The Limits of Human Vision

 Look into my eye....

I saw this interesting article about the sense which I find most important, being a visual artist:

BBC Future:

What Are the Limits of Human Vision?

Originally a congregation of cells that evolved to react to electromagnetic radiation, the organ we call the eye is one of the countless marvels of biology.

Despite the power of sight, our eyes only pick up a small slice of the energetic reality surrounding us. We adapted to see only what we need to to survive in our particular circumstances.

The Monkey Buddha:

Life in Thermal Vision

As technology advances and digital interfaces are developed to enhance our senses, it's possible that one day humans will be able to detect other energy wavelengths or have a wider range of vision.

I always wondered what the "resolution" of human eyesight is compared to the pixel dimensions of computer screens. It turns out we see at about 120 pixels per degree of arc, which ends up being around 500-600 megapixels.

The eye and visual perception are sources of constant wonder for me. The ability of the eye and the brain to process light energy into recognizable form is a marvel, but it is also fundamental to how humans and other lifeforms perceive our world.

Eye of a Walking Stick - Macro Closeup

 Have you ever looked deeply into the eye of a walking stick bug?

As I used my macro lens to zoom into the barely visible head of the insect, I realized there was a discernible eye on the side of it's antennae.

Nature Photography

by Paul Micarelli

From this close, it really looks like a strange alien head of some sort, proving that we don't need to look to other planets to find interesting life forms.

Here is the walking stick a bit more zoomed out:

Dali with a Crazy Eye Patch

After posting my 3D rendering of Salvador Dalí's "Crucifixion," I came across this great photo of the surrealist master, from 1947.

He has his left eye covered with a bejeweled patch, which he decorated with a mystical diamond false eye.

Eye Floaters

When I was young, I first noticed that sometimes these transparent, irregular shapes would appear in my field of vision.

This animated GIF illustrates it pretty well:

I had enough sense to figure that they were little pieces of dust or something, floating in my eyeball.

 Mental Floss:

What Causes Eye Floaters?

It turns out this phenomenon is fairly common. They are actually caused by pieces of the vitreous humor, a gel-like substance in the eye, breaking off and causing a shadow on the retina. We perceive these shadows as the "floaters".

Secrets of Da Vinci's Challenge

As a designer, I feel that all my work can be considered art - regardless of whether it's a package graphics, art for stationery products, or toy/game design. "Da Vinci's Challenge" is a special case for me, though, because it carries more of a classic sense of what art is; a creation that can evoke intellectual and emotional response, holds symbolic meaning, and has a unique aesthetic value.

The most amazing thing about "Da Vinci's Challenge" as a piece of functional art is its timeless heritage. The pattern of interlocking circles that defines the playing surface of the gameboard is an ancient symbol known throughout history by various names; The Flower of Life, the Language of Light, and the Language of Silence... all of which hint at the transcendental and mysterious essence of this beautiful design.

Flower of Life Carving at Osirian Temple in Egypt

The oldest known physical example of this symbol is in the 6,000 year old Osirian Temple in Abydos, Egypt. The temple was a subterranean complex dedicated to Osiris, the god symbolizing death and regeneration... the afterlife and resurrection. The once-underground chambers are the most ancient of all the ancient Egyptian ruins. "The Flower of Life" symbol is carved with laser-like accuracy on huge granite blocks in the temple walls.

In the context of ancient Egyptian mystery religions, "The Flower of Life" represented the infinite, yet structured matrix that subtly forms the reality we experience. This underlying order can be called God, the Universe, the Quantum Field, the Tao, or whatever you prefer to call it. It is the complete, all-encompassing flux of the world- from the smallest electron fields to the largest scales of the cosmos.



This symbol was used by ancient priests and spiritual initiates as a mandala, a geometric or symbolic pattern that is used to focus on a particular state of mind or experience. "The Flower of Life" was used as a meditation on Unity and Interconnectedness. This is not some metaphysical, abstract mumbo-jumbo, but reflects the basic nature of the world we live in.

Every aspect of the universe is connected and meshed at a base level. Science has firmly demonstrated the mystical concept that the cosmos is nothing but patterns of energy vibration interacting at different levels. The real Mystery is how this seemingly random quantum soup organizes itself into recognizable forms and a mind that can perceive these forms. It's easy to say, "God does it all." God IS the mystery, though, so in order to really understand this statement, one has to really investigate the Mystery!

