Good vs Evil?

First of all, I want to state that there is no such thing and "good" or "evil." They are relative terms that change from culture to culture and have changed over time (and will continue to do so). Ok, with that said, I wanted to comment quickly on what message exactly is Hollywood trying to tell us these days when it comes to morality. Take the new Batman: Dark Knight movie for example. Let me describe the two main characters and you pick who you think is the role model and who is bad for society.

Batman: Disgustingly filthy rich, high carbon footprint (arrives to a party at his house in a helicopter), womanizer, corporate giant, narcissist, violent, and a liar.

Joker: Makes his own clothes, worried about population size, extremely intelligent, self confident, funny (of course), misunderstood,  rebel, revolutionary, visionary, non-materialistic, and also violent.

Sounds like Joker wins to me. It also looks a little like David vs Goliath or the little shop owner vs Wal Mart. Aren't we supposed to side with David (the little guy?) If so, then why do the Goliath's always win. Why are Wal Marts still in business. It sounds to me like this Batman example is just one of many ways to corrupt young kids (and older ones) and teach them early on who to side with. I can hear the messages screaming to me during the movie: "get a job; dont be a hippy freak with home made clothes, wear Armani; envy the rich; fight to maintain the status quo; squash any attempt to be an individual or to fight against the system."

I'll leave you with that last thought.

Bring It On!

Yeah so it looks like rough times ahead huh? I'd say not nearly enough. Things are going to have to get a hell of a lot worse before people in the US are willing to do anything about it. For example, compare how the citizens of the UK protested England's bank bailout. And their numbers were pittance compared to ours: 37 billion pounds (64 billion US $) vs our incredible $700 billion + $250 billion rescue and buyout. Are these numbers not insane to anyone? Should we be bailing out a system that seems so far screwed up that it needs bailing out in the first place? Shouldn't everyone know by now that bankruptcy and foreclosures are built into the system..that someone or some group has to go bust in order for us to continue with business as usual.

So my advice, not that I like to tell anyone else what to do, is to do everything in your power to bring this recession (and eventually depression) on. We're all going to learn some valuable lessons here and maybe, just maybe we'll walk away from this with a better idea of how to move forward for the future. 

So I'm torn. Vote for Obama and slow the mess down (not change it like he says)...or vote for McCain--someone who so obviously has the wrong idea for what's best for ordinary 'Joes' like myself that he'll actually make our situation worse. Hmmm....I do want things to get tougher. Because maybe then people will get off their asses for 2 seconds and say, "hey, something's not right here and I'm not going to put up with it anymore." Alright...enough ranting for now. I'm off to Starbucks for a latte and then I'm back here to catch the new Grey's Anatomy.

Carry Rocks, Not Cameras

Do a web search for 'rock throwing demonstrators' and you may or may not be surprised to see hundreds of responses as to who, what, when and most importantly, where these events take place. The locations are overwhelmingly international. A question arises: are there more or worse problems in other countries than here in the United States? Or is it that the problems are the same but the people here lack both the desire and the motivation to actually do something about them? My guess is the later. 

I'm not a writer and I always say that if I can't say it better than someone else, quote them. So I'll quote Douglas Haddow from an article in this month's issue of Adbusters about Hipsters:

'...The half built condos tower above us like foreboding monoliths of our yuppie futures. I take a look at one of the girls wearing a bright pink keffiyah and carrying a Polaroid camera and think, 'If only we carried rocks instead of cameras, we'd look like revolutionaries. But instead we ignore the weapons that lie at our feet--oblivious to our own impending demise."'

So today, as a start, a friend of mine and I decided to 'go throw some rocks.' We started with a post on Craigslist that advertised the event, made a target and then met at a park. It felt good to get exercise and fresh air outdoors while constructively venting our current frustrations. If you haven't thrown rocks in a while, I suggest you do it. I know I'll be out there again in the near future, with my sign, my target and my rocks.

Speaking of One Less Car

I want to take a second and call attention to a couple events that may be marking the change of everything from city planning to wars for oil: yes, I'm taking about breaking the dependance on the automobile. Like most people, I grew up getting driven from place to place; got my own car when I was 17 and thought about buying a Porsche Cayman S as soon as I got that high paying job after graduation. But unlike most people, I spent some time studying in Italy where cars are a relatively new concept and most streets, plazas, etc are based around the human scale. What I learned from my experience is that the car is not and should not be something to depend on. It should be used and taken for exactly what it is: a product. A product that a handful of manufactures have been cramming down our throats for the last 60+ years. A product that is not needed and has not been needed for society to function safely and efficiently. 

