SNL - Bush/McCain/Palin

The 2 best political impersonations ever - Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, and Will Ferrell as George W. Bush - are united in one brilliant SNL skit.

I'm in the supposedly 'progressive' state of New Jersey, but I am seeing more McCain/Palin signs around than I would like. Why you would want to announce that you are supporting these hopelessly incompetent clowns is beyond me.

Ridicule & mockery are good ways to highlight the problems that more clueless Republican governance would produce. Unfortunately, there will be nothing funny about this country's future should Satan rear his horned, evil head and cause McSame & The Diva to take office.

Palin as President

Super-fun crap like this is the reason the internet was invented!

The interactive page PalinAsPresident.com lets you click around the prospective Oval Office of Miss "Pro-America" herself. You can click certain things multiple times, & there's plenty of funny stuff hidden in there.

I would suggest quickly pressing the center of her desk multiple times - so she echoes "Oh! Here are the Nuclear Codes!" - and then press the red phone for a sufficient preview of the possibilities a Palin Presidency would bring...

Gosh Darnit, it's nuclear armageddon!

Monkey on a Segway Scooter

Came across this awesome video on i-am-bored.com. Dubya might not be able to figure one out, but this chimp scoots along pretty good by the end.

I needed a good chuckle, and simians doing human activities always amuse me.

Bat Boy Backs Obama!!!

When the paragon of professional journalism, The Weekly World News, revealed the existence of 'Bat Boy' back in the 90's, I was still in high school.

This was a major event for me & my friends, who loved to discuss The WWN's outrageous stories during Study Hall.

I have been following Bat Boy's career ever since, and I saw that Barack Obama has secured perhaps the most significant endorsement in the entire world:

Bat Boy Backs Obama!!!

Penguin vs. Batman Debate

I saw a link to this video on my favorite politically-correct website Bartcop.com.

With the final Presidential debate coming up tomorrow, seeing this classic clip from the 60's Batman movie blew me away. This is so ridiculously relevant that it is just crazy & hilarious.

John McCain is obviously running his campaign as The Penguin- aka 'Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot'.
(I actually still remember that name from the Super Powers toy packages I collected when I was a kid.)

McCain is the Penguin, Obama is Batman, & Dennis Kucinich gets my vote as Robin!




I also saw this painting on Ffffound.com & I have to assume that the artist saw that part of the old Batman movie. If not, it's a very funny coincidence.

BATMOBAMA AND ROBIDEN

Into the Fractal Core

"4-D Gem" available at
The Monkey Buddha Bazaar

I came across a couple interesting things online regarding on of my favorite topics: Fractals.

This article is a deep look into the fractal nature of reality.

"Into The Fractal Core:
Get Ready For The Shift"

Is it just a bunch of meaningless mystical mumbo-jumbo?...
or the ultimate key to understanding our experience in the universe?

The answer: Both!!!
(:D

Visually, fractal forms are endlessly fascinating and reflect the dynamic chaos of nature.

It's amazing that people have figured out how to manipulate numbers & math to approximate 'messy' phenomena that are as irregular as coastlines and plant life.

"17 Captivating Fractals
Found in Nature"

"Monkey Man" by The Rolling Stones

I always liked The Beatles more than the Stones, but there are a few of their songs that I really like.

I hadn't heard "Monkey Man", though, until I got Sirius Radio within the past few years. Now it's obviously my favorite Rolling Stones song. If Monkey Buddhism had a hymn book, this would definitely be in it.

This is a video to the classic tune- showing monkeys & apes in nature, and their less-refined relative in the White House.

The Voting Mob

As he election gets closer, things are getting more interesting. I would have to say McCain has the angry redneck vote locked up.



Everybody, including me, has their opinions about who is better & why. The problem is that many people believe their personal perceptions are hard facts. This is often true for people of all political leanings.

The McCain campaign, though, has gotten bad press recently over the dangerous perceptions they have been provoking and encouraging in their 'less insightful' supporters. To equate Barack Obama with being a terrorist sympathizer is simply inflammatory. People are mostly disgusted by McCain & Palin's obnoxious attempts at character assassination.

On the other hand, Obama doesn't have to slander McCain with vindictive insinuations - such as being a reckless pilot, a Manchurian candidate, or a Vietnamese baby killer - because Obama has a positive message of hope that is actually resonating with people.

The reason McCain & his campaign are so irresponsible is because many of the voting masses are unfortunately not bright enough to discern the falseness of the inciteful rhetoric. Sen. McCain seems to have been trying to tone things down a bit, but even he can't control the cancerous hatred felt by the psychos in his base. The videos of Republican rallies and voters expressing venomous ignorance is really disturbing.



