There's always ideas for crazy graphics popping into my head. I try to write down or sketch some of them before I forget.
Though it may seem kind of cynical or defeatist, this particular cosmic image isn't just meant to disparage the relatively futile, but necessary, efforts of mankind.
It's mostly meant as a reflection on the extremely narrow limits of our mortal perspective.
The reason people & society dwell on so many petty, absurd things is because it's easy to completely lose sight of the larger reality of our world and the vast universe.
If we could truly accept our fragile existence on this island planet, we could focus on the things that would improve that existence for everyone.
We can't transcend our limitations unless we recognize them first.
With the emergence of the global brain we call the Internet, the human race is beginning to self-examine & hopefully overcome the many fundamental problems we face.
The biggest problem we face, in the long term, is how to escape this little blue ball and survive beyond it.
*To buy a print or poster, please visit my Cafepress store:
This is kind of like asking "What part of prison camps are the most fun?"... There's a sort of general understanding among most people that the basis of the question is ridiculous.
Bush is understood by the majority of humans on planet Earth to be part of an immoral criminal enterprise and responsible for inconceivable human suffering. Therefore, after 2 terms, only the most ignorant and sociopathic members of our society still find any redeeming qualities in this scandalous administration & its degenerate figurehead.
What is so great about this video is it shows the spectrum of human experience through their varied reactions to a generally (but not universally) accepted value judgement - in this case, the consensus that George Bush is a horrible President.
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:
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...
Let me say that Vanilla Ice's movie Cool As Ice has been one of my very favorite 'bad' movies for a very long time. I put quotes around 'bad' because this movie is so unbelievably absurd that it goes far beyond good or bad. Don't believe me?
My very first job on a payroll was working at a Movies Unlimited video rental store as a teenager. I worked with some crazy characters. We used to play movies on the TVs in the store all day & chill at the counter watching them if there were no customers.
We played a eclectic variety, but there was one wacky movie we all watched over & over. This was also the only movie that people asked about EVERY single time we played it. I wish I were lying, but the only thing I can guess is that the customers were mesmerized by Ice's neon orange outfits and killer dance moves.
My parents are replacing a cabinet w/ video tapes at their house & I saw this tape sitting out. (This was one of the tapes I secured when the movie store went out of business.) I was watching it with my brother & he vowed never to watch it again.
I cannot recommend this movie enough nor describe how hysterically horrible it is. There are some tidbits on Youtube, but these are just morsels from a feast of pure ridiculousness.
Comedy Central late nite w/ The Daily Show & Colbert Report is nightly viewing for me. Their irreverent look at the day's news continually unmasks the absurd aspects of human nature. Stephen Colbert is consistently great... just last nite, he invented Meat Goggles!
Tonite's show, though, was probably the most stunningly sardonic things I've ever seen. He ruthlessly mocked race, religion, politicians, the banking system, and federal law in a barrage of satire that rivaled his 2006 roast of President Bush...
The idea of Trump having any sort of serious, deep introspection is obviously absurd.
However, depicting him as a disciplined & wise Buddhist monk practicing zazen, or sitting meditation, is as crazy of a concept as the sun being made out of billions of ice cubes!
I'll tell you what's great for everyone's state of mind... not having to hear about his idiotic tweets and asshole behavior as President of the United States every damn day.
It would be great if somehow Donald came to some profound understanding of Reality, and was able to cultivate inner peace. Unfortunately, he has lived his entire life as a hungry ghost entity, and his dumb ass will almost certainly not change.
To commemorate Donald J. Trump's first day in court as a criminal defendant, I created this classy new Trump meme!!! It has been widely commented that Trump's mouth looks like a butthole (everybody's saying it). When he puckers his lips while excreting his verbal bullshit, it's both an uncanny & revolting resemblance.
Trump has come oh so far since I mockingly made a graphic way back in 2011 imagining Trump as "President A$$hole", thinking it was a completely absurd possibility.
