Dreams Around the World

I read this article that takes a look at how dreams are viewed by cultures as widespread as the Maya, classical Greeks, Hindus, and Aborigines.

Raw Story:

How the Mayans and Six Other Ancient Civilizations 

Made Sense of Dreams

For many years, I've payed close attention to my dreams. Ever since my teenage years, I've tried to look into the symbolism and imagery behind the situations that my dream self experiences. As a window to the subconscious, I analyze these dream states and use them to better understand my own mind.

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

Dreams

Part of the trick to analyzing dreams is to remember them in the first place. By focusing on your dreams when you immediately wake, and recording what you can remember (if possible), it becomes easier to recall them. For dreams that I find to be particularly significant, I will make a voice memo on my phone recounting the dream, while it's still fresh in my mind.

After many years of trying to cultivate awareness & memory of my dreams, I have had many interesting experiences as my body sleeps.

Probably the most striking dreams are lucid dreams, in which I have become conscious of the fact that I'm dreaming. In these lucid dreams, a person realizes they are in a dream, and can even control certain aspects of the situation or environment. For instance, during times where I realized I was dreaming & became lucid- I was able to run at super speeds, smash stone counter tops, and even fly.

Taking flight in lucid dreams have been the most exhilarating experiences that I've encountered in the sleeping state. Remembering how to fly in a dream usually feels like getting on a bike after a long time. You might be a little wobbly at first, but quickly gain your bearings. I have soared through trees, into the clouds, and it felt as real as my waking life. I always marvel at the ability of the human mind to simulate this kind of superhuman feat in such a convincing & realistic way.

I can see how people throughout time & around the world would have been fascinated by the crazy experiences that dreams bring to the human experience. The fact that there is convincing evidence that animals dream shows that dreaming is a function of the complex energetic patterns of the brain.

As we discover more about the brain, & how it gives rise to the mind, the mysteries of the dream world will be uncovered. However, I think that just as consciousness may never be completely understood, the full implication of dreams will likely remain mysterious for a long time.

Future of Food: Reducing Waste

Photo: City Fruit

I've been posting a series exploring one of the most necessary aspects of our survival, as individuals & as a species- How are we going to produce food for coming generations?

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

Future of Food

A huge factor in the effort to feed the people of this planet is the enormous amount of food we collectively waste.

FAO.org:

Key facts on food loss and waste you should know!

National Geographic:

One-Third of Food Is Lost or Wasted: 

What Can Be Done

I've been in convenience stores & markets and seen the amount of food that is thrown away. The fact there are people going hungry while all this edible food is discarded is simply absurd.

Personally, I produce relatively little waste and try to recycle more material than I throw in the garbage. If everyone did this on an individual basis it would be a positive thing, but a large percentage of food waste is commercial. 

Fortunately, there are governments, as well as companies and supermarkets, that are trying to reduce the amount of unnecessary loss of usable food products. It is great news that some private stores are implementing plans to solve this problem, but this is one of those situations that is big enough to warrant involvement on a national scale.

Here some encouraging initiatives being taken to prevent and reverse the trend of waste that has existed in the various food industries:

Inhabitat:

New Law in Italy Forces Supermarkets

 to Donate Unsold Food to Those in Need

The Telegraph:

Tesco to battle 'breathtaking’ level of food waste

Voice of America:

France Bans Stores from Trashing Unsold Food

Inhabitat:

Denmark’s First Supermarket for Expired Groceries 

Cuts Nation’s Food Waste

Bad Packaging for Good Products

I consider myself a connoisseur of bad package design. As a graphic artist, I constantly strive to create aesthetically-pleasing design, when creating art for products or packaging. However, I also find bizarre, unappealing, or downright ugly graphics to be entertaining, even if unintentionally.

While browsing Reddit, I saw these examples of atrocious box & label designs. Interestingly, from reading the comments it appears that both products are actually really effective. So, this is an example of why you can't judge something based solely on appearances.

That post was about this Superthrive plant food. The slapped-together layout and bold graphic style scream 'cheap garden center product', but people claim it really works:

In the comments of that post, I also saw this image someone shared, for Dr. Bonner's Magic Hemp & Peppermint Soap. This is an unbelievably dense rambling mess, but would actually be a great thing to have in the bathroom for a random crazy read:

(click to enlarge)

President A$$hole

Way back in the Bush years, I was still writing on this blog and posted a lot more political stuff than I do now. I don't feel the need to continually comment on the state of the current Presidential race, but it's such a bizarre & downright crazy situation that it's hard not to talk about.

