre stuff. One of our favorite things there is a mangy stuffed lion that's $25,000. There's also a full-size home theater area inside. Outside, they have a petting zoo/playground. Behind the whole complex is a large field, with crazy stuff like a huge pirate ship, a "haunted house" that looks like it's inside a shack, and a psychedelically-decorated magic bus. My nephew loved playing on all the wacky crap there, but I was just amused by it all.

I didn't go on any long nature hikes this year. However, I did make a couple trips to a trail (about a mile long) which leads to a cool waterfall. The first time was with my brothers & a friend, then I went back a couple days later w/ my sister's family. I went swimming in the water in the lagoons beneath the falls & it was bone-chillingly cold.

From Poconos 2011

Despite not seeing any rattlesnakes this year, there were a few water snakes living in the area of the dock behind the house. I felt like a Natural Geographic photographer, crawling in the shallow water by the shore to get a close photo of the snake. We found out they're not poisonous, but they're still creepy.

Here are some of the photos I took of the fun & craziness of the week:

Picasa Web Album:
"Poconos 2011"

Poconos 2011 Preview

2011-07-20T20:46:00.006-05:00

I'm on vacation in the Poconos with my family this week. We always have a great time together & always enjoy our annual trip to relax, swim, fish, eat & drink on a mountain lake.

I try to stay offline for the most part while I'm up here, especially since there's so much other stuff to do. However, I'm posting some pics of the lake behind the house, until I get home & upload more photos.

Here are a couple views from the house we're staying at. There's a pic of the lake during the day & also of one of the beautiful sunsets over the mountains.

I only have one more full day here, but we've had an awesome week so far & I have alot more great photos.

The Dalai Lama & Kalachakra

2011-07-14T21:57:00.006-05:00

This past week, the Dalia Lama has been in Washington DC to coincide with his 76th birthday.

He has also presided over Kalachakra ceremonies, consisting of extensive spiritual teachings.

These are once-secret teachings give insights into the microcosm of the human mind & body and the relationship to the macrocosm of the Universe.

Introduction to Kalachakra

The culmination of the Kalachakra is the creation & destruction of an intricate sand mandala, representing the Wheel of Time.

The Kalachakra Mandala

There are many aspects of Buddhist thought that have greatly influenced my view of the world. In particular, I have always found the creative process of the mandala to be a profound expression of transient existence.

Kalachakra Mandala from peacefeather imagery on Vimeo.

Deliberately dismantling such a dedicated, detailed work is a contemplative symbol for the impermanent nature of all reality.

Monkey Knife Fight

2011-07-14T21:49:00.003-05:00

I saw this on the Chive:

'All is fair in love & war', so to go along with my previous post about Monkey Marriage, here's a crazy pic of a knife fight between 2 monkeys. They appear to be in the Planet of the Apes equivalent of the Victorian Age:

Of course, this is not related to the decadent superhero-sponsored monkey knife fight.

Monkey Marriage

2011-07-13T23:55:00.006-05:00

The assault on traditional marriage continues!...

"Monkey Wedding Draws the Crowds in India"

Seriously, though, at least the newlywed pet monkeys were free from their chains...

so, if a slightly ridiculous human ceremony made that happen, all the better.

India isn't the only country friendly to monkey nuptials...
As I previously noted, China has also taken the leap into the magical world of monkey weddings.

GOP "Leadership"

2011-07-13T20:14:00.004-05:00

Losing the Future.

After the Bush years, when the Republican-controlled Congress was led by the likes of Majority Leader Denny Hastert & the infamous Speaker-turned-felon Tom Delay, it's hard to imagine any worse.

However, the current group of GOP leadership has turned out to be inept beyond belief.

The Republicans in Congress are unwittingly doing Obama a favor by making him look like the only guy in DC trying to get things done in a reasonable manner.

I watch this stuff closely (for some reason)... & try to objectively see the points of views I disagree with. During these lengthy 'negotiations' on the debt ceiling & the budget, the Republicans have been defending the indefensible, though. Of course, nobody wants to raise taxes on lower incomes, but to say that no new revenues can be raised by any means... is just not realistic.

Minority Leader McConnell, House Speaker Boehner, & Eric "Bet Against America" Cantor have openly dedicated themselves to the cult of Grover Norquist's government-drowning fantasies & people are seeing the real potential for disaster.

Even though there is alot of political theater going on, it can affect people's lives in real ways. They've acted like they are ready to play chicken with the debt limit & the American economy, in order to continue catering to the very wealthiest entities in this country. Turtleman McConnell has blinked, though, & is now taking some heat from his angry base for showing his true lack of resolve.

So, instead of purposefully solving America's problems, the GOP leadership have clearly been playing political brinkmanship to pander to the ideologues.

Here are some of my favorite recent tidbits coming from the characters Obama's trying to deal with:

MSNBC:
"Boehner:
Debt-limit Increase is Obama's Problem"

Huffington Post:
"Eric Cantor Hit By Democrats
For Potentially Profiting From U.S. Default"

Examiner.com
"Mitch McConnell (R-KY) maintains
GOP's priority is 'defeating Obama in 2012"

Unfortunately, Mitch McConnell's priority isn't creating jobs, or solving America's many crises.

