Insignificance?

I saw this "De-Motivational" poster on The Chive.

As I pondered the fractal infinity of the known universe, my mind shattered into a trillion pieces.



Seeing that it was an amazing National Geographic map, I looked it up & found a zoomable version on their site:

The Universe Map

Spitzer: Federal Reserve is 'a Ponzi scheme'

"This is a Ponzi scheme, an inside job. It is outrageous.
It is time for the Congress to say 'Enough of this"

I've always realized that money is fundamentally an abstract tool, that is only as (relatively) good or evil as the actions of the people using it.

After all, it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. Money is a necessary & defining characteristic of human society, but unfortunately human greed must inevitably exist side-by-side.

The problem is that once you get to the massive volume of 'money' that governments & central banks deal with, it begins to resemble a super-human abstract game that has real risks. It's like the South Park epsiode where they brilliantly showed the inside of the Treasury as a game wheel w/ a decaptitated chicken.

When I read something like the Matt Taibi article about Goldman-Sachs, & it makes the whole financial system just seems like craziness to me.

It's been interesting to see that Eliot Spitzer, who resigned after his embarassing revelations, has come back out swinging at the financial sector. Now that he has nothing to lose, he can talk about the real dirt that is going on while most people & their government turn a blind eye.

I heard him talking on one of the news channels about different policies & I thought he was right on... even if it's tough to get past the sickening image of hookers & tube socks.

Fed's Bank Aid is 'Same Scam'

Now his bold declaration that the Federal Reserve is an elaborate scam echoes what people like Ron Paul & Dennis Kucinich have been talking about.

Spitzer: Federal Reserve is 'a Ponzi scheme'

People who advocate for a completely unregulated free market are also advocating for human slavery- because that is the logical consequence of reducing all of life to commodities.

The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies

I think I saw this site linked on BoingBoing, & thought it was a cool idea.

The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies

Around 2000 when I was a design student, computers had already been the primary design tool in the industry. Even though we were using Mac OS9 & Photoshop 6 back then, I could appreciate what a powerful ally the Apple computer is to a designer, or any creative person.

Despite spending 90% of my time as a designer on the computer, I've still become familiar with tools that have been used since the pre-digital design era. The studio I work at has alot of these instruments around from the people I work with. They've explained various functions of these gadgets & it is no wonder graphic art used to look so crappy- graphic design used to be a real pain in the ass! I am truly thankful to be able to create in the infinitely versatile medium of light itself.

I still use some of these tools for things like creating box prototypes, & things like Pantone books or X-acto blades aren't obsolete at all.

Seriously though, who needs computers when you have devices like this?....

Offbeat Vacation Pics

I took alot of pictures of mostly the family & mountains on vacation last week.

There are also a couple photos of wacked-out things I came across that gave me a laugh.

My family took 2 trucks to visit a place called Castle Reproductions- that ended up being closed down. Instead, we walked around the town of Hawley browsing the local shops & antique stores. I picked up a nice gift & some used books: Mindful Politics, Secrets of the Great Pyramid, & Prehistory: The Dawn of Early Man.

When we first got to the town, we went to a diner & sat at one of the booths. I looked up & saw a sign showing "TIME REMAINING" w/ all 00:00's lit up. This is the kind of absurdity that I live for.

We guessed it was a millenium clock or something. Nobody in the diner bothered to take down & they've kept it lit up, obviously for my own personal entertainment.


This was especially strange, considering we had the books we had at the house: Apocalypse 2012 that my brother brought & The Mayan Prophecies that I had. Both books deal with the Mayan concepts of time and the celestial order.

The second photo I took of an old comic book that was sitting in a Victorian house converted to an antique shop. Even ignoring the modern sexual connotation, if gay used to mean happy... then how the hell does that apply to a border bandit, even if he is wearing a yellow scarf?

I definitely was not going to waste my money to find out...

Poconos 2009

I have been enjoying my vacation week in the Poconos since I arrived w/ my family on Saturday. We are staying at Larsen Lake again this year & as always, it's been a week of ridiculousness that will inevitably result in legendary stories. :)

Poconos 2008:
The Legend of Larsen Lake

Larsen Lake Ice House

So far, we have had a great time. The only crappy thing that's happened is that my brother Justin & I (of course) got hassled & fined an obscene amount of money for not having fishing licenses & life vests in the canoe. The conservation officer, who we both thought resembled a non-sarcastic Stephen Colbert on a gaming enforcement power trip, definitely was a buzzkill. I recognize he was doing his job, but also gave us prime material for future conversation. ("BUCKMAAAAN!!!!!")