Bernie Sanders has been my pick since the day that he got into the race. I have watched cable news and followed politics for many years. Bernie is one of the few politicians/talking heads who I thought was authentic, principled, and had a vision that resonated with the way that I would approach the big problems our country faces. I also saw that he was (as a democratic socialist progressive or "liberal") always willing to go on with Fox News or conservative radio hosts and really debate the issues and their merits.

So, I still think he would still be the best person for the seriousness & vision that a role like the Presidency of the US should require. I'm glad he's at least giving Hillary a run for her money, because she embodies the corrupt power structure of the political & financial establishment. I think Bernie Sanders is going to keep winning, & I hope the political movement he's led will continue even after the election is over. He is the only one who will at least attempt to initiate fundamental changes in our twisted web of national interests.

On the other side, the Republican field is like a train wreck smashed into a clown car. All the candidates are horrible in their own unique ways. However, their seemingly unstoppable frontrunner, Donald Trump, is simply a human phenomenon.

He is like a weird mix of a nightmare, a comedy, and a cheesy late-night infomercial. I saw this article by Rich Lowry &, for once, I agreed with him- Donald Trump is definitely the Billy Mays of The GOP!

Politico:

The Billy Mays of The GOP

When seeing his absurd press conference/product presentation after the recent primaries, I was just awestruck at the insanity of it all. The guy is touting "Trump Steaks", "Trump Water", "Trump Magazine", all of which are basically just products he supplies to his private clubs & resorts. It's all bullshit, but Trump is a media expert and knows the public will eat it up. Unfortunately, he leaves a bad taste in many people's mouths.

I thought the Dalai Lama had a wise analysis of the type of politics that Trump, especially, is bringing to the campaigns. 

Raw Story:

The Dalai Lama weighs in on Donald Trump: 

His personal attacks make him look ‘cheap’

"Cheap" describes Trump perfectly, despite his reported wealth. He's like a piece of gaudy expensive-looking costume jewelry, that is actually made of crappy materials and has no real value. Worst of all, when you actually wear the jewelry, it gives you a horrible rash.

Donald Trump is American Ego gone absolutely berserk. He only wants to help the country and its citizens in the sense that it's good for the Trump™ brand. I hope to God and any higher power that he doesn't get elected, but seeing him stomp across the political landscape and shattering the facade of our social norms is absolutely awesome to behold.

We'll see how everything turns out... but if Donald J. Trump ends up being elected President, this is how I envisioned it:

 President A$$hole

Months ago, I knew he was striking a nerve, so I was hoping for an election between him & Bernie. That would be the ultimate race between two iconoclast symbols of the opposite ends of American political values, known as right-wing (conservative) & left-wing (progressive). 

This is my completely un-biased look at the political divide:

 

The Political Spectrum 

by Paul Micarelli 

"It's Your Nickel" by Wayne Howell

My friend Dan always shares cool tidbits with me, and I had to post this one here. He saw this awesome intaglio print at his doctor's office.

The picture is titled "It's Your Nickel" by Wayne Howell. It features a bizarre clown therapy session, with cuckoo clocks, balloons, and a mocking monkey.

After searching the web, I couldn't find a better image, so I'm just going to post this pic he sent me:

 click to enlarge

"Steel Heart"

Each day this week, I am posting a new piece of abstract art that I've created.

I've started a new gallery, with hi-res images that I'll continually add to.

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli 

  
Here is another addition in the gallery:

"Steel Heart"

by Paul Micarelli

Prints & products featuring each design are available in my Cafepress store.

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

Buy "Steel Heart"

"Fractal Leaf Veins"

Each day this week, I am posting a new piece of abstract art that I've created.

I've started a new gallery, with hi-res images that I'll continually add to.

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli 

  
Here is another addition in the gallery:

 "Fractal Leaf Veins"

by Paul Micarelli

Prints & products featuring each design are available in my Cafepress store.

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

Buy "Fractal Leaf Veins"

"Organic Metal"

Each day this week, I am posting a new piece of abstract art that I've created.

I've started a new gallery, with hi-res images that I'll continually add to.

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli 

  
Here is another addition in the gallery:

"Organic Metal"

by Paul Micarelli

Prints & products featuring each design are available in my Cafepress store.