All I can say is that if gas prices continue to rise at the rate they are currently, a good number of people in the US are screwed. My advice is to move to a city on a river with a functioning port. That and start writing your congressmen, mayer, city council, etc for bond money for light rail and streetcar projects. That's where we're heading to a place we've been before but rejected: the 1930's. Enough ranting for one night. Where'd I leave my fedora? I'm going out to see my favorite orchestra play at the club. If I'm lucky I'll meet a nice dame to dance with while I'm there.

Oh yeah, the events I meant to mention are Sunday Parkways in Portland, OR, Manhattan BLVDs, NY, and Ciclovia, Bogota, Columbia. These are all events where the streets are going to be shut down for a period of time in order to let cyclists, joggers, walkers, etc have access to the roads without fear of cars or inhaling of exhaust fumes. Look up both events and attend them if you live nearby. If not, write your city council, etc and ask for a similar event to be held in your town.

WNBR Portland Followup

Ok, so I don't have any pictures to post which may disappoint some of you out there but it's ok because it helps emphasize my point that you had to be there in person to really appreciate how cool of an event this is. I mean when else can you show up at a warehouse and then down a beer, strip off your clothes and ride through the busy streets of a downtown city center in the buff? The answer is not very often. And if anyone thinks about it being just for hippies, gays, pervs or whatever...it wasn't like that at all. I'm a respected member of business community and I felt just as welcome and comfortable there as anyone. 

My advice is if the WNBR comes to your town....do it. You'll be surprised at how much fun you have and how much better you feel about yourself afterwards. And if there isn't one in your town, organize one. You'd be surprised how many people will show up. 

Oh, and remember: "Less gas more ass"....and as the WNBR site says, "We face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the unique dangers faced by cyclist and pedestrians as well as the negative consequenses we all face due to dependance on oil and other forms of non-renewable energy."

World Naked Bike Ride

I am so there.

My Thought's Exactly

"In any case, I needed to talk to someone, and I was alone. This is my habitual condition, by choice--or so I tell myself. Mere acquaintanceship leaves me unsatisfied, and few people are willing to accept the burdens and risk of friendship as I conceive of it."

Mask of the (RED) Death

Above is the 'Project Red' manifesto. I don't really want to say too much about it at the moment but I want you to read it. Read it and think about what exactly it's saying and what it means. Is this a good thing? The wizards behind the curtain (Bono being one of them) would like you to think so. But here's my problem with it:

- RED (as I'll refer to the campaign) uses people dying of aids in Africa to garner sympathy from the consumer.

- RED borderline threatens you into buying a "red" product by saying that if you don't buy RED, someone will die of AIDS. Incredible. They think that $10 from every iPod sold is actually going to make it to the patients who need it. And who follows up with it? How can I get involved without buying something? How can I see where the money goes and how it's used? The answer? You can't help without buying something because helping the people directly does not make these people selling their services and products money. It's a win/win for all the parties involved (oh, but not the AIDS patient in Africa. Sorry gang). This campaign is not only a way to get people to buy something they don't need...but it's also a way to make profit for the campaign itself with the 10% donation. 

- And RED just perpetuates the notion that the only way to solve a problem is to buy something. Spending money allows companies to invest in doing "the right thing." Since when have most corporations ever cared about who they impact on their pursuit of profit? They only want to be perceived as responsible...not actually be responsible. Remember that. It's a marketing gimmick and nothing more. A clever mask hiding these companies true intentions. (RED) Death is an appropriate way to view this ideology.

Lastly, I want to say that marketing, branding and advertising along this and similar trains of thought can lead to a scary future. Pretty soon they (the brading adgents) are just going to threaten us directly: "Buy this iPod nano or someone will come to your house and kill you." They're already doing this with products like tasers. They say: "If you do not buy this you will not be safe and you will get mugged or raped or killed - only OUR product can save you." Ooooo a feel good purchase if I ever saw one.

Screw Project RED. And screw you Bono. This is so not cool.

'Dear Convenience'

January 18, 2008 (Originally posted)

Dear Convenience,

I hate to have this conversation via email but I find it's best to think about what I want to say before saying it. That way I have time to reflect on what I'm feeling and make sure I communicate those thoughts clearly.