Not only has he (unbelievably) been President, but was impeached twice & after leaving office has faced almost 100 felony charges from different jurisdictions. He's defrauded countless people & organizations, and tells numerous verifiable lies in almost every conversation he has. He tried to instigate a hostile takeover of our democratically-elected government, & install a plutocratic autocracy. The guy is a true fucking scumbag, regardless of the admiration he receives from self-proclaimed MAGA "patriots".
Trump's Asshole Mouth is the prime expression of his vulgarity- spewing the aforementioned lies, juvenile bully behavior, name-calling, and just generally stupid discourse.
Today is the continuation of his existing legal clusterfuck, but it is also the beginning of the "criminal defendant" stage of Trump's court battles. We'll see how fast Trump's Asshole Mouth gets him in real trouble.
I'm pretty well-versed in conspiracy theories & outlandish ideas of all kinds.
"The universe is not only stranger than we imagine;
but stranger than we CAN imagine."
-J. B. S. Haldane
Although all kinds of strange things may be possible, we still have to use our senses and critical thinking to understand our world as accurately as possible.
That is why ideas like the "flat earth" movement drive me nuts. It's just stupid. There's nothing about the reality that we experience that would make it probable that the Earth is a flat disc. Matter naturally accumulates into a sphere, as gravity pulls mass toward all other mass. Look at water droplets, bubbles, etc.
When looking at other celestial bodies it's clear that they have to be spherical in nature. This is self-evident, unless you believe that there is a massive conspiracy involving literally every space agency, astronomer, & anyone who's ever looked through a telescope.
As with so many things in today's interconnected world of limitless digital media, it's tough to tell who is a troll and who really believes this stuff. "The Flat Earth Society" is as ridiculous as a "Moon is Made of Green Cheese" society. Yeah ok, there is a infinitesimal chance it's true, & we've been fed a vast web of lies, but it's so unlikely & defies common sense that it's really just silly.
Then, there is a whole new level of craziness people take their theories to, whether or not it's something they truly believe or are making a joke.
I saw this funny approach to out-doing conspiracy theorists using the Moon, & the comments led me to the amazing image at the top of this post. The 'flat earth' theory seems plausible compared to that configuration. It illustrates the absurd notion that the Universe & the cosmos are actually inside the Earth.
It's a hysterically bizarre & unlikely view of the world. I refuse to accept that someone could actually believe that reality is organized as depicted in that image. It has to be a joke, right???
However, the same the question arises in this model, as in the accepted scientific view of the Universe- What is 'outside' of the boundaries? The image at top depicts a hard boundary between the crust of the earth and... blackness? In actuality, the idea of cosmic boundaries may not even apply. I think the Universe is a fractal pattern, infinitely self-enclosed with no discernible edge. Our brain cannot formulate the idea of something without edges or definition.
That is why people come up with simple explanations of the way the world works- because the truth is so complex & unimaginable that the mind is powerless to truly envision it all.
The ease with which our news media becomes completely engrossed in the most inconsequential stories is one manifestation of our absurd national discourse.
Anthony Weiner has been one of the most vocal 'liberal' Congressmen. He can come across as obnoxious, but he's been fighting the fight for the middle class that the Democratic Party-at-large should be engaging in more aggressively.
The Republicans in DC consistently fight against the common good and are shamelessly beholden to their corporate masters. I'm under no illusion that the Democrats don't have similar vested interests. Since the last election cycle, though, the GOP House and the newest batch of right-wing governors have declared outright war on anyone making less than $1 million.
Weiner has been one of the best at battling the 'conservative' ideologues. However, he has now completely screwed his reputation, at least in the short term, by lying about a personal pic he mistakenly tweeted.
Only in our sexually schizophrenic country, could pictures of a man's crotch in underwear cause a national media hysteria. Of course, I understand that he lied horribly about the whole thing & that has a wife whom he betrayed. He is a fool for engaging in that type of behavior as a Congressperson, especially with right-wing attack dogs always frothing at the mouth to take him down. He should probably step down - if anything, so people can start talking about much more important issues (like preventing further economic collapse) sooner than later. If he was smart, he'd get a job on cable news, like Eliot Spitzer, and get to spout off as much as he wants. He'd also help balance out Fox New's stable of politician/entertainer/pundits.