When you look into ideas such as sacred geometry, divine proportion, fractals, physics, cosmology, and other such disciplines, you gain a greater appreciation for the beauty and unexplainable complexity of the universe. The greater your awareness of the structure and nature of reality, the better prepared you will be to utilize it to the benefit of yourself and others. Because of the connective neural structure of the human brain, our mental perceptions of the entire universe are based on our perceived patterns of causal or physical connection. "The Flower of Life" perfectly illustrates this ordered intricate web of scale, structure, and vibration that defines the world. "The Flower of Life" represents the face of God more ideally than any anthropomorphic painting by Michelangelo.

Besides the philosophical meaning that can be drawn from "The Flower of Life" symbol, there is also rich mathematical knowledge that can be found within the perfectly symmetrical form of interlocking circles. Leonardo da Vinci used his keen intellect and sense of observation to study the geometries found within the Flower of Life.

Flower of Life Studies 
by Leonardo da Vinci

  

The pattern is deceptively easy to create. It is begun by simply overlapping 2 identical circles, so the edge of each circle touches the midpoint of the other.



This symbol itself is one of the most ancient and universal symbols known to man. The intersecting circles form a central shape called the 'Vesica Pisces' which, in Christian art, is the basis for the 'Jesus fish' and also the symbol of the womb that the Virgin Mary is often portrayed within. This is a symbol more widely used and much older than Christianity, though. It is a symbol of life, creation, vision, and birth. Incidentally, the Vesica Pisces also defines the energy patterns that lead cells to organize into vital human forms such as the eye, the urethra, the womb, and the mouth. When you start to see such patterns in nature, it is almost as if you are looking into the programming code of reality and the mind.

The third circle is added by placing its midpoint on one of the places where the first two circles intersect. Now the pattern has been establish and it becomes a self-replicating pattern. This step in the pattern can be seen to symbolize the Trinity where a third-dimension of Spirit and Space define the Creation pattern so it becomes a self-regulating phenomenon. From now on, a circle can be placed with its midpoint centered anywhere that the edges of two other circles intersect. The pattern can continue to be repeated and extended endlessly.

A circle is considered rightly to be the perfect form. It represents 'oneness' and 'completeness' its edge has no beginning and no end, but a definite form. This is the fundamental shape that represents the planets, the stars, the moon, the eye, bubbles, water drops. It is the most efficient and sound way to structure matter.

A circle is also the most pleasing to the eye, because of the structural self-similarity. This is easy to prove through understanding human nature. When we are first born, our mind is programmed to search for circles!!! We are automatically drawn to the circular eyes of our mother for recognition, and the round nipples of our mother for nourishment.

This is truly the universal form, and has become the optimal natural shape to guide the survival instincts of human life. Even when we grow older, we are entranced by the circle and compelled to reproduce and continue our species through such mechanisms as our attraction to the 'round' parts of the anatomy. This is part of the wonder of the process of nature and how it is organized in such a fascinating, yet effective way.


The symbol made from the seven circles at the center of "The Flower of Life" is called "The Seed of Life". It can be seen as a metaphor for the 7 days of Genesis from which all Creation expands out of the One, the single center circle. From this basis, the pattern of Creation can expand indefinitely and can contain endless number and types of forms. "The Flower of Life" is a representation of the infinite, yet orderly, matrix that describes both the interconnected structure of the mind and of the Universe that it perceives.


The shapes and colors of the game pieces in "Da Vinci's Challenge" represent the duality that seems to be ingrained in our mental experiences and perceptions. The patterns that are made using these shapes on the game board can be seen as a representation of the infinite forms that can arise from the underlying matrix of order in the Universe and in our brains. The dual black and white colors, as well as the triangle and long oval shapes can be thought of as representations of yin and yang, male and female, active and passive, 0 and 1 binary characteristics that our duality-based consciousness is trained to experience.

By contemplating the overall, random pattern these shapes make when they are all placed on the the underlying matrix of the game board by the end of the game- you can draw comparisons to the structure and nature of the universe and the infinite forms that also arise from basic elements and principles.