To be fair, voters on the Democratic side can be just as shallow in their convictions. (They just aren't stark-raving mad racists.)

Sean Hannity is an absolutely tremendous knuckle-headed jackass, but this clip shows the lack of information concerning basic policies & political philosophy that can exist among Obama supporters, too:

Redneck Bookmobile

We had a whole crew helping my sister & her new family to their new house. There were about a dozen people helping & 4 pickup trucks we were filling with furniture, clothes, & stuff.

Since there were no cardboard boxes left for packing, we piled all of their books in the back of one of the pickup trucks. At first I was calling it the "ghetto bookmobile", but considering it's a pickup truck... "redneck bookmobile" is probably more appropriate.

I spotted my brother-in-law's copy of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" so I borrowed that. There are alot of books that I'm going to have to check out of their personal library once the bookshelves are up...

Redneck Bookmobile

Kung Fu Election

I saw this crazy game & had to try it. The graphics are cool, the character interpretations are funny & it is an awesome concept. The only downside is it's hard as hell.

I started out playing as Katana Obama, but Sarah Palin kept beating my ass every time w/ her hockey stick & shotgun. So, I clicked on 'more characters' and used nunchucks-wielding John Edwards. After finally beating the Mad Max version of Palin, I lost to Cindy McCain in her Kill Bill gear.

BTW, I truly think this is how The President should actually be chosen...

click to play

The Age of Water

Although I take creative interpretations of reality like astrology with a grain of salt, I can say that unlike other signs, mine actually describes me really accurately.

I'm a Pisces, which is a water sign & I completely feel like it's my element. I pretty much love drinking just tons of water & green tea. If I had a hot tub I would never get out of it. Water is a substance that I have always found fascinating in itself, despite how much it can be taken for granted. Looking at the most ordinary things like you've never seen them before is one way to keep life interesting.

This article from Daniel Pinchbeck's website, Reality Sandwich, has an esoteric look into the life-giving water element:

"The Age of Water"

Obama vs. McCain II

Yes- as all the opinion polls show, Obama crushed McCain in both style & substance.

The long-legged freak is simply more intelligent, more articulate, & more empathetic to the real needs of this country.

It is funny how some of the "liberal" media pundits were originally trying to say McCain was aggressive & that the debate was essentially a tie as a result...

...that was until the polls started coming in & it was obvious the public had an overwhelming negative reaction to Sen. McCain's strained performance.

The only parts where I didn't think Obama came through all that great:
• when he slipped up & rightfully condemned the credit card industry of Delaware... oops,... championed by Joe Biden! I could tell in Obama's face that he realized he shouldn't have brought that up. If McCain had any wits about him, he would have jumped on Biden's connection to that industry.
• I can't stand Obama's rhetoric about Pakistan & Bin Ladin. "I wil hunt Bin Ladin down & kill him." No Barack... no you won't. Stop propogating the myth that Osama bin Ladin is America's own perpetual boogeyman. The idea of striking within Pakistan without the government's help is no different than invading Iraq illegally.

Otherwise, Obama came across as Presidential, & McCain looked like the out-of-touch retiree that he truly is.

I saw this graphic on The Great Orange Satan, Daily Kos & thought it was tremendously funny, as well as spot-on:

George W. Bush = Destruction

Most people watching tonight's debate between McSame & The Long Legged Mack-Daddy will be focusing on the vision for the future each man brings.

The reason people are so eager for a message of hope & change is that we've been stuck in a seemingly bottomless pit of collective despair for the last 8 years. There is one main source, a single point, around which the dreams of an entire nation have been sucked down and drained.

After 8 years, the vast majority of the country has finally recognized this singular source of so much failure, misery, and ignorance.

Surprise!!!! The author of this Boston Globe article has figured out that it is George W. Bush, the dry-drunk imbecile who was awarded his position of Leadership of the Free World by the geniuses on the Supreme Court:

"The Destructive Policies of President Bush"

Really?!?!? *GASP!!*
Dubya has been a force of destruction ALL this time???
Who would have guessed?
Answer: Everyone with at least the insight of a turtle.

I knew the failure of a businessman & a human being was going to be a disaster for this country before he even entered office in 2001. In the same way, it's obvious now that the GOP's broken old pawn & his belligerent, winking harpy of a running mate would continue the descent into ruin at a breakneck pace.