However the media circus surrounding this story is just crazy, & it's mostly Weiner's fault for trying to cover it up in such a ridiculous way.
The culmination of the Weiner circus was his press conference this week, in which he admitted his involvement. First, he was pre-empted on the podium by his nemesis- the raging, vindictive A-hole Andrew Breitbart who has been unfortunately been vindicated in this. Then, the entire embarrassing scene escalated when reporters were allowed to ask their idiotic, childish questions. To top it all off, madman Benjy Bronk from the Howard Stern Show got in there to ask an off-color question.
Besides The Weiner, there's also The Hot Dog who's taking up the rest of the news cycle.
I am obviously referring to The Alaskan Banshee herself, Sarah Palin. She is gallivanting around the country, using hard-swindled PAC money to visit historic landmarks.
As she casually acts like she's trying to get some American history into that vacuous skull of hers, her trip is pretty much pissing everyone off: the press, the Republican party, & people who actually understand history.
To be a true Sarah Palin fan requires the most pervasive ignorance that can befall a human being.
Palin is always wrong, refuses to engage in any self-reflection whatsoever, & babbles on so incoherently that many of her interviews are indistinguishable from this:
She produced a doozy this week- with her recounting of Paul Revere's midnight ride. Even after being later called out on her lack of knowledge by her own pals at Fox News, she laughably blames the "gotcha media" in her (now predictable) self-righteous manner.
Last nite, Stephen Colbert rode all over this story, on his toy horse, as he recounted Paul Revere's ride according to Sarah Palin.
I also saw this great cartoon below, about her revisionist accounts of American events. I'm glad there are more people with the sense to mock this unscrupulous & exploitative woman than those people with no sense at all... the people who actually admire her.
At this point, I welcome all The Madness. It lets me know I'm still a part of this wonderfully insane world. It's not like there's critically important issues facing the nation, right?....
I was a child in the 1980's, but I remember the beady-eyed little weasel televangelist Jim Bakker & his late ex-wife Tammy Faye. They were one of many in a long line of religious charlatans, who use the medium of TV to separate the downright stupidest people in this country from their hard-earned money.
Therefore, it's only natural that "Pastor" Jim Bakker is a Donald Trump supporter. Bakker is now out of prison and back to scamming people through a new TV ministry.
Since the election, I haven't even posted about the Trump transition, because it's a maelstrom of a shit-show that is almost impossible to coherently describe without just flipping the keyboard over & saying "Fuck it, we're screwed!" Every single day presents fresh new outrages that portend a President & an administration that will reach inconceivable levels of corruption and utter incompetence.
Everything is so absurd, that we don't even need satire anymore- you just look at what's happening and realize it's completely crazy as it is.
In that spirit, I found this video by Super Deluxe that has taken clips of The Jim Bakker Show and edited them in the style of Tim & Eric. However, Bakker's schtick is already so ridiculous and vile that it's disturbing even without any editing.
No sooner did I finish writing about the craziness of the extreme right-wing ideologues & Tea Party candidates dominating the national political discourse... than I turned on The Daily Show to see the big announcement.
Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert have been hinting at some kind of event, a la Glenn Beck. Tonight, Jon Stewart revealed the planned "Rally to Restore Sanity" which is probably going to make Beck's facetious 'Rally to Restore Honor' look like a little picnic.
This is so great. I am absolutely going if it's humanly possible. The Daily Show's political humor & reverence for The Absurd helped me smile through the years of incompetence/malfeasance of the Bush Administration. I've been watching The Colbert Report since the first episode and now both shows are required viewing for me.
Despite the satirical nature of the event, my fellow Daily Show viewers are actually the most accurately informed news consumers. You have to know the people, facts, & context of current events to understand all the jokes on the shows. It's hard to follow the humor if you're an ignoramus.
Anyway, I'm psyched, & if it goes according to plan it should be an awesome day.
Nothing brings me more pleasure than seeing something that is totally insane or nonsensical, especially with humorous intent.