All good art and symbolism packs the maximum amount of information in the minimum amount of space. "The Flower of Life" has been recognized throughout history as a symbol of prime importance because of the infinite amount of geometric, spiritual, and symbolic information that it can represent.


I encourage you to explore the concepts I've talked about here to help deepen your understanding of your own mind and the world we experience through the limiting filter of the mind. From the beginning of its conception, "Da Vinci's Challenge" has always been intended to be a source of insight, inspiration, and a connection to timeless wisdom for everyone who encounters it.

Most of all, I hope it continues to be a source of enjoyment and bonding for those who play it.

The Official Facebook Page: 

Da Vinci's Challenge 

"Omega Computer" Concept

The "Omega Computer" concept was a graphic design project that I created in college, during my senior year at Rowan University in 2001.

My project (which I was allowed to choose) was to design "a computer of the future". I wanted to incorporate cutting-edge technologies that I thought would need to be developed for future electronic devices.

"Omega Computer" Concept 

by Paul Micarelli- 2001

In 2001, there were no mass market smartphones or portable networked devices. Most people had just monochromatic cell phones (with no cameras). Commercial touchscreen tablets were just hitting the market, but were a long way from being as popular as the iPad would eventually become.

I think my predictions have proved to be pretty accurate, because many of these features are now standard functions of the iPhone, Android, and other mobile devices.

The eyepiece I designed is similar to Google Glass and other augmented reality headsets.

Some of the ideas still haven't been seen on the market yet- like the outer casings of the Omega components being infused with electronic ink (e-ink), so that it can instantly change and display any color, texture, or design. Also, Nikola Tesla's idea of wireless electric power transmission is just now beginning to gain traction in commercial products.

I created the Omega Computer back when I was a graphic arts student, so my design skills were rudimentary compared to what I could do now, after 14+ years of professional experience. I don't think it's too bad, though- considering my inexperience, as well as the limitations of the Photoshop 6 and the Infini-D 3D modeling software I was using at the time.

Even for a student project, the "Omega Computer" concept was definitely ahead of its time!...

Components of the Omega™ Computer System

  

 

The portable Omega Computer device, 

housing the Qflux™ Quantum Processor, camera, 

and fully customizable color e-ink skin. 

It's communication & electric power are completely wireless.

Info sheet for the portable Omega Computer device, 
housing the Qflux™ Quantum Processor, camera, and color e-ink skin.

"Revolutionary: Omega's computer system is the most user-friendly, powerful personal computer ever created. All devices receive wireless data and electricity so you don't have to deal with cables of any kind. Surf the internet quickly and connection free from any location. The Omega unit is compact and comfortable to hold in your hands and takes up little space when placed on a desktop. Not only is it elegantly designed, but the plastic casing is infused with electronic ink that allows you to customize the color and design of the Omega's shell at any time.

Powerful: Powerful is an understatement when describing the Omega Qflux quantum processor. This extraordinary technology uses the energy fluctuations of atomic particles to carry out computations, much like transistors of a silicon processor. However, the Qflux processor performs parallel computations at lightning speed compared to a silicon chip. This makes handling even large, complex processes such as video and 3D instantaneous!

Security: Omega gives you unprecedented security through fingerprint scanners embedded in the left & right 'click' buttons on the unit. Anybody with a different fingerprint is automaticallly recognized and prompted for a password which you can provide. Omega stores their fingerprint and name until you choose to remove them. Omega also contains a tracking device which allows the unit to be found if lost or stolen,

Multi-functional: No other device can give you the multimedia experience of the Omega. It combines  traditional computing with music and video playback, 3D virtual reality gaming, GPS navigation, telephone and video communications, and graphics. An integrated camera allows digital photography and video (when used in combination with the Head Mounted Display) or video conferencing when sitting in front of the computer. All processing is performed in real time regardless of complexity or size due to the revolutionary  Qflux processor.

Maximum Storage: Using holographic data storage technology, information is efficiently stored in the 3D space of a small cube. This tiny space holds 50 tetrabytes of information, or 5,000 gigabytes! This is much more storage capacity than any magnetic hard drive storage ever used in personal computers. All this space means room for every program, file, video, game, book, and song you want!"

The Omega Interactive Display with embedded speakers 
can be either placed on a monitor stand or held.

 

Info sheet for Omega Interactive Display.