Hopefully his constituents realize that soon & get him out of the Senate. He's unbearable to watch in interviews & speeches. Cantor's a close second.

Snake Lunch Buddy

2011-07-12T06:56:00.004-05:00

More serpent sightings...

This weekend I walked out onto my back patio to eat lunch, & I saw this garter snake laying in the sun.

Instead of scaring it away, I let it sit there a few feet from me while I ate.

It just stayed motionless & watched me the whole time. They are crazy looking creatures.
I also got a more close-up photo below.

I asked him to tell his rattler buddies in the Pocono mountains to leave me alone when I go hiking up there on vacation!

Holiday on the Bay

2011-07-08T17:40:00.006-05:00

To counteract the NASTY photos on my last post, I'm now posting a more serene view of nature.

Below is a photo I took last weekend, during my 3-day 'Independence Weekend Extravaganza'.
On Saturday, I stayed at a house right on the bay in Pleasantville, NJ.
The heron in the pic was hanging out for a minute, so I got a photo before he flew away. I think it looks pretty cool with the scenery:

Here's me & my brother drinking Coronas on the dock, enjoying the summer weather:

We made ridiculously delicious shiskabobs:

I ate and drank like a king all weekend.
After my trip to the shore, I went to my the annual cookout/crabfest with my friends on Sunday. Then, my parents grilled on the 4th.
It was a great holiday!

TOTALLY GROSS: Snake Eating a Frog

2011-07-07T21:25:00.008-05:00

***WARNING: extremely disturbing content!***

Tonight, I was over my parents' house, & my brother was leaving to go to the gym.

He came back inside, & excitedly asked me if I had my camera. I was like, 'What?!?!'

Despite the wetness of the rainstorm, I threw on a pair of sandals & quickly followed him outside.

As I was walking out, my witty brother said, "I think we have a mutant out here."

Looking down in the front walkway by the garden, I saw what looked like a freaky snake creature with 2 front legs.
He must have seen the look of pure bewilderment on my face, & I looked closer after he told me... it was a snake swallowing the backside of a frog!!!

It was gross, fascinating, awesome & absolutely horrible- all at the same time.

Of course, I had to get these nasty-ass pictures, which are totally nightmare material....

Click to Enlarge

...if you dare

Poor bastard...

Snakes are NASTY!!!

Conservative Quotes on the GOP's Madness

2011-07-06T19:03:00.006-05:00

I'm glad to see it's not just stupid dirty hippie 'liberals' like me who see how wrong the ultra-conservative right-wing fringe have been on just about everything dealing with meaningful public policy.

Rational conservatives are beginning to realize that the reactionary Teabaggers (unwittingly guided by corporate interests) have been driving the already incompetent GOP into political insanity.

The Grey Matter:
Conservative Voices Speaking Out

This sums it all up pretty well:

"It's very dismaying to see that 30-year descent
into the kind of nihilism, know-nothingism
that is represented by the Republican Party today."

- Former Reagan official David Stockman

Another former Reagan official's sentiment concerns the Teabaggers' infantile delusions of a balanced budget amendment:

"In short, this is quite possibly
the stupidest constitutional amendment I think I have ever seen.
It looks like it was drafted by a couple of interns on the back of a napkin.
Every senator cosponsoring this piece of sh*t should be ashamed of themselves."

- Former Reagan official Bruce Bartlett,
commenting on the Republican's balance budget amendment.

Here's more about the proposed amendment, part of the unyielding symphony of nonsense coming from Congressional Republicans:

The Nation:
The Paradoxical, Dangerous Balanced Budget Amendment

seen on Bartcop.

Bernie Sanders Tries to Talk Sense

2011-07-04T15:21:00.002-05:00

In honor of the birthday of this great country, here's some words of wisdom from one of the few sensible people in the madhouse of Congress. I'm referring to the Independent Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders.

Dear Mr. President

A Fair and Progressive Budget for America

Zero-G Dancing

2011-07-01T20:25:00.002-05:00

It's Friday & I've got a 3 day weekend for the 4th of July...

This is kind of how holidays make me feel, but not quite as awesome:

seen on Neatorama

Political Circus Clowns

2011-06-30T20:36:00.007-05:00

Here's some good news- the free market has spoken, & Glenn Beck's theater of the absurd is no longer on Fox News.

Media Matters:
Requiem For A Rodeo Clown

My God.. What a compilation! He's such a dramatic dork.
Some of the concerns he has are actually probably worth considering, but his whole persona is hard to take.

On another note,
The fact that one of Congress's fringe lunatics, Michele Bachmann, has gotten any kind of traction in the GOP nomination race is a testament to the level of degeneration in conservative politics in this country.

I follow politics closely, so I've known about Ol' Crazy Eyes Bachmann for awhile.
The first time I remember seeing her was when she was clinging to Dubya after his State of the Union speech. I thought "geez, that wacky lady is really trying to impress Bush.".

LOL:

...& she's only gotten crazier.