This video from Let's Paint TV by John Kilduff is a ridiculous attempt to exercise, take live calls, paint, and make blended drinks... all while wearing a suit & tie. To complete the package, there are crazy camera zooms & psychedelic video effects.
When I was in high school (before the endless entertainment of the internet) my friends and I amused ourselves by watching bad movies and cable access TV. If I would have seen this gem back then, I would've absolutely flipped out.
Most people are understandably cynical towards politics & government, but they are still necessary aspects of society.
If politics is an inevitable part of being an active citizen, it's best to try to improve it. There needs to be a balance between institutions like private business & government. Neither one is inherently evil- but unscrupulous people can corrupt either system.
I try to avoid getting cornered into conceptual boxes when it comes to my political thoughts. Although I'm registered "Independent," I usually find Democratic priorities more agreeable. The GOP have gone off the deep end in certain areas, especially "social" issues.
However, their biggest fault is their mindless, unyielding party-line opposition to initiatives that could help the country & its economy. Their primary focus is to unseat President Obama by blocking everything on the agenda- regardless of the havoc it wreaks upon the rest of us.
Anyone who follows Congressional votes, & the battles waged since the 2010 midterm, knows that major legislation is not happening without the cooperation of the Republican-led House.
If you are conservative, you might be happy about the lack of government activity. However, it's therefore much too simplistic to blame the President for the nation's economic problems if Congress is not cooperating with passing jobs bills & effective stimulus measures.
President Obama has done a good job, in my opinion. He's been a business-friendly, centrist technocrat who has bent over backwards to compromise with conservatives- he's definitely not a hardcore socialist, or even extremely liberal. I'm well aware of his failings, the undelivered promises, (...close Guantanamo, end drone strikes, faster economic recovery, etc...) and the fact that he's a politician. I am also aware that he is just a man like everyone else. However, I generally agree with the gist of the legislation he's advocated & overall vision for how the country should be run. If anything, I don't think he's been forceful enough in pushing a "progressive" agenda.
Last night was the best that I've seen Obama in fighting back against the many nonsensical Republican policies & ideas that have dominated political discourse, for which Mitt Romney is now the standard-bearer.
To be fair - in the first debate, Obama was horrible. I really couldn't believe how much of a snoozefest it turned into. I knew everyone was going to declare Romney the winner, because of his borderline-obnoxious manic aggressiveness. He apparently activated the "fear" area of people's primitive lizard brains, overcoming Obama's futile attempt at measured reason.
After the debate last night, I watched & read the many analyses on various websites with their reader comments. I like to get a spectrum of opinions & perspectives, even if they're idiotic.
I thought that last nite Pres. Obama clearly overwhelmed Gov. Romney, stylistically & substantively. The President asserted himself as a thoughtful, responsible, yet tough, leader. This time, he didn't let Mitt Romney continue to be his usual douchebag self, without response. Do I think either of these guys have all the right answers?... of course not. However Romney has no answers to anything. His stated fundamental approach to economic policy is a 3-card monte game. There's no way he can 1) cut taxes 2) increase the bloated Pentagon budget, and 3) reduce the national debt, without crippling the federal government (which is probably the actual goal). It's absurd on its face.
It always cracks me up how government-hating politicians want to attain & maintain power within the government they think's no good. I guess it's about the idea of infiltrating something, to destroy it from the inside out. The problem is... if democratic government is severely limited, society becomes unbalanced, then financial & corporate power is free to prey on the people.
Even though the CNN poll showed Obama 'winning' the debate overall, I was baffled to see the pundits on the different stations were downplaying it. The low expectations for Mitt Romney are Sarah Palin-esque... while Obama apparently needs to heal someone on stage, then punch Mitt out to make an impression. I'm not sure if the media is trying to keep it a horserace, or if people are really that clueless. It's most likely both.
Anyway, I understand why Romney supporters would go into denial. As a candidate, Mitt sucks & so they can't let Obama have any slack whatsoever. For Team Romney, it's better to bullshit your way to imagined victory than to accept defeat. It shows the whole right-wing mentality of winning at any cost, even if it's at the expense of consensual reality & one's own common sense.