"Interactive: Omega Interactive Display is a flatscreen, touch-sensitive LCD monitor  that allows you to write, choose items, draw, and navigate directly using the Omega stylus. Input devices such as the mouse and drawing tablets are unnecessary with our easy to use interface.

Compact: Our 17" display is 95% viewing area, with almost no surrounding casing to take up space. You get a combination of sight and sound in one compact unit with the stereo speakers embedded behind the screen. The display also folds in half for easy transportation or storage.

Wireless: Since the Interactive Display is powered by our wireless electricity transmission and also has a wireless data connection to the Omega Computer unit, there are no cords or batteries to deal with. This means you can use it anywhere- on the sofa, in the kitchen, or outside! If you want to stay in the office, you can attach it back to its stand for a space-saving work area.

Multi-media: Our Interactive Display contains high-quality 6"x9" flat stereo speakers to complete the Omega multimedia experience. Watch video, enjoy lifelike gaming, or hear crystal clear music while computing without the burden of seperate speaker hookups!"

 

The Head-Mounted Display is an eyepiece, with a microphone, earphones, and a high-resolution screen that tracks your eye movement. It is fully interactive with the other Omega™ computer devices.

Info sheet for the Head-Mounted Display

"Mobile: Omega's HMD (Head-Mounted Display) is a wireless personal interface for mobile, private computing. The screen in the LCD eyepiece is navigated by looking around the screen. The cursor tracks where you are looking  using low power lasers that follow your eye movement. The buttons on the hand-held Omega unit are used to "click" an item.

Comfortable: The headband and eyepiece arm are fully adjustable for maximum comfort. Also, the eyepiece can be detached and positioned over the left or right eye. The unit fits over eyeglasses and the screen is designed for minimal occlusion, meaning the screen does not black out your surroundings, but seems to be superimposed over it. This lets you easily focus back and forth between screen and environment.

Versatile: Omega's lightweight HMD contains  a high-res LCD screen, stereo headphones, and a microphone to communicate and interface easily in one unit. Can be used in conjunction with the Omega keyboard for typing applications."

The Omega portable keyboard 
is ergonomic and folds up to be easily transported. 
It also has the same e-ink shell as the Omega computer, 
so the keys and skin are fully customizable.

 

The Omega computer being used with the keyboard and the screen on its monitor stand. All the Omega components have full color e-ink shells, for fully customizable appearance.

 

The Omega computer being used with the interactive touchscreen with a stylus. All the Omega components have full color, e-ink shells for fully customizable appearance.

 

The Omega computer being used with the Head-Mounted Display (HMD) eyepiece. All the Omega components have full color, e-ink shells for fully customizable appearance.

 

  

he Omega computer has un-hackable quantum encryption and fingerprint scanners for maximum security.

 

 All the Omega components have full color, electronic ink (e-ink) shells for fully customizable appearance. This is the first computer system to incorporate e-ink on the outside casing. Changing the color, pattern, or design of your Omega devices is as easy as changing your desktop wallpaper!

Omega Sales Brochure

• These are the outside panels of a brochure presenting information about the components of the Omega computer system.

• These are the inside panels of a brochure presenting information about the components of the Omega computer system. 

 "Wireless: Omega and all peripheral devices are wireless, meaning no connections or power cables! With PaulMic Technologies startup plan, for one low price you receive wireless power to your unit for as long as you own your Omega, NO BATTERIES OR CORDS NEEDED! All device and internet connections are cableless, so there is no hassle of confusing hookups.

Powerful: The Qflux quantum processor uses atomic energy fluctuations to compute faster and more efficiently than any silicon chip. Now the infinite possibilities of this technology are in the palm of your hand for graphics, gaming, and calculations. Now files that take enormous processing power, such as video and 3D rendering are instantaneous and take place in real time. The Omega's holographic data storage gives you 50 tetrabytes of storage for all the files and programs you'll ever need. Store libraries of music, games, and video in a space the size of a sugar cube! The cube-shaped storage unit stores data simultaneously in 3 dimensions for compact storage and instant retrieval.