Tina Fey's punching bag (Sarah Palin) criticized Obama for stating the truth, that our airstrikes have killed civilians. Are there Americans out there stupid enough to believe that we have weapons that only target 'terrorists' & that we are too honorable to cause innocent death?

That's what America has been doing in every single war of aggression - having indescriminately murdering millions of babies, children, women, the elderly aka "collateral damage"... all because they live somewhere else with resources that we covet.

Do I personally think that America is deplorable or 'The Great Satan' because of it? No, but I'm sure as hell am not proud of it either. It's a matter of pulling the bloody flag from off your face & looking at things like human being.

To be fair, though, the knuckle-draggers attending right-wing Republican rallies have an evolutionary status that is questionable.

It is obvious by the way they are running their campaign at this point that McCain/Palin have zero ideas & are resorting to the infantile accusations of Obama being a closet terrorist. Unfortunately, McCain has not gained any more intelligence or sense of honor since he graduated at the bottom of his class, back in ancient times.

John McCain was old before I was born & that was three decades ago! His wisdom is non-existant, his views are outdated, and his running mate is a female clone of George W. Bush- with even less class!

It is absurd that the neo-cons & their failed ideology have any legitamacy left at all. I can only hope that Obama wipes the floor with "The Make-Believe Maverick" and shows America a clear difference of vision for the country. As usual, things never turn out to be quite that cool, so I'm not holding my breath. After all, if you hold your breath for too long, you die.

Also, there is that little issue of getting to the point where the Bush & Cheney cabal actually volunteer to leave their positions of power... the day of reckoning is creeping closer.

Star Wars: Clone Wars

Speaking of aliens, I happened to flip on The Clone Wars, the new Cartoon Network Series. (hint: you can click & drag Yoda on the main page)

Star Wars: A New Hope came out right before I was born & the Star Wars universe has always been my favorite fictional creation.

When I saw the trailers for the animated The Clone Wars movie, I thought the animation looked kind of cheesy, so I didn't see it in the theater. Thanks to such idiotic, unholy edits as replacing Anakin Skywalker's ghost with Hayden Christensen's younger likeness, I cannot automatically defer to George Lucas's judgement.

I liked the idea of an animated TV series, but the idea of using the same cartoonish character style as the movie really turned me off. I'd prefer almost like a realistic video game cutscene.

Anyway, I watched a couple episodes they were playing back-to-back last night. Not only did the animation not bother me, I thought it was really friggin' cool overall. Judging from the already high ratings, that show is definitely going to be a hit simply because it's fun to watch for all ages. Cartoon Network already has grown-up viewers for Adult Swim, & the audience seems to reflect that.

The entire reality that Lucas has conjured out of his head is pretty remarkable. He can take the timeline as far back into the past or as far into the future as he wants. Now all he has to do is start fleshing out the post-Empire universe, ie. Dark Empire.

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

The Vice-Presidential Debate

RE: Biden vs. Palin:

"Say it ain't so, Joe!!! Gosh darnit, I think hockey moms & Joe six-packs, bless their hearts, are going to go just 'nucular' over that maverick, Sarah Palin- a true mavericky maverick! Yer darn right!!! *wink, wink*"


Sarah Palin was really pouring on the fake charm last night & I'm sure there are plenty of gullible people out there who saw Gov. Palin as gutsy & "folksy"- which is another way of saying that she talks like a goofy redneck.

Her rambling, evasive answers and her clear lack of national policy substance shows she's a talking-points parrot, just like George W. Bush, but with a prettier facade & a much more annoying accent.

Does America want a backwater 'hockey mom' (who's actually a very typical cyncial & self-serving politician) with an overly-antagonistic attitude in charge of nuclear bombs?

It's a miracle the world isn't already entirely in flames with The War Monkey at the helm. We'd just be pushing our luck with another pair of war-mongering, clueless so-called "conservatives".

Thankfully, the American people agree (see below), & may be waking from their 8 year slumber. The horrific reality of the Republican party's inability to govern is preventing people from falling for more of this bullshit.

Of course, I'm not holding my breath that the combo of voting hijinks & the subservient attitude of the American voters will not allow 4 more years of GOP failure...

•CNN
Biden - 51%
Palin - 36%

• CBS
Biden - 46%
Palin - 21%

• Fox
Biden - 61%
Palin - 39%

• AOL
Biden - 48%
Palin - 45%

• Forbes.com
Biden - 73%
Palin - 23%

• MSNBC
Biden - 78.6%
Palin - 18.9%

*The best Joe Biden moment was, by far, this response to Palin wanting even more VP power than Dick Cheney:

“Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous
vice president we’ve had probably in American history.”