So I'm writing you tonight to let you know that I can't see you anymore. I know this may come as a shock because things were going so well but I feel that it's the best thing for me right you. You see...even though you made my life easier during the time we shared, I realize now that you didn't have my best interests at heart. You made things too easy on me. I know that sounds like a good thing but trust me--it's not. I need to know how to do things for myself. For example: ever since we met, I find myself cooking less and less. I mean why would I? I have you there to do it for me. But I like to cook. I need to cook. I want to get better at it so I can teach other people how to do it for themselves too. I can't do that with you around all the time. And that's just what you do for me in the kitchen. Now look at exercise: you tell me I don't need to do that either--or at least I still need to but I don't have to if I don't feel like it. You get me to work and back everyday so there's no exercise there. And when I come home it's dark out or I'm tired from being at the office all day and you make it to easy for me to just ignore the things I need to do to stay healthy and tell me that I can just "worry about it later." Well later is here and I'm going to worry about it now.

Please forgive me for rambling a bit but that's because this letter is not easy for me to write. I mean, you've been with me practically my whole life. For as long as I can remember you've been there by my side, washing my dishes, keeping me warm and fed, getting me to work quickly and comfortable every day--but no more. From here on out I want to do things the 'hard way' or the 'old fashioned way.' I now know that my grandpa was right all along when he told me that when he was my age he had to walk to school, both ways, barefoot and in the snow. I think that made my grandfather the special person that he was and if could have half the character and resourcefulness he had, I'd consider myself lucky.

I'm sure you won't have any problem meeting someone new. There are loads of people out there looking for exactly what you have to offer. I'm sure you'll make someone really happy someday. I also hope that one day they too will learn what I now know--that having things done for you--cheaply, quickly and easily--is less of a blessing and more of a curse in disguise.

Take care and good luck,

Unknown Pleasures

The Grace Kelly Proportion

Below is an excerpt from a conversation that may or may not have taken place:

Guy A: "I swear. You know that young woman I was telling you about that visits my work that was a distraction for me? I feel like Grace Kelly is in the break room right now preparing breakfast. Now how on earth am I supposed to concentrate on drafting red lines with that going on?"

Guy B: "haha...are you going to be her archibald leach?"

Guy A: "No. Her Prince Rainier--minus the speed boat accident....This reminds me of our talks on proportion and beauty. I value someone for who they are, not what they simply look like and yet I’m speechless when confronted by an extremely beautiful woman. I’d probably give her 50 dollars if she asked me for it. So why is that? Simple mathematics. Instinct and genetics override my rational though process and I am drawn to this person not for who she is but how proportionate her features are. We should come up with a new phase to describe women like this so we keep our cool and are reminded that it’s not our fault we’re drooling over them—it’s our biology. When we see a beautiful woman, we’ll say, “she’s Phi”—meaning that her features come closer to approaching the proportion of 1:1.6180339 than other women. There. Problem solved."

Guy B:"haha...thats good. But then again there are golden ratios within the non typical beauties out there too...so a chubby girl may have a beautifully proportionate face, but because of her weight people will call her fatty!!"

Guy A: "I hate to sound like an ass her but a cubby girl and fit girl probably have different proportions in the face. So there is a beautify girl waiting to be discovered in every cubby girl because the proportions are there but not perceivable. You bring up an interesting point though—that it’s not the fat or the weight that is the problem, it just that the fat hides the proportion. Our evolutionary history doesn’t know the value of a larger person because so few existed over time. When food is scarce and labor is hard and manual, extra weight is almost non-existent. Of course, analyzing of these concepts leads to a new understanding of traditional beauty and the acceptance of a “new” standard."

Guy B: "A-hole!!! haha. But face wise; eyes, nose and mouth stay in the same place. so the chubby girl can still be pretty and proportional...it's when the 3rd 4rth and 5th chin start to form that proportion flies right out the window! It's like little face in dick tracy...kinda weird!"

Guy A: "I see what you mean. Yes, most of the face can still be pretty because fat does not influence the size or shape of a person’s skull…I think I’ll post this conversation (maybe edited) on my blog page. I need more entries to get conversations started."

Guy B: "It is a good topic of discussion!!! To see if the golden ratio applies in cultures where the larger you are the more beautiful, or if then societal impact and conditioning take over..."