Versatile: You don't work on Omega, you work with Omega. This is the first computer designed to conform to your needs at any given time. You can use any combination of peripherals with the Omega unit depending on your situation. 

the Omega combines the functions of a multitude of devices for a single, integrated, true multimedia experience. The Omega runs traditional computer programs, from word processing to graphics, a digital video/still camera, a GPS navigator, phone communication, music & video playback, ability to store and read volumes of ebooks and magazines, and high-tech gaming.

Stylish: The Omega unit, keyboard, and monitor stand all have a state of the art color electronic ink infused into the plastic. This allows you to customize the outer appearance of any of these devices with any color, pattern, or design that you like- at any time! Also, all Omega products are ergonomically and aesthetically designed to appeal to your sense of comfort and style.

Secure: Omega's click buttons read your fingerprint for personalized security. If someone else wants to use your Omega, all they have to do is type or say a designated password when prompted. Omega will then recognize their fingerprint when used. Therefore, you have peace of mind knowing that only you or your family and friends can access your Omega. If lost or stolen, the Omega has an embedded tracking device that works along with its GPS system to allow authorities to pinpoint its exact location.

Portable: All Omega devices are designed for easy transport and use on the go. The computer itself is lightweight and small enough to hold in your hand (the picture at far left is actual size). The touch-sensitive flat screen monitor and keyboard fold up for compact storage. The head mounted display unit is omega's mobile interface with  integrated microphone, earphones, and LCD display. Best of all, there are no wires or batteries to deal with when on the go thanks to Omega's wireless energy receiver."

 

Cosmic Eye: Scale of the Universe

On Reddit's r/space, I saw this animated GIF that is one of the most important things a person can watch to get a glimpse of the nature of reality.

That scale tho...  (keeps going and going...)

It is a journey through the known scales of the Universe, from the farthest cosmic expanse (macrocosm) down to the subatomic quantum level (microcosm). The human being lies somewhere in the middle of this seemingly infinite continuum, the conscious nexus of experience.

Here's a video version in HD:

Cosmic Eye

There have been other attempts to visually represent the vast scales of inner & outer space, some of which I have posted before:

• Scale of the Universe 2

• Powers of Ten (10)

• The Known Universe

All these are tools for our minds to help comprehend the incomprehensible- the very nature of the Universe of which we are an integral part.

The Avengers movie

This weekend I went to see Marvel's "The Avengers" in 3D & it was pretty awesome. This is going to be a geek-tastic post, but I have to rave about this film a bit.

Marvel's The Avengers Trailer 2 (OFFICIAL)

When I was a kid, I collected comic books- but never had any issues of The Avengers. I was familiar with these and most of the other Marvel & DC characters, though. This movie made excellent use of the iconic heroes that make up the super team.

I'm very critical when it comes to most creative works, because I can usually think of a better way to do it. Only recently have superhero action movies gotten to the point where I think they are produced properly.

The Superman movies from the 80's seemed cheesy to me. I thought Tim Burton's version of Batman was ok back when I was 12 years old, but the sequels were garbage.
More recently, DC has been improving the quality of their movie franchises. Batman Begins was very cool, but Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight was horrible & The Dark Knight Rises looks like it's going to be crap. Bane & Catwoman look like they've been handled all wrong & Christian Bale's voice when he's Batman is unbearably annoying. I saw & really enjoyed The Green Lantern recently. I was glad that they did justice to one of my favorite comic characters.

As for Marvel movies, I really liked the X-Men movies & the Wolverine spin-off was done well. The Spider-man movies were good, but the portrayal of his arch-nemesis Venom in Spider-man 3 was weak. I don't really care for the Fantastic Four & haven't seen those movies. Even though The Silver Surfer was one of my favorite characters, I refused to see the Fantastic Four sequel when I learned that the planet-devouring Galactus was going to be some kind of nanobot cloud.

The individual movies leading up to The Avengers have all been solid films in their own right. They all came together to make a truly kick-ass movie that even my critical eye can find few faults with. The way that Marvel has worked to interweave all these separate stories into one overall thread has been brilliant.

• Iron Man has the benefit of the best casting decision ever, with Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark. The state of computer graphics is finally at the point where the portrayal of the mech suit is believably realistic & looks amazing.

• I thought the digitally rendered Hulk looked 'off' in his previous movies, but he was much improved in The Avengers.

• Thor would have been a really cool movie if Natalie Portman & her character didn't ruin it.