The first full day we were here, Justin, my brother-in-law, & I went hiking through Gouldsboro State Park to Tobyhanna Park. We took the overgrown "Frank Gantz red trail" that was 5+ miles of fallen trees & obscured trail markers. One person commenting in our house's guest book claimed that the trail was "impossible". We made it through to the other park in about 3 hours, though, & then called my Dad for an extraction back to Greg's truck.

The next day we went to one of the local flea markets where we enjoyed browsing the many fine wares- including weapons, crackhead fights on DVD, & bootleg clothes featuring 'Engrish' like "Michael Jackson: King of The Pop". My sister had told us about a game were you try to find the most outrageous, crazy item while browsing the flea market. I won right away by finding a stress-relief squeeze toy shaped like a single round breast w/ a nipple.

Yesterday we went to the lake beach at Gouldsboro Park & enjoyed a day in the sun. We always bring a bag full of fun stuff, so we were playing paddle ball, frisbee, football, & wiffleball home run derby. I tied my brother Joe w/ 8 homers before we called it quits due to sunburnt shoulders all around.

Joe, Greg, Mandi, Lil' Greg, Me
(& Big Paul sitting in background)
@ Gouldsboro Lake

Micarelli Home Run Derby
@ Gouldsboro Lake

When we got back to the house, Justin started the grill for "Meat Fest 2009" which featured BBQ ribs & sirloin steak. Each night, we take turns making dinner to give my Mom a break & Justin prefers to cook a grill full of various meats. Justin, Greg & I continued the "Manly" theme of the night by sitting on the dock under the stars and smoking some Acid cigars.

Justin & Big Paul tending to the grill
for "MeatFest '09"

The hungry Micarelli family swarming the kitchen

It's been a good time so far, & since my little nephew woke me up early, I figured I'd get on here and post up some of the events so far. We are at the midpoint of the week & I'm sure there will be plenty of hijinks to come.

Hacking the Brain

I guess my posting of about the iThink article in MacLife was timely...

People are beginning to consider one of the implications of the emerging field of neural engineering - the possibility of hacking into an interconnected brain-computer interface. The question of neurosecurity is addressed in this article I saw linked on Neatorama:

The Next Hacking Frontier:
Your Brain?

Wired.com's article end w/ a reference to the excellent neuroscience blog MindHacks.com that I check out regularly.

Of course, it is already possible to hack into the mind without a direct interface...

For example: hypnosis, mind control, and this snazzy device-

"Brain Machine:
tune in, turn on, drop out"

Apple "iThink" Concept- in MacLife!

(click to enlarge)

It is always cool to see any of my work published, but I was really excited when an editor at the magazine MacLife contacted me - & wanted to include a concept that I created for fun in one of their issues. They ended up publishing my letter, "Future Influencers", and both images!

Unfortunately, I didn't get my hands on a print copy of the magazine, but here is a link to the digital edition that I came across recently:

MacLife
Photo of the Month - "iThink"
February 2009 pgs. 10-12

A year or two ago, I put together some graphics for a concept that I had floating around in my head for awhile: an Apple-branded computer w/ a brain interface, that I dubbed the "iThink".

I am re-posting the 'specs' and the artwork at the bottom of this article. Here is a link to my previous entry where I improved the graphics a little:

Monkeybuddha.com:
Apple iThink-Upgraded

I have seen others comment online about this idea from around the world, which itself is amazing to me. Ex. (1) (2) (3)

People's views have ranged from very enthusiastic to completely horrified at the possibility of our brains being directly connected to The Machines. As one girl I know exclaimed when she saw it, "You thought of this?... My God, you're the enemy!!!" For some reason, I was totally amused by this reaction.

Regardless of how one feels about the inevitable progression of technology, digital-neural interfaces are becoming more of a reality- even since I first posted the original artwork. I saw the following article linked on Monochrom & realized I might not have been all that far-sighted:

Scientific American
"Plug and Play:
Researchers Expand Clinical Study
of Neural Interface Brain Implant"

So here is the iThink, presented again in light of it's print debut in MacLife (as well as the impending Singularity).

click to enlarge

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


*My favorite web comment so far:
"This looks much more congenial than the long anticipated converted pneumatic cattle dropper designed to stuff an rs-232 micro socket somewhere above the hairline. And it appears to be short range wireless, which eliminates any need for hygienic socket maintenance. Bravo puppet masters! Soon we’ll all be dancing around like multi-mode idiot savants, knowing all while aware of nothing! Can’t wait for my turn up on the rack."