Religulous

I think Bill Maher is a great, ballsy social commentator. Although I find alot of what he says humorous & spot-on, he can come off like a pompous jerk. Like other ideologues, his certainty in his atheism sometimes spawns arrogance. However, satire is a superior method for showing the inevitable absurdities in things like politics & religious dogma.

Maher's commentary on religion is especially pointed. As a practitioner of Monkey Buddhism, I can completely understand how his antagonistic approach to religious belief would offend some people. It's probably similar to the way I feel about Bill Donahue, the unbearably obnoxious head of some group called the Catholic League - which is apparently a league of Catholics.

The trailer for the movie "Religulous" is interesting, but I found the movie poster above, showing the "3 Major Monkey Religions", to be completely brilliant.

Jews For (& Against) Obama

The Daily Show had a hilarious segment last night. Wyatt Cenac went to Florida to see how old Jewish voters reacted to the Presidential Debate. Jon Stewart's own reaction at the end is priceless.

Like all groups that we, 'human beings', categorize ourselves into, Jewish people are never a monolithic entity. Groups of 'Jews', like 'Christians', 'Eastern', 'black', 'white', 'old', 'young', 'rich', 'middle class', etc, etc are all going to include many, many people who have differing political views, religions, moral outlooks, artistic tastes, sense of humor & personalities in general.

One of the many annoying things about the corporate-driven 'mainstream' media is the natural human tendency to treat segments (ie. Jewish voters in Florida, women, African-Americans, middle-class) of the population as some kind of hive mind. This is especially true during elections, when stereotypes of all kinds are amplified & reinforced.

As this small group of older Jewish people suggests, even the strongest of social bonds can't prevent strong differences of opinion.



Alot of the people in the Daily Show clip weren't really fond of Obama, but the raunchy & very funny Sarah Silverman is a comedienne of Jewish heritage who definitely supports a President Obama. This video I saw on BoingBoing immediately made me think of the Daily Show clip above. It's like Sarah watched the same clip of those wacky old folks watching the debate.


The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Rock News

If you want something to last as long as possible, put it in stone.

Ancient cave art is fascinating. It is a glimpse into a mysterious world of transcendent shamanic vision that has been forgotten from Western culture for centuries. These resonant underground chambers were used to induce altered states of consciousness through graphic art, drumming, chanting and the possible use of ego-annihilating psychoactive substances.

On Neatorama, I saw a link to a seemingly anachronistic phenomenon: 19 -century Australian aboriginal cave paintings depicting European sailing & steam vessels. The article has a interesting slideshow with great photos.

Sydney Morning Herald:
"The Rock Art That Redraws our History"

In other Rock News, I came across a bunch of cool pictures of Sarah Palin's worst nightmare: An area in Bolivia full of petrified dinosaur footprints. Even crazier is the fact that the footprints go vertically up the rock. The ancient ground has been pushed up sideways over millions of years by the Earth's massive tectonic forces.

"Dinosaurs Dancefloor"

Of course, it is possible that the footprints are actually from devils running up & down the cliffs as their master, Satan was being tossed into the pit of fire by a pissed-off Yahweh.

You have to consider all options...

iPreaching to the iChoir

This awesome, and fully factual, piece of street art in San Francisco was photographed by Allan Ferguson.

Flickr:
iPreaching to the iChoir

RE: Presidential Debates 9/19

I stayed in & had a few beers Friday night to watch the debates w/ a few other people. I wasn't that impressed with either candidate- for different reasons.

Since I've never seen a John McCain performance that could be considered remotely impressive, I wasn't expecting much from him.

On the other hand, I personally think Barack Obama would be a more positive & effective President, but many people still don't really know his views or ideas. Therefore, I thought he really needed to completely discredit McCain's outdated worldview, philosophically & stylistically, to make an impact with the audience.

I was wrong, since almost all the polls showed voters, especially Independents, moving strongly toward the long-legged mack daddy.

Like in his acceptance speech, I didn't think Obama hammered enough on the countless failures & crimes perpetrated by the Republican administration & the Bush/McCain approach to governance. I'm a tough critic, though, & always think I can do things better.

Alot of people have still probably never even seen Obama speak in more than a soundbite... so apparently the fact that he wasn't up on stage acting like Flava Flav was impressive to the rest of the country.

This ridiculous Photoshop job was found
on that bastion of political incorrectness,
Ebaums World

Uncle Paulie!!!