When Obama had a lackluster performance last time, his supporters universally acknowledged it & demanded better, for the sake of the national discourse.
This time, The President showed why he has been elected to one of the most difficult jobs on Earth. He handled Mitt as an intellectual, moral, and rhetorical inferior- which he is. Gov. Romney was left awkwardly stammering on several key moments, when Obama gave him an oratorical smackdown.
Mitt just never looks comfortable in his own skin, while Barry O. is usually the coolest guy in the room. I don't know if it's Romney's uncomfortable personality, the disturbing lack of empathetic emotion, or just the fact that he's an out-of-touch plutocrat who acts like a jackass... he just doesn't seem like a person who can relate to the average person's problems. Case in point, his recent comments about people, with no insurance, being able to get care in an emergency.
He has absolutely no clue how society works for most people... yet, he's going to be in charge of running the country?!? Let's hope not.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think Romney is totally incompetent. He surely wouldn't be as much of a disaster as Dubya was- or as some of the GOP primary contenders would be. However, the ultra-rich have already had a field day at the expense of society-at-large. These are Gov. Romney's base. Therefore, a vote for him basically concedes the Republic to his special moneyed interests, whose only goal is to reap endless profit from the people.
There's still another debate to come, but I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking with "The Long Legged Mack Daddy" After the experiences of the last four years, he has undoubtedly learned lessons on how to govern effectively that will hopefully inform him if he wins a second term.
Luckily, I don't usually get crazy or absurd design requests from clients. However, I was thoroughly amused by this collection of posters I saw on BoingBoing, featuring the worst feedback received by creative professionals like myself.
I'd recommend checking out the whole collection, it's great.
Have you seen evidence of, or been attacked by this destructive being?
WARNING!!!
This image is the first known representation of a rare and malevolent breed of the fifth-dimensional thought creature known as the Trabie.
Labeled the "Cybertrabie" by the FBI's above top secret Anti-Trabie Task Force, it has the ability to assimilate its higher dimensional being into our 3D electronic circuitry.
BEWARE THESE EVIL CREATURES!
If the Trabie has appeared on your computer screen, it is already too late. The Cybertrabie jumps through the very photons reaching your eyes, and infects the mind itself.
Unfortunately, there is no known way to eradicate the Trabie from the brain, once it inhabits the neural network.
Now that the Trabie has infiltrated the Internet, it is only a matter of time before they take over the whole human race...
.
.
.
.
.
*The origin of the Trabie:
In high school, I was lucky to have friends who were creative & always good for a laugh.
"The Trabie" was one of the many absurd & funny things my friend Matt, aka. Forch, & I would come up with at lunch or study hall.
Here is the original image of 'the Trabie' that i think I made on a black & white Apple Mac II in my high-school physics class:
This was around 1996, so there wasn't even an Internet as we know it today! Back then, we were thinking that it would travel on a floppy disk or something, haha! The Trabie would spread havoc much faster in today's interconnected world of online computers and smartphones.
I came across the old printout, & decided to make the animated, color version above. It's been sitting on my computer for a couple years, so I finally decided to unleash it.
The Trabie may be a fictional character, but if you stare at it too long, it still might infect your brain...
President A$$hole - I still can't believe this graphic that I made way back in 2016 came true... back when it was just a political fever dream, too fucking absurd to possibly be real.
It's been about a month since the 2024 U.S. Election, & I've taken some time to step away from posting on this blog, as well as from social media. I haven't been online much recently anyway, as I try to be fully present in the off-line (aka. "real") world with my wife and two little children when I am not working.
After Trump was declared the winner of the election, I've had no desire to go on my social media feed to see the gloating of the slavish MAGA devotees, nor the lamenting of all the sane people who realize what a total disaster this is gonna be, yet again. It was bad enough seeing the dialogue in online comment sections - especially the dumbass Trumpers ecstatic over choosing the most corrupt, sleazy, & ego-maniacal fool imaginable to lead the country. Thinking Donald Trump is anything but a criminal buffoon, forget being worthy of the Presidency, is the weirdest shit ever.