• I haven't seen the Captain America movie yet, since I've always thought he was really lame. Chris Evans is a convincing Capt. America, though, that is true to the character.

Cap, The Hulk, & Thor are all being handled infinitely better than the ridiculous attempts made in the 80's.

"The Incredible Hulk Returns"

"Captain America" (1990)

As for The Black Widow, she's played by Scarlett Johansson... so..... that's all there is to say about that!

Loki was a decent villain for The Avengers, but the Asgardians (Loki & Thor) seemed pretty vulnerable for god-like beings. It was funny when The Hulk gave an unsuspecting Thor a taste of his strength, though.

The Avengers had some well-placed humor, eye-popping visuals, an exciting story, superb casting, and everything that should be in a great superhero movie. Like most people, I left the theater going "Wow!" & freaking out over all the amazing details. I give it my highest recommendation, whether or not you like superhero movies.

The excellence of this film was topped off with a final teaser scene, shown after the first set of end credits. The Marvel Film Universe is about to get a whole lot bigger & crazier!

To see the spoiler, highlight the text below:

The scene showed the alien who  kneeling before an unseen figure on an asteroid in space. The alien said something to the effect that "battling with the humans would be courting Death." That's when I thought... "no way!!!"... before they showed 'the mad Titan' Thanos turn towards the camera & grin. I hadn't read any spoilers about this scene. However, I said right before it that the only way Marvel can build on something bigger would be to use a storyline like The Infinity Gauntlet series I read when I was a teenager. They are clearly going to bring the entire Marvel movie lineup (The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, Spider-man, & The X-Men) together to face off against Thanos & the Infinity Gems. Based on Marvel's track record so far, it is going to be completely awesome!

At least the official Avengers movie turned out better than this:

Space Eye

After my last post about the fascinating space objects that are finally being beheld by the human eye, I came across this cool animated GIF.

Here's another one I found:

'2001: A Space Odyssey' Poster Design

I saw this awesome poster by artist Eren Blanquet Unten & had to post it.

It's for one of my favorite movies, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Silver Screen Society:
2001 Poster by Eren Blanquet Unten

The circle is used briliantly to define Earth, HAL's electronic eye, and the space station- which are divided by rectangular areas reminiscent of The Monolith in the movie.

Having HAL's bright eye in the middle is the obvious way to go, since it makes an effective bullseye. However, it's placement also suggests the fact that technology & computers are a bridge, between this small terrestrial island and the infinite cosmos around us.

I consider a design like this successful if it engages me for more than a glance, & makes me think about things a little more in depth. Even though this poster is relatively simple, there is alot of food for thought within it.

"Da Vinci's Challenge"- Toy Fair Announcement

Back in my days as a college student, I created the award-winning visual strategy game, "Da Vinci's Challenge™."


This is a timeless game- which encompasses mankind's history, creativity, and sense of mystery. I've posted about it many times on this blog:

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

Da Vinci's Challenge

The game board is the beautiful circular symbol, known as 'The Flower of Life'- an eye-catching pattern of interlocking circles. This geometric design has been known to artists & thinkers throughout history. It was carved onto ancient Egyptian temples, & it was even studied in depth by the game's namesake, Leonardo da Vinci!

Play is simple enough for anyone to learn- but offers endless strategy, to challenge the most dedicated gamers.

Each player uses the shapes in their color (ovals & triangles), to create 'Secret Symbols'. These are configurations that resemble familiar icons- such as a Pyramid, Eye, Flower, and Star.  Each 'Secret Symbol' has a point value that depends on the difficulty to complete it.  The player who scores the most points by the end of the game wins, & becomes the Master of Da Vinci's Challenge!

I originally created "Da Vinci's Challenge" for a senior project, when I was a graphic design major. The original version was hand-made from stone pieces, a copper board, & a wooden case. I eventually pitched it to a client who published board games.

It was first released in 2005, and has won some of the top awards in the toy industry- including the Oppenheim Platinum Award & the Mensa Mind Games Select award.

After a hiatus over the past few years, a brand-new edition of "Da Vinci's Challenge" is on track to make a comeback, in the Fall of this year. It will be featured this month at the 2014 Toy Fair in the Javitz Center, NYC, at Booth #2507 for Briarpatch Toys.