Maybe it's because I'm so full of personality, :D but people have given me alot of nicknames over the years: The Monkey Buddha, Paulie Platinum, Paul Mic, Paul Wall, Paulie Walnuts, Mr. Amnesia, P-Diddy, Crazy Legs Pauley, Mr. Sleepy Guy, Paulie Pretzel Bites, etc.

My favorite nicknames so far are 'Uncle Paulie', which started with my cousins & friends who are a little younger than me, & 'Uncle Paul Michael' which is what my cousin's little kids call me to differentiate me from my Dad.

Yesterday I officially became an uncle! My sister Mandi had a healthy 9lb 5oz baby boy, Greg III. I told Greg that I'm going to try to make his first word 'Dude' which is like a code-word with the guys in my family. He was all for it. Mandi just shook her head & laughed. I was holding the baby & softly chanting "duuuuuude". When my brother Justin showed up after rushing up from a job in DC, he held him & sang "Rock-a-Bye Baby" but replaced all the words with 'Dude'. My family is funny & crazy, and 'the littlest dude' is in for quite an experience.

It is amazing to look at a new life and think about all the things he will see. The night before my sister went into the hospital, we were sitting around the table at my parents' house joking that 70 years from now, Greg ^3 will be sitting in a hover-car telling HIS grandkids how he was born during the 21st Century Depression.

My brother-in-law wanted to bring his son home wrapped in the hide of a bear he shot up in Maine, but my sister is having none of that. I think they compromised on a cowboy outfit. Anyway, it is my parents' first grandchild & a special day for all of us.

My sister will probably hate me for posting a picture of her - but it's much, much too happy of a moment to not express.

Greg, Mandi w/ Lil' Greg, Me

Uncle Paul Michael w/ Baby Greg

Uncle Justin w/ Greg

Valuable Wisdom from Mr. T

I saw this great page from a Mr. T. coloring book on the blog Branded in the 80's. This site is so great & looking through its archive brought back a ton of childhood memories:

• The obvious, Star Wars

• Garbage Pail Kids that I have seen & (somehow) haven't seen.

• "Pre-Crazy" Thriller-era Michael Jackson

• "Galaxy High", one of the countless cartoons that have been shoved to the back of my brain.

• Hulk Hogan's Rock n' Roll Wrestling


• ...and of course the A-team's Buddhist Zen Master, Mr. T...

"I pity the fool who ain't introspective!"

Fighting the Robot Revolution

ED-209
The Future of Law Enforcement
?

Humans at their worst are characterized by violence, greed, and a complete lack of empathy. It should be expected, then, that autonomous creations by humans such as robots and corporations can exhibit similar negative characteristics - if not designed to behave otherwise.

Just like humans have rules to follow, banks and corporate institutions should have regulatory oversight. We are currently witnessing the undeniable results of rotten leadership with no accountability allowing unchecked institutions to ransack the American economy.

Just like the world hasn't fully experienced the repercussions of this grand economic fraud, we haven't been able to truly foresee the consequences of creating military robotic systems. Ever-advancing technology is being used under the guise of military support or law enforcement.

The ideal control system to prevent extreme scenarios like in the Terminator or the Matrix would be Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. Of course, I've written before about the rapid advancement of military robots & obviously these laws have been completely ignored by mankind.

Thankfully, some courageous visionaries are trying to head off the possible robocalypse. Millionaire Ben Way has created WAR (Weapons Against Robots) as an avenue to research counter-robot measures of all kinds.

"About Time: Company Aims To Fight Robots"

Although such efforts could one day prevent the elimination of humans by overwhelming forces of silicon-based destruction, I'm sure his work is seen as almost terrorist in nature by certain authorities. Who is the true terrorist, though? The one who seeks to prevent the destruction of human life by killing machines? or the ones who enable the destruction of human life by those same machines?

Perhaps, the robots won't even have to battle us to gain control... Once everyone has an iThink implanted in their head, the machines will simply override our nervous systems and make us zombie-like automatons, in an ironic reversal of roles.

Perhaps... it has already happened.


Needless to say, robots aren't ALL bad-

What is Graphic Design?

"What is Graphic Design?"

Ah... nothing like questioning the "man on the street"!

This video was on FormFiftyFive.com & it is really amusing. I always wonder when I tell people that I'm a graphic designer if they know what that entails. Design as a general category encompasses all forms of sensual & perceptual communication.

graphicdesign.about.com

Graphic, interactive media, print, fabric, lighting, floral, architectural, mechanical, video, and others are only a few of the lables that can be applied to different fields of design. The great thing about art in the the Computer Age is the unlimited ability for creativity through imaging & multimedia software.