'Seed of Life' Garden

On a much more comforting note than the last post....

I often search Google Images for random visual inspiration. For me, it is like treasure hunting for pictures that are interesting, crazy, informative, or just eye-catching.

The Seed of Life is a repeating design, created by intersecting circles at their midpoints. It is the initial pattern behind the larger symbol known as The Flower of Life. (with the only reference to my blog on Wikipedia...:)



This is an ancient design, with rich geometric & metaphorical secrets contained within. My appreciation for the heritage behind this geometric symbol led me to create the award-winning strategy game "Da Vinci's Challenge" while a Senior design student at Rowan.

Of course, I am not the only one who has been inspired by this beautiful & symmetrical form-

Google Images: "Seed of Life"

Getting to my original reason for this post -

While searching through the pages of images on Google, I saw an interesting application for the pattern of interlocking circles.... Landscaping!

Seed of Life
Garden Plans

The Palin Revolution HAS Begun!?! *wink*

PALIN 2012!!!

Reading comments in stories about warrior queen Sarah Palin's latest insufferable drama has left me amazed at the spectrum of perceptions that can encompass how a single person is viewed.

As a result of this varying consensus- I was inspired to come up with this simple, yet statistically accurate 'yes-or-no' test that scientifically measures political views:

A) Do you truly miss the strong, decisive, and above all, straight-shootin' leadership of George W. Bush & Dick Cheney?

B) Do you think that President John McCain & V.P. Sarah Palin would be doing a much better job at extracting America from it's myriad crises?

• If you answered "Yes" to either of these questions:

Your political acumen =

.
.
.

Bizarro Superman!!!!

Dubya was smart, honest man... Bizarro like!!!!

Auditing "The Fed"

I may not agree with everything Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) says, but I think there are alot of institutional problems that he is correct to criticize.

In the spirit of America's "Independence Day" I began to think about what keeps us from being truly free... or at least relatively more free. People talk about the threats of tyranny and oppression from government, but I personally think the modern economic system is the cause of much greater personal restriction than the workings of politics in America. (Of course, government is supposed to reserve the right to control it's own monetary system, but our politicians haven't been eager to assert that right.)

"1913: America's Worst Year:
The Federal Reserve"

The majority of working people are in decades worth of debt when they graduate college, or can't even afford higher education, become bankrupt due to medical situations, are hard-pressed to pay for basic utilities & living costs...
Problems like these exist on a larger scale than they should and cause people to feel bound by virtual financial chains that directly affects the quality of their life.

We seem to be continually moving toward a more innovative & open-source approach to social life. Since money is currently the driving force behind productive society, it is inevitable that people are going to start to rethink the traditionally effective, but archaic, approach to economics that is mostly a subtler version of 'indentured servitude.'

Ron Paul is one of the few elected officials with the intellectual honesty to question the root of the economic problems we are facing. He looks at the fundamental, controlling forces of our money system: The Federal Reserve, the IRS, and the very idea of fiat currency.



I saw this article on Disinfo.com which reveals a basic fact that many Americans don't even know - our government doesn't audit the Federal Reserve that prints U.S. money:

Ron Paul's 'Audit the Fed' Bill on Fast Track

Ron Paul's "Audit the Fed" Bill:

Audit the Federal Reserve: HR 1207 and S 6055

I don't think Congressman Paul or even The Constitution are perfect, but they intrinsically hold a better set of human ideals than any bank or money-based institution.

My Facebook Page

Paul Micarelli @ Facebook
Facebook.com/paulmicarelli

I try to keep my life as simple as possible, so I've hesitated getting onto Facebook since it's just another thing to log onto & take up time.

Enough people I know & have seen around have recommend it for me to feel that I was completely out of the loop. I like being a contrarian sometimes, but the power of the mob is too much to ignore.

It's definitely a great service, as long as they don't end up misusing everyone's info. A nice part about it is the simplicity of both the basic concept & the interface.

Of course, we all know that Facebook is just a front for C.I.A. intelligence gathering operations...

"Facebook - The CIA Conspiracy"

Well, the spooks can't get ALL of us right?....right?

Seriously, though- life is all about connections, and social networks are a powerful tool to connect people.

By increasing the power of personal interconnectedness, iThink we are forming the beginnings of what could be compared to a digital "hive mind."

"Social Networks and Mind Evolution"