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

Buy "Organic Metal"

"Infinite Bubbles"

Each day this week, I am going to try posting a new piece of abstract art that I've created.

I've started a new gallery, with hi-res images that I'll continually add to.

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli 

  
Here is another addition in the gallery:

"Infinite Bubbles"

by Paul Micarelli

Prints & products featuring each design are available in my Cafepress store.

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

Buy "Infinite Bubbles"

"Angel Wings"

Each day this week, I am going to try posting a new piece of abstract art that I've created.

I've started a new gallery, with hi-res images that I'll continually add to.

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli 

  
Here is another addition in the gallery:

"Angel Wings"

by Paul Micarelli

Prints & products featuring each design are available in my Cafepress store.

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

Buy "Angel Wings"

"Fractal Forest"

Each day this week, I am going to try posting a new piece of abstract art that I've created.

I'm starting a new gallery, with hi-res images that I'll continually add to.

Abstract Art

by Paul Micarelli 

 
This is the first image I'm uploading:

"Fractal Forest"

by Paul Micarelli

I'll also make prints & products featuring each design available in my Cafepress store.

The Monkey Buddha Bazaar:

Buy "Fractal Forest"

Forms in Nature

On io9, I saw this visually inspiring video that hints at the geometric patterns that underly our reality.

The study of these mathematical patterns, found in nature and in human creations, is called "Sacred Geometry". It includes properties such as the Golden Ratio, the Fibonacci spiral, and the Flower of Life pattern.

This video, however, subtly centers around the most fundamental of forms- the circle.

Vimeo:

Forms in Nature:

Understanding Our Universe

Gorilla in Space!

Ok, it's not a real gorilla...

Astronaut Scott Kelly decided to have some fun & wore a gorilla suit while chasing fellow astronaut Tim Peake on the International Space Station (ISS).

Gorilla on the ISS

When I first started this blog, I considered calling it "Space Ape" to play on the idea of humans as spacefaring simians.

Neon Baby Paul

Today is my birthday, and I want to simply express my gratitude for being able to experience the miracle of Life.

I no longer take my mortality for granted, & see each moment I have in this world as something to treasure.

Luckily, my parents took pictures as I was growing up, so I have a good number of memories & images from my childhood. I came across this photo of me at a few weeks old:

Most of my photos when I was a baby are pretty cute, but in this one I'm a butt-ugly little thing. Still, I'm glad to have it as a record of my life.

Here's a less troll-like pic of my baby years:

For my own amusement, I converted the colors in the first baby pic to neon.

 

Then, I figured I'd make an animated GIF out of it.
This is a tribute to my very existence.

Dimensional Shadows

I recently had one of my creations posted at the awesome blog about geometry, math, & fractals-Geometric-Aesthetic.tumblr.

It shows the fundamental Euclidean elements as shadows of higher dimensions.

 

“Shadows of Higher Dimensions”

• The 0-dimensional point is a shadow of a line...

• The 1-dimensional line is a shadow of a square...

• The 2-dimensional square is a shadow of a cube...

• The 3-dimensional sides of a cube are the shadow of an (unfolded) hypercube.

It's an image I've posted here before, along with my 3D rendering of Dalí's Crucifixion, and an animation of a 4D hypercube.

The Simpsons Reality Zoom

The Simpsons is one of my all-time favorite shows. I don't really watch TV anymore so I don't see it as much, but it's still a long-running classic.

This is an animated GIF of one of the best show openings- in which the camera continually zooms from The Simpsons couch, to the Earth, to the cosmos, then loops into the atomic realm, into DNA, to the cellular level, then out to Homer's head.

 It is a humorous illustration of the idea of a fractal reality, in which dimensions and universes are nested withing each other.

NYC Toy Fair 2016

Of course, I had to get a pic with this monkey character

wearing my favorite color, from the new game, EQ.

This past Saturday, I pulled myself away from the 2 year anniversary I was celebrating with my girlfriend to go to New York City. It was the weekend for the annual Toy Fair, held at the Javitz Center.

I've been attending for most of my professional career, since the studio I work for has done a lot of work for clients in the toy & game industry. I always enjoy going to see the many fun products on display.

This year, I was looking for companies to produce some game ideas, including a new publisher for the award-winning strategy game I created, "Da Vinci's Challenge". I made enough contacts & opened enough possible doors to feel like it was a worthwhile trip.