I'm just glad to live in a time where I can manipulate pixels of light through the magic of Photoshop. As much as I appreciate the work of the classical masters like Leonardo da Vinci & Michelangelo, oil painting just isn't my thing.

Mind TV: Wildlife Rehabilitation

The internet is phenomenal.

I saw this public access show about a month ago w/ one of my brothers & it had us enthralled & entertained. It is basically 2 people from the Schuylkill Center’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic sitting in a cubicle talking about wildlife. They are a real pair of characters, but the dude Rick Shubert, is totally serious about the animals.

MindTV
"Wildlife Rehabilitation Center -
Animal in your House"

I just saw it on again earlier tonight so I tried to record some video on my phone to email to myself. Unfortunately, his face in the video is washed out, & for some reason I was laughing out loud over his serious advice that I will now transcribe:

"Some of the ways you can tell if an animal obviously need your help would be if you come across an animal, perhaps it's on the side of the road maybe hit by a car, it's bleeding... or if it's a smaller animal and it's obviously lethargic, flies landing on it, maybe fly eggs or maggots, *(swallow)* there's something wrong with that and it's something that needs our help... all of the critters that are out there to help really just need their space in the world to survive & they don't want to hurt you & they're very stressed and scared by being around people & they will defend themselves if you put your hands on them..."

...and he doesn't stop. It really must be watched to be appreciated.
I didn't put any periods in his big run-on sentence because he doesn't take a breath. The poor lady doesn't get a word in edgewise with such an uncontrollable fountain of wildlife knowledge next to her.

Thankfully, through the infinite power of Google I found video on the website for MindTV.
I typed in 'wildlife' & voila! A whole series of videos starring the 2 local champions of wildlife rehabilitation.

MindTV
"Wildlife Rehabilitation-
Injured Animal"

Maybe it's the artist in me speaking, but I don't understand why you'd spend money to produce a segment about nature & not put a plant or a picture of animals somewhere. It looks like they're in a padded cell inside the Death Star!

Hulk vs. Bear

Besides the 'political endorsement' edited onto the end,
this is a hilarious bit of video from The Incredible Hulk, a show that I used to love as a kid.

Watching clips from these old shows makes me realize how much our culture's sensibilities have been refined in the span of decades. That, of course, may be debatable given some of the current content on TV & other media .

My brother is a Marvel Comics nut & since my sorry ass still has PS2, he lent me the awesome game Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, & that is more believable than this segment.

This is so ridiculous I had to link it after seeing it on iambored.com.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

The Forbidden World of Giordano Bruno

There was a link on monochrom to an interesting article about the infamous philosopher who was burned at the stake in 1600 - Giordano Bruno.

New Yorker:
"The Forbidden World"
Did a sixteenth-century heretic
grasp the nature of the cosmos?

He was murdered by the Catholic Church for challenging one of it's countless falsehoods - the perceived central position held by the Earth & mankind within the Universe.

I think Giordano Bruno had a superior conception of an infinite world system, especially compared to the cosmic mythologies of Genesis. However, actually living my life is much more important than defending some abstract & non-existent perception of "Truth" to a bunch of sadistic ideologues. Therefore, I don't think I would have been as openly defiant to the Inquisition as ol' Giordano was. Subtlety is sometimes a better vehicle for subversion. >:)

Another aspect of Bruno I found interesting, but completely unable to relate to, was his methods of memory. I find this aspect of his work to be completely incomprehensible. Maybe I'm just to lazy to apply such a complex system. I have a really good memory about trivia and all kinds of generalized & specialized knowledge. If I'm tryin to remember something, it usually 'pops up' in my mind at some point. Imagining all kinds of imagery, like interlocking wheels, just seems like a colossal pain in the ass.

Washington Post:
"Cosmic Crusader"

Chaotic Markets- Due to a Fractal Economy?

"Illumination"
by Me

...or is the seeming 'chaos' in the economy due to inhuman levels of malfeasance?


I've posted alot about the amazing mathematic & graphic constructs known as "fractals".

The fractal is an expression of chaos theory, which attempts to quantify complex, 'chaotic' systems.