Her policy ideas are often wrongheaded. She's been proven to be one of the most shameless liars on Capitol Hill, but her Palin-esque insistence on her own righteousness is unwavering.

Politifact Truth-O-Meter:
Michele Bachmann

Speaking of Sarah Palin... the latest money-making scheme involving her is a movie that's probably ridiculous:

Sarah Palin:
The Undefeated

LMFAO

Are you kidding me?

As a designer, I can objectively say that is a really crappy movie poster. It's so cheesy & almost annoying to look at... but maybe that's mostly the Palin effect.

The Rude Pundit says it all:

The Rude Pundit:
Photos That Make the Rude Pundit
Want to Down a Fistful of Klonopin
with a Mug of Moose Blood

Political Primates

2011-06-29T20:28:00.004-05:00

As the world continues its chaotic dance, governments around the world are trying to deal with the massive upheavals humanity is experiencing: nuclear disasters, financial collapse, and on a more positive note- social media & democratic revolution.

Here in the United States there's alot of the usual political turmoil.
Although I try to understand issues from a multitude of angles, I have opinions that I think are more right than certain other opinions.

The important thing to keep in perspective, though- is the fact that we are all just monkeys grunting at each other...

seen on deroidify

Star Wars 'Neon Sign' Animations

2011-06-29T20:11:00.003-05:00

I saw these animated GIFs on Obvious Winner & they are a fun representation of each Star Wars movie.

This one for "Return of the Jedi" pretty much sums up the story of the entire saga:

The Star Wars Mythos

2011-06-27T18:34:00.006-05:00

This weekend I caught the first half of the great documentary, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed.

"Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed" pt.1-6

There's been plenty of Star Wars geekery on this blog. I've loved those movies since I was a little kid. Now, I'm older but still getting to have epic lightsaber duels with my 2 year old nephew, who insists on being Darth Vader. I don't see the massive popularity of the Star Wars universe going away any time soon.

I've also pointed out the saga's serious flaws, mostly due to what I would consider bad judgment calls by George Lucas. However I'll overlook that dumb stuff in light of the brilliance & creativity of the overall vision.

They are modern masterpieces that incorporate all of the most powerful & effective elements of storytelling, from the entire span of human history.

As I try to study the endless amounts of history & religious mythology from around the world, my appreciation for the themes explored in the Star Wars story only grows. I always enjoy good philosophical discussion, & there is plenty to think about in the Star Wars saga. They can always seem to relate with whatever political/military/cultural narratives are occurring in the real world on any given day.

The Secret Sun featured an awesome look at philosophical & symbolic elements of the movies. I would recommend reading each of these to any Star Wars fan:

• Star Wars Symbol Cycle:
The (Other) Source of the Force

• Star Wars Symbol Cycle:
Empire: or The Hanged Man

• Star Wars Symbol Cycle:
A Long Time Ago

Bonus!
The Mythology of Star Wars
w/ Bill Moyers & George Lucas:

Psychedelic Moon Monkey

2011-06-27T18:28:00.003-05:00

I saw this groovy 'moon monkey' picture on FFFFOUND!

Big Paul's Adventures in History IV

2011-06-21T20:23:00.005-05:00

I have alot of photos of my Dad sleeping in many different chairs on many different occasions. He has worked hard in the food retail business all his life, but when he gets a chance to sit down & relax it usually turns into a snoozefest. Family events or holidays inevitably become napping opportunities for the big guy.

My old friend Dan J. gave me the idea to have him sleeping right through important times in history. I thought this idea was hysterical & created this series of "snapshots" showing Big Paul experiencing historic events, in his own special way.

This is the fourth set of of "adventures" as he sleeps his way through history.

To commemorate my Dad's birthday today, I made the 3 new adventures below.
I've completed the series of 12 I originally wanted to make. However, I still have even more photos of the big guy sleeping! So, maybe in the future, Big Paul will have more adventures from the past!

"Big Paul's Adventures
in History"

"Big Paul's Adventures in History"
Jesus's Sermon on the Mount
My Dad taking a snooze, while Christ tries to enlighten humanity.

"Big Paul's Adventures in History"
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Speech in DC
My Dad's having a dream, too...

"Big Paul's Adventures in History"
Woodstock Festival
Even finally making it to Woodstock &
being in front of Jimi Hendrix's amp
can't keep my Dad awake for long.

Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child Bio

2011-06-20T21:18:00.002-05:00

I was watching this biography tonite, of one of my all-time favorite musicians- Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi Hendrix Biography

As a kid, my Dad introduced me to the music of the classic rock artists of his generation. Hendrix always inspired me through his spirit of independence, raw creativity, and artistic vision.

I used to wear a t-shirt in high school with a picture of Jimi burning his guitar. I never even saw the actual video foootage from the Monterey Pop Festival until I could look it up on The Internets much more recently.

Another great image, from Axis: Bold as Love, is one of the greatest pieces of album art:

One of the few things that makes me feel older nowadays is the idea that I've lived longer than icons from my youth like Hendrix or Jim Morrison, who have been 'frozen in time' through an early death.