Here are the photos I took of the trip:

Picasa Photo Album:

"NYC Toy Fair 2016"

Monkey Mech

On Rude Mechanicals, I saw this funny (but awesome) custom figure of a monkey controlling a robotic mech & had to share it.

I think this can also be a metaphor for humans, as simians that have learned to build & use technology to augment our physical abilities.

"Dreams of Dalí" Virtual Reality

I saw this awe-inspiring video on Neatorama. I've been a life-long interest in art, and Dalí is one of my favorite artists. I had the pleasure of seeing an exhibit of his work many years ago at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

This video, "Dreams of Dalí: A Virtual Reality Experience" shows the tremendous potential of virtual reality and digital art to experience new worlds & alternate modes of consciousness. It is a virtual tour 'inside' the Dalí painting "Archeological Reminiscence of Millet’s Angelus".

The fidelity of graphics and the ability to perceive in 3D are allowing for the creation of dreamlike, impossible experiences- perfect for a new way of enjoying the art of Dalí.

Super Bowl Sacred Geometry

 

Although I've always been pretty athletic & love playing sports, I'm not a big fan of watching football, or sports in general. However, this past weekend I went to my brother's house since he was having a Super Bowl 50 party.

I was surprised to see in the halftime show, during Coldplay's performance, the use of The Flower of Life symbol- in their stage design, drum kit, & outfits.

The Flower of Life is a symbol of interlocking circles is the basis for a strategy game, based on the philosophy of sacred geometry, that I designed & have had published: "Da Vinci's Challenge".

The Flower of Life is an ancient symbol that represents unity, vibrational energy, and inter-connectivity. It has been used in art & architecture since the beginning of known history.

Because of the NFL's ridiculous copyright protections, the only decent video I could find of the performance so far is here:

SPIN.com

Here’s Coldplay’s Entire 

Super Bowl Halftime Show

Below, I've posted some screenshots showing the stage with the Flower of Life symbol, and it's use on their bass drum & clothing.

The Flower of Life graphic morphed into a swirling galactic vortex, then a solar burst.

I don't believe there was anything nefarious or Illuminati-related with the use of this symbolism. I actually think the artists recognize the pattern as a symbol of consciousness & cosmic creation.

Future of Food: Cultured Meat

I've started a series exploring the possibilities facing one of the most necessary aspects of our survival as individuals & as a species. How are we going to product nutrition for coming generations?

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

Future of Food

One of the most important developments in food technology is one that I haven't posted about yet, but think about a lot. This is the technique of producing muscle cells & tissue without a living animal, known as cultured or lab-grown meat.

This is an approach that has the potential to solve a number of our current ethical, environmental, and logistical problems with eating the meat from the flesh of a living creature. It could be more efficient, more sanitary, and environmentally-friendly than current methods of raising animals for meat. Of the utmost ethical & spiritual importance is the fact that the process does not inflict suffering on a sentient creature.

"When a man has pity 

on all living creatures, 

only then is he noble" 

- Buddha

Despite my personal recognition of the moral concerns with the consumption of meat, I still love it and don't plan to give it up. I eat fish & chicken regularly, enjoy beef, and even have ground bear meat in my freezer from a hunt my brother-in-law went on, that I'm going to use to make chili. However, if there were were more widespread availability of in vitro meat, I would definitely prefer that option.

Although it is currently prohibitively expensive for large-scale production of lab meat ($18,000 per pound!), this cost will drop sharply as the industry advances & expands.

The last major announcement in this area was the announcement of the first lab-made burger in 2013.

Gizmodo:

The Future Will Be Full of Lab Grown Meat

Here are a couple articles I've seen recently on the topic. They were spurred by the announcement of the first lab-cultured meatball, by startup company Memphis Meats.

Huffington Post:

'World's First' Lab-Grown Meatball 

Looks Pretty Damn Tasty

 

IFLScience.com:

Lab-Grown Meat Will Be On The Market Within Five Years, 

Says Biotech StartUp

I like this quote by one of the founders that expresses the desire for progress that accompanies any invention, especially one with potentially world-changing consequences:

“We plan to do to the meat industry 

what the car did to the horse and buggy.

Cultured meat will completely replace the status quo 

and make raising animals to eat them simply unthinkable.”

-Uma Valeti, CEO of Memphis Meats

Year of the Monkey

I came across this cool limited edition print of smokey monkeys, by artist James Jean.

"Year of the Monkey"

by James Jean

I love the style & mystical feeling of this image.
The print sold out so it's not available to buy, but at least it's viewable online.

Spider vs.Grub

I love being outdoors & observing nature and take alot of photos of animals in the natural world.

Nature Photography

by Paul Micarelli

My brother has uploaded a couple videos he took, showing inter-species conflicts in the animal kingdom. The first one showed a wasp & a hummingbird fighting over the contents of a backyard feeder.

This past week he posted a new video showing a brown spider attacking & subduing a grub. Don't ask me what inspired him to put the crazy music behind the video...

The Force Awakens & The Future of Star Wars

 Image Source

Recently I went to my second viewing of "Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens". This time I watched it in 3D, & I enjoyed it with more of an eye toward the details that I missed opening weekend.

Being a life-long Star Wars fan, I read forums and articles discussing the movies. There is a lot of speculation about the next two episodes in the series, concerning the story & all the different characters. That's the greatest thing about this story, or any powerful work of fiction- it can spur the imaginations of the masses.

Obviously, a lot of people are talking about the past and the future of Rey, the Force-sensitive protagonist of the new movies. Many (including me) think that Rey is related to Anakin & Luke somehow, since the movie saga has been focused on the Skywalker family. However, some have tried to argue that Rey could be just a youngling in Luke's new Jedi academy with a predisposition to The Force. I think there are too many signs pointing to her being part of the Skywalker bloodline. By the way,

I loved this take from a commenter on a Cinema Blend article about "The Force Awakens" ending:

Yes. I fully expect the 7-9 trilogy to be about finally uniting both sides of the Force.
My thoughts on the entire story so far:

• Eps. 1-3: The attempt of the Jedi to deny all elements of the dark side lead to their eventual destruction. 

• Eps. 4-6: The attempt by the Sith to eliminate the light side leads to their destruction. Interestingly, both Vader and Luke use both sides of the Force to different degrees to (probably?) destroy Palpatine.

• Eps. 7-9: As mentioned before, I think we'll see a final uniting of both sides of the Force.

I always find it interesting that the light side and dark side of the Force are interpreted as representing good and evil. The great realization that both sides can be used for good and both sides can be used for evil will be the ultimate fulfillment of the prophesy.

This would be in line with the resolution to the Matrix movies- in which Neo did not end up destroying the machines... but merging with them.

Unifying duality, not engaging in conflict, is the solution to the question of existence.

So, it will be interesting to know if Luke's experiences lead him to the conclusion that a higher conception of the Force is one beyond the concepts of Light & Dark.

Rey could be a catalyst for this merging of The Force. She has passion & emotional vitality, but is also able to connect to the stillness that allows the Force to flow through her. Perhaps she will be able to utilize the full spectrum of The Force's power, as opposed to a Jedi or a Dark Side user who only facilitates one particular aspect.

I think The Force Awakens movie poster hinted at the fact that Rey will be influenced or tempted by the Dark Side, with Kylo Ren's red blade directly aligned with her staff. Like Luke who was also directly confronted with evil, this will give her intimate insight into the darker aspect of The Force. Ultimately, though, Rey's soul is good at the core and will not be easily corrupted, similar to Luke's resistance to Vader & The Emperor. She will use even this knowledge out of compassion & a sense of right.

If they show it in depth, the contrast between Snoke's training of Kylo & Luke's training of Rey will be very interesting. I'm sure it will present two very different perspectives on both The Force and events in the Star Wars galaxy. I am looking forward to finding out more of the background of Luke & Snoke, as well as the origins of Rey, in the next movie.
  
"The Force Awakens" was a jumpoff point for this new series, and I'm hoping that the next episode goes deep & philosophical like Yoda's teachings in "The Empire Strikes Back". Those are the mystical elements of Star Wars that have always spoke to me. So far, it looks like this sense of mysticism & spiritual philosophy will remain as an integral element to the stories.

There are many movie & media spinoffs planned, but I hope that the central theme of the main movies remains an individual's connection to The Force.

On a related note, here is an article that points to the extraordinary abilites that we humans have in our reality. The potential of the mind is vast & limitless, and we may very well be capable of "Jedi-like" powers.

Waking Times:

Scientific Proof Of Jedi Powers 

and How To Develop Them

All Lab Chimps in U.S. Set Free

Since my last post was about a bizarro world where chimps evolved from humans, I thought I'd share this positive news about our fellow simians.

I've also posted before about laboratory chimps being set free & the moving way they react to their newly-acquired freedom.