Colorful fractal designs are also very interesting from an aesthetic point of view.
I saw this article that ponders the chaotic nature of our economic marketplace and the possibility of a better understanding their dynamic nature:

Scientific American:

"How Fractals Can Explain
What's Wrong with Wall Street"

That whole article, though, seems like a bunch of crap after reading one of the astute comments that really hits the nail on the head:

"We have criminals in charge and they ran a pyramid scam on the American people disguised as a real estate "boom". You don't need a complicated mathematical model to predict how a pyramid scam will end, unless you're stupid."

The capstone of America's Greatest Pyramid Scam is topped by the figurehead & puppetmaster that are supposed to be dutifully managing The United States of America: George Bush & Dick Cheney. Now can we impeach these scumbags & let them go down in history as the national disgrace that they are? Please? Pretty please?

Articles of Impeachment
#12 & 13

No? Oh, ok...

Help us Congressman Kucinich, you're our only hope!

We Are the Toys

To offset the righteous indignation of my last post & the despicable 'liberal' rants that it contained, I'm linking to this funny video.


I got this in an email at my studio, & forwarded it to myself.
As a designer who has worked in the toy industry for years now, and as someone who owned most of these toys when me & my siblings were little kids... I found this video to be highly amusing.

"We Are the Toys"

Republicans = Bankrupt America

I am no financial whiz, but it's pretty obvious that the disasters happening in the economic sector are just more examples to add to the long line of scandalous and truly epic disasters of the past 8 years.

Of course, our current state of affairs is the the direct consequence of the blatant scam against the American people known as "The Presidency of George W. Bush".

Under the Republican leadership of Bush/Cheney and the GOP who had the Majority in Congress for most of those years, our country has been deteriorating at an amazing rate. Anyone who denies the overwhelmingly negative results of the supposedly "conservative" right-wing leadership is a fool. You'd be a damned fool, at that, because it is an enabling of an agenda that viciously ruins the lives of millions, if not billions, in the US and throughout the world. American taxpayers have been swindled and violated in the worst ways by the GOP's vast arsenal of idiotic outlooks and policies.

Are the Democrats a party of perfect ideas?... NO!
But... are the Democrats a more ignorant, corrupt, and hypocritical group of closeted creepy pervs than the Republicans?... NO!!!

Of course, if you have the thought capacity of somone like this,or maybe like this, you can be forgiven for believing the GOP to be a organization that does not represent the cesspit of humanity.

It just astonishes me that there is any enthusiasm for a Republican ticket after what the "Conservative" label has been shown to represent.

• "Conservative" now means reckless deficit spending on Imperial Wars that only fatten the bank accounts of military contractors & oil companies.

• "Conservative" now means intruding the homes and personal lives of innocent citizens through electronic surveillance & draconian 'security' measures.

• "Conservative" now means breaking the law with contempt for the American people in plain sight & moving right on to the next scandal before anyone can pay attention.

I could go on- but it's a waste of breath. The old, white guy (who can't even use email) will probably be sworn in. He and his gun totin' church lady sidekick will continue to guide our country into economic, social, and structural ruin.

Of course, Obama might get elected.
Then... all this will end up being his fault- according to the imbeciles that thought Bush was great for the country.

John Lennon Animated Interview

I posted the other day about my favorite Bush Hatin' Hip-Hop Videos. I said how different the style of these rappers compared to protest music of the 60's. No artist since I've been alive has remotely compared to the most influential counter-culture figure of that time, John Lennon.

My Dad had me listening to the Beatles since I was old enough to know what music was. If I could only listen to music from one group of artists, it would be the Beatles. John Lennon's political and artistic efforts outside the group have always inspired my world outlook.

At Infographics.com, I saw this amazing Youtube video of an animation illustrating a 14 year old's informal, yet insightful, interview with the legendary icon. The boy, Jerry Levitan, grew up & now has a website I Met the Walrus for the Academy Award nominated animated short film.

There are so many profound & witty quotes in this little bit of tape- it shows what an amazing mind John Lennon had. It also shows why the forces of death had such an interest in eliminating him.


"War is big business.
They like war, because it keeps Them fat and happy.
I'm anti-war, so They want me out."

"Violence begets violence."

"They got all the money and the weapons. They now how to fight the violence. They've been doing it for how many years suppressing us. The only thing They don't know about is nonviolence & humor."

"We're all Hitler inside and we're all Christ inside.
It's just to try to work on the good bit of you"

"Oh I see, well, those kids-
they sound like squares."

"The messages are all there on all levels...
It's about everything... It's about nothing...
It just is."

Fact: Jesus Walked with Dinosaurs

Wikipedia- Creationism:
"According to a 2001 Gallup Poll about 45% of Americans believe that 'God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so.'"