I will be posting updates here in the coming months, and you can also visit the official Facebook page with news & related material:

 

Facebook:

Da Vinci's Challenge

The Galaxy's Eye

"The Galaxy's Eye"
Stable Diffusion/Paul Micarelli 

A brief journey into Eternity...

 

War Not a Solution for Terrorism: Howard Zinn

This Boston Globe editorial by Howard Zinn explains clearly and succinctly why the excuse of "Terrorism" for military aggression & occupation of foreign nations is a complete farce to cover for other agendas.

There is an even simpler argument, though... "Violence begets violence."

or, if you prefer... "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

click for article

"War is Not a Solution for Terrorism"

"The history of wars fought since the end of World War II reveals the futility of large-scale violence. The United States and the Soviet Union, despite their enormous firepower, were unable to defeat resistance movements in small, weak nations -- the United States in Vietnam, the Soviet Union in Afghanistan -- and were forced to withdraw."

"So if an action will inevitably kill innocent people, it is as immoral as a deliberate attack on civilians. And when you consider that the number of innocent people dying inevitably in "accidental" events has been far, far greater than all the deaths deliberately caused by terrorists, one must reject war as a solution for terrorism."

Photos of Animal Eyes

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

Your Beautiful Eyes

I saw this awesome link on BoingBoing a while ago featuring macro close-up photography of human eyes.

"Your Beautiful Eyes"

My previous post about sacred geometry reminded me of these super-detailed photos, which show the ordered chaos that somehow forms Life. The Mystery of the circle and nature's formation of such patterns are phenomena that a person can investigate and ponder for a lifetime.

Those macro eye photos are at a detail that is ironically beyond the normal perception of our own eyes. I guess that's why they almost look surreal, like they are made of sand or yarn. After looking at these crazy images, I had to go look in the mirror and study my own irises but there's no way to see details that fine without extra technology.

As a professional designer, my eyes are my life & livelihood. I definitely don't take my vision for granted. Actually, I'm always amazed by the wonders of eyesight and perception. It's hard to understand how these small gelatinous orbs could create the rich mental images of the world around us.

"Top 20 Optical illusions"

Speaking of optical illusions, here's one I made after seeing a similar technique used for an album cover. You need to click for the larger image- then squint or stand back from the monitor.

Monkey Buddha Optical Design

Deep Dream Images

From Deep Dream Images

Deep-Dream-Eye-Botanical-Dimensions

I recently posted about software code that Google researchers have developed, using computers set up as neural networks.

The Monkey Buddha:

 Psychedelic Computer Dreams

The computer uses a feedback loop of image recognition algorithms to find features in the imagery,  and then enhance them. The Google engineers dubbed the process "Inceptionism," because the computer keeps going deeper into the image to discern features & patterns. Even if there isn't really any recognizable elements in the visual data, the computer will still process the information & try to find familiar forms. The images that are filtered through the software often end up with a trippy, bizarre, or dream-like appearance.

This research can give us a lot of insight into the nature of consciousness and altered states of all types. By modeling the way the brain recognizes & processes patterns, we will develop a deeper understanding of our own minds.

There is a web app I saw on Gizmodo that takes the Google code and allows you to upload your own photos & apply the different filters.

Dreamscope

There's no control over the parameters for each filter, but it's fun to plug different pics in and see how they turn out.

I put a bunch of my own photos through the various filters and created a gallery of images. The results were mostly pretty interesting. My favorites were made using the "Botanical Dimensions" filter.

There are more images in the linked gallery, below.

Picasa Web Album:

Deep Dream Images

Of course, I had to try adding the effects to The Monkey Buddha logo:

From Deep Dream Images

Deep-Dream-Monkey-Buddha-Botanical-Dimensions

This is a self-portrait that came out very strange:

From Deep Dream Images

Deep-Dream-Paul-Micarelli-Botanical-Dimensions

Here is a crazy rendering of my girlfriend Loretta. The original photo was taken by her friend Tessa from Colour Contessa Photography. I think she looks like an otherworldly Aztec goddess.

From Deep Dream Images

Deep-Dream-Loretta-Botanical-Dimensions

Finally, here is a psychedelically serene picture of The Buddha:

From Deep Dream Images

Deep-Dream-Buddha-Botanical-Dimensions

Poconos 2015: Flea Market

A couple weeks ago, my family took our annual summer vacation in the Poconos, Pennsylvania.