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

Lab Chimps Released

Recently, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it will be retiring the last of it's lab chimps used for scientific research. They will be retired to an animal sanctuary to live a more enjoyable life.

Gawker:

All U.S. Lab Chimps Are Finally Going To Paradise: 

A Retirement Home in the South Somewhere

It is a small dent in the cruelty and horror humanity inflicts on animals continuously around the world, but it is at least a step in recognizing the intelligent minds and conscious perceptions of these beings.

How would you feel if you were put in a cage & experimented on? That is exactly how a chimp, monkey, or any other sentient creature feels. An animal is just not thinking about it's misery in the form of language. The pleasure expressed when the animals are free is undeniable.

Reverse Evolution

I saw this funny image on the Tumblr blog Inner Cosmos, showing an alternate reality in which apes have evolved from humans.

This bizarre fact is being taught to a class of intelligent monkeys, using a chart showing the reversed evolution of hominids.

The writing on the board also shows that math is universal, since arithmetic was apparently independently derived by these smart apes.

Physics of Life

I try to inform myself in all areas so that I have a general knowledge of many things. There is an infinite amount of information to be gained, & I want to know as much of it as I can absorb.

Scientific topics are a favorite of mine, because I feel like scientific investigation can help us understand reality. The more I learn about knowledge & discoveries from different scientific fields, the more I feel like I am looking into a never-ending fractal dimension of information.

Biology and quantum theory are two areas that I have been focusing on lately, listening to many lectures about the realm where these intersect. My mind absolutely boggles when I think of the activity happening of cellular & molecular level, throughout all living things. It's crazy to think of proteins and cells interacting, moving, & sending signals to each other at a nonstop pace!

The macrocosm mirrors the microcosm, and vice-versa. This fascinating article explained how the mass behavior of animals is giving researchers a hint into how matter becomes self-organizing into living systems. It's something that is ultimately truly mysterious, but by trying to figure it out, we can better understand ourselves & our world.

Nature:

The Physics of Life

Mindfulness Practice

I have learned about & tried different types of meditation. I find these practices to be helpful in cultivating an interesting & meaningful experience in this life.

A Guide to Meditation for the Rest of Us

Mindfulness meditation is an approach to everyday life, in which direct attention is maintained by the observer consciousness.

As the Zen saying goes:
"When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. But above all don't wobble!” - Lin Chi.

Here is an article on the specific meditation technique of mindfulness practice.

How Does a Mindful Practice Do Anything?

Terence Mckenna Quotes

 Terence McKenna was a thinker, writer, public speaker was interested in such topics such as- altered states of consciousness, culture, and technology. He was, in my opinion, one of humanity's greatest minds.

The monkey Buddha Archives:

Terence McKenna

I would recommend any one of his talks that can be found online. I've listened to dozens & dozens of hours of his recordings & I never get tired of his loquacious episodes into the nature of the mind & reality.

This is a extensive list of some of Terence McKenna's very quotable thoughts that I came across recently. 

Awaken:

73 Mindblowing Terence McKenna Quotes

Here are a few of my favorites:

“You are a divine being. You matter, you count. You come from realms of unimaginable power and light, and you will return to those realms.”
– Terence McKenna

“The artist’s task is to save the soul of mankind; and anything less is a dithering while Rome burns.  If artists cannot find the way, then the way cannot be found.”
-Terence McKenna

 “We are caged by our cultural programming. Culture is a mass hallucination, and when you step outside the mass hallucination you see it for what it’s worth.”
– Terence McKenna

“Half the time you think your thinking you’re actually listening.”
– Terence McKenna

“We have been to the moon, we have charted the depths of the ocean and the heart of the atom, but we have a fear of looking inward to ourselves- because we sense that is where all the contradictions flow together.”
― Terence McKenna

NASA's RoboSimian

It's a new year, and I thought I'd post about the future- specifically futuristic monkey-like robots.

I've had this article filed away, that talks about a robot designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab.

 Gizmodo:

Robosimian: NASA’s New Monkey Robot 

Designed for Search & Rescue

The RoboSimian can shift between a wheeled configuration and a mode using four appendages that resemble a cross between monkey limbs and a tentacled creature like an octopus.

Here is a video of it in action. It is a pretty ingenious and interesting design:

Although many of the DARPA robots were humanoid & bipidal. However, there's no reason robots need to look like humans, or any other known creature.