...Well, we obviously know that half of American people can't be crazy!!!

We also know that the GOP's True American™ Choice for Vice-President™, Sarah Palin™, would have the collection of stories known as Genesis taught in American science classes.

I have to assume that she is also in favor of teaching the size of Heaven in Astronomy 101.

To promote the further acceptance of counter-intuitive & nonsensical ideas over physical reality, I wanted to link to this great bit of Creation Science news:

"Scientists Prove
Jesus Walked with Dinosaurs"

Everyone sing along,
"Jesus loves the little raptors,
all the raptors of the world..."

Monkey Wedding

"Wukong and Xiaoya marry
in special wedding ceremony"

Thank god monkeys are no longer are considered second-class citizens!

I was browsing Neatorama & saw the story about 2 monkeys being wedded at a zoo in China.

That was basically a publicity stunt, but I also saw reports of this wedding in India between two monkeys that reflects the religious reverence Hinduism holds for these creatures.


Of course,
...the Bonobos want nothing to do with any of this silliness.

Bush Hatin' Hip-Hop

Rebel music in today's beat-driven musical landscape is much different than the protest rock of the late 60's.

Like all forms of art, both genres of music are mediums of unique expression for all of life's emotions: joy, anger, frustration, angst, outrage, etc.

The past 8 years of Bush, Inc.'s brazen lawlessness, fiscal irresponsibility, and moral subversion awakened in me a political concern and general disgust that is shared by most people who don't have their head up their ass. The disaster of a Presidency has brought out endless opposition and commentary through books, music, video, and other media.

So, partly in retrospect & partly in anticipation that the BIG-TIME gangstas and hustlers, Dick Cheney & George Bush, will soon be gone (hopefully)....

Top 3
Bush Hatin' Hip-Hop Videos

1. Eminem - "Mosh"
I'm starting with the oldest video- from the 2004 election, when Eminem tried to warn the country of the consequences of electing The War Monkey again. He hits everything from the profiteering behind America's wars of conquest to the true nature of Osama bin Ladin & Al-Qaeda

Of course, the fatal flaw in his video's conclusion is that cozy assumption that all of us citizens going out and voting is an honest, & therefore effective, process. Regardless, I think this is one of the greatest protest songs ever... against the Worst President Ever.



2. Juvenile - "Get Ya Hustle On"
I've been a Cash Money fan since Guerilla Warfare & 400 Degreez, and they're pulling up the #2 & #3 slots.

I already liked this song, & the "What's Happenin'" cut at the end of the video even more, but the video showing footage of New Orleans after Katrina w/ kids wearing masks of the Republican administration definitely makes it another favorite of mine.



3. Lil' Wayne - "Georgia Bush"
He may not be the Greatest Rapper Alive, but Lil' Wayne is obviously one of the most prolific hip-hop artists out there. He's on every other rap song out recently. Weezy basically calls The President a bitch in this song.

Cash Money has produced a couple good protest songs when they take a break from rapping about ho's, cars, & ice - although I enjoy those, too. I heard this song recently on Sirius Radio & pulled up the video. This made me think about the other good hip-hop songs blasting The Bush Presidency to make a Top 3 list.





I got to looking up other protest songs & wanted to add these on...


***Old-School Honorable Mention***

• Public Enemy - "Fight the Power"
Public Enemy was one of the first rap groups that I listened to as a kid. I bought Fear of a Black Planet & Apocalypse '91 cassette tapes (ah yes, cassette tapes), waaaay back in middle school.

Although it reflected my eclectic taste even then, that is when rap started becoming fairly mainstream. However, Public Enemy was much too controversial to be considered mainstream, which is why my adolescent mind found them to be so excellent.





***Classic Honorable Mention***


• Edwin Starr - "War"
The justifications & patriotic facades may change, but the greed and lust for power that always motivates War will remain the same.

"War cannot give Life - it can only take it away." This song really does say it all.

McCain Madness!!!

I barely stayed conscious through John McCain's acceptance speech tonight. It had some heartfelt moments, but most of the time it bordered on idiotic. To make it worse, watching Sen. McCain try to figure out how to physically present himself for the audience & cameras actually makes me feel awkward for him.

To sum it up in one word:
Wacked.

Nobody denies he has served his country & has lots of experience.
I just don't see any indication of the insight, wisdom, or the ability to inspire that the most powerful figurehead on Earth should have.

I really feel like my precious life was wasted by watching some of the RNC speeches, but I am interested in politics & feel like I have to try to see all sides to make truly informed opinions. My opinion is that zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz