August 27, 2008

Project: Time Capsule

I just came up with this idea while I was running...

Well, not running, actually at the end of running, when all of the oxygen starts rushing back to your brain and you get that momentary feeling of euphoria and clarity.  Yeah, that moment.

Anyway, in this moment, I was thinking on how our generation and from this point forward, much of what we archive and remember will be stored digitally.  Cyberspace... that kind of thing.  (I think cyberspace should be put up there with the words "moist" as oddly noxious to say and use.)

We don't really have those physical mementos that our previous ancestors have... no cave drawings, rock carvings, antiques... none of that.  We have stuff like the board.

But things that are stored digitally in this fashion can't really be antiques because they have a dynamic quality to it.  I could go back to a previous entry at any time and read it at any moment and comment on it or edit it or so forth and so on.  Ad infinitum.

So we can't really enjoy or appreciate the past because we have constant access to it.

Which got me to thinking about time capsules.  We should have one.  Seriously.  The lot of us, the ones that care anyway, should take a few things, put them in some sort of protected box or other such storage device, lock it up, and bury it for ten or more years.  Lock it away somewhere were none of us can access it.  Something truly archived.

Just on the surface I could think of a myriad of things to put in there: a jar with a small mint-bush twig, a pikachu, an old hat, an alf doll, a cane, an albert camus book, an old comic we made, bones from a dead goat... etc, etc, etc.

Of course, those are just random ideas, and it could also be a disc burnt with some stuff, the idea being that because it's locked away, it's still tamper-proof.

Anyway, it's just an idea... something we could all contribute to in some small way.  I have more thoughts on it, but I'm curious to see the reaction to the idea first.

TIFH ( epilogue )

Originally this was going to be "Things I Hate" - I even started a new blog to have them all nicely by themselves. Going over the idea I've come to the conclusion that such an act is selfish and self-centered. Why have my own blog when I have this perfectly fine one? What am I trying to do, combat some website like ( 1000awesomethings.com ) ?? of course not.

That and then I would have to setup a new layout and make it look all pretty. Fuck, even the slugs board isn't pretty. Why waste my time trying to make a second website all fancy when this one isn't. Hrmph.

So I've decided to post it here. And I changed the name, it isn't "Things I Hate" now it is "Things I Fuckin' Hate" - Like the total name change? Nobody could have guessed that the first title was actually ever in use because the use of the word "Fuck" makes things edgy and indie. Don't jump to conclusions, that isn't what this first episode of TIFH is about - oh not by a long shot. This is just introductory text.

See, I intend to this either bi-weekly or monthly. Whichever. Maybe around payday (which is bi-weekly) - but I got to thinking about how Jeff always had THE MEGAPOST - and now he has the J2J comics, I never really had a recurring thing to post about (Remember Jimmoi's hotties of the frozen tundra? even he had something serial) - I may have had one at some point, but hell if I could remember what it was. Just me ranting on. I'm good at ranting on, which is why I believe I will be prime for this job as head TIFH writer.

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo. What is it going to be about?

ill get to that.

August 24, 2008

The "Strategic" Vote

To answer Adam's query shortly:  Obama.

Now for the long, rambling answer and some interjected thoughts...

I was, briefly, discussing this with James... and he talked about "pretend" voting, which I took as voting for the lesser of "two evils"... what many people, independents and those affiliated with other "third" parties do.

(Man there are a lot of parentheses in this post...)

The way I view it, at least in this moment... voting in our democracy seems less an exercise in free will and freedom and exercising our rights as US citizens, and more like a type of strategic game.  Voting equals chess.

And really, it kind of does.  In a game of chess, you place certain pieces strategically, knowing that you will probably lose them to your opponent, but with the goal of ultimately coming out on top.

Politics, and the part that we play, voting, has a similar goal, but for all intents and purposes, dumbed down.  In the general election voting process (in America), you are basically given two choices... two choices that are supposed to represent opposing views (though often only do on superficial levels).  Sure, you could vote for a third party member (and probably should in some of the past elections we've had), but are you making a difference?

Probably not.  It's actually probably true that you are throwing your vote away, statistically.  Or, worse, you are playing into the hand of the party you probably least want to see in power.  Certainly that was the case for those that voted for Nader in 2000 and 2004.  Those that voted Nader in either year, but especially 2000, did not like Gore and they did not like Bush.  And probably for fairly good reasons.  (After all, those people that even knew who Nader was, were probably of the more educated and knowledgeable of the voting bloc - sad as that is - thus it's kind of stupid for other people to insult and call Nader-voters stupid... rather, those people chose not to play the game, probably to their detriment...)

Voting in America is about getting the best possible deal, not about voting who you really, actually like.  It's a sad reality, but it's also a true reality.  And oddly, this reality is self-propagating.  If it wasn't for this strategic voting pattern, we'd probably have another party, or a multi-party system.

This election cycle, many will vote for Obama, and many will vote for McCain, and few will vote for a third party candidate, though there may be many qualified that will run.  And many people may have a third party candidate that they like, but they won't vote for them this time around.  Why?  Because people see this election as an "important" one... one for the ages... and thus the whole "strategic" voting pattern will be in play.

And like I said before, strategic voting is statistically smart.

However, sadly, IF everyone actually voted according to more about who they really liked, and if third party candidates had access to the media the way the Dems and Repubs do... well... it would be a different game.

I will be voting for Obama, and a part of that is simple strategy.  Strategy on multiple fronts.  One, I think my vote will "count" more by voting for him.  Two, I think that though he doesn't have the foreign experience that others have, he knows how to surround himself will intelligent individuals.  Third, I think he might be the first candidate that by virtual of his lack of experience and his excellent oratory skills, may return the Presidency to its original intended goals as set forth by the Continental Congress... a figurehead and leader with lesser power than what is currently seen.  People forget this, but Congress was always intended to be the true power of the United States.

A leader is supposed to inspire and guide, at least in the United States... and after seeing Putin, I can only hope that we return to a more intelligent and measured form of leadership to the country.

August 18, 2008

Gas and the Veteran

I was on the phone today, just a few minutes ago, in fact, calling up some veterans to remind them of a support group that I help to run.

This particular vet that I was talking with has been to our support group quite a few times actually.  He's a very pleasant man who has come to our meetings in the past and usually participated and provided others with useful information.

He actually likes to come to our groups and claims to get a good deal out of them.  So it was sad for him to realize that gas prices are now too high for him to travel all the way from the Tacoma/Puyallup area to Seattle.  The VA actually offers travel reimbursement, but apparently, Tacoma/Puyallup is considered too close and he makes too much (which is NOT all that much), and cannot be reimbursed.

So... there you have it.

Without sounding preachy or political or whatever the fuck you want to call it, this is one of those fucked-up-beyond-all-common-sense situations that boggles me and should infuriate anyone with half a brain.  It certainly should infuriate anyone who actually votes.

I'm not going to go off about my political views, but I don't consider this much of a political matter as it is a matter of pure intelligence.  And there are so many reasons why this situation, and I'm sure there are others just like it and worse, should be apalling.

From a "Support-the-Troops" point-of-view... I mean... really?!  Really?!  We send our troops off to war, they come back, get questionable services as a result, and now we don't even give them the money to get to those questionable services?

I'm still in the midst of the shock of this all, after spending ten minutes on the phone with him and discussing his case, that I can't really form a coherent argument.  It's like throwing water in a frying pan full of oil.  Everything's just bouncing around...

It does make me wonder how we can be so jaded, and taught to be so jaded in school... and how any of us, or our country, survives.  That we haven't had some sort of collapse of infrastructure yet is appalling.  It makes you want to punch idiots in the face.  I'm serious.  I'm about one more event away from punching the first person who lacks common sense intelligence and reasoning skills right in the face.

I'm about a half-second away from punching someone in the face for saying, "Oh I'm voting for this person because they are in my party," or "I like them because my parents do..."  or "I'm not voting for him/her because of their age, gender, religion, sex, lifestyle..."

I think the only thing that keeps me from punching these people in the face is because my level of pity for them is still higher than my level of disdain.  Pity that a school system that we all pay for is giving them such hideously horrid returns.  And then depression takes over when I realize that the people that that system is failing is being boosted  back up by the people it failed.

I agree with Jimmy, to an extent.  Our democracy is failing... but I don't think fascism is the answer.  Yet.  If only people were smart enough to invest in education, and the ones getting it would actually take it in.

Fuck all.

August 09, 2008

new toy

Well I finally got a Xbox 360 witch means I have a Wii, Playstation3, and Xbox 360. What do you guys have?

August 07, 2008

Screen Time

After our camping trip, I got to thinking about how we should do more event-like things. (yes, it also did occur to me that you all do that already...)

So two more ideas for things we should do:

Idea 1: Bad-Movie Night
Since James has his giant HDTV, I think we should select a night to screen some really bad movies. I'm talking about your Plan 9's and Gymkata's. Thoughts? I suppose it's also up to James and if he wants to allow the use of his TV. I'm thinking of sometime around the end of the month or in September...?

Idea 2: Paintball 2008
It has been a long time since we did paintball, but it would be fun. It always has been fun, even on days when it wasn't as fun as other days. It's sometiing we could schedule for maybe end of September or October... Or sooner.

Anyway, those were just some ideas I had floating around in my head. If you have any thoughts as well, post them.

Geolocate this post

Posted with LifeCast

Plane Out



Geolocate this post

Posted with LifeCast

August 05, 2008

SuperHeliotrope

Wow, so it took me awhile but I finally finished Ultraviolet. Wow. I'm sad that I wasn't there to see/mock this movie with you all. I imagine it was one of those epic slugs events.

Prior to this movie I would have assumed that The Core was the worst movie I had seen. No, wait, that honor goes to Undefeatable. But after this... I mean, I can only imagine the budget this movie burned its soft focus through.

I can't wait to see how well Gymkata performs.

Geolocate this post

Posted with LifeCast

HyperLavender

22 Minutes 11 Seconds in...

Did you guys watch this in a theater?  Please... please... please tell me you watched this in a theater.  I'm watching it on an iPhone's screen and it's... words can't quite... I...

I can only imagine what it would have been like to watch it in a) a large, theater screen, and b) amongst people who were there watching it as well.

And if you did watch it in a theater, did you actually hear anyone excited or cheering?

I think I'll try to rent Gymkata today from Scarecrow... maybe watch it on the plane... and then bring it over for a massive screening on James' HDTV.

I'm also going to HAVE to listen to the Director's Commentary on this movie because... because I just need to know what they thought of it.

MegaPurple

So... after much talk of Ultraviolet, and the crapfest that it is, and the realization that I should see it because it is such a crapfest...

I have begun watching it.

And, 4 minutes 4 seconds into it and I'm already laughing.  Oh... space ninjas (I think), how you do amuse me so.

Request Approved

Jimmy requested that I post up the old "Bethel Slayer" (Target Edition) movie that I made (and re-edited) a few years back... I think he wanted to show it to someone.

Man... eight years ago... what the fuck was I thinking.  Still, I'm glad I did'nt go with The Parr's decision to make a stupid music video or whatever the fuck he wanted us to make.  I remember he had some lame ideas.  So, yeah.  Suck on that Parr.

Oh, right... the linkage:  BETHEL SLAYER, starring the ever-elusive, jOe Macauley.

FYI... apparently I accidently sent a post out with nothing on it a few minutes ago.  Sorry about that.  Must have hit "Publish Post" by mistake.

Picture of the Day

Oh Internets... I love you.  How you bring joy to my life, and how you bring people together.  You and The Myspace.

I can't believe for years I cursed Myspace.  No longer.
!!!MORGAN FREEMAN ALERT AND UPDATE!!!

News, broken by TMZ.com (the premiere website for everything important in the world) reveals that MORGAN FREEMAN is in CRITICAL CONDITION. ( link )

This is important to all you would-be voice actors out there, maybe you'll be able to actually get a job.

Naturally, friends and family are concerned about his condition and there are plenty of reporters sitting quietly next to his bed ready in waiting to capture/photo/record/document Morgan Freeman's last gasp of air and the words accompanying it.

Director Mimi Leder, pioneer of such great films as Deep Impact (imdb) and Pay It Forward
(imdb)(Aaron's favorite movie of all time) - is quoted saying, "Thank goodness it didn't happen sooner."

Apparently all Morgan Freeman's voice-acting for her new movie The Code (imdb) has already been recorded.

The Code is about a master thief who recruits a notorious thief to help him steal two famous Faberge eggs from an impenetrable vault in an effort to repay his debt to the Russian mob. Morgan Freeman plays the notorious thief, whom narrates throughout the story and it is only but revealed at the ending where it is shown that he survived the climatic ending.

"If he dies it should cause a "Ledger-Effect" and hype my movie up for the big money." Mimi was ecstatic at the thought

While The Code is still in post-production, Mimi was not too concerned about not being able to re-record sound-bytes and had this to say, "Since we haven't wrapped up we can even record Denzel Washington's voice and digitally alter it to sound like Mr. Freeman's."

As the interview came to a close Mimi had her fingers crossed, "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. We'll be rolling in the dough if this goes well. Hello Downies, good bye television!"

Of course she was referring both to Robert Downey Jr's revitalized career popularized by IRON MAN, and her own lack of a major blockbuster - hiding in the folds of directing television episodes for no-name shows like "Johnny Zero", "Related" and "The West Wing".

August 04, 2008

A Glimpse into Creative Decisions

Talking of movies got me to thinking of the creation of a Loose Slugs - James-2-James comic...

Now, most of you who've seen them, have probably noticed that they are not drawn, but rather, use a combination of photography and Photoshop work (notably, Photoshop filters).  Early on, I thought about drawing all of the characters and such, but realized that it would simply take too long to get through one issue.  And my skills with drawing are not as good as my skills with photography.

One day I do plan on trying my hand at drawing some of the comic, or employing (not for money) others to do some of the artwork.  Because, as you can see from the examples below, I might not be the best for the job:

Here is James, as he normally appears:
 
Now here's how he appears in a typical James-2-James comic:

 
(note:  it is a little harder to tell the difference from this size, sadly, but there is a difference)
And finally, if I tried to draw all of the comic with my current skill level, here would be the Animated James:

 
It definitely would be fun to draw the comic, and like I said, down the road, I think I might.  But damn if things don't look fuckin' scary with my skills right now.
Oh well, skills grow, creativity flourishes... SMURSH SMURSHES!
I know my way around video editing.

Jimmoi use to do light-work for the stage in school.

I'm good with writing. And good with camera shots.

I'm down for anything but as of late I have to take care of some things.
(debt, car, learning work, lease, directv, possibility of school)

Once those are settled down, I have a pretty open schedule.
At the current moment I have no movie suggestions.

But I'll go through my old box of writings.
See if there is anything salvageable.

Quick Bites

Initially this was going to be a comment, but I started typing a bunch so... here we go:

Two quick questions then...

1) What movie ideas did you have in mind (make a post with one or two of them to give the others a sense of what you're going for).  This might help "spur" the creative juices of others here...

and

2) How "serious" does it have to be?  I do think we should have a script (especially if it is required for gear).  I'm wondering if we should start "small", with something simple like a documentary or "horror" film  or "commercial".  I know that probably sounds ridiculous... but most of everyone here how would be interested in such things has had little to no experience with actually "making" a movie.

That isn't to knock anyone... Jimmy, James, etc... all have creative ideas, and have performed in some capacity or another, but as far as I can remember, only Aaron (and myself to a MUCH lesser degree) has been involved or had some exposure to other aspects of movie making (i.e. sound, editing, cropping, blah blah blah).  So going from no-experience to making a full blown movie might be a bit overwhelming (especially factoring in work schedules).

We could, however, do a short film or commercial, get everyone familiar with the process and flow, then jump into something more daunting.

Just thoughts I had, mind you... but something to consider.

August 03, 2008

Another Season of Movie-Makin' Talk

Jimmy and I hung out yesterday, after I was tapped to retrieve Bonnie's car.  (It's a stick shift, and Jimmy can't drive stick.)

Anyway, we came up with the idea of driving down to Tacoma/Puyallup to visit jOe and get some pictures for the comic, as well as to catch up with someone we haven't seen in a long time.

Of course, then jOe had to not be around at all.  Thanks jOe!  We had to visit two Walmarts just to figure that out.  And I had "jOe Macauley"paged at the second Walmart.  That was kinda funny.

Anyway, while we were driving around lookin' for jOe's and lookin' for Gamecubes, we started talking about makin' a movie.

It's something that usually gets talked about every year or couple of years or so... so we are in that mood again, to make a movie.  We had one on the boiler plate, which Jimmy and I were talking about now... but does any one else have any idea or motivation for making a movie, crappy or otherwise?

The other reason, aside from randomly talking about movie-making with Jimmy, is that I realized something else.  Those of you who live in or around Seattle, might know of Scarecrow Video, a great little video store that holds almost every movie out there (including Gymkata... who knew)... well, one of the things they do is accept movies from anybody and put them on a shelf.  I know because I've seen that shelf before... movies in DVD-R format... amateurly made...

In other words, we could make a movie, put it in Scarecrow, and people might watch it... the type of people that have nothing better to do then rent crappy or amateur movies for the hell of it.  Meanwhile, we could also put our movies into contests, like SIFF or whatnot.  That would guarantee that someone would have to watch it... since SOMEONE has to screen all those movies.

Think of it, a guaranteed audience.

Oh yeah.

August 01, 2008

Explosion of Light and Dark


Explosion of Light and Dark
Originally uploaded by NONfinis
A brief from your good friend... me! I know some of you have been asking for these... well they are up. PICTURES OF CAMPING.

You know you want to click that link. Just think of how happy it would make you to click on that yummy, delicious, photo-stuffed link.

Do it, or your future children will have goiters. GOITERS!?