Guy A: "Good Point. I thought of a title for an essay to be written on this topic. It’s called: ‘Fat Faces and the Divine Proportion: The Connection Between Societal Prejudice and Evolutionary Biology...What do you think?"

Guy B: "haha...that's really good! That could get you a masters or a nobel peace prize...I'm serious!"

*Endnote (added 01/09/08): I just wanted to add that after having this discussion, we both came to the conclusion that we as society don't treat people with weight issues very well and we were hoping to find out why that is so. I personally feel like I have a better understanding of why these prejudices exist and how to be aware of them in order to not let myself get wrapped up in the apparent superficiality of society.

MacBook Skull

MacBook Skull

I was doing some writing on my laptop at the coffee house last night and I looked around and realized that everyone there had a mac laptop that they were using. There was a time when Apple Computers was the underdog, and it meant something to have and use one. I think those times are gone. Apple has shifted their focus away from computer innovation and education and instead had decided to focus on what else?!...Movies and music. Don't get me wrong, I have an iPod and loved it when iTunes first came out but I feel that there is too much emphasis on using consumer electronics for entertainment purposes, when they can be used for so many more creative purposes.

So with that being said, I thought I'd mark my MacBook Pro with a symbol that represents its death: the skull. Below are a couple images of how I decided to alter my laptop so the next time I'm at the coffee shop with 20 other Macs, mine will stand out...and who knows, maybe it will will generate an actual face-to-face conversation. Remember what talking to actual live people was like?

Turn It Off

Turn Off the TV Week

April 21 - 27

A challenge! Unplug your tv this week and don't plug it back in until next monday (if at all). Now I know it's not easy quit cold turkey. You're addicted...and like any drug, quitting just like that is not easy. So maybe start with one day...and then if you can do one day, try two...and then three, etc. Once the cold sweats and shakes dissipate, you'll be able to keep going without tv like you've been doing it all your life.

Now cutting the power to the tube seems like the easy part but! What do we do with that all that time that has recently opened up? Something different works for everyone. I canceled my cable back in sept and it wasn't easy at first. I ended up watching 'The Office' online instead (not a huge difference from the television). But I didn't like the ads and it got old real quick. I turned to reading and writing as a way to fill time in the evening...with an occasional chat with friends that live out of state. I've even done sketches and water colors! Now if art or reading isn't your thing, the sure fire way to beat boredom is conversation. Tell of story or ask someone to tell you one. Invite a friend or co-worker over for wine or desert. Just talk to someone...about anything. That human connection, no matter how trivial the dialog, is so important to have in our lives and to contribute to. Let's not forget that real human interaction is something that we seem to have less and less of in our lives and no matter what the tv commercials, cell phone providers and blog posts are saying, they will never suffice as a replacement for one-on-one interpersonal relationships.

More Info: www.unplugyourkids.com/2008/

Thoughts on Corporations

Let's talk about corporations, economists, and psychopaths for a for a moment shall we? What do these three groups have in common? A quote I just heard helps put things into perspective. It goes, "...only two groups in society only behave in a rational, self interested way...one is economists...the other is psychopaths."

This quote links economists to psychopaths but how do psychopaths relate to corporations you ask? To assess the "personality" of the corporate "person," a checklist is employed, using diagnostic criteria of the World Health Organization and the standard diagnostic tool of psychiatrists and psychologists. The operational principles of the corporation give it a highly anti-social "personality": it is self-interested, inherently amoral, callous and deceitful; it breaches social and legal standards to get its way; it does not suffer from guilt, yet it can mimic the human qualities of empathy, caring and altruism. This point-by-point analysis delivers a disturbing diagnosis: the institutional embodiment of laissez-faire capitalism fully meets the diagnostic criteria of a "psychopath."

Now given that corporations have the rights and protections of legal citizens and exhibit traits of a psychopath, it's interesting to know that corporations are: "required by law to elevate their own interests above others." And where do these corporations get their inspirations from?

So I gather from all this that a corporation has legal protection under the law to act like a psychopath and legally put it's pyschopathic needs and desires ahead of the interests of others. And our current economy and political intsitution that installs and protects the economy are based around these ideas. Hmmm.

The Corporation

The Trap - Part 1

The Trap - Part 2

The Trap - Part 3

Test Blog

Ok, so I've never used one of these blog programs but thought maybe it would be easier to link to this page instead of creating an individual page for every little thought and idea I have. Some of them aren't worth that much time and energy....and and comments might come more frequently this way. Or not.