However... here we are!!! At this point, there's been little to no public accusations of any low-key election shenanigans by Team Trump, which wouldn't surprise me (because every Trump accusation is usually a confession). In any case, the fact that the race was close at all just shows how heavily propagandized the population truly is. From the manipulative social media algorithms, to the right wing radio shows, to the Fox News 24/7 outrage machine with it's brain-scrambling influence on the public... we are seeing just how little factual information & critical thinking is directing public opinion. By constantly normalizing Trump's insanity and gross antics, even the "mainstream media" gave Trump power. He has become basically a God-tier malignant narcissist, demanding the attention of every human consciousness on the planet.
So how did we get here??? Kamala Harris was a decent enough candidate- a smart, accomplished politician with a history in law enforcement. She seemed friendly and charismatic enough, and ran circles around Trump in their only debate, baiting his fragile ego effortlessly throughout. Of course, red hats parroted their side's media talking heads, who complained about stupid shit like her laugh or claimed she had no experience, despite her long history as a public servant. They did everything to discredit her & amplify her flaws through their powerful echo chamber... all while cheering on a completely irredeemable scumbag like Trump.
I think the problem clearly started with Joe Biden deciding to run again for another term, & NOT stepping aside to allow the Democratic party to hold a primary. Although Joe Biden has been a very effective President who scored some major accomplishments, his stubborn clinging to the office royally screwed the Democratic party, and ultimately the country (& the world). Biden's debate with Trump was an absolute fucking debacle, & cemented in many people's minds that Biden was not fit to lead. Unfortunately, Trump getting rhetorically gutted by Harris in their debate did not have the same effect on the Golden Turd. In the public's mind, if Biden has been this bad & Kamala has helped cover for him, then why should we trust her either? However, all of Trump's horrible qualities & behaviors were continually just given a pass. As political commentator Van Jones stated, "He gets to be lawless, she has to be flawless." It was just frustrating as hell to watch unfold throughout the campaign. As it became clear that many were buying into Trump's authoritarian bullshit, I thought this meme summed up the feeling toward the end pretty well:
So, the Trump campaign is now transitioning into another Presidential term, with the Republicans in control of the government, even if by razor-thin margins in Congress. I have been watching everything unfold over the last month, and it has been as much of a Trumpian shit-show as anyone with a cluster of functioning brain cells could have predicted.
Trump is assembling a real-life "Legion of Doom" for his cabinet, made up of only the most loyal & unqualified swamp creatures, whose only goal is to destroy the Federal Government. The primary qualification is fealty to TRUMP, not the Constitution or the American people. This in and of itself is an obscene way to go about choosing government officials. Beyond being willing to unflinchingly kiss Trump's ass, the other main requirement seems to be to hate or be totally unfit to lead the department you will be in charge of.
These sycophantic candidates, even Trump really, are just puppets for the monied interests behind the scenes. They want to decimate all public services & assets, in order for private companies to swoop in and feast on the remains- to the detriment of the American population, at large:
• Matt Gaetz, the real-life Butthead, as Attorney General??? What??? This was absolute madness, & a bridge too far, so he got kicked to the curb. However, it showed just what a psycho circus we are in for...
• Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary??? A service member with no strategic military experience or management on the monstrous scale of The Pentagon... Oh, and he's a misogynist alcoholic who you didn't vet for disqualifying info? Great idea, to pick a guy you see on Fox News to be in charge of our entire military.
• RFK for Health Secretary? I agree with his general outlook that we need to find natural paths to healthiness, but this is another pick that is just wacky.
• Tulsi Gabbard to lead our intelligence agencies? A lot of literal red flags there.
• Linda McMahon as Secretary of Ed?? Are we really gonna have a WWE executive running Public Education?
• Kash Patel, FBI Director??? A man with an actual enemies list, whose blind devotion to his leader would lead him to attempt to use federal law enforcement as a personal Trump police force???