The Monkey Buddha:

Poconos

We usually check into to our house on a Saturday, and for the last few years we've gone on Sunday morning to the Blue Ridge Flea Market. We all enjoy going to buy random stuff & see all the crazy crap people are selling.

From Poconos 2015

This year, the first thing I saw as we were pulling up was this truck, with www.junkologist.com hand-painted on the sides. Yes, it's a real (high quality, suprisingly) website, for a junk removal & cleanout service.

Here is the photo album where I'm going to upload some pics from the week. I figured I'd start it off with the "Flea Market Finds":

Photo Album:

Poconos 2015

For years, we've been playing a game my sister got us into where everyone looks for the craziest/funniest/weirdest items we can find for under $5. It's one of my favorite games ever, because it forces you to keep an eye out for truly interesting things.

This was my prize find this year, a "Mountain Brew" tin depicting a cartoon hillbilly family that I got for 50¢

From Poconos 2015

From Poconos 2015

From Poconos 2015

Alien Communication

Deep Sea Basket Star

People are so excited at the prospect of being able to communicate with 'alien' beings.

I think it's silly to assume that we will be able to exchange information with other-worldy or other-dimensional life any better than we already do with bizarre Earth creatures such as jellyfish or lizards.

There is a chance that the reports of humanoid lifeforms, like the virtually cliché Greys or Reptilians, exist. There is an even better chance that other dynamic forms that we may interpret as "life" will be strange to the point of near incomprehensibility.

I saw this video linked in Posthuman Blues and thought that this could represent some mode of unfamiliar communication or other function which our minds cannot even associate with.

There's another Related Video of abstract eye candy that is pure computer-generated craziness. I wonder, "what if these weird visual forms were actually some kind of completely alien, unimagined intelligence trying to engage me?" I'd like to know how SETI or NASA or any agency on Earth would propose to interact with such beings...

The Evolution of Form



Biogenesis

Lo-Res Reality

I love the outdoors & spending time in nature.

This cartoon is pretty funny though:



Maybe one day, the brain will be able to experience visual input at a greater resolution than the natural biology of the eye is capable of delivering.

"Solo: A Star Wars Story" Review

Last weekend, I went to see "Solo: A Star Wars Story" while it was still in the movie theaters. I have been preoccupied with work & the process of getting married, so I hadn't seen it yet.

Han Solo was never one of my favorite characters, and I didn't think the actor Alden Ehrenreich looked nothing like a young Harrison Ford, so at first I wasn't too interested in seeing it, despite my love for everything Star Wars. However, I started seeing positive reviews from people who had seen it & were pleasantly surprised.

So, I decided to check it out & I'm glad I did. It was an action-packed "heist"-type film in which Han joins a group of smugglers trying to steal a large quantity of hyperspace fuel to pay back their debts.

Early on, Han escapes his home planet of Corellia and becomes part of the Imperial infantry, where he meets Chewbacca. This was all part of the Han Solo backstory before, and I think it was fleshed-out pretty well.

In my opinion, this was actually more of a "Star Wars" movie than The Last Jedi. There were more exotic planets and locations, both new & familiar aliens, a more coherent & interesting storyline, and less eye-rollingly bad attempts at humor.

The amount of screen time given to Chewie was cool, but hands-down the best aspect of the movie was Donald Glover as young Lando. Even from the first time you hear his voice off-camera, it sounds just like Billy Dee Williams. He had all the mannerisms & inflections down perfectly. Alden Ehrenreich was close enough to the Han we all know to let me suspend my disbelief. However, after seeing a reference to Anthony Ingruber as a young Harrison Ford, I thought that he would have been a far better casting choice. All-in-all the casting was good, and it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the movie too much.

There were some great cameos and easter eggs for Star Wars fans (that I'm not going to spoil here). I'm glad I got to see it in the theater, where the awesome visuals really make an impact. I would definitely recommend it, especially to Star Wars fans like myself. As I said, Han Solo was never a character I really liked, but this movie managed to make his backstory interesting and fun to watch. It follows Rogue One as another well-done Star Wars Story.

The Official Monkey Buddha Rating: 8 out of 10