• & on & on & on...
* Of course the billion-dollar elephant in the room is the wannabe Shadow President, Elon Musk. The richest man in the world basically bought his way into direct control of the federal government. He and fellow super-wealthy, super-douchey Vivek Ramaswamy are tasked with heading a fucking meme agency, "DOGE," to recommend slashing away at the government- which is good in theory, but starting of course with the services that the most vulnerable in our society rely on; Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc. .It's just open corruption, and it's amazing to see how brazen it all is. The Right, which endlessly cries about the shadowy influence of wealthy Democratic donors, such as their eternal boogieman George Soros, suddenly is totally ok with a billionaire, having vested interests in government contracts, being the main public consultant for the incoming President... because it's their guy. The hypocrisy is astounding.
It doesn't matter what his supporters (or anyone else) think anyway. Trump won, & he's only going to do whatever benefits "Trump World" now. Thank God we have a semi-functioning Congress (at the moment) to put a stop to some of these completely insane picks. As Donald sits like Jabba the Hutt at Mar-a-lago waiting for the lineup of shameless cronies willing to do his bidding... there's every indication, just from this nomination process, that this Trump administration is going to be pretty fucked up. He's going to do everything to concentrate all the power & wealth into the hands of himself & his personal interests. The only thing we can hope is that his extreme foolishness, intellectual laziness, & sheer incompetence continue to damper his craziest & most destructive efforts.
Is he really going to crush the American economy with reckless tariffs? Is he really going to sell off federal land & national assets to the highest bidder? Is he really going after political enemies & critics? You bet your ass he's gonna try. I'm thinking, "Should I not even write anything critical of this jackass anymore?" I mean, I have kids now. I'm not trying to fucking disappear into a Trump Re-Education Facility™!
Maybe there is some silver lining, in that this sort of cultural experience is necessary to help mankind move on from the more primal, selfish level of consciousness that Donald Trump & MAGA embody. Even if that is a more positive cosmic outlook on the situation, it's still going to generally suck for awhile. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not counting on it.
"Alchemy is an expression of the fact that light is hidden in darkness."
Alchemy is one of those areas of knowledge, like astrology, that has mostly been considered an 'unconventional' idea system. In fact, alchemy was a precursor of modern science and is literally "The Great Work"- ultimately a transformation of one's own mind & state of being.
Like a complex visual & mental puzzle, trying to understand the myriad meanings behind any alchemical works can be an almost absurd task. Even for someone well-versed in art history and symbolism, trying to figure out the story behind the symbols can be mind-boggling.
A while back I got the book Alchemy & Mysticism, The Hermetic Museum that is filled with esoteric art. Although I often browse through the strange imagery with a basic idea of what is behind some of it, it's still a very obscure system of thinking.
I saw this article on Reality Sandwich and it has several excellent observations:
"Contemplating an indescribable divine mystery, according to Jung, "the alchemists did not really know what they were writing about," certainly not with their conceptual mind. Not knowing what they were trying to articulate, the unconscious itself was simultaneously living through the alchemists as it revealed itself to them.
This explains the alchemists' oftentimes confusing, contradictory, and inscrutable description of their art.
Jon Stewart is definitely great, but even I wouldn't go quite THAT far, even rhetorically. However a recent Time poll showed a result that I can agree with, even though Stephen Colbert might disagree:
I almost never watch the network news, and I'll change the channel if the cable news is airing what I consider to be worthless content.
The world we live in is often absurd & approaching the news from a strictly serious, respectful angle only gives a false sense that the many clowns(<Warning: Clicking here may cause nightmares) in public life are "serious" & should automatically be given respect.
Comedy Central's political comedy lineup is a great because there are plenty of smart, funny people who appreciate an irreverent look at current events. Satire is a sublime form of information that can have a powerful effect on public opinion. Although he tends to play the simple goofball alot, Mr. "Stewart" is in a very unique position to expose, humiliate, & scorn the most powerful people on earth with no real consequences. He's the modern political court jester for the entire country. It's a pretty awesome thing when